Patent GB-190601311-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Driving and Reversing Mechanisms
Inventor: THOMPSON WILLIAM PHILLIPS
Filed: 1906-01-17
Granted: 1907-01-17
Abstract: 1311. Thompson, W. P., [Conkling, A.]. Jan. 17. Reversing - gearing; clutches ; starting a n d stopping gear. - Relates to an automatically reversing driving-mechanism, which gives an exactly equal travel in each direction. It is shown applied to a rotary washing-machine, but is applicable to planers, shapers, and other machines of reciprocative &c. types. The washing-machine comprises a stationary shell enclosing a rotatable perforated cylinder, the ends of which have gudgeons having bearings in the ends of the shell, and on one of which is externally keyed a large gearwheel, which is provided with a guard or cover. The operating-mechanism, which drives this gearwheel to an equal extent alternately in opposite directions, is contained in a barrel-like casing with a bracket which is bolted to the end of the washer shell. The device is shown in plan in Fig. 2 and in transverse section in Fig. 5. The shaft G is driven from a pulley G<1> and is connected to the shaft F by means of toothed wheels HG giving one drive, and wheels IG with an intermediate pinion giving an opposite drive, the gear-wheels on the shaft F acting through clutches. Fixed on the shaft F is the pinion F<1>, which drives the large gear-wheel,D of the washing-machine. The pulley G<1> is formed so as to be an approximate continuation of the casing. It drives in one direction only, being connected to the spindle 10 through one-way pawls 10'. The parts to be described comprise (1) the clutch mechanism for connecting either of the gear-wheels HG, IG to the shaft F, (2) the actuating-means for alternately operating the clutches, (3) the regulating or timing means controlling the actuating-means, and (4) means for starting and stopping the mechanism. (1) In Fig. 4, the shaft F is shown mounted in bearing - blocks 3, 4. Upon it are slidably keyed two externally screw - threaded sleeves HK, IK, swivelly connected by lug-headed links KK, and between them is also keyed a clutch member K. To the gear-wheel IG is connected one clutch member, comprising two parallel-sided internallyscrewed nut segments I', which may be moved radially by means of bell-crank levers P and springs I<6> into or out of engagement with the screwed sleeve IK, the bell-crank lever being governed by a loose, grooved collar P operated by a fork M', Fig. 3. The screw engagement causes the sleeves to travel longitudinally until they carry the drum K to the limit of its movement. Meanwhile, the clutch part I carries in an annular groove two semicircular friction segments I<x> terminating in lugs 18, Fig. 3, which fit loosely in the outer part of tapering or V-shaped slots IX' in the drum K. Thus, as the drum K is carried to the right, the lugs 18 travel farther into the slots and cause the friction ring to grip the groove, whereby an effective drive is maintained until the reversing action comes into operation. On reversal, the collar I<2> causes the bell-crank levers I<3> to raise the parts I<1> out of engagement. When this clutch is freed, the collar H<2> causes the corresponding clutch on the gear-wheel HG to come into action. (2) The forks M<2>, L', Fig. 3, which directly serve to move the collars I<2>, H2, respectively, are arranged to slide upon a short shaft 20 supported in blocks 5, and are controlled by forked arms M<1>, L<1> fixed upon rocking shafts M, L, carried in bearings on the bars 6, 8, Fig. 2. These shafts are caused to rock at required intervals by the means shown in Fig. 2 and also diagrammatically in Fig. 8. Upon the shafts are fixed arms L<3>, L<4>, M<3>, M<4>, with rollers which ride upon raised tracks upon a block N. The outer arms L3, M<3> ride upon the central track N<1>, which extends the length of the block, while the inner arms L', M<4> ride upon tracks N<2>, N<3>, which are of less than half the length of the track N', this small space between the tracks allowing one clutch to be disengaged before the other is engaged. Reciprocal movements of the block N thus cause the shafts L, M to be rocked as required by the action of the arms in passing over the tracks. (3) The means serving to regulate or time the oscillations of the machine effect this purpose by controlling the reciprocations of the block N, which is slidably mounted upon a shaft 7, Fig. 5. A shaft P is mounted in bearings in the blocks 5, Fig. 4, and has an external pinion P', which meshes with the large gear-wheel D which is driven by the pinion F<1>. The peripheral travel of the pinion P<1> is thus the same as that of the pinion F<1>, and the controlling-device carried by the shaft P is actuated from the driven shaft F. Upon the shaft P is a screwed portion P<2> which carries an internally-screwed block O, which is restrained from rotation by means of the bar 6, the lower part of which engages a groove in the block as shown in Fig. 5. The block 0 travels between two lugs N<4> on the shifting block N above mentioned. As the shaft P rotates, the block 0 travels and shifts the block N alternately in opposite directions, each time this happens the whole gear being reversed. The space between the lugs N<4>, or the number of turns of the shaft P between each reversal, determines the period of oscillation of the machine. (4) The shaft G is connected to the pulley shaft 10 by means of a ratchet clutch or chuck Q<1>, the parts of which are formed respectively on the inner end of the shaft 10 and on the boss of the spur gear HG, the hub of the latter also having a groove to engage the forked end Q" of the starting &c. lever Q. The slidable gear HG on the shaft G does not disengage with the gear on the shaft F even when moved away from the clutch engagement. The lever Q may be directly operated, but is preferably provided with the means shown in Fig. 11 for quick reversal and for locking the chuck in each position. The end of the lever is provided with an antifriction roller, which projects through a slot 11 in the casing and engages a cam groove or slot 12 in a plate 13. The plate is carried between guides 14, Figs. 5 and 11, and may be moved between stops 15 by means of a handle 16. The movement of the cam-slot throws the lever end transversely to engage or disengage the clutch, the straight parts of the slot locking it in position. The whole mechanism may be lubricated by being partly immersed in an oil bath, the depth of which is shown by an external indicator 9, Fig. 5.