Patent GB-191314346-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Spring Power-storing Mechanism.
Inventor: CLARK JOSEPH YANCEY
IPC: F03G1/00
Filed: 1913-06-20
Granted: 1914-01-15
Abstract: 14,346. Clark, J. Y. June 20. Spring power-storing mechanism. -Power is stored in a number of springs which are automatically and successively re-wound, so that the machine may work continuously. The springs 54, five of which are used in the arrangement shown, are arranged alongside pulleys 60, one end of each spring being attached to a pulley and the other end to one of the bearings through which a hollow shaft 44 passes. The pulleys are loosely mounted on this shaft, and, when rotated by the springs, drive it through clutches 65. A lower shaft 11, rotated continuously by an electric or other motor 19, carries friction clutches 20, corresponding in number to the pulleys. The female portions 25 of the clutches are loose on the shaft and are integral with drums 27, connected to the pulleys by cords 95 in such a way that as one cord winds off a pulley it is wound on to the corresponding drum, and vice versa. The male portions 26 are shifted axially, in order to connect the parts 25 to, or disconnect them from, the shaft, by means of springs 36 or bell-cranks 37 acting in the manner hereinafter described. When the driving-springs 54 are wound up, they are prevented from uncoiling by the engagement of spring-pressed latches 106 with projections 107 on the pulleys, until the latches are withdrawn through the medium of members 97, 103. Arms 74, adapted to depress the corresponding parts 97, are arranged in different radial positions along the shaft 44, each arm being connected by a wire 80, passing through the shaft, to one of a set of controlling levers 48 at one end. The levers may be employed to shift an arm 74 into an inoperative position, and thus throw the corresponding driving- spring 54 out of action. The operation of the machine is as follows. Starting with all the springs 54 fully wound, the shaft 11 is rotated by the motor 19 while all the clutches 20 are out of engagement, the bell-cranks 37, which control the male parts of the clutches, being held down by spring catches 91, as shown in Fig. 1. On releasing the first pulley 60 by depressing the corresponding rod 97 by hand, the first spring 54 begins to unwind, driving the shaft 44. As the shaft continues to rotate, the arms 74 successively depress the other rods 97, thus bringing all the driving-springs 54 into action in turn. Shortly after all the springs are released, a pin 93, Fig. 2, on the first pulley 60 raises a sliding frame 88 by engaging with the underside of a part 88<1> thereof. Another part of this frame then pushes aside the catch 91, releasing the bell-crank 37, whereupon the spring 36 throws the first clutch into engagement. The first drum 27 is thus caused to rotate, and re-winds the corresponding spring 54 through the cord 95 and pulley 60. As soon as the spring is again fully wound, the pin 93, having again reached the position shown in Fig. 2, depresses the frame 88, and through it presses the bell-crank 37 into engagement with its catch 91, the clutch 20 being thus thrown out. After being re-wound, the spring 54 cannot at once uncoil, on account of the latch 106, which the projection 107 can pass in one direction only, but since the shaft 44 is still being driven by the remaining springs, the first radial arm 74 very soon depresses the corresponding rod 97 and thus sets the first spring 54 free again. Immediately afterwards, the second spring 54 is automatically re-wound and again released, in like manner, and so on for all the springs in turn. The driving-power of the shaft 44 is taken from a pulley 46.