Gear for Working Friction Clutches.
Year: 1896

page_text: Gear for Working Friction Clutches.
I, JOHN ATTERTON of Haverhill, Suffolk Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention comprises two arrangements for putting the parts of a friction
clutch in and out of contact.
The first arrangement is adapted for working on the end of an engine crank
shaft or other revolving shaft. One part of the clutch is attached to the pulley
or other wheel which is loose upon the shaft. The other part of the clutch is
made to revolve with the shaft but can slide along it by means of a reed let into
the shaft and this part of the clutch has a long boss forming a sleeve and it is
moved into and out of gear with the other part of the clutch by a screw which is
tapped centrally into the end of the crank or other shaft. This screw is attached
to the sleeve of the sliding part of the clutch by a cross bar through which it
works baving collars on both sides of the cross bar so that the screw and the
sleeve must move endways together. On the outer end of the screw I fix a hand-
wheel turned true on the periphery. By using this gear, gas or oil engines can
be started without their load and when the necessary speed is attained the clutch
is put into gear by the simple operation of placing the hand upon the handwheel
and holding it while the engine makes sufficient revolutions to work up the screw
and draw the clutch into gear. The hand is then removed the operation being
completed. The screw is made either right or left handed as required by the
direction of the revolution of the shaft. To release the clutch when the shaft is
stopped or revolving slowly, the bandwheel is turned in the same direction as the
shaft revolves. For high speeds, to release the clutch while in motion I employ a
second handwheel upon the end of the screw. The second hand wheel is capable
of revolving upon the end of the screw when required and has an internal tooth
wheel cast or attached thereto. A tooth wheel is fixed to the screw and by means
of an intermediate pinion engages with the teeth of the handwheel. By placing
the hand upon this second handwheel so as to retard its motion it turns the screw
in the opposite direction to that caused by placing the band upon the first mentioned
handwheel and the clutch is thereby withdrawn.
The second arrangement is for working the clutch upon a shaft where the screw
cannot be tapped into the end of the shaft. The principle is the same as in the
first arrangement, but the screw thread for working the sliding part of the clutch
is cut upon a raised part of the shaft or upon the outside of a sleeve that is fixed
to the shaft and the handwheel corresponding to the first mentioned handwheel of
the first arrangement has a thread cut in its boss to work upon the thread of the
shaft or its sleeve, the clutch being worked by this handwheel and a second
handwheel with gearing as previously described.
When the clutch is in a position not easily reached by hand a brake is employed
to grip the wheel or wheels in place of the hand. This brake may be worked with
lever or cord whichever is most convenient for the purpose.
Dated this 9th day of March 1896
JOHN ATTERTON.

page_text: 1, JOHN ATTERTON of Haverhill Suffolk Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention comprises two arrangements for putting the parts of a friction
clutch with coned surfaces in and out of contact while in motion or standing
still.
The first arrangement shown on Sheet No. 1 is adapted for working on the end
of an engine crankshaft or other revolving shaft marked A in Fig. 1. One part
of the clutch marked B Fig. I is attached to the pulley or other wheel which is
loose upon the shaft A and which has to be driven or not as required. The other
part of the clutch marked C in Figs. 1 and 2 slides along and revolves with the
shaft A by means of a reed let into the shaft and the part C has a long boss
forming a sleeve and C is moved in and out of contact with B by a screw D,
Fig. 1. which is tapped centrally into the end of the shaft A. The screw D is
attached to the sleeve of C by a crossbar through which it works having collars
on both sides of the crossbar so that the screw D and the part C move endways
together. Outside the crossbar a small toothed wheel E. Figs. 1 and 3 is fixed
upon the projecting end of the screw D and the wheel E is in gear with a toothed
pinion F, Figs. 1 and 3 which revolves upon a stud fixed to the prolonged end of
the crossbar or fixed in a boss cast on the sleeve of the part C. The pinion F is
in gear with an internal toothed wheel forming part of or attached to the hand-
wheel G, Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The handwheel G revolves loose upon the projecting
end of the screw D. The hand wheel H, Figs. 1 and 2 is fixed upon the extreme
projecting end of the screw D. The handwheels G and H are turned true on their
peripheries.
By using this gear, gas or oil engines can be started without their load and
when the necessary speed of the crank or other shaft A is attained, the clutch is
put into gear by the simple operation of pressing the hand upon the handwheel H
and holding it while the shaft A makes sufficient revolutions to work up the
screw D and draw C into contact with B. The hand is then removed the
operation being completed. The screw D is made either right or left handed
as required by the direction of the revolution of the shaft A. To release the
clutch while the shaft A is revolving the hand is pressed upon the handwheel G so
as to retard or stop its revolving and the screw D is thereby turned in the opposite
direction to that caused by pressing the hand upon the handwheel H and the part C
of the clutch is thereby withdrawn from the part B.
When the handwheels G and H are untouched they revolve with the shaft A
whether the parts of the clutch B and C are in or out of contact with each
other.
The second arrangement shown on Sheet No. 2 is for working the clutch upon a
shaft where the screw cannot be tapped into the end of the shaft A. The principle
is the same but the screw thread for working the sliding part of the clutch is cut
upon a raised part of the shaft or upon the outside of a sleeve marked I which is
fixed to the shaft A. A. sleeve J has a female thread so that it can be screwed
along the fixed sleeve I and the sleeve J is attached to the part of the clutch C
so that they move together along the shaft A but the sleeve J can revolve inde-
pendently of C. The toothed wheel E with the pinion F and the handwheels G
and H are applied to the sleeve J of this second arrangement as they are to the
screw D of the first arrangement and the method of working is the same in both
arrangements.

page_text: When the shaft A is not in motion the clutch may be worked by turning either
of the handwheels in the necessary direction.
When the clutch is in a position not easily reached by hand, brakes are employed
in place of the hand to press upon the handwheels G and H and these brakes may
be worked with a lever or cord as most convenient for the purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
The combination and arrangement of the handwheel H and the geared hand-
wheel G with the toothed wheel E and the toothed pinion F whereby the screw D
on Sheet No. 1 and the screwed sleeve J on Sheet No. 2 can be caused to revolve
relatively to the shaft A in reverse directions by retarding the motion of the
handwheels G and H alternately while the shaft A is revolving.
JOHN ATTERION.