Improvements in and connected with Flexible Shafting for Driving Clipping or Shearing and other Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1892-Accepted, 3rd Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Flexible Shafting for Driving
Clipping or Shearing and other Machines.
I, JOHN WALKER NEWALL, of Forest Hall, Ongar, in the County of Essex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
The present invention relates to improvements in and connected with flexible
shafting for driving clipping or shearing and other machines, more particularly of
the kind described in the Specification of my prior application for Patent No. 13332
dated 6th August 1891, and it consists in an improved construction or arrangement
of parts for
1. Actuating the upper or first section of such flexible shaft either by hand or
power.
2. Connecting the last section of such flexible shaft to the clipping or other
machine to be driven.
3. Permitting the top section of the flexible shaft to be readily connected to and
disconnected from the power shaft; or the bottom section of such flexible shaft to
be readily connected to and disconnected from the driving shaft of the machine to
be actuated; or the different sections of the flexible shaft to be readily connected
and disconnected, and
4. Absorbing the vibrations due to the rapid rotation of the shafting and the
transmission of motion from one section of shafting to another.
The invention relates to flexible shafting of that kind in which the different
sections of shafting are geared together by variable bevel gears and each section
revolves in a section of rigid sheathing, the latter being hinged together on a line
which is a tangent to the pitch line of the bevel gears, so that such sections of
sheathing can bend in relation to each other, while still ensuring the proper
gearing of the variable bevel gears carried by the sections of shaft revolving in
such sheathing.
In carrying out my first improvement I cause a wheel on the power shaft to
engage a pinion on an intermediate shaft revolving in a bearing, the opposite end
of such intermediate shaft carrying a variable bevel gear which engages a corre-
sponding gear on the upper end of the top section of the flexible shaft. A sleeve
or socket is interposed between the shaft and the outer bearing so that it can rotate
in relation thereto, and such sleeve or socket is hinged to a corresponding sleeve or
socket mounted upon, and capable of rotating in relation to, the upper end of the
top section of the sheath of the flexible shaft. This arrangement of hinged
swivel sockets or sleeves permits of the flexible shaft being turned in any desired
direction, and to be raised or lowered as required, without impeding the free
transmission of power.
A similar form of joint is preferably also employed for connecting the bottom
section of the flexible shafting to the actuating shaft of the clipping or other
machine to be operated, in which case one of the hinged swivelled sockets or sleeves
is mounted at the lower end of, and so that it can rotate in relation to, the bottom
section of the flexible shaft, while the socket or sleeve to which it is hinged
is similarly mounted on the outer end of the shaft of the clipping or other
machine.
The same form of joint may also if desired be employed for connecting
together the different sections of sheathing in which the sections of shafting
revolve.
The hinged swivelled sockets or sleeves are preferably mounted so that the
sections of sheath can rotate independently of the sections of shaft inside.

page_text: In order to enable the flexible shafting to be disconnected from the driving shaft,
or from the machine to be operated, or the different sections of flexible shafting
to be disconnected from each other, I make the bore of the hinged socket
sufficiently large to enable the variable bevel gear mounted on the end of the
section of shafting which is to revolve therein, to pass freely through such bore.
I form an slot in the lower end of such socket, and provide a pin at a suitable
point on the sheathing surrounding the shaft, so that when the latter is inserted in
its socket until its variable bevel gear engages the corresponding wheel it is to gear
with, such pin will be at the upper end of the slot, and a partial twist will secure
the shaft and its sheath in position in the socket or sleeve. The reverse movement
will enable the section of shaft to be readily disconnected and removed from its
sleeve or socket when desired. The pin which enters the slot is preferably formed
on a sleeve surrounding the end of the sheath in which the shaft revolves, but
which is prevented from end wise movement on such sheath, and when the joint is
made the hinged sleeve or socket is by any suitable means clamped to the inner
sleeve carrying the pin, so as to ensure the two rotating together in relation to the
shaft, and thus prevent all chance of the parts becoming accidentally disconnected
while transmitting power.
In order to absorb the vibrations due to the rapid rotation of the flexible shaft
within the sheathing, and the transmission of motion from one section of shaft to
another, I interpose a bush of lead, fibre or other yielding material between the
bearing in which the shaft revolves and the sheath or part in which such bearing is
carried, so that any vibrations will be absorbed by the yielding bush instead of
being transmitted to the sheath, and so causing an unpleasant rattling or jarring
noise.
Dated this 1st day of February 1892
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Flexible Shafting for Driving
Clipping or Shearing and other Machines.
1, JOHN WALKER NEWALL, of Forest Hall, Ongar, in the County of Essex,
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:-
The present invention relates to improvements in and connected with flexible
shafting for driving clipping or shearing and other machines, more particularly of
the kind described in the Specification of my prior Patent No. 13332 dated
6th August 1891, and it consists in an improved construction or arrangement of
parts for
1. Actuating the upper or first section of such flexible shaft either by hand or
power.
2. Connecting the last section of such flexible shaft to the clipping or other
machine to be driven.
3. Permitting the top section of the flexible shaft to be readily connected to and
disconnected from the power shaft; or the bottom section of such flexible shaft to
be readily connected to and disconnected from the driving shaft of the machine to
be actuated; or the different sections of the flexible shaft to be readily connected
and disconnected, and
4. Absorbing the vibrations due to the rapid rotation of the shafting and the
transmission of motion from one section of shafting to another.
The invention relates to flexible shafting of that kind in which the different
sections of shafting are geared together by variable bevel gears and each section
revolves in a section of rigid sheathing, the latter being hinged together on a line

page_text: which is a tangent to the pitch line of the bevel gears, so that such sections of
sheathing can bend in relation to each other, while still ensuring the proper gearing
of the variable bevel gears carried by the sections of shaft revolving in such
sheathing.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of the arrangement for actuating the upper or first
section of a flexible shaft either by hand or power.
Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of such arrangement as applied to the
connection of the bottom section of a flexible shaft to the shaft for actuating a
shear for clipping hair or wool, or other machine.
The arrangement shown in both figs. comprises also my improved arrangement
for readily connecting the flexible shaft to and disconnecting it from the driving
shaft and the driven shaft respectively.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of an intermediate joint of my flexible shaft, showing
the means I employ for absorbing the vibrations due to the rapid rotation of such
shaft and the transmission of motion from one section of shafting to another.
In carrying out my first improvement I cause a wheel 8 on the power shaft to
engage a pinion 9 on an intermediate shaft 10 revolving in a bearing 12, the opposite
end of such intermediate shaft carrying a variable bevel gear 33 which engages a
corresponding gear 33* on the upper end of the top section of the flexible shaft 26.
A sleeve or socket 32* is interposed between the shaft 26 and the outer bearing 12
so that it can rotate in relation thereto, and such sleeve or socket is hinged to a
corresponding sleeve or socket 32 mounted upon, and capable of rotating in relation
to, the upper end of the top section of the sheath 30 in which the flexible shaft 26
revolves. This arrangement of hinged swivel sockets or sleeves permits of the
flexible shaft being turned in any desired direction, and to be raised or lowered as
required, without impeding the free transmission of power.
A similar form of joint is (as shown in Fig. 2) preferably also employed for
connecting the bottom section of the flexible shafting 26 to the actuating shaft 38
of the clipping or other machine to be operated, in which case the hinged swivelled
socket or sleeve 32 is mounted at the lower end of, and so that it can rotate in
relation to, the sheath of the bottom section of the flexible shaft 26, while the socket
or sleeve 32* to which it is hinged is similarly mounted on the outer end of the
shaft 38 of the clipping or other machine.
The same form of joint may also if desired be employed for connecting together
the different sections of sheathing in which the sections of shafting revolve.
In order to enable the flexible shafting to be disconnected from the driving shaft,
or from the machine to be operated, or the different sections of flexible shafting to
be disconnected from each other, I make the bore of the hinged socket 32 sufficiently
large to enable the variable bevel gear 33* mounted on the end of the section of
shafting 26 which is to revolve therein, to pass freely through such bore. I form
an slot in the lower end of such socket, and provide a pin 36 at a suitable point
on the sheathing 30 surrounding the shaft 26, so that when the latter is inserted in
its socket 32 until its variable bevel gear 33* engages the corresponding wheel 33
it is to gear with, such pin 36 will be at the upper end of the slot, and a partial
twist will secure the shaft 26 and its sheath 30 in position in the socket or sleeve 32.
The reverse movement will enable the section of shaft 26 to be readily disconnected
and removed from its sleeve or socket 32 when desired. The pin 36 which enters
the slot is preferably formed on a sleeve 35 surrounding the end of the sheath 30
in which the shaft 26 revolves, but which is prevented from end wise movement on
such sheath, and when the joint, is made the hinged sleeve or socket 32 is by any
suitable means clamped to the inner sleeve 35 carrying the pin 36, so as to ensure
the two rotating together in relation to the shaft 26, and thus prevent all chance
of the parts becoming accidentally disconnected while transmitting power.
The arrangement for absorbing the vibrations due to the rapid rotation of the
flexible shaft within the sheathing and the transmission of motion from one section
of shaft to another is shown in Fig. 3, and consists in interposing a bush 18 of lead,

page_text: fibre or other inert material between the bearing 17 in which the shaft 26 revolves
and the socket or part 32 in which such bearing is carried, so that any vibrations
will be absorbed by the inert bush 18 instead of being transmitted to the sheath 30
surrounding the shaft, and so causing an unpleasant rattling or jarring noise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. The joint for connecting two sections of a flexible shaft consisting in a sleeve
or socket capable of rotating in relation to the part within which one section of
shaft revolves, and which sleeve or socket is hinged to a corresponding sleeve or
socket capable of rotating in relation to the part within which the other section of
shaft revolves, the two sections of shaft being connected together by variable bevel
gears, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with a flexible shaft composed of sections of rigid shafting
revolving within sections of rigid sheathing and connected together by variable
bevel gears, the sections of sheathing being hinged together, of a joint for
connecting the top or the bottom section of shafting, or both, to the shaft by which
it is to be driven or which it is to drive, such joint consisting in a sleeve or socket
(mounted so that it can rotate in relation to the section of sheathing but cannot
move endways thereon) hinged to a corresponding sleeve or socket (mounted so
that it can rotate in relation to the part in which the driving shaft or the shaft to
be driven, as the case may be, rotates), the two shafts being connected together by
variable bevel gears, substantially as described and shown.
3. The means for readily connecting and disconnecting a flexible shaft from the
driving or the driven shaft, consisting in making the bore of the hinged sleeve or
socket in which the shaft is supported or carried of sufficient diameter to permit a
variable bevel gear (which forms the means of communicating motion between the
two sections of shaft) to pass freely through the same, in combination with means
for locking such sleeve or socket to a sheath or part in which the shaft revolves,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 1st day of November 1892.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.