A New or Improved Friction Clutch or Coupling.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 19th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Friction Clutch or Coupling.
1 WILLIAM BOOTH of the Union Ironworks, Rodley near Leeds in the County
of York Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention refers to that class of clutch or coupling, in which the motion is
transferred by means of friction between two adjoining revolving surfaces, such
surfaces being brought into contact by moving apart or expanding the two halves
of one of the revolving surfaces.
My invention is applicable to all cases or purposes for which friction clutches
are ordinarily used, as for example it may be applied to transmitting motion from
one shaft to another in line with the first, or it may be used to transmit motion at
pleasure from a continuously revolving shaft to another, in either one direction or
ile reverse, by means of two bevil wheels both gearing into one and the same bevil
wheel on the second shaft. My invention is hereunder described with reference to
this latter case as illustrating in general the nature of my invention.
The two bevil wheels are mounted loose upon the continuously revolving driving
shaft. Between these wheels is mounted a grooved cylindrical block, hereinafter
referred to as the slipper, which may be slid longitudinally along the driving shaft,
but is compelled to revolve with the same by means of an ordinary groove and
sliding feather arrangement. The groove and sliding feather arrangement may
conveniently be in duplicate, (i.c. with two grooves on opposite sides of the driving
shaft). Each end of the slipper carries a pair of rectangular wedges, preferably
forged or cast in one piece with the slipper.
The inner sides of the bevil wheels are formed with cylindrical recesses in which
fit the expanding discs; each disc being formed in two halves, and each half being
provided with two antifriction rollers (i.e. one at each side). Each of the above
mentioned expanding wedges fits between two of the antifriction rollers. The
rollers are fitted in recesses in the discs, but their circumferences project slightly.
beyond the diametral faces of the half discs. The motion of the slipper towards
one of the bevil wheels, pushes the two wedges (on this side) forward between the
two pair of antifriction rollers, thereby opening out or expanding the disc, until
the same comes in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the bevil wheel.
The motion of the slipper in the opposite direction withdraws the wedges (on this
side), and the separate halves of the disc are then drawn together by means of a
pair of spiral springs connecting them.
The expanding half discs fit over centre blocks on the driving shaft,
approximately cross-shaped in transverse section. Each centre block is provided
with a feather or rather pair of feathers (or keys) fitting in the longitudinal
grooves in the main driving shaft. A couple of loose pins or rods passing through
holes on opposite sides of the slipper maintain the centre blocks at their proper
distance apart and within the bevil wheels.
The slipper is moved in one direction or the other on the shaft by means of a
binged fork, (the forked end being provided with brass half-rings or hoops fitting
in the circular groove round the slipper) in the usual manner.
.
This my improved friction clutch is practically balanced both as regards its
action and construction.
انتيل
.
1001
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.

page_text: A New or Improved Friction Clutch or Coupling.
WILLIAM BOOTH of the Union Ironworks Rodley near Leeds in the County
of York 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 :-
My invention refers to that class of clutch or coupling, in which the motion is
transferred by means of friction between two adjoining revolving surfaces, such
surfaces being brought into contact by moving apart or expanding the two halves
of one of the revolving surfaces.
My invention is applicable to all cases or purposes for which friction clutches are
ordinarily used, as for example it may be applied to transmitting motion from one
shaft to another in line with the first, or it may be used to transmit motion at
pleasure from a continuously revolving shaft to another, in either one direction or
the reverse, by means of two bevel wheels both gearing into one and the same bevel
wheel on the second shaft. My invention is hereunder described with reference
to this latter case as illustrating in general the nature of my invention.
The two bevel wheels are mounted loose upon the continuously revolving
driving shaft. Between these wheels is mounted a grooved cylindrical block,
hereinafter referred to as the slipper, which may be slid longitudinally along the
driving shaft, but is compelled to revolve with the same by means of an ordinary
groove and sliding feather arrangement. The groove and sliding feather arrange-
ment may conveniently be in duplicate, (ie. with a groove on each side of the
shaft). Each end of the slipper carries a pair of rectangular wedges, preferably
forged or cast in one piece with the slipper.
The inner sides of the bevel wheels are formed with cylindrical recesses, in
which fit the expanding discs; each disc being formed in two halves, and each
half being provided with two antifriction rollers, (i.e. one on each side). Each of
the above mentioned expanding wedges fits between two of the antifriction rollers.
The rollers are fitted in recesses in the discs, but their circumferences project
slightly beyond the diametral faces of the half discs. The motion of the slipper
towards one of the bevel wheels, pushes the two wedges (on this side) forward
between the two pair of friction rollers, thereby opening out or expanding the
disc until the same comes in contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the bevel
wheel. The motion of the slipper in the opposite direction withdraws the wedges
(on this side), and the opposite halves of this corresponding disc are drawn together
by means of a pair of spiral springs connecting them.
The expanding half discs fit over centre blocks on the driving shaft,
approximately cross shaped in transverse section. Each centre block is provided
with a feather or rather pair of feathers (or keys) fitting in the longitudinal
grooves in the main driving shaft. A couple of loose pins or rods passing through
holes on opposite sides of the slipper, maintain the centre blocks at their proper
distance and within the bevel wheels.
The slipper is moved in one direction or the other on the shaft by means of a
hinged fork, (the forked end being provided with brass half rings or hoops fitting
in the circular groove round the slipper), in the usual manner.
This my improved friction clutch is practically balanced both as regards its
action and construction.
And in order that my invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more clearly understood, reference is given to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a clutch or coupling constructed in accordance
with my invention.

page_text: Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line A B Fig. 1.
In all the figures the same letter refers to the same or corresponding part.
These figures shew my invention as applied to driving a shaft a in either direction
from a shaft b, which revolves continuously in one direction, and is here given as
illustrating most generally my invention.
cc are bevel wheels mounted loosely on the shaft b, and both gearing with the
bevel wheel d keyed to the shaft a.
e is the slipper mounted on the feather and capable of sliding longitudinally
only, on the shaft b. g g' are the rectangular wedges formed in one piece with
the slipper e.
are the sides or circumferences of the above mentioned
cylindrical recesses. jjare the expanding discs, each formed in two halves, and
provided with the antifriction, rollers i ¹, between which the wedges g g' enter.
nn are spiral springs for drawing the two halves of a disc towards each other, when
the wedges are withdrawn. m m' are the centre blocks mounted on the
shaft and feather, and over which the half discs jj fit. These are approxi-
mately cross shaped as shewn more clearly in Fig. 4, the diametral sides of the
half discs being shaped to correspond.
7 is the circular groove round the slipper, in which the pins or half rings of the
reversing or clutch fork fit.
When the slipper is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, the
wedges enter between the friction rollers and push the two halves of the
disc apart, until the circumferential sides of the discs j come in contact with
and bite against the circumference h¹ of the cylindrical recess of the bevel wheel c¹,
and rotate this latter and consequently also the wheel d and shaft a.
If by means
of the reversing fork or clutch lever, the slipper e is moved in the opposite
direction, the springs as the wedges are withdrawn, draw the two halves of
the disc towards each other, and away out of contact with the circumference /',
throwing the wheel c' out of gear with the shaft b. If the movement of the
slipper e in this direction is continued sufficiently, the wedges g on the opposite
side force out the half discs j into contact with the circumference h, and thereby
communicate the motion of the shaft to the wheel c, and driving the wheel d and
the shaft a in the opposite direction.
pare the pins for maintaining the centre blocks m m'at their proper distance
apart.
It will be 'evident that the driving strain is not transmitted through the slipper
or wedges but through the centre blocks and the half discs. Also that the
expanding discs may be divided into more than two symmetrical parts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1°. A friction clutch or coupling in which the driving strain is transmitted from
one revolving shaft to another by means of an expanding symmetrically divided
disc, opened out or expanded by wedges attached to a longitudinally sliding
slipper, such dises transmitting the strain to or from one of the shafts by means
of centre blocks shaped so as to admit of the parts of the discs moving radially
over them, but both compelled to partake of the same rotary motion, and from or
to the other shaft by means of the friction or bite between the circumference
of the part discs and a cylindrical recess attached, connected, or geared with the
other shaft.
2°. The friction clutch or coupling consisting of the expanding disc (or
discs) formed in two or more parts, the longitudinally sliding slipper e provided
with wedges y (or g g¹) for expanding the discs, the centre block m (or blocks m m³)
shaped so as to correspond. with the shape of the inner sides of the part discs
and to rotate the latter whilst allowing them freedom to expand, and the
concave cylindrical surface (on surfaces h¹) attached, connected, or geared

page_text: with a second shaft, substantially as herein set forth, and also substantially as
illustrated.
3°. In friction clutches or couplings the combination of a longitudinally sliding
slipper or wedge carrier provided with wedges, with a symmetrically divided
expanding disc, expandable by such wedges, and preferably provided with antifriction
rollers.
4°. In friction clutches or couplings the combination of a longitudinally sliding
slipper or wedge carrier provided with wedges, a symmetrically divided expanding
disc expandable by such wedges and preferably provided with anti-friction rollers,
and a central block, the central block and the expanding part discs being so shaped
as necessarily to revolve with each other whilst allowing the latter freedom to
expand.
5°. The improved friction clutch or coupling substantially as herein set forth or
shewn in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of February 1892,
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicant.