Improvements in the Construction of Shafts for Marine and other Engines, Tent Poles, or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1894-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Shafts for Marine and other
Engines, Tent Poles, or the like.
0
I, CHARLES WILLIAMSON DAWSON, of Albion Place, London Wall, in the City
of London, East India Agent and Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of metal shafts for
marine and other engines, wooden tubes or poles, such as, tent poles or the like, and
has for its object to construct various articles in metal, wood or other materials, in
such manner that they will be economical in construction, of light weight and of
considerable strength.
For this purpose, in constructing, for example, a propeller shaft for a steam vessel,
I form the shaft hollow and I build it up of a number of longitudinal sections rolled
to the required shape and each constituting the segment of a circle and I form these
sections with dovetail projections or keys and corresponding grooves extending their
entire length, in such manner, that, when fitted together, the several sections will
be firmly united and form a complete shaft.
In some cases,
the like.
I shrink on to the shaft, at intervals, bands of steel, iron or
In lieu of forming a dovetail projection upon one section and a corresponding
recess in an adjacent section, I may form all the sections with dovetail or like
recesses or grooves in their meeting faces, two of such meeting grooves forming a
keyway for a long key of corresponding section.
As a further modification, I sometimes form the shaft of two tubes made up in
the manner above described and one inserted within the other, and I form upon the
outer surface of the inner tube and upon the inner surface of the outer tube
projections and recesses or I employ keys and key ways similar to those herein-
before described, so as to unite the two tubes.
When constructing shafts of the character hereinbefore described, I sometimes
dispense with the keys and key ways and hold the sections together by means of
bands only.
A shaft of this character may be made in one length or it may be produced in
several short lengths or sections united or coupled by any suitable shaft coupling.
By the means herein before described, a flaw in the shaft will be confined to a
particular section in lieu of causing a fracture extending entirely through the shaft,
as heretofore, whilst, inasmuch as I have only to deal with comparatively small
pieces of metal, I am enabled readily to remove a defective section or segment and
replace it by a sound one, and furthermore a shaft of this character will possess a
greater degree of flexibility and by reason of the sections being separately rolled
the metal will be more perfectly condensed and the grain will be in a direction
better to resist transverse strain.
In constructing wooden tubes or poles for tents, cotton spinning machines and
other purposes, I adopt the same system as that hereinbefore described, the
sections being shaped in a suitable planing or shaping machine as will be readily
understood. When employing wood, I am enabled to utilise small pieces which
would otherwise be too small for the purpose.
A teut pole constructed in this manner will possess great strength to resist a cross
strain, and will be less liable to "spring" or break than when formed in the manner
horotofowi adanted

page_text: In constructing tent poles, I preferably employ wood for the body of the pole,
but I form the pole in two lengths, the ends being provided with metal bands or
ferrules one of which may be of greater diameter and projected to form a socket.
Each ferrule is held in position by a pin which passes through the pole and to this
pin I connect a length of chain or the like the opposite end of which is connected
to a similar pin in the end of the corresponding length or section.
When employing wood for the purpose of this invention, the meeting faces of the
sections are painted or covered with some suitable adhesive material before being
fitted together and bands are provided at suitable intervals according to the nature
of the wood and the size and purpose to which the tube is to be applied.
It will be understood that my invention is applicable to the construction of other
articles than those herein before referred to.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1893.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Shafts for Marine and other
Engines, Tent Poles, or the like.
I, CHARLES WILLIAMSON DAWSON, of Albion Place, London Wall, in the
City of London, East India Agent and Merchant, 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 relates to improvements in the construction of metal shafts for
marine and other engines, wooden tubes or poles, such as, tent poles or the like, and
has for its object to construct various articles in metal, wood, or other materials in
such manner that they will be economical in construction, of light weight and of
considerable strength.
For this purpose, in constructing for example, a propeller shaft for a steam vessel,
I form the shaft hollow and I build it up of a number of longitudinal sections rolled
to the required shape, and each constituting the segment of a circle, and I form the
sections with dovetail projections or keys and corresponding grooves extending their
entire length, in such manner, that, when fitted together, the several sections will
be firmly united and form a complete shaft.
In some cases, I shrink on to the shaft, at intervals, bands of steel, iron or
the like.
In lieu of forming a dovetail projection upon one section and a corresponding
recess in an adjacent section, I may form all the sections with dovetail or like
recesses or grooves in their meeting faces, two of such meeting grooves forming a
key way for a long key of corresponding section.
When constructing shafts of the character hereinbefore described, I sometimes
dispense with the keys and key ways, and hold the sections together by means
of bands only.
A shaft of this character is made in several short lengths or sections, united or
coupled by any suitable shaft coupling.
By the means hereinbefore described, a flaw in the shaft will be confined to a
particular section in lieu of causing a fracture extending entirely through the shaft
as heretofore, whilst inasmuch as I have only to deal with comparatively small
pieces of metal, I am enabled readily to remove a defective section or segment and
replace it by a sound one, and furthermore a shaft of this character will possess a
greater degree of flexibility, and by reason of the sections being separately rolled
the metal will be more perfectly condensed and the grain will be in a direction
better to resist transverse strain.
In constructing wooden tubes or poles for tents, and other purposes, I adopt the

page_text: same system as that hereinbefore described, the sections being shaped in
When
suitable planing or shaping machine, as will be readily understood.
employing wood, I am enabled to utilise small pieces which would otherwise be too
small for the purpose.
A tent pole constructed in this manner will possess great strength to resist a cross
strain, and will be less liable to break, than when formed in the manner heretofore
adopted.
When employing wood for the purpose of this invention, the meeting faces of the
sections are by preference painted or covered with some suitable adhesive material
before being fitted together, and bands may be provided at suitable intervals
according to the nature of the wood and the size and purpose to which the tube is
to be applied.
It will be understood that my invention is applicable to the construction of
articles other than those herein before referred to.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. represents a longitudinal section of a metal shaft constructed according
to the present invention.
- Figure 2. is an end view thereof.
Figure 3. is a transverse section thereof taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1, and,
Figures 4, 5, and 6, are transverse sections of metal shafts representing slight
modifications.
Figure 7. is an elevation of a tent pole or the like constructed of wood according
to the present invention.
Figure 8, is a transverse section thereof drawn to au enlarged scale, and,
Figure 9, is a similar view to Figure 8, but representing a slight modification.
In the several figures, like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1. to 3., which may represent a propeller shaft for a steam
vessel, the shaft is formed hollow, and is built up of a number of longitudinal
sections a. rolled to the required shape and each constituting the segment of a circle
or ring, leaving a central circular aperture throughout the length of the shaft.
Each of the sections a. is formed with a dovetail projection or key a' upon one
face, and a corresponding groove or recess upon the other face, and which extend
the entire length of the sections in such manner that when fitted together the
several sections will be firmly united and form a complete shaft.
In some cases, in order to give additional support to the sections a. and to bind
them more firmly together, bands a² of steel, iron or the like are shrunk onto the
shaft at suitable intervals.
A shaft of the character herein before described may be made in several short
lengths or sections, as represented in the drawings, and each end of each section of
shafting is provided with a coupling flange connected therewith in the following
manner, or, any other suitable form of coupling might be employed in lieu
thereof.
The end of a section of shafting constructed in the manner hereinbefore described
is formed with an annular groove a³ therein, and into this groove are fitted the
several parts 'a of a segmental ring, which parts are held in position by means of
threaded screws or keys a³, and outside the segmental ring a' is placed a complete
ring a, whilst outside all, and preferably shrunk on, is a coupling flange a, the
ring a being fixed with the flange a by means of threaded screws or keys a',
and in order to further fix the flange as with the shaft a, a tapered pin or wedge a
is finally driven into the bore of the shaft, by any suitable means.
By this construction, the coupling flange a is not only securely fixed with the
shaft, but, at the same time, the several sections a, constituting the body of the
shaft, are firmly bound together.

page_text: Each section or length of the shaft is, as represented in the drawing, shown
slightly barrel shaped in order to increase its strength.
In the example shown at Figure 4, in lieu of forming a dovetail projection a'
upon one face of a section, and a corresponding recess upon the other face of a
section, all the sections may he formed with dovetail or like recesses or grooves in
their meeting faces, two of such meeting grooves of adjacent sections forming a
key way into which is driven a long key a¹ of corresponding section.
In this example, the bands a² of steel, iron or the like herein before described
may be dispensed with, the keys a' and coupling flanges as being relied upon as a
means of holding the several sections a. together.
In the example given at Figure 5, the keys a¹ and corresponding key ways in
the sections o. are dispensed with, whilst the several sections a. constituting the
shaft body are held together by means of bands a² of steel, iron, or the like shrunk
thereon at intervals, and similar to that represented at Figure 1., whilst the coupling
Hanges a (which however are not shown in this example) would be fixed with the
shaft in the manner herein before described.
In the example given a Figure 6., is shown a solid shaft constructed according to
the present invention.
In this case, the several sections a. constituting the body of the shaft are
extended to the axis thereof, and are held together by means of bands of iron, steel
or the like shrunk thereon, as hereinbefore described, but it will be understood that
such sections might, in addition to, or in lieu of, the band a², be connected together
by means of dovetail keys and grooves, as hereinbefore described with respect to
Figures 1 and 2.
By constructing a shaft in the manner herein before described a flaw in the saine
will be confined to a particular section a. in lieu of causing a fracture extending-
entirely through the shaft as heretofore, whilst, inasmuch as only comparatively
small pieces of metal have to be dealt with, it is possible readily to remove a
defective section or segnient a. and replace it by a sound one, and furthermore a
shaft of this character will possess a greater degree of flexibility than a shaft of
ordinary construction and by reason of the sections being separately rolled the
metal will be more perfectly condensed and the grain thereof will be in a direction
better to resist transverse or torsional strain.
Instead of forming a shaft entirely of coupled lengths or sectious constructed
according to the present invention, it may be advantageous, in some cases, to form
the shaft partly of lengths or sections of ordinary shafting.
In the example given a Figures 7. and 8., is shown a wooden pole or the like
constructed according to the present invention and suitable for a tent pole or for
other purposes.
In this example, the pole is formed hollow and the same system of joints is
adopted as that hereinbefore described with relation to some forms of metal shafts,
the several sections, which may be shaped in a suitable planing machine, as will be
readily understood, being held together by means of bands dovetail keys al and
grooves, but in this case the number of segments a. can conveniently be reduced as
shown.
Or, the meeting faces of the segments a. may be made plain, the ferrules serving
to bind the segments together.
In the example given at Figure 9., the tent pole again is formed hollow but
instead of being constructed of a large number of segments it is in this case formed
in two parts connected together by one extended detail joint or key a¹.
A pole constructed in the manner hereinbefore described will possess great
strength to resist a cross strain and will be less liable to fracture or break than
when formed in the manner heretofore adopted, whilst this peculiar method of
construction enables small pieces to be used which, according to other methods,
would be too small for the purpose.
It will be understood that tubes may be constructed of wood for some purposes
in the manner hereinbefore shown and described with respect to Figures 7., 8., aud 9.

page_text: In constructing poles of wood as hereinbefore described, the meeting faces of
the sections a. are preferably painted or covered with some suitable adhesive
material before being fitted together.
It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to the construction
of articles other than those hereinbefore referred to.
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 :-
1. A shaft or pole, of wood or metal formed of a number of sections shaped like
segments of a circle and held together by bands or by dovetail keys or by both
combined, substantially as bercin shown and described.
2. A hollow shaft or the like, of wood or metal formed of a number of sections.
shaped like segments of a circle and held together by bands or by dovetail keys or
by both combined, substantially as herein shown and described.
3. A hollow metal shaft formed of a number of sections shaped like segments of a
circle and held together by suitable means, substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1804
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.