IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING POTTERS' AND OTHER LATHES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Taylor, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford,
Earthenware Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING POTTERS' AND OTHER LATHES."
led the 28th October 1876, and dated the 3rd June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Taylor at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd June 1876.
THOMAS TAYLOR, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Earthenware Manufac-
turor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING POTTERS'
AND OTHER LATHES."
This Invention is designed to enable the potter to drive his lathe by steam or
other motive power, so as to dispense with manual labour for that purpose. In the
operation of turning the potter requires that he should be able to alter the rate of
speed of the lathe and to stop its motion instantly; he also requires to be able to
reverse the motion of the lathe as quickly as possible. Now this Invention is do-
signed for transmitting motion to the lathe from steam or other motive power in
such a way that the potter can vary the speed or stop or reverse the motion of the
lathe as he may require in an easy and rapid manner, and thereby work the lathe
without the aid of manual labour.
The first part of this Invention consists in the use of a short shaft placed at the
back of the lathe and at right angles to the spindle of the lathe. At the end of
tho said shaft nearest the lathe I place a disc securely fixed on the shaft. The shaft
is driven by any suitable power by means of a rope or strap passing in a groove of
the said disc, or by using a separate pulley fixed on the shaft for that purpose. The
shaft is made capable of being moved a short distance in a longitudinal direction,
and it is provided with a spring placed at the end of it for the purpose of pressing
it forward, and thereby pressing the disc towards the lathe. The disc receives a
constant motion from any motive power, as above stated, and its purpose is to drive
wheels by means of friction, as herein-after described.
The second part of this Invention consists in using a shaft working in bearings
or centres, fitted on a fork shaped frame, moveable on a pivot or axis. The said
frame is so placed that the shaft it carries is in the same plane, but at right angles
to the shaft upon which the disc is fixed. This shaft, which revolves in the forked
Prica fid 1

page_text: frame, I will call the friction wheel shaft, and the shaft upon which the disc is fixed
I will call the disc shaft. The friction wheel shaft has two friction wheels or rollers
keyed upon it in such a manner that one wheel or roller faces one side of the centre
of the disc, and the other roller or wheel faces the other side of the disc. Now
when the friction wheel shaft is in its normal position neither of the friction wheels
touch the face of the disc, but as the forked frame may be moved either to the right
or the left either one of the friction wheels may be pressed against the disc. By
this means either a backward or forward motion may be given to the lathe, accord-
ing to which friction wheel is pressed against the friction disc.
Each of the friction wheels may be in length about one-third the diameter of the
disc, so that they have a space between them facing the centre of the disc. This space,
or middle portion of the friction wheel shaft is occupied by a pulley, from which a
cord or strap is carried to drive the lathe spindle. It will be evident that when the
friction shaft is in its normal position, and neither of the friction wheels or
rollers touch the disc the lathe will be stationary and receive no motion. But when
either of the wheels are pressed by turning the forked frame either to the right hand
or left motion will be given to the lathe, according to which of the wheels has been
pressed in contact with the disc, and a backward or forward motion will be given to
the lathe accordingly.
To alter the rate of the speed of the lathe I make the friction wheels with their
peripheries slightly rounded or curved, so that when either of them is pressed against
the face of the disc the edge of the wheel or roller nearest the centre of the disc comes
in contact first. In this position the disc carries the roller at a relatively slow
speed, but by increasing the pressure on the friction wheel the disc and shaft is
forced backwards against the spring before mentioned, and allows the other end of
the friction wheel to be pressed against the wider part of the disc, when the motion
to the roller or friction wheel is increased in proportion to the relative diameters of
the wheels and the distance of their contact from the centre of the disc. Therefore,
owing to the periphery of the rollers or friction wheels being curved, the speed may
be gradually increased or decreased according to the degree of pressure given, for as
each part of the roller is brought into contact with the disc the speed will increase
or decrease according to the position or point of contact of the roller against the
disc.
The third part of my Invention consists in attaching a lever to the forked shaped
frame for the purpose of moving the said frame on its axis, and thereby bringing
the friction wheels into contact with the disc, as before described. On end of the
said lever is provided with a handle and catch, and is made to slide in a grooved
frame attached to the under side of the lathe bed, with the handle projecting so as
to be in as convenient a position as possible for the workman's use. A rack or plate
with notches or saw cuts is attached to the grooved plate, by means of which the
handle and lever is held in any desired position by the catch on the handle entering
the notch opposite to which it is placed. When the handle is in its normal position
the catch enters the middle notch of the rack, and the friction wheels and disc being
then out of contact the lathe becomes motionless. But if the lever he moved to the
right hand or the left of the middle notch in the rack motion will at once be given
to the lathe, and it will be driven in either direction, according to the wheel
thereby brought in action, and the speed at the same time may be regulated accord-
ing to the distance the handle and lever is inoved.
It will be evident that various modifications may be made without departing
from the distinctive characteristics of my Invention, as, for instance, in arranging
the disc and the rollers, a similar effect to that above described may be produced by
making the pulleys flat or parallel or taper and the disc curved. Weights also may
be used in lieu of the pressure springs, and the handle and lever may be fixed in
any position besides that described.
This Invention is applicable to other lathes besides that above described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Taylor in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th November
. 1876.
THOMAS TAYLOR, of Hanley, in the County of Stafford, Earthenware Manufac-
turer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR DRIVING POTTERS' AND
OTHER LATHES.
27
The first part of this Invention consists in the use of a short shaft placed at
the back of the lathe and at right angles to the spindle of the lathe. At the end
of the said shaft, nearest the lathe, I place a disc securely fixed on the shaft. The
shaft is driven by any suitable power by means of a rope or strap passing in a
groove of the said disc, or by using a separate pulley fixed on the shaft for that
purpose. The shaft is inade capable of being moved a short distance in a longi-
tudinal direction, and it is provided with a spring placed at the end of it for the
purpose of pressing it forward and theroby pressing the disc towards the lathe.
The disc receives a constant motion from any motive power as before stated, and
its purpose is to drive wheels by means of friction, as herein-after described.
The second part of this Invention consists in using a shaft working in bearings
or centres, fitted in a fork-shaped frame moveable on a pivot or axis. The said
frame is so placed that the shaft it carries is in the same plane, but at right angles
to the shaft upon which the disc is fixed. This shaft which revolves in the forked
frame I will call the friction wheel shaft, and the shaft upon which the disc is
fixed I will call the disc shaft. The friction wheel shaft has two friction wheels or
rollers keyed upon it in such a manner that one wheel or roller faces one side of
the centre of the disc, aud the other roller or wheel faces the other side of the disc.
Now, when the friction wheel shaft is in its normal position neither of the friction
wheels touch the face of the disc; but as the forked frame may be moved either to
the right or the left either one of the friction wheels may be pressed against the
disc. By this means either a backward or forward motion may be given to tho
lathe according to which friction wheel is pressed against the friction disc.
The third part of my Invention consists in attaching a lever to the forked-shaped
frame for the purpose of moving the said frame on its axis, and thereby bringing
the friction wheels into contact with the disc, as before described. One end of tho
said lever is provided with a handle and catch, and is made to slide in a grooved
frame or bracket attached to the under side of the lathe bed, with the handle pro-
jecting so as to be in as convenient a position as possible for the workman's use.
A rack or plate with notches or saw cuts is attached near to the grooved plate,
by means of which the handle and lever is held in any desired position by the catch
on the handle entering the notch opposite to which it is placed. When the handle
is in its normal position the catch enters the middle notch of the rack and the
friction wheels and disc being then out of contact the lathe becomes motionless.
But if the lever be moved to the right hand or the left of the middle notch in the
rack motion will at once be given to the lathe, and it will be driven in either
direction according to the distance the handle and lever is moved.
The Invention is represented in the accompanying Drawing, in which Fig. 1
shows a side view; and Fig. 2 a plan of the apparatus attached to a lathe. The
Drawing is to a scale of about one-fourth the full size, and the same letters refer
to the same parts in both Figures; Fig. 3 shews a front view of the disc and friction
wheels.
The head stock of an ordinary lathe is shewn at A, fixed upon its bed B.
Instead of receiving its motion from a wheel and treadle or from ordinary shafting
it receives it from the pulley P, which is fixed on a shaft between two friction
wheels W, W. The friction wheels are placed opposite to a disc D, which disc
receives a constant motion from a cord or strap working in a groove made in the
periphery of the disc, or from a cord or strap working on a separate pulley fixed on
the disc shaft, as at F. The shaft upon which the disc is fixed runs in bearings

page_text: filled into the frame C, which frame is fixed to the wall by means of bolts, as
shewn. At one end of the disc shaft a collar is fixed Q, against which a spring S
is made to press by being fitted in a brass step Z. By this means the disc D may
be pushed backwards a short distance against the spring, but when the pressure
is released the disc and shaft are pushed forward again by the spring to its normal
position. Various degrees of pressure may be given to the spring by means of tho
thumbscrew R and bridge R¹, as shown. In front of the disc a shaft upon which
are fixed two friction wheels W, W, and a pulley P is placed. This shaft is fitted
in a fork-shaped frame G, which can be moved on its axis H by means of the lever
and handle L and M. The said lover is fixed on the bracket N, which is bolted to
the fork-shaped frame, as shown. The frame G rests upon a projection on the
frame C and moves at the joint J. The lathe is driven by means of a cord or
strap passing over the pulley P and the pulley on the lathe spindle, as shewn in
Fig. 1.
The action of the apparatus may be better described by means of diagrams;
therefore let Figs. 6 to 9 represent the various positions of the discs and friction
wheels. The disc d is fixed on the shaft a, and is pressed against by the spring 8.
The two friction wheels w, w, are fixed upon a shaft b. The said shaft is capable
of being moved either to the right or the left hand by means of the lever and
handle c and h. Now in Fig. G the disc d is shewn to revolve in the direction of the
arrow, but as neither of the friction wheels are in contact with the disc they remain
stationary, and the lathe, which is driven by a cord from the pulley (Fig. 2) is also
stationary. If the lever c be moved slightly either to the right hand or the left,
then the surface of the inner edge of one of the friction wheels will touch the disc,
and the wheel will be rovolved at its slowest speed accordingly, and in proportion
to the distance the handle is moved so will be the rate of speed be accelerated. Thus
in Fig. 6, the wheels not being in contact with the disc, they remain motionless, but
by moving the handle to the left hand, as shewn in Fig. 7, motion is given to the
wheel in the direction shewn by the arrow.
In Fig. 8 the handle being moved to a greater distance, the friction wheel is
brought into contact with the wider part of the disc, consequently the speed is
increased.
Again, in Fig. 9 the lever has been moved to the right hand, and tho motion of
the friction wheel shaft las in consequence been reversed; therefore, according as
the position of the lever c may be placed in and held by the rack or saw cuts, shown
at in the diagrams, so will be the motion of the lathe, that is to say, it may be
moved backwards or forwards, or fast or slow, and may also be stopped instantly,
by moving the lever to the centre saw cut, as shewn in Fig. 6, as before described."
The haudle is provided with a fork, upon which is fixed the knife edge K, formed
on the plate X. Between the handle and the lever a spring V is fixed for the purpose
of prossing the knife edge K into the saw cuts of the rack plate Y. The rack plato
and knife edge are shown separately or detached from the lathe in Figs. 4 and 5 in
elevation and plan. In these Figures the knife edge is shewn placed in the middle
notch, but it will be evident that it can be moved easily in the direction of tho
arrow.
The lever L is held up by and slides in the bracket or groove T, which is fixed on
the under side of the lathe bed, as shown in Fig. 1.
The friction wheels W, W, may be built up of cardboard screwed between two
flanges. The disc may be made of cast iron. As before stated, the disc may be
curved instead of the periphery of the two friction wheels.
It will be evident that various modifications may be made without departing
from the distinctive characteristics of this Invention.
Having described the nature of my said Invention, and having explained. the
manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I dosire to have it understood that
I do not intend to claim any of the distinctive parts herein-before shewn and
described when taken separately and apart from the combination or application
thereof in manner and for the purposes herein described, but what I consider to be

page_text: novel and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent to be,-
1. The use of a disc fixed upon a shaft and pressed forward by means of a spring,
substantially as described.
2. The use of two friction wheels and pulley fixed upon a shaft fitted in a fork-
shaped frame, and having a lever and handle to move the said fork-shaped frame on
its axis to any position required, and held in that position by means of a rack and
knife edge, substantially as described.
3. The use of a disc fixed upon a shaft and pressed forwards by means of a spring
combined with and operating upon two friction wheels and pulley, which can bo
thrown into or out of action by means of a lever and handle provided with a rack
and knife edge, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Taylor, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six,