IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING, CONTROLLING. AND FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF SHAFTS AND MACHINERY
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Robinson, of Preston, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer and Tool Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING, CONTROLLING. AND FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF
SHAFTS AND MACHINERY."
Sealed the 2nd July 1867, and dated the 8th January 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Robinson at the
the 8th
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
January 1867.
I, ROBERT ROBINSON, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and
Tool Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGULATING, CONTROLLING, AND FOR VARYING THE
SPEED OF SHAFTS AND MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a means of conveying or transmitting rotary motion
by friction to all machinery required to be driven at varying speeds and where it
is desirable to regulate the speed without stopping the machine, which I effect
as follows: I provide two shafts, which for the sake of distinction may be called
"first" and "second" motion "shafts;" these I place end to end in the same
true line or plane, and carry them upon hearings or journals in which the said
shafts are free to revolve independently of each other. Upon each of the
shafts, at suitable distances apart, I fix or key a cylindrical friction pulley or
bowl (which may be made of metal, but by preference I make them of paper
I also
pressed between two discs or locking plates in the usual manner).
provide two friction plates of metal of diameters larger than the distances
between the two friction bowls, and fix the said friction plates upon axles
working in bearings or journals, and set them with their axles true with each
[Price 8d.]

page_text: other, and at right angles to the axis of the first and second motion shafts
aforesaid, one plate on each side, with their faces in contact with the surfaces
of the aforesaid friction bowls. The faces of the friction plates are brought
into or removed from contact with the friction bowls by means of a right and
left handed screw. A screw rack and pinion or lever serve for traversing the
friction plates in a direction parallel to the axis of the first and second motion
shaft.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Rotary motion having been
giv to the first and second motion shafts from a main driving or other
intermediate shaft in the ordinary way by means of pullies and belt, the
friction plates are brought into contact with the aforesaid friction bowls by
turning the right and left handed screw above mentioned; thus the motion of
the friction bowl keyed on the first motion shaft will be communicated to the
friction plates, and thence in a contrary direction to the friction bowl on the
second motion shaft on the opposite side; then by traversing the friction
plates in a lateral direction by means of the screw provided for that purpose
causing the revolving friction bowl on the first motion shaft to work nearer in
the centre of the friction plate and the friction bowl on the second motion
shaft to revolve nearer to the periphery of the friction plates. an increased
velocity will be imparted to the second motion shaft, and vice versa; then
by gearing the second motion shaft in the ordinary way with any machine any
necessary variation of speed may be obtained in proportion as the centres of
the friction plates are made to approach in the direction of the friction bowls
on the first and second motion shafts. Where a given speed is required on
the second motion shaft 1 fix on the first motion shaft in addition to the friction
pulley a bevil wheel to gear with a bevil wheel fixed on each of the friction
plates.
The apparatus above described may readily be applied to existing printing
machines for cotion and paper, drying machines, callenders. hydro-extractors,
embossing machines, tape-sizing machines. hoisting machinery. grindstones,
traction engines, and other machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th July 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I. ROBERT
ROBINSON, of Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer and Tool Maker.
send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself. Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Robert. Robinson. Her special license that I, the said Robert.
Robinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1,
the said Robert Robinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REGULATING, CONTROLLING, AND FOR VARYING THE SPEED OF SHAFTS
AND MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Robert
Robinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals. should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next. and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Robinson, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say): -
'This Invention consists of improved apparatus for conveying or transmitting
rotary motion by friction to all machinery required to be driven at various
speeds, and where it is desirable to regulate the speed either faster or slower
without stopping the machine, and the apparatus can be applied with advantage
to turning and surfacing lathes, paper-making machines, engines for common
roads, hoisting machinery, tape-sizing machines, printing machines for paper
and fabrics, drying machines, calenders, hydro-extractors, embossing machines,
gas exhausters, the feed motion for circular saw benches, the differential motion
for roving frames, and all machinery where a varying motion is required.
The manner in which this Invention is to be performed will be clearly
understood by the following particular description thereof, reference being had
to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side eleva-
tion; Fig. 2, a plan, with part in section; and Fig. 3, an end elevation, with
part in section, of my improved apparatus for regulating controlling, and
varying the speeds of shafts and machinery; the same letters of reference
indicating the same parts in all the Figures.

page_text: I provide two shafts a, a', which, for the sake of distinction, may be called
first and second motion shafts; these shafts I place end to end in the same
true line, and carry them in bearings or journals b, b1, b2, in which they are
free to revolve independently of each other, the said journals being fixed to or
cast with the main frame A. Upon each of the shafts a, a, at suitable
distances I fix or key a cylindrical friction pulley or bowl c, c', which may be
made of metal or other suitable material, but, by preference, I make them of
paper pressed between two discs or locking plates of iron in the usual manner.
I also provide two friction plates of metal d, d', of diameters larger than the
distance between the two friction bowls c, c', and fix them upon suitable
shafts e, e', working in bearings or journals f, f. which are set or bored true
with each other in one line of axis at right angles to the first and second
motion shafts a, a, one plate on each side with their faces turned towards the
periphery of the friction bowls c, c'. The journals f. f. are fixed to or cast
with the slides B' and B², having projections fitted to slides in the main frame A,
so that the slides B1, B2, and friction plaies can slide to and fro. A screw g. 9',
Figs. 2 and 3, or a lever or other mechanical arrangement is provided to each
of the shafts e, e¹, for the purpose of forcing the faces the friction plates d, d',
into or removing them from contact with the friction bowls c, c', and I employ
a screw h, Figs. 2 and 3, or a rack and pinion, or lever, or other suitable
mechanical arrangement for traversing the frame B and friction plates d, d,
aforesaid, in either direction, as required, parallel to the axis of the first and
second motion shafts a, a¹.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Rotary motion having been
given to the first motion shaft a from a main driving or intermediate shaft in
the ordinary way, either by means of toothed gearing or a pulley and belt, the
friction plates d, d', are brought into contact with the friction bowls c, c', by
turning the screws g, g', or other mechanical means, and then the motion of
the friction bowl c keyed on to the first motion shaft a will be communicated
to the friction plates d, d, and thence in a contrary direction to the friction
bowl c' and second motion shaft a on the opposite side. By traversing the
friction plates d, d, in a lateral direction by means of the screw h, or other
mechanical arrangement provided for the purpose, and causing the revolving
friction bowl c on the first motion shaft a to work nearer to the centre of the
friction plates d, d', and the friction bowl c¹ to revolve nearer to the periphery
of the friction plates d, d, an increased velocity will be imparted to the
second motion shaft a', and vice versa, and when the second motion shaft is
geared in any ordinary way with any machine required to be driven by the
apparatus any necessary variation of speed may be effected in proportion as

page_text: the centres of the friction plates d, d', are made to approach in the direction
of the friction bowl c, c¹.
I do not confine myself to the use of two friction plates, as before described,
as a similar variation of speed may be obtained by the use of one friction plate.
but I use two friction plates in order that I may obtain driving power from
both sides of the friction bowls and by this means transmit more power.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood
that I do not claim the Invention of one or two friction plates; but what I
claim is,
First, the application of two friction. bowls, the first to give motion to the
friction plate or plates, from which the second is to receive motion.
And, secondly, the means of varying the speed of the second friction bowl
by traversing the friction plate or plates instead of traversing the friction
bowls, as heretofore, as all such improvements are herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Robinson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Robert Robinson,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ROBERT ROBINSON. (L.S.)