IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAFT COUPLINGS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of 53,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SHAFT COUPLINGS " 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 certain improvements on the coupling for shafting
which is described in British Letters Patent No. 5136, of 1880.
The object of the invention more particularly is to prevent the coupling running
dry; in other words, to keep all its parts properly lubricated at all times,
Auother object is to facilitate the placing or suspension of the coupling in such
manner that it can be readily adapted to existing lines of shafting, and adjusted
from time to time as may be necessary.
The invention consists first in enclosing substantially such a coupling as is
described in the above mentioned Letters Patent in a housing or shell of peculiar
kind, which housing is provided with an opening, through which the lubricating
matter may be introduced, and access had for other purposes to the interior thereof.
The invention also consists in placing in the upper part of this housing a shield
for distributing oil, which is raised to the shield by the vertically reciprocating
sliding tube of the coupling.
The invention also consists in the new construction of the upper or suspension
plate, which is first secured to the ceiling, and afterwards, when in position,
adapted to receive the coupling itself, which is secured to it, and to allow of the
adjustment thereof.
The invention also consists in providing the housing or shell above referred to
with projecting, hub-like extensions, that surround the shafts of the coupling, and
serve as bearings for the pulleys or coupling devices that join the shafts of the
coupling to the driving and driven shafts of the outside machinery. The invention
further consists in details of improvement that are hereinafter more clearly
pointed out.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved
coupling for shafting. Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line cc figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of the same, on the line kk, figure 2.
Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of the upper part of the same, showing portions

page_text: of the coupling in section, the line ck, figure 3, indicating the plane of section.
Figure 5 is a plan or top view, partly in section, of the said coupling, the line qq,
figure 3, indicating the plane of section. Figure 6 is an inverted plan view, on a
reduced scale, of the top or suspension plate which is used on the apparatus.
Figure 7 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the oil-distributing shield,
which is used in the upper portion of the coupling, the line c q, figure 5, indicating
the plane of section. Figure 8 is a vertical section through the angle of the upper
suspension plate and of the flange of the coupling shell which connects therewith,
the line q, figure 4, indicating the plane of section.
The letter A represents one shaft and the letter B the other shaft of the
coupling. These shafts are hung at a suitable angle, preferably in the same plane,
and at a right angle to one another, in the housing or shell D, which is suspended
from the ceiling of a room or other suitable framing. The shaft A has a crank a
to which is fitted, by ball joint, an arm b, which connects with the arm d of the
sliding tube C. The shaft B has a similar crank e, in which is fitted, by ball
joint, an arm f, which connects the arm g of said sliding tube C. All these parts,
excepting the housing D, are of substantially the construction of the coupling
referred to by the same letters of reference in said Letters Patent N° 5136.
of 1880.
The housing D which furnishes the bearings for the shafts A, B, contains also
the upright, central post E, which is embraced by the sliding tube C. The post E
is held at its upper and lower ends in the said housing, as appears clearly from
figure 3 of the drawing. The housing itself is made in two halves or parts,
h and . The upper part i, (which is separated from the lower part h, the line of
division being substantially in the same plane with the axes of the shafts A, B,)
has its upper portion provided with an outwardly projecting flange j, through
which are passed the bolts which unite the housing to the suspension plate or top
plate F of the apparatus. The said top plate F, of which an inverted plan view is
shown in figure of the drawing, is of suitable outline and size, and is provided
with bolt holes m for receiving the bolts 1, by which it can be attached to the
ceiling or other support. The under side of this plate F should be marked with
the angle and direction of the shafts A, B of the coupling that is to be suspended
from it, and also with the centre line of the. sliding tube C of such coupling.
Thus in figure 6 the dot n indicates the point which is to be centrally above the
axis of said tube C, and the grooves or lines o and p, indicate respectively the
direction of the shafts A and B.
The plate F thus marked will afterwards facilitate the proper disposition of
the parts of the coupling with reference to the direction of the shafts and position
of post E and sliding tube C. In other words, if the shaft to be driven and the
driving shaft of the outside machinery are already in position, will be far more
convenient to properly ascertain the position of the coupling shafts by plumbing
from the plate F, that has been marked as stated, than it would be if such a
preliminarily guaged templet were not provided.
The bolts o, by which the housing D is fastened to the plate F, have their heads,
by preference, sunk in the recesses that are formed in the upper face of the plate F,
as is very clearly shown in figure 8 of the drawing. The lower parts of these bolts
pass through enlarged openings in the flange j of the housing, and receive the nuts
that bear against the under side of such flange, as is also clearly shown in figure 8.
The holes in the flange j for the reception of these bolts are made larger than the
bolts, so that the housing may be more or less adjusted horizontally on the fixed
plate F. Set screws & pass through the flange j and bear against the under side of
the plate F, for the purpose of regulating more or less the position vertically of the
housing, or of any part thereof; in other words, the level of the housing may, with
the assistance of these set screws s, be made to differ slightly from that of the
plate F, if such difference should be necessary.
The upper part of the housing D is connected to the lower part h of said
housing by suitable bolts u, which pass through contiguous lugs, that are formed

page_text: on said halves respectively. In the upper part i of said housing is an opening,
which can be closed by a door t, which door is made removable, and through this
opening access may be had to the coupling itself, for the purposes of inspection and
of lubrication. This door is shown from below in figure 4, in cross-section in
figure 3, and in outside view in figures 1 and 5. The contiguous edges of the
parts h, i of the housing should be so constructed that oil, which, by the means
hereinafter stated, is thrown against the inner facing of the housing, may not pass
out through the joint. For this purpose said faces should be grooved, as indicated
at v in figure 4, the groove or channel thus formed having passages w, which lead
into the interior of the housing. These grooves or channels will intercept any oil
that may enter the joint of the housing, and lead such oil through the passages w
back into the interior of the housing.
Any oil which may after all find its way through the joint of the housing or
through any other crevice or passage, for example, along the edge of the door, or
otherwise, can still be collected in cup-like or channel-like receptacles x, which are
affixed face upwards to the lower part h of the housing, as indicated in figure 5.
These receptacles may be continuous around the housing or along either face
thereof, wherever they may be needed to prevent the escape of oil.
The upper part of the housing has formed on it the projecting, hub-like
extensions y, in which the shafts A, B have their bearings, as appears clearly in
figures 3 and 4 of the drawing. These bearings serve the purpose not only of
securely holding said shafts A, B of the coupling, but also of sustaining on their
outer peripheries, the mechanism that is to connect externally with said shafts.
Thus, in figure 3, a pulley G is shown to connect with the shaft A and to have its
hub so shaped that it embraces the extension y or bearing part of the housing,
inside of the point where it is connected with the shaft A. It follows that this
pulley G, when revolving, will not strain the shaft A materially, as nearly the
whole strain of the belt pressure will be transmitted from the hub of the pulley to
the bearing y of the fixed housing.
In like manner,
the lower part of figure 4 shows the shaft B united, by a
suitable coupling H, bereinafter to be described, with an outside shaft, a part z of
said coupling embracing the bearing y of the shaft B so that should any lateral
strain be imparted to the coupling H, or to the shaft which joins it to the shaft B,
such lateral strain will be mainly absorbed by the bearing y and not transmitted
to the shaft B.
I also desire it to be understood that by placing the hub of the wheel G in part
around the bearing of the housing, and making the outer periphery of the
bearing y a bearing surface for said wheel, I virtually enlarge the amount of bearing
surface of the shaft A itself, and increase its durability.
The inner face of this bearing.y has longitudinal grooves a², which direct the oil
lengthwise along the shaft, lubricating the shaft throughout its extent in said
benring. At the end of these longitudinal grooves a packing or elastic washer b² is
placed against the bearing y, as shown. This packing prevents the oil flowing
further in the direction of the length of the shaft A.
Through the lower part of the bearing y extend, three more or less, oil channels d²,
which convey the oil from the shaft A to the outer periphery of the bearing y, and
lubricate, therefore, the inner bearing of the hub of the wheel G or other device,
that may be made to embrace said bearing. Whatever oil is thus used for
lubricating said wheel G or its equivalent, will finally pass out along the inner end
of the hub of the wheel G, and will thence drop or fly off from such inner end of
said hub, which may be enlarged for this purpose, as shown, into the housing.
In order to catch the oil which may fly off the said bub above or at the sides of
the bearing y, a shield e' extends from the housing part way around the hub of
the wheel G, as is clearly shown in figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, thus forming an
annular receptacle for the oil thus discharged from the hub of the wheel G, which
receptacle communicates at its lower part with the interior of the housing, as also
appears from figure 3. The hub of the wheel G or its equivalent is also perforated

page_text: in substantially longitudinal manner, as shown in figure 3, that is to say, provided
with an air passage f³, which reaches contact with the outer side of the bearing y,
and serves the purpose of permitting air to escape from the places that are to be
reached by the oil, Any oil which may perchance also pass through this opening f2
will find its way into the interior of the housing, the same as the oil thrown off the
hub of the wheel G.
In the upper part of the housing, is secured the oil shield or distributor J, which,
as appears from figure 3 of the drawing surrounds the post E. The said shield or
distributor is secured, by suitable bolts or otherwise, in the housing, and embraces
the post E at such a height that the vertically reciprocating slide C in its most
elevated position, must enter between said shield and said post and extend above
said shield. The said shield, which is shown in plan view in figure 5, forms a sort
of annular oil channel, with projecting wings or oil-distributing troughs g² thereon,
which troughs are placed in such directions and are of such extent as to supply the
oil to those parts of the coupling, which are most likely to require it.
Having now described the invention, I will briefly state the manner in which it
operates.
After the coupling has been suspended from the plate F, and properly connected
with the shafting outside, the door t is opened and oil poured into the housing D,
until a suitable gauge L², or a suitable vent h³, shall indicate that it stands at the
required height in the housing.
The door t is then closed and the machinery set in motion. The coupling
operates as described in my aforesaid patent, and during its operation the tube C
will be slid up and down, entering, towards the end of its upward stroke, the place
above the shield J. During the operation of the mechanism, the post E becomes
coated with a film of oil, which is applied to it partly by the reciprocating tube C,
the lower end of which dips into the collected oil at the bottom of the housing,
and partly by the rotating cranks, which throw about drops of oil within the
housing. The film of oil which surrounds the upper portion of the post E is by
the ascending, closely fitting tube C lifted into the place above the shield J, and as
said shield is so constructed that it shall fit closely around the tube C, the oil so
lifted by the tube will, when said tube descends, in part be discharged into the
annular oil channel of the shield J, and afterwards be distributed by said shield to
those parts of the mechanism which may need oiling. Thus, in figure 5 of the
drawing said shield J is represented as provided with two projecting troughs g²,
which lead directly over the pivots of the cranks a and e, dropping the oil upon
these pivots; but I do not desire to confine myself to this particular arrangement
of supply troughs on the distributing shield J, as they may be directed to other
parts of the mechanism, which experience may teach require special lubrication.
As far as the arms b, fare concerned, they differ from the pins b, f which are
described in the above mentioned patent in that they are no longer swivelled, at
least not necessarily swivelled, in the tubular projections d, g of the reciprocating
tube C. For I have found that by hinging the cranks a, e on the wrist-pins of
the shafts A, B, the necessary motion is obtained, and that hence it is no longer
necessary to swivel the connecting links or pieces b, f in the tube C. Still I can
use all the parts of my present invention in connection with a coupling in
which the pins b,f would be swivelled in projections of said tube.
I also desire it to be understood that, although throughout this specification I
have represented the housing as suspended from a ceiling, so that the part of the
housing should be the lower part, nevertheless the structure is equally useful when
inverted and attached to a support below it, or when secured to a vertical or other
suitable support, which arrangement would still operate in every respect like the
mechanism illustrated in the drawing, requiring as modification only such a
displacement of the oil-distributing shield J as will always bring it to the upper
part of the post E and a corresponding change in the arrangement of the oil cups >
and perforations d², which would occur to any mechanic whose duty it would be to
secure such a structure in the desired position.

page_text: Oil, thrown about by the revolving cranks, a, e and their connections, will also
come in contact with the inner side of the housing D, flowing thence, in properly
shaped channels, towards the shafts A, B, which are thus lubricated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1 In a coupling, having shafts A, B, which are hung in a housing D, the
combination of said housing with the upper suspension plate F, which is secured to
the ceiling, and to which said housing is attached, all substantially as described.
2nd The top suspension plate F, constructed with the marks n, o, p, and adapted
to be fastened to a ceiling or other support, for use in combination with a housed
coupling, as specified.
3rd The combination of the housing D for a coupling, said housing having the
flange j at its upper portion, with the plate F, connecting screws and set screws 3,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4th In a coupling constructed substantially as described, the housing D, made
in two parts, and combined with the door t, which closes an opening in said
housing, as set forth.
5th In a coupling substantially as described, the housing D, made in two parts h, i,
and provided with channels or grooves and inwardly extending passages w along
the contiguous edges of said parts as specified.
6th The housing D, constructed of the parts h, i, combined with the external oil
receivers, as described.
.
7th In combination with the coupling having shafts A, B, the housing D
constructed with the extended bearings y y, in which said shafts are received,
substantially as specified.
8th In combination with a coupling having shafts A, B, the housing D, having
extended bearing y and the wheel G or its equivalent, arranged to surround said
bearing, substantially as specified.
9th The housing D, provided with projecting bearings y 3, which are adapted to
receive within them, the shafts of the coupling, and around them the hubs of the
wheels, or other devices, that are fastened to said shafts, as specified.
10th The combination of the housing D, having extended bearing y, with the
shaft A of the coupling, wheel G and shield e², as described.
11th The housing D, having extended bearing y, said bearing containing
longitudinal, inner channel or cliannels a² and outwardly extending passages d', in
combination with the shaft A and with the hub of the wheel G, as described.
12th The combination of the shaft A. of the coupling, with the housing D, having
extended bearing y, said bearing containing inner channels a³ and outwardly
extending passage d, and with the hub of the wheel G, said hub having a
passage f, as specified.
13th In combination with the coupling having shafts A, B, cranks a, e, arms b, ƒ
and reciprocating tube C, the post E, oil-distributing shield J and housing D,
substantially as described.
14th The oil-distributing shield J, constructed with central opening for admitting
the closely fitting tube C, and with the projecting oil-distributing troughs g²,
substantially as herein shown and described.