Improvements in Screw Lifting-jacks and other Apparatus comprising similar Screw Gearing.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1999-Accepted, 10th Feb.,
1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Screw Lifting-jacks and other Apparatus
comprising similar Screw Gearing.
I, FRITZ SCHULZ, of 859, Cortez Street, in the City of Chicago, State of Illinois,
United States of America, Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a novel construction in a screw-jack, the object being
to provide a device of simple and efficient construction and great power which
can be readily adjusted to the height of the body to be raised without the loss
of time generally incurred in devices of this kind, and which can also be readily
taken apart to be repaired and oiled, and consists in the features of construction
and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screw-jack constructed in accordance with
my invention.
Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of same showing the inner mechanism in
elevation.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a central longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, show-
ing the split-nut turned ninety degrees from the position shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. is a top plan view of the split-nut.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of same.
Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the gear wheel receiving the split-nut.
Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 9 is an inside elevation of one member of the casing.
My device consists preferably of a wood standard 1, provided with a recess 2,
and carrying a metal casing
lower end.
at its upper end and a metal foot piece 4 at its
The said metal casing 3 consists of two parts 5 and 6, the part 5 being a
square box adapted to receive the standard 1 in its lower end, and which is cut
away on one side of its upper end on a line extending diametrically across the
middle of the top and down the middle of the side walls to a point midway
between the top and bottom and thence horizontally through the front wall,
while the part 6 fits said cutaway portion and is provided with a bead 7 along
its straight edges to overlap the joint.
In the center of the top of said casing 3 is an opening 8 surrounded by
an annular flange 9 which is tapered off toward its outer end, one-half of said
opening and flange being in each of said parts 5 and 6 of said casing 3. A
similar opening 10 surrounded by a flange 11 similarly tapered appears about
the middle of the front wall and is likewise formed by semicircular recesses and
flanges in each of the parts 5 and 6. Each of said flanges carries a radial lug
or rib 12 at its base, and when said parts 5 and 6 are fitted together they are
secured by means of internally tapered caps 13 and 14 each of which is enlarged
at diametrically opposite points to receive said lugs or ribs 12, and are securely
held in place by means of pins 15, passing through said enlarged portions of said
caps and through said lugs or ribs 12. In this manner I form a casing which
can be easily taken apart and. put together without the use of screws or bolts.

page_text: +
Said casing 3 is provided on its rear face with parallel ribs 16 to strengthen
same, and is secured to said standard 1, by means of bolts 17 passing through
the front and rear walls of said casing and through the solid part of the standard
on each side of said recess 2 therein. The side walls of said recess are provided
with longitudinal slots or recesses 18 at their lower ends, thereby bifurcating
them and permitting the casing to be slightly contracted at this portion to allow
for shrinkage of the wood.
A screw 19 enters said casing through said opening 8, passes centrally through
said casing and into said recess 2 in said standard 1 and carries a shoe 20 at its
lower end with which it is rigid, being held by a pin 21. Said shoe 20 bears
against the sides of said recess and is thereby held against turning.
Said casing is provided adjacent its lower end with an inwardly extending
annular flange 22 against which the upper end of said standard I bears, and
extending upwardly from said flange and inwardly from one of the side walls
of said casing is a lug or rib 23 provided with a recess 24 in which a lug 25
on a bearing member 26 is adapted to fit, to hold said bearing member against
rotation. Said member 26 is provided with a central opening through which
said screw 19 passes, and is provided in its upper face with an annular groove 27
in which balls 28 rest. The other bearing member 29 is provided with a similar
groove in its lower face, while its upper face is recessed to form a clutch face to
engage a similar face on the lower end of the hub of bevel gear 30 mounted
thereon. Said bevel gear 30 intermeshes with a bevel pinion 31 carried by a
crank-shaft 32 journalled in said opening 10 in the front wall of said casing 3.
Said bevel gear 30 is provided with a large head 33 in the upper end of which
is a wedge-shaped recess 34 having two parallel sides and two inclined sides.
A split-nut comprising two members 35 and 36 which together are adapted to
form a complete nut having a central screw-threaded opening to engage the
screw 19, is mounted in sai recess in said head 33. Each of said members 35
and 36 is provided with an inclined lower rear face coinciding with the inclined
faces of said recess 34 and resting thereon, so that normally said members are
held in close contact with each other and in engagement with said screw 19.
Said member 35 carries two parallel arms or projections 37 adapted to enter
guide recesses 38 in the member 36, whereby said members are held in hori-
zontal alinement with each other and are relatively movable only horizontally.
In the meeting faces of said members 35 and 36, recesses 39 are cut, each of
which is deeper at the lower end of the member than at the upper end thereof,
so that when said members come together they form inverted V-shaped recesses
the inclined innermost sides of which extend almost transversely to the inclined
sides of the recess 34, the latter and said innermost sides of said recesses extend-
ing at the same angle to the axial plane intersecting said nut between the two
parts thereof. A collar 40 is loosely mounted on said screw 19 above said split-
nut and carries two depending inverted V-shaped ears 41 which are adapted to
enter said recesses 39 and engage the inclined sides of the latter, so that when
said collar 40 is raised said ears 41 will raise and at the same time separate
said members 35 and 36, thereby releasing said screw 19 and permitting the
latter free vertical movement. Said collar 40 is provided with an annular
groove 42 adapted to receive lugs 43 carried by the bifurcated end of an arm or
lever 44 pivotally mounted in said part 5 of said casing 3. The said arm
lever 44 is actuated by means of a lever 45 pivotally mounted between its ends
upon the outer end of said lever 44, and which at its inner end is adapted to
engage said lever 44 at the part 46 thereof when said lever 45 is depressed, to
raise the inner end of said lever 44 and said collar 40. The inner end of said-
lever 45 is curved on its lower face and in its extreme end is provided with a
recess 47. Said curved face of said lever is adapted to engage and depress a
vertically movable pin 48, moving in a socket 49 on said part 5 of said casing 3,
which is normally held at the upper limit of its movement by means of a
spring 50, said pin being adapted to enter said recess 47 when said lever 45 is
or

page_text: vertical as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, thereby holding said lever in said
position. By depressing said lever 45 to the lowermost position shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 4, the split-nut is also raised and separated to release the screw 19,
which can then be freely raised and lowered and adjusted very quickly to the
desired position and there held by releasing said lever 45' and permitting said
split-nut to drop and re-engage said screw 19.
Said head 33 is provided with a circumferential groove 51 adapted to receive
a lug 52 on the inner wall of the part 5 of the casing, which is adapted to hold
said bevel gear 30 against vertical movement, thereby preventing any inter-
ference with the operation of the split-nut. By turning said crank-shaft 32 said
bevel gear 30 is revolved and said split-nut revolves therewith, thereby raising
or lowering said screw 19. The latter carries a revoluble head 53.
My invention as herein described and claimed is obviously applicable to
numerous other devices besides screw-jacks, such as testing machines, and, in
fact, to all kinds of machinery requiring great power, and I hereby retain the
right to so apply my invention.
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. In a screw-jack, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally only,
of a separable member engaging same, a revoluble member carrying said
separable member, devices for turning said revoluble member, and devices
adapted to engage said separable member to simultaneously raise and separate
same, whereby said screw is released and is freely movable longitudinally.
2. In a screw-jack, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally only,
of a separate member engaging same, a revoluble member provided with a
recess adapted to receive said separable member, devices for turning said revoluble
member, and devices adapted to engage said separable member, to simultaneously
raise and separate same, irrespective of the position of said revoluble member
and without entirely leaving the latter, whereby said screw is released and is
freely movable longitudinally.
3. In a power gearing, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally
only, of a revoluble member in which said screw is loosely mounted, said
member having a recess provided with two inclined sides, a separable split-nut
mounted in said recess and provided with two inclined faces adapted to coact
with said inclined faces of said recess to close said nut, there being vertical
recesses in the meeting faces of the members of said split-nut each having an
inclined wall extending practically transversely to the inclined faces of said
split-nut, and a collar mounted above said split-nut and carrying inverted wedge-
shaped ears adapted to enter said recesses in said members of said split-nut and
engage said inclined faces thereof, whereby when said collar is raised said ears
will force the members of said split-nut apart.
4. In a power gearing, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally
only, of a revoluble member in which said screw is loosely mounted, said
member having a recess provided with two inclined sides, a separable split-nut
mounted in said recess and provided with two inclined faces adapted to coact
with said inclined faces of said recess to close said nut, there being vertical
recesses in the meeting faces of the members of said split-nut each having an
inclined wall extending practically transversely to the inclined face of said
split-nut, and horizontal recesses in one of said members of said split-nut and
arms on the other member adapted to enter same to cause said members to move
simultaneously, and a collar mounted above said split-nut and carrying inverted
wedge-shaped ears adapted to enter said vertical recesses in said members of
said split-nut and engage the inclined faces thereof, whereby when said collar
is raised, said ears will force said members of said split-nut apart.
5. In a power gearing, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally

page_text: only, of a revoluble member in which said screw is loosely mounted, said
member having a recess provided with two inclined sides, a separable split-nut
mounted in 'said recess and provided with two inclined faces adapted to coact
with said inclined sides of said recess to close said nut, there being vertical
recesses in the meeting faces of the members of said split-nut each having an
inclined wall extending practically transversely to the inclined faces of said
split-nut, and horizontal recesses in one of said members. of said split-nut and
arms on the other member adapted to enter same to cause said members to move
simultaneously, and a collar mounted above said split-nut and carrying inverted
wedge-shaped ears adapted to enter said vertical recesses in said members of
said split-nut and engage the inclined faces thereof, whereby when said collar
is raised, said ears will force said members of said split-nut apart, and a lever
pivotally mounted in the casing of said jack and adapted to engage said collar
to raise same to separate said split-nut.
6. In a power gearing, the combination with a screw movable longitudinally
only, of a revoluble member in which said screw is loosely mounted, said
member having a recess provided with inclined sides, a separable split-nut
mounted in said. recess and provided with inclined faces adapted to coact with
said inclined sides of said recess to force said members of said split-nut together,
there being vertical recesses in said members of said nut provided each with an
inclined face extending practically transversely to the inclined face of said
member, a collar loosely mounted above said split-nut and provided with down-
wardly extending ears adapted to enter said vertical recesses and having inclined
faces adapted to coact with said inclined faces of said recesses to force said
members outwardly when said collar is raised, a lever for raising said. collar
pivotally mounted upon a rigid part of the jack, an arm pivotally secured to
said lever and adapted to engage and actuate the same when moved in one direc-
tion, a spring actuated pin mounted in said casing and bearing against said
arm and adapted to engage same to hold it normally out of engagement with
said lever, and devices carried by said split-nut for causing the members. thereof
to move simultaneously into and out of engagement with said screw.
7. In a screw-jack, the combination with a longitudinally movable screw and
an actuating shaft extending transversely to same, of a standard adapted to
receive said screw, and a casing forming a head on said standard, said casing
comprising two parts separated on planes intersecting the axes of said screw
and said actuating shaft. and provided on their meeting edges with semicircular
recesses surrounded by flanges adapted to form bearings for said screw and said
shaft, said flanges being tapered on their outer faces, and internally tapered
caps adanted to be forced over said flanges to hold said parts of said casing rigid
with each other, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of October 105.
FRITZ SCHULZ.
Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant..