Improvements in or relating to the Working of Punkahs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1893—Accepted, 15th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Working of Punkahs.
We, WILLIAM BRIDGEWATER, Engineer and HENRY O'CONNOR BRIDGE-
WATER Boot Manufacturer of Aylestone Park Leicester in the County of
Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention has reference to improvements in or relating to the working of
punkabs. The main object of which is to provide contrivances in combina-
tion with suitable gearing to cause the automatic working of punkahs in such a
manner that by the peculiar movement obtained it is representative of, or is similar
to "hand pulling" or manual operation of the punkah.
worin
To carry our invention into effect we provide a suitable frame or box in which
are suitable bearings, carrying parallel shafts; one of which carries a
gearing with worm wheel, the said worm wheel operating a rack bar connected to
and working a clutch on worm shaft in connection with springs which when more
than one is used after being wound up, will cause the motion to the worm shaft,
the object of the said worm and worm wheel and rack connected to clutch is that
when using more than one spring while one is nearly run down the other is put
into operation.
Upon the worm shaft is keyed a driving toothed wheel gearing with a pinion
loosely journaled, connected or cast with another larger wheel gearing again with
another pinion on the other shaft alike connected or cast with a toothed wheel
precisely the same as the first keyed upon the shaft. As many of these sets of
wheels as are desired can be mounted upon the parallel shafts, the end pinion on
the one shaft being made fast thereon in a like manner to the driving wheel first
on the other shaft. Upon the forward end of the upper shaft is a disc or crank
arm, a pin being adjustable in a slot in the said disc, or arm, the said pin may carry
a roll to work in a cam groove of a curved plate fitted on the inside of a slide bar
moving horizontally in suitable guides. A pin on the inside of the slide bar
working in a groove of the rocking bar, or connecting beam working outside the
slide, the lower end of this rocking bar being adjustably pivoted so that it makes
its throw freely, to a slotted vertical upright the said adjustment being made to
alter the throw when desired. Upon the rotation of the crank the pin in the
curved groove of the slide moves the slide, accordingly and controls the movement
of the rocking beam the upper end of which is made secure to the wire or rope
attached to the punkah of any ordinary kind and suspended in any usual way in
the room or building.
The peculiar motion obtained gives at the early part of the stroke a quicker
movement, or an impetus in pulling the punkah and a free swing back in running it out.
We may use an alternative in the place of the rocking bar and communicate
motion to the punkah by weight, and grooved wheel and cord in the following or
equivalent manner, to the slide we attach a rack gearing with a driving pinion
fastened on grooved wheel, to the periphery of which is secured the end of a rope
or wire passing partly around the wheel and then over a pulley if necessary at any
suitable point, the free end of which is connected to the punkah. A weight is
put at the lower end of the slotted rocking bar, and also in the side of the grooved
wheel for the purpose of counterbalancing the resistance of the punkah when either
of the motions are employed. Or by preference in place of springs to obtain the
automatic motion we may employ weights.
The speed is controlled by fliers or brake in the usual way.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Working of Punkahs.
We, WILLIAM BRIDGEWATER, Engineer and HENRY O'CONNOR BRIDGE-
WATER Boot Manufacturer of Aylestone Park Leicester in the County of
Leicester, 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 has reference to improvements in or relating to the working of
punkahs. The main object of which is to provide contrivances in combination with
suitable gearing to cause the automatic working of punkahs in such a manner that
by the peculiar movement obtained it is representative of, or is similar to "hand
pulling or manual operation of the punkah. That our invention may be
"
understood drawings are annexed in which :-
Figure 1 is a view of the machine showing the front arrangements for working
the punkah.
Figure 2 a side view of the same.
Figure 3 a partly sectional elevation of a vertical bar and slide to operate the
punkah.
Figure 4 shows a rack bar and slide to operate the wheel carrying the rope to
punkah.
the
Figure 5 shows an arrangement of eccentrics which may be employed in lieu of
gears shown in Figures 1 and 2 to give the desired motion to the punkah.
Figure 6 is a view of the rod F. and Figure 7 is a view in perspective of a
building, room or structure showing the manner in which the punkah is arranged
and connected to the driving mechanism forming the subject of this invention.
We construct the contrivances for working a punkah in the following or
equivalent manner to effect the object we have in view. A suitable stand or
frame A is provided, having bearings a', in which are put the shafts a, a, and a*,
upon the shaft a³, is keyed a toothed wheel b, gearing with the pinion 6', on the
shaft a², a number of these gears are fitted on their respective shafts, ending with
the pinion, which is made fast to its shaft, like the driving wheel b, upon the
shaft a. The forward end of the shaft a', carries a crank disc B or its equivalent,
in the slot of which is a pin C, the outer or roller end of which is in the cam
groove E of the rocking bar F or frame F¹ so that upon the revolution of the
crank disc B, the pin C moves the rocking bar or frame, which oscillates so as to
cause the rack or quadrant k. gearing with the pinion k', to move the grooved
wheel L considerably more than half a revolution in one direction, and only the
remaining part of such in returning. The peculiar motion thus obtained gives at
the early part of the stroke a quicker movement or an impetus in pulling the
punkah forward, and a free swing back again. To the grooved wheel L is secured
the rope or wire f¹, which is carried over a pulley (see Figure 7,) and attached
at 1, to the band, of the punkah, which is suspended by chains or cords ²,
from the beam; or other suitable position. Motion is imparted to the-machine by
the operator winding the rope I upon the drum J; by turning the handle K, when
the weight attached to the outer end of the rope I will keep it going until the
drum is emptied or wound down. The rack bar is brought back again by aid of
the weighted lever M. Several modifications of the above may be employed for
giving motion to the rocking frame F', or bar F, and in the arrangement of the
bar itself. The one shown in Figure 3 is provided with a vertical cam groove E,
and the lower end of the rod F is adjustably secured to the upright G, and
counterbalanced by the weight m, and held by the slide bar N, the upper end
of the rod (not shown) being connected to the rope f₁ attached to the punkah.
The grooved wheel L being dispensed with in this case. Or we may employ
the device shown in Figure 4. which consists of the grooved wheel L and

page_text: pinion geared to the rack bar N', to which is attached the bar F., and cam
groove E, the rope f passing from the wheel L over the pulley H, to the punkah.
In place of the series of gear wheels shown in Figures 1 and 2 and herein before
described we may secure to the shaft on line X Figure 2 an eccentric disc P,
and another P, on another shaft p, to each of the discs is attached as seen in
Figure 5 a rod Q, adjustable in both discs, these will impart a continuous motion
to the frame F or rod F aided by the drum J and weight at the end of the rope I.
A break O, may be put upon the winding shaft a³, when desirable to hold the
machine in check.
In the present methods employed for working punkahs, a simple to and fro motion
is given, consequently the air is not distributed freely about, or properly circulated
around the room but by automatically imitating "hand pulling" this is avoided.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :
1. In apparatus for working punkahs the employment of a grooved bar or
frame in combination with the herein described mechanism for imparting an
oscillating motion to the grooved wheel L carrying a rope, wire, or cord, con-
ducted and connected to the punkah in the manner described.
2. Automatically working punkahs by cams or eccentrics, and in combination
therewith an adjustable grooved bar disc B, to give the motion desired to
represent "hand pulling."
3. Improvements in or relating to the working of punkahs substantially in the
manner and by the means, or their equivalents as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 20th day of February 1893.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
"The Central" Office for Inventions,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicants' Agent.