Year: 1888

page_text: I, AUGUSTUS BEVER of Dewsbury Foundry, Northgate, Dewsbury in the county
of York Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
_
My invention of improvements in the construction of Friction clutches relates to
that class of clutches which are put into gear or released whilst in motion by a sleeve
sliding on the shaft, and the present improvements have reference to an arrange
ment of toggle joint and wedge by which a friction ring is expanded and pressed
against the inner surface of an annular shell
The construction of the clutch is as follows: a driving arm is rigidly keyed to
the shaft and is coupled to a friction ring, which is therefore also connected to the
shaft and revolves with it, this ring is divided and is carefully fitted to a wedge-
shaped piece which expands the ring or allows it to contract by being pushed forward
or withdrawn. A sleeve slides on a feather key on the shaft and has fixed to it a
toggle joint, the other end of which joint is coupled to the wedge which is driven
tightly into the friction ring by thrusting forward the sleeve.
The other portion of the clutch which is fixed to the wheel or pulley to be driven
or which is keyed to another shaft as the case may be is in the form of an annular
shell in which the friction ring can revolve when not expanded, but when the friction
ring is expanded it presses with sufficient force against the inner portion of the
annular shell to carry it with it.
T1 1
T1000

page_text: I, AUGUSTUS BEVER of Dewsbury Foundry, Northgate, Dewsbury in the county
of York 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 :―
My invention of improvements in the construction of Friction Clutches relates to
that class of clutches which can be put into gear or released whilst in motion by a
sleeve sliding on the shaft, and the present improvements have reference to an arrange-
ment of toggle joint and wedge by which a friction ring is expanded and pressed
against the inner surface of an annular shell
The construction of the clutch is as follows • a driving arm is rigidly keyed to the
shaft and is coupled to a friction ring, which is therefore also connected to the shaft
and revolves with it, this ring is divided and is carefully fitted to a wedge-shaped
piece which expands the ring or allows it to contract by being pushed forward or
withdrawn A sleeve slides on a feather key fixed in the shaft and is connected with
a toggle joint, the other end of which joint is coupled to the wedge which is driven
tightly into the friction ring by thrusting forward the sleeve.
The other portion of the clutch which is fixed to the wheel or pulley to be driven or
which is keyed to another shaft as the case may be, is in the form of an annular shell
in which the friction ring can revolve when not expanded, but when the friction ring
is expanded it presses with sufficient force against the inner surface of the annular
shell to carry it with it.
In order to enable my invention to be better understood I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, which represent my friction
clutch as adapted for use with a strap pulley.
a is a pulley which is keyed on the boss b of the outer portion or annular shell i of
the friction clutch, this portion running loose on the shaft 7, c is an arm keyed fast to
the shaft and connected to the friction ring d by two jaws fitting on a projection of
the ring as shewn. A sleeve e slides on a feather key fixed in the shaft and is
provided with horns ff connected to a toggle joint g which latter is again connected
to a wedge h This wedge his carefully fitted to the two surfaces of the friction ring d
so that when the sleeve e is pushed forward on the shaft by levers or other appliances
the toggle joint g thrusts the wedge h into the ring and expands this with great force
against the outer portion or annular shell of the clutch i and thus connects the pulley
with the shaft with sufficient force to transmit the necessary power.
The toggle
Joint g is made adjustable to enable any wear which may take place to be taken up,
is a ring fixed to the outer portion of the clutch and is for the purpose of keeping the
kring din its place and also to keep dust and dirt out of the friction surfaces.
The above description refers chiefly to a friction clutch as applied to a belt pulley
but it is evident that a clutch made on this principle can also be applied to toothed
gearing, rope pulleys or many other purposes.

page_text: It is also evident that instead of dividing the ring d in only one place it may be
divided in two or more and two or more toggle joints and wedges may be used to
expand the ring.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim 18:
1. In a friction clutch the use of one or more wedges thrust forward by one or
more toggle joints for the purpose of expanding a friction ring arranged and operating
as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2 The improved friction clutch constructed arranged and operating as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
Dated this Fourth day of March 1889.