AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OBTAINING CIRCULAR-MOTION IN ONE DIRECTION FROM CIRCULAR MOTION ACTING IN ONE OR ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS, AS A CLUTCH OR BRAKE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Homan Price Fenby, of 13, Queen's Square,
Leeds, in the County of York, Mechanical Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OBTAINING CIRCULAR-MOTION IN ONE
DIRECTION FROM CIRCULAR MOTION ACTING IN ONE OR ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS,
AS A CLUTCH OR BRAKE "
ADDTTGART
Scaled the 17th October 1873, and dated the 21st April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Homan Price Fenby
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 21st April 1873.
I, HOMAN PRICE FENBY, of 13, Queen's Square, Leeds, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OBTAINING CIRCULAR MOTION IN ONE
DIRECTION FROM CIRCULAR MOTION ACTING IN ONE OR ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS, THE
SAME BEING APPLICABLE AS A CLUTCH OR BRAKE," to be as follows :-
On a circular shaft or spindle I place a collar or socket running
loosely on the said shaft or spindle. For about half its thickness on one
side this collar or socket is recessed out to a diameter larger than that

page_text: of the shaft, so as to leave an annular space around the said shaft. In
that part of the periphery of the shaft which is within the annular space
in the loose collar or socket I make one or more recesses or lugs, by
preference two diametrically opposite to each other. In the annular
space of the loose collar or socket surrounding the shaft I place toggle
pieces having their inner ends stepped into the recesses or lugs of the
shaft, and their outer ends abutting against the inside of the rim which
bounds the annular recess of the loose collar or socket. These toggle
pieces are made of too great a length to stand radially, and they are kept
in contact with the rim of the loose collar or socket by the pressure of
slight springs. Whatever number of these toggle pieces be placed in
the annular recess of the loose collar or socket all must be so placed as
to be pressed by the springs in the same direction of revolution round
the shaft. The shaft is free to revolve within the loose collar or socket
in the same direction of revolution as that in which the springs press
the toggle pieces, but will instantly lock fast to the said loose collar or
socket if moved in the contrary direction, this action of locking depending
upon the tendency of the toggle pieces to assume a radial direction for
which they are too long. Hence the shaft will drive the loose collar or
socket in one direction of revolution, but will revolve freely within it
in the opposite direction; and therefore if circular motion in one or
alternate directions be given to the shaft, the said shaft will communi.
cate circular motion in one direction only to the said loose collar or
socket. In the same way the loose collar or socket will drive the shaft
in one direction of revolution, but will revolve freely in the opposite
direction, and if circular motion in one or alternate directions be given
to the said loose collar or socket circular motion in one direction only
will be communicated to the shaft. In the direction in which the shaft
will drive the loose collar or socket the said loose collar or socket will
revolve freely upon the shaft, and vice versâ; and therefore motion
in either of two directions may be obtained with the same gearing,
according as the shaft be used for driving the collar or the collar for
driving the shaft.
By employing only one of the before-described clutches, consisting of

page_text: clutches with bevelled wheels or other suitable appliances the driven
part of the apparatus will revolve in one given direction during both
alternations of the driving part, only halting at the instants when the
reversing of the driving part takes place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;
filed by the said Thomas Price Fenby in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th October 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HOMAN
PRICE FENBY, of 13, Queen's Square, Leeds, in the County of York,
Mechanical Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Homan Price Fenby, Her special
licence that I, the said Homan Price Fenby, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Homan Price
Fenby, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time, and at all times there-
after 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF OBTAINING CIRCULAR MOTION IN ONE DIRECTION
FROM CIRCULAR MOTION ACTING IN ONE OR ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS, THE SAME BEING
APPLICABLE AS A CLUTCH OR BRAKE," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Homan Price Fenby, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one 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 VE that T the said Homan Price Tonby do harohu.

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :—
On a circular shaft or spindle I place a collar or socket running
loosely on the said shaft or spindle. On one side this collar or socket is
recessed to a diameter larger than that of the shaft, so as to leave an
annular space around the said shaft. In that part of the periphery of
the shaft which is within the annular space in the loose collar or socket
I make a recess, or two or more recesses, by preference two diametrically
opposite to each other. In the annular space of the loose collar or
socket surrounding the shaft I place toggle pieces having their inner
ends stepped in the recesses or lugs of the shaft, and their outer ends
abutting against the inside of the rim which bounds the annular recess of
the loose collar or socket. These toggle pieces are for a purpose hercin-
after explained made of too great a length to occupy when in place a
position radial to the axis of the shaft; they are kept in contact with
the rim of the loose collar or socket by the pressure of slight springs.
Whatever number of these toggle pieces may be placed in the annular
recess of the loose collar or socket, all must be so placed as to be pressed
by the springs in the same direction of revolution around the shaft. The
shaft is free to revolve within the loose collar or socket in the same
direction of revolution as that in which the springs press the toggle
pieces; but will instantly lock fast to the said loose collar or socket if
moved in the contrary direction. This locking action is due to the
tendency of the toggle picces to assume a radial position between the
bottom of the recesses and the rim of the said collar or socket, which
position their length prevents their assuming, so that they are caused to
jam or bind tightly upon the two parts. Hence the shaft will drive the
loose collar or socket in one direction of revolution, but will revolve
freely within it in the opposite direction; and therefore if circular
motion in one direction or in alternate directions is given to the shaft
the said shaft will communicate circular motion in one direction only to
the said loose collar or socket. In the same way the loose collar or
socket will drive the shaft in one direction of revolution, but will revolve
freely in the opposite direction; and if circular motion in one direction
or in alternate directions is given to the said loose collar or socket
circular motion in one direction only will be communicated to the shaft.
In the direction in which the shaft will drive the loose collar or socket

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driving the collar or the collar for driving the shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus for carrying my said
Invention into practice; Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
In these Figures A is the aforesaid loose collar or socket recessed at ono
side to receive the toggles C; B is the shaft. These toggles are stepped
in the shaft, as shown, and are free to rock in the recesses into which
they are stepped; they are kept in contact with the rim of the socket A
by the tension of the springs D. The said toggles are longer than the
radial distance between the bottom of the recesses and the inner surface
of the collar A, and are too long to pass from one side of the radial
line & in the direction in which the springs pull them to the other side
of this line. If the collar A is rotated in the direction of the arrow the
toggles will jam or lock fast, and drive the shaft B; but if the collar A
is rotated in a contrary direction it will slip freely over the toggles, and
the shaft B will not be driven. In the same way, if required, the
shaft B may be made to drive the collar A. In this case the directions
of driving and slipping will be respectively the reverse of the arrange-
ment where the shaft is driven by the collar. A lever A¹ may be
attached to the collar A, and then an alternating motion of this lever
round the axis of the shaft B will cause a step-by-step rotation of the
shaft B. In this manner I purpose to construct drilling braces, and
windlasses for use on board ship, and elsewhere.
In constructing ships' windlasses I prefer to place two loose collars
on the shaft, and double-ended levers on cach collar, so that a number
of men may by moving one collar forward while the other moves back-
ward, cause the shaft to rotate without the loss of time involved by the
use of one alternating lever only.
Figure shows a shaft coupling for coupling the two shafts B and B¹.
In this instance the collar A is keyed to the shaft B₁. The toggles are
at c, c. If the shaft B is the driver it will only drive the shaft B¹ in
onc direction, as the toggles will slip in the other direction. In the
same way the shaft B¹ may be used to drive the shaft B, and will only

page_text: 1
do so in one direction. The toggles must be inclined to the right or
left of the radial line, as above described, according to the direction of
rotation or slip required.
Figure 3 illustrates the application of this Invention for obtaining
rotary motion always in one direction from rotary motion in both the
same and contrary directions. On the shaft B are two mitre wheels E, F,
having the recesses E¹, F¹, for the aforesaid toggles. These two
mitre wheels gear with a third wheel G on the countershaft H. The
two wheels E and F run loose on the shaft B, except in the direction in
which the toggles jam or lock. The wheel G is keyed fast on the
shaft H. If the shaft H is subjected to an alternating rotary motion,
from which it is desired to obtain a rotary motion of the shaft B always
in one direction, the toggles are inclined so that their ends stepped in
the shaft B shall be in advance of the ends against the rims I and J
taken in the direction of the desired rotation. Whichever way the
shaft H and wheel G may rotate one of the two wheels E and F will
rotate in the desired direction, and drive the shaft B in the same
direction; while the other of the wheels E, F, will rotate in the contrary
direction, and slip upon the shaft B. The shaft B may also be used
with an alternating rotary motion to drive the shaft H in one desired
direction of rotation, but in this case the toggles in the recess E¹ must
be inclined in the contrary direction to those in the recess F¹. When
the countershaft lies parallel with the main shaft spur gearing will be
used. The driven shaft will always rotate in the desired direction when
the driving shaft rotates in either, only stopping at the instants when
the driving shaft reverses.
Figure 5 illustrates the application of my Invention for driving a
shaft continuously in one direction from a shaft rotating in alternate
directions, both shafts being in the same axial line. The wheel K runs
loose on the shaft B. The wheel L is keyed fast on the shaft B¹. The
toggles in the recesses K¹, L', are inclined in the same directions. When
the shaft B¹ rotates in that direction in which the toggles are jammed or
locked the toggles in the recess L' drive the shaft B, while the wheel K
runs freely in the contrary direction. When the shaft. B¹ is reversed
the toggles in the recess L¹ slip, and those in the recess K¹ jam and
drive the shaft B still in the same direction. I may also use the
shaft B to drive the shaft B¹, the inclination of the toggles being
reversed.

page_text: The arrangement shewn in Figure 1 may be applied in the boss of a
pulley or fly wheel to connect the said pulley or fly wheel to its shaft
when it rotates in one direction, but not in the other; and the shaft
or the pulley or fly wheel may be either the driver or be driven
according to the direction of rotation, and the inclination of the
toggles.
Some of the more obvious applications of my Invention to particular
purposes are to the following, namely drilling braces, alternately
fast and loose pulleys, shaft couplings, planing machine beds, adjustable
feeds for wood-working machines and sewing machines, the driving
shafts of sewing and other machines liable to injury if driven back-
wards, adjustable feed apparatus for machines drawing in strip metal
step by step, as in cartridge and percussion cap machines, pen and
button machines, winches, crabs, windlasses, and capstans, railway
brakes, the driving gear of lawn mowers, and the like.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it understood I do not claim
the application per se of a toggle set out of the radial line to cause a
jamming action in one direction, as I am aware that such a contrivance
has already been used; but I claim, the particular modes of applying
such toggles herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Homan Price Fenby, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Eighteenth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three
Witness,
G. E. DONISTHORPE.
HOMAN PRICE FENBY. (L.S.)