AN IMPROVED FRICTION COUPLING OR CLUTCH FOR DRIVING SHAFTS, WHEELS, PULLEYS, OR OTHER ROTATING PARTS OF MACHINES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mather, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of
Salford, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for an Invention of "AN
IMPROVED FRICTION COUPLING OR CLUTCH FOR DRIVING SHAFTS, WHEELS,
PULLEYS, OR OTHER ROTATING PARTS OF MACHINES." A. communication
from abroad by the Firm of James Hunter & Son, of North Adams,
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mather at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th October 1880.
WILLIAM MATHER, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer. "AN IMPROVED FRICTION COUPLING OR CLUTCH FOR
DRIVING SHAFTS, WHEELS, PULLEYS, OR OTHER ROTATING PARTS OF MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by the Firm of James Hunter & Son, of North
Adams, Massachusetts, one of the United States of America.
In applying this Invention to couple two shafts in line with each other a friction
pulley is fitted on a feather at the end of one shaft, so that it may be moved to
and fro into or out of an annular clamp or band by a lever or shipper; a flange or
disk is fixed at the end of the other shaft, and to this flange, and concentric with
the shaft, is fastened the annular clamp or band, the ends of which are formed into
lugs, and connected by a pin, on which are right and left hand threads, so that
when the pin is turned in one direction the clamp is tightened, and when turned
in the other direction the clamp is loosened; to the middle of this pin is fixed a
lever connected by a second lever to a bush on the shaft; when the bush is moved
towards the flange the clamp is tightened by the action of the levers and pin, and
vice versa.
The friction pulley is moved into the clamp, and the latter is tightened when the
shafts are to be coupled together.
When this Invention is applied to a pulley or wheel the boss of the pulley is
turned true and rather smaller than the inside of an annular clamp or band formed

page_text: as before described; this clamp fits on the boss of the pulley or wheel, and is
fastened to a flange which is fixed on to the shaft to be driven, and on the shaft is
the bush connected by levers to the pin with right and left hand threads to tighten
or loosen the clamp. The bush is moved by a lever or shipper to tighten or loosen
the clamp, and so cause the shaft to revolve or cease from revolving with the pulley 5
or wheel.
Instead of two levers, one fixed to the pin and jointed to another connected to a
bush on the shaft, one lever only may be used, one end fixed to the pin, and the
other end resting near the shaft when the clamp is loose, and a conical or taper
bush sliding on the shaft is then used, and moved under the lever to raise it to 1
tighten the clamp.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Mather in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
April 1881.
WILLIAM MATHER, of the Firm of Mather and Platt, of Salford, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer. "AN IMPROVED FRICTION COUPLING OR CLUTCH FOR
DRIVING SHAFTS, WHEELS, PULLEYS, OR OTHER ROTATING PARTS OF MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by the Firm of James Hunter and Son, of North
Adams, Massachusetts, one of the United States of America.
In applying this Invention to couple two shafts in line with each other a friction
pulley is fitted on a feather at the end of one shaft, so that it may be moved to
and fro into or out of an annular clamp or band by a lever or shipper; a flange or
disk is fixed at the end of the other shaft, and to this flange and concentric with
the shaft is fastened the annular clamp or band, the ends of which are formed into
lugs and connected by a pin on which are right and left hand threads, so that
when the pin is turned in one direction the clamp is tightened, and when turned in
the other direction the clamp is loosened; to the middle of this pin is fixed a lever
connected by a second lever to a bush on the shaft.
When the bush is moved towards the flange the clamp is tightened by the action
of the levers and pin, and vice versa.
The friction pulley is moved into the clamp and the latter is tightened when the
shafts are to be coupled together.
When this Invention is applied to a pulley or wheel the boss of the pulley is
turned true and rather smaller than the inside of an annular clamp or band forined
as before described; this clamp fits on the boss of the pulley or wheel, and is
fastened to a flange which is fixed on to the shaft to be driven, and on the shaft is
the bush connected by levers to the pin with right and left hand threads to tighten
or loosen the clamp; the bush is moved by a lever or shipper to tighten or loosen
the clamp, and so cause the shaft to revolve or cease from revolving with the pulley
or wheel.
Instead of two levers (one fixed to the pin and jointed to another connected to
a bush on the shaft), one lever only may be used, one end fixed to the pin and the
other end resting near the shaft when the clamp is loose, and a conical or taper
bush sliding on the shaft is then used and moved under the lever to raise it to
tighten the clamp.
And in order that, the Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will describe the accompanying 2 Sheets of Drawings, reference being
had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
On Sheet 1, Fig. 1 is a side elevation in section of the improved friction coupling
fitted to two shafts to be coupled, and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the annular
clamp or friction band. a and b are the two shafts to be coupled; c is the friction
pulley (or male pin of friction) free to slide on a feather on the shaft a; d is an
annular clamp (or friction band) secured by the bolts e to the flanged boss f, which
is keyed or fixed firmly on the shaft b. The annular clamp & does not form a
complete circle, and at each end it is provided with a lug ; g is a screwed
steel stud having a right hand thread on one end and a left hand thread on the
other end; the lugs d are connected by the stud g, the right hand thread being
screwed into one lug and the left hand thread into the other, or in each lug is fixed
a bronze nut o to receive the steel screw i is a lever, one end of which is fixed by
a pin or otherwise on the middle of the stud g; the other end of the lever h is
connected by a lever i to a boss j, which slides on the shaft b; there are two small
set screws 8 which fix the bronze nuts o in the lugs when they have been
adjusted on the steel screw g. The mode of operation is as follows:-Supposing

page_text: one shaft to be in motion and the other stationary, the friction pulley c would be
withdrawn from the annular clamp d, and the boss would be at a distance from
the flanged boss f, the stud 7 being turned so as to loosen the annular clamp d.
When it is desired to couple the shafts the friction pulley is moved into the annular
clamp (or friction band), and the boss j is moved towards the flanged boss f, thus
raising one end of the lever h, turning the stud g partly round, and by the right
and left hand threads on the stud g tightening the clamp d on the friction pulley c,
and causing the shafts to rotate together. To uncouple the shafts it is only
necessary to move the bossj in the opposite direction; to turn the stud g and loosen.
the clamp the friction pulley is withdrawn from the clamp to avoid the possibility
of injury if the shafts should not run quite true.
There is a circular recess in the flange f to receive the edge of the clamp & and
keep it concentric with the shaft b.
On Sheet 2, Fig. 3 is a side elevation in section, and Fig. 4 is a front elevation
of the improved friction clutch applied to a wheel or pulley; d is the annular
clamp or friction band secured by the bolts e to the flanged boss f, which is keyed
or fixed firmly on the shaft. The inside of the boss of the wheel is bored to fit
and revolve on the boss f, and the outside of the boss is turned true to fit easily
in the clamp d; this clamp is provided with lugs d', and it is tightened on the
boss. or loosened by a stud g and levers h and i, actuated as before described;
the boss is longer than the boss of the wheel, and a collar m is fastened on it by
set screws n to keep the wheel in its place.
The wheel or pulley may be driven from the moter and communicate motion to
the shaft when the clamp d is tightened, or the shaft may be driven and commu-
nicate motion to the wheel.
Having stated the nature of the Invention, and described how the same may be
performed,
I declare that I claim,-
The improved friction coupling or clutch for driving shafts, wheels, and other
rotating parts of machines, substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Mather, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty third day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty one.
WH. MATHER. (L.S.)