IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTSTEPS AND BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES AND SHAFTS.
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Follows and John Bate, both of the
City of Manchester, Agricultural Implement Makers, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTSTEPS AND BEARINGS FOR
SPINDLES AND SHAFTS.
"
Sealed the 15th December 1876, and dated the 12th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William Follows
and John Bate at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
August 1876.
FREDERICK WILLIAM FOLLOWS and JOHN BATE, both of the City of Manchester,
THE CONSTRUCTION OF
Agricultural Implement Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FOOTSTEPS AND BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES AND SHAFTS."
Our Invention consists in constructing footsteps and bearings of the mineral
known as agate, the peculiar property of which renders oil or other lubricant
unnecessary; these agate footsteps and bearings are particularly adapted for the
spindles of ventilators and weather vanes, as such spindles when placed at the top
of a chimney or building are difficult of access.
The agate footsteps and bearings are also beneficial for supporting the revolving
spindles and shafts of various machines used in preparing and spinning cotton and
other fibrous substances and for other purposes, as the lubricant being dispensed
with the cost of the lubricant and the labour of applying it are saved.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick William Follows and John Bate in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th February 1877.
FREDERICK WILLIAM FOLLOWS and JOHN BATE, both of the City of Manchester,
Agricultural Implement Makers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTUCTION OF FOOT-
STEPS AND BEARINGS FOR SPINDLES AND SHAFTS."

page_text: Our Invention consists in constructing footsteps 'and bearings for spindles and
shafts of the mineral known as agate, the peculiar property of which renders oil or
other lubricant unnecessary. These agato footsteps and bearings are particularly
adapted for the spindles of ventilators and weather vanes, as such spindles when
placed at the top of a chimney or building are difficult of access.
The agate footsteps and bearings are also beneficial for supporting the revolving
spindles and shafts of various machines used in preparing and spinning cotton and
other fibrous substances and for other purposes, as the lubricant being dispensed
with the cost of the lubricant and the labour of applying it are saved.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into operation, we will proceed to describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
in which Fig. 1 is an elevation in section of an ordinary Archimedean screw
ventilator and smoke conductor to which our improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is
a plan of the top bearing; and Fig. 3 a plan of the footstep.
a is the outer casing which is fixed to the top of the chimney or flue, and b is
the top frame secured to the casing a as usual; c is the spindle to which the screw
and the wind vane are secured in the ordinary manner. In the casing a is a cross
bar d, as shown in Fig. 3, in which is a recess to contain the block of agate e which
is hollowed out to form the footstep of the spindle c, and above the cross bar d is
a second cross bar d to guide the lower part of the spindle, the hole in the guido
bar d¹ is large enough to allow the spindle to revolve freely. In the upper part of
the top frame b is a cross bar f containing the agate bearing g, in which the upper
end of the spindle c revolves.
These bearings and footsteps require no lubricant, they are also applicable to
the spindles and shafts of various machines used in preparing cotton and other
fibrous substances and for other purposes, the peculiar shape of the bearings and
footsteps being modified to the purpose required.
Having thus stated the nature of our Invention, and described a convenient -
mode of carrying the same into operation, we wish to remark that we do not limit
ourselves to the details given, as they must be varied according to the particular
purpose to which our Invention is applied, and we claim the application and use
of agate in the construction of footsteps and bearings for the purposes described.
In witness whercof, I, the said Frederick William Follows, for myself, and
on behalf of the said John Bate, have hereto set my hand and seal, this
Eighth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
FW FOLLOWS