Year: 1888

page_text: We CHARLES H. TUCK WOOD and WILLIAM TUCKWOOD of Janesville in the County
of Rock and State of Wisconsin United States of America, Manufacturers 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:-
Our invention relates to an improvement in Balanced Gearing for wind mills the
object being to provide a combination of gearing that will balance the whipping and
lifting action of the wind wheel when it is operated by varying wind currents and at
the same time permit the wind wheel to be moved in a horizontal plane together with
its supporting shaft and bracket to hold the face of the wheel against the wind current
and thus ensure a continuous rotative motion of the shaft without regard to changes
in direction of this current.
With these objects in view our invention consists in certain features of construction
and combinations of parts that will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the
claims.
In the drawing, a side elevation in section through the vertical and horizontal gear
shafts and attached gearing is shown.
A is a metallic base plate upon which the gear mechanism is located and
supported.
A vertical circular flange A that is formed integral with the base A extends
upwardly a proper distance above its upper face.
22
The perforated "stump or hollow shaft B also projects from the base plate A
concentric with the flange A¹ and in the same direction.
The integral circular flange A' is made true on its cylindrical outer surface and top
or free edge to receive the bracket C which has a recessed cylindrical turret plate C¹
adapted to fit upon the flange A' and rotate freely upon it as a supporting bearing.
From the side of the turret plate C¹an arın C is projected laterally and curved
upwardly to give support to the horizontal wind wheel shaft D an elongated journal
box C³ affixed to the extended horizontal upper edge of the arm (2 being provided to
receive the shaft and permit it to revolve.

page_text: Upon the true cylindrical outer surface of the stump B the mitre wheel E is placed,
the turned end surface of its hub a resting to revolve upon the top surface of the
turret plate C¹. The mitre wheel F¹ is mounted upon the end of the wind wheel
shaft D and is made to mesh its teeth with the horizontal mitre wheel E, the diameters
of these wheels E and F being the same and they having an equal number of teeth of
the same pitch.
Integral with the upper face of the horizontal mitre wheel E a bevel gear wheel G
is formed it being of less diameter than the wheel E.
Upon the side of the stump Bat a proper distance above the bevel wheel G the
stud is extended to form a bearing for the small bevel pinion H which is intended
to act as an intermediate gear between the bevel wheel G and a wheel I of the same
diameter and number of teeth as the wheel G.
The bevel wheel I has a mated or similar wheel J secured to it the bevel faces of
these walls inclining oppositely so that while the wheel I has geared contact with the
small intermediate bevel pinion H the wheel J is adapted to mesh with a duplicate
spur bevel pinion K which is supported on a stud or fixed bracket arme that projects
at right angles to the sleeve L which latter loosely bears upon the upper surfaces of
the twin bevel wheels I J.
The wheels Jare supported in position by the vertical shaft M which is inserted
through the hollow stump B that extends above the base plate A a sufficient distance
to form a seat for the wheels I and J the wheel. I resting upon its free true upper
edge so that the height of the stump B limits the depth of meshing contact of the
teeth of the wheel I and intermediate pinion H. The sleeve L is firmly secured by
the set screw E to the shaft M and upon its upper true edge the connected mitre
wheels P, O, are seated the lower and smaller wheel P that is of the same diametrical
size as the wheels I J is in proper relative position to have its teeth mesh with the
bevel pinion K at its upper edge.
The mitre wheel O that is secured by its lower surface to the top surface of
the wheel P is of the same diameter as the lower horizontal mitre wheel E and
like it is made to mesh with the mitre wheel F. secured to the wind wheel
shaft D.
The shaft M is secured in revoluble position by the adjustable collars de which are
affixed in place by set screws, the collar e loosely bearing against the lower surface of
the base plate A whilst the collar d rests against the top face of the hub of the
wheel O to prevent it from lifting out of gear.
The wind wheel that gives rotative motion to the gearing just described may be of
any approved form.
This wheel is secured to the outer end of the shaft A and a vane to keep this wheel
facing the wind current may be secured at any convenient point to the bracket arm C
and this vane may be made to be elevated or lowered and thus cause the wind wheel
to rotate or cease movement as may be desired, the vane and wheel are not herein
shown as they are well known parts of a wind mill and are not the subject of the
present invention.
The operation of the gearing is as follows:-
The shaft D is driven by the wind wheel which causes the bevel wheel F' to turn
in the same direction. This latter wheel F¹ being meshed at diametrically opposite
points with the loosely mounted wheels O and E drives them in opposite directions
and the axis of the bevel pinion H being fixed to the stump B of course the engage-
ments of the wheel G formed integral with the wheel E with this pinion will rotate
it upon its axis. This pinion communicates motion to the integral wheels I, J which
wheels it is evident rotate in an opposite direction from the wheels E, G.
Now as the integral gear wheels O, P and I, J all four rotate in an opposite
direction from wheels GE hence other things being equal said wheels must rotate
together.
Evidently an equal pressure is now exerted on the teeth of the pinion K at
diametrically opposite points so that no rotation of this pinion is possible. This
impossibility of rotation of the pinion upon its axis however does not prevent a

page_text: rotation of the pinion and axis together around the shaft M or with the latter as long
as the axis is secured thereto.
So far as communicating motion to the main shaft M it is plain the pinion K might
be entirely dispensed with but the primary function of said pinion K is utility when
the bracket arm C2 shifts its position. At such times it is frequently expedient that
the gear wheels B and J should momentarily rotate in opposite directions or that the
extreme gear wheels and E should turn together. At such periods it is desirable
for the bevel pinion K to turn on its axis.
As a result of this arrangement only one of the pinions II or K rotates except
periodically or at such times when the wind wheel changes its position relative to
the points of compass due to the change in direction of the wind. But as long
as the rotation of the shaft 1) continues without shifting to another point of
compass, one pinion rotates as previously stated while the other travels around
with the main shaft M without revolving so that in short but one of the pinions II
or K revolves ordinarily or when the wind wheel remains in one position and on
the other hand one or both of these pinions revolve when the turret Crevolves.
The advantages attained consist in effectually balancing or compensating the
unsteady, unequal lifting and whipping action of the wind so that a constant and
continual rotation of the main shaft is always insured while the wheel is geared for
motion and to always prevent a tendency to go out of the wind, no matter what the
direction or velocity of the wind may be or however much its direction may be
varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is.
1. The combination with a base plate a hollow stump and a bracket arm loosely
mounted on the base plate, said arm having a wind wheel shaft, journalled therein,
this shaft having a gear wheel, on one end, of a main shaft adapted to turn in the
stump, gear wheels loosely mounted on the main shaft and hollow stump, and bevel
pinions between said gear wheels, the axis of one being secured to the hollow stump
and the axis of the other to the main shaft substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a base plate, a hollow stump formed integral therewith
and a bracket arm loosely mounted on the base plate said bracket arm having a wind
wheel shaft journalled therein, this shaft carrying a gear wheel of a main shaft
adapted to rotate in the hollow stump, gear wheels loosely mounted on the stump and
on the shaft in position for their teeth to mesh with the teeth on the wind wheel wind
wheel shaft gear wheel, intermediate gear wheel, also loosely mounted on the main
shaft and bevel pinions between said intermediate wheels and the gear wheels on the
main shaft, the axis of one of said wheels being secured to the hollow stump, and the
axis of the other to the main shaft substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a base plate, a circular supporting flange projecting
therefrom, a hollow stump formed integral with the base plate and a bracket arm
mounted on the flange of a horizontal wind wheel shaft journalled in the bracket arm
and provided with a gear wheel a vertical shaft journalled in the stump, bevel gear
wheels loosely mounted on the vertical shaft meshing with the gear wheel on the
horizontal shaft, intermediate bevel gear wheels and the intermediate bevel pinions
one secured to the vertical shaft and the other to the hollow stump for the purpose
substantially as set forth..