An Improved Clutch Mechanism for Adjusting and Fixing the Levers and Rods of Steam Valves, Brakes, Disconnecting Gear, and other Mechanisms.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Clutch Mechanism for Adjusting and Fixing the
Levers and Rods of Steam Valves, Brakes, Disconnecting Gear,
and other Mechanisms.
I, ARMIN TENNER, of No. 17 York Strasse, in the City of Berlin, in the German
Empire, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 relates to an improved clutch mechanism for adjusting and fixing
levers and rods, which can be employed in connection with locomotive and other
reversing gear steam slide valves, brakes, disconnecting gearing and other mechanisms,
and consists of a segment on which operates a lever carrying one or more friction
rollers and serves to operate the regulating device and fix the same in any desired
position, and also in conjunction with two other levers to release the same.
simple arrangement and certain operation of the device renders the same suitable for
application with all devices where a very exact and safe operating adjusting device is
required.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is the side view, and
Figure 2 the edge view of a single action adjusting device,
Figure 3 is the side view, and
The
Figure 4 the edge view of a double acting device on my improved system.
Figures 1 and 2 represent an adjusting device in which only one friction roller
acts on the segment to securely retain the parts in position. A is the segment which,
as shown in the accompanying drawings, is pivotally connected to the lever T by
means of a pivot p and is connected to the valve rod V. B is a friction roller made
of hardened steel or other appropriate material which is guided in the holder D and is
pressed by the spring 6 onto the segment A and the inclined surface of the holder D
so that the lever T can only move freely on the segment A in the direction of the
arrow, Figure 1; but in order that the said lever T may be moved in the opposite
direction and fixed in any desired position I employ two levers F and G, by means of
which the friction roller B can be released from its gear with the segment A and the
holder D.
In normal condition the short arm of the lever G is pressed by the spring g against
a pin or stud whilst the two armed pawl or lever F remains inoperative. If, however
the longer arm of the lever G is depressed the short arm of the same will press the
shorter arm of the lever F against the friction roller B so as to compress the spring b,
free the friction roller B from its clutch with the segment A. and the holder D and
thus allow the lever T to be moved as may be required, but as soon as the lever G is
released the spring b will immediately move the friction rolier B forwards and securely
fix the lever T' in the desired position.
Figures 3 and 4 represent a modification of my improved clutch mechanism
according to which the lever T with the holder D can neither be moved in the one or
the other direction until the one of the two friction rollers B is brought out of contact
When the
with the segment A by operating the double acting levers F and G.
lever G is moved in the direction in which it is desired to move the lever T, a
simultaneous movement of the lever F is produced, so that the friction roller B on
the side in question is released from its clutch with the segment A and the
inclined surface of the holder D, thus allowing the movement of the lever T. When
the lever T' is in its desired position the spring g will return the lever G to its normal
position.
The rod R is pivotted to the lever Tand is in its turn connected to the mechanism
to be operated such for instance as the reversing gear of a locomotive, a switch, brake

page_text: or other mechanism, so that when the lever T is adjusted on the segment a corre-
sponding adjustment of the mechanisms to be operated on will be attained. The
lever G can be removably arranged and only then applied when it is desired to adjust
the lever T.
The entire mechanism can be enclosed in a sheet metal or other casing with a
suitable slot through which the lever G can be inserted for operating the lever F. If
this casing is applied to a switch it will be evident that the same can only be
operated by employing the lever G. Although I have only shown one modification
of my improved apparatus in the accompanying drawing it will be evident to all versed
in the art that the parts can be modified in various ways without departing from the
nature of my invention.
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 is
1 A clutch mechanism for adjusting and fixing the levers and rods of steam
valves, brakes, disconnecting gear and other mechanisms, in which a movable lever T
arranged on a segment A and provided with a holder D is so clutched to the segment
by means of one or more friction rollers B, operated on by springs b, that the friction
roller or rollers are firmly clutched between the segment A and an inclined surface of
the holder D in the contrary direction to that in which the lever T was moved, and so
that the same can only be released by operating the single or double action levers F
and G, substantially as set forth.
2: My improved clutch mechanism, substantially as set forth.