IMPROVED FOOT- POWER MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SAWS, LATHES, AND OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of. "IMPROVED FOOT-
POWER MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SAWS, LATHES, AND OTHER MACHINES."
A communication from abroad by Charles Edmond Mayo and William
Lindsey Perry, both of Lowell, in the County of Middlesex and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of Commissioners of Patonts on the 14th June 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVED FOOT-POWER MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SAWS, LATHIES,
AND OTHER MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Charles Edmond
Mayo and William Lindsey Perry, both of Lowell, in the County of Middlesex, and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
These improvements relate to foot power mechanism for driving saws, lathes, etc.,
and performing work of similar character requiring small power and high speed.
The Invention consists in a clutch pulley of novel construction, and a treadlo
arranged to act always in one direction, these parts being combined to secure
continuous motion of the driven shaft, all as hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a sido elevation of the machine;
Figure 2 is an end view with the frame in section; Figure 3 is a side view of the
clutch pulley with one side plate removed, and Figure 4 is a sectional view of the
clutch on line x, x, of Figure 3.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
A is a frame of suitable form carrying an upper cross shaft a and lower cross
shaft b sustained in suitable bearings. The shaft a is the driven shaft, and carries
clutch pulley B and fly wheel C. The treadle shaft b carries a large pulley d, and
smaller pulley e, both of which are fast. f is the treadle, hung by one end to the
frame of the machine.
From the treadlo fa strap 9 passes to and around the pulley e, and from the
pulley & two straps h, h¹, pass to and around the clutch pulley B. These straps h, h¹,

page_text: are placed side by side, and are wound in opposite directions, so that they pass off
at opposite sides. The ends of the straps are connected to the pulleys.
The clutch pulley B is bored centrally for the shaft, and formed at the sides of
the central aperture with tangential grooves i that extend from end to end of the
hub, and open into the bore. In the grooves i are pins or rollers, behind which
are springs, that tend to force the rollers toward the shaft a. There are preferably
three grooves i, and the rollers are of such diameter that they will jam between
the shaft and the tangent sides of the grooves. With this construction the pulley
can turn freely on the shaft in one direction, and will clutch the shaft firmly when
turned the reverso way. As shown, the pulley clutches when turned to the left,
but that may be changed by simply reversing the pulley on the shaft.
In operation, the treadle being pressed down, the strap g turns pulley e and
shaft b, and the strap being thereby wound on pulley d, turns the clutch pulley B
in the direction for clutching the shaft a, the shaft is consequently turned, and
continues to turn by momentum of the fly wheel during the return movement of
the clutch. This movement of the clutch by strap h winds the strap h¹ on the
clutch pulley, so that the reverse movement of the shaft b will unwind strap h¹,
reverse the revolution of the clutch, and rewind strap h. The reversal of the
movement is to be accomplished by a spring or equivalent device. As shown,
there is a spiral spring m on shaft b connected to the frame and to pulley d. At
the forward movement the spring is wound, and reverses the movement of the
shaft by its reaction.
It will be seen that the treadle always turns the treadle shaft in one direction.
The shaft a is turned in the same direction or the reverso according to the arrange-
ment of the clutch.
The clutch shown can be used with other forms of treadles, and the treadlo
used with a clutch of different construction. I do not limit myself in that
respect.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. The combination of clutch pulley B, shaft a, pulleys d, e, straps h, h³, and g,
shaft b, treadle f, and spring m, substantially as shown and described for operation
as a foot power machine, as specified.
2nd. In foot power machines, the shaft a, and clutch pulley B, formed with
tangential grooves i, and fitted with the pins or rollers in combination with a
treadle, pulleys, and belts, fitted for giving an intermittent rotation to the clutch,
substantially as shown and described.
3rd. The treadle f, strap g, pulley c, and spring m, in combination with shaft b,
pulley d, and connections to a clutch pulley on a separate shaft, substantially as
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.