Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application,
30th Aug 1QUQ
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
I, JAMES SIDNEY EASTWOOD LUMSDEN, Office of Accountant General, Military
Department, Government of India, Simla, India, Assistant Examiner, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved machine for operating punkahs,
the object being to entirely dispense with manual labour, except in case of re-wind-
ing and starting the machine, and also to provide a simple yet efficient apparatus
for the purpose.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a drum or cylinder mounted upon
and fixed to an archimedean or similar screw to which a reciprocating motion is
given, both in the direction of its axis and about such axis, by means of two drums
provided with cam-like surfaces which act against the screw referred to, such
drums being rotated by suitable wheels deriving their motion from suspended
weights attached to cords passed round pulleys or from springs or the like working
in conjunction with the drums, wheels or pulleys, the said cam-like drums being
arrested in their rotary movements, and allowed to move, at certain times by means
of spring-controlled levers operated by the archimedean screw previously referred to.
An an example of carrying out my invention I fix a cylinder upon a central
screw preferably of the archimedean type or one having a sharp pitch, the screw
being supported in correspondingly shaped nuts fixed in a suitable frame. The
cylinder has attached to it ropes or cords which are also coupled to the punkah
sheet it is proposed to operate. On either side of the central cylinder is a drum
provided with a cam-like surface, or it may be a cam, each drum being mounted
upon a shaft. The latter drums or cams are preferably provided with a flange
through one part of which is passed a spring-controlled pin which at certain times
is brought in the same axial line as the screw of the central cylinder. Near to
cach side drum and pivoted on the framing of the machine is a spring-controlled
lever carrying a pin or stud which constantly bears against the face of drum
flange, except when it is caused to enter a hole in the latter. The hole referred to
also carries the spring-controlled pin. The cams or cam drums are connected by
suitable gear wheels each with another drum or pulley round which is passed a
cord terminating in a weight, the latter always tending to rotate the pulley. Instead
of cords and weights it will be obvious that suitable springs, such for instance as
those used in clocks may be employed to operate the pulleys, wheels or cam drums.
The machine operates as follows:-On pushing the central drum to one side the
screw engages with the spring-controlled pin in one of the side drums, pushes it
endwise and disengages the pivoted lever from the hole in the cam drum.
Immediately this occurs the latter is rotated through the agency of the gear wheels
cords and weights or springs. As the cam drum rotates, the cam surface on it
bears against one end of the central screw and traverses the central cylinder end-
wise the screw also causing the latter to rotate and let the punkah rope slack.
By the time the side drum has made one revolution and become arrested by the

page_text: lever the end of the central screw causes the other side drum to be disengaged as
in the first case. The second drum now rotates and pushes the central screw and
drum back again, until having performed one revolution it also is arrested and
the same cycle of operations is repeated until the cords on the pulleys are com-
pletely unwound. This action causes the punkah sheet to be alternately pulled 5
tight and allowed to fall slack thus creating the current of air necessary for cooling
purposes.
Dated this 28th day of Wahm 1900
WILLIAM W. TAYLOR,
Swan Chambers, 69, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.
I, JAMES SYDNEY EASTWOOD LUMSDEN, Office of Accountant General, Military
Department, Government of India,, Simla, India, Assistant Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
This invention relates to a new or improved machine for operating punkahs,
the object being to entirely dispense with manual labour, except in case of re-wind-
ing and starting the machine, and also to provide a simple yet efficient apparatus
for the purpose.
My invention consists essentially in the use of a drum or cylinder mounted upon
and fixed to an archimedean or similar screw to which a reciprocating motion is
given, both in the direction of its axis and about such axis, by means of two drums
provided with cam-like surfaces which act against the screw referred to, such
drums being rotated by suitable wheels deriving their motion from suspended
weights attached to cords passed round pulleys or from springs or the like working
in conjunction with the drums, wheels or pulleys, the said cam-like drums being
arrested in their rotary movements, and allowed to move, at certain times by means
of spring controlled levers operated by the archimedean screw previously referred to.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying draw-
ings in which,
Fig. 1 shows a side or front elevation of a punkah pulling machine constructed
in accordance with my invention,
Fig. 2 a plan of same, and
Figs. 3 and 4 detail views of one of the cam drums for operating the archimedean
screw.
I would have it understood that these drawings are only given as an example of
one way of carrying out my invention. As will be seen from these I fix a
cylinder a upon a central screw preferably of the archimedean type, or one
having a sharp pitch, the screw being supported in correspondingly shaped nuts c
firmly fixed in a suitable portion of the frame d. The cylinder a, which may be
constructed of any suitable material, has attached to it ropes or cords e which are
also coupled to the punkah sheet it is proposed to operate, after being passed through
suitable guides such as f. On either side of the central cylinder is a drum g
provided with a cam-like or screw surface h, or it may be a cam, each drum being
mounted upon a shaft i. The latter drums or cams are preferably provided with
a flange through one part of which is passed a spring controlled pink which at
certain times is brought in the same axial line as the screw 6 of the central

page_text: cylinder a. Near to each side drum and pivoted to a bracket on the framing
of the machine is a spring controlled lever carrying a pin or stud which con-
stantly bears against the face of drum flange, except when it is caused to enter a
hole or slot m in the latter. The cams or cam drums are connected by suitable
gear wheels n each with another drum or pulley round which is passed a cord p
terminating in a weight q the latter always tending to rotate the pulley. Instead
of cords and weights it will be obvious that suitable springs, such for instance
as those used in clocks may be employed to operate the pulleys, wheels or cam
drums.
The machine operates as follows:-On pushing the central drum to one side
the screw bengages with a spring controlled pink in one of the side drums g,
pushes it endwise against the pivoted lever whose pin is thereby disengaged
from the hole in the cam drum. Immediately this occurs the latter is caused to
rotate through the agency of the gear wheels n cords p and weight or springs.
As the cam drum rotates, the cam surface h on it bears against one end of the
central screw and traverses the central cylinder endwise the screw also causing
the latter to rotate and let the punkah rope slack. By the time the side drum g
has made one revolution and become arrested by the pin in lever the end of
the central screw causes the other side drum to be disengaged as in the first
case. The second drum now rotates and pushes the central screw and drum back
again, until having performed one revolution it also is arrested and the same cycle
of operations is repeated until the cords on the pulleys are completely unwound.
This action causes the punkah sheet to be alternately pulled tight and allowed to
fall slack thus creating the current of air necessary for cooling purposes. The
cords on the pulleys o may be wound up again by attaching a winch handle to,
say, the shaft carrying the latter or to any other of the geared shafts.
In conclusion I would have it clearly understood that the details of mechanical
construction may be departed from without affecting the spirit of the invention
and that the whole of the parts may be constructed of any material suitable for the
various purposes.
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 machine for operating punkahs consisting of a drum or cylinder mounted
upon and fixed to an archimedean or similar screw; an archimedean or similar
screw mounted in nuts and capable of moving endwise; two cam or like drums for
operating said screw; wheels, pulleys, and weights or springs for rotating said
cam drums and spring-controlled levers and pins for releasing or holding said
cam drums as required, the whole operating substantially in the manner and for
the purposes set forth."
2. The general construction, combination and arrangement of parts forming my
improved punkah pulling machine substantially as described and as shown in the
accompanying drawings Figs. 1 to 4.
WILLIAM W. TAYLOR,
Swan Chambers, 69, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.
WILLIAM W. TAYLOR,
Swan Chambers, 69, Market Street, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.