IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GIVING AN OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TO FANS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult, of 323 High Holborn in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR GIVING AN OSCILLATING MOVEMENT TO FANS." A communication from
Paul Schwarz and Paul Treutler both of Berlin in the German Empire
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GIVING AN OSCILLATING MOVE-
MENT TO FANS [a communication from Paul 'Schwarz and Paul Treutler both
of Berlin in the German Empire]
"
This invention relates to an automatic fan mechanism or apparatus which will
exactly imitate the movements of a fan as heretofore produced by hand, that is to
say it has an oscillating movement.
The said apparatus consists substantially in a train of wheels actuated by a
spring and imparting an oscillating motion to a light fan attached to a two-armed
lever.
The driving mechanism is conveniently placed between two side pieces held a
suitable distance apart by stay bolts as is usual in clockwork mechanisms.
The arbor upon which rotates the spring barrel is kept from turning in one
direction by a ratchet wheel and is provided with a movable key for winding the
spring.
The spring barrel has a toothed rim which rotates a pinion and its axle.
Toothed gearing transmits the rotation to an arbor from which it is again trans-
mitted by toothed gearing to the driving spindle, properly so called, for the move-
ment of the fan. This spindle carries a disc provided with an excentric pin.
The two armed lever is mounted on hinges in a support or carrier and receives
its oscillating motion from a pin of the disc above referred to with which its short
arm is connected by a connecting rod. The larger arm of the two armed lever
FD 077

page_text: terminates in a slotted tube fitted with a screw to enable the handle or stem of the
fan to be rigidly or firmly fastened.
The fan may be of any suitable construction, the only condition being that it
shall not be too heavy, and as a general rule the well known Japanese palm-leaf or
cane fans are preferred for this purpose as they combine extreme lightness and
cheapness.
To enable the movement of the fan to be arrested at will, a stop mechanism is
provided for the spindle. It consists in a disc with excentric pin which latter
strikes upon a horizontally movable sliding pin and thus prevents the movement of
the spindle.
This sliding pin slides in suitably provided guides and can easily be brought
with one end into the path of the second excentric pin or stud which moves with
the spindle.
For certain purposes a brake for the spindle may be provided both for stopping
the entire train of wheels without a shock and for the purpose of diminishing
the motion of the same and thereby the velocity of the two armed lever, so as to
regulate the same. Instead of the above described second disc with excentric pin
on the spindle, a sufficiently wide brake disc is provided thereon, which is turned
smooth and is embraced by the two springy limbs of a fork fixed upon the casing
preferably on one of the stay bolts which, for the purpose of preventing the rotation
of the fork, must not be round at the point of attachment. The limbs of this fork
are covered at their front ends with leather or other material which will increase
friction and can be drawn together by a screw and thumbnut. According to the
pressure so exerted the movement of the fan is thus reduced or altogether arrested.
The support or carrier, which by a hinge holds the two armed lever, carries a bent
flat spring which has sufficient tension to carry the connecting rod and the pin
over the dead point when the fan is raised. This is an essential feature of the
whole construction as it is only hereby possible to give to the fan an oscillating
motion by the comparatively speaking small power of wheel gearing driven by a
spring.
The flat spring may however if required be replaced by one or more coiled
springs. The same effect may moreover be attained by one or more India rubber
buffers, or by the employment of a coiled spring wound round the pivot bolt of the
lever. In all cases there must be an elastic counter pressure which aids the disc
and excentric pin in raising the two armed lever to overcome the dead point when
the connecting rod exerts traction.
Instead of the springs or buffers above referred to the weight of the fan may be
balanced by a counter weight placed on the opposite arm of the two armed lever;
this weight, for the purpose of the regulation above referred to, is adjustable on
the arm of the lever and can be fixed by screws.
In this arrangement the lever is not free to rotate in the support on a pivot
bolt, but is held by two steel screws with hardened points which take into
depressions thereof so as to diminish friction at that part as much as practicable.
In lieu of the springs, buffers or counterweights hereinabove described for
balancing the weight of the fan, as heavy a fly wheel as possible may be used.
This is placed on the last arbor of the clockwork (the driving spindle for the fan
motion) and produces a very, even motion of the apparatus. On this flywheel pins
will with advantage be placed and cause oscillating motion of the fan by means of
a connecting rod.
-
A fan which oscillates in a horizontal plane has the clockwork placed horizontally
in the foot of the pedestal and by employing a vertical arbor (which carries a
crank disc with an excentric pin embraced by a curved loop or slot of the two
armed lever which carries the fan) the fan is moved to and fro in a horizontal
plane as stated.
mam hawawas be moved in a vertical plane This is attained by placing

page_text: This disc causes by the pin working in a slot of the fan lever the oscillating
motion of the latter. The movement of the last named arbor may be effected,
analogously to that above referred to by a pair of conical wheels off a vertical
arbor.
In some cases the clockwork is placed in an upright position and the oscillating
movement of the lever carrying the fan is caused by a horizontally mounted arbor
or spindle with excentric pin moving in a slot thereof. As however the clockwork
is placed upright two pair of bevel wheels are provided for the motion of the
upright arbor.
.
To admit of the regulation of the effect of the fan according to the position of
the body as desired, it may be mounted, similarly to reading lamps upon a vertically
adjustable foot and a ball and socket joint serves to admit the variation of its
effect in a horizontal direction also.
For hot climates it may also be suspended, over the bed for instance; for simpler
forms the case without the pedestal may be employed. The whole of the driving
gear may be surrounded with a light casing of decorated sheet metal, wood, and
the like, both for improving the appearance and for protection against dust and
injury, this is not absolutely necessary

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alfred Julius Boult in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th September 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR GIVING AN OSCILLATING MOVE- 5
MENT TO FANS a communication from Paul Schwarz aud Paul Treubler both
of Berlin in the German Empire.
"
This invention relates to an automatic fan mechanism or apparatus which will
exactly imitate the movements of a fan as heretofore produced by hand, that is to
say it has an oscillating movement.
The said apparatus consists substantially in a train of wheels actuated by a
spring which imparts oscillating motion to a light fan attached to a two arined
lever by means of a connecting rod.
In the accompanying drawings such an automatic fan is shown and
Figure 1 represents the same inside elevation, half size,
Figure 2 section on line A. B of figure 3, full size,
Figure 3 side elevation of the train of wheels with section through the spring
barrel, full size,
Figure 4 elevation of the pawl for the spring barrel arbor, full size.
Figures 5. 6. 7 and 8 show various modifications of the two armed lever for the
reception of the fan, full size,
Figures 9 and 10 a brake-mechanism for the train of wheel gearing full size.
Figure 11 the employment of a counterweight for balancing the fan, or the two
armed lever carrying the same.
Figure 12 a side view of this modification, showing the attachment of the double
lever.
Figure 13 shows the application of a heavy fly-wheel to the last arbor of the
clock work, so as to render its working uniform.
Figure 14 view of a part of the clockwork.
Figure 15 shows a modification of this fan in which the same oscillates in a
horizontal plane and the clockwork is arranged laying down.
Figure 16 shows the same arrangement the fan however oscillating in a vertical
plane.
Figure 17 a view similar to figure 16, partly in section, but showing two mitre
wheels employed.
The driving mechanism is placed between two side pieces a a¹ (Figures 2. 3)
which are held a suitable distance apart by stay bolts b b as is usual in clockwork
mechanisrus.
The arbor c upon which rotates the spring barrel C, is kept from turning in one
direction by a ratchet wheel d and is provided with a movable key e for winding
the spring.
The spring barrel has a toothed rim which gearing with a pinion of the axle g,
causes the same to rotate. Toothed transmission gearing transmits the rotation
to the arbor i from which it is transmitted by toothed gearing to the driving
spindle (m properly so called for the movement of the fan. This spindle m carries
a disc n provided with an eccentric pin o.
The two armed lever E is mounted on hinges g in the support p (Figures 1. 3)
and receives its oscillating motion from the pin o of the disc n with which its short
arm is connected by a connecting rod r. The larger arın of the two armed lever E
1
1

page_text: terminates in a slotted tube s fitted with a screw f to enable the handle or stem of
the fan F to be rigidly and firmly fastened (Figures 1. 3)
The fan F may be of any suitable construction, the only condition being that it
shall not be too heavy, and as a general rule the well known Japanese palm-leaf
or cane fans are preferred for this purpose, as they combine extreme lightness and
cheapness.
To enable the movement of the fan to be arrested at will, a stop mechanism is
provided for the spindle, m. It consists in a disc u with eccentric pin v which
latter strikes upon the horizontally movable sliding pin and thus prevents the
movement of the spindle m above referred to.
This sliding pin w slides in suitably provided guides and as will readily be seen
by reference to figures 2 and 3, it can easily be brought with one end into the
path of the pin or stud v which moves with the spindle m, thus attaining the
desired purpose.
For certain purposes a brake for the spindle m may moreover be provided on
the one hand for stopping the entire train of wheels without a shock, on the other
hand for the purpose of diminishing the motion of the same, and thereby the
number of strokes of the two armed lever E, videlicet, to regulate the same. Such
a construction is represented by figures 9 and 10. Instead of the above described
disc u with eccentric pin on the spindle m a sufficiently wide brake disc a is
provided thereon which is turned down smooth, and is embraced by the two springy
limbs of a fork y. This fork y is fixed on any point upon the casing for the train
of wheels, preferably as shown on one of the stay bolts b b which, for the purpose
of preventing the rotation of the fork, must not be round at the point of attach-
ment. The limbs of this fork y are covered at their front ends with leather z, or
other material which will increase friction and can be drawn together by a
screw a with thumbnut. According to the pressure so exerted, the movement of
the fan is thus reduced, or altogether arrested.
The support or carrier p which by hinge g holds the two armed lever E carries a
bent flat spring J (Figure 1) which has sufficient tension to carry the connecting
rod and the pin v over the dead point when the fan is raised. This is an essential
feature of the whole construction as it is only hereby possible to give to the fan an
oscillating motion by the comparatively speaking small power of wheel gearing
driven by a spring.
The flat spring J may if required be replaced by a coiled spring & as shewn in
figure 5, or two e². e². may be used as shewn in figure 6. The same effect may
moreover be attained by one or more India rubber buffers fr. (Figure 7) or by the
employment of a coiled spring g³. wound round the pivot bolt of the lever E as
shewn in figure 8. In all cases there must be an elastic counter pressure. which
aids the disc n and pin o in raising the two armed lever E to overcome the dead
point when the connecting rod exerts traction.
Instead of the springs or buffers above referred to the weight of the fan may as
shewn in figures 11 and 12, may be balanced by a counterweight P placed on the
opposite arm of the two armed lever, This weight P is, for the purpose of the
regulation above referred to, adjustable on the arm of the lever E and can be fixed
by screws y³. In this arrangement the lever E is not free to rotate in the
support on a pivot bolt, but is, as shewn in figure 12 held by two steel
screws with hardened points which take into depressions thereof so as to
diminish friction at that part as much as practicable.
In lieu of the springs, buffers, or counterweights herein above described for
balancing the weight of the fan, as heavy a fly wheel a' as possible may be used,
as shewn in Figures 13. 14. This is placed on the last arbor of the clock work, the
driving spindle for the fan motion A', and produces a very even motion of the
apparatus. On this fly wheel at pins o' will with advantage be placed and will
cause oscillating motion of the fan by means of the connecting rod
•
Figure 15 represents a fan which oscillates in a horizontal plane.. This is

page_text: attained by arranging the clockwork u horizontally in the foot of the pedestal D₁
and by employing a vertical arbor d' which then carries a crank disc with eccentric
pin which is embraced by a curved loop or a slot of the two armed lever E
which carries the fan and moves the latter to and fro in a horizontal plane as
stated (Figure 15).
Figure 16 represents the same arrangement of the clockwork but here the fan
is moved in a vertical plane. This is attained by placing an arbor w' in the
head K of the pedestal, on which a disc m' with eccentric pin is placed
This disc m causes by the pin 7 working in a slot of the fan lever, the
oscillating motion of the latter The movement of the arbor w' may be effected,
analogously to that shown in figure 15, by a pair of conical wheels p* off the
vertical arbor L.
Figure 17 represents an automatic fan, in which the clockwork * is placed in an
upright position and the oscillating movement of the lever v carrying the fan, is
caused analogously to figure 16 by a horizontally mounted arbor or spindle with
eccentric pin moving in a slot thereof. As however the clockwork is placed
upright two pair of bevel wheels y y are provided for the motion of the
upright arbor (Figure 17). To admit of the regulation of the effect of the fan
according to the position of the body, as desired, it may be mounted, similarly to
reading lamps upon a vertically adjustable foot W and a ball and socket joint R
serves to admit the variation of its effect in a horizontal direction also.
For hot climates it may also be suspended, over the bed for instance, for simpler
forms the case without the pedestal W may be employed. The whole of the
driving gear may be surrounded with a light casing of decorated sheet metal, wood,
and the like, both for improving the appearance and for protection against dust
and injury, this is not absolutely necessary and not shown in the drawing.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner of
performing the same as communicated to me by my foreign Correspondents I wish
it to be understood that what I claim is:-
First. An automatic fan motor or apparatus for giving oscillating movement to
fans consisting of a train of wheels driven by spring power or by weight and
imparting swinging or oscillating movement to a lever E at one end whereof the
fan is held, an elastic counterpressure (for overcoming the dead point at which the
wheel-gearing has to overcome the weight of the fan) being obtained by suitable
application of a flat spring J (Figure 1) spiral spring (Figure 5) or e² e³
(Figure 6) Indiarubber buffer f" (Figure 7) or a coiled spring g² surrounding the
axis of rotation of lever E (Figure 8) with or without the use of a brake
consisting of the fork y with pressure spring a substantially as described and
shewn.
Second. In the said automatic fan motor described in claim 1 the adjustable
weight P balancing the lever E and fan F substantially as described and illustrated
in Figure 12 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In the automatic fan motor described in claim 1 a fly wheel at of
sufficient weight to regulate the movement of the apparatus fixed on the arbor m
and carrying the eccentric stud o, substantially as described and shown in
Figures 13 and 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The generic arrangement shewn in figure 15 in which the clockwork
mechanism is arranged in a horizontal position in the foot of the fan stand the fan
being made to oscillate in a horizontal plane, this being substantially effected by
using the vertical arbor d' with the crank disc having an eccentric stud f* moving
in a slot of the lever Et
Fifth. The generic construction shown in Figure 16 characterized by the clock-
work being placed horizontally in the foot of the fan stand an arbor W* being
provided, having bearings in the head or top part K, the said arbor causing by
means of disc m² and stud r oscillation of the fan in a vertical plane substantially
as set forth.

page_text: Sixth. The employment of an upright clockwork in which rotation of the
arbor described in claim 5 which oscillates the fan-lever, is caused by the vertical
arbor two pairs of bevel or mitre wheels, yy being employed for the
purpose substantially as set forth and illustrated in Figure 17 of the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal the twenty ninth day of September in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
ALFRED J. BOULT (LS.)