Improvements in Bearings and Couplings for Shafting.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bearings and Couplings for Shafting.
I, SAMUEL HUBBARD JAMES, of 3, Douglas Villas, Greyhound Lane, Streatham
Common, Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to obtain a coupling & bearings for continuous
shafting which shall within certain limits allow the shaft to revolve freely
notwithstanding that the bearings or plumber blocks are more or less out of
line.
In reference to the drawings (Fig. 1) represents a portion of an engine crank, an
intermediate length & part of a tail shaft all in true line & coupled (Fig. 2) is an end
view or section at (MN) & together with (Fig. 1) shews the right angle crank pin or
elbow (A) of one length of shafting coupled or working in a claw, jaw or slot, to
correspond with it upon the adjoining length. (b) is a ball or sphere bored out to fit
the crank pin or elbow (A) so that the sphere or ball (b) can both revolve round &
slide along the whole length of the crank pin or elbow (A), this ball (b) is sometimes
(but not of necessity) enclosed in a bearing slide so as to give a longer bearing on
the arms of the claw, jaw or slot (C, C) of the adjoining length of shafting, this claw,
jaw or slot is usually rounded or grooved so that (A) with its ball (6) & slide bearer
can slide the whole internal length of the claw.
Fig. 3 shews three lengths of shafting coupled but all out of line with each other,
the full lines shew the claw (C) at the bottom of the crank pin or elbow (A) almost
touching the circumference of the left hand shaft the dotted lines shew the position
of this same claw (C) when half a revolution has been made by the shaft, the claw
being then furthest away from the circumference of the left hand shaft. It also shews
the axis of the middle & right handed lengths at a considerable angle to each other' is
which case at every revolution (b) & its slide bearer would not only travel up & down
the crank pin or elbow (A) but would slide or travel some distance in and out along
the inside of the claw (C) the view shewn is an exageration of what is likely to occur
in actual practise.
Wherever possible I make the rigid part of the shafting of such lengths that two
bearings only are necessary for each separate piece & thus obtain the full benefit of
the spherical bearing or liner (P) which allows the shaft a given amount of play-
this spherical bearing may form part of the shaft but I prefer to make it a separate
liner so that the shaft revolves inside it & the sphere only moves to adjust itself, the
plumber blocks or bearings are of course made to fit the spherical liner which is
usually made in two halves (Figs. 3
& 3B).
Figs. 4 & 5 are two views of a crank pin or elbow which can be bolted or rivetted
on to an existing shaft with a flange.
Figs. 6 & 7 are two views of the corresponding claw for the adjacent piece of
shafting, to be bolted on to the flange. (T) being merely a clamp bolted on to the
two prongs of the claw.
Fig. 8 is a cross section of the claw at
7.
It will be noticed that in the first three figs. the crank pin or elbow is shewn at
right angles to its own shaft & the claw parallel to its shaft whereas in Figs. 4. 5. 6. 7

page_text: the crank pin or elbow is shewn parallel & the claw at right angles, this has been
purposely done to shew both ways.
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the thrust block & shaft, here also is a spherical
bearing or liner (P, P) surrounding the centre of motion (O) which spherical bearing
can of course be made part of the shaft itself & then no liner is required and in the
thrust shaft this is less disadvantageous than in the case of other bearings. The
shaft thrust rings instead of having flat surfaces at right angles to the shaft as
in ordinary cases, are made with their thrust surfaces in the form of a part of a
sphere or spheres having a common centre at (0) it will thus be seen by the different
lengths of R, R, R, R that the inside & outside of each ring have different radii.
grooves of the thrust block or bearing are of course made to correspondingly fit the
thrust surfaces of the shaft rings but in order to allow play in any direction (say
through the angle H) I make the thrust block grooves deep enough to allow therefor
leaving spaces (V, V).
The
As these rings are in reality undercut, if half of them are made to the right & half
to the left of the centre (0) as shewn by dotted lines, it is clear that such a thrust
block must be made in two pieces above & two below, and would require a ring or
stop also in two pieces to key them in. To obviate this objection I prefer (notwith-
standing the apparently lopsided arrangement) to make all the thrust rings & grooves
on one side of the centre of motion (O) as shewn by the full lines, in which
event the thrust block need only be in two pieces as is usually the case in
ordinary practise.
Fig 10 shews a section of the stern tube, shaft bearing & spherical liner (P)
which has a corresponding bearing in the tube (L) is the lignum vitæ bearing
fitted into the spherical liner (P) the screw shaft passes through the lignum vitæ bearing
in the ordinary way (G) is the usual packing for the water tight gland & it will
be seen that here also the shaft is more or less free to move & adapt itself
within certain limits upon its centre of bearing (0). (4, 4) are two correspond-
ing rings which fit into & are bolted or fixed in any convenient manner in the
stern tube after (P & L) are in place, these two rings (4, 4) when put together
forming a concave cup for the spherical liner P to either rest or work in (D) is
the stern tube, the attachments to the ship framing depending upon circum-
stances.
I wish it to be most clearly understood that I make no claim whatever for the use of
what are commonly called ball or roller bearings, which necessarily revolve & which
I do not use at all, but as will be seen I do claim a spherical liner as shewn &
described but which is not intended to revolve with the shaft but only to give
limited play to adjust itself automatically in case either or both plumber blocks got
out of line.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion & in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is —
(1) In connected lengths of shafting a coupler or couplers consisting of a crank pin
or elbow on one end of a length of shafting said crank pin or elbow working in a claw,
jaw, or slot on the length of the shaft adjoining said claw jaw or slot being long enough
& wide enough to allow the crank pin or elbow to traverse along as well as at right
angles to, the said claw, substantially as described & for the purposes set forth.
(2) A combination of crank pin or elbow fitted with a sliding ball or spherical bearing
which can slide along said crank pin or elbow attached to one end of a length of
shafting, and a corresponding receiving claw jaw or slot attached to the adjoining
length of shafting as a means for coupling two parts of a rotating shaft substantially
as described & for the purposes set forth.
(3) In a shaft bearing, the insertion of a liner or liners of a spherical or partly
spherical form placed between the shaft & the outside bearings or blocks, substantially
as described & for the purposes set forth.
(4) In a thrust shaft & block, the combination of a spherical or partly spherical main

page_text: bearing or spherical liner & thrust rings on shaft having their thrusting surfaces parts
of spheres concentric with the main spherical bearing & also the grooves in the
corresponding thrust block being concentric to the same centre substantially as
described & for the purposes set forth.
.
(5) The insertion of a spherical or partly spherical liner or liners between the
lignum vitæ shaft bearing & the stern tube bearing or block, substantially as described
& for the purposes set forth.
(6) In a coupled length of marine engine shafting the combination of a coupling
arrangement as described a spherical or partly spherical liner between the shaft & its
outside bearings or blocks, a thrust shaft & block having the thrusting surfaces of the
thrust rings & grooves parts of concentric spheres & a stern tube bearing or block
with a spherical or partly spherical liner between the lignum vitæ bearing & stern
tube substantially as described & for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Second day of May Eighteen hundred & ninety-eight (1898)