Improvements in Devices for Communicating Rotary Motion.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Communicating Rotary Motion.
I, LOUIS WARFIELD, of 491 Jefferson Avenue, in the City of Detroit, in the
County of Wayne, in the State of Michigan, one of the United States of America,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 devices for communicating motion and is especially,
though not exclusively, adapted for communicating motion to or driving the axles
of locomotives, cars or carriages, particularly those which are actuated by motors
carried upon the vehicle or its axles or trucks, and more especially still to those
actuated by electric motors.
Generally speaking, my invention may be said to consist in the combination of a
shaft and a frame, with a wheel, drum or casing surrounding the shaft and secured
to it by means of a connection which will cause the casing and shaft to revolve
together while leaving the shaft free to change its angular position with respect to
the casing, (any form of universal joint may be used for this purpose) said wheel,
drum or casing being secured to the frame aforesaid by journals, so that the casing
and frame will preserve a substantially uniform position with respect to each other;
by this arrangement, the casing and shaft are adapted to drive one another, while
having a certain freedom of angular motion, and the casing can be connected by
positive gearing with mechanism supported on the frame.
Preferably the device is formed in the shape of a casing having hollow bearings
or trunnions extending from it through which the shaft passes. The casing is
united to the shaft by a universal joint of any kind, and has secured upon its
outside a driving wheel, which wheel is engaged or driven in any convenient way
as by a gear wheel secured on a frame connected in turn with the bearings or
trunnions of the casing, and upon which framing the driving shaft or other driving
mechanism, and preferably also the motor is supported.
Reference being now had to the drawings which illustrate my invention, and in
which,
Figure 1 is a plan view showing one way of applying my invention to the axles
of a tramway-car.
Figure 2 is an elevation on the line 2-z of Figure 1 drawn to a somewhat larger
scale.
Figure 3 is a plan view taken partly in section on the line y-y of Figure 2.
Figure 4 an elevation on the section line a-x of Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows a modified construction of the casing and universal joint.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation taken on the line - of Figure 5, and,
Figure 7 a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 1-2 of Figure 5.
A, indicates the truck frame of the car, shown, here of usual construction ;
B B are the axles; C C &c., the car wheels; E (Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive) indicates.
a casing; and Ex (Figs. 5 to 7 inclusive) a modified form of casing; the central
cavity E' of the casing contains a universal joint by which the casing is secured to
the shaft B which passes into or through it as shown in the drawing. Preferably
the casing is provided with trunnions or bearings E³ which are hollow as indicated
at E2 the opening being considerably larger than the diameter of the shaft so as to.
permit the shaft to move freely for the desired distance; the universal joint as a.
whole, indicated by the symbol D, consists in the design shown in Figures 1 to 4,
in oppositely extending bearing pins. D'D' secured to the shaft B, a ring D³:
surrounding the shaft and pivoted on the pins D', and a pair of bearing pins D³ D³

page_text: by which the ring D' and the casing E are pivotally connected along a line trans-
verse to the line of the pins D' D'. This form of universal joint is familiarly known
In the
and is only claimed by me in a new combination in which it is embodied.
modified construction, indicated in Figures 5 to 7, the universal joint is made up of
a spherical bearing D attached to the shaft or axle B and fitting in the cavity E'
of the casing E; contact faces De being provided in any desired number and con-
venient arrangement. An elongated slot D', or preferably two such slots placed
opposite to each other, are formed in the casing E, and in these slots is a slide
block De which is connected with the bearing D by means of a pivot pin D. The
universal joint thus formed between the shaft or axle casing is well adapted for
such uses in connection with tramway cars in which a considerable weight is
supported by the axles directly through the medium of the joint and casing. These
two joints, it will be understood, are shown by me simply as types of the class of
joints I have mentioned.
F, indicates a mitred gear wheel formed with or secured to the casing;
G G, a framing secured to the trunnions or bearings E3 of the casing or casings
and carrying the bearings G' G' in which rests the driving shaft H, the shaft
having on its end or ends mitre wheels I in engagement with the wheel or wheels F
of the casing or casings. J, in the drawings indicates the armature of an electric
motor; K, the magnetic field of the motor, the said field being supported on the
frame G, and the armature attached to the shaft H.
It will be seen that when the shaft H is rotated by the electric motor or any
other device, the engagement of its wheel I with gear F, will cause the casing to
rotate, and with the casing, the shaft B which passes into or through it must also
rotate by reason of their connection together. At the same time the shaft B is
free to change its angular position with respect to the casing within the limit of
clearance in trunnion E3 which clearance may readily be made sufficient to permit
all ordinary and desirable variations in the position of the axle or shaft which is
thus enabled to freely accommodate itself to the exigencies of use without in the
least disarranging or straining the driving mechanism by which it is actuated. The
frame G may be steadied and wholly or partially supported by any convenient
connection with the truck or car body and where joints of the kind shown are used
the casing is to be formed in sections to permit of the insertion of the joint. The
line on which the casing will be sectioned may be varied considerably; in the form
of casing indicated in Figures to 4, the section may, with advantage be taken as
shown in Figure 3, that is to say, is on the line y-y of Figure 2; and the line of
the section in Figure 5 is clearly indicated by the bolt flanges there represented.
It will also be understood that the driving mechanism illustrated is shown simply
as an efficient and simple embodiment of my invention and that I do not limit
myself to the use of any particular means for communicating motion from the
motor to the wheel or drum on the casing and obviously the power may be
transmitted from the shaft to the casing and from it to the point of application.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
First. The combination with a shaft, of a casing surrounding the same, and
having one or more bearings formed on or secured to it; means for uniting the
casing and shaft, so that they will turn together while free to change their angular
position, and a frame secured to the casing bearing or bearings.
Second. The combination with a shaft of a casing surrounding the same and
having bearings, through one or both of which the shaft extends; means for
uniting the casing and shaft, so that they will turn together while free to change
their angular positions; a driving wheel secured to the casing; and a frame secured
to the bearings.
Third. The combination with a shaft of a casing surrounding the same and
having bearings, through one or both of which the shaft extends; means for

page_text: uniting the casing and shaft so that they will turn together while free to change
their angular positions; a driving wheel secured to the casing; a frame secured to
the casing bearings, and power transmitting mechanism supported on said frame
and operatively connected with the casing gear.
Fourth. The combination with a shaft B of a casing having hollow journals
through which said shaft extends; means for uniting the casing and shaft between
the bearings so that they will turn together, though free to change their angular
positions; a frame G secured to the bearings of the casing; an electric motor
supported on the frame, and means for driving the casing from the motor also
supported on the frame.
Fifth. The combination with a carriage of two axles B B, casings having hollow
bearings secured to each axle by a universal joint as described; a frame G secured
to the bearings of the two casings; a motor supported upon the frame; and means
for driving the casing from the said motor also supported on the frame.
Sixth. The combination with a carriage of two axles B B, casings having hollow
journals secured to each axle by a universal joint as described; a frame G secured
to the bearings of the two casings; a motor supported upon the frame; a longi-
tudinal driving shaft H journalled in the frame G, and means for operatively
connecting said shaft with the casings.
Seventh. The combination with a casing having hollow bearings, of a shaft
passing through said bearings; bearing pins D₁ D' secured to the shaft and
projecting on opposite sides thereof; an annulus D² journalled on said pins and
pivotally connected with the casing by pins D³ D³ arranged in a line transverse to
the line of pins D' D¹; a gear wheel secured to the casing, a frame supported on
the casing bearings, and driving mechanism supported on the frame and in operative
connection with the casing gearing.
Dated this 28th day of March 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.