Improvements in Self-adjusting Bearings for Machinery.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self-adjusting Bearings for Machinery.
JOHN ALBERT FREEMAN Granite Merchant Penryn, Cornwall DAVID DONALD
Engineer Penryn, Cornwall, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This improvement consists in the application of a spring in conjunction with the
bolts or cottars which secure the bearings of a shaft or pin together so that a certain
amount of elasticity is given.
The springs may be made of rubber or other suitable material, enclosed in casings
or otherwise, or be of steel or other metal.
They may be put in a state of compression or be in tension.
In the case of a bearing fitted with bolts, say; the crank pin of an engine, the bolts
are each passed through a spring, and the halves of the bearing being left with a
small clearance, the bolts are screwed up so as to give an initial compression to the
springs, (we will presume that the springs are to be put in a state of compression)
say; enough to bring the halves of the Bearing close together if the pin was removed.
When the strain (due to the pressure on the piston) acts in one direction the
springs will be compressed more than the initial compression and one half of the
bearing will be pulled clear of the pin, when the reverse movement takes place
the springs will react and close the bearings onto the pin without noise or shock.
The Bearings are kept close against the pin, when in a normal condition, until the
bearings wear down so as to abut at the joints.
The Bearing is therefore self-adjusting and the fact of one half being pulled clear
of the pin during part of a revolution of the crank, allows of perfect lubrication.
Dated this 26th day of November 1888.
JOHN A. FREEMAN.
DAVID DONALD.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Self Adjusting Bearings for Machinery. .
We, JOHN ALBERT FREEMAN, Granite Merchant, of Penryn, Cornwall, and DAVID
DONALD, Engineer, of Penryn, Cornwall, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
drawing, (that is to say)
This invention relates to bearings such as those in which shafts revolve, or the
brasses or bearings fitted to connecting rods and working upon crankpins, and to
other bearings or brasses of the like kind, and it has for its object a novel method of
securing together the two parts of the brass or bearing in such manner as to allow a
certain amount of elasticity between them.
For this purpose we apply a spring or springs in conjunction with the bolts or
collars which hold the brasses or bearings together, so that instead of their being held
rigidly in position by the bolts, they are enabled to separate for a small distance by
means of the elasticity of the springs.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of our invention, shewing it applied
to the end of a connecting rod fitting upon a crankpin. Figure 1 is a front view
partly in section, and figure 2 is an end view of part of the same. a is the body
of the connecting rod; b, b¹ the brasses fitting a crankpin at c; and d, d, are the bolts
by which the brasses are held together and are attached to the connecting rod. e is a
plate preferably arranged in the usual way upon the outer brass 6¹. The heads of the

page_text: bolts d, d, do not press directly upon the plate e, but upon a sufficiently strong ring
or washer which itself presses upon one or more rings or cylinders of india rubber
or other similar elastic material ġ, which is fitted into a corresponding recess in a
casing or ring h which surrounds the bolt between its head and the plate e. The
india-rubber g being completely enclosed in the ring h, the distance through which its
elasticity can operate when it is compressed by the washer fis very small, so that it
becomes practically incompressible after the washer has moved the very short distance
required. The two halves of the brasses 6, 61, do not quite meet when they are fitted
upon the crankpin, and the bolts d, d, are screwed up so as to give a sufficient initial
pressure to the india rubber springs g, g, such initial pressure being determined as
may be found advisable.
When the strain (due to the pressure of the piston upon the connecting rod) acts in
the direction of the arrow the springs 9, 9, will be compressed, in addition to the
initial compression, sufficiently to remove the inner brass 6 from contact with the
crankpin, whilst when the connecting rod is driven in the opposite direction,
the springs g, g, will re-act and close the brass 6' upon the crankpin without noise or
shock.
The brasses b, b¹, are kept close against the crankpin, when in their normal
condition, and continue to be so kept until they are so worn that they meet at the
joint.
The bearing is therefore self-adjusting and from the fact that the inner brass b is
withdrawn from the crankpin during part of each revolution of the crank, perfect
lubrication is effected.
It is evident that if the head of the bolt is made of sufficient diameter the ring or
washer may be omitted. The casing or ring h may also be omitted in some cases
where the india rubber g is sufficiently strong and the pressure exerted upon it by the
connecting rod is not very great.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be. performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination of the brasses b, 61, bolts d, d, and elastic rings or cylinder g, g,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
2. In combination with the bolts d, d, and elastic rings or cylinders g, g, the rings
or washers ff, substantially as described and shewn.
3. In combination with the bolts d, d, and elastic rings or cylinders g, g, the casings
or rings h, h, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1889.
EDWARDS & Co.
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.