Improvements in Friction Clutches.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Friction Clutches.
I, DAVID BRIDGE, of the Firm of David Bridge & Co., of King Street Works,
Salford, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to friction clutches which are provided with an
internal expansion ring external contracting ring or blocks or segments, actuated
by means of screwed spindles so as to be expanded or contracted as desired.
It is important that such screwed spindles should be provided with means so
that the expansion ring or segments can be adjusted into proper relation with
the outer shell of the clutch when the same is being built up, and afterwards
to compensate for wear. In addition means must be provided to retain rigidly
the nuts which provide bearings for the screws and prevent the same from
rotating with the screw thereby destroying its efficiency.
My invention has for its object to provide means for securely holding the
screw nut in position when in operation and for facilitating the adjustment of
the internal expansion ring or external contracting ring of the clutch when
desired. My invention, although chiefly applicable to the type of clutch
described and claimed in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 6004 of 1887
obtained by myself in conjunction with Robert Heywood, may also be applied
to other clutches in which internal rings or segments are expanded by means of
screwed spindles. In the following description I will describe my invention
with respect to one screwed spindle only it being understood that the means
employed with the other screwed spindle, where two or more are used as in my
former invention, are identical.
As described in the specification of my former patent the screwed spindle
is provided with a squared portion for the operating links, and one portion of
the screw works in a fixed nut.
My invention relates to the other portion of the screwed spindle. This por-
tion of the screwed spindle I provide with a round nut formed at each end with
flanges having holes spaced a suitable distance apart. The nut is carried in
a square block formed in halves with a slight clearance between, the divided
square block being mounted in a recess formed in the arm or spoke of the
internal clutch half or in the expanding part of the ring. A suitable cap is
screwed over the divided block confining the same and the nut within the recess
of the spoke or expanding part of the ring and the flanged ends of the nut pro-
ject outside the cap. A set screw provided with a lock nut is screwed through
the cap and bears against one half of the divided square block so that the same
can be clamped firmly upon the nut. The block is thus pressed tightly all
round the nut and rigidly holds the same preventing it from turning when the
screw is operated.
To adjust the internal expansion ring or to compensate for wear the set screw
is released thus removing the pressure of the block from the nut. By means of
a "tommy" which may be placed in one of the holes in the collar at either side

page_text: of the nut, as most convenient, the nut can be rotated thus traversing the screw
and readily securing the required adjustment.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1899.
Improvements in Friction Clutches.
I, ROBERT BRIDGE, Administrator of the Estate of the late David Bridge, of
the Firm of David Bridge & Co., of King Street Works, Salford, Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, 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 and accompanying
drawings:-
This invention relates to friction clutches which are provided with an internal
expansion ring, external contracting ring, or blocks or segments, actuated by
means of a screwed spindle or spindles so as to be expanded or contracted as
desired.
It is important that such screwed spindle or spindles should be provided with
means so that the expansion ring or segments can be adjusted into proper
relation with the outer shell of the clutch when the same is being built up,
and afterwards to compensate for wear. In addition, means must be provided
to retain rigidly the nuts which provide bearings for the screws and prevent
the same from rotating with the screw thereby destroying its efficiency.
My invention has for its object to provide means for securely holding the
screw nut in position when in operation and for facilitating the adjustment of
the internal expansion ring or external contracting ring of the clutch when
desired. My invention, although chiefly applicable to the type of expansion
ring shown in Fig. 1, which is described and claimed in the Specification of
Letters Patent No. 6004 of 1887 obtained by the said David Bridge in conjunc
tion with Robert Heywood, may also be applied to other clutches in which
internal rings or segments are expanded by means of a screwed spindle or
spindles. In the following description I will describe the invention with respect
to one screwed spindle only, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, it being
understood that the means employed with the other screwed spindle, where two
or more are used, as in the former invention as above referred to, are identical.
As described in the specification quoted above the screwed spindle a is pro-
vided with a squared portion 6 for the operating links, and one portion of the
screw works in a fixed nut which I do not consider necessary to illustrate in
the drawings.
The invention relates to the other portion of the screwed spindle a. This
portion of the screwed spindle a I provide with a round nut c formed at each end
with flanges having holes d spaced a suitable distance apart.
The nut c is carried in a square block e formed in halves with a slight clear-
ance between as shown in the sectional view Fig. 3 taken in the line A B Fig. 2,
the divided square block e being mounted in a recess formed in the arm or
spoke f of the internal clutch half or in the expanding part of the ring. A
suitable cap is screwed over the divided block e confining the same and the
nut within the recess of the spoke or expanding part of the ring and the flanged

page_text: The
ends d of the nut c project outside the cap. A set screw provided with a lock
nut is screwed through the cap g and bears against one half of the divided
square block e so that the same can be clamped firmly upon the nut c.
block e is thus pressed tightly all round the nut c and rigidly holds the same,
preventing it from turning when the screw a is operated.
Instead of bearing directly against the divided square block c the set screw h
may operate against a dic i as indicated in dotted lines.
Also instead of being formed with plain surfaces the nut e and block c may
be toothed, fluted or corrugated to increase the clamping effect or the nut c or
the block e only may be so toothed or corrugated.
The block e if desired can be held in position by means of the cap y which
could be thrust tightly against the block by means of the screws j.
"
To adjust the internal expansion ring or to compensate for wear the set
screw his released thus removing the pressure of the block e from the nut c.
By means of a tommy which may be placed in one of the holes in the
collar or flange d at either side of the nut c as most convenient the mut can be
rotated thus traversing the screw a and readily securing the required adjustment.
This adjustment it will be seen can be effected from either side of the nut c
so that a simple and ready means are provided for adjusting the expansion
ring.
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
In friction clutches of the indicated nature the improved means for securing
rigidly the nuts which provide bearings for the screwed spindles used to bring
the clutch into and out of action and for adjusting the expansion ring, segments
or the like, consisting of a round nut formed at each end with flanges by means
of which the nut may be rotated and carried in a block formed in two halves
together with means for clamping the block firmly upon the nut all arranged
and acting in the manner and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 10th day of May 1900.
ed this 10th day of May 1900.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents. 5, John Dalton Street, Manchester, and
3, Yorkshire Street, Rochdale.