Improvements in or connected with Shafting for the Transmission of Power, and in Supports for the Bearings of such Shafting.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Shafting for the Transmission of
Power, and in Supports for the Bearings of such Shafting.
We, HENRY ALONZO HOUSE, Junior, of East Cowes, in the Isle of Wight,
Engineer, and ROBERT RINTOUL SYMON, of 20, Abchurch Lane, in the City of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
When power has to be transmitted from one rotating shaft or wheel to another
by means of bevil gearing and a cross-shaft, it sometimes happens, as in the case
of motor-cars for example, that the distance between the driving and the driven
shafts or wheels varies to a certain extent as for instance when motion has to be
transmitted from the crank shaft of the engine of a motor-car to the axle or road
wheel, and the body of the car to which the engine is fixed is free to move up and
down on the springs relatively to the said axle or road-wheel. This variation of
distance apart of the driving and driven parts usually necessitates arrangements
which allow the cross shaft to slide longitudinally in the gearing mounted upon
it, or the gearing to slide on the shaft. In order to admit of this sliding action
the gearing usually connected to the cross shaft by means of feathers in the
shaft taking into grooves in the gearing or vice versa. These feathers are objec-
tionable because they are liable to become loose, and are subject to great wear
and tear. In order to obviate the inconveniences inseparable from the employment
of feathers we make the cross shaft in two parts and adapt one part to slide in
the other telescopically, and for this purpose we make one part of the shaft with
a socket, which may be of square or other suitable section internally, and the
other part of the shaft with a spigot of corresponding section externally adapted
to fit easily into the aforesaid socket, and to slide longitudinally therein to an
extent corresponding to the variation in the distance apart of the driving and
driven parts, thus forming a kind of telescopic shaft the full strength of both parts
of which can be utilized to transmit power, whereas when feathers are used the
strength for the transmission of power is limited by the strength of the key or
keys which is generally much less than that of the shaft itself.
When using the telescopic shaft above described it is sometimes desirable to
provide means for keeping the bearings at the two ends of the shaft always in the
same axial line with regard to each other whatever may be the relative positions
or distance apart of the driving and driven parts. For this purpose we connect
the two bearings together by a hollow telescopic connecting piece preferably
adapted to surround or contain within it the aforesaid telescopic shaft. This
telescopic connecting piece may be of any suitable form; but for convenience of
manufacture we prefer that it should be composed of two cylindrical pieces, one
piece forming a socket fixed at one end, by a flange or otherwise to one of the

page_text: bearings, and the other piece forming a spigot-adapted to slide steadily in the
socket and fixed by a flange or otherwise to the other bearing. By this arrange-
ment the telescopic shaft is relieved of transverse stress due to any tendency of the
bearings to get out of line, because such stress is taken by the telescopic connecting
piece which can be made larger and stronger than the shaft, and therefore better
adapted to resist such stress.
When the gearing connected with the telescopic shaft is enclosed in casings
to prevent the entrance of dirt the aforesaid hollow or tubular connecting piece
may be jointed liquid-tight to such casings and the hollow spaces be filled more or
less with oil so that the gearing and shaft are kept thoroughly lubricated.
Dated this 11th day of November 1897.
Improvements in or connected with Shafting for the Transmission of
Power, and in Supports for the Bearings of such Shafting.
We, HENRY ALONZO HOUSE, Junior, of East Cowes, in the Isle of Wight,
Engineer, and ROBERT RINTOUL SYMON, of 20, Abchurch Lane, in the City of
London, Gentleman, 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:-
When power has to be transmitted from one rotating shaft or wheel to another
by means of bevil gearing and a cross-shaft, it sometimes happens, as in the case
of motor-cars for example, that the distance between the driving and the driven
shafts or wheels varies to a certain extent, as for instance when motion has to be
transmitted from the crank shaft of the engine of a motor-car to the axle or road
wheel, and the body of the car to which the engine is fixed is free to move up and
down on the springs relatively to the said axle or road-wheel. This variation of
distance apart of the driving and driven parts usually necessitates arrangements
which allow the cross shaft to slide longitudinally in the gearing mounted upon
it, or the gearing to slide on the shaft. In order to admit of this sliding action
the gearing is usually connected to the cross shaft by means of feathers in the
shaft taking into grooves in the gearing or vice versa. These feathers are objec-
tionable because they are liable to become loose, and are subject to great wear
and tear. In order to obviate the inconvenience inseparable from the employment
of feathers we make the cross shaft in two parts and adapt one part to slide in
the other telescopically. For this purpose we employ the arrangements shown in
Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings in which Figure 1 is a sectional plan of the cross
shaft connecting the crank shaft N of the engine to the road wheel axles P Pi
of a motor-car and Figure 2 a cross section taken on the line Y-Y of Figure 1.
One part Q of the cross shaft is made with a socket Q2 which may be of square
section internally as shown in Figure 2 or of any other suitable section, and the
other part Q of the shaft with a spigot Q3 of corresponding section externally,
adapted to fit easily into the socket Q2, and to slide longitudinally therein to
an extent corresponding to the variation in the distance apart of the driving and
driven parts, thus forming a kind of telescopic shaft the two parts of which are

page_text: forced to rotate together because the shape of the spigot end of one part of the
shaft and of the interior of the socket end of the other part of the shaft are such
that the one cannot rotate in the other, and the full strength of both parts of
which shaft can be utilized to transmit power, whereas when feathers are used the
strength for the transmission of power is limited by the strength of the feather or
feathers which is generally much less than that of the shaft itself.
When using the telescopic shaft above described or any other cross shaft com-
municating motion between two other shafts the relative positions of which vary
from time to time, it is sometimes desirable to provide means for keeping the
bearings R and S at the two ends of the shaft always in the same axial line with
regard to each other whatever may be the relative positions or distance apart of
the driving and driven parts. For this purpose we connect the two bearings R
and S together by a hollow telescopic connecting piece T T preferably adapte
to surround or contain within it the telescopic shaft Q Q. This telescopic con-
necting piece may be of any suitable form; but for convenience of manufacture
we prefer that it should be composed of two cylindrical pieces T and T as shown
in Figure 1, one piece T¹ being formed with a socket T2 at one end and fixed
rigidly at the other end by a flange T3, or otherwise, to the end of the bearing S
and the other piece T formed as a spigot adapted to fit at one end into and to slide
steadily in the socket. T2 and fixed rigidly at the other end by a flange T or other-
wise, to the end of the other bearing R. By this arrangement the telescopic
shaft QQ is relieved of transverse stress due to any tendency of the bearing S,
to get out of line, because such stress is taken by the telescopic connection T T
which can be made larger and stronger than the shaft, and therefore better adapted
to resist such stress.
When the gearing connected with the telescopic shaft Q Q' is enclosed in
casings U and V for example to prevent the entrance of dirt, the aforesaid hollow
or tubular connection T T may be jointed liquid-tight to such casings and the
hollow spaces of the latter be filled more or less with oil so that the gearing and
shaft are kept thoroughly lubricated.
The gearing W connecting the engine shaft N to the shaft Q Qis shown in the
drawing as simple bevil gear, while the gearing X connecting the shaft QQ¹ to
the road-wheel axles P Pi is shown of the well-known differential kind now com-
monly employed in motor-cars, but the gearing forms no part of the present
invention.
In order to facilitate the removal of the connection T T to enable the telescopic
shaft to be got at for inspection, repair, or otherwise, the socketted part of it may
be made in halves bolted together as shown in the longitudinal sectional plan
Figure 3, and transverse section Figure 4 taken on the line Z-Z of Figure 3.
in which T are flanges and lugs formed on the two halves of the part T¹, and To
bolts and nuts for securing the two parts together. Similar letters of reference
relate to like parts in all the figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
First. The improvement in shafting for the transmission of power, which con-
sists in making the shaft in two pieces, one of which is provided with a socket
and the other with a spigot adapted to fit into such socket, the spigot and socket
being so shaped and adapted to one another, that while the two parts of the shaft
are forced to rotate together the end of one part is free to slide longitudinally or
telescopically in the end of the other, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. The improvement in supports for keeping the bearings of a cross driv-
ing shaft in line with one another, which consists in forming the support of a
hollow connecting piece, adapted to surround or contain within it the said driving
shaft, and made in two pieces arranged to slide telescopically one within the other

page_text: at their inner or adjacent ends and fixed rigidly at their outer ends to the bearings
it is desired to keep in line with one another, substantially as described.
Datud this 8th day of August 1898
H. A. HOUSE, JUNR.,
R. R. SYMON,
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.