Improvements in Friction Clutches.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Oct., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Friction Clutches.
1, HERBERT SCURR NICHOLSON of 10 Denham Street, Brighouse, in the
County of York, Pattern Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in friction clutches for driving shafting
chiefly applicable to lathes and other analogous machinery.
According to this invention on or near the end of one of two shafts linable with
one another, I fix a hollow boss. The end of the second shaft extends to the
inside of the hollow boss, and on the end of this shaft is keyed a disc having
radial slots or holes formed in it. A ring of metal formed of three or more
segments fits in the interior of the hollow boss, each segment being supported by
a set screw passing through one of the holes or slots in the disc. A recess is
formed in the periphery of the segmental ring and in this recess is a spiral spring
which tends to move the segments towards their common centre-that is-the
centre of the shaft. Keyed on the second shaft, is a conoidal, or tapering boss, the
end of which fits the interior of the segmental ring.
One of the shafts is caused to drive the other shaft by forcing the conoidal boss
into the segmental ring which is expanded, and frictional contact is maintained
between the conoidal boss, the segmental ring, and the interior of the hollow boss
until the conoidal boss is withdrawn from the segmental ring whereon the spiral
spring breaks the contact between the ring and the interior of the hollow boss.
Dated the 4th day of October 1892.
WALTER BRIERLEY,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Friction Clutches.
I, HERBERT SCURR NICHOLSON of 10 Denham Street, Brighouse in the
County of York, Pattern Maker, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in friction clutches for driving shafting,
chiefly applicable to lathes and other analogous machinery, the object being to
transmit motion from a driven shaft to a second shaft, the centres of the two shafts
being lineable one with the other. The second shaft is driven from the first shaft
by frictional contact of the clutch, which is controlled and put in or out of gear
that is, the frictional contact is made or broken by a fork or other well known
equivalent.
Such being the nature and object of this my said invention the following is a
complete description of same reference being had to the accompanying drawings in
which:-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved friction clutch.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the improved clutch on the line A. B.
of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of part of the improved clutch on the line C. D.

page_text: According to this invention, at 1 is the driving shaft, and 2 is the shaft to be
driven therefrom, the two shafts 1. 2 being lineable one with the other.
On the end of the driving shaft 11 fix a hollow boss 3. The end of the second
shaft 2 extends to the inside of the hollow boss, and on the end of this shaft 2 is
keyed a disc or carrier 4 which supports by its dovetailed ends 5. 5 the two segments
or friction rings 6. 6, each segment 6 having a dovetailed recess 7 (see Fig. 4) in
each of which is received one of the before mentioned dovetailed ends 5. 5 of the
carrier 4. The two segments or friction rings 6. 6 are drawn towards each other
by means of the two spiral springs 8. 8; one end of each of the said springs being
attached to each of the segments or friction rings. A boss 9 is carried, and free
to be slided to and fro on the second shaft 2, and to this boss 9 are fixed the two
taper keys 10. 10, so that the boss and taper keys form together a conoidal boss.
The taper keys 10. 10 are received in the recesses 11. 11. formed in the lugs 12. 12.
of the segments or friction rings 6. 6. At 13. 13 are lugs cast to the carrier 4,
these lugs acting as stops which prevents the segments or friction rings 6. 6
moving beyond a certain point towards their common centre, and also to ensure
the said friction rings moving an equal distance, as supposing one of the friction
rings 6 to move inwards faster (by force, or gravitation, or other cause) than the
other, when it comes in contact with the stop 13, further movement is arrested,
and the springs 8. 8 will then draw the other friction ring 6 towards the centre
until it in turn is stopped by its lug 13.
The action is as follows:-The sliding conoidal boss 9 is controlled and operated
by the ordinary screw and lever arrangement, or by the ordinary fork arrangement,
and when the conoidal boss is slided inwards, or towards the driving shaft 1, the
taper keys 10. 10 overcome the resistance of the springs 8. 8, and open or force
apart the segments or friction rings 6. 6, and by being so expanded the peripheries
of the segments or friction rings 6. 6. are forced into contact with the interior of
the hollow boss 3, and by the frictional contact between the friction rings 6. 6.
and the interior of the boss 3, the shaft 2 is driven by the shaft 1 so long as the
frictional contact is maintained.
When it is desired to break the frictional contact, the conoidal boss 9 is moved
in a reverse direction, or outwards, and the taper keys 10. 10 are partly withdrawn
from the recesses 11. 11, whereon the spiral springs 8. 8 will draw the segments or
friction rings 6. 6 towards one another, and towards their common centre.
The taper keys 10. 10 (see Figs. 2. 6. and 7) are slightly tapered both longi-
tudinally and laterally, so that the friction rings 6. 6. are moved or expanded
with an equal amount of pressure in all outward directions.
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 :-
The general construction, arrangement, and combination of parts constituting
the improved friction clutch as and for the purpose herein described, and
substantially as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of July 1893.
HERBERT SCURR NICHOLSON,
By his Agent, Walter Brierley,
Penny Bank Chambers, Halifax.