Improvements in the Construction of Universal Couplings and Flexible Shafts.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 15th July, 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Universal Couplings and
Flexible Shafts.
JOHN JOSEPH MOODY, 3, G Brigg Street, ARTHUR GRANVILLE HAYTON, 12,
Harley Street, and JAMES DONALD, Hindpool Road, all of Barrow-in-Furness,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the coupling together of shafts or spindles through
which motion has to be transmitted, that is where the shafts or spindles have
to be rotated, when such shafts or spindles are not in line one with the other.
Under ordinary conditions, the means now in use may be bevel, mitre, or spur
gearing & belting; or the single so called universal joint may be used, the range
of action in this latter case being limited.
By means of this invention the driving shaft or spindle may be at right angles
to the driven, or at any other intermediate angle up to and including 90 degrees,
in which case a single connecting piece is used, and by the introduction of more
than one such connecting piece motion may be transmitted in any required
direction, and carried round any intervening obstacle or obstruction, without
the use of wheels or belts, and may, by the use of the required number of con-
necting pieces, become, or be arranged as a flexible shaft capable of transmitting
motion in a spiral or other circuitous direction to different levels and at different
planes.
The connection aforesaid consists of a centre piece or connecting link, having
forked jaws at each end, said forked jaws being at right angles one to the other,
but about the same axis. In each of these forks a ball or boss is fitted through
which are bored two pin or bolt holes intersecting each other at right angles;
or four pins may be turned on said ball or boss, the axis of each two opposite
pins intersecting the axis of the other pair at right angles, in the form of a
cross; these pins are arranged to take corresponding holes in the forked ends
of the aforesaid connecting link, or when holes are bored in the ball or boss, a
bolt will pass through the forks of the connecting link & said balls or bosses.
To the free sets of holes or pins in or on the said balls or bosses, forked jaws
are fitted and attached as before described for the connecting link forks, or in any
other suitable & well known way, the whole being free to vibrate, each forked
end on its corresponding pins, or bolts. The forked jaws on the aforesaid free
sets of attachments on the balls or bosses are suitably secured to the shafts or
spindles driving & driven. When these fittings are all coupled together the
connection is complete & the driving shaft may be revolved in any direction,
the driven shaft being set at any required angle as before described, but in all
cases the connecting link hereinbefore described must form the side subtending
the angle formed by the junction of the axes of each pair of shafts or spindles
thus coupled. The revolving or rotary motion of the driving shaft or spindle is
thus transmitted through the aforesaid connecting link or centre piece direct

page_text: to the driven shaft. By this means all gearing is dispensed with and motion as
described may be transmitted in any direction in a positive & steady manner
The introduction of the before described double forked centre piece or con-
necting link between the jaws or forks of what is usually described as a universal
joint or coupling on shafts & spindles, perfects the arrangement and makes the
coupling one that will connect rotating or revolving shafts & spindles at any
required angle.
Improvements in the Construction of Universal Couplings and
Flexible Shafts.
JOHN JOSEPH MOODY, 3, G Brigg Street, ARTHUR GRANVILLE HAYTON, 12,
Harley Street, and JAMES DONALD, Hindpool Road, all of Barrow-in-Furness,
in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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 the coupling together of shafts or spindles through
which motion has to be transmitted, that is, where the shafts or spindles have
to be rotated, when such shafts or spindles are not in line, one with the other.
Under ordinary conditions, the means now in use may be bevel, mitre, or spur
gearing & belting or the single so called universal joint may be used, the range
of action in this latter case being limited.
By means of this invention, the driving shaft or spindle may be at right angles
to the driven, or at any other intermediate angle up to and including 90 degrees;
it can also be made to drive shafts or spindles which are inclined to one another
at an angle less than 90 degrees, that is to say about 60 degrees, in which cases
a single connecting piece is used, and by the introduction of more than one
such connecting piece, motion may be transmitted in any required direction and
carried round any intervening obstacle or obstruction, without the use of wheels
or belts, and may, by the use of the required number of connecting pieces, become,
or be arranged as a flexible shaft capable of transmitting motion in a spiral or
other circuitous direction to different levels and at different planes.
From the accompanying drawing it will be seen that the connecting piece or
coupling aforesaid consists of a centre piece or connecting link A, having forked
jaws at each end, said forked jaws being at right angles one to the other, but
about the same axis. In each of these forked jaws, a ball or boss B is fitted,
through which are bored two pin or bolt holes C, & D, intersecting each other
at right angles, or four pins may be turned on said balls or bosses corresponding
to the pins or bolts fitted in the holes C&. D, the axis of each two opposite pins
intersecting the axis of the other pair at right angles, in the form of a cross.
The pins C are arranged to take or fit into corresponding holes in the forked
jaws of the aforesaid connecting link. To the sets of holes D & pins or bolts D₁
on the aforesaid balls or bosses, forked jaws E are fitted and attached, similar
to those on the connecting link aforesaid, or in any other suitable & well known
way, the whole being free to vibrate, each forked jaw on its corresponding pins
or bolts. The forked jaws E are suitably secured to the shafts F, the driving

page_text: and G the driven, but as these connections are similar, and if desired may be
made interchangeable, F may be made the driven & G the driver. When these
fittings are all coupled together, as shown on the drawing, the connection be-
tween the shafts or spindles is complete, & the driving shaft may be revolved
in either direction, & the driven shaft, being at any required angle to it, as
bereinbefore described, will be rotated also, by means of the aforesaid connecting
link or coupling. In all cases said connecting link or coupling must form the
side subtending the angle formed by the production of the axes of each pair of
shafts or spindles thus coupled, excepting where the shafts are parallel to each
other. Figure 1 shows the two shafts at right angles to one another, running
in bearings H.
When it is required to provide for a variation between the bearings H, owing
to structural conditions causing movement to these bearings which would affect
the length of the connecting link or coupling, each forked jaw of said connecting
link or coupling may be made separate from the other and suitably connected
together by a sleeve or other well known means for providing for the expansion
and contraction of shafts & the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:.
1. The introduction of the connecting link or coupling A to secure a positive
and direct connection between any two rotating or revolving shafts, (being the
driver and the driven), or spindles, when these shafts or spindles are not in line
one with the other substantially as herein described with reference to Figure 1
of the drawings.
2. The combination of a number of the aforesaid connecting links or couplings
to form a flexible positive connection for transmitting rotary motion in any
required direction, substantially as herein described.
Dated this Fourteenth day of July 1898
JOHN JOSEPH MOODY.
ARTHUR GRANVILLE HAYTON.
JAMES DONALD.