IMPROVEMENTS IN CLUTCH COUPLINGS AND IN DEVICES CONNECTED THEREWITH APPLICABLE TO PLANING MACHINES AND THE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of 323 High Holborn in the County'
"
of Middlesex Engineer for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN CLUTCH
COUPLINGS AND IN DEVICES CONNECTED THEREWITH APPLICABLE TO PLANING
MACHINES AND THE LIKE" a communication from Matthias Hans, Mechanician,
residing at St, Georgen, Baden, German Empire
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1883.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLUTCH COUPLINGS AND IN DEVICES CONNECTED THEREWITH,
APPLICABLE TO PLANING MACHINES AND THE LIKE [a communication from
Matthias Haas, Mechanician, residing at St Georgen, Baden, German Empire]
"
Notwithstanding the great number of clutch-couplings for motors, almost all
suffer from the great fault that their being thrown into gear whilst the motor is
running, takes place with a concussion which is of serious disadvantage not only to
the motor itself, but also to all the intermediary and working machinery dependent
on such motor. This sorious defect of clutch gearing is obviated by the notor
coupling hereinafter described and by means of it is attained the throwing into gear
whilst the motor is running and without any concussion whatever and this renders
it possible to employ the same successfully even with machine-tools having forward
and backward motion whilst the shaft from which the power is derived has
continuous rotation.
The following is a description of this invention in its application to a small
planing machine with solf acting reversing gear for forward and backward motion
of the slide, adapted for being operated by hand, the crank rotating continuously
in one direction, the backward motion having a high speed, two clutches being
shifted by one eccentric and without shifting of belts, and fixed and loose pulleys
are not required with the same.

page_text: There are two shafts for transmitting the motion, the part to be coupled and
uncoupled being say a toothed wheel. On each slide there is a sliding sleeve which
participates in the rotation of the shaft. A second sleeve is likewise mounted on
each shaft respectively but is quite loose. The sliding sleeve as well as the loose
sleeve carry, on their side which are turned towards one another, clutch-teeth by
means of which the loose sleeve is also carried round when the sliding sleeve is
suitably shifted. The sliding of the last named sleeve can be caused in any
convenient manner. The said sleeve may conveniently be connected with the
reversing gear of the planing machine by means of a fork, a slide, and an engaging
pin or stud.
In ordinary applications of this clutch gearing the sliding of the sliding sleeve
may be effected by means of a hand lever or of a screw spindle.
The part which is to be coupled, is put into engagement with the sliding sleeve
by two or more carriers, which slide against suitable shoulders or noses when the
said sleeve is shifted towards the loose sleeve.
The carriers are guided in the loose slcove the periphery whereof is excentric in
shape, and upon the same slides lightly a steel-spring, a so called break-carrier,
which is kept in position by a second spring.
The operation of the construction is as follows
When the sliding sleeve is shifted, the teeth of the two sleeves gear into one
another and the loose sleeve is carried with the former; at the same time however
the carriers move forward so that, when the loose sleeve rotates, they impingo
against the shoulders and are compelled to carry the part to be coupled round with
them. Before however this takes place the excentric periphery of the loose sleeve
slides along under the break-spring till the peripheral friction is sufficiently strong
to carry the part to be coupled round.
The noses or shoulders are so placed, that the carriers can come into engagement,
only after this brake action has taken place, then however the brake-spring no
longer serves to transmit power. If the carriers could directly impinge upon the
shoulders the coupling would engage with a concussion, whilst by reason of the
employinent of the brake-spring, the engagement takes place without shock. The
case might occur that, when the sleeves are slid into engagement, the points of
the carrier were in such position relatively to the shoulders, that the brake-spring
could not come into operation, as the time would not be sufficient therefor, and the
engagement would then be effected with a concussion. To avoid this the eccentric
periphery of the loose sleeve has a special shape and when required the brake-
spring above referred to, then in tension, imparts a slight rotation to the loose
sleeve by inclined planes on the latter.
Moreover to prevent that when the sliding sleeve is slid into engagement the
points of its teeth should come against those of the teeth of the other sleeve, so
that the whole power be transmitted by the points only of the teeth, the mechanisın
is so arranged that the engaging tooth of a lever above mentioned does not directly
press against the slide, but first against a short coiled spring fixed on the slide.
This avoids the shock, which however does not readily occur in planing machines.
For reversing without concussion of planing machines as well as any other
machines fitted with rack starting-gear the following arrangement is used.
The rack which operates the planing table or slide is not rigidly connected with
the latter but admits of a certain amount of lateral play. To this end the rack is
shaped somewhat like a sled, but is guided in the ends only of the planing table
whilst the central part of the rack is free. Upon this part presses a strong-spring
fixed on the planing table. The limitation of the relative movement of the rack
is effected in any convenient manner say by two abutting springs.
In every reversal of the motion, which is effected by cog wheels, the rack will
In this manner
slide to some extent first before the planing table begins to move.
all concussion is avoided. As already stated this arrangement may be employed
in all machines which have rack starting gear.

page_text: An arrangement for throwing both couplings out of gear at the same time by
means of one eccentric is constructed as follows.
The two slides which are connected with the shipping gear of the coupling, are
connected with a cross-bar common to both. By an excentric the crossbar can be
shifted. Both slides are therefore simultaneously in motion and cause both clutches
to run loose, and consequently the planing machine stops although the two driving
shafts continue their motion The excentric is mounted on a small axle to which,
in turn, a handle is attached by which it can be rotated.
By the described arrangement the planing machine may be put in or out of gear
instantaneously. It is generally speaking a remarkable and valuable' property of
this entire coupling that entirely prevents "dead" running of the planing machine
and admits its being instantaneously reversed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult in
the Patent Office on the 12th January 1884.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLUTCH COUPLINGS AND IN DEVICES CONNECTED
THEREWITH, APPLICABLE TO PLANING MACHINES AND THE LIKE"-A communication
to me from Matthias Hans, Mechanician, residing at St Georgen, Baden German
Empire.
Notwithstanding the great number of known clutch couplings for motors, almost
all suffer from the great fault that their being thrown into gear whilst the motor
is running, takes place with a concussion which is of serious disadvantage not
only to the motor itself but also to all the intermediary and working machinery
dependent on such motor. This serious defect of clutch gearing is obviated by the
motor coupling hereinafter described and by means of it is attained the throwing
into gear, whilst the motor is running and without any concussion whatever, and
this renders it possible to employ the same successfully even with machine tools
having forward and backward motion, whilst the shaft from which the power is
derived has continuous rotation.
The drawings represent the clutch coupling in its application to a small planing
anachine with self acting reversing gear for forward and backward motion of the
slide adapted for being operated by hand, the hand crank rotating continuously
in one direction the backward motion having a high speed two clutches being
shifted by one eccentric and without shifting of belts and fixed and loose pulleys
are not required with the same.
Figuro 1 is the unshipping clutch in full sizo.
Figure 2 transverse section on line E F of Figure 1.
Figures 34 and 5 details of the rings of the clutch.
Figures 6 and 7 details of the position of the carriers kk opposite the shoulders
or noses m m
Figure 8 front view of the planing machine and the coupling.
Figure 9 plan of the same.
Figure 10 side view thorcof.
Figure 11 side view of the mechanism for reversing entirely without shock or
concussion of machines with rack starting-gear.
Figure 12 transverse section of figure 11 on A B
Figure 13 elevation of the mechanisin unshipping both clutches by means of one
eccontric and without shifting the belts.
Figures 14 and 14 plan of Figure 13.
a and b are shafts for transmitting the motion, the part to be coupled and
uncoupled being the toothed wheel i On shafts a and b respectively there is a
sliding sleeve c which participates in the rotation of the shaft. A second sleeve d
is likewise mounted on a and b respectively but is quite loose. The sleeve cas
well as sleeve d carry on their sides which are turned towards one another, clutch-
teeth e by means of which sleeve d is also carried round when sleeve c is suitably
shifted. The sliding of sleeve c can be caused in any convenient manner; it is
here assumed that the sleeve c is connected with the reversing gear h of the
planing machine by means of a fork f the slide g and an engaging pin or stud
(Figures 89 and 10).
In ordinary applications of this clutch gearing the sliding of the sleeve c may be
effected by means of a handlever or of a screw spindle.

page_text: The part which is to be coupled is put into engagement with the sliding
sleeve by two or more carriers kk as shown, which slide against suitable
shoulders or noses m m when the said sleeve is shifted towards sleeve & see
figures 1 and 9.
"
The carriers kk are guided in the loose sleeve d figure 1 the periphery of
sleeve d is eccentric in shape and upon the same slides lightly a steel spring, a so
called brake carrier n which is kept in position by a second spring o (Figures 13
8 and 9).
The operation of the construction as a whole is as follows.
:
When sleeve c is shifted the teeth e e gear into one another and the loose sleeve d
is carried with the former, at the same time however the carriers kk move forward
so that when sleeve & rotates, they impinge against the shoulders mm and are
compelled to carry the part i round with them. Before however this takes place,
the eccentric periphery & slides along under the brake spring n till the peripheral
friction is sufficiently strong to carry the part round. (see figures 18 and 9).
The noses or shoulders m m (figures 3 and 9) are so placed that after this brake
action the carriers can come into engagement, then however the parts ck and m
transmit the whole power, the brake spring n no longer serves to transmit power.
If the carriers & could directly impinge upon the shoulders m m the coupling
would engage with a concussion, whilst it is obvious that, by reason of tho
employment of the brake spring, the engagement takes place without shock.
It might occur that when the sleeves are slid into engagement the points of the
carriers were in such position relatively to the shoulders m m as figures 6
and 7 show. Then the brake spring could not come into operation, as the time
would not be sufficient therefor, and the engagement would then bo effected with
a concussion. To avoid this, the eccentric periphery of d has at pp the shape
shown in figure 4.
The relative position of rest of the shoulders m m with respect to the carriers
kk shown in Figure 6 is rendered impossible as the brake spring n above referred
to (then in tension) imparts a slight rotation to the part a by the inclined
planes pp.
Moreover, to prevent that when sleeve c is slid into engagement the points of
its teeth e should come against those of the teeth of d so that the whole power be
transmitted by the points only of the teeth, the mechanism is so arranged, that
the engaging tooth of a lever h does not directly press against the slide g but first
against a short coiled spring q q fixed on the slide g (Figures 89 10) This avoids
the shock which however does not readily occur in planing machines.
Figures 11 and 12 show reversing gear for planing machines as well as other
machines fitted with rack starting-gear.
To effect the reversing of a planing machine entirely without shock and
elastically, the following arrangement is used. The rack A operates the planing
table or slide is not rigidly connected with the latter, but admits of a certain
amount of lateral play. To this end the rack is shaped somewhat like a sled, as
shown in Figure 12 but is guided in the ends only of the planing table B whilst
the central part of the rack is free. Upon this part a strong spring D fixed upon
the planing table, presses. The limitation of the relative movement of the rack
is effected in any convenient manner, in the present case by two abutting
springs CC
In every reversal of the motion which is effected by one or the other of the
cogwheels E the rack will slide to some extent first, before the planing tablo
begins to move. It is obvious that in this manner all concussion is avoided. As
already stated this arrangement may be employed in all machines which have rack
starting-gear.
The arrangement for throwing both couplings out of gear at the same time by
means of one eccentric is represented by Figures 14° and 14b
The two slides which are connected with the shipping gear of the coupling are
connected with a cross bar common to both. By an eccentric t the crossbar 8 can

page_text: bo shifted. Both slides g g are therefore simultaneously in motion and cause both
clutches to run loose and consequently the planing machine stops although the
driving shafts a and b continue their motion (Figure 13 and 14b) The eccentric t
is mounted on a small axlo v to which in turn a handle u is attached by which it
'can be rotated.
By the described arrangement the planing machine may be put in or out of gear
instantaneously.
It is generally speaking a remarkable and valuable property of this entire
coupling that it entirely. prevents "dead running" of the planing machine and
admits its being instantaneously reversed.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner of
performing the same as cominunicated to me by my foreign correspondent I wish
it to be understood that I claim
First In a clutch coupling for motors the combination of sliding toothed
slcevo.c with the loose eccentric toothed sleeved brake spring n and carriers k k
substantially as described and illustrated.
Second-The spring q in the clutch mechanism for planing machines for the
purpose of providing an even reversing of the motion free from concussion
substantially as set forth and shown.
Third The combination with the planing table B of the rack A free to slide
a regulated distance, spring D fixed to the table B and abutting pins C C whereby
may be effected a reversal which is entirely free from concussion substantially as
described and shown.
Fourth-The combination with the cross bar s of the slides gg and an
eccentric whereby crossbars and consequently the slides gg will be set in motion
effecting the unshipping of both clutches and the consequent stopping of the
machines, notwithstanding that both driving shafts a and b continue their action
substantially as described and shewn.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twelfth day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty four.
ATADEN
BOULT