Improvements in Flexible Couplings or Joints for Toothed Wheel Gearing.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flexible Couplings or Joints for Toothed
Wheel Gearing.
We, THE WOLSELEY SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE COMPANY LIMITED, of
4 Sun Court, Cornhill, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication to us by Frederick York Wolseley, of the Union
Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Gentleman,) 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 flexible couplings or joints for toothed
wheel gearing or "universal gearing joints" which allow the spindles of the
gearings to take up a straight through position or any angle within certain limits
relative to one another. This invention has been devised in order to provide a neat
and convenient universal gearing joint specially for joining up flexible shafting to
sheep shearing machines although it is extremely handy for use in flexible junctions
of any other shafting.
These improvements in flexible couplings or joints for toothed wheel gearing
consist in the combination and arrangement with the sleeves or holders of the
spindles of crown or rose toothed wheels of peculiarly-shaped jaws and fastening
plates adapted to allow of movement around two centres, on or in said jaws so that
the range of movement is comparatively very great. They consist, secondly, of the
particular combinations and arrangements of mechanical parts hereinafter specifically
described and claimed.
But, in order that this invention may be clearly understood, reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which Figure 1 is plan of universal gearing joint
suitable for connecting the ends of flexible shafting. Figure 2 is central section of
one sleeved jaw (with the lower part of jaws shown in section on line a Figure 1).
Figures 3 and 4 are plan and cross section (on line y y Figure 3) respectively of a
modified construction of joint. Figures 5 and 6 are plan and section respectively,
Figures 7 and 8 are plan and section respectively, and Figure 9 plan of further
modified constructions of gearing joints.
A and a are sleeves or sockets carrying the spindles B and b, whose inner ends
are preferably screwed to receive the toothed crown pinions or rose wheels B
gearing into one another while the outer ends of said spindles have eyes B* *
to which are secured the ends of revolving shafting. Ends A* a* of the sleeves
are adapted to take over themselves the flexible casing of any of said shafting. The
sleeves A and a terminate in jaws A' a', having corresponding faces A³ a² each
having a recessed sector in or on its outer periphery over which take the yokes A'.
The face a has its centre recessed so as to form a ring face a³. The yokes A take
outside ring faces a³ and are held in place by covering plates or washers A under
fastening screws A' taking in face A' of jaw A. These covering plates A have
snugs or pintles A (lozenge-shaped, or formed of two conjoined equal arcs of
circles), whose sides take against the internal peripheral face of rings a³. A portion
of the faces a, including the rings a³, is cut away so as to allow snugs aⓇ to dis-
engage said rings a³ when the jaws A' a' are in such position that the centres of
wheels Bb and the spindles B6 are in the same straight line. In operation, rotary
motion is given to eye end B of spindle B by a driving shaft, and communicated
by gearing B to spindle and by eye or end 6x to the driven shaft or to a
machine thereto attached. At the same time the spindle b may be moved to any
angle referable to spindle B or to such position that it is on a
straight line with
spindle B. In this movement the jaws a revolve about the centre of the circle, of

page_text: which the double arc-shaped smugs A form part in the faces a² of jaws a', and
which centres should be situated relative to the crown pinions or rose wheels so that
such pinions or wheels will always be correctly in gear. When spindle is in a
straight line with spindle B the cut away parts of rings a³ on faces a meet
the points of the smugs A and further angular travel of sleeve a will transfer
the centre of motion to a corresponding centre in face A when the sleeve a
jaw a and yoke A³ will move round on faces A until sleeve a takes against the
stop A on jaw A'. The movement of sleeve a in the opposite direction will
reverse the operation the jaws a¹ and yoke A³ first moving on centre in face A2
until the spindles are in a straight line when sleeve a moves on centre in face a² as
before described.
Referring to Figures 3 and 4, in which modified construction of joint the sleeve a
carries spindle b, having thereon crown or rose-toothed wheel gearing with
similar wheel B' on end of spindle B in sleeve A. In this construction of joint the
covering plate and yoke are combined in one junction piece D movably secured by
Screws D to both faces A a² of the jaws A¹ a' on top and bottom. A separate
lozenge or double arc-shaped tongue or plug fits into a similarly-shaped recess, or
cut away portien A8 from each face A and a. The plug d' has a flange d taking
in a recess, a circularly round part of the face a². When sleeve a turns about the
centre of movement in face at the tongue or plug moves around with jaw a' but
when moving about the centre of movement in face A said tongue or plug d
remains stationary in the recess, or cut away A³ of face A. While face a and
the yoke plate D turn upon said centre the flange 2 takes in groove D² of said yoke
plate and permits of such movement.
Referring to Figures 5 and 6 this modified construction of universal gearing
joint has the sleeves A. a, the spindles Bb, and the crown pinions B, as before
described; but the sleeves terminate in solid enlargements instead of in bifurcated
jaws. To one of these sleeve ends E are fixed plates E forming it into a large jaw
while the other e has sockets e¹. In inner faces of plates E' are circular grooves E²,
and in these grooves are are pieces and e³, pinned to sockets e of sleeve end e.
The screws E³ fasten plates E¹ to sleeve end E. The arc pieces are adapted
to travel one above the other in grooves E³, by having half of their body or thick-
ness cut away, for the necessary or a desirable length. When the shafts are required
to move angularly with reference to one another, the sleeve a is moved, while the
arc pieces and their pins are stationary the latter forming the centre of motion,
and the arc pieces move round in their respective grooves E the half-body
parts of said are pieces allowing them to pass one another in part of their
movements.
In
In Figures 7 and 8 the main parts of the modified construction of joint are
common to those before referred to and bear similar letters of reference.
the outer faces of jaw A¹ there are grooves or recesses F formed of two similar ares
of equal circles joining on the central line of the jaw, and on the inner faces of same
jaws are pins or pintles F¹. The other jaw carries pins or snugs, taking into
grooves F, and also carries minor jaws or recessed ends fadapted to take against
pins F. A washer F2 or other stop is fixed on sleeve A to prevent disengagement
of the jaws when once geared. In adapting itself to the desired angular set of the
shafts, the motion of the parts of this joint are as follows:-The sleeve a moves
around either sets of pins F¹ and the pins or snugs f, move in grooves Fon said
pin F as a centre, until the jaw a' is stopped by washer F. When it is desired to
uncouple washer 2 is withdrawn so that pins or smugs may travel right round
grooves out of gear.
In the modified construction of joint shown in Figure 9 the grooves or recesses G
in the outer faces of jaw A are conversely situated to those (F) in joint
shown in Figures 7 and 8 otherwise the construction is similar; the pin y of jaw a¹
working in said grooves G and the recessed ends working against pins G. The
operation or working is similar to that described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

page_text: Having now particularly described and explained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, it is declared that what is
claimed is:-
First. An improved flexible coupling or joint for toothed wheel gearing the
essential feature of which is the peculiarly-shaped jaws (with or without fastening
plates) adapted to allow of radial movement of sleeves or bearings of which said
jaws form part around or on two centres on or in said jaws or one of them substan-
tially as herein described and explained.
Second. In a flexible coupling or joint of the class set forth the combination and
arrangement with spindles sleeves or bearings therefor and crowu pinions or rose
wheels of jaws recessed or grooved or forming recesses or grooves yokes covering
plates and lozenge-shaped suugs or pintles substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing.
Third. In a flexible coupling or joint of the class set forth the combination and
arrangement with spindles sleeves or bearings therefor and crown pinions or rose
wheels of jaws and junction pieces recessed or grooved or forming recesses
grooves and lozenge-shaped sungs or pintles with flange substantially as herein,
described and explained and as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing,
or
Fourth. In a flexible coupling or joint of the class set forth the combination
and arrangement with spindles sleeves or bearings therefor and crown pinions or
rose wheels of solid enlargements one carrying grooved plates to form a jaw and
the other carrying sockets and arc pieces pinned in said sockets and travelling
in the grooves or recesses of said jaw plates substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing.
Fifth. In a flexible coupling or joint of the class set forth the combination
and arrangement with spindles sleeves or bearings therefor and crown pinions or
rose wheels of a jaw with arc-shaped grooves or recesses in outer faces and pintles.
or pins on inner faces and a jaw or fork with pins or snugs taking in outer grooves
of other jaw and with minor jaws or recesses taking against inner pintles or pins of
said other jaw substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated.
in Figures 7 and 8 and as a modification in Figure 9 of the drawings.
Dated the 4th day of March 1900
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants..