IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND-MILLS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of, Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND-MILLS
" (a communi-
cation from abroad by George Herman Pattison, of Freeport, Stephenson County,
in the State of Illinois United States of America, Engineer,) to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in windmills of the class known as
"power," or "geared" mills in contradistinction from pumping mills; and more
especially to devices for overcoming or preventing the tendency of the wind wheel,
in mills of that class, to go out of the wind in consequence of the resistance offered
by the work which the mill performs.
The invention is applicable to a windmill tower of ordinary form, to which a top
plate is rigidly attached, and a turn-table, in which the wind-wheel shaft is
journaled. The turn-table rests on a series of antifriction balls rolling in an
annular groove in the upper face of the plate and resting in a similar groove in the
lower face of the turn table. A vertical hollow shaft whose axis is coincident with
the vertical axis of the mill, is journaled at its upper end, in the top plate of the
turn-table, and at its lower end in the upper end of a second vertical hollow shaft.
The lower shaft is journaled near its upper end in a bearing and is provided with a
shoulder above and resting on the bearing. From the bearing it extends downward
any desired distance, and may be connected by any suitable means, with the work
to be performed by the mill.
On the inner end of the wind-wheel shaft, is rigidly mounted a mitre gear which
engages with a similar gear mounted rigidly on the upper vertical shaft, and also
with a third gear rigidly mounted on a sleeve which encircles and turns freely
upon the upper vertical shaft. At the lower end of the sleeve is a rigidly mounted
mitre gear, and on the lower end of the upper vertical shaft is rigidly mounted a
gearing. The gearing rests on the upper end of the vertical shaft, and thus
supports the weight of the same.
Immediately below the horizontal gear and engaging with it is a vertical gear
mounted on another horizontal shaft, which is journaled in a stationary bearing,
CD 1

page_text: and immediately below said gear and engaging with it, is a double faced mitre gear
mounted loosely on the shaft and turning freely about it. Below the double faced
mitre gear is a collar surrounding the vertical shaft-a similar collar rests on the
other gear; and between the two collars is a sleeve with which is formed integrally
a horizontal shaft extending outward from the vertical shaft. On this shaft is a
loosely mounted vertical mitre gear which engages with the gear and also with the
lower face of the double faced gear. The collars and sleeve form a continuous
sleeve resting on the gear and supporting the double gear which is thus held in
engagement with the vertical gear. The outer end of the shaft enters a vertical
arm which is formed integrally with a crank attached rigidly to the lower vertical
shaft.
The operation of the mechanism described may be summarized as follows;
1st. The rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its bearing rotates the vertical shafts
in the same direction; 2nd. The rotation of the wind-wheel shaft and its bearing
about the vertical axis of the mill rotates the upper vertical shaft, but not the lower
vertical shaft. 3rd. The resistance offered by the work to the rotation of the
lower vertical shaft tends to retard the rotation of the wind-wheel about its
horizontal axis, but has no tendency to move it about the vertical axis of the mill:
4th. The simultaneous rotation of the wind-wheel shaft in its bearing, and of the
bearing about the vertical axis of the mill, rotates the gear about its horizontal
shaft and at the same time about the vertical axis of the mill, the comparative
speed of the two motions of the gear being determined by the relative speed of the
two motions of the wind wheel shaft.
The details of the mechanism and the arrangement of the parts of same may be
varied to suit different requirements: the operation of the mechanism remains
however the same, the difference being merely variations of arrangement of the
parts. In all cases the hollow shafts lie in the same vertical line, and form a
continuous tube. This is an important advantage, since the cord for drawing the
mill out of the wind can pass downward from the mill to the ground, through the
tube, and works much freer than when it passes through a tortuous and obstructed
course. It is considered preferable also, to take the power from the shaft at the
base of the mill, rather than near the top, as is done in many mills of this
general class.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, and
323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WIND MILLS," (a com-
munication from abroad by George Herman Pattison United States) 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 wind-mills of the class known as
power," or "geared "mills in contradistinction from pumping mills; and more
especially to devices for overcoming or preventing the tendency of the wind-wheel,
in mills of that class, to go out of the wind in consequence of the resistance offered
by the work which the mill performs. The mechanism to be employed for this
purpose is fully explained and described in the following Specification and shown
in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a wind mill tower and one form of the
mechanism constituting the invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view of a second tower and a second form of the invention.
Figure 3 a central vertical section of a modification of a part of the mechanism
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 a top plan of the arm a collar T, and shaft M shown in Figure 1.
Figure 5 a side elevation of the upright arm P shown in section in Figure 3.
In all the figures, the arrows on the gears indicate motion in the same directions
as if the gears were shown in elevation, instead of in section. Thus, the lower half
of the gear F is to be considered as moving from front to rear, or away from the
point of sight.
In Figure 1, A is a windmill tower of ordinary form, D a top plate rigidly
attached thereto, and C a turn table, in which the wind-wheel shaft c is journaled.
The turn table rests on a series of antifriction balls rolling in an annular groove in
the upper face of the plate D, and resting in a similar groove in the lower face of
the turn-table. A vertical hollow shaft M whose axis is coincident with the
vertical axis of the mill, is journaled at its upper end, in the top plate of the turn-
table, and at its lower end in the upper end of a second vertical hollow shaft M.
The lower shaft M¹ is journaled near its upper end in a bearing V, and is provided
with a shoulder m, above and resting on the bearing. From the bearing V it
extends downward any desired distance, and may be connected by any suitable
means, with the work to be performed by the mill.
On the inner end of the wind-wheel shaft, is rigidly mounted a mitre gear F
which engages with a similar gear E, mounted rigidly on the vertical shaft M, and
also with a third gear G rigidly mounted on a sleeve O, which encircles and turns
freely upon the shaft M. At the lower end of the sleeve O is a rigidly mounted
mitre gear H and on the lower end of the shaft M is rigidly mounted gear L.
gear L rests on the upper end of the shaft M and thus supports the weight of the
shaft M to which it is fastened.
The
Immediately below the horizontal gear H and engaging with it is a vertical
gear I mounted on a horizontal shaft e which is journaled in a stationary bearing f,

page_text: and immediately below said gear I, and engaging with it, is a double-faced mitre
gear J J mounted loosely on the shaft M, and turning freely about it. Below the
gear J J¹ is a collar o surrounding the shaft M; a similar collar p rests on the gear L;
and between the two collars o, p, is a sleeve a¹ with which is formed integrally a
horizontal shaft a, extending outward from the vertical shaft M. On the shaft a is
a loosely mounted vertical mitre gear K which engages with the gear L and also
with the lower face of the double-faced gear J J. The collars o, p, and sleeve u¹
form a continuous sleeve resting on the gear L and supporting the double gear J J¹
which is thus held in engagement with the vertical gear I. The outer end of the
shaft a enters a vertical arm P, which is formed integrally with a crank P¹,
attached rigidly to the lower vertical shaft M¹.. As shown in Figure 1, the end of
the shaft a enters a hole of suitable size bored in the arm P. It may, however,
enter a slot S in the arm as shown in Figure 3 and since the weight of the shaft
and gear K is supported directly by the gear L and shaft M¹, it is not necessary to
throw any part of said weight on the arm P. The use of the slot prevents any
vertical binding of the parts, and for that reason it is preferable to the form shown
in Figure 1.
The operation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1 so long as the wind-wheel
shaft turns in its bearing without rotating about the vertical axis of the mill, is as
follows: The gear F of the wind-wheel shaft turns in the direction indicated by
the arrow thereon therefore the gears E, G, which engage with the gear F, turn in
opposite directions, as indicated by their respective arrows. The gear H, on the
lower end of the sleeve O turns in unison with the gear G; and the gear L on the
lower end of the shaft M, turns in unison with the gear E. The loose double-faced
gear J J¹ being connected with the gear H by a single vertical gear I moves in a
reverse direction to the gear H, and consequently turns in the same direction, and
at the same speed as the gear L. Hence the gear K which engages with the two
gears J L is not turned on its horizontal shaft, but is rotated about the vertical
axis of the mill in the direction of rotations of the gears J¹ L, carrying with it its
shaft a the vertical arm P, the crank P¹ and the vertical shaft M' to which the
crank is attached. And since the motion of the shaft M is produced by the equal
rotation in opposite directions, of the gears E, G, it follows that if power be applied
directly to the shaft M' to rotate it, the gears E, G, will thereby be rotated at the
same speed and in opposite directions, and that their rotation will turn the wind
wheel shaft in its bearing without tending in any degree to rotate it about the
vertical axis of the mill, or in other words, without tending to carry the wind-wheel
out of the wind.
On the other hand, if the wind-wheel be rotated in either direction about the
vertical axis of the mill, without turning on its horizontal axis, the gears E, G, are
necessarily rotated in the same direction, and consequently the gears J¹ L are
turned in opposite directions. The result of this opposite rotation of the gears J¹ L
is that the gear K is turned on its horizontal shaft without tending to move around
the vertical axis of the mill, or to turn the shaft M¹.
The foregoing explanation of the operation of the mechanism shown in Figure 1,
may be summarized as follows: 1st The rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its
bearing rotates the vertical shafts M M' in the same direction; 2nd The rotation of
the wind wheel shaft and its bearing about the vertical axis of the mill rotates
the shaft M but not the shaft M¹: 3rd The resistance offered by the work to the
rotation of the shatt M¹ tends to retard the rotation of the wind-wheel about its
horizontal axis but has no tendency to move it about the vertical axis of the mill;
4th The simultaneous rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its bearing and of the
bearing about the vertical axis of the mill rotates the gear K about its horizontal
shaft and at the same time about the vertical axis of the mill, the comparative
speed of the two motions of the gear being determined by the relative speed of the
two motions of the wind-wheel shaft.
In the mechanism shown in Figure 2, the arrangement of the tower, turn-table,
wind-wheel shaft and vertical shafts M M' is substantially the same as in the form

page_text: I
shown in Figure 1. The gear F of the wind-wheel shaft, the gears E, L mounted
on the shaft M, the sleeve O, and the gears G, H, mounted thereon, and the gear
which transmits motion from the.gear H to the gear J are all in the same relative
positions as the similarly lettered parts in Figure 1. The face J¹ of the double-
faced gear J J is on the same side of the gear as the face J, instead of on the
opposite side therefrom as in Figure 1. The gear K which engages with the
gears JL has the same function as the corresponding gear in the mechanism.
already described, since the gears J¹ L rotate in the same direction when the wind-
wheel shaft turns in its bearing and thereby carry the gear K about the vertical
axis of the mill. The shaft a on which the gear K is mounted is rigidly fastened
to the vertical shaft M¹ without the interposition of the crank P' and upright
arm P shown in Figure 1. In the form shown in Figure 2 the shaft M' is
supported by means of a collar s rigidly attached to it and resting on the bearing V
in which the shaft M¹ is journaled; and the shaft M is supported by means of the
gear L which is rigidly fastened to it and rests on the top of the shaft M. The
operation of both the forms described is precisely the same, the difference being
merely variations of arrangement of the parts.
In both the forms shown the bearing V of the shaft M', and the bearing of the
horizontal shaft e are preferably formed of a single casting. This is not essential;
but it adds materially to the rigidity of the frame, and to the smoothness of
operation of the gearing.
In both the forms also, the hollow shafts M M lie in the same vertical line, and
form a continuous tube. This is an important advantage since the cord for drawing
the mill out of the wind can pass downward from the mill to the ground, through
the tube and works much freer than when it passes through a tortuous and
obstructed course. It is considered preferable also to take the power from the
shaft M at the base of the mill, rather than near the top, as is done in many mills
of this general class.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a windmill of the class described the combination of a suitably journaled
wind-wheel shaft; a loosely mounted gear susceptible of rotation upon a hori-
zontal shaft on which it is mounted and also of rotation about a vertical axis;
gearing connecting said wind wheel shaft with said loosely mounted gear and
means substantially as described, whereby the rotation of said loosely mounted gear
about a vertical axis, is transmitted to the mechanism to be operated by the power
of the mill.
2. In a windmill of the class described the combination of the journaled wind-
wheel shaft; a horizontal shaft susceptible of rotation about a vertical axis, and a
gear mounted loosely on said shaft and susceptible of rotation thereon; means
substantially as shown and described whereby the rotation of the wind wheel
shaft in its bearing causes the rotation of said loosely mounted gear and its shaft
about a vertical axis; and means substantially as shown and described whereby
the rotation of said gear and its shaft about a vertical axis, is communicated to the
mechanism to be operated by the power of the mill.
3. In a wind mill of the class described the combination of a journaled wind-
wheel shaft; a vertical shaft susceptible of rotation, and a horizontal shaft rigidly
attached to and rotating with said vertical shaft; a loosely mounted gear upon said
last named horizontal shaft; and means substantially as described connecting said
wind-wheel shaft and said loosely mounted gear, whereby the rotation of said wind-
wheel shaft in its bearing rotates said loosely mounted gear, said horizontal shaft
and said vertical shaft about the axis of the vertical shaft.
4. In a wind mill of the class described the combination of the wind-wheel
shaft; two independently journaled and independently rotating vertical shafts;
and gearing substantially as shown and described whereby the rotation of the

page_text: wind wheel shaft in its bearing rotates both of said vertical. shafts, while the.
rotation of said wind wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill rotates
the upper but not the lower of said vertical shafts.
5. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of a journaled wind
wheel shaft ca gear I mounted on a stationary horizontal shaft; two gears H, J,
one above and one below the gear I, and both in engagement therewith; and
means substantially as described whereby the wind-wheel shaft is connected
through one of said gears with the gear I, and whereby the rotation of the wind
wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill is transmitted, through the other
gear, to the gear I.
6. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of a journaled wind-
wheel shaft; a loosely mounted gear free to rotate about a horizontal shaft and to:
rotate with its shaft about a vertical axis; and a train of gearing connected with
Baid wind wheel shaft and engaging with said loosely mounted gear whereby the
rotation of the wind-wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill rotates said
loosely mounted gear about its shaft but not about a vertical axis.
7. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind-wheel
shaft two independently journaled and independently rotating vertical shafts;
and gearing constructed. substantially as described and connecting said wind-wheel
shaft with said vertical shafts respectively, whereby the rotation of said vertical
shaft in its bearing rotates said vertical shafts in the same direction.
8. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind-wheel
shaft, two independently rotating vertical shafts lying in the same straight line;
and gearing constructed substantially as described and connecting said wind-wheel
shaft with said vertical shafts respectively, whereby the rotation of said wind-wheel
shaft in its bearing rotates said vertical shafts in the same direction and at the
same rate of speed.
9. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind-wheel shaft,
two independently journaled vertical shafts standing in the same straight line; and
gearing connecting said wind wheel shaft with said vertical shafts respectively,
whereby the rotation of the wind-wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill
rotates the upper, but not the lower of said vertical shafts.
10. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind-wheel
shaft, two independently journaled vertical shafts in the same straight line, and
gearing connecting said wind-wheel shaft and said vertical shafts respectively,
whereby the simultaneous rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its bearing and
about the vertical axis of the mill, rotates said vertical shafts in the same direction
but at different rates of speed.
11. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind wheel
shaft, two independently journaled vertical shafts and gearing connecting said wind
wheel shaft with said vertical shafts respectively, whereby the rotation of the wind
wheel shaft in its bearing rotates said vertical shafts in the same direction, and
whereby the rotation of the bearing of the wind-wheel shaft about the vertical axis
of the mill, rotates the upper but not the lower of said vertical shafts.
12. In a windmill of the class described, the combination of the wind-wheel
shaft, two independently journaled vertical shafts lying in the same straight line
and coincident with the vertical axis of the mill, the lower of said vertical shafts
being the power-transmitting shaft of the mill; and gearing connecting said wind-
wheel shaft and said lower vertical shaft, whereby the re-action of the work upon
said lower vertical shaft tends to retard the rotation of the wind-wheel shaft in its 5
bearing but not to rotate it about the vertical axis of the mill.
13. The combination of the wind-wheel shaft c, vertical shafts M M¹ the mitre
gears L J¹, the former mounted rigidly and the latter loosely on the shaft M the
mitre gear K engaging with the two gears J', L, and connected with the shaft M¹
by means adapted to insure the uniform rotation of the shaft M¹ and gear K. about &
the vertical axis of the mill; and gearing connecting the wind wheel shaft with
said gears. J. L respectively whereby the rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its

page_text: bearing rotates said gears J¹ L in the same direction and carries the gear K about
the vertical axis of the mill; and whereby the rotation of the bearing of the wind-
wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill rotates said gears J L in opposite
directions and thus rotates said gear K about its horizontal axis.
14. The combination of the wind wheel shaft c vertical power transmitting
shaft M¹, a loosely mounted gear wheel free to rotate about the vertical axis of the
mill and connected with the shaft M' by means adapted to insure their uniform
rotation, and gearing connecting said wind wheel shaft and said loosely mounted
gear, whereby the rotation of said wind-wheel shaft in its bearing rotates said
gear-wheel about the vertical axis of the mill and whereby the rotation of the
bearing of the wind wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill rotates said
gear wheel on its shaft.
15. The combination of the wind wheel shaft c vertical shaft M loosely mounted
gear K free to rotate about the shaft M, and gearing connecting said wind wheel
shaft and said gear K whereby the rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its bearing
rotates said gear K about the shaft M, and whereby the rotation of the bearing of
the wind wheel shaft about the vertical axis of the mill rotates said gear K about
its own shaft, substantially as shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
16. The combination of the wind wheel shaft c, the vertical shaft M and sleeve O
rotating thereon; the mitre gears E, F, G, mounted on the shafts M and c and the
sleeve respectively and connected as shown and described the mitre gear L
mounted on the shaft M, the loosely mounted gear K engaging with the gear L,
and free to rotate about the vertical axis of the mill, the gear H on the lower end
of the sleeve O the loosely mounted gear I free to rotate about a fixed horizontal
axis, and engaging with the gear H, and a gear-wheel loosely mounted on the
shaft M and connecting the loosely mounted gears I K, substantially as shown and
described and for the purpose set forth.
17. The combination of the wind wheel shaft c vertical hollow shafts M. M¹
forming a straight continuous tube; and gearing substantially as described
connecting said wind-wheel shaft with said vertical shafts respectively, whereby
the rotation of the wind wheel shaft in its bearing rotates the shafts M M¹ in the
same direction.
18. The combination of the gear I mounted on a horizontal shaft journaled in a
stationary bearing, gearing engaging said gear wheel at one point and connecting
it with the wind wheel shaft, and gearing engaging with said gear-wheel at an
opposite point and connecting it with the vertical power-transmitting shaft of the
mill substantially as shown and described and for the purpose set forth.
19. The combination of the shaft M the shaft a the sleeve a¹ formed integrally
with the shaft a and turning freely on the shaft M and the gear K mounted, and
turning freely on the shaft a substantially as shown and described for the purpose
set forth.
20. The combination of the shaft c the vertical shaft M, and the gears E, F, G,
H, I, J, J, K, L, all combined and operating as shown and described and for the
purpose set forth.