Improvements in or relating to Friction-driving Speed-changing Mechanism.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Friction-driving Speed-changing
Mechanism.
A communication from THOMAS HENRY BLAIR, of 471, Tremont Street, Boston,
County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, U.S.A., Camera Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to driving mechanism whereby two drums reels or equivalent
may at will be rotated either at the same speed or at inversely varying speeds this
latter provision being necessary in such an example as when it is desired to main-
tain at the same constant tension material wound off one on to another drum or
roller to compensate for the gradual increase and decrease in diameter of the
respective rolls; the invention being specially applicable for use in connection with
the drum winding apparatus described in my British Specification No. 5504 of 1893
but not confined thereto.
The invention is herein for convenience described in connection with two drums
or reels to be rotated at inversely varying speeds but it is to be understood that
without departing from the spirit of the invention it may equally well be applied to
other devices.
The drums or reels are arranged parallel and the ends of their shafts to be
connected with the driving mechanism may be provided with arms or discs having
openings or recesses for receiving preferably spring-controlled crank pins carried
by the driving mechanism this constituting a ready means of connecting and
disconnecting the drums and driving mechanism; other means may however be
employed for connecting and disconnecting the driven and driving mechanism.
A stationary frame supports a shaft on which is loosely mounted a driving pulley
having affixed to it or formed in part with it a cupped disc. A similarly formed disc
herein for convenience termed the second cupped disc is splined to the shaft in
juxta-relation to the said disc and between these two cupped discs and adapted to
frictionally connect the same is supported a disc herein termed the first friction
disc in a swivelled holder so that by turning the latter the speed of the shaft may
be varied. The means for turning said holder comprise a shaft carrying a worm in
mesh with a worm-wheel on the spindle of the holder and arranged to be turned by
a handle.
The second cupped disc is held in friction engagement with the first friction disc
by a spring and may be withdrawn from such engagement by means of a screw-
shaft engaging with the spring and with an internally threaded boss on the frame
or in other convenient manner. This screw-shaft is turned by means of a handle or
equivalent.
The first mentioned shaft extends loosely through a sleeve which is supported in
a bearing on the frame and carries a worm in mesh with a worm-wheel loosely
mounted on a shaft in transverse bearings on the frame and adapted to be operatively
connected with said shaft by a clutch. Said shaft carries a boss adapted to receive
the end of the journal of one of the drums or reels and said boss may have an arm
provided with the before mentioned spring-pressed pin for engagement in the recess.
of the crank of the reel. This construction while operatively connecting the shaft
and reel, permits ready separation of the reel from the shaft. The sleeve has
affixed to or formed in part with it a cupped disc and the shaft has splined to it a

page_text: spring-controlled similar disc between which and the other said disc are interposed
a pair of friction discs each supported in a swivelled holder and the stems of these
holders carrying segments in mesh with a worm on a shaft hereinafter termed the
worm shaft so that by turning said shaft the axial adjustment of the friction discs
may be varied and the speed of the motion transmitted thereby from the disc to the
disc correspondingly varied.
The herein first mentioned shaft carries splined to it another spring-pressed cupped
disc co-acting through friction discs with another cupped disc affixed to a sleeve the
said friction discs being carried in swivelled holders whose stems are provided with
segments in mesh with a worm on the worm shaft. The last mentioned sleeve is
loosely mounted on its shaft and carries a worm which meshes with a worm-wheel
loosely mounted on another shaft and arranged to be operatively connected there-
with by a clutch. Said shaft may be operatively connected with the second reel
through means similar to those previously described in connection with the first
named reel. Through the medium of bevel gears the last named shaft may be
connected with a spindle carrying a sprocket-wheel and the latter is connected by a
chain with a sprocket-wheel on the worm shaft.
It will be understood from the foregoing description that with the two reels
operatively connected with the driving means one will be driven at a constantly
decreasing speed while the other is driven at a constantly increasing speed by
reason of the turning of the friction discs. In this way the constantly varying
relative diameters of the reels are compensated for so that no undue strain comes
on the apron. The friction discs may be conveniently restored to normal adjust-
ment by means of a handle on the spindle which supports one of the before
mentioned sprocket-wheels.
The before described apparatus may be modified without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
Dated this 13th day of January 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Friction-driving Speed-changing
Mechanism.
A communication from THOMAS HENRY BLAIR, of 471, Tremont Street, Boston,
County of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Camera
Manufacturer.
'
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to driving mechanism whereby two drums reels or
equivalent may at will be rotated either at the same speed or at inversely varying
speeds this latter provision being necessary in such an example as when it is desired
to maintain at the same constant tension material wound off one on to another drum
or roller to compensate for the gradual increase and decrease in diameter of the
respective rolls the invention being specially applicable for use in connection with
the drum-winding apparatus described in my British Specification No. 5504 of
1893 but not confined thereto.
The invention is herein for convenience described in connection with two drums
or reels to be rotated at inversely varying speeds and having an apron adapted to
be wound off one on to the other, but it is to be understood that without departing
from the spirit of the invention it may equally well be applied to other devices.

page_text: The drums or reels are arranged parallel and the ends of their shafts to be
connected with the driving mechanism may be provided with arms or discs having
openings or recesses for receiving preferably spring-controlled crank pins carried
by the driving mechanism this constituting a ready means of connecting and
disconnecting the drums and driving mechanism; other means may however be
employed for connecting and disconnecting the driven and driving mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively an end and a side elevation of the preferred
form of apparatus constructed according to the present invention, the latter figure
being shown broken away at parts to illustrate portions which would otherwise be
obscured.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same shown partly in horizontal section, and
Figures 4 and 5 are plans of portions of the adjusting mechanism.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
A stationary frame A supports a shaft B on which is loosely mounted a driving
or annularly grooved pulley B' having affixed to or formed in part with it a cupped
disc B. A similarly formed disc B³ is splined to the shaft B in juxta-relation to
the disc B and between these two cupped discs and adapted to frictionally connect
the same is located a disc C supported in a swivelled holder C' so that by
turning the latter the speed of the shaft may be varied. The means for turning
the holder C' comprise a shaft C2 carrying a worm C³ in mesh with a worm-wheel
or segment C on the spindle C of the holder C' as shown in Fig. 4 and arranged
to be turned by a handle Co; or, if desired, two friction discs C may be provided
between B and B in the manner hereinafter described with reference to the
cupped discs E E* and J J¹.
The disc B is held in frictional engagement with the disc B' by a spring D and
may be withdrawn from such engagement by means of a screw-shaft D' engaging
with the spring and with an internally threaded boss A' Fig. 3 on the frame Å or
in other convenient manner. This screw-shaft is turned by means of a handle or
equivalent D'.
The shaft B extends loosely through a sleeve E which is supported in a
bearing A' on the frame A and carries a worm E¹ in mesh with a worm-wheel F
loosely mounted on a shaft F in transverse bearings A³ on the frame A and adapted
to be operatively connected with said shaft F by a clutch F'. The shaft F carries
a boss adapted to receive the end of the journal G' of one of the drums or
reels G and said boss may have an arm F provided with the before mentioned
spring-pressed pin F for engagement in the recess of the crank arm G³ of the reel.
This construction while operatively connecting the shaft F and reel G, permits
ready separation of the reel from the shaft. The sleeve E has affixed to or formed
in part with it a cupped disc E' and the shaft B has splined to it a similar disc E³
between which and the disc E are interposed a pair of friction discs Heach
supported in a swivelled holder H. The stems H' of the holders H' carry
segments H³ Figs. 2 and 5 in mesh with a worm I' on a shaft I so that by
turning said shaft the axial adjustment of the friction discs H may be varied and
the speed of the motion transmitted thereby from the disc E³ to the disc E
correspondingly varied. The disc E' is pressed towards E' by a spring E' whose
pressure is adjustable as by a nut E screwing on a threaded part of the shaft B;
by screwing E sufficiently far along B the pressure exerted by the discs H
against E will be discontinued and E' will consequently not be rotated.
The shaft B carries splined to it another spring-pressed cupped disc J co-acting
through friction discs H with another cupped disc J' affixed to a sleeve J' the said
friction discs H like those appertaining to the cupped discs E' E' being carried in
swivelled holders H whose stems H' are provided with segments H³ in mesh with
a worm I¹ on the shaft 1. The sleeve J' like E before described is loosely mounted
on its shaft B and carries a worm J' which meshes with a worm-wheel K¹ loosely
mounted on another shaft K and arranged to be operatively connected therewith
by a clutch K Fig. 3. The shaft K may be operatively connected with the

page_text: second reel G³ through means similar to those employed to connect the shaft F and
the reel G. Through the medium of bevel gears L L the shaft K may be
connected with a spindle M carrying a sprocket-wheel M¹ and the latter is
connected by a chain M' with a sprocket-wheel M³ on the worm-carrying shaft I.
The bevel wheel L is held in gear with L' by a spring M4 on spindle M which
however admits of its being drawn out of gear when it is desired to return the
discs H to their starting position as hereinafter described. The chain M' instead
of being driven as last described may be driven by a chain wheel so mounted on
the end of the shaft B that it may be engaged with it or disengaged therefrom; or
it may be operated in any other convenient manner.
It will be understood from the foregoing description that with the two reels G G³
operatively connected with the driving means one will be driven at a constantly
decreasing speed while the other is driven at a constantly increasing speed by
reason of the turning of the friction discs H. In this way the constantly varying
relative and effective diameters of the reels are compensated for so that no undue
strain comes on the apron or the material wound from one on to the other of the
reels. The friction discs H may be conveniently restored to normal adjustment by
rotating in the proper direction the handle M' conveniently secured to the before-
mentioned sprocket-wheel M¹ after having drawn the bevel wheel L, against the
influence of the spring M* out of gear with L'.
If at any time the drums G G should be required to rotate at the same speed
this may be effected by turning (through the handle M³) the friction rollers H
to their central position, in which they are represented in Fig. 3 and moving the
bevel wheel L out of gear with L' and retaining L in its disengaged position.
Should it be desired to rotate the drums G G at fixed differential speeds the
friction rollers H, through the handle M, are adjusted to the positions necessary
for imparting the required speeds of rotation and the bevel wheel L is moved out
of gear with L' and retained in its disengaged position.
By rotating the shaft C³ through the hand wheel Co the friction roller or disc C
will be turned in a horizontal plane between the two cupped discs B³ B' and
according to the direction of its adjustment will cause the first motion shaft B
and consequently the whole of the before described apparatus to rotate or operate
at an increased or decreased speed.
The before described speed-changing mechanism comprising two annularly
grooved or cupped discs and one or more adjustable rollers or discs between them
may be used in any desired combination or apparatus other than that illustrated
in the drawings for example it may be applied where only a single drum or
equivalent is employed for regulating the speed of rotation of said drum according
to the increase or decrease of its effective diameter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;—
1. Changing the speed of rotation of a disc or device driven by one or more
friction rollers in contact with it and with the driving disc or device by turning
each friction roller on an axis perpendicular to its axis of rotation.
2. Changing the speed of rotation of a disc or device driven by one or more
friction rollers in contact with it and with the driving disc or device by turning
each friction roller so that it simultaneously makes contact with parts of the two
discs respectively nearer to and farther from their axis of rotation.
3. In speed changing mechanism the combination with two annularly grooved or
cupped discs of one or more friction rollers or discs in contact with and adjustable
between them substantially as described.
4. The combination with speed changing mechanism comprising two annularly
grooved discs and one or more friction rollers or discs in contact with and
adjustable between them of means such as a shaft H³ segment H³ and worm I'
for turning or adjusting each friction roller on an axis perpendicular to its axis

page_text: of rotation substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. The combination with two sets of speed changing mechanism each comprising
two annularly grooved discs and one or more friction rollers between and in
contact with them of two devices for turning or adjusting in relatively opposite
directions the friction rollers on axes perpendicular to the axes of their rotation
so as simultaneously to obtain at the same ratio an increase and decrease in the
speed of rotation of the two sets of mechanism.
6. The combination with the two sets of speed changing mechanism mentioned
in Claim 5 of a third and similar set of speed changing mechanism for obtaining
either an increase or decrease in the speed of rotation of both sets simultaneously
and to the same extent.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete friction-
driving speed changing mechanism substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 11th day of September 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.