IMPROVE- MENTS IN SHAFT COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO PULLIES AND OTHER BODIES REQUIRING TO BE SECURED TO SHAFTS." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Roberts, of the Firm of Roberts and Company, of
Nelson, in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SHAFT COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE ALSO TO PULLIES AND OTHER BODIES
REQUIRING TO BE SECURED TO SHAFTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Roberts at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th December 1879.
William ROBERTS, of the Firm of Roberts and Company, of Nelson, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAFT COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO PULLIES AND OTHER BODIES REQUIRING TO BE SECURED TO SHAFTS."
My Invention relates to the couplings employed to connect together lengths of
shafting and to the means for securing pullies, wheels, and other parts or bodies to
shafts or spindles. In my improved coupling the meeting ends of the two shafts to
be coupled are secured in a muff or cylindrical part by means of a key or of keys,
the key or each key being in the form of part of a hollow truncated cone. Within
the said muff are seatings for the shaft ends and for the key or keys. A part of
this seating is formed to fit upon about half or less than half the circumferential
surface of each shaft end. Another part of the said seating is conically formed so
as to fit the outside of the key or of each key. The inner side of the key or of each
key is bored or shaped to fit the shaft end, the outer surface being turned, shaped,
or formed to fit the conical seating in the muff. The shaft ends are secured in the
muff by driving or forcing the said key or keys into the space between the said
conical seatings and the shaft ends. The said seatings, that is to say, the space
within the muff, may be formed by suitable means, but I prefer to form it by
casting the muff upon a suitably shaped and finished chill. In some or in all cases
I may cast a projecting bead or rib on the shaft seating, such rib entering grooves
in the shaft ends and acting as a fast key. In the cases of pullies, wheels, and other
bodies, the said seatings are formed by means of chills, or by other suitable means,
in the bosses of the said pullies or bodies, and take the places of the ordinary bored
eyes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letter Patent filed
by the said William Roberts in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th June
1880.
WILLIAM ROBERTS, of the Firm of Roberts and Company, of Nelson, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SHAFT COUPLINGS, APPLICABLE
ALSO TO PULLIES AND OTHER BODIES REQUIRING TO BE SECURED TO SHAFTS."
My Invention relates to the couplings employed to connect together lengths of
shafting and to the means for securing pullies, wheels, and other parts or bodies to
shafts or spindles. In my improved coupling the meeting ends of the two shafts
to be coupled are secured in a muff or cylindrical part by means of a key or of
keys, the key or each key being in the form of pait of a hollow truncated cone.
Within the said muff are seatings for the shaft ends and for the key or keys. A
part of this seating is forined to fit upon about half or less than half the circum-
ferential surface of each shaft end. Another part of the said seating is conically
formed so as to fit the outside of the key or of each key. The inner side of the key
or of each key is bored or shaped to fit the shaft end, the outer surface being
turned, shaped, or formed to fit the conical seating in the muff. The shaft ends are
secured in the muff by driving or forcing the said key or keys into the space
between the said conical seating and the shaft ends. The said seatings, that is to
say, the space within the muff, may be formed by suitable means, but I prefer to
form it by casting the muff upon a suitably shaped and finished chill. In some or
in all cases I may cast a projecting bead or rib on the shaft seating, such rib
entering grooves in the shaft ends and acting as a fast key. In the cases of pullies,
wheels, and other bodies, the said seatings are formed by means of chills or by other
suitable means in the bosses of the said pullies or bodies, and take the places of the
ordinary bored eyes.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings
I will now refer. Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a view at the
end, marked (Fig. 1), of a shaft coupling formed in accordance with my Invention,
the section represented by Fig. I being taken on the line A, B, in Fig. 2. In the
said Figures a is the muff, and b and c are two keys. Fig. 3 represents the key b in
perspective. The said muff and keys are supposed to be made of cast iron as the
coupling can be more readily produced in that material, but I do not confine myself
to the use of such material. In the operation of moulding, a chill is inserted in the
mould in order to form the peculiarly shaped space or cavity in the muff as
indicated in the Drawings. A portion of this chill is formed to correspond to the
form of the shafts for which the coupling is intended, so as to form a seating for the
shafts. When the shaft ends are in position this seating should fit as accurately as
may be about half or somewhat less than half of the circumference of each shaft, as
indicated in Fig. 2, wherein d represents the shaft in section, the seating for the
shaft being at e, e. From this seating a ridge or key f projects and extends from
end to end of the muff'; a groove to form this ridge having been made in the chill,
corresponding grooves or key-ways are formed in the ends of the shafts to be
coupled, into which keyways the said ridge enters when the parts are put together.
The other portion of the chill is shaped to form a cavity which in the combined
cross sections of the coupling and shaft is semi-annular or thereabouts. This cavity
tapers from one end of the muff to the other, as seen in Fig. 1, the part of the chill
forming the cavity being conically shaped. The keys b and c are bored and turned,
shaped or formed to fit the conically formed cavity, and also to fit upon the shafts,
as indicated in Fig. 2. For convenience the keys may be cast, or formed, or
clamped together in pairs and be bored to fit the shafts, the exterior surfaces being

page_text: turned to suit the conical formation of the said cavity, or other methods of
formation may be adopted. It will be seen that the keys vary in proportions, the
key c being formed to fit the smaller end of the conical cavity, and the key b to fit
the larger end thereof. To effect the coupling the muff is placed in position on the
shaft ends, each shaft projecting about half way into the cavity. The key c is
introduced into the cavity through the larger end marked x in Fig. 1, and is forced
or driven into position at the other end. The key b is then introduced and also
forced or driven into position. The conical formation of the keys causes them to
act as wedges or ordinary taper keys, and the shaft ends are tightly held between
the keys and the senting e, the ridge facting as a fast key to prevent the rotation
of either shaft within the muff. The arrangement may be varied to some extent
without departing from the nature and intent of the Invention, as for example, two
keys each about or less than a quarter annulus in cross section may be substituted
for the single key or for each of the keys b and c, or the cavity into which the keys
are driven may be made to taper from each end. towards the centre, the keys being
driven into position from each end, but this form of cavity would not be so readily
produced as the form illustrated in the Drawings. In some cases I may employ only
one key, but I prefer to use two keys in the cases of couplings in order that cach
shaft end may be secured by means of a separate key. I do not confine myself to
the use of a chill in the formation of the cavity in the muff nor to the formation of
the ridge or key f. In the adaptation of my Invention to the securing of wheel, and
other bodies upon shafts, I form similar cavities in the hubs, bosses, or parts of the
wheels or bodies, and I employ keys of the indicated form to secure the parts to
shafts, but in most cases only one key made sufficiently long to extend through the
hub or eye of the wheel or body will be required, although I may use more than
one key in any key wherein any case wherein such employment may appear to be
advisable.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my Invention and the
manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood in conclusion that I claim,-
First. The coupling, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated
hereinbefore, and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Forming by means of chills, the muffs of couplings, and the hubs or
parts of bodies which are to be secured upon shafts with cavities of the forms
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
And, lastly. Securing couplings and other bodies to shafts by means of keys of
the conical formation substantially as set forth and indicated
In witness whereof, I, the said William Roberts, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of June, in the year of our lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM ROBERTS. (Ls.)
Signed and sealed by the
said William Roberts
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester,
(Agent for the Patentee.)