IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT-POWER APPARATUS FOR DRIVING MACHINERY and in
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
'1
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County. of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOOT-POWER APPARATUS FOR DRIVING
MACHINERY and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly.
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
37
F,
This invention relates to means for transferring power, communicated by one or
both feet, to the shaft of a machine, whereby the said shaft is made to rotate in
one direction continuously while the treadle mechanism is returned to its original:
position, the connection between the treadle and shaft being such that a treadle-
stroke of any suitable length can be given, while at the same time the number
of revolutions of the shaft and the momentum of the machine may be steadily
increased.
. The said invention comprises a roller clutch adapted to grasp the shaft of the
machine to turn it in one direction, and means for revolving the clutch in reverse.
directions.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 represents a front vertical section of a segment gear form of apparatus
as used with a swinging treadle.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same.
Figure 3 is a modification of my improvement adapting it for use with a rocking
treadle; and
Figure 4 is a section of the gear clutch.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of a machine wherein a strap action is employed.
Figure 6 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 7 is a plan; and
Figure 8 is a section of a clutch pulley..
In Figures 1 and 2, A. indicates a swinging treadle suspended by the arms B
from the machine table or frame; and C is a lever, pivoted at its lower extremity
by the stud a, to the frame of the machine, and connected with one of the treadle:
arms B by a stud D passing through the slot E. The upper end of the lever C is
[Price 6d.1

page_text: in the form of a segment of a circle, having a radius equal to the length of the
lever, and is furnished with cogs forming the segment-rack F.
The gear-clutch G is bored centrally for the reception of the driving shaft H,
and is also furnished with longitudinal grooves b extending from end to end of
the hub, and opening into the central aperture each of the said grooves having a
shoulder and an inclined surface substantially as shown in Figure 4.
In these grooves are placed rollers I, of such diameter as to jam against the
inclined sides of the grooves upon the revolution of the clutch. Spiral springs
may also be placed in the grooves to force the rollers towards the shaft. These
grooves, it will be seen, have inclined surfaces on one side, and very nearly straight 1
surfaces upon the other, and when the clutch is turned so as to move the inclines
towards the rollers I, they throw or wedge the rollers upon the shaft H, thereby
wedging the clutch to the shaft H. If the clutch is revolved in the other direction
the rollers are released by the movement of the inclines and the straight shoulders
do not force or throw the rollers upon the reverse revolution of the clutch upon
the shaft, but permit them to revolve while this reverse movement of the clutch
continues. With this construction the gear clutch will grasp the shaft firmly
while turning in one direction, and will release it but permit it to revólve freely,
when the motion is reversed. L-
The circumference of the gear clutch G is furnished with cogs d, which a
correspond with those on the segment rack F. The driving shaft H is attached
to the balance wheel K, or to any corresponding wheel.
In Figure 3 I show my invention adapted for use with the common rocking
treadle. This is effected by lengthening the lever, C and pivoting it at the lower
end to a cross bar on which the treadle turns, the lever C being connected, near its
middle point, with the treadle by means of the arm L, pivotted to. the treadle at e
or in any other suitable way.
M, Figure 5, is a.swinging treadle pivoted at m to the frame of the machine m¹,
and N is a bracket rigidly attached to the frame of the machine. To this bracket
is pivoted the lever N¹, the lower end of which is connected to the lower part of
the treadle M, by a 'pin n working in the slot n¹ in such a manner that the
Oscillations of the treadle communicate a similar oscillating or rocking movement.
to the upper end of the lever N. This upper end is forked, one arm passing each
side of the driving shaft of the machine. On the driving shaft is a clutch
pulley O, which in construction is like the gear clutch G already described, that
is, its connection with the main shaft by means of inclined grooves and rollers is
the same. Instead of having cogs or teeth upon its periphery, it has a barrel o
having flanges on either side, about which a strap o¹ is wound once. One end of
this strap is fastened to one arm of the lever N₁ and the other end to the other
arm, so that the oscillations of the lever alternately turn the clutch in either
direction. The driving shaft is furnished with a fly-wheel or its equivalent.
In lieu of forming the tangential grooves of the clutch pulley they may be
provided by enlarging the circumference of the driving shaft and forming them.
therein and making the inner face of the pulley smooth; or ratchet teeth may be
cut in the circumference of the driving shaft and a pawl attached to the pulley in
such a manner that the pawl shall catch and turn the shaft only in one direction.
In operation, the treadle being swung away from the operator by the pressure
of the foot, the clutch pulley is revolved and with it the shaft which it grasps
firmly when turning in this direction. The shaft continues to turn by the
momentum of the fly-wheel, while the clutch is returned to its original position
by the backward motion of the treadle, the clutch while so returning offering no
resistence to the motion of the shaft, so that the oscillations of the treadle move
the driving-shaft always in one direction. By this use of a swinging treadle, in
combination with a clutch pulley, the leg and foot of the operator move with an
easy swinging motion, the strength being exerted to the best advantage.
The form of apparatus which I prefer to use is that which I call the segment or
mal antion

page_text: It will be observed that it can be applied to a great many uses and among them
I would mention sewing machines, jig and other saws, turning lathes, moulding
machines and other machines of similar character, and in fact this invention can
be applied to any machine which can be operated by a treadle.
It will also be observed that my invention relieves the operator or user from
unnecessary strain, and at the same time diminishes the amount of power required
to operate the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In combination with the shaft or axle of a machine, the clutch G
provided with the friction rollers I, or their equivalents, and cogs d, adapted to be
operated by a reciprocating rack, substantially as described.
'
Second. The clutch G having friction-rollers I, or their equivalents and cogs d,
in combination with the shaft H, the segmental rack F, and the lever C,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The clutch G having friction-rollers I, or their equivalents, and cogs d,
in combination with the shaft H, the reciprocating segmental rack F, the lever B
and the swinging treadle A, constructed to operate as, and for the purposes,
Bet forth.
Fourth. The combination of the shaft H, the clutch G adapted to engage with
the shaft, as specified, and means for revolving the clutch adapted to be operated
or moved by foot power, all substantially as described.
Fifth. In a foot power machine, the combination of the horizontal swinging
treadle M, the forked lever N¹ the shaft or axle of the machine, the clutch
pulley O, and the strap o, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.