AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THE DRIVING BANDS OF MACHINERY IN MOVEMENT
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Marc Antoine François Mennons, of the British and
Foreign Patent Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of
France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING THE
DRIVING BANDS OF MACHINERY IN MOVEMENT."-A communication.
Sealed the 8th February 1859, and dated the 31st August 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Marc Antoine François
Mennons at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 31st August 1858.
I, MARC ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent
Offices, 39, Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
MOUNTING THE DRIVING BANDS OF MACHINERY IN MOVEMENT," a communication,
to be as follows:-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved mechanical
arrangement for setting in position at will the driving bands of machinery in
movement. The apparatus is composed of a wooden or metallic sector
mounted on an independent axle fixed to the standard or suspension near the
extremity of the drum on which the driving band is to be passed; a sufficient
space being left between the drum and the sector to assure the unimpeded

page_text: revolution of the former when at work. A small projecting stop is fitted into
the end of the drum facing the sector on which the driving band is suspended
when at rest.
To mount the band on the drum, the standard is moved forward so as to
bring the sector within reach of the projecting stop, which carries it on with
the band in its movement of rotation, and throws the latter into position on
the completion of the first revolution. The same result is obtained when the
stop is fitted to the sector instead of the drum. The band is thrown off the
drum by the ordinary means, and falls back on the sector, which keeps it free
till required to renew the movement.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Marc Antoine François Mennons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 24th February 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MARC
ANTOINE FRANÇOIS MENNONS, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 39,
Rue de l'Echiquier, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, Her special licence that
I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
MOUNTING THE DRIVING BANDS OF MACHINERY IN MOVEMENT," (a communication
from a foreigner residing abroad), upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, that is to say :-
The Invention communicated to me consists in an improved mechanical
arrangement for mounting at will the driving bands of machinery in
movement.
The accompanying Drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated
in the different Figures by the same letters of reference, represents this
apparatus in its primary and modified forms. Figures 1, 2, 3, a sector in
wood or metal, of the same radius as the drum with which it works. B,
drum; C, D, elevation on the edge of the sector, slanting from the outer
angle C to the inner angle D, and acting as guide to the driving band; E, box
on which the sector revolves; F, vertical or horizontal suspension, to which is
fixed the box E; G, shaft passing through the box E without touching it;
H, Figs. 1 and 3, projection or stop fixed in the front of the sector facing the
drum, or, if so required, in the end of the drum facing the sector. The
sector A, the box E, and the suspension F, may each be made in two pieces,
meeting at the centre so as to be mounted round the shaft, without displacing
it. These different parts being set in position, the sector A falls by its own
weight into that represented Figs. 1 & 3, the surface of its arc being on a
level with the bottom of the drum B, from which it is sufficiently removed to
allow the free passage of the stop H. The driving band at rest is represented
by the dotted lines at I, Figs. 1. To pass the driving band I, Figs. 1 & 2,
on the drum B when in motion, it is simply necessary to push the suspension
F towards the latter, so as to bring the sector within its range, as seen in
Fig. 2. The projecting stop H being thus taken up, the sector is carried
forward in the revolution of the drum, and the driving band I is passed over
the latter in following the slant of the elevation.or guide C, D. A modification
of the above form of the apparatus may be obtained by converting the sector
A, of the Figures 1, 2, 3, into an entire tambour or drum A', Figs. 4 & 5, of
the same circumference as the main drum B, with which it is used, and in
adding to it an auxiliary arrangement as in J, J, Figure 5, for passing the
driving band I to or from the drum B. This movement is effected by
throwing forward the suspension F towards the drum B, by means of a lever
or other suitable contrivance. The drum A' is thus brought within reach of
the projecting stop H, and is carried round in the movement of the drum B.-
The driving band pushed forward by the forked piece J, J, Fig. 5, then slides
over the drum B, or returns on A¹, where it remains motionless until again

page_text: required, the movement of the drums when separated being entirely inde-
pendent.
Figure 6 represents another modification of the system in which the sector
A or tambour A¹ in the preceding Figures are replaced by a metallic
band A, B, C, fixed laterally by one end against the tyre of the drum B,
(whose circumference it follows to a certain distance,) and by the other
extremity to the shaft G, round which it may be rolled. It thus forms part
of the drum, and revolves with it. The breadth of this metallic band towards
its base A¹¹ is about double that of the driving band. In receding from the
shaft towards the circumference it gradually decreases til at B¹ its breadth
is the same as that of the driving band. At this point it commences to form
an are concentric with the surface of the drum, and from this to the point C¹
it tapers off in a wedge form. In this system the driving band when at rest
lies on the shaft G or on the support U, the latter arrangement being
preferable, to avoid the wear and tear of the driving band by the friction of
the revolving shaft. The drum B being in movement, it suffices to throw
forward the driving band I by the forked piece J, J, so as to bring it within
range of the parts A", B¹, of the metallic band, which carry it over the drum
B in following the slant of B¹, C¹. To throw off the band, the forked
piece J, J, is moved in the opposite direction. The curve of the metallic
band at the point B' should be proportioned to the diameter of the drum with
which it is worked, so as to avoid the too rapid tension of the driving band
at the moment of its taking up.
When the drum B is of very large dimensions, it may sometimes happen
that the movement given by the forked piece to the driving band be insufficient
to produce the desired effect; this, however, may be obviated by attaching to
the rod of the fork an arm or lever, by means of which the driving band I is
pushed upon the metallic band A¹¹.
The following may be noted among the advantages resulting from the
application of the apparatus above described :-
1stly. Total absence of danger to the workmen in throwing on and off the
driving bands, which operation as now performed by the hand gives rise to
frequent accidents and even loss of life.
2dly. Suppression of free pullies, replaced in the present system by the
sector arrangement.
3dly. Freedom from wear and tear in the driving bands and shafts, and
consequent economy of repairs.
4thly. Economy of time in mounting the driving bands, and impossibility of
their being thrown off in the course of work, as now often occurs.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and the most
advantageous means with which I am acquainted of carrying it into effect, I
would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
before laid down, as these may be modified according to the special circum-
stances of each application; but what I claim is the general construction and
arrangement, as above described and represented in the Drawing, of an
apparatus for mounting at will the driving bands of machinery in movement.
In witness whereof, I, the said Marc Antoine François Mennons, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
M. F. MENNONS. (L.S.)