An Improved Adjustable or Expanding Pulley.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Adjustable or Expanding Pulley.
We David Speirs, of 514 Derby Terrace, Breightmet, near Bolton, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, and JOSEPH SCHMIDLIN, of Bradley Fold, near
Bolton, in the County of Lancaster, Calico Printer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention 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 adjustable or expanding pulleys employed for the
purpose of enabling the velocity imparted to the moving parts of machinery to be
varied and consists in an improved form of adjustable or expanding pulley which
while applicable especially for use in or in connection with machinery used in the
printing, dyeing and finishing of woven fabrics and the manufacture of paper is
also applicable for use in or in connection with other kinds of machinery in which
adjustable or expanding pulleys are required or applicable.
The object of this invention is the provision of adjustable or expanding pulleys
which shall be simpler and cheaper in construction, less liable to wear and other
derangements and more readily repaired when repair is necessary than the
adjustable or expanding pulleys hitherto employed and which shall be capable of
being readily expanded or allowed to contract while the moving parts of the
machines in which such pulleys are employed are in motion.
An adjustable or expanding pulley constructed according to this invention is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section
of such pulley and Fig. 2 is a front elevation of such pulley with certain parts
omitted in order that confusion may be avoided and Fig. 3 is a front elevation
of one of the segments of the circumference of such pulley with the arm secured
to or formed upon it. Fig. 1 also illustrates means by which the pulley indicated
in such figure may be expanded or allowed to contract while the moving parts of
the machine in or in connection with which it is employed are in motion. The
same letters of reference are applied to corresponding parts in all the figures of
the accompanying drawings.
(A) is the shaft upon which the pulley is mounted and (B) is the boss of the
pulley, which is formed with radial arms (B'). Each of the arms (B¹) is formed
with a hole formed radially in relation to the pulley and adapted to act as a
bearing or guide for an arm (C) formed upon or secured in any suitable manner
to one of the segments (C) forming the circumference of the pulley. The arms (CT)
are fitted into the holes in the arms (B¹) so as to be capable of being slidden
therein. In conjunction with each of the segments (C) are provided two springs (C)
each of which is connected at one end to the said segment (C) and at the other end
to the boss (B) of the pulley. The springs (C³) tend to draw the segments (C)
towards the axis of the pulley. In conjunction with each of the arms (C¹) is
provided a lever (D) capable of being oscillated upon a stud (D¹) passing through
ugs formed on the boss (B) of the pulley. Each lever (D) is formed with a head
or part (D) fitting into a cavity (C) formed to receive it in the arm (C) of the
egment (C) in conjunction with which the said lever (D) is employed and a hole
s formed through the side of the arm (B) in which the said arm (C') is mounted
n order to allow the part (D) of the lever (D) to act upon the said arm (C¹).
Each lever (D) is also formed with an inclined part (D³) upon which may be
aused to act a conical surface formed in the interior of a part or bell (E) mounted
pon the shaft (A) and capable of being slidden thereon by means of the lever (F)
hich is mounted upon a stud or support (F1) supported in any suitable manner.
The lever (F) is formed with jaws in which are mounted pins provided with
TD 037

page_text: parts (F) adapted to engage with the groove (E¹) formed around the boss of the
part or bell (E). Only one of the parts (F) is indicated in the accompanying
drawings. The lever (F) is arranged to be moved upon its fulcrum by means of
the screw (G) which is mounted in a bearing (G1) formed in any suitable part and
is prevented from being moved longitudinally therein. The screw (G) is provided
with a hand-wheel (H) by means of which it may be turned. The screw (G) engages
with a nut (G) formed in a part mounted and capable of being oscillated in the
lever (F). By means of the hand-wheel (H) the screw (G) may be turned in one
direction or the other so as to move the lever (F) and cause the part or bell (E)
to be moved either in the direction indicated by the arrow (1) or in the contrary
direction. When the part or bell (E) is moved in the direction indicated by the
arrow (1) the conical surface in the interior of such part or bell (E) pressing upon
the inclined parts (D³) of the levers (D) will cause the arms (C) and segments (C)
to be moved outwards away from the axis of the pulley in opposition to the pull
of the springs (C) and when the part or bell (E) is moved in the direction contrary
to that indicated by the arrow (L) the springs (C) will draw the segments (C)
and arms (C) towards the axis of the pulley and contract the said pulley. The
screw (G) securing the lever (F) in any position into which it may be moved by
means of the screw (G) secures the segments (C) in any position into which they
may have been moved by the movement of the lever (F) and so prevents any
undesired changes in the diameter of the circumference of the pulley from taking
place.
The springs (C2) besides serving to contract the circumference of the pulley
serve also to prevent the centrifugal force resulting from the revolution of
such pulley from causing the segments (C). and arms (C¹) to leave the sockets
formed in the arms (B).
The beads or parts (D) of the levers (D) fitting into the cavities (C³) in the
arms (C) of the segments in conjunction with which such levers (D) are respec-
tively employed, prevent the said arms (C') from turning in the arms (B') in which
they are respectively mounted.
The movement of the bell or part (E) in the direction indicated by the
arrow (1) is limited by the levers (D) arriving against the outer ends of the holes
in the arms (B) through which the parts (D2) of such levers (D) respectively pass
or by the part (E³) of the bell or part (E) arriving in contact with the levers (D)
according to the position in which the bell or part (E) may be when it is caused
to commence to act upon the inclined parts (D) of the levers (D). The movement
of the bell or part (E) in the direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow (1)
is limited by the stud or support (F1) on which the lever (F) is mounted being
placed in such position that the bell or part (E) shall in being moved in the
direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow (1) and before such bell or
part (E) passes clear of the levers (D) arrive against the lever (F) so as to be
prevented from being moved further in such direction. By placing the stud or
support (F) in the said position we are enabled to dispense with the use of collars
or other devices to limit the movements of the bell or part (E) upon the shaft (A)
but if it be preferred in any case collars or any other suitable means may be
employed to limit the movements of the bell or part (E) upon the shaft (A).
In the pulley illustrated in the accompanying drawings the arms (C¹) and the
bell (E) are provided respectively with renewable parts (C') and (E) secured in
position in any suitable manner for the levers (D) used therewith to bear
against but if it be preferred the renewable parts may be dispensed with and the
arms (C) and bell or part (E) may be caused to bear against the levers (D).
Although the pulley illustrated in the accompanying drawings is provided with
four segments (C) it is obvious that pulleys constructed according to this invention
may be provided with three or any greater number of segments similar and
arranged and employed similarly to the segments (C) and that the form of the
levers (D) and bell or part (E) may be somewhat varied without departure from
this invention.

page_text: Pulleys constructed according to this invention are simple and cheap to
construct, little liable to derangement or wear and readily repaired whenever
repair may be necessary and capable of being easily changed or adjusted in
diameter when the moving parts of the machines in or in conjunction with which
they are employed are in motion.
Instead of being arranged to be moved by means of the screw (G) a pulley
constructed according to this invention may be arranged to be moved by means of
a hand lever or by means of a screw arranged to act upon the bell or part (E).
of such pulley in any other suitable manner.
Pulleys constructed according to this invention may be employed in pairs and
the means by which the part or bell (E) of each of the pulleys forming a pair may
be so arranged in conjunction with the parts by which the parts or bells (E).
of such pulleys are moved that one of such pulleys may be caused to expand
while the other is allowed to contract and allowed to contract while the other is.
caused to expand.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
In an adjustable or expanding pulley, the combination of arms or segments (C),.
springs (C), levers (D) and bell or part (E), arranged, employed and operating
for the purposes and substantially in the manner hereinbefore described.
Dated this Seventeenth day of October 1894.
HOWARD CHEETHAM,
Manchester, Agent to the Applicants.