IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR CRANKED SHARTS OD Å TITS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Howard, of King and Queen Iron Works,
Rotherhithe, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OR CRANKED SHARTS OD Å TITS"
AD
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Howard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
February 1857.
J, THOMAS HOWARD, of King and Queen Iron Works, Rotherhithe, in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF CRANKED SHAFTS OR AXLES," to
be as follows:-
'
My improvements consist in the manufacture of wrought-iron cranked
shafts in more than one piece, by making the throws or cranked parts entire
but separately from the shaft part and afterwards uniting them-mechanically
together, by which means the advantages are attained of forming the same,
especially when of large dimensions, much nearer the finished size than when
made in one piece, of manipulating the parts more perfectly, with less hazard
of imperfections, and giving facilities in finishing the same by machinery.
To effect this, I make the throws or cranked parts to serve the office of two
ordinary cranks, but with a solid union at the extremity or crank pin, by
making them entire, an intermediate part being removed or omitted to afford

page_text: the space required for the free motion of the rod to be jointed, when in use, to
the solid crank pin. The parts near the centre of rotation of the double crank
so formed are enlarged, to admit into a hole made in them the ends of the
shaft part, and to leave the required substance for strength around the same,
and they are then shrunk by means of heat on to the said shaft ends prepared
to receive them, and further prevented from turning on the same by a key or
keys, as in ordinary cranks. Or, this may be effected by forming the said
shaft ends of some other than a cylindrical shape, as for instance, an oval
figure or a polygon, and forming the holes in the cranks accordingly, to be
fitted and secured by shrinking or otherwise, and when a counterbalance is
used I sometimes make it entire with the throws, or leave a projection to
which it may be secured. The shaft part may be made in one longitudinal
piece, and the throw parts slid on it into their position and there secured, and
the portion of the shaft left between the throws be afterwards cut out; but I
préfer making the shafts in short lengths to be 'fixed separately into the
throws.
This construction is especially applicable to double-throw cranked axles of
large size for screw propelling engines, but I do not confine the employment
of it thereto, neither do I limit the construction to the employment of wrought
iron either in whole or in part.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Howard in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th August 1857.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
IIOWARD, of King and Queen Iron Works, Rotherhithe, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Howard, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Howard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said;
Thomas Howard, my executors, administrators, and assigns; should at any
time agree with, and no others, froin 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;

page_text: the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF CRANKED SHAFTS OR AXLES". upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Thomas Howard, 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 Invention;
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Howard, do hereby declare
the nature of my, said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements consist in the manufacture of cranked shafts in more than
one piece, especially when of wrought iron, by making the throws or cranked.
parts entire and separately from the shaft part and afterwards uniting the
whole mechanically together, by which means the advantages are attained of
forming the same, especially when of. large dimensions, much nearer the
finished size than when made in one piece, of manipulating the parts more
perfectly, with less hazard of imperfections, and giving facilities for finishing
by machinery. To effect this, I make the throws or cranked parts to serve
the office of two ordinary cranks, but with a solid union at the extremity or
crank pin, by making them entire, an intermediate part being removed or
omitted to afford the space required for the free motion of the rod jointed
when in use to this solid crank pin. The parts at the centre of rotation of the
double crank so formed are enlarged, to admit of a hole being made in them
to receive the shaft part, and to leave the required substance for strength
around the same, and they are then shrunk by means of heat on to the ends
of the said shaft part prepared to receive them, and are further prevented
from turning on the same by a key or keys, as in ordinary cranks. Or, this
may be effected by forming the said shaft ends of some other than a cylindrical
shape, as for instance, an oval figure or a polygon, and forming the holes in
the cranks accordingly, to be fitted and secured by shrinking or otherwise,
and when a counterbalance is used I sometimes make it entire with the
throws, or leave a projection to which it may be secured. The shaft part may
be made in one longitudinal piece, and the throw parts slid on it into their
position and there secured, and the portion of the shaft left between the throws
be afterwards cut out; but I prefer making the shaft in short lengths to be
fixed separately into the throws.
This construction is especially applicable to double-throw cranked axles of

page_text: large-size for screw propelling engines, but I do not confine. the 'employment
of it thereto, neither do I limit the construction to the employment of wrought
iron either in whole or in part.
"
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the constructing
of cranked shafts or axles in the manner herein-before 'described: 1
In witness whereof; I, the said. Thomas Howard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of August, One thousand eight hundred
⚫ and fifty-seven.