Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Shafting.
Year: 1886

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by CHARLES S. HIGGINS, Junior, of Brooklyn, New
York, United States of America, Soap Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Coupling and Uncoupling Shafting.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to devices for coupling and, uncoupling sections of shafting
employed for the transmission of power to machinery in mills, machine shops
manufactories and other like establishments.
Its objects are to provide means by which one or more pieces may be separated
from a line of shafting without disturbing the other parts of the line and permit of
one or more of several machines being stopped at any time without any interference
with the course of the engine with the working of the other machines actuated by the
revolution of said shafting with any other machine or any other line of shafting.
These objects are secured by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawing in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a line of shafting in two pieces a portion of each of
the latter and of an improved coupling device being also shown in section; Figure 2
is a vertical section of the box or chamber of said coupling device, and of the shafting,
the key way in the same, and the coupling key: Figure 3 is a perspective view of the
coupling key. In said drawing A is the ceiling of the mill machine shop or manu-
factory. BB are elongated rigid hangers bolted to said ceiling and supporting one
section of the line of shafting CC are short rigid hangers bolted to said ceiling-
and provided with sockets DD. E is a rod running parallel with said ceiling in the
hangers CC its ends being secured in the sockets DD by the nuts FF. G is
another short rigid hanger bolted to said ceiling. HH are grooved wheels resting
upon the rod E the axles of said wheels supporting short rigid hangers II from which
is suspended the adjustable hanger J. K is a circular box or chamber in the lower
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1

page_text: part of the hanger J for the reception of the other section of the line of shafting and
also the coupling key. L is a line of shafting in two sections, one being supported
by the hangers B B, and the other by the hanger J. M M are sleeves which encircle
the adjacent ends of the two sections of the line of shafting L being held in place
thereon by the pins N N and being recessed to receive the coupling key. O is an
elongated coupling key provided with an elbow situated in the box or chamber K
fitting into the key-way in the shafting L and adapted to be moved back and forth in said
key-way and and to be revolved with said shafting in the box or chamber K. P and P¹
are openings on either side of the box or chamber K to permit of the passage of the
shafting and coupling key. R is an arm pivoted to the hanger at a and to
the lever T at b. S is an angular key way in the shafting L extending from a point at
the left of the hanger J through the sleeve M into the sleeve M' in which key-way
the coupling key runs. T is a hand lever pivoted at c to the hanger G having the
arm R pivoted to it at and provided at its lower extremity with a suitable handle if
desired. U is a belt wheel or pulley on the shafting L.
Similar letters refer to corresponding parts in the several views.
Having constructed this improvement as described and shown and having placed it
in position with relation to the shafting as shown in Figure 1 said shafting presents
one entire unbroken line and as it revolves imparts motive power to all the machines
connected with it.
Whenever it is desired for any reason to uncouple and disconnect that portion of
the line of shafting supported by the hanger J from that portion supported by the
hangers BB the lever T is pushed to the left the arm R draws with it the hanger J the
latter as it passes to the left draws with it the coupling key O along the key way S and
out of the sleeve M until said lever, hanger, arm, and coupling key are in the position
shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1. Said section of the shafting supported by the
hanger at once ceases to revolve and the machine connected with it comes to a
standstill while the other portion of the shafting supported by the hangers BB
continues its revolution and the operation of the machine or machines connected with
it is not interrupted.
The
Said lever T being pushed to the right the arm R moves with it the hanger J the
latter in its movement to the right carries with it the coupling key Ŏ causing
the latter to pass along the key way S into the sleeve M¹ as shown in Figure 1.
two portions of the shafting are thus reconnected and revolve together as an entire
line and the machine which has been temporarily stopped resumes its operation.
The advantages which the invention possesses are that it is simple in construction
easy of operation readily applied to any system or line of inflexible shafting and at
the same time serves as a support to said shafting.
In case any disarrangement of parts occurs to any machine operated by the shafting
to which this improved coupling is applied whereby injury is likely to ensue to the
machine or the material in course of construction or being operated upon, this
invention affords a prompt effectual and efficient means of avoiding and preventing
the same by the ease with which the shafting may be disconnected and the machine
brought to a standstill.
It is particularly advantageous as a means of preventing accident and injury to the
attendant of the machine, as the shafting can be instantly disconnected by the simple
movement of the lever as above described bringing the machine to rest.
It requires no skill whatever to operate it has no complicated and intricate parts
liable to become disarranged and useless, and being placed in close proximity to the
machine, is at all times within the reach and under the control of the attendant of the
machine.
I am aware that devices have been constructed by means of which pieces of a line
of shafting have been connected by couplings pins and keys, and that the usual object
of said devices was to enable a single piece to be taken out of a line of shafting without
disturbing the other parts of the line. I do not claim any of such devices or any of
them irrespective of their manner of application to the shafting.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent and in what manner the same is
to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An improved coupling attachment for shafting consisting of an adjustable hanger
such as J carrying a coupling key such as O and operated by a lever such as T;
whereby said coupling key is caused to disconnect or connect adjacent portions of the
line of shafting; substantially as shown and described.
2. In an attachment for shafting the lever Tarm R adjustable hanger J provided
with a box or chamber K containing a coupling key O in combination with a line of
shafting in sections provided with the recessed sleeves M and M' and angular key
way S; substantially as described and shown and for the purpose specified.
3. A safety appliance for shafting consisting of hangers CC rod E grooved
wheels H H hangers II and adjustable hanger J provided with a circular box or
chamber K containing a revoluble coupling key O fitting and moving in an angular
key way in the shafting and in sleeves M M on said shafting and operated by a
lever T; substantially as described and shown.
4. The adjustable hanger J carrying the coupling key O and operated by the lever T
in combination with a line of shafting provided with an angular key way S therein;
substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination of the adjustable banger J provided with_a_circular box or
chamber K revoluble coupling key O lever Tand line of shafting L L provided with
sheaves M M¹ substantially as shown and described and for the purpose specified.