IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHAFTS, AXLES AND BARS
Year: 1884

page_text: J, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHAFTS, AXLES AND BARS" and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
-
· The Invention hereinafter described relates to a new construction of shafts to be
used for steamships, locomotives, railroad cars, wagons, or for any purpose for
which shafts, axles and analogous strong bars may be used, either in connection
with cranks, couplings, wheels or the like, or alone.
The Invention consists in constructing each shaft of one or more bunches of wire,
which are held together by wires wound spirally around the same, or by clamps, or
other mechanical contrivance.
In the Drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the improved shaft. Figure 2 is a
side view of a modified construction of the shaft. Figure 3 is a perspective view
of two halves of a collar, which may be used on the shaft. Figure 4 is a cross
section of the shaft. Figure 5 is a cross-section of a modified construction of the
shaft. Figure 6 is a cross-section of the shaft, showing it connected with a crank.
Figure 7 is a side view of a railroad car axle constructed according to this
Invention. Figure 8 is a side view of a wagon axle constructed according to this
Invention. Figure 9 is a perspective view of a coupling which may be used in
connection with this Invention.
The advantages of the shafts constructed as herein described, as compared with
those heretofore in use, are chiefly an extraordinary torsional and transverse
strength and a considerable degree of transverse and torsional elasticity, by reason
of which they are capable of enduring, without breaking or injury, sudden and
violent shocks and strains, to which steamship shafts, car axles and the like are
frequently exposed.
The shaft is made by massing together wires,-iron or steel being preferable-of
suitable length and sufficient quantity to obtain the desired size, which are then
firmly and compactly bound together by winding around the same one or more
layers of wire spirally from end to end, as is indicated at a in Figures 1, 7 and 8.

page_text: When the desired size of the shaft is obtained, it is, or may be, surrounded at
suitable distances apart (Figure 1) or continuously from end to end (Figure 2) by
collars or clamps b, shrunk upon it, or secured by means of bolts, said collars or
clamps serving to more thoroughly strengthen and bind the parts of the shaft
together, without lessening either the torsional or the transverse elasticity of the
shaft. Some of the collars, when used, are fitted and placed upon and around the
shaft at positions where they may be used as bearings, upon which the shaft will
turn, when put into its place of service.
Instead of making the shaft of one single bunch d of wires, as is indicated in
Figure 5, it may be constructed by having a central bunch é or core of wires
massed together and held compactly together by wires wound spirally around such
bunch or core, or by other means, around which central bunch may be placed a
circle or series of bunches ff, of the same or similar construction, the whole being
bound together in the manner already described. Any number of circles or series
of bunches ff may be added to the central bunch or core, so as to obtain any
. desired size of the shaft.
Between the 'bunches f, that are placed in circles around the central bunch or
core e, will be triangular spaces g g (Figure 4) which may be filled with rods-iron
or steel being preferable-made in shape to fill such spaces or angles, the purpose
and advantage of such rods being to ensure a greater degree of compactness and
solidity of the shaft.
The shaft may be made by massing together wires of the whole length of the
shaft, which are bound together and secured by collars and clamps, or otherwise, as
above described, or it may be made in separate sections, the wires in each bunch or
section of shaft being shorter than the whole shaft, and the sections of shaft thus
formed being united by serrated couplings i, of which one is shown, or by flanged
collars, clutches or analogous means.
The collars or bearings b of the size required may be shrunk upon and around
the shaft, or they may be made each in two or more separate, longitudinal parts,
as indicated in Figure 3, and secured in their proper positions upon the shaft by
means of outer clamps h, as indicated in Figure 2. The collars and clamps may be
made with clutches at their ends, as shown in Figure 9, each matching and fitting
the collar or clamp placed next to it on the shaft, the advantage thereof being a
capacity to regulate the torsion of the shaft to a greater or less degree, as may be
desired. In Figures 1, 2 and 6 is shown a crank j affixed to a shaft of the
construction hereinabove described.
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:-
1 A shaft composed of bunched wires, substantially as specified.
2nd A shaft composed of bunched wires held together by wires bound spirally
around the same, substantially as specified.
3rd A shaft composed of bunched wires and collars b, substantially as described.
4th A shaft composed of bunched wires, collars b and clamps h, substantially as
described,
5th A shaft composed of bunched wires, and combined with the crank j,
substantially as described.
6th A shaft composed of a central bunch or core e, and of one or more circles or
series of bunches ƒ around the central bunch, each of said bunches being made of
wire, substantially as described.
7th A shaft composed of bunched wires, having a central bunch or core e, and
one or more circles or series of bunches f around the central bunch, the whole
being surrounded by wires bound spirally round the shaft, substantially as
described.
8th A shaft composed of bunched wires, having a central bunch or core e, and
one or more circles or series of bunches faround the central bunch, and rods filling
out the spaces g between the bunches, substantially as described.

page_text: 9th A shaft or axle made of one or more wire bunches, each having the whole
length of the axle, substantially as specified.
10th A shaft or axle made of sections of wire bunches placed end to end,
substantially as specified.