A Collapsable and Expansible Collar or Washer.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Collapsable and Expansible Collar or Washer.
I, ALFRED MUIR, of the firm of William Muir and Co. Machine Tool Makers,
of Britannia Works, Manchester, in the county of Lancaster, Mechanical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this said invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention consists in a collapsable and expansible collar or washer made in
say two parts which are so combined as to be capable of adjustment axially
whereby the thickness of the collar or washer can be diminished or increased as
desired.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a plan partly in section and Fig. 2 an
edge view of one form of collapsable and expansible collar or washer constructed
according to my Invention and Fig. 3 is a detail view on a larger scale of the two
parts of the collar disconnected.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are similar views to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 respectively showing
another construction of the collar.
Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3:-The collar or washer is shown made in two
parts a and b the adjoining faces of which are oppositely bevelled or spirally inclined
so that when united the two parts a and b together form a collar or washer of uniform
thickness throughout.
A portion of the metal is removed as shown best at c Fig. 3 behind each tooth or
heel a b¹ formed by the junction of the thickest and thinnest portions of the spiral
inclines on the parts a and b and in the space c thus formed is fitted a wedge or taper
key d. The base or widest portion of the wedge d projects beyond the
periphery of the collar as shown in Fig. 1 and has a slotted extension embracing a
stude which screws into one of the parts a b.
The parts a and b are held together by means of a small screw of which passes
freely through a slotted recess in the part a and screws into a threaded hole in the
part ba spiral spring g coiled on the screw fis compressed between the bottom of the
recess in the part a and the head of the screw so that the parts a and b although held
together can yet be moved axially within certain limits.
When the parts are in the relative positions indicated on Figs. 1 and 2 the collar or
washer has its maximum thickness; to reduce the thickness the wedge d is drawn out-
ward by turning the screwed stud e and thereby allowing the two teeth or heels a¹ b¹
to be brought nearer together which has the effect desired.
In the alternative construction illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6 each part a b of the
collar has two spirally inclined surfaces instead of one as in the previous construction.
This permits the use of two wedges or taper keys d with screwed studs e the
wedges being set in opposite directions as shown but otherwise there is no sub-
stantial difference.
This arrangement of the wedges d admits of the positive contraction or expansion
of the collar or washer.
Similarly three or more inclined surfaces on each part, a b in combination with any
suitable number of wedges or taper keys might be employed either all set in the same
direction or some in one and some in the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:―
1. A collapsable and expansible collar or washer made in say two parts having their
1

page_text: wedges for maintaining said parts in their relative axial positions and for effecti
their adjustment in order to vary the thickness of the collar or washer
required.
2. The collapsable and expansible collars or washers constructed of parts arranged
and combined substantially as and for the purposes herein described and as illustrated
by the Drawings. annexed.
Dated this 6th day of March 1800
H. B. BARLOW,
17, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.