Adjustable Cam.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Adjustable Cam.
I, IGNATZ QURIN, Engineer of Cologne, Hansaring No. 15, in the Province of
Rhineland, Germany, 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 :-
My invention refers to a part of a machine called by me an adjustable cam
which, by its rotation, is to cause a regularly repeated alternate starting and
stopping of the motions of the other parts of a machine, and is therefore specially
adapted for the most different kinds of regulating and distributing work e.g. in tool-
machines, power-motors of every kind etc. The eccentric is to be continually kept
in rotation by the respective machine itself or also by any other motive-power, and
is to act on the part of the machine that is to be worked by it, by means of the
projections and depressions in its circumference, whereby it is taken for granted
that the part of the machine in question is continually by some force or other
pressed with its one end or head, which may be rounded off, sloped off or provided
with a roller against the eccentric, thus rubbing against it.
The adjustable cam can be executed in different forms and three of them are
represented on Sheet I and two of the drawings.
Figs. 1 to 8, Sheet I, represent the first form, Fig. 2 is the side-view, Fig. 4 the
view from above and Fig. 8 the rear view.
Fig. 1 forms the section A B of Fig. 2,
Fig. 3 the section CD of Fig. 2,
Fig. 5 the section E F of Fig. 4,
Fig. 6 the angle section G H J of Fig. 4 and
Fig. 7 the section L M of Fig. 6.
Figs. 9 to 13 shew the second form of construction.
Fig. 10 forms a part of the side-view,
Fig. 11 the view from above,
Fig. 9 the view of a front-part,
Fig. 12 forms the section QR of Fig. 10 and
Fig. 13 the angle-section N O P of Fig. 11.
In Figs. 14 to 17 the third form of construction is drawn.
Fig. 14 is the side-view, Fig. 15 the view from above and Fig. 16 a front-view of
it, Fig. 17 is the section ST of Fig. 14.
Figs. 18 and 19 on Sheet II shew the cam in connection with the governor of a
motor.
The drawings on Sheet III represent a few applications of the invention to
different kinds of motors.
Fig. 20 is a form as applied to a steam-engine with piston-slide gear, Figs. 21
and 22 as applied to a steam-engine with valve gear and Fig. 23 as applied to
gas-petroleum-carbonic-acid-and other motors.
The cam is to act by means of the projections and depressions in its circumference
during its rotation or its oscillating motion which is necessary for certain purposes
on the part of the machine that is to be worked by it, whereby it is taken for
granted that the part of the machine in question is continually by some force or
other pressed with its one end or head, which may be rounded off, sloped off or
provided with a roller against the cam.
In all three forms of execution of the cam, the adjustment is carried out by the
depression a², which is between the adjusting edges a' and f¹ (Figs. 3, 12 and 17) on
the circumference being shortened according to need-if necessary until it quite

page_text: disappears, or by its being increased to its maximum length, in this case 90° of
the circumference. This length may however be larger or smaller.
The first and second form of the cam, not being essentially different, are in
common described and the differences of construction which may be applied to the
first, the second and also the third form are specially mentioned where necessary.
Thus for example there is the raised segment (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8) on
the circumference of the cam in the first form, which arrangement may also be
made in the other two forms, and may likewise be wanting in all three constructions,
as the raised segment b principally effects only the opening and shutting off of the
flowing out of the exhausted steam, when the cam is applied to steam-engines with
piston or other valve-gear.
The cam is composed of at least two parts, as in the constructions shown in
Fig. 1 to 8 and 9 to 13. The one part a or the guide, is firmly connected with the
shaft c or made of one piece with it, while the other part for the slide, is fastened
to the shaft, so as to be able to rotate and at the same time slide in a longitudinal
direction. Both parts touch each other with screw-shaped slide-faces lying
obliquely to the axis of the shaft and corresponding to the inclined surface of a
steep square-threaded screw-thread; the slide-surface of the piece a is marked d
(Figs. 6, 7 and 13), that of the piece with a¹ (Figs. 5 and 8). Here the two
pieces of the first form of construction (Figs. 1 to 8) catch by means of a groove e
let into alongside of d¹ (Figs. 5 and 6) and a corresponding ledge or rib e¹ pro-
jecting in a along d, so that f glides securely along a and cannot be separated from
it (Fig. 3). The sliding surface d together with the ledge e' may be best seen in
the part longitudinal section (Fig. 6) as well as in the section (Fig. 7), as here the
slide piece is supposed to be cut away.
In the second form of construction (Figs 9 to 13) the forced sliding off along a
is caused by the groove e in this case let in alongside of the sliding-surface d of the
guide a. In this groove the rib or ledge e¹ which is situated along d¹ in the slide f,
is guided (Figs. 12 and 13), an arrangement that may also be applied to the first
form of construction instead of the one drawn and described.
This
The slide is so much longer than the guide a, that both parts can be moved as
far as corresponds to a change of the depression a² from its maximum length
supposed to be at right angles to the axis of the shaft to O, O extension, and
that at the same time nevertheless both ends of fare guided on the shaft c.
guide is effected at one end of ƒ by a socket-shaped piece surrounding the shaft c,
in which there is the groove g--which groove however is not to form an essential
part of the whole-at the other end by a ring which moves lengthways and
revolves on the shaft, which is connected by means of the screw i, Figs. 1 and 2
in the first form of construction, or as in the second form by means of a bolt h¹
projecting at one part of the ring h, (Figs. 9, 10 and 11) and a nut i with the
corresponding end of f. In the construction of the cam as in Figs. 1-8 the
guide-ring is placed in a depression 2 bored into the face of the guide a (Figs. 1
2 and 6) while in the construction as in Figs. 9 to 13 it lies immediately on the
shaft c before the face of the guide a; by this means a greater length of the latter
construction as well as the tail-shaped continuations of the guide, which receives
the pin of the ring (vide Figs. 9 10 and 11) is caused. Of course the guide-
ringh can be fixed in the same manner in the first form of construction as in the
second form or vice-versa.
The surfaces opposite the bent slide faces d and d' of the guides a and fare
straight, run parallel with the axis of the shaft and form the descending edge a¹
and the ascending edge f, when the cam turns in the direction of the arrow (Figs. 3
and 12).
If the slide fis pushed by any force-a fork with ring for example catching in
the groove g in the longitudinal direction of the shaft towards the stationary
guide a the slide f must in consequence of the guide formed by the slide-faces d
and d¹ and corresponding to their slope rotate at the same time on the shaft c, so
that the straight surface in the direction of the axis with the ascending edge f!

page_text: approaches the straight surface in the direction of the axis with the descending
edge a' until the longitudinal as well as the revolving motion is stopped by the
contact of these surfaces or edges, and the depression a² has thus entirely dis-
appeared. If the slide is then drawn back on the shaft, then in consequence of
the forced guiding of the rib e' in the groove e a revolving off in the opposite
direction to the former one, away from the guide a takes place, so that a space a³ is
again formed between a' and which gradually reaches its maximum. In this
manner therefore the depression a² on the circumference of the cam is diminished
or increased according to need between the limits made by the extreme positions,
according as the slide f is pushed forward in the longitudinal direction on the shaft c
towards a or drawn back from a.
The slide and the guide a may naturally also be interchanged so that the former
would be attached firmly and the latter loosely on the shaft c. In this case the
groove, if needed must be formed in the piece a.
The kind of construction as shown in the Figs. 14 to 17 differs from the two
others in so far that between the guide a, which is again stationary on the shaft
and the slide f another intermediate piece ff is inserted, which on the one hand is
guided at m with a rib in a groove of the part a, and on the other hand guides the
slide in a corresponding arrangement of groove and rib at n, Fig. 17. The
guide fin this case can no longer be moved longitudinally but can only revolve on
the shaft c because the ring his stopped by the ring j, while the intermediate
pieceff is pushed along the shaft and simultaneously revolves round it (Fig. 14,
15 and 16). On account of the latter having a wedge-like shape (Fig. 14) the
slide faces running in a direction at m opposite to the slide faces of the grooves and
ribs at n, when the slide ff is pushed forward on the shaft c in the direction of a,
so that each point offf approaches the opposite side of a i.e. the descending edge a¹
(Fig. 17) and at the same time, the piece f in consequence of the incline of the
thread of the slide-faces at n is pushed forward about the shaft c away from the
middle of ff, so that with an equal incline of the right and left worm slide face,
the ascending edge f¹ on the one side of approaches the descending edge a¹ with
double the velocity which would be caused by the advance of the intermediate
pieceff along the worm slide face of a. Thus in this construction with equal
length of the whole apparatus and with the same incline of the slide-faces as in the
two first mentioned constructions double the velocity in changing the depression a³
at the circumference of the cam may be obtained; or the apparatus may, if the
same change in velocity as in the first two constructions is to be retained, be made
about half as long as in the latter, or with a smaller incline of the slide faces;
ff is here connected by means of a screw and bolt with the neck-ring f¹ Fig. 14
and 15, but may also be made of one piece with it. Of course the wedge shaped
intermediate piece ff may be firmly attached to the shaft c and both the parts a
and be movable and simultaneously be slid on the shaft, but ff also be movable
on the shaft c and be guided in a middle groove and rib along the shaft, while the
two parts a and can revolve about the shaft c, so that when ff slides forward the
descending edge from the one and the ascending edge from the other move about
the shaft and with equal velocity towards each other. One of the pieces a and f
may also be guided in a middle-groove and rib along the shaft and be capable of
sliding lengthways on it, while the other piece as well as ƒƒ is fixed to the shaft,
so as only to be able to rotate.
Of course the incline of the slide-faces in all the three constructions may be made
up to any degree and the sides d and d¹ of the slide-faces may also be placed in any
other direction instead of radially to the axis of the cam, and may have an arched,
hollow or other kind of profile.
The part of the cam that slides in a longitudinal direction may also
be set in motion by a stopping-mechanism worked by hand, as lever stopping
mechanism, hand-wheel with screw-spindle, or also by the direct action of
a governor of the engine. As an example the latter mode is shown in
Figs. 18 and 19. A toothed-rod c, which receives an up and down motion

page_text: by the oscillations of the lever p caused by the governor, causes a small toothed-
wheel to rotate; with it the shaft r with the conical toothed-wheels and s, and
thus also the screw-spindle s' that is in connection with it. By this rotation the
nut situated on the spindle s¹ moves the angle-lever t, that catches with its
eccentric-ring u attached to its longer forked arm into the groove of the slide f, thus
imparting to the latter a longitudinal sliding motion. The connection of the slide
with the governor can also be effected by other well known means.
In the drawings on Sheet III, that represent a few examples of the application
of the adjustable cam in different kinds of motors, the cam is marked with E and its
parts, as far as possible with the same letters as used on Sheets I and II.
Fig. 20 Sheet III of the drawings shows the cam in connection with a steam-
engine for working a piston slide valve motion in the same in such a manner that
only one cam is necessary for the setting in motion of both the slide-rods a³ and a*,
each of which is connected with a piston-slide 3 and a counter-piston 6. This cam
causes the motion of both a3 and a and 3 and 4, because its shaft c being perpen-
dicular to the axis of the steam-cylinder lies between the rollers m² and m³ on the
guides M' and M2 of the slide-rods a³ and which are parallel to the axis of the
steam cylinder. The fresh steam enters at c³ between the piston 63 and the counter-
piston and by their sliding into the steam-passage of the gear-casing G and
from it into the steam-cylinder F. The counter-piston 6 has a smaller diameter
than the piston 63, in order that only so much additional pressure may act on the
latter as is necessary to continually press the rollers against the cam.
exhausted steam, the distribution of which is performed by the raised segment b on
the circumference of the cam passes out of G at c.
The
Instead of a piston-slide valve-motion a three-port slide-valve motion may be
connected with the rods a³ and at, only in this case the rods a³ and a must be con-
tinually pressed against the circumference of the cam by the steam-pressure on their
free section and by the use of counter weights or buffer-pistons.
The cam-shaft c may also be placed parallel to the axis of the steam-cylinder
and the rods a³ and a perpendicularly to the latter, or a³ and a* may be arranged
alongside of the steam-cylinder and perpendicularly to its transverse-axis, and a
special cam be used for each of the rods a³ and a*.
In an application of the cam E for the opening and shutting of the inlet valves
in steam-engines with valve-motion, as shown in Figs. 21 and 22, it is taken for
granted that the inlet-valves open towards the middle of the steam-cylinder and
that a spring or any other force is continually by its pressure on the valve-rod d
striving to open the valve connected with it, in consequence of which by the
simultaneous action of the lever H and the rod M the roller m¹ is continuously
pressed against the circumference of the cam E. If the lever H is as in Fig. 21
one-armed, the part M can rest directly with its head or its roller m² on E, and the
spring at M serves for the reception of impacts when the valve settles down on
its seat.
When the lever H is two-armed, as shown in Fig. 22, the roller m² is on the
double-armed lever O, which receives its motion direct from the cam E and transfers
it to the part M that is connected with it. To allow of the elastic settling down of
the inlet-valve in shutting off the steam, the part M must also consist of two parts
and have a compensating spring a at M in Fig. 21, which in this case however is
pressed together by a drawing out motion of the two ends of M, while the compen-
sating spring in Fig. 21 is pressed together by a force, acting from the two ends
towards the centre of M, when the roller m' slides up on the ascending edge f¹ in
the cam E.
With reference to the arrangement as in Fig. 23 we would first mention that an
inlet-valve for the impulsive medium: gas, petroleum, carbonic-acid etc. is supposed
to be in connection with the valve-rod d. This impulsive medium is attempting
more or less, according to its nature, continually to raise the valve from its seat.
The spring y which acts on d5 and presses with its force, possibly being aided by
the motive power, the roller m in the lever o' continuously against the circumference

page_text: of the cam E, has the same tendency. The spring y in its turn serves as com-
pensating spring for the reception of impacts caused by the motions of the valve or
for the elastic settling down of the valve on its seat.
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. Adjustable cam in which the distance between the edges a' and f' that effect
tbe change of motion can be changed by its being formed of two parts a and f
which are guided in each other in such a manner, that if the one part is moved
forward in the direction of the axis, it slides along the worm of the other part and
is thereby made to revolve.
2. Adjustable cam of the kind distinguished in Claim 1, in which between the
two parts a and a further third part is inserted, guided to the right and left by
a screw-thread, in order to produce a quicker rotatory motion of the part f.
Dated this Twenty third day of October 1893.
For IGNATZ QURIN,
B. Brockhues,
Applicant's Agent.
For IGNATZ QURIN,
B. Brockhues,
Applicant's Agent.