Improvements in Apparatus for Shearing and Cutting Wool and Hair and in Flexible Shafting for use in connection therewith.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Shearing and Cutting Wool and Hair
and in Flexible Shafting for use in connection therewith.
We, WILLIAM SILVER, of Tamworth, in the Colony of New South Wales,
Engineer, and NATHAN COHEN, of the same place, Auctioneer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to Improvements in apparatus for shearing wool and cutting
hair which are operated by external power conveyed to them through the medium
of a flexible rotating shaft; and it also relates to improvements in flexible shafting
for use as aforesaid or in like positions. The objects of the Invention are, to
provide improved means for transforming the rotary motion of the shaft into
reciprocating motion to be applied to the cutter; and to provide a simple, safe, and
effective construction of flexible shaft and means for coupling the same to the
shearing machine.
The construction of apparatus which we employ for this purpose is illustrated
in the Drawings annexed hereto, of which Figures 1 to 6 are descriptive of the
machine, and Figures 7 and 8 of the shaft and coupling. Figure 1 is a central
vertical section; Figure 2 plan, cover being removed; Figure 3 side elevation, cover
being opened up; Figure 4 plan illustrative of the construction and arrangement of
the disc, knife-bar, and connecting-arm; Figure 5 side elevation and part section
showing same Figure 6 back elevation of disc; Figure 7 part section and elevation
of flexible shafting and coupling: Figure 8 detail of shaft-coupling.
Power is transmitted to the spindle 1 and disc 2 thereon through the medium of
the flexible shaft 3, and the motion of such disc is communicated by means hereinafter
to be described to the knife-bar 4, whence the knife-plate 5 receives motion. The
means by which the motion of the disc 2 is communicated to the knife-bar 4, and
the construction of the several pieces of mechanism connected therewith, we will now
proceed to describe. Near the edge of the disc 2 a seating 6 for a sliding block 7 is
made the sliding-block is constructed in two pieces fitting together, and is recessed
in the middle to carry the spherical head 8 of the vibrating-arm 9. The seating 6 may
be merely a square or round hole suitably finished and adapted to carry the slide-
block 7. The knife-bar 4 is centred at the pin or stud 10 as hereinafter described and
terminates at the rear in a T-piece 11 which is supported by a radial roller 12
moving on a way or track 13. The arm 9 is forked so as to embrace the T-head 11
and the rear part of the knife-bar 4, and the extremities of the forks are pivotally
connected with the bar 9 between its centre of motion and the T-head by means of a
horizontal wrist-pin 14. The arm 9, when thus arranged, on receiving motion from
the disc 2 exercises the transverse component of such motion in giving the bar 9
transverse motion,, whilst the vertical component is not availed of for driving
purposes; in other words, the arm 9 in ascending and descending does no mechanical
work, but in its transverse motion causes the knife-bar 4 to vibrate. The knife-bar
is united with the cutter or knife-plate 5 by any suitable means but preferably by pins
or studs passing from the former into corresponding recesses in the latter. 1.6 is a
scat or bearing-face. 17 is a radial arm carrying at one end an eye-piece 18 which
fits the stud 10, and at the other a roller 12 moving on a way or track 13, acting as a
frictionless bearing for the rear end of the bar 4. The centre of the knife-plate is
formed as shown, and carries roller-bearings 18 to reduce friction. The thumb-nut 19'
for tightening the bearing is fitted with catch mechanism for preventing slacking
back. The points of bearing of the knife-bar will therefore be at the knife-plate, the
roller-bearings, and the roller carrier. The comb-plate 20 is suitably secured to the
under frame of case 21 of the machine. The case-cover 22 is binged at the rear, so
as, when open, to expose the whole of the mechanism for inspection and repair, and is

page_text: provided with a suitable spring-latch. The rear end of the spindle 1 passes out
through the tail of the machine, and is connected by means of an universal joint with
a wrist-section 23. This joint is enclosed in a case formed of two collars 24 and 25
pivotally connected with one another at two opposite points 26 and 27, and made
capable of inclining towards one another in either direction at right angles to the
plane of the shaft; both collars are free to rotate, the one on the tail of the spindle 1;
the other on the wrist-section 23.
The improved flexible shaft consists of a catgut core encased in a protective
covering. The covering is formed of mild steel ribbon wound on a continuous
helix, or of a steel tube split helically. In manufacturing this covering, a round
bar of suitable diameter is set in the chuck of a screw cutting lathe, and the end of
the section of ribbon of which the covering is to be formed is also secured in the
same chuck. The motion of the lathe causes the ribbon to be wound tightly around
the mandril so as to form, as it were, a continuous tube split helically. The mandril
is of suitable diameter, and the ribbon, preferably, about half an inch wide, and one
sixteenth of an inch thick. When the mandril is withdrawn, the tube slightly opens
along the helical cut, and this allows side play in bending or twisting. The
extremities of this protective covering terminate in collars that at the driving end
is of any form, and adapted to be held opposite the extremity of the shaft com-
municating motion, to the flexible shaft; that at the machine end is of special form,
being, made with a flap piece 28 and groove 29 to engage with the ring 30 and thus
unite the shaft to the machine. The flap 28 is closed and secured by means of a slip
ring 31.
..
742
:
A special feature of our Invention is the construction of a catgut driving core,
and
the union of the same with the machine. The core is formed in sections, each of
which consists of a piece of catgut between three and twelve inches in length,
carrying at one end an eye and at the other a hook attachment. The eye is some-
what egg-shaped, and the mouth of the hook is of corresponding form. The metal
at the head of the hook and at the end of the eye is in length slightly less than the
eye orifice, and the metal at the sides of the eye is thinned down sufficiently to pass
through the mouth of the hook. The bearing parts should be finished off in order
to ensure smooth working. By this construction, a species of universal joint is
formed, incapable of coming apart unless the hook piece and the eye piece fall at
right angles to one another, which is impossible whilst enclosed in a case or sheath
such as that already described. The hook and eye attachments are of greater
diameter than the core of catgut which they unite, and thus are made to take the
greater part of the wear which would fall on a continuous catgut core. Exactly the
same principle of construction is employed in the jointing of the flexible shaft to
the wrist shaft. When it is desired to release this coupling, the flap 28 is opened
to enable the coupling pieces to be turned at right angles to be locked or
unlocked.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
i
First. In a machine for shearing or cutting wool and hair, the combination with
a vibrating or oscillating knife-bar and a rotating disc or its equivalent, of a link
mechanically connected with said, bar and dise, and capable of free vertical motion
relatively to such knife-bar substantially as described.
Second. The herein-described system of converting or transforming the rotary
motion of a shaft into reciprocating motion to operate the knife-bar or other
equivalent part of a sheep-shear or other such apparatus consisting in, connecting the
reciprocating bar with a part of the rotating mechanism by means of a link having
free vertical play relatively to the reciprocating bar, but operating such bar by its
transverse motion.
Third. The combination with a knife-bar 4 and disc 2 or their equivalents, of the
vibrating arm 9; substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: Fourth. The combination with the knife-bar and disc 2 or their equivalents, of
the forked arm 5 with ball-head fitting the slide-block 3; substantially as described
and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The use of a helix formed of steel or other suitable metal ribbon as a
protecting sheath, for a caigut or other flexible power shaft.
Sixth. The combination of a central flexible core of a sheath or shell formed of
steel or other suitable metal, and wound to form a continuous tube, the convolutions
being free and detached from one another.
Seventh. The use of a solid tube as an enclosing sheath or shell for a flexible
core, such tube being split or cut helically so as to ensure flexibility.
Eighth. The special construction of coupling between the extremity of the flexible
shaft and the wrist-shaft, consisting essentially in an egg-shaped eye formed in the
end of the said wrist-shaft, and a hook of corresponding form at the extremity of the
flexible shafts substantially as described and illustrated.
Ninth. The construction and combination of the wrist-shaft 22 with egg-shaped
eye therein flexible shaft coupling hook corresponding in form with said eye, and
flap-coupling closed by a ring.
Tenth. As a flexible shaft-union or coupling, an eye-piece having its side jaws
thinner than its end piece, and a similar and corresponding book piece fitting
such eye-piece, and capable of being linked and unlinked only when at right angles
thereto.
Eleventh. A flexible shaft consisting of sections of catgut united at the
extremities by means of a flexible shaft-union substantially as described in claim 10
hereof.
11
0011 1
1004
WILLIAM SILVER.
NATHAN COHEN.
Per G. G. M. Hardingham,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Associate Agent.