Shafting, Applicable also to Brakes and Centrifugal Governors.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Aug., 1886
Complete Left, 6th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 6th Aug., 1887.
Shafting, Applicable also to Brakes and Centrifugal Governors.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Apparatuses for connecting and disconnecting shafts from the devices which drive
them, or which they drive, are constructed in various ways, for example some are
made as plain clutches, others with wedges, and others operate by friction, and so
forth. Those operating by friction, though much used are generally complicated and
possess the further objection that they exert an endwise pressure on the shaft which is
transmitted to the plummer blocks and other supporting parts.
The improved apparatus forming the subject of my present invention comprises a
frictional connecting and disconnecting apparatus or coupling which is free from these
objections, it is extremely simple, and can be applied more economically than those
heretofore in use as well for the connection or disconnection of shafts as for their
stopping and starting always in one direction, or at one time in one direction, and at
another time in the opposite direction.
:-
My improved friction coupling consists of the following arrangements
A sleeve, carrying the groove for receiving the fork of the engaging and disengaging
lever, is arranged to slide longitudinally on one of the shafts the connexion of which
is to be effected, or on the shaft which is to be put in motion. This sleeve possesses
the peculiarity that its circular section decreases from the thickened part which carries
the fork groove to its opposite end so as to form a truncated cone with a straight or
curved generatrix. Against this conical surface bear the ends of the longer arms of
two or more bell crank levers fulcrumed to the lugs of a ring which is threaded on,
and fixed to, the shaft in line with the sleeve. The shorter arms of the bell crank
879
.

page_text: levers bear either directly, or through, the medium of regulating screws and springs,
against a plate free to slide longitudinally on the shaft, but caused to turn therewith
by means of a key or feather. This plate exerts on a loose strap pulley the frictional
pressure necessary to cause it to set the shaft in motion, the said loose pulley being
pressed or squeezed between the aforesaid plate and a second one which is keyed on
the shaft.
By this mechanism, the connexion of the pulley to the shaft is made gradually
without shock, and the pressure of the plates on the pulley is made greater, or less, at
pleasure, by shaping the truncated conical sleeve accordingly. The disconnection
takes place almost instantaneously when the levers fall away under the action of the
intermediate springs, or their own weight, in following the diminishing diameter of
the sleeve as the same is drawn back by the forked lever.
Leather or indiarubber may be introduced between the friction plates and the
pulley if preferred, but in most cases it is not necessary, the friction of metal on metal
being generally sufficient.
When it is desired to arrange so that the shaft may be turned in either direction,
the apparatus is made double, that is with two loose strap pulleys, one driving or
being driven by an open strap, the other by a crossed strap; each pulley is placed
between its appropriate pair of friction plates provided with their respective bell crank
levers, and a single sleeve with a truncated conical part at each end is placed between
the two sets of levers. Moving the sleeve along the shaft in one direction operates
the levers belonging to the pair of friction plates on that side connecting the
corresponding pulley to the shaft and leaving those on the other side out of action,
and the corresponding pulley disconnected from the shaft. Moving the sleeve in the
opposite direction operates the levers belonging to the pair of friction plates on the
opposite side, connecting the corresponding pulley with the shaft, leaving the levers
on the other side out of action, and the corresponding pulley disconnected from the
shaft. When the sleeve is held in the middle position both pulleys are disconnected
from the shaft and turn loosely thereon without communicating motion thereto in
either direction.
Apparatus constructed as above described many also be used for the purpose of a
brake and, if weights be added to the longer arms of the bell crank levers, the
centrifugal force will carry them away from the shaft so that the apparatus may be
made to act as a governor or speed regulator.
Dated this 6th day of Amanet 1886

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus for Connecting and Disconnecting
Shafting, Applicable also to Brakes and Centrifugal Governors.
I, WILLIAM HENBY BECK, of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting
Engineer and Patent Agent 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, reference being had to the accompanying two
sheets of Drawings, and to the Letters and Figures inarked thereon, that is to say :-
Apparatuses for connecting and disconnecting shafts from the devices which drive
them, or which they drive, are constructed in various ways, for example, some are
made as plain clutches, others with wedges, and others operate by friction, and so
forth. Those operating by friction, though much used, are generally complicated and
possess the further objection that they exert an endwise pressure on the shaft, which
is transmitted to the plummer blocks and other supporting parts.
The improved apparatus, forming the subject of my present invention, comprises a
frictional connecting and disconnecting apparatus or coupling which is free from these
objections, is extremely simple, and can be applied more economically than those
heretofore in use as well for the connection or disconnection of shafts as for their
stopping and starting always in one direction, or at one time in one direction,
and at another time in the opposite direction.
:-
My improved friction coupling consists of the following arrangements
A sleeve carrying the groove for receiving the fork of the engaging and disengaging
lever is arranged to slide longitudinally on one of the shafts the connection of which
is to be effected or on the shaft which is to be put in motion. This sleeve possesses
the peculiarity that its circular section decreases from the thickened part which carries
the fork groove to its opposite end so as to form a truncated cone with a straight or
curved generatrix.
Against this conical surface bear the ends of the longer arms of two or more bell
crank levers fulcrumed to the lugs of a ring which is threaded on, and fixed to, the
shaft in line with the sleeve. The shorter arms of these bell crank levers bear, either
directly or through the medium of regulating screws and springs, against a plate free
to slide longitudinally on the shaft but caused to turn therewith by means of a key or
feather. This plate exerts on a loose strap pulley the frictional pressure necessary to
cause it to set the shaft in motion, the said loose pulley being pressed or squeezed
between the aforesaid plate and a second one which is keyed on the shaft.
By this mechanism the connexion of the pulley to the shaft is made gradually
without shock, and the pressure of the plates on the pulley is made greater or less at
pleasure by shaping the truncated conical sleeve accordingly. The disconnection
takes place almost instantaneously when the levers fall away under the action of the
intermediate springs or their own weight in following the diminishing diameter of
the sleeve as the same is drawn back by the forked lever.

page_text: In the Drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of
apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention for stopping and starting
a countershaft, such as that of a lathe, for example, by means of a stepped cone
pulley.
Figure 2 is a front view of the ring furnished with lugs to which are hinged or
fulcrumed the pressure levers acting on the friction plate.
Figure 3 shows similar apparatus arranged to act on either of two pulleys, one
with an open, the other with a crossed, strap, for the purpose of turning the shaft in
either direction at pleasure.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the Drawing.
M is the sleeve, the truncated conical surface of which is shown as generated by a
curve such as a parabola for example, but the generatrix of the surface may be
a straight line or other suitable figure according to circumstances. The sleeve is loose
on the shaft A. The ring B is fixed on the shaft, and is furnished with lugs to which
the three levers L are fulcrumed. The longer arms of these levers bear against the
conical surface of the sleeve M whilst the shorter arms press the plate P against the
loose pulley through the medium of the adjusting screws a and springs_b.
The plate P turns with the shaft A but is free to slide longitudinally thereon. The
plate P is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft A, and the surfaces of both plates P
and P¹, which come in contact with the pulley C, may be covered with leather or
indiarubber c c¹, but in most cases this is not necessary, the friction of metal on metal
being generally sufficient.
When the sleeve M is pushed towards the revolving pulley C, the ends of the
longer arms of the levers L are pressed outwards by the increasing diameter of the
sleeve, the shorter arms press the plate P against the pulley C, the latter is thereby
pressed against the plate P1, and, when the friction becomes sufficient, causes it, and
the shaft A to which it is fixed, to revolve with the pulley C.
;
When the sleeve M is pushed away from the revolving pulley C, the decreasing
diameters of the sleeve allow the ends of the longer arms of the levers L to move
inwards under the action of the springs b, the shorter arms of the levers L cease to
press the plate P, the friction is reduced, or ceases altogether and the shaft A stops.
When it is desired to arrange so that the shaft may be turned in either direction,
the apparatus is made double as shown in Figure 3, that is, with two loose strap
pulleys CC, one driving or being driven by an open strap, the other by a crossed
strap each pulley is placed between its appropriate pair of friction plates P P¹
provided with their respective bell crank levers L and a single sleeve M with a
truncated conical part at each end is placed between the two sets of levers. Moving
the sleeve M along the shaft in one direction (to the left as in the Figure for example)
operates the levers L belonging to the pair of friction plates on that side connecting
the corresponding pulley C to the shaft A and leaving those on the other side out of
action and the corresponding pulley C₁ disconnected from the shaft. Moving the
sleeve in the opposite direction operates the levers L belonging to the pair of friction
plates on the opposite side, connecting the corresponding pulley C" with the shaft,
feaving the levers on the other side out of action, and the corresponding pulley C
disconnected from the shaft. When the sleeve is held in the middle position, both
pulleys are disconnected from the shaft and turn loosely thereon without communicating
motion thereto in either direction.
In some cases, the levers L may be made to act directly, by their short arms, on
the friction plate P as shown in Figure 4, either with or without the interposition of
the springs b shown in Figures 1 and 3.
Apparatus constructed as above described may also be used for the purpose of a
brake and, if weights be added to the longer arms of the bell crank levers, the
centrifugal force will carry them away from the shaft, so that the apparatus may be
made to act as a governor or speed regulator.
Apparatus constructed as above described may also be used for the purpose of a
brake as shown in Figures 5 and 6 in which C is a piece loose on the shaft A and
prevented from turning therewith by the tail which bears against some fixed point

page_text: on the frame of the machine or against a wall or elsewhere. The motion of the
shaft A is retarded or ceases altogether when the ends of the levers L are moved
outwards by the action of the sleeve M on the friction rollers L' whereby the plate P.
is forced against the plate (and the latter against the plate P¹ the leather faces c c
being interposed or not as may be required. The friction thus produced opposes the
motion of the shaft in proportion as the ends L' of the levers L are pushed outwards
by the sleeve M.
Similar apparatus may be made to act as a governor or speed regulator as shown in
Figures 7 and 8 in which the piece C performs the same function as the corresponding
piece in the arrangement last described. The plate P is moved by the contrifugal
action of the weights L' fixed on the ends of the levers L. The size of the weights L¹
is dependent upon the speed of the shaft and the limits of variation of that speed to
be provided for. It will be understood that when the speed of the shaft A exceeds a
ertain limit the weights L' fly out and the levers L force the plate P against the
piece C producing thereby sufficient friction to prevent a further increase of speed
and when the speed of the shaft A falls below a certain limit the weights L fall
inwards and the levers L allow the plate P to fall away from the piece C reducing
the friction and allowing the speed to increase.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I desire to have it understood that I
do not confine myself to the precise details and arrangements of mechanism herein-
before described, and illustrated in the Drawings, as they may be varied without
departing from the nature of the invention, but I declare that what
claim is
First. The new or improved apparatus for connecting and disconnecting shafting,
applicable also to brakes and centrifugal governors, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings
hereto annexed.
Second. The arrangement of the driving pulley placed loosely on the shaft and
between two plates, one of which is fixed to the said shaft and the other of which is
free to slide longitudinally thereon, but is constrained to turn therewith by means of
a feather or key on the said shaft as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Third. In combination with the sliding plate P the ring B fixed to the shaft and
furnished with means for carrying the fulcra or axes of the acting levers L, as
hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Fourth. The arrangement of the acting levers L in such manner that their short
arms bear, either directly or by the medium of adjusting screws a, against the sliding
plate P, and their long arms against the truncated straight or curved conical surface
of the sleeve M, which sleeve can be moved to and from the driving pulley by a lever
or other suitable means, as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in the Drawings
hereto annexed.