Reversal Gears.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Reversal Gears.
I, GEORGE CRAY ROBERTS of 395 & 397 5th Avenue in the City of Chicago,
County of Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Gentleman, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statements:-
This Invention relates to improvements in reversing gears for use upon washing
machines and in similar situations where it is desired to reverse the motion of the
moving parts of a machine at regular intervals. The reversing gear is herein shown
as applied to move the reciprocating parts of a belt shifting device but the features
of construction constituting the Invention may be applied to friction clutches or other
similar devices.
The Invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and pointed out in the
appended claims.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my Invention :-
Figure 1 is a side view of the parts embodying the same applied to the end of the
washing machine of that class consisting of the cylindric exterior shell or casing
provided with an interior perforated or slatted cylinder.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the part shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a top or plan view of said parts.
Figure 4 is a detail section taken upon line 4-4 of Figure 1.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate the parts shown in Figure 4 in changed position.
Figure 7 is a detail section taken upon line 7-7 of Figure 2.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the cap for the bearing of the shaft B.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the outer end of the arm B' which supports the
outer end of the shaft.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the adjustable frame which sustains the main
working parts of the device.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of the slide-bar by which the belt and shifter-arms
are actuated.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of the cam-plate by which motion is given to the
said slide bars.
Figure 13 is a section similar to Figure 4 showing a modified construction of the
parts.
As illustrated in said drawings A is the exterior casing or shell of a washing
machine and A¹ the main shaft thereof which passes through the shell and supports
the perforated or slatted cylinder arranged in a manner heretofore well known. A, is
a gear wheel attached to the shaft A¹ outside of the head of the machine by which
oscillatory or reversible rotary movement is given to said shaft. B is a shaft arranged
parallel with the shaft A mounted at one end into hearing upon the head of the
machine A and at its opposite end in a bearing upon the end of the bracket B₁
which is attached to the head of the machine in the manner illustrated. Said shaft B
is provided at a point adjacent to the head of the machine with a pinion B, which
intermeshes with the gear wheel A, upon the shaft A¹.
C is a fixed pulley attached to the shaft B and C. C, are loose pulleys mounted
freely on said shaft at opposite sides of said fixed pulley C and C. C, are driving
belts on said pulleys. Upon said shaft B, between the said fixed and loose pulleys and
the outer bearing is located a sleeve D' which is attached to the hub of the loose
pulley C, and is provided with a worm D. The sleeve D¹ is loose on the shaft and
turns with the loose pulley C. It follows from this construction that the said worm
is driven by said loose pulley and in order that said worm shall be constantly driven,
even when the driving belt Č¸ is driving a fixed pulley, said belt is made a little wider

page_text: than the other belt C3 so that the edge of the said belt C will lap slightly over the
pulley C, and thus keep the same in motion at all times. The sleeve D' is conveniently
connected with the hub of the loose pulley C₂ by means of a clutch connection d as
clearly shown in the drawing Figure 1.
Said worm D intermeshes with a worm-wheel E which is located near the shaft B
and on a stud as shown with its axis of rotation at right angles with the said shaft.
Said worm-wheel is mounted upon a frame F (Figure 10) which sustains the various
operative parts of the device. Said frame F carries the slide-bar and belt shifting
arms or loops thereof which engages the belts, and to enable said frame to be moved
or shifted in its angular position to correspond with the location of the belts, it is
pivotally sustained in such manner that it may be adjusted in angular position by
turning on the shaft B as an axis.
For this purpose said frame is provided with a socket F¹ (Figures 1, 4 and 10)
adapted to fit over or embrace a tubular inward extension of the outer shaft
bearing, Figure 7.
Said socket F¹ is split at one point and provided with a clamp bolt f by which it
may be closed against the extension 6' for holding the frame F in a desired angular
position. Said cylindric extension is conveniently fixed upon or integral with the
cap be of the said bearing b, in the manner clearly shown in Figure 8. Said frame F
is provided at its upper part with two guide apertures ff (Figure 10) through
which is inserted a horizonal bar G arranged parallel with the shaft B. Said bar is
provided at its end adjacent to the fast and loose pulleys with oppositely extending
arms G G2 at the outer ends of which are attached adjustable loops y g' which engage
the driving belts C, C H is a cam-plate which is located adjacent to and parallel
with the worm-wheel and is supported by and adapted to move horizontally with
the slide bar G, and also has a sliding movement upon the bar in a direction transverse
to the latter. To secure this movement with the said cam-plate H the latter is pro-
vided at its upper part with two horizontally arranged plates or arms which
engage the upper and lower sides of the slide-bar G, which latter is provided with
a transverse guide slot g₂ (Figures 3, 6 and 11) adapted to receive one of the
arms h. Said cam-plate is provided with its face adjacent to the worm-wheel
with two opposite projections or ribs H H¹ forming cam surfaces h₂ h₂ arranged
at right angles to the face of the plate for engagement with a stud or pin e which
is secured in a projection over the face on the worm-wheel E.
Said can
surfaces h h (Figures 1 and 2) are arranged horizontally opposite to each other
and are at a greater distance apart at their upper and lower ends than at their
middle parts. This construction enables the più or stud e to act upon the cam
surface with the effect of moving the cam plate in the same manner when the stud
is turning in either direction, the said pin operating upon the upper right hand
cam surface and lower left hand cam surface when the worm wheel is turned to
the right, acting upon the upper left hand cam and lower right hand cam-surface
when said wheel is turning toward the left. Said cam surfaces are adapted for
engagement with and disengagement from the said pin or stud e by a bodily
movement of the cam-plate toward and from the worm-wheel E; this movement
being afforded by the sliding of the cam-plate H laterally upon the slide-bar G,
as hereinbefore described. Such bodily movement of the cam-plate, therefore,
enables the machine to be stopped and started when desired; the releasing of the
cam plate from the pin at the time the belts are both on the loose pulleys obviously
effecting the stoppage of the machine. At the side margins of the cam-plate
exterior to said cain-surfaces said cam-plate is provided with two flat plates or
wings H, H, (Figure 12) which are flush with the edges of the flanges H¹ H¹
and which by striking the end of the stud e serve to prevent the cam-plate from
being thrown toward the worm-wheel E when said stud is outside of the said
flanges.
:-
Devices for moving the said cam-plate in the manner described are provided as
follows is a hand lever by which such movement of the plate is accomplished,
said hand lever being pivotally connected at its lower end with the frame F by

page_text: means of a swiveled oscillating stud i mounted on the lug F, on the hub F1
(Figure 10). Said swivelled stud i (Figures 5 and 6) is provided with an aperture
head or eye through which is inserted a pivot pin by which the lower end of the
lever I is connected with the said stud. Said lever is provided at its upper end
with a handle I¹ and at a point between the handle and its lower end is connected
with the cam-plate H in such manner that when the said lever is swung to or fro
upon the pivot ¹ the cam-plate will be moved with it toward or from the worm-
wheel E. The connecting device for this purpose herein shown, consists of a stud i
in the cam plate connected at its outer end with the hand lover by means of a
pivot pin is passing through the outer end of the said stud and through a slotted
opening in the hand lever (Figures 5 and 6) the said hand lever is shown as
slotted to receive the end or eye of the stud in, the pivot pin 3 being insorted
through the parts of the lever at opposite sides of the said stud.
The cam-plate H being moved back and forth by the action of the stud e of the
worm-wheel thereof to give motion to the sliding bar G as hereinbefore described,
it follows that the hand lever 1 will be swung or moved back and forth with the
can-plate as the latter is reciprocated; the hand lever in this movement is swinging
on the swivelled stud i. The movement of the cam-plate is, however, relatively slow,
owing to the fact that it is driven through the medium of the worm-wheel
and worm, so that the said hand lever may be easily grasped at any time to shift the
same backward or forward for the purpose of engaging the cam-plate with or
disengaging it from the stud e.
It is obvious that the hand lever should be located at the limit of its movement so
as to hold the cam-plate from being extracted, moved or shifted when the cam-plate is
engaged with the stud e or released therefrom. For so securing or locking the hand
lever the same is provided with a detent J pivotted at the upper end of the lever
by means of a pin j located near the handle thereof, said detent being arranged to
extend horizontally from the top of the cam-plate and having a downturned end or
arm adapted to engage with the slide-bar G. Said detent has an upwardly
extending arm or handle J arranged in such position that it may be easily grasped
by the hand at the time of actuating the lever I. The downward end j' of said
detent J is adapted to engage the rear face or edge of the bar G when the cam-plate
is interlocked with the stude and to engage a hole j₂ in the bar G when said cam-
plate is in position remote from the worm-wheel as shown in Figure 6. The detent J
is preferably thrown downwardly or into position to engage the slide-bar G by means
of a spring, herein shown as having the form of a spiral spring 1, located between the
upper end or handle I of the lever I and the handle of the detent. The handle I'
of the hand lever, and J of the detent are conveniently placed close together and
rounded on their surfaces so that they may both be grasped at the same time when it
is desired to move the lever I, it obviously being necessary that the detent ; should
be disengaged from the slide-har G whenever the said lever I is moved. The horizontal
arms of the cam-plate H are provided with slots or recesses h. h (Figure 12)
in which the down turned end j¹ of the detent J is inserted, it obviously being
necessary to extend said arms hh past the end of the detent in order that the arms
may have bearing on the slide-bar G at the time the cam-plate is moved away from
the worm-wheel as illustrated in Figure 6.
K is a locking plate or bar arranged horizontally adjacent to the upper end of
the lever I and parallel with the slide-bar G. Said plate K is herein shown as
supported by means of arms K' K' which are secured to the casting F, preferably at
a point from the guide apertures ff of said casting 9. Said plate K is forined on
its inner edge with a central notch adapted for engagement for the lever I when
the cam plate is at the centre of its stroke and the belts are held on the loose pulleys.
Said notch is made of such depth, or in other words, its outer wall is so located that the
hand lever cannot be locked in its position holding the cam-plate H free from the
stude of the worm-wheel until the hand lever has fully entered the said notch k.
The main purpose of the said notch k is to lock and hold the hand lever I from being

page_text: shifted in a direction to move the slide-bar G at the time the belts are loose on the
pulleys and the machine not running; it is obvious that if there were no locking
plate and if the hand lever I were thrown forward into position to disengage the
cam-plate from the stud e, the slide bar G could be moved by the detent J so as to
shift the belts.
At either side of the notch k said plate K is provided with two bearing surfaces or
edges kk arranged parallel with the bar G and located at such distance from said bar.
that when the lever I is swung outwardly into contact with the same the cam-plate H
will be free from the stud e so that the said cam-plate may be moved independent of
the stud. It follows that when the hand lever is thrown against said surface it
may be moved along said surface by hand for the purpose of shifting the slide-bar G
and the belts. It is often desirable that the belts may be shifted by hand in order to
give a slight movement to the inner cylinder of the washing machine, when it is
desired to turn the same a short distance to bring the door or opening thereof opposite
the door or opening of the outer casing. It will of course be seen that when the land
lever is brought out against or near the surface ¹¹, the detent J cannot engage the
hole J₂ so that the hand lever cannot be locked in its position. At the outer ends of
the surfaces k¹k are located shoulders k, k₂ arranged at such distance from the
central notch K as to arrest the movement of the hand lever i before said cam-plate is
shifted sidewise a distance to bring its external edge past the studd e. The parts or
surfaces k, of said plate K outside of said shoulders 2 kg are located at such distances
from the bar G as to prevent said lever i from being thrown out far enough to
disengage the cam-plate H from the stud e. Owing to the presence of said
surfaces ka k, therefore the cam-plate can never be released from the stud except
when the hand lever is between the shoulder k, k, and it becomes necessary to throw
the said hand lever inwardly a distance to engage the cam-plate with the stud e
before said cam-plate can be carried or moved sidewise from its central position a
distance sufficient to bring the said stud e outside of or beyond its side margin.
Said surfaces k, k, therefore constitute a safety device to prevent the cam-plate ever
being thrown inwardly when the stud e is outside of or beyond the flanges H¹ H¹
thereby preventing the breakage of the parts which might result in case the machine
was started with the said stud e outside of the cam-plate.
Said cam-plate is provided as herein before described with two flat wings or
plates H, H₂ the faces of which are made flush with the surface edge of the cam-
projections or flanges H'H' which are nearest the worm-wheel E. Said wings H,
serve to prevent the cam-plate being thrown toward the worm-wheel when the stud e
is outside of the said cam-projection H'H', the wings striking the ends of the stud
and preventing the plate from being moved inwardly until the said plate has been
shifted back or forth in a direction to bring the stud between said cam-projections.
Said wings H, H₂ may be made in some cases of such size or extent as far in a
horizontal direction that the stud e will never pass beyond the same in any position of
the cam-plate. For compactness of construction in the machine herein shown,
however, the said wings H, H₂ are not made wide enough for this purpose, and the
surfaces K, K, are employed to prevent the cam-plate from being disengaged
from the stud e except when said cam-plate e is at the middle part of its throw
or in other words except when the hand lever is between the shoulders K, K,
of the plate K.
The employment of the hand lever I as a means of moving the cam-plate laterally
is not essential and said cam-plate may be actuated by means of a handle attached
rigidly thereto or by any other suitable or convenient means. As for instance in
Figure 13 I have shown said cam plate as provided with a rigid handle I, bolted to
the upper part plate as shown. In the use of the handle of this kind obviously the
same result will be produced as when a pivot hand lever is used. The employment
of a pivot hand lever connected with a cam plate below the upper end is however
preferably in connection with the particular construction in the other parts illustrated
for the reason that it affords better support to the cam plate when the latter is sustained

page_text: only at its top. As shown in Figure 13 the handle L affords pivotal support for the
detent J, and is so shaped as to engage with the plate K in the same manner as the
handle lever I hereinbefore described.
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 reversing gear, comprising a revolving pin or stud, a slide bar, and a recipro-
cating cam-plate supported on said slide bar and driven by said pin or stud, said cam-
plate being mounted to slide laterally upon the slide bar, whereby it may be moved
pivotally toward or from the said pin or stud, substantially as described.
2. A reversing gear comprising a revolving stud or pin, a slide bar, and a
reciprocating cam plate supported on said slide bar and driven by the said stud or pin,
said cam plate being mounted to slide laterally on said slide bar for engaging said
cam plate with an disengaging it from the said stud or pin, and a pivoted hand lever
for actuating said cam plate, connected to and moving with the latter, substantially as
described.
3. A reversing gear comprising a revolving stud or pin, a slide bar, a reciprocating
cam plate, supported by said slide bar, and driven by the said stud or pin, said cam
plate being mounted to slide laterally on said slide bar for engaging said cam-plate with
and disengaging it from said stud and a detent connected to and moving with the cam
plate and engaging the slide bar for holding the cam plate in position when engaged
with or disengaged from the sand stud or pin substantially as described.
4. A reversing gear comprising a revolving stud or pin, a slide bar, a reciprocating
cam plate driven by the said stud or pin, said cam plate being mounted to slide
laterally upon the slide bar, for engaging said cam plate with and disengaging it from
said stud or pin, a pivoted hand lever connected with said can plate, and a locking
plate provided with a central notch to receive said hand lever, substantially as
described.
5. A reversing gear comprising a revolving stud or pin, a reciprocating cam plate
driven by said stud or pin and movable toward or from the said stud or pin, and a
hand lever or handle for moving said cam plate, and a locking plate provided with a
central notch to receive said hand lever or handle, and with surfaces at each side of
said notch, so located as to limit the outward movement of the cam plate, when the
latter is free from the said stud or pin, except when the hand lever or handle is
engaged with the notch, substantially as described.
6. A reversing gear comprising a revolving stud or pin, a reciprocating cam plate
Iriven by the said stud or pin, and movable toward and from said stud or pin, for
engaging said cam plate with or disengaging it from the same, and a locking plate for
he said lever provided with a central notch, and with surfaces at its ends so located as
o prevent the cam plate being released from the said stud or pin, except at the middle
part of its stroke, substantially as described.
D