and Rods to other Parts of machinery.
Year: 1886

page_text: and Rods to other Parts of machinery.
I, THOMAS SUMMERS, of High Orchard Iron Works, in the City and County of
Gloucester, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for connecting levers and rods to
trunk-pistons, plungers and other parts of machinery; whereby the joints are
rendered self-adjusting for wear, and concussion avoided on the direction of motion
being reversed; such improved means offering at the same time facilities for
periodical regulation.
Assuming the invention to be applied in attaching a hollow pump-plunger to its
actuating rod, I provide the extremity of the rod with a short cylindrical enlarge-
ment arranged at right angles to the axis of the rod. This T-shaped crosshead hits
as to one side in a semi-cylindrical recess formed or placed in the bottom of the
interior of the plunger, and is provided as to its opposite side with a washer
arranged to slide within the plunger and shaped at one end to suit the cylindrical
form of the crosshead against which it bears. For convenience in fitting, this
washer is sometimes made in halves. Against the opposite side of the washer a
strong spring, by preference of the spiral kind, is applied; the latter being forced
against the washer by means of an adjustable gland-nut, which may be screwed to
the outer end of the plunger. The washer, as also the gland-out or other adjust-
able body, is provided with a central opening through which the stem of the rod
passes freely, the spring surrounding the said stem.
The spring is compressed with sufficient force to overcome the combined strain
due to the pull of the pump-rod and the friction of the plunger-packing; main-
tenance of contact between the crosshead and the bearing surface provided in
the bottom of the hollow plunger being thus ensured. The spring also serves to
maintain the washer constantly in contact with the opposite side of the crosshead.
Upon considerable wear having taken place between the crosshead and its bi-part
bearing, the gland-nut or other adjustable body may be screwed or otherwise
tightened down upon the spring, according to the nature of the adjustment pro-
vided for this purpose. The pressure exerted by the spring upon the gland-nut
tends to prevent the latter slacking back when a screw-adjustment is employed.

page_text: For lubricating the bearing, the interior of the plunger may be charged with oil,
which, passing through the orifices in the gland-nut and bearing-washer, gains
access to the crosshead.
Instead of the rod being provided with a cylindrical crosshead, the latter may
be spherical in shape; and the bearings being suitably adapted thereto, what is
known as a ball-and-socket joint results.
Although I have described my invention as applied to a pump-plunger and its
actuating rod, it will be obvious that my improved construction of automatically
adjustable attachment is capable of wide application in machinery between recipro-
cating or vibrating rods and the parts whence they receive or to which they impart
motion.
One modification of this invention is specially adapted for connecting-rod joints
in which two half bearings-commonly called brasses-surround the crank-pin or
crosshead-pin and are themselves embraced by a strap, which, by means of a gib
and cotter, secures the said brasses to the extremity of the connecting-rod and at
the same time serves as means for tightening the brasses together as wear takes
place. In such cases, I form or provide the cotter with an extension, furnished
with a spiral or other spring and means for compressing the latter; the whole being
arranged in such a manner that the spring continually exerts an effort to move the
cotter longitudinally and to bring its thicker portion into action. The various parts
are thus firmly maintained in position relatively to one another and to the con-
necting-rod; whilst the brasses are gradually tightened towards one another as
wear takes place between them and the crank or other pin which they embrace.
Dated the 2nd day of February 1886.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
Agent for the Applicant,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.

page_text: and Rods to other Parts of Machinery.
I, THOMAS SUMMERS, of High Orchard Iron Works, in the City and County of
Gloucester, Mechanical Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improved means for connecting levers and rods to
trunk-pistons, plungers and other parts of machinery, whereby these or similar
joints are rendered self-adjusting for wear and concussion avoided on the direction
of motion or stress being reversed; such improved means offering at the same time
facilities for periodical regulation.
And in order that the nature of this invention may be readily understood,
I have, in the accompanying sheet of drawings, given two illustrations of its
application. It will, however, be obvious that my improved type of joint is
applicable to various parts of machinery other than the examples adopted for the
purpose of illustration and hereinafter particularly referred to.
This
In Figure 1 is indicated the manner in which my invention may be applied
in attaching a hollow pump-plunger to its actuating rod. a is a pump-barrel,
b a trunk-plunger, and c the pump-rod provided at its extremity with a short
cylindrical enlargement d arranged at right angles to the axis of the rod c.
T-shaped crosshead d fits as to one side in a semi-cylindrical recess, formed in the
bottom of the interior of the plunger or in a half bearing e fitted thereto. The
opposite side of the T-shaped crosshead is provided with a similar half-bearing or
washer e¹, arranged to slide within the plunger and shaped to suit the cylindrical
form of the crosshead against which the body e¹ bears. In some instances, it is
preferable to form the washer e¹ in halves to facilitate its application about the
neck of the rod c. Against the back of the washer e¹, a spring f of suitable
strength and by preference of the spiral kind, is applied; the latter being forced
against the washer by means of a nut or adjustable body g mounted in the outer
end of the plunger b. The washer or half-bearing e, as also the nut or adjustable
body g, are respectively formed with a central opening, through which the stem of
the pump-rod c passes; the spring f surrounding the said stem. h, j are inlet and
outlet passages to which suction and delivery valve-boxes are attached.
The spring is compressed with sufficient force to overcome the combined
resistances to the movement of the plunger; maintenance of contact between the
crosshead & and the bearing surface è being thus ensured. The spring falso serves
to maintain the body e¹ constantly in contact with the opposite side of the cross-
head d. Upon considerable wear having taken place between the crosshead d and
its bipart bearing e e¹, the nut or other adjustable body g may be screwed or
otherwise tightened down upon the spring f, according to the nature of the
adjustment provided for this purpose. When a screw adjustment is employed, the
pressure or reaction exerted by the spring upon the nut g tends to prevent the
latter slacking back.

page_text: Instead of the rod c being formed or provided with a cylindrical crosshead, the
latter may be spherical in shape; and the bearings e e¹ being suitably adapted
thereto, what is known as a "ball-and-socket" joint results.
In Figure 2 is represented a modification of this invention specially adapted for
connecting-rod joints, in which two half-bearings-commonly called brasses-
surround the crank-pin or crosshead-pin, and are themselves embraced by a strap,
which, by means of a gib and cotter, secures the said brasses to the extremity of
the connecting-rod, and at the same time serves as means for tightening the brasses
together as wear takes place.
In such cases, I form or provide the cotter k with an extension k¹ furnished with
a spiral or other suitable spring f, and means, such as the nut g, for compressing
the same; the whole being arranged in such a manner that the spring f continually
exerts an effort to draw the cotter k longitudinally and to bring its thicker portion
into operation. The effort of the spring, instead of being exerted directly upon
the half-bearings e e¹, is communicated thereto by means of the gib and cotter k
and strap ; the various parts being firmly maintained in position relatively to
one another and to the connecting-rod c; whilst the brasses e e¹ are gradually
tightened towards one another, as wear take place between them and the crank or
other pin m which they embrace.
This construction may be varied by forming the strap as a substantial part of
the connecting-rod, and applying, between the end of the connecting-rod and the
back of the brasses, a wedge-shaped piece, furnished with a spring tending to move
the same in the direction of its apex; the brasses being thereby set up as wear
takes place.
For rendering the brasses of a plummer-block-bearing automatically adjustable,
means of a similar description to those above described, and including a gib and
spring-moved cotter, are applicable; whilst under such circumstances as prevail in
communicating motion from an eccentric-rod to a slide-valve-spindle, a connection
of the type described with reference to Figure 1 is capable of adaptation.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
The improved construction of self-adjusting joints, applicable to various parts of
machinery for taking up wear and operating substantially as herein described.
Dated this 6th day of November 1886.