IMPROVE- MENTS IN CIRCUIT HORSE-POWERS
Year: 1862

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Taylor Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 25th April
1862. A communication froni abroad by Stuart Perry, of Newport, in
the State of New York, one of the United States of America.
I, JOHN TAYLOR DAVIES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Provision
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CIRCUIT HORSE-POWERS," to be as follows, reference being had to the
annexed Drawing, and the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):-
Figure 1 represents a top plan of one of the improved horse-powers; Figure 2
represents a longitudinal vertical section taken centrally through the same;
Figure 3 represents in perspective the clasp for seizing the rope or band, and the
device for releasing it, they being represented as detached from the machine;
Figure 4 represents an endless rope or band with the draw strap attached,
which is proposed as a modification of that shown in Figures 1 and 2. Similar
letters of reference where they occur in the Drawings denote like parts of the
machine in all cases.
In circuit horse-powers as heretofore constructed the team is hitched to the
frame, and the frame is moved round by the horses. In this Invention the
frame is stationary and the team is hitched to an endless rope or band that
moves around on the frame, and the power of this endless rope or band thus
drawn around by the team is communicated to any machinery to be driven
through a force-transmitting pulley or shaft.

page_text: This Invention consists in the use of one, two, or more endless belts or
bands in horse-power machines, to which the horse or horses are hitched, and
the power of the team is communicated through these ropes or bands to a
force-transmitting pulley or shaft, whence it may be taken to any machinery
to be driven by it.
And this Invention further consists in providing suitable mechanical
appliances for keeping this travelling rope or band in contact with the force-
transmitting pulley or shaft, whether said rope has a "bite" or turn around
shaft or pulley, or whether it but partially encircles it.
To enable others skilled in the art to make and use this Invention, I will
proceed to describe the same with reference to the Drawings.
A represents a central stationary post or hub, having a series of radial arms
(B) projecting therefrom, each arm or so many thereof as are to sustain the
travelling rope or band being provided at its outer end with a friction pulley (a).
These arms may be braced as shown at (c), and further secured against lateral
motion by "guys," as at (b); and for the purpose of straining or tightening the
rope or band that passes round the ends of these radial arms, keys or wedges
in the hub (A) for driving them out, or springs resting against the inner ends
to force them out, may be used.
Figure 1 shows one effectual plan of using a travelling rope or band to
which the team is hitched, and which is drawn around a stationary framework.
substantially such as above described. (c) is the endless rope or chain or band
laid around the pullies in the ends of the radial arins (B), and having a turn
or "bite" around a shaft or pulley (d). It is obvious in this arrangement that
the device by which the horse or team is hitched to the endless rope or band
must be disconnected just before it reaches the pulley or shaft and connected
again immediately after passing the pulley or shaft. Many ways of doing this
may be devised; I, however, herein show one plan for effecting the purpose
without referring to others. D is a clasp, having spring jaws e, e, which
when closed upon the rope, chain, or belt, will hold with sufficient tenacity to
prevent slipping. This clasp may be connected to the drag bar (E) by a link (F)
or by a rope or chain passing around the pulley (g) in said drag bar, the two
ends of said rope or chain being fastened to the clasp. Near the shaft of
pulley (d) I arrange a clasp opener (h) made as follows:-i, i, are two covered
horns or prongs, which open, hold open, and then allow to close on the rope
or band the jaws e, e, respectively. When the front end of the clasp comes
up to the clasp opener the point (i) thereof enters into the opening (o) of the
jaw (e), spreading said jaw, and releasing it from the rope or band c. The
rope or band, however, resting in the guides m, m, continues to be drawn

page_text: along by the jaw (e), which is still clasped to it; when the jaw (e) passes over
and beyond the point i, which it does before the jaw e reaches the point i,
it immediately closes upon the rope or band, and the jawe may be similarly
opened, held open, and closed upon the rope or band; thus, as it were, stepping
the clasp past the place where the rope or band encircles the pulley or shaft
without any stoppage or cessation of the draught of the team upon the rope.
This clasp instead of having two jaws connected to it, may be made in separate
pieces, each being opened, held open, and closed as it passes the point where
the endless rope or band takes its "bite" or turn around the drum or pulley.
Figure 4 shows another form of endless rope, chain, or band, which it is
proposed to use. This form of rope, chain, or band, does not encircle the
entire pulley or shaft, but only partially so, enough, however, to cause the
contact friction to turn said pulley or shaft, and these produce motion in it.
And that the team may not (when passing the force-transmitting shaft or
pulley) draw the rope or other endless bands away from the shaft or pulley,
guides may be placed to keep up a constant contact. Or two or more of these
belts, whether of rope, leather, rubber, gutta percha, or of metal, may be used
at one and the same time, so that if the power of the team tends to draw the
said rope or other thing away from the shaft or pulley at one point the other
team or teams will draw their belts or bands more directly against it from other
points. In using this kind of belt where there is no turn or "bite" around the
shaft or pulley, the clasps are unnecessary, and the team may draw from the
strap or rope () connected with it, and this kind of band or belt may pass
around that side of the pulley or shaft most remote from the centre of the
arms (B), or around the side nearest to the hub A, which is the common centre
of the arms B. In this latter case the draught of the team in passing the
pulley or shaft d would tend to draw the band against said shaft or pulley.
Should a chain be used for the horses to draw by a sprocket wheel may be
used on the drum or pulley for the links of the chain to take into to turn said
shaft, pulley, or wheel, and in this case there would be no slip, but it is
preferred that the band or belt be made of some fibrous or flexible
material other than metal, as being cheaper and less liable to wear out.
The clasp D is kept in position by an arm F, pivoted to the centre of the
hub A, and travelling around it, there being a pin or bolt (1) on the outer
side of said clasp, which passes through a hole in the projecting piece (u) on
the under side of said arm F, and another radial travelling arm G may be used
connected with the arm F to fasten the team to, so as to lead them around in
the proper circuit. Around the lower end of the shaft or pulley d there is
another pulley n, around which and around a pulley (o) on a shaft (7) passes

page_text: an endless belt (t), on the top of the shaft r there is a pulley or crank
wheel (p), from which the power may be communicated to any machinery to
be driven by it. It is obvious that instead of the force-transmitting shaft or
pulley being vertical, as shown in the Drawings, it may be horizontal without
changing the character of the Invention. Two ropes, bands, or chains may be
used, one of which may not touch the force-transmitting shaft or pulley, but
be used only to draw by, whilst the other rope, band, or chain may have a turn
or "bite" on said shaft or pulley. These two endless bands should pass
different grooves in the same pulley, so that both tend to drive the force-trans-
mitting shaft or pulley, although one of them does not or may not touch it, but
it transmits its force and the force of the team or teams that draw it to its
fellow rope or band, and this latter communicates the force to the shaft or
pulley. The grooves in the pullies may be furnished with ribs that will indent
the rope, band, or chain to prevent it from slipping.