Machinery of all kinds.
Year: 1884

page_text: Machinery of all kinds.
I, WALTER ROWLAND HOLYOAKE, of 3, Clifford's Inn, Fleet Street, in the City
of London, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
AN IMPROVED SPRING MOTOR FOR DRIVING SEWING MACHINES AND MACHINERY
OF ALL KINDS, a communication to me from abroad by Thomas K. Austin, of
No 52, University Place, New York City, County and State of New York, United
States of America, Engineer, to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct a spring motor for operating
machinery; in the same a number of springs are used, all of which are connected
to the main shaft in such a manner that they are successively made to exert their
power in driving the shaft.
To the driving-shaft all the springs are applied, and to one end thereof is applied
a lever provided with a suitable pawl for engaging with a ratchet wheel for the
purpose of winding the springs up. Applied to the shaft are any number of large
ratchet wheels which have their hubs cast entirely upon one side; the hubs are of
sufficient width to allow flat springs of suitable lengths and widths to be coiled or
wound upon them. These ratchet wheels and their hubs are placed loosely upon
the shaft, so that the shaft can revolve freely in one direction without affecting any
of them: Secured rigidly to the shaft beside each large ratchet wheel is a small
ratchet wheel with which a pawl carried by the large ratchet wheel engages.
When the shaft is revolved in one direction, these small ratchet wheels compel the
large ratchet wheels to revolve with them and thus wind up the springs, which are
fastened at their outer ends to the side of the frame. Each one of the large ratchet
wheels is provided with a pawl which is pivoted upon a rod, these prevent the springs
from recoiling when the lever is drawn back for a fresh hold upon the shaft. Were
it not for these pawls the ratchet wheels would run backwards and permit the
springs to uncoil as fast as they were wound up. The pawl of the first ratchet
wheel of the series must be lifted by hand in starting the machine; but this one
alone is operated by hand.
'

page_text: Extending parallel with the shaft or rod above mentioned is a series of short
rock shafts, on each one is formed or placed a lifter for each pawl, and a tappet for
each ratchet wheel. A single long rod may be used, and on this rod will be loosely
placed sleeves, on which the tappets and lifters will be formed or secured. The
tappet and lifter for each ratchet wheel are formed separately and move in
succession when the machine is being driven, and not together except when the
springs are being wound up. The lifters are so placed in relation to the pawls that
when the rock shaft is caused to rock, these lifters will raise the pawls out of
contact with the teeth of the large ratchet wheels and thus allow the same to
revolve. The tappets project down beside the top edge of each of the ratchet
wheels and are only brought into play as each of the springs in its turn becomes
unwound, and then the tappets serve to operate each lifter.
Projecting through an opening in each large ratchet wheel is a pin, which is
attached at one end to the spring attached at its inner end to the inside of said
ratchet wheel. These springs serve to keep the pins forced backwards, so that
their free ends will not project through the ratchet wheels far enough to operate
the tappets. As each spring uncoils and has nearly exhausted its power in
expanding from the position it was in when wound up, the inner edge of its outer
coil strikes against the outer side of the flat spring, and forces the pin inward
through the ratchet wheel, so that, as the ratchet wheel revolves this pin will strike
against the underside of the tappet and force it forward and upward. Upon the
lower end of this tappet is formed a hook, detent, or projection, which catches over
the pin and prevents the wheel from turning farther. This tappet then serves to
hold the large ratchet wheels in position, while the shaft continues to be turned.
As soon as the ratchet wheel is released from its pawl it begins to revolve by the
action of its spring, and when the spring ceases to affect it, the wheel will be
caused to revolve by its friction with the shaft, which continues to revolve by the
impetus of the next wheel. If one wheel were not thus prevented from revolving,
the pin would pass beyond the end of the tappet, and then the tappet would fall,
and with it the lifter, the result of which would be that the pawl of the second
ratchet wheel would return to its normal position in contact with its wheel and
thus stop the machine. A means for keeping the pawls in a raised position after
they have once become disengaged is absolutely necessary, and this is the part
performed by the hook above referred to. In order to lift all the pawls at the same
time for the purpose of returning them to their normal position, which is necessary
to the rewinding of the springs, there will be journalled in the frame a suitable
shaft provided with an arm for each tappet. These arms catch under the tappets.
At one end of the motor is a friction wheel with which a brake can be made to
engage by means of a lever provided with a pawl and ratchet, so as to hold the
brake in any desired position.
This motor is intended for driving sewing machines and machinery of all kinds.
It will readily be understood that there can be an indefinite number of springs
applied to the driving shaft in the manner described, so that when the motor is
wound up it can be made to run any desired length of time.

page_text: Machinery of all kinds.
"
I, WALTER ROWLAND HOLYOAKE, of 3 Clifford's Inn, Fleet Street, London do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "AN IMPROVED SPRING
MOTOR FOR DRIVING SEWING MACHINES AND MACHINERY OF ALL KINDS (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Thomas K. Austin of New York City, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America, Engineer) 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 an improvement in spring-motors; and it consists in
the combination of the main shaft, a series of ratchet-wheels, which are placed
loosely thereon, and to which the operating-springs are connected, suitable ratchet-
wheels, which are rigidly attached to the shaft, spring actuated pins, which are
attached to the ratchet to which the springs are fastened, suitable tappets, which
are operated by the pins, and lifters for releasings the pawls which engage with
the large ratchet-wheels on the driving-shaft, as will be more fully described
hereinafter.
The object of my invention is to construct a spring-motor for operating
machinery, and in which a number of springs are used, and all of which are
connected to the main shaft in such a manner that they are alternately made to
exert their power in driving the shaft.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is
an end view. Fig. 3 is a detail view.
C represents the driving-shaft, to which all of the springs are applied, and to
one end of which is applied the lever Y, provided with a suitable pawl for engaging
with the ratchet-wheel Z, for the purpose of winding the springs up. Applied to
this shaft Care any number of large ratchet-wheels, A, which have their hubs B cast
entirely upon upon one side, and which hubs are of sufficient width to allow flat
springs of suitable lengths and widths to be coiled or wound upon them. These
ratchet-wheels A and their hubs are placed loosely upon the shaft, so that the shaft
can revolve freely in one direction without affecting any of them. Secured rigidly to
the shaft C, beside each ratchet-wheel A, is a small ratchet-wheel, D, with which
the pawl E, which is carried by the large ratchet-wheel A, engages. When the
shaft C is revolved in one direction, these small ratchet-wheels D compel the large
ratchet-wheels A to revolve with them and thus wind up the springs, which aro
fastened at their outer ends to the side of the frame. Each one of the large
ratchet-wheels A is provided with a pawl, F, which is pivoted, as here shown, upon
the rod W, and which pawls prevent the springs from recoiling when the lever Y
is drawn back for a fresh hold upon the shaft. Were it not for these pawls the
ratchet-wheels would run backward and permit the springs to uncoil as fast as they
were wound up. The pawl F of the first ratchet-wheel of the series must be lifted
by hand in starting the machine; but this one alone is operated by hand. These
pawls may be pivotted either upon the rod W or any other part of the frame,

page_text: Extending parallel with the shaft W is a series of short rock-shafts, R, and on
each one is formed or placed a lifter, L, for each pawl F, and a tappet, H, for each
ratchet-wheel A. A single long rod may be used, and on this rod will be loosely
placed sleeves, on which the tappets and lifters will be formed or secured. The
tappet and lifter for each ratchet-wheel are formed separately from the tappets and
lifters for the other wheels, because they are each to move alternately when the
machine is being driven, and not together except when the springs are being wound
up. The lifters L are so placed in relation to the pawls F that when the rod or
shaft R is caused to rock these lifters will raise the pawls F upward out of contact
with the teeth of the ratchet-wheels A, and thus allow the wheels A. to revolve.
The tappets H project down beside the top edge of each of the ratchet-wheels A,
and are only brought into play alternately as each of the springs in its turn becomes
unwound, and then the tappets H serve to operate each lifter L in its turn for the
purpose of lifting its pawl F.
Projecting through an opening in each ratchet-wheel A is a pin, I, which is
attached at one end to the spring M, which spring M is attached at its inner end
to the inside of ratchet-wheel A. These springs serve to keep the pins I forced
backward, so that their free ends will not project through the ratchet-wheel A far
enough to operate the tappets H. As each spring uncoils and has nearly exhausted
its power in expanding from the position it was in when wound up, the inner edge
of its outer coils strikes against the outer side of the flat spring M, and forces the
pin I inward through the ratchet-wheel, so that as the ratchet-wheel A revolves
this pin will strike against the under side of the tappet H, and thus force it forward
and upward. Upon the lower end of this tappet H is formed a hook, detent, or
projection K, which catches over the pin I, and prevents the wheel from turning
any farther. This tappet H then serves to hold the wheel A in position, while the
shaft continues to be turned. As soon as the ratchet-wheel A is released from its
pawl it begins to revolve by the action of its spring, and when the spring ceases to
affect it the wheel will be caused to revolve by its friction with the shaft, which
continues to revolve by the impetus of the next wheel A. If the wheel A were
not thus prevented from revolving, the pin I would pass beyond the end of the
tappet, and then the tappet would fall, and with it the lifter, the result of which
would be that the pawl of the second ratchet-wheel would return to its normal
position in contact with its wheel A, and thus stop the machine. A means for
keeping the pawls F in a raised position after they have once become disengaged is
absolutely necessary, and this is the part performed by the hook K. As before
explained, as each tappet H is forced forward and upward by the pin I, it turns
the shaft or rod R, and thus operates the lifter L, so as to raise the pawl F out of
contact with the next wheel, and thus release that spring, so that it will take up
the movement of the shaft C and continue it. In this manner one spring after the
other is made to exert its power upon the shaft C until all of them have been
brought into play. By turning the shaft or rod R so that the lifters will release
the pawls F, they can again be brought into contact with their respective ratchet-
wheels. In order to lift all of the pawls F at the same time for the purpose of
returning them to their normal position, which is necessary to the rewinding of the
springs, there will be journaled in the frame a suitable shaft, O, which is provided
with an arm, T, for each tappet H. These arms catch under the tappets and raise
all of them up at the same time when the shaft O is turned. When the shaft O is
turned toward the front of the machine, all of the tappets H will be raised by the
arms T to release the pins I, so that they can pass on beyond the hook K. Then
by turning back the shaft O again all of the tappets H will fall, causing all of the
lifters L to be removed from under all of the pawls F, which fall and again engage
with their ratchet-wheels.
At one end of the motor is a friction-wheel, Q, with which the brake P can be
made to engage by means of the lever P¹. This lever Pl is provided with a pawl
and ratchet, so as to hold the brake in any desired position.

page_text: This motor is intended for driving sewing-machines and machinery of all kinds.
It will readily be understood that there can be an indefinite number of springs
applied to the driving-shaft C in the manner described, so that when the motor is
wound up it can be made to run any desired length of time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a motor, the combination of the shaft C, the ratchet-wheels A D, and
pawls E F with the springs, the spring-actuated releasing-pins, and the lifters,
substantially as shown.
2. In a spring-motor, the combination of the ratchet-wheels A D, spring-actuated
pins I, which are released by the uncoiling of the driving-springs, and the tappet H,
provided with a hook or catch upon its end for holding the ratchet-wheel A while
the pawl F is out of contact with it, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of the shaft C, the ratchet-wheels A D, and pawls E F with
the springs, the releasing pins, the tappets, the lifters, and the arms for lifting the
tappets so as to release the pins, substantially as described.
Dated this 95th dow of Aucou 100%