Improvements in Motive-power Mechanism of Sheep Shearing Machines, and Appliances for Producing and Transmitting Pulsating Fluid Pressure to same.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motive-power Mechanism of Sheep Shearing
Machines, and Appliances for Producing and Transmitting
Pulsating Fluid Pressure to same.
We GEORGE SCARFE, RICHARD SMITH and THOMAS ROGER SCARFE trading
together under the style of Geo. P. Harris Scarfe & Co. as Merchants and ASKIN
MORRISON NICHOLAS, Metallurgist, all of Santo Buildings Waymouth Street
Adelaide South Australia 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 is designed to afford an improved means of communicating motion
from whatever power may be employed to the shearing machine. It combines the
essential of flexibility with the great advantage of securing coolness and absence
of vibration to an extent never before attained by any other driving gear and con-
nections and it does this without any additional cost. Our invention consists of
four main parts namely first a tube to contain water or other liquid, second a
diaphragm at the operative end of the tube for the purpose of conveying motion
to the shear lever, third a spring or equivalent for returning the diaphragm after
each stroke to its normal or former position, fourth, at the power end a toothed
wheel and plunger or other equivalent or suitable device for the purpose of
striking the column of water in the tube and so actuating the machinery at the
operative end.
In an alternative method we employ two pipes of water each
actuated in the same manner one to push the lever of shear one way and the other
to push it the other way. In that case no spring is requisite but the diaphragms
are arranged so as to act sideways instead of end ways upon the lever, tappet,
piston or other mechanism. In order that our invention and the manner of its
operation may be clearly understood we will now describe the same by reference to
the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a plan partly in section shewing the single tube diaphragm and
spring.
Figure 2 is plan partly in section shewing the two tubes and diaphragms one to
push the lever each way.
Figure 3 is a side view of portion of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism at the power end
and shewing portion of the wheel.
Figure 5 is a plan of Figure 4 with the wheel removed.
Our invention (referring to Figure 1; consists essentially of a tube or a hose A
which while it is water tight should be provided with a surrounding coat of steel
tape wire or other suitable material to prevent it expanding under pressure of
the liquid from inside. Any flexible tube capable of resisting such pressure
without expanding will answer the purpose. B is an annulus or ring provided
with a flange B' and with a pipe B upon which the hose A is bound with wire or
otherwise tightly secured. Cis another annulus with a flange C corresponding
with B. The two flanges are bolted or clamped together and between them hold
a diaphragm or disc of india rubber D which is protected on the outer surface by
a disc of leather. The joint must be water tight. Impinging upon this diaphragm
is the rounded end E of the rod E. The other end of the rod E is provided
with a collar E' and an eye. The rod works within the tube F being kept central
in position by the collar E' and guide F. H is a helical spring fitting between
the collar E and the guide F¹ for the purpose of returning the rod E when the
pressure on the water in the tube from the power end is removed.
I is the plate
for holding the cutters working on a fixed pivot at J. The plate 1 is moved by the

page_text: rod E through the connecting piece K. Around the back of the knob E is an
india rubber ring E² to prevent the knob striking against the metal C. E' is a
collar which limits the backward movement of the rod E. Referring to Figures 4
and 5 the actuating mechanism at the power end of the hose is provided as follows.
The hose A (preferably though not necessarily as we might use a plunger working
through a stuffing box) terminates with an annular cup L and diaphragm L2 of
india rubber and leather similar to D. L' is a tap to let out water if necessary. Mis
a lever working on a fixed pivot M' the other end being placed in a forked guide M².
The wheel N is rotated by any convenient motive power on continuous shafting or
otherwise and is provided with a number of teeth or projections N¹. As the
wheel N rotates the tooth N¹ presses down the lever M. To the centre of the
lever Mis pivotted a finger composed of two parts O, O' which projects into
the spindle of a knob O. The length of this finger can be regulated by screwing O
into or out of O' and when it has been adjusted it is prevented from altering by
the locknut 03. The knob spindle is kept in an upright position by any suitable
guide such as 0. The rubber disc or diaphragm L is held between the annulus L
and the ring L³ the three being fastened together by bolts Q and kept down in
their position by clamps P, the whole resting on a plate or foundation R which
can be supported in any simple manner. The plate R is made so that the
annulus Land diaphragm L2 can be removed by undoing the clamps P and is also
provided with recesses to receive the heads of the bolts.
In Figures 2 and 3 an alternative method is shewn with two pipes S' S² and two
diaphragms T T held between metal parts U₁ U² U³ U Between the two
diaphragms is a double headed lever V pivotted at VI.
The tube A may be made in two or more pieces connected by any ordinary
water tight union so that its length may be varied when required and the machine
used at different distances from the motive power. The pipe A must be filled
with water which may be done in the following manner. The pipe is disconnected
in the middle and the top diaphragmn lifted out of its place. The two parts are
now filled with water, the pipes being kept in an upright position with the
diaphragms down to eliminate the air. The joint is then carefully screwed up
taking care that no water is lost in the operation.
Having now described the mechanism, we will state the manner in which our
invention operates referring first to the single tube. This is filled with water and
placed in position, if there is too much water in the tube the excess may be allowed
to escape through the tap L. The finger 00' is then set to the length necessary
to drive the cutters across the comb. If a little water leaks out while working we
can lengthen the finger and still obtain the correct movement of the cutters. The
wheel N being turned the tooth N' slides along the top face and presses down the
lever M and through the finger 0 0¹ and knob O2 the diaphragm L² is pushed
down thereby driving the water through the tube A and forcing out the
diaphragm D. This forces out the rod E compresses the spring H and drives
the cutter teeth across the face of the comb. As the tooth N¹ passes the
projection M of the lever the pressure is relieved from the diaphragm L2 and
the spring through the collar E' and rod E drives back the diaphragm D the
water in the tube and the diaphragm L2 and lever M into the position shewn in
the drawings. The number of teeth on the wheel and the revolutions of the wheel
can be varied to give the speed and number of cuts required.
The operation of the alternative method illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 is somewhat
different. In this case there are two power wheels and diaphragms one to each
pipe the notion being produced in a similar way to that already described for the
single pipe or the one wheel may have two sets of teeth spaced to work alternately
upon two diaphragms. As the tooth of the wheel depresses the diaphragm at the
power end of the pipe S¹ that acts upon the water and thereby upon the
diaphragm T and pushes over the lever V. At a suitable period the pressure
is relieved from the water in S₁ and the tooth of the other wheel or the alternating
tooth acting upon the water in S pushes the lever V back to the other side thus

page_text: actuating the cutter to and fro. The two wheels the alternating teeth and the size
and proportions of the lever are arranged and varied so as to produce the speed
and motion required.
In place of using the spring to return the diaphragm in the single tube machine
we may attach the rod to the diaphragm at the operative end and the actuating
rod to the diaphragm at the other end. In this case the actuating rod would
have to draw the top disc to and fro and the return stroke of the cutters would be
made by the atmospheric pressure.
We wish it to be understood that we do not make any claim with regard to the
cutters and only shew them by way of illustration. We also wish it to be under-
stood that we do not limit ourselves to the mechanism shewn for the purpose of
imparting strokes or pulsations to the water. This may be effected in many ways
and by whatever power and appliances may be convenient as we have stated
there need not necessarily be a diaphragm at the power end of the tube. The
motion could be imparted by a plunger or piston working up and down through
any convenient mechanism and so communicate pulsations through the water to
the diaphragm at the operative end of the tube.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is.
1. The combination of a shearing or clipping instrument with a flexible tube of*
the nature herein described and having a diaphragm of pliable material such as
india rubber or leather and acted upon by an enclosed column or tube of water
or fluid to which strokes or pulsations are imparted whereby the lever or operating
part of the shearer or clipper may be operated substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The combination of a shearing or clipping instrument with a diaphragm such
as that indicated in Claim 1 and a spring such as that shewn in Fig. 1 or of other
suitable and convenient form whereby the diaphragm after the outward pulsation
is returned to its normal or former position ready for the next stroke substantially
as herein set forth.
3. The combination of a shearing or clipping instrument with a diaphragm such
as that described in Claim 1 actuating the fever aforesaid and a diaphragm at the
other end of the tube which latter is pulsated by pushing or pressing it inwards by
the mechanism shewn or by any convenient variations thereof or substitute therefor
suited to the requirements of the work required substantially as described.
4. The use as means of transmitting power to a shearing or clipping machine of two
columns or pipes of oscillating water enclosed and secured by either diaphragms at
each end or a diaphragm at the lower end of each tube strokes or pulsations being
produced at the upper end of the column by any convenient means.
Dated this Seventeenth day of November 1891.