IMPROVEMENTS. IN UNIVERSAL JOINTS
Year: 1883

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William George Edmonds of Devonport in, the county
of Devon for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN UNIVERSAL JOINTS
a communication from Robert Edmonds residing at Norfolk in the county
of Norfolk and state of Virginia, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William George Edmonds
•
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st August 1883.
WILLIAM GEORGE EDMONDS of Devonport in the County of Devon "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UNIVERSAL JOINTS," [a communication from Robert Edmonds residing
at Norfolk in the county of Norfolk and state of Virginia, United States of
America]
a
This invention relates to universal joints for machinery and it consists in the
construction and novel arrangement of the sectional concave bearing the circum-
ferentially-grooved ball engaging said bearing and the pivoted clutch devices
extending from the concave bearing to engage the groove of the ball; all as
hereinafter set forth.
し
In applying this invention to a pulley or wheel, it has at the centre a concave
bearing the halves or sections of which are separable and are secured together by
means of screws.
There is a shaft which is keyed or otherwise rigidly attached to a ball seated
neatly in the concave bearing and movable therein, so that the shaft may take any'
angular position with reference to the wheel or pulley within the limits of openings
in the concave bearing.
4
Around the ball and in an axial plane of the shaft connected thereto is a
circumferential groove into which extend the expanded ends of pivoted clutch
bearings or pins.the stems of which are seated in recesses of the sections forining
the ball bearing. These clutch bearings or pins turn freely with the ball whatever
be the angular position of the shaft with reference to the plane of the pulley or
wheel

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William George Edmonds in the Patent Office on the 21st February
1884.
"
William GeorgE EDMONDS, of Devonport in the County of Devon "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN UNIVERSAL JOINTS A communication from Robert Edmonds residing
at Norfolk in the County of Norfolk and state of Virginia United States of
America
This Invention relates to universal joints for machinery and it consists in the
construction and novel arrangement of the sectional concave bearing the circum-
ferentially grooved ball engaging said bearing and the pivoted clutch devices
extending from the concave bearing to engage the groove of the ball all as
hereinafter set forth.
In applying this invention to a pulloy or wheel, it has at the centre à concave
bearing the halves or sections of which are seperable and are secured together by
means of screws
".
..
There is a shaft which is keyed or otherwise rigidly attached to a ball sealed
neatly in the concave bearing and moveable therein so that the shaft may take an
angular position with reference to the wheel or pulley within the limits of openings
in the concave bearing
Around the ball and in an axial plane of the shaft. connected thereto is a
circumferential groove into which extend the expanded ends of pivoted clutch
bearings or pins the stems of which are seated in recesses of the sections forming
the ball bearing. These clutched bearings or pins turn freely with the ball whatever
be the angular position of the shaft with reference to the plane of the pulley or
wheel.
J
In the accompanying drawings figure I is an end elevation of the joint and
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the whole joint and shews how it is
constructed The other views merely serve to shew, some applications of the
invention.
Referring to Figure 2 A is a hemisphere or outer case of the joint to which is
secured by bolts cd passing through suitable lugs or flanges the second hemisphere
in which however a circular recess is made at % so as to allow free play for the
shaft E should it be out of line with the other portion of the shaft F. The shaft E
terminates in the spherical head B in which is the groove K extending all round
the head as
shewn The pivoted clutch pins m fit into round holes in the outer
casing as shewn are provided with an extension b which fits into the groove K and
leave free play in both the groove and the holes.
k
The action is very simple and easily understood. As the shaft F revolves it
carries the outer case A round with it and the clutch pins I'm convey the motion
to the head B (by reason of their being sunk in the groove k) so that the shaft E
is also carried round. Should the free end of shaft E be raised or lowered the.
hend B. moves with it-the clutch pins l.m retaining their position and simply
sliding in the groove as the head moves past them. Should the free end of the
shaft E be moved in a horizontal plane the clutch pins &m turn' in their sockets as
will be easily understood and should the shaft be moved in some other direction to 4
that indicated both the above movements will be effected in a greater or less degree.
It is evident that this invention may be considerably modified without departing
from the spirit of the invention for instanco in the case of a pulley placed upon
the middle of a long shaft. In such a case the shaft would not be divided as
shown in the drawing but would be continuous the spherical head being secured

page_text: upon it or made solid with it, and the recess h in the outer casing would be formed
in both sides of the casing instead of only in one as shewn in the drawing The
outer casing would be formed in the pulley itself which would be divided or have
a cover for the purpose
The other illustrations shewn how this invention may be applied to braces
and shafts though the actual uses to which it is applicable are very numerous.
Having now described this invention as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent I claim
First In a universal joint, the combination with a sectional concave bearing
and a circumferentially grooved ball engaging said bearing of pivoted clutch devices
extending into the concave bearing to engage the groove of the ball substantially
as specified
Second In a universal joint the combination with a wheel or pulley or other
object having a sectional concave bearing and pivoted clutched pins extending
inwardly therefrom, of the shaft and its ball seated in said concave bearing, and
having a circumferential groove in an axial plane of said shaft engaging the clutch
pins substantially as specified.
In witness whereof I the said William George Edmonds have hereunto set
my hand and seal this eighteenth day of February in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
ITT TAR AHODAR
---ובדהד
hdnanום BUT T TEf
GEORGE EDMONDS.
LS.