IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNICATING ROTATING MOTION TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR DRILLING MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Sonnenthal, of Lambeth Hill, London, Merchant,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMMUNICATING ROTATING MOTION
TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR DRILLING MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS
BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
A communication from abroad by August Schwartz, of Berlin, Engineer.
Sealed the 29th April 1878, and dated the 3rd November 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Sonnenthal at the Office*
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1877.
GEORGE SONNENTHAL, of Lambeth Hill, London, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMMUNICATING ROTATING MOTION TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR DRILLING
MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES
FOR OTHER PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by August Schwartz, of.
Berlin, Engineer.]
This Invention of improvements in communicating rotating motion to shafts and
spindles for drilling machines, such improvements being also applicable to shafts
and spindles for other purposes, consists in converting an intermittent reciprocating
rectilinear motion given by a cord or line coiled and uncoiled round a shaft or
barrel, the line of motion being tangential to the periphery of the barrel, into a
continuous rotating motion by the following means:-The drill holder or the shaft
or spindle to be driven is mounted in suitable bearings, the shaft preferably having
a small fly wheel keyed on it. Round the shaft a sleeve or hollow shaft fitted, to
one end of which is attached (in connection with the shaft or fly wheel) a pawl or
ratchet, the corresponding pawl or ratchet being fixed to the shaft or fly wheel, so
that by rotating the hollow shaft in the direction required, and subject to the
arrangements of the ratchet and pawl, the shaft, and fly wheel is rotated. The
hollow shaft is rotated by a cord, line, strap, or cat-gut coiled round it several times.
One end of the string is coiled a few turns round a barrel holding a coiled spring,

page_text: and fastened to the barrel; the other end of the string is free to be pulled or held
by the hand. When this latter end is pulled by the hand it naturally rotates the
hollow shaft, and communicates motion to the shaft and fly wheel. When the hand
has completed the length of stroke desired, and the pull is released, the barrel
re-coils the string, and in doing so reverses the rotation of the hollow shaft, which,
by the ratchet and pawl is free to rotate backwards, leaving the shaft and fly, wheel
to rotate in the direction imparted to it by the first impulse described. A second
impulse is then given by the hand, and in this way the fly wheel and shaft can be
very rapidly rotated. This principle of giving the impulse by a string coiled round
the hollow shaft, communicating the impulse to the shaft and fly wheel through the
pawl and ratchet, and recovering the normal position of the hollow shaft and the
string by the aid of the barrel and spring during the independent rotation of the
shaft and fly wheel, may be carried out in several ways. For instance, the recovery
spring may be attached, one end to the hollow shaft, the other end to the frame
holding the bearings of the shaft, and the string may, after several coils have been
passed round, may have one end attached to the hollow shaft, or the recovery spring
barrel may by gearing attached to it drive the hollow shaft, one string only being
used on the recovery spring .barrel. If the ratchet is attached to the recovery
spring barrel the drill shaft may be driven by gearing direct without the hollow
shaft; or the recovery spring may be an india-rubber cord, one end attached to the
framing, one end attached to the hollow shaft, so that when the hand pulling rotates
the hollow shaft the coiling of the india-rubber round the hollow shaft forms the
recovery spring.
Other forms may be adopted, and will suggest themselves to any mechanic, as the
principle is capable of being carried out in many different forms, and the action may
be communicated by the hand or foot as in a treadle, or by power.
Many applications will also suggest themselves besides that to the drill, sewing
machines, small lathes, fret saws for rotating electro-magnets, seal engravers' tools,
and many others.
One feature of the Invention, the impossibility of setting the shaft rotating in
any but the direction in which the shaft is intended to rotate, will no doubt be
valuable where precautions have to be taken to avoid damage to machinery by reversal
of the motion.
It is obvious that though one single mechanism is described, it may, if preferred,
..be made double in its action, so as to make the impulses less intermittent. A simple
addition to the ratchet will give the machine the power of being reversed at the will
of the operator, where such an arrangement would be desirable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Sonnenthal in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 2nd May
1878.
GEORGE SONNENTHAL, of Lambeth Hill, London, Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
COMMUNICATING ROTATING MOTION TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES FOR DRILLING
MACHINES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO SHAFTS AND SPINDLES
FOR OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by August Schwartz, of
Berlin, Engineer.
This Invention of improvements in communicating rotating motion to shafts and
spindles for drilling machines, such improvements being also applicable to shafts
and spindles for other purposes, consists in converting an intermittent reciprocating
rectilinear motion given to a cord or line, such cord being coiled and uncoiled round
a shaft or barrel, the line of motion being tangential to the periphery of the barrel,
into a continuous rotating motion by the following means:-The drill holder, or
the shaft or spindle to be driven, is mounted in suitable bearings, the shaft preferably
having a small fly wheel keyed on it. Around the shaft a sleeve or hollow shaft is
fitted, to one end of which is attached (in connection with the shaft or fly wheel) a
pawl or ratchet, the corresponding pawl or ratchet being fixed to the shaft or fly
wheel, so that by rotating the hollow shaft in the direction required, and subject to
the arrangements of the ratchet and pawl, the shaft and fly wheel is rotated. The
hollow shaft is rotated by a cord, line, strap, or catgut coiled round it several times.
One end of the string is coiled a few turns round a barrel (holding a coiled spring,
one end fastened to the barrel, the other fixed to some part of the frame); the other
end of the string is free to be pulled or held by the hand. When this latter end is
pulled by the hand it naturally rotates the hollow shaft, and communicates motion
to the shaft and fly wheel. When the hand has completed the length of stroke
desired, and the pull is released, the barrel re-coils the string, and in doing so
reverses the rotation of the hollow shaft, which, by the ratchet and pawl, is free
to rotate backwards, leaving the shaft and fly wheel to rotate in the direction
imparted to it by the first impulse described. A second impulse is then given by
the hand, and in this way the fly wheel and shaft can be very rapidly rotated. This
principle of giving the impulse by a string coiled around the hollow shaft, commu-
nicating the impulse to the shaft and fly wheel through the pawl and ratchet, and
recovering the normal position of the hollow shaft and the string by the aid of
barrel and spring during the independent rotation of the shaft and fly wheel, may
be carried out in several ways; for instance, the recovery spring may be attached,
one end to the hollow shaft, the other end to the frame holding the bearings of the
shaft, and the spring may, after several coils have been passed round the shaft, have
one end attached to the hollow shaft, or the recovery spring barrel may by gearing
attached to it drive the hollow shaft, one string only being used on the recovery
spring barrel. If the ratchet is attached to the recovery spring barrel the drill shaft
may be driven by gearing direct without the hollow shaft; or the recovery spring
may be an india-rubber cord, one end attached to the framing, one end attached to
the hollow shaft, so that when the hand in pulling rotates the hollow shaft the
coiling of the india-rubber round the hollow shaft forms the recovery spring.
Other forms may be adopted, and will suggest themselves to any mechanic, as the
principle is capable of being carried out in many different forms, and the action may
be communicated by the hand or foot, as in a treadle, or by power.
Many applications will also suggest themselves besides that to the drill, sewing
machines, small lathes, fret saws, for rotating electro-magnets, seal engravers' tools,
and many others.
One feature of the Invention, the impossibility of setting the shaft rotating in any
but the direction in which the shaft is intended to rotate, will no doubt be valuable
where precautions have to be taken to avoid damage to machinery by reversal of
the motion.

page_text: It is obvious that though one single mechanism is described, it may, if preferred, be
made double in its action, so as to make the impulses less intermittent. A simple
addition or arrangement of the ratchet will give the machine the power of being
reversed at the will of the operator where such an arrangement would be desirable.
In the accompanying Drawings forming part of this Specification, and illustrating
one method of carrying out the Invention,-
Figure 1 is an elevation of the machine, partly in section.
Figure 2, plan, showing ratchet and pawl.
Figure 3, showing loop attached to frame for passage of driving cord. An aper-
ture through part of the frame A would answer the same purpose.
The like parts are indicated by the like letters..
A is the frame of the machine; B, the drill holder or shaft; C, the hollow shaft;
D, the ratchet; E, the fly wheel; F, the pawl; G, the pawl spring; K, the finger
ring for pulling on the driving cord L; J, the loop through which the cord passes;
M, the handle of the machine; O, the shaft carrying the recovery spring a connected
with the recovery barrel R and its spindle P, and round which barrel the cord Lis
coiled after passing round the hollow shaft C.
The action is as follows:-When the ring K is pulled away from the frame
sharply the cord L rotates the hollow shaft, the pawl driving the fly wheel and
shaft. At the same time the cord uncoils from R against the force of the spring a;
at the end of the stroke, when the tension of the hand is reversed, the spring a recoils
the cord upon R, the ratchet now allowing the fly wheel to continue in the direction
given to it.
On the ring K arriving at the place shown in the Drawing another
impulse may be given, and so on until almost any desired velocity up to 1000
revolutions or more can be given to the shaft.
Having now described and set forth the nature of the Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim in
the herein in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The driving a drill or other shaft by the action of a cord or line round a
shaft in connection with a ratchet or equivalent device in combination with a recovery
spring, with or without a barrel, to bring back the cord or line to its normal position,
substantially as described.
Secondly. The mechanism herein described for the purposes set forth, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Sonnenthal, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight
GEORGE SONNENTHAL. (L.S.)