AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CLUTCH
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charlos James Berrill Ward, of 23, Rood Lane, in the
City of London, Engineer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC
CLUTCH."
Sealed the 25th November 1879, and dated the 28th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles James Berrill Ward
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May 1879.
CHARLES JAMES BERRILL WARD, of 23, Rood Lane, in the City of London,
Engineer. AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CLUTCH."
"
The object of my Invention is to convert reciprocating rectilinear motion into
constant rotative motion in a simple and effective manner, whilst at the same time
the travel or stroke of the reciprocating motion can be varied at will, without
affecting the regular rotative action of the driven shaft.
To effect this object I use an improved double clutch in which the reciprocating
motion may be communicated by cords, straps, wire chain, or rack gearing to two
drums, causing them to rotate in opposite directions corresponding to the relative
directions of the reciprocating motion.
These drums which receive the direct action of the reciprocating motion (which
may be produced by treadles, cranks, pistons, or any other suitable means) are
arranged to revolve loosely around a shaft, and by means of cam grips commu-
nicate their motion only in one given direction to a drum, drums, or discs keyed
securely to the said shaft, which is always thus kept revolving in one given
direction.
The cam grips I employ may be fixed either to the loose revolving drums, and be
thus employed to communicate their alternate motion to a drum or drums keyed to
the shaft in one direction only; or the cam grips may be fixed to the discs keyed to
the shaft, and be thus employed to communicate the alternate motion of two
revolving drums to the two keyed discs in one direction only.
The can grip is in the form of an eccentric cam turning on a pin fixed either on
the drums or discs, as above described, of which the exterior face is brought to bear
upon the interior circumference of either the keyed drums, as before described,
thus communicating the grip from the cam to the drums, or upon the interior faces,
[Prine Gidi

page_text: of the two loose drums, as before described, in which case the grip is communicated
from the drum to the cam.
Owing to the eccentric face of the cam which is caused to press by a suitable
spring upon the interior circumference of a drum or drums, as before described, the
disc carrying the cam, and the drum against which the cam is rubbing, firmly clutch
together by the jamming of the cam, only when the relative motion is in a given
direction; when in the opposite direction, the form of the cam grip is such that it
slides freely upon the interior surface of the drums without any grip whatever.
One special advantage of this arrangement of cam grip is that the clutch is
effected at the greatest possible distance from the centre of motion, so that the grip
appears to be almost instantaneous, and at the same time the connection is made at
the position of greatest mechanical advantage, so that the least possible amount of
gripping clutch will suffice to communicate the power.
I inay use as many cam grips acting on each disc or drum as may be found
serviceable to secure a firm frictional hold to ensure rotation.
I may arrange my drums and discs in pairs either placed in close proximity to
each other, or some distance apart upon the shaft to allow any intermediate
gearing to be inserted between them; or they may be placed with either the keyed
or loose drums respectively nearest to one another on the shaft.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles James Berrill Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 28th November 1879.
CHARLES JAMES BERRILL WARD, of 23, Rood Lane, in the City of London,
Engineer. AN IMPROVED AUTOMATIC CLUTCH."
"
The object of my Invention is to convert reciprocating rectilinear motion into
constant rotative motion in a simple and effective manner, whilst at the same time
the travel or stroke of the reciprocating motion can be varied at will without
affecting the regular rotative action of the driven shaft.
To effect this object I use an improved double clutch in which the reciprocating
motion may be communicated by cords, straps, wire, chain or rack gearing to two
drums, causing them to rotate in opposite directions corresponding to the relative
directions of the reciprocating motion.
.
These drums which receive the direct action of the reciprocating motion, (which
may be produced by treadles, cranks, pistons, or any other suitable means,) are
arranged to revolve loosely around a shaft, and by means of a cam grip commu-
nicate their motion only in one given direction to a drum, drums, or discs keyed
securely to the said shaft which is always thus kept revolving in one given
direction, or the said drum, drums, or disc may themselves also revolve loosely
around the said shaft.

page_text: The cam grips I employ may be fixed either to the loose revolving drums, and be
thus employed to communicate their alternate motion to a drum or drums keyed to
the shaft in one direction only; or the cam grips may be fixed to the discs keyed to
the shaft, and be thus employed to communicate the alternate motion of two
revolving drums to the two keyed discs in one direction only.
The cam grip is in the form of an eccentric cam turning on a pin fixed either on
the drums or discs, as above described, of which the exterior face is brought to bear
upon the interior circumference of either the keyed drums, as before described, thus
communicating the grip from the cam to the drums, or upon the interior faces of
the two loose drums as before described, in which case the grip is communicated
from the drum to the cam.
Owing to the eccentric face of the cam which is caused to press by a suitable
spring upon the interior circumference of a drum or drums, as before described, the
disc carrying the cam and the drum against which the cam is rubbing firmly
clutch together by the jamming of the cam only, when the relative motion is in a
given direction; when in the opposite direction, the form of the cam grip is such
that it slides freely upon the interior surface of the drums without any grip
whatever.
One special advantage of this arrangement of cam grip is that the clutch is
effected at the greatest possible distance from the centre of motion, so that the
grip appears to be almost instantaneous, and at the same time the connection is
made at the position of greatest mechanical advantage, so that the least possible
amount of gripping clutch will suffice to communicate the power.
I may use as many cam grips acting on each disc or drum as may be found
serviceable to secure a firm frictional hold to ensure rotation.
I may arrange my drums and discs in pairs either placed in close proximity to
each other, or some distance apart upon the shaft to allow any intermediate gearing
to be inserted between them; or they may be placed with either the keyed or loose
drums respectively nearest to one another on the shaft.
In further explanation of the Drawings attached hereto and the letters and
Figures marked thereon, Figures 1 and 2 are a sectional and outside view
respectively of that form of clutch in which A and A. are two loose revolving drums
operated by cords, straps, wire, or chain. Upon these drums are fixed cam grips
C, C, carried on pins round which they move in brackets F, F. These outside
drums A, A, which receive the direct action of the reciprocating motion which may
be produced by treadles, cranks, pistons, or any other suitable means, reciprocate
constantly in opposite directions to one another, and the cam grips are so arranged
that they both grip automatically upon the interior sufface of the keyed drum B
only when moving in the one direction, in which it is required that the drum B
and shaft S to which it is keyed shall revolve.
The cam grips are in this case carried by the reciprocating drums automatically,
communicating pressure to the constantly revolving drum to continue the rotation.
Figure 3 represents a sectional view of the fixed drum, being separated into
two parts B, B, with a cog wheel G between, keyed to the shaft S for the
transmission of the constant rotative force produced. The reciprocating motion is
communicated to the loose outside drums A, A, carrying the cam grips C, C, in the
brackets F, F, by means of the cog gearing D, D, forming part of the said drums
and operated by racks.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 show sectional views of different forms of the clutch
apparatus, but in all there is one distinct feature different from the preceding cases,
that the cam grips C, C, are here carried in the brackets F, F, on the drums, disc,
or discs A, A, A, which are in this case keyed to the shaft S, S, and the direct
reciprocating motion is given to the loose drums B, B. The communication of the
reciprocating motion to produce constant rotation is then in these cases effected
from the interior surfaces of the loose reciprocating drums B, B, automatically,
engaging the cam grips in one direction only, so as to thus give alternate revolving
impulses to the fixed drums A, A

page_text: In Figure 4 the loose drums B, B, are in the centre, and are suited to utilizing
the reciprocating force by means of cords, straps, wire, or chain. In Figure 5, the
reciprocation is produced by gearing and a bevil wheel H, which in reciprocating
would cause the geared drums B to reciprocate in opposite directions. The
reciprocation of H may be produced by the reciprocation of the rack gearing M.
Figure 6 shows the arrangement of a single fixed drum or disc placed in the
centre, carrying the cams and brackets on each side of it.
Figure 7 is a larger detailed side view and section of the cam grip; F is the
bracket in which the cam C is carried on the pin P round which it turns. The
spring presses the cam up against the interior surface of the drum B, so that
when the drum B is rotating in the direction of the arrow, it will draw the cam on
with it so as to cause it automatically to grip the surface and thus connect
A and B. The face of the cam C is so constructed that the extremity L is further
from the centre P than the extremity K, and thus causes a wedge action when the
cam is drawn on with the surface B. When B reverses its direction opposite to the
arrow, the cam grip is at once automatically released. A similar wedge action of
the cam grip (in Figures 1, 2, 3,) is effected between A and B, when A rotates in
the opposite direction to the arrow, causing B to rotate with A.
Figure 10 shows a side and transverse section of a circular cam grip in which
the automatic wedging cam is continued, so as to complete a spiral continuous
wedge. This arrangement allows for wear. The spiral spring T is in this case
fitted inside the hollow cam for the purpose of keeping it up to the bearing face
on the drum B.
Figure 8 shows three detail views of a covered cam in which the surface of tho
cam is covered by leather or other suitable material.
Figure 9 shows two views of a plain cam grip of wood, metal, or other suitable
material.
Having now fully described the nature of my Invention I wish it to be clearly
understood that I claim the combination of an automatic clutch as herein described
with fast and loose drums on the same shaft, whereby the alternate reciprocating
motion of two of these loose drums may be automatically communicated in one
direction only to a drum or drums keyed to the shaft which it is required to
constantly rotate.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles James Berrill Ward, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.