An Improved Device for Securing in Position Hollow Cylinders or Rings Fitted on or into each other.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Device for Securing in Position Hollow Cylinders or
Rings Fitted on or into each other.
I BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London
Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by the Firm of Carl Zeiss of Carl Zeiss Strasse,
Jena in the German Empire) to be as follows:-
When
For the purpose of securing hollow cylinders or rings fitted on, or in, each other,
in their proper relative positions, it is proposed, in accordance with the present
invention, to provide such cylinders, or rings, with coinciding slots, or notches,
which, where there are a number of them, shall be situated in the same plane at
right angles to the axis of the cylinders or rings. In these notches is made to
engage an open and compressible ring fitted in the innermost cylinder and provided
with teeth corresponding to the said notches both in number and situation."
it is desired to take this series of interlocked cylindrical or annular articles to
pieces, it is only necessary to bend or compress the said open ring into that shape
in which it was at first inserted co-axially into the innermost cylinder. As regards
the outermost cylinder, simple recesses, or depressions of its inner surface may, if
preferred, be provided for the reception of the teeth of the above mentioned locking
ring, instead of actual perforations or slots.
A simplified form in which this invention may be carried out enables the separate
locking ring in question to be dispensed with, the innermost ring or cylinder of the
series being itself made use of for the purpose and accordingly, provided with an
opening or slot and external teeth. This however, is possible only where the
object of the innermost cylinder or ring is not such as to interfere with its
performing the duty of a locking device at the same time for example, where its
outer surface is not intended to serve for anything except the prevention of the
axial displacement of another body of annular or disc shape capable of turning
co-axially with it in one predetermined direction.
The combination of cylinders or rings, inserted into each other and locked in
position in accordance with this invention may receive a further development when
it is desired, while preventing their axial displacement to each other, to leave them
at liberty to turn about each other within certain limits, or in other words to
In that case the slots
change their peripheral positions in relation to each other.
of one or more of the cylinders may be extended so as to occupy a greater portion
of the circumference than that over which the projections or teeth of the locking
ring extend. In the case of the external cylinder, the facility of displacing it in
relation to the locking ring to the extent of a complete revolution may be ensured
by combining the several segment-shaped recesses or notches so as to form one
continuous annular groove.
This arrangement will be found convenient, even in
those cases where the capability of the cylinders or rings to turn about each other
need not extend beyond an angle, which is small enough to admit the use of single
or separate notches, inasmuch as the provision of such a continuous groove
materially simplifies the process of manufacture.
The locking ring may be of a yielding or elastic nature and in its normal
condition, its diameter may be equal to, or larger than that which it must assume
for the purpose of engaging in the cylinder slots or notches with its teeth; and if
preferred one tooth ouly placed between the ends of this locking ring may suffice

page_text: for retaining the same in its operative position. When however the ring is
provided with a tooth at each end, that is to say with at least two teeth, it may, in
its normal state even, have a less diameter than in the locked position, for in that
case the teeth, under the tension of the ring the ends of which had to be bent
outwardly to permit its insertion, are pressed against the adjacent ends of the two
slots, so that the locking ring is thereby prevented from returning to its original
position. It is not, however absolutely necessary that the alterations of shape, to
which the locking ring is subjected, should be kept within the limits of its elasticity,
30 that the ring resumes its original shape whenever released. Indeed, locking
rings may in some cases be employed, which cannot strictly speaking, be described
as elastic at all, but are simply flexible.
A convenient example of the practical performance of the invention herein
described is supplied by its application to optical apparatus say, where it is desired
securely to fit an "Iris" diaphragm within the casing or tube containing an optical
lens or lenses. In this case four hollow cylinders or rings are slid over each
other, viz., a covering ring for the casing of the "Iris " diaphragm; the casing
itself of such "Iris " diaphragm; the lens tube, and an external hand-ring.
the same.
This example is also an illustration of the special cases mentioned in the
preceding part of the Specification; for here too the innermost or first ring, the
"Iris" casing cover, at the same time answers the purpose of a locking ring,
though its proper object is to afford a support to the diaphragm operating-ring
which may be turned in the casing, resting at the other side against a projection in
Furthermore the fourth and outermost cylinder-i.e. the adjusting or
hand-ring which is rigidly connected with the diaphragm-operating ring by means
of a pin adapted to engage in a correspondingly situated hole in the said diaphragm-
operating ring, is provided on its inner surface with an annular groove, instead of
with a series of separate slots or notches, corresponding to the separate teeth of the
locking ring, for the purpose of enabling the "Iris" aperture to be further opened
or reduced, as may be required, by turning the said hand-ring. The extent of
such movement of the said hand-ring may be so proportioned as to correspond to
the maximum and minimum apertures of the " Iris" by proportionately determining
the length of the slots provided in the diaphragm-casing and the lens-tube for the
pin which connects the hand-ring and the diaphragm-operating ring.
Dated this 12th day of December 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
An Improved Device for Securing in Position Hollow Cylinders or
Rings Fitted on or into each other.
I, BENJAMIN WILLCOX of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of London,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which has been
communicated to me from abroad by the Firm of Carl Zeiss of Carl-Zeiss
Strasse, Jena, in the German Empire) and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
For the purpose of securing hollow cylinders or rings fitted on or in each other,
in their proper relative positions, it is proposed in accordance with the present
invention to provide such cylinders or rings with coinciding slots, or notches, which,
where there are a number of them, shall be situated in the same plane at right
angles to the axis of the cylinders or rings. In these notches is made to engage an
open and compressible ring fitted in the innermost cylinder and provided with
.teeth corresponding to the said notches both in number and situation. When it

page_text: is desired to take this series of interlocked cylindrical or annular articles to pieces,
it is only necessary to bend or compress the said open ring into that shape in which
it was at first inserted co-axially into the innermost cylinder. As regards the
outermost cylinder, simple recesses or depressions of its inner surface, may, if
preferred, be provided for the reception of the teeth of the above mentioned
locking ring instead of actual perforations or slots.
A simplified form in which this invention may be carried out enables the separate
locking ring in question to be dispensed with, the innermost ring or cylinder of the
series being itself made use of for the purpose and, accordingly provided with an
opening or slot and external teeth. This, however, is possible only where the
object of the innermost cylinder or ring is not such as to interfere with its
performing the duty of a locking device at the same time, for example, where its
outer surface is not intended to serve for anything except the prevention of the
axial displacement of another body of annular or disc shape capable of turning
co-axially with it, in one predetermined direction.
The combination of cylinders or rings, inserted into each other and locked in
position in accordance with this invention, may receive a further development when
it is desired, while preventing their axial displacement to each other, to leave them
at liberty to turn about each other within certain limits, or in other words to
change their peripheral positions in relation to each other. In that case the slots
of one or more of the cylinders may be extended so as to occupy a greater portion
of the circumference than that over which the projections or teeth of the locking
ring extend. In the case of the external cylinder, the facility of displacing it in
relation to the locking ring to the extent of a complete revolution may be ensured
by combining the several segment-shaped recesses or notches so as to form one
continuous annular groove. This arrangement will be found convenient even in
those cases where the capability of the cylinders or rings to turn about each other
need not extend beyond an angle which is small enough to admit the use of single
or separate notches inasmuch as the provision of such a continuous groove materially
simplifies the process of manufacture.
The locking ring may be of a yielding or elastic nature and in its normal
condition, its diameter may be equal to, or larger than that which it must assume
for the purpose of engaging in the cylinder slots or notches with its teeth; and if
preferred one tooth only placed between the ends of this locking ring may suffice
for retaining the same in its operative position. When however the ring is provided
with a tooth at each end, that is to say with at least two teeth, it may in its normal
state even have a less diameter than in the locked position, for in that case the
teeth, under the tension of the ring the ends of which had to be bent outwardly
to permit its insertion, are pressed against the adjacent ends of the two slots, so
that the locking ring is thereby prevented from returning to its original position.
It is not, however, absolutely necessary that the alterations of shape, to which the
locking ring is subjected, should be kept within the limits of its elasticity, so that
the ring resumes its original shape whenever released. Indeed, locking rings may
in some cases be employed, which cannot strictly speaking, be described as elastic
at all, but are simply flexible.
"
In the
A convenient example of the practical performance of this invention is supplied
by its application to optical apparatus where it is desired securely to fit an "Iris"
diaphragm within the casing or tube containing an optical lens or lenses.
accompanying drawings such a mounting of an Iris-diaphragm" is shewn, which
consists in a combination of four rings, the first of which is the cover of the
diaphragm casing, the second the main part of this casing, the third the lens tube,
and the fourth a hand ring.
Fig. 1 represents a plan and a sectional elevation of a ring 2 of annular section
forming the main part of the "Iris" casing.
Fig. 2 represents a plan and an elevation of the locking ring 1, which serves as
the cover for the main part 2 of the "Iris" casing.
Fig. 3 represents a plan and an elevation of the "Iris" casing, the cover 1 being

page_text: inserted into the main part 2 and a ring 40 for operating the blades which confine
the iris opening being shown.
Fig. 4 represents a sectional elevation and a plan of the entire system of cylinders
or rings united by the locking ring, viz., besides this ring or cover 1, the main part 2
of the "Iris" diaphragm casing, the operating ring 40 of the "Iris" blades, the
lens tube 3 and the hand ring 4 which embraces this tube and serves to turn the
-operating ring 40.
Fig. 5 represents a section through the system of rings transversally to its axis.
Fig. 6 represents a plan and an elevation partially in section of the hand ring 4.
Fig. 7 represents an elevation of the lens tube 3.1
The arrangement as shewn is also an illustration of the special cases mentioned
in the preceding part of the Specification, for the first or innermost of the combined
rings, the "Iris
cover 1, at the same time answering the purpose of a locking ring, it
being provided with teeth a', b, c, d, which enter the slots a², b, c, d, and a³, b³, c³, d³,
of the rings 2 and 3 respectively, though its proper object is to afford a support to
the diaphragm operating ring 4, which may be turned in the main part 2 of the
casing resting at the other side against a projection in the same. Furthermore the
fourth and outermost cylinder, i.e. the adjusting or band ring 4, which is rigidly
connected with the diaphragm operating ring 40 by means of a pin 41 adapted to
engage a recess in the said ring, is provided on its inner surface with an annular
groove a instead of a series of separate slots or notches corresponding to the
teeth a', b, c, d, of the locking ring 1 for the purpose of enabling the "Iris" aperture
to be further opened or reduced as may be required by turning the said haud ring.
The extent of such movement of the said hand ring may be so proportioned as to
correspond to the maximum and minimum apertures of the "Iris" by proportionately
determining the length of the slot 21. in the main part 2 of the diaphragm casing
and of the slot 31 in the lens tube 3, which slots are provided for the pin 41
connecting the hand ring 4 and the diaphragm operating ring 40.
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. A device for securing a series of hollow cylinders or rings fitted on or in each
other in their proper relative positions, consisting of an open locking ring inserted
into the innermost cylinder and provided with exterior teeth, which enter slots in
the cylinders or rings to be secured to each other, substantially as hereinbefore
.described.
2. A modification of the device claimed in Claim 1, wherein the innermost
cylinder is slotted longitudinally and is provided with teeth so that it serves as a
locking ring, substantially as herein before described.
3. A modification of the device claimed in Claim 1, in which one or several of
the cylinders or rings has or have slots, which are larger in the peripheral dimension
than the corresponding teeth of the locking ring or cylinder for the purpose of
rendering these cylinders capable to be turned about the locking ring or cylinder
within a limited extent, substantially as herein before described.
4. A modification of the device claimed in Claim 1, in which the outermost
cylinder or ring has a continuous annular groove in substitution for the separate
slots engaged by the teeth of the locking ring or cylinder for the purpose of
turning about the locking ring or cylinder substantially as herein before
described.
5. An iris diaphragm fitted in a lens tube by either of the means substantially
as hereinbefore described.
T31
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.