Improvements in Overhead Gear for Driving Flexible Shafting.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Overhead Gear for Driving Flexible Shafting.
We, THE WOLSELEY SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE COMPANY LIMITED, of
4, Sun Court, Cornhill, in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention (a communication to us by Frederick York Wolseley of the Union
Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Gentleman) and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention relates to improvements in overhead-gear consisting of a universally
adjustable bracket bearing for supporting a main shaft carrying a driving friction
wheel or pulley for supporting a driven friction wheel or pulley in contact (when
in action), or nearly in contact (when out of use) with said driving friction wheel
or pulley and for supporting means for causing and breaking contact of such friction
wheels or pulleys. This overhead-gear has been particularly devised in order to
provide a neat and efficient "sheep shearing overhead bracket" but it may be
used in driving other machines or apparatus having flexible shafting.
An overhead gear constructed according to these improvements consists of a
horizontal bracket-piece a peculiar rolling or adjusting junction-piece and a bearing
and socket-piece. The horizontal bracket-piece has a sole or flange by which it
may be attached to an upright or other support and in section is an arc of a circle
with side ribs. In the arc is a slot by means of which the distance of the main
shaft bearing from the support may be adjusted. Against the convex part of the
arc is placed the concave face of an adjusting junction-piece carrying the collar of
a double-ended bolt and the other face of said junction-piece which is also concave
(but with its concavity at right angles to the concavity of its other face) receives
against it the convex face of the bearing and socket-piece whose horizontal section
takes the form of an arc of a circle. The bracket-piece and the bearing and
socket-piece are slotted for the passage of the double-ended bolt so as to allow for
adjustment and they are provided with washer pieces, having the necessary convex
faces to fit in the concavities of the bracket-piece and bearing-piece under the
jamb-nuts of the bolt which fastens the whole together. The horizontal bearing
for the main shaft is an upward extension of the bracket-piece and outside of it is a
bevel friction wheel fixed to said shaft. The bottom extension of the bracket-piece
is a socket for the bearing of the vertical driving spindle on the upper end of
which is a bevel friction pinion adapted to bear against the bevel friction wheel on
its outer face and to press it against and not away from the bearing of the main
shaft. Through this socket passes a pin or pintle having on its inner end a fixed
washer adapted to engage with a pin or bar passed through a spindle having a
lever and counterbalance weight adapted to be reversed position so that the
weight will cause said pin or bar acting against the end washer to either free the
friction pinion and wheel or to press the former in contact with the latter. On the
lower end of the vertical driven spindle a bayonet joint with a peculiar lock is
provided for engaging the flexible shafting.
But in order that this invention may be clearly understood reference will now be
made to the drawings herewith in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are end view side view
partly in section and plan respectively of an improved overhead gear constructed
according to this invention. Figures 4 and 5 show sections on lines a a and b bin
Figure illustrating the adjustment of the bearing and socket-piece to the
horizontal bracket-piece. Figure 6 is section of end of socket pintle and Figure 7
is section of end of reversing spindle illustrating the engaging and disengaging of
the bevel pinion with the bevel friction wheel. Figure 8 shows details of
lock for the bayonet-joint connecting the vertical spindle and the flexible shafting.

page_text: A is the horizontal bracket piece whose base or sole A' is secured to the wall
or other upright support, by bolts A. To said bracket-piece the junction-piece B
having the concave faces B and B is attached by bolt C the collar C of which
takes in recess B³ in the concave face B' of said junction-piece while the end C
of said bolt passes through slot A³ in the arc section A' of said bracket-piece and
is secured thereto by check nuts C3 and washer C while the end C³ of bolt C
passing through vertical slot D' secures the bearing and socket-piece D, having
convex face D to the concave face B of the adjustable piece B by means of
check nuts C and washer C' and by this means the bearing and socket-piece is
adjustably held to the bracket piece A. The bearing D³ forming the top extension
of bearing and socket-piece D carries the main or driving shaft E upon which is
keyed the bevel friction wheel E. At one end of said bearing is fixed a
receiver D to catch the waste oil therefrom whilst a pipe D' conveys waste oil
from the front end of the bearing to bearing F in which turns the vertical spindle G,
having keyed thereon the bevel friction pinion G¹ on the outside relative to the
bearing of the bevel wheel E. The pin or pintle F' of the bearing bracket F
passes through the socket D forming the bottom extension of bearing and
socket-piece D, and attached to the end thereof by screw Fare distance piece F³
and disc F the latter having a cushion or rubber, F upon its inside face. The
plate F taking on a flat on bearing bracket F prevents any revolution of pin or
pintle in socket D. From the end of socket D extends the socket D' forming
with a break or slot D therein a bearing for the reversing spindle F and on or
through this spindle is tappet F' secured by screw F. This reversing spindle is
actuated by a cord or rod F and weighted lever F, and thrusting the disc F in
and out causes the pin or pintle F₁ to carry the bearing F and thus draw the
pinion G in and out of contact with the wheel E. The sleeve socket or
junction H on end of the flexible shafting say of a machine, has an L-shaped
slot HH2 therein and it is passed over the reduced end G² of spindle the stop G³
on said spindle taking in slot H' and when a quarter turn is given to it in slot H
and thus holds the sleeve on the spindle. The ring, or locking piece I has top
extension and bottom extension 12 and in use it is placed above the sleeve H
before the joint is made with the extension I' taking in slot G but after the joint
is made the extension 12 drops into the slot H' and the extension being still held
by slot G said sleeve is locked against turning and thus prevents the stop G³
from moving out of slot H.
In operation, when it is desired to convey motion to say a shearing machine the
attendant pulling line or rod F' forces the weight on lever F1 over the centre so
that spindle will have direct impulse (due to the weight) on tappet 7 to thrust
the disc F and pin or pintle Ft to the position as shown in Figures 2 and 6, and so
press the pinion G into close contact with wheel E¹ revolving with shaft E which
motion is imparted by pinion G', and spindle G to the flexible shafting. To stop
the motion of the flexible shafting, the line or rod F, is pulled moving the weight
on lever F over the centre back to its former position and so causing the other
end of tappet F7 to come against the outside of disc F and thrust it inwards and
so move the pinion G'out of contact with the wheel E'.
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, it is declared that what
is claimed is :-
First. In an overhead gear for driving flexible shafting of the class set forth
arranging the driven friction pinion on the outside of the driving friction wheel
relatively to the contiguous bearing of the main shaft of the latter substantially as
herein described and explained.
Second. In an overhead gear for driving flexible shafting of the class set forth
the combination and arrangement with a horizontal bracket-piece such as A having
means for attachment to a support and in section being an arc of a circle such as A*
with a slot such as A" therein of a junctiou-piece such as B having concave faces

page_text: such as B1 and B2 a bearing and socket-piece such as D, with convex face such
as D and slot such as D therein, and means such as double-ended bolt C with
washers and nuts for adjusting such bearing and socket-piece and for holding
the whole together substantially as herein described and explained, and
illustrated in the drawings.
as
Third. In an overhead gear for driving flexible shafting of the class set forth
the combination and arrangement with a socket and bearing piece such as D having
means for adjustably holding it to its supports and having bearing such as D³ for
a main shaft of a socket such as D for a pin or pintle, such as F1, of a bearing
bracket such as F and means for travelling such pin or pintle and bearing bracket
longitudinally relatively to such socket substantially as herein described and
explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Fourth. In overhead gear for driving flexible shafting of the class set forth.
the combination and arrangement with a bearing and socket-piece supporting a
driving friction wheel such as El and a friction pinion such as G', of bearing
such as F having pin or pintle such as F' taking in a socket such as De reversing
spindle such as F with weighted lever such as F10, and cord such as F, tappet
such as F, distance pieces disc and cushion such as F3 F4 and F, and holding.
plate such F substantially as herein described and explained and as illustrated
in the drawings.
Fifth. In overhead gear for driving flexible shafting the combination and
arrangement with a driven spindle such as G and a bayonet joint consisting of
sleeve or socket such as H with shaped slot such as H1 H2 on reduced end of
spindle such as G² having stop such as G³, of a lock ring such as I having
extensions such as I and 12 adapted one to take into a slot in the spindle, and the
other to take into the slot in the sleeve or socket substantially as herein described.
and explained and as illustrated in the drawings.
Dated the 4th day of March 1892.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants..