US1119572A - Flexible shafting. - Google Patents

Description

W. F. BUTLER. FLEXIBLE SHAFTING. APPLICATION FILED PEB.9, 1912.

1,1 19,572. I Patented Dec.1,1914.

M agnfw 6g W ammw WILLIAM F. BUTLER, OF PENDLETON, INDIANA.

FLEXIBLE SHAFTING.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Application filed February 9, 1912. Serial No. 676,563.

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. BUTLER, of Pendleton, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Flexible Shafts, which improvementis fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings.

The present invention relates to flexible shafts and more particularly to the type embodying a plurality of links which are capable of relative lateral movement but are held together for simultaneous rotary movement; and an object of this invention is to so construct the links that they may be made inexpensively from commercial or standard metal stock upon' automatic machinery,

while at the same time providing a simple and durable construction.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain parts and combinations of parts, all of which will be hereinafter described, the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 illustrates a side and an end view of a strip of metal from which one of the links is formed; Fig. 2 illustrates a side and an end view of the link formed from the metal shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 illustrates a side and an end View of the stock from which the other link is formed; Fig. 4 illustrates an axial section and an end view of link formed from the stock shown in Fig. 3 before such link is connected to the link shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 illustrates the two forms of links connected together end to end, the tubular link being shown in axial section.

According to this invention a strip of metal preferably noncircular in cross section, a square or other polygonal form having an equal number of sides being most'desirable, is out in short strips or pieces 1 as shown in Fig. 1, the cutting preferably being performed by an automatic machine to which the strip is fed. After the pieces have been out, they are passed to forging or stamping devices which upset their ends to provide enlargements. The base 2 of each of such enlargements is in the form of a polygon, preferably a square, and from such base rises side walls each of which curves outwardly at 3 in one direction only, on a true arc, the arcuate portion merging into a flattened portion 4. which merges into an apex 5 forming a pyramidal portion becommercial stock which is preferably out by automatic machinery into short pieces 6, as shown in Fig. 3, and then is pressed, forged or stamped at its ends to provide noncircular pockets '7 corresponding to the cross section of the enlarged portions of the link 1, in this instance, having a square cross section. The diameters of these pockets are at least as great as the cylindrically formed inner wall 8 of the link so that shoulders 9 are provided for cooperation with the en larged portions of the links 1, thus limitin axial movements ofthe links 1 in the links 6, while at the same time permitting the apexes of the enlarged portions to project into the cylindrical portions so that the straight faces of the enlarged portions may coiiperate with the internal or cylindrical walls 8 of links 6 in order to limit the lateral sidewise movement of' the links.

For uniting the links the ends of the tubular links 6 are turned inwardly as at 10 for the purpose of confining the enlarged heads within the pockets 7 while at the same time permittingvlateral movements of said links.

A flexible shafting constructed in accordance with this invention will cause all the links to turn together and at the same time'will permit relative lateral movement of the links. The links are so formed that they may be made from commercial metal stock upon automatic machinery and in use thev will be very durable.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A link for flexible shafts comprising a connecting portion, and enlarged portions at its ends, each enlarged portion having a base in the form of a polygon with an equal number of sides. the side walls of the said enlarged portion rising from said base, those portions of the walls in proximity to the base being curved on true arcs, the arcs of opposite walls having a common center and the portions of said side walls beyond the curved portions being flattened and merging to a point or apex.

i 2. A link for flexible shafts comprising a connecting portion and enlarged portions at its ends, each enlarged portion having a square base, the side walls of which rise from the base and have those portions in proximity to the base being curved on true arcs, the arcs of opposite walls having a common center, and said side walls forming a. pyramid beyond the curved portions.

3. A flexible shaft consisting of links of two forms, alternately arranged, one a tubular link comprising a central portion with a cylindrically-formed inner wall and end portions provided with pockets communicating with the interior of the central portion, each of said end portions being polygonal in cross section and the inner ends of the pockets forming shoulders, and the other, a link comprising a central portion and enlarged ends fitting in the pockets of the tubular links, said enlarged ends each having a base in the form of a polygon and curved side walls rising from the base, the side Walls of the enlarged ends closely fitting in said ockets to turn in engagement with the Walls and being limited in movement by the shoulders at the bottoms of the pockets.

4. In a flexible shaft, the combination with link members having enlargements at their ends, each enlargement having a polygonal base and side walls curved outwardly in one direction only, of tubular link members havminers ing a central hollow portion with a cylindrically-formed interior wall, and also having pocketed end portions, the pockets each having a polygonal cross section and receiving one of the enlargements and each of said pockets having its diagonals greater than the diameter of the interior of the central portion, thus forming shoulders which limit the movements of the first-named links within the tubular links.

5. A flexible shaft comprising links provided with enlargements at opposite ends, the extreme portions of said enlargements having projections, and tubular links alternated with the first-named links and having the enlargements of said first-named links fitted in their ends, said enlargements turning in engagement with the inner walls of the links, said tubular links having shoulders formed therein limiting the movement of the enlargements in the direction of the lengths of the tubular links, and the portions of the tubular links between the shoulders receiving the projections on the enlargements and by engagement with said projections limiting the lateral movements of the links.

WILLIAM F. BUTLER. Witnesses:

HOWARD WALK R, CHAs. E. Coornn.

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