US1304400A - Driving- mechanism for drying and aerating machines - Google Patents

Description

J; A. SPARKS AND- C. E. AND W. M. CLARK. DRIVING MECHANISM 50R DRYING AND AERATING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JMLl5,I91H.

Patented May 20 UNITED STATES orniicn.

JoNAs A. SPARKS, CHARLES E. CLARK, ANn WILLIAM m. CnAnx, or nLEEirY, KANSAS.

DRIVING MECHANISM non DRYING AND AERATING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters 'Patent.

Patented May 20, 1919.

Original application filed June 22, 1917, Serial No. 176,449. Divided and this application filed January 16, 1918. Serial No. 212,121.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JONAS SPARKS, CHARLES E. CLARK, and WILLIAM M. CLARK, citizens of the United States, residing at Elk City, in the county of Montgomery and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Drying and Aerating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to drying and aerating machines and more particularly to an improved ratchet mechanism for rotating the basket of the machine, being a division of our pending application for drying and aerating machines, filed June 22, 1917,

Serial No. 17 6,449.

The invention has as its primary object to provide a ratchet mechanism of the abovedescribed character which will be gravity controlled.

The invention has as a further object to provide an arrangement wherein the ratchet mechanism will be so constructed that the said mechanism will always readily respond to the action of the crank employed for manually propelling the basket while, at the same time, the said mechanism will eflectually operate for allowing the basket to run free.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a ratchet mechanism employing a gravity actuated pawl and wherein the said pawl will be so mounted that rotation of the gear carrying the said pawl will also tend to project the pawl to active position by centrifugal action.

Other and incidental objects will appear as the description proceeds, and in the drawings wherein we have illustrated the preferred, embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views: f

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of our improved drying and aerating machine,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail section, particularly showing the mounting of the pawl of the mechanism, and

F ig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the cam ring of the mechanism detached.

The drying and aerating machine of the present invention is, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, formed with a base including a plurality of sills 10 upon which is mounted a floor 11 having a portion thereof olfset as shown at 12. Upstanding from the floor is a gear housing. This gear housing includes a bottom board 13, at one extremity of which is arranged an end board 14. Supported at one extremity by this end board is a top board 15, the opposite extremity of which is supported by a post 16 upstanding from the floor. Extending between the top and bottom boards is an upright 17 and closing the sides of the housing are suitzontally within the gear housing, is a countershaft 21 and fixed upon the outer end of this shaft to cooperate with the gear wheel 22 .is a pinion 25. Keyed or otherwise secured to the inner end of said shaft is a beveled pinion 26, As will be clear, turning of the crank 21 will rotate this beveled pinion.

Mounted upon the top of the gear housing and secured thereto in any approved manner is a cylindrical casing 27, the bottom wall of which is formed with a suitable axial opening surrounded by an upstanding flange 28. Normally closing the casing is a frusto-conical lid 29 through the apex of which opens an air intake pipe 30 extending axially within the casing. Leading from the bottom of the casing at one side thereof is a discharge spout 31 and removably fitted upon the offset portion 12 of the base beneath the spout is a condenser '32 held in position by a side board 33 secured to the base of the device. Rising from the said base at one end of the condenser is a post 3 1. Formed on the top wall of the condenser to register with the discharge spout 31 of the casing is an upstanding intake 35 and slidable upon the said spout to fit within the intake is a sleeve 36 forming a joint therebetween. The top wall of the condenser is further formed with a discharge pipe 37 from which leads an upstanding vent flue 38 detachably connected with the said pipeby a sleeve similar to the sleeve 36. The flue 38 is arranged immediately in front of the post 34 and at its upper extremity is directed through the said post to be supported thereby. This fine preferably leads to a point exteriorly of the room or building in which the device is being operated.

Rotatably mounted within the casing 27 is a cylindrical basket 39 which is of a diameter less than that of the casing. This basket is open at its upper end to receive the intake pipe 30 and the cylindrical wall thereof is perforated. Mounted upon the outer side of the said' wall are a plurality of spaced upwardly inclined fan blades 40 which extend circumferentially of the bas ket. Connected to the bottom wall of the basket is a spider 41 and extendingfrom this spider axially of the basket is a supporting shaft 42 which is journaled adjacent its upper extremity through a bearing 43 in the top board 15 of the gear housing, while the lower extren'iity of the shaft is journaled through a similar bearing 44 in the bottom board of the gear housing. As will be observed, said shaft extends through the flange 28 of the casing 27 and seated within the top board of the housing to be surrounded by the said flange is a suitable antifriction bearing 45 with which cooperates a collar 46 upon the shaft to rotatably support the basket from the said bearing. At its lower extremity the shaft 42 extends through the floor 11 of the base of the device as well as through a cross piece 47 secured beneath the said floor and fixed upon the lower end of the said shaft is a disk 48. Spanning the strip 47 is a hanger bracket 49 and pivotally mounted between this bracket and the said strip is a rock lever 50 terminating adjacent the disk 48. Suitably secured at its inner end with the floor 11 of the base upon one side of this disk is a brake band 51 which extends loosely around the said disk and is thence extended along the front edge of the lever 50 to provide a wear strip therefor. Pivoted upon the floor 11 above the free extrenr ity of the said lever, is a foot lever 51. The lever 51' is of hell crank formation and the free end thereof projects loosely through the floor in front of the free extremity of the lever 50. Engaged at one end with this latter lever is a spring 52 the opposite end of which is suitably secured to the base of the device. This spring will, therefore, tend to retract the free extremity of the lever 50 and hold the brake band 51 away from the disk 48. However, by depressing the upper extremity of the lever 51 the lever 50 will be rocked to tightly vclamp-the brake band about the said disk for braking the basket 39 in its rotary motion.

The improved ratchet mechanism is arranged within the gear housing of the base and is mounted upon the supporting shaft 42 for the basket. This mechanism includes a beveled gear 53 loosely mounted upon the shaft 42 to cooperate with the beveled gear 26 of the countcrshaft 24. Opening through the bottom edge of the said beveled gear is a vertically disposed socket 54 which is in-' clined downwardly and radially with respect to the aXis of rotation of the said gear. Slidably fitted in this socket is a pin or pawl 55. Mounted upon the shaft 42 to cooperate with the said pin is a cam 56 adjustably fixedto the shaft by a screw or other suitable fastening device 57 and provided at the summit of its inclined face with a vertical shoulder 58. It will now be seen that when the crank 21 is properly operated, the beveled gear 53 will be rotated upon the shaft 42 when the pawl 55 will ride over the cam face of the cam 56 and, as shown in Fig. 2, gravitate to a positionin front of the shoulder 5.8 of. the said cam to engage therewith for rotating the shaft42 and consequently rotating the basket within the casing 27. Then, when the crank is released the cam 56 will shift the pawl into the socket 54 of the beveled gear 53 as the said cam rotates with respect to the said beveled gear so that the basket 39 may thus continue to rotate independently of the crank. This provides a very simple and effective ratchet mechanism for rotating the basket and, in this connection, attention is directed to the fact that the operation of the said mechanism will be practically silent. Furthermore, attention is also particularly directed to the fact that since the pawl 55 is inclined radially with respect to the axis of rotation of the beveled gear 53, rotary movement of the said beveled gear will, by centrifugal action, tend to project the pawl out of the socket 54 to engage the shoulder of the cam 56. Any possibility of sticking of the pawl will thus be overcome. Should the pawl or pin 55 be accidentally broken off, the said pawl may be easily renewed by lowering the cam 56 and inserting a new pawl or pin within the said socket when the cam may then be readjusted upon the shaft 42 to properly support the beveled gear 53 with respect to the beveled gear 26.

It will thus be seen that we have provided a construction wherein the basket may be manually rotated with facility. The clothes to be cleaned are placed Within the basket 39 when the said basket is revolved. Rotary movement of the basket will set up currents of fresh air flowing in at the pipe 30 to be discharged against the clothes within the basket and thence passing out through the thereby,

spout 3l.into the condenser 32 to be finally discharged through the flue 38. '7 Thus, the

moisture will be expelled from the'clothes. while at the same time the clothes Will be thoroughly aerated to remove the odorsol' any cleaning fluids therefrom by the inrushing currentsof fresh air through the pipe 30. As is well known, such cleanlng fiulds are usually of a volatile nature an'd by em ployingthe condenser 32 the vapors of such cleaning fluids will be held within. the said condenser to be condensed and collected Having thus describedthe invention what is claimed as new is:

l.' A ratchet mechanism of the character described including a shaft, a] gear element mounted upon the shaft and free with respe'ct thereto, a cam fixed to the shaft and rovided with a shoulder and'a aawl normally' gravitating upon the-said elementto engage with said shoulder for coupling the gear element with the shaft,

2. A ratchet mechanism of the character described including a shaft, a gear element mounted on the shaft and free with respect thereto, a cam fixed upon the shaft and'provided with a shoulder, and a paWLcarr'ied gear element with the said shaft.

3. A ratchet .mechanismof the character descrlbed including a shaft, a gear element mount-edon the shaft-and free with respect thereto, a cam fixed to the shaft and sus taining the saidgear element thereon, the

said cam beingprovided with a; shoulder,

and a. pawl slidably mounted upon the gear element and normally gravitatingthereonto ride over the face of said cam for engagement' with the said shoulder.

4. In mechanism ofthe character described, a driven shaft, a cam fixed thereon andprovided with a shoulder, a gear element sustained upon the shaft by the said cam v and free with respect to the shaft, and means gravitating upon the said element to cooperate with the cam' forengagement withaid shoulder. v i

5. A ratchet mechanism of the character described including a shaft, a drive gear formed with a'downwardlyopening socket inclined radially with respect to the axis of said shaft, and means for coupling said gear with the shaft and including a pawl 'slidable in said socket whereby the pawl will be .centrifugally urged to gravitate downw ardly to' actlve position when the gear is rotated. r,

6. A ratchet mechanism including a shaft, a drive gear, and means for coupling the drive gear with the shaft and including a pawl inclining downwardly and radially with respect to the axis of the shaft whereby the pawl will be centrifugall y urged; to

gravitate dow'nwar dlyto active position when rotated around the shaft.

In testimony whereof we affix our s1gna tures.

JONAS A. sranxs [L.S.] CHARLES E. CLARK." a 3. WILLIAM M. cLaRK. a 5;

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