US1345122A - Spring-motor - Google Patents

Description

J. B. BROWNING.

SPRING MOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1916.

1,345, 1 22. Patented June 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. B. BROWNING.

SPRENGMOTOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1916.

1,345,122. PatentedJune 29, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- JOHN BAILEY BROWNING, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

SPRING-MOTOR.

Original application filed February 16, 1912, Serial No. 677,938.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1920.

Divided and this application filed April 17. 1913. Serial No. 91,545.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN BAILEY BROWN- ING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Camden, in the county of Camden, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Motors, of which the following is a specification, this application being a division of my application Serial No. 677,938, filed February 16, 1912.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a spring motor comprising a plurality of driving units, each including a spring barrel and a spring contained therein, and in which the driving units may be readily separated and taken apart for rp pairs.

In the accompanying rawings lgure 1 is a top plan view of a spring motor constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 an enlarged fragmentar longitudinal central section of the same; *ig. 3 a transverse section of the same on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 a transverse section of the same on line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 a fragmentary longitudinal section of the same on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention is shown as applied to a'talkin machine having the usual or any suitable czibinet 11, and including a frame 15 arranged within a cabinet and secured thereto by any suitable means. This frame 15 may be a casting or of a pressing of any suitablematerial and includes three ribs, 16, 17 and 18, two of which, 16 and 17, are connected by a transverse strip 19. Fixedly but removably supported by the ribs 17 and 18 is a cylindrical spring barrel cage or casing 20, and extending longitudinally from the spring barrel casing 20 and coaxially therewith is a stationary shaft 25'. one end of which is secured in a bearing 26 which is fixedly secured to the rib 16, and the other end of which extends through a wall of the cabinet 11 and projects outwardly therefrom.

Arranged within the spring barrel casing and snugly but rotatively surrounding the stationary shaft 25 are a plurality of hubs 30, 31, 32, etc, tightly surrounding which and fixedly secured thereto respectively are a plurality of cylindrical spring ca es or barrels 35, 36 and 37, arranged within the spring barrel casing 20 and coaxially with the shaft 25. The inner ends of these spring barrels are closed respectively by flat annular plates 40, 41, etc., which loosely surround the hubs 31, 32, etc. The annular plates 40 and 41 are fixedly but removably secured to and within the inner ends of their respective spring barrels 35, 36, 37, the plate 40 of one spring barrel being arranged substantially in a plane with the inner end of the hub of the next succeeding spring barrel.

\Vithin the spring barrels 35, 36 and 37, and snugly but rotatively surrounding the stationary shaft 25 are a corresponding number of sleeves 45, 46, etc., which are connected to their respective spring barrels by means of spiral springs 50, 51 and 52, which surround the sleeves 45, 46, etc., and the inner ends of which are secured to their respective sleeves by any suitable fastening means as at 53 and 54, while the outer ends of the springs are secured to the inner surfaces of their respective spring barrels by any suitable means as at 56 and 57.

Outside of the outer hub 36 and rotatively surrounding the stationary shaft 25 is a sleeve 66, which is connected either directly or indirectly in any suitable manner to a crank arm 65, which loosely surrounds the outer end of the shaft 25, and whereby the outer sleeve 60 may be rotated.

The inner ends of the sleeves 45, 46, etc., are provided with ratchet teeth 66, 67, 68, etc, and the outer ends of the hubs 30, 31 and 32, etc., are provided with corresponding ratchet teeth so that when the crank is rotated in a clockwise direction rotary motion will be transmitted in a clockwise direction from the sleeve 60 to the hub 30, which will cause the rotation of the spring barrel 35 in a clockwise direction and will wind up the spring 50, thus causing a rotation of the sleeve 45 in a clockwise direction and thus rotating the next succeeding hub 31 to rotate the next spring barrel 36, thus winding up the spring 51 and causing a rotation of the corresponding sleeve 46 and next hub 32 and spring barrel 37, etc., until all of the springs 50, 51, 52 are wound up.

For preventing the rotation of the spring barrels 35, 36 and 37 during the normal operation of the motor, any well known or suitable means may be provided, but in the form of this invention shown there is provided for this purpose a pair of longitudinally movable plungers '70 and 71, which are substantially square in cross section and which are arranged to reciprocate freely in corresponding square apertures 72 and 73 provided therefor in the outer end of the spring barrel casing 20, and normally pressed in wardly respectively by springs 741 and 75 which are'secured as by screws 76 and 77 to the outer end of the spring barrel casing 20. The inner ends of the plungers 70 and 71 .are suitably beveled as shown in Fig. 5 at 78 and arranged to engage in correspond- 111g indentations or recesses 79 and 80 provided therefor 1n the outer end of the spring barrel 35, the arrangement being such that the plungers 70 and 71 will yield to permit the spring barrel 35 to be rotatedin a clockdie for supporting a record turntable of a talking machine,'a hub 86, similar in construction to the hubs 30, 81 and 32, loosely surrounds the shaft 25 just outside of the inner end of the spring barrel casing 20 and the innermost spring barrel which is arranged within the casing. This hub 86 is arranged to be rotated in a clockwise direction by the innermostone (not shown) of the sleeves 45, 46, etc. Surrounding and rigidly secured to this hub 86 is a worm gear or spiral gear 87 which engages a corresponding worm 88 which surrounds and is rigidly secured to the spindle 85.

For controlling the speed of this improved motor, any suitable governor may be provided, but in the form of this invention illustrated there is provlded means for this purpose including a worm gear 89, surrounding and rigidly secured to the spindle 85 and arranged to engage and to drive a worm 90 which is fixedly mounted upon a shaft 91, which is terminally supported for rotation in bearings 92 and 98 provided therefor in the ribs 16 and 18 of the frame 15. Surrounding and slidably mounted upon the shaft 91 is a disk 95 which is connected by a plurality of springs 96 to a collar 97 rigid with the shaft 91, the springs being provided with weights or fly balls 98 which act to draw the disk 95 toward the collar 97 as the speed of the shaft 91 is increased.

I Arranged upon the inner side of the disk 95 is a circular plate 99 having fixedly secured to its outer surface a friction pad the cabinet 11 and is threaded through the stationary rib 18. The outer end of this adjusting screw 105 is provided with a knob 106, whereby the screw may be rotated to adjust the plate 99'so as to control the speed of the governor and consequently of the motor in a well known manner. One advantage of this form of governor is that the arrangement is such that the governor may be adjusted to control the speed of the mo-Y casing 20, it is to be'understood that any desired number of spring barrels might be used, either more or less than the number shown, and the spring barrel casing 20 would, of course, be accordingly proportioned.

To supplement the action of the spring motor units within the spring barrel casing 20, an auxiliary spring motor (not shown) may be arranged around the shaft 25 and outside of the cabinet 11 within a stationary casing 110 which is detachably secured to the cabinet. The construction of this auxiliary motor is similar to that of the individual power units within the spring barrel casing 20, and so that the auxiliary motor rotates the sleeve 60.

It is thought to be evident from the foregoing that in this improved motor any one of the spring barrels and its contained spring and sleeve may be readily disconnected from the remaining portions of the motor, simply by removing the spring barrel casing 20 and then withdrawing the shaft 25. The removal of these two parts allows the spring barrels to fall apart, each spring barrel with its contained spring sleeve and hub constituting a separate unitary structure.

Nhile in the specification and in the appended claims the term spring barrel or the term spring cage has been used to define certain elements 35, 36 and 37 of the motor, and the term spring has been used to define certain other elements 50, 51 and 52, it is to be understood that these terms are not to be limited in construing the claims to the exact constructions shown in the drawings, but are to be broadly construed to include any equivalents of the corresponding elements shown in the drawings.

While only a single form has been shown in which this invention has becnembodied, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to any specific construction, but might be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described this invention, I claim and desireto protect by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. In a motor, the combination with a stationary shaft, of a plurality of hubs rotatably surrounding said shaft, a barrel fixedly secured to each of said hubs, a plurality of sleeves rotatably surrounding said shaft and arran ed within said barrels respectively, and yieldin means connecting said barrels with said s eeves respectively, one of said sleeves being operative to drive one of said hubs but being freely separable therefrom upon the separation of said sleeves and hubs from said shaft.

2. In a motor, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of hubs surrounding said shaft, a barrel secured to each of said hubs, a plurality of sleeves surrounding said shaft and arranged within said barrels respectively, and yielding means connecting said barrels with said sleeves respectivel said sleeves and said hubs being normall y operatively connected, but being freely separable upon the separation of said sleeves and hubs from said shaft.

3. In a motor, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of hubs surrounding said shaft and movable with respect thereto, a barrel secured to each of said hubs, a plurality of sleeves surrounding said shaft and movable with respect thereto and arranged within said barrels respectively, and yielding means connecting said barrels with said sleeves respectively, said sleeves and said hubs being normally operatively connected, but being freely separable upon the separation of said sleeves and hubs from said shaft.

4. In a motor, the combination with a spring barrel rotatable about a given axis, of a clutch member arranged in said spring barrel and rotatable with respect thereto about said axis, a spring arranged within said spring barrel and operatively connecting said spring barrel to said clutch member, a second clutch member arranged to rotate about said axis and to be engaged by said first mentioned clutch member, a spring barrel carried by said second mentioned clutch member, an element arranged in said second mentioned spring barrel and rotatable about said axis and with respect to said clutch members, and a spring connecting said second mentioned spring barrel with said element.

5. In a motor, the combination with an element rotatable about a given axis, of a clutch member rotatable about said axis and with respect to said element, yielding means operatively connecting said clutch member and said element, a second clutch member arranged to rotate about said axis and to be engaged by said first mentioned clutch member, an element rotatable about said axis and with respect to said clutch members, and means including yielding means operatively connecting said last mentioned element with said second mentioned clutch member.

6. In a motor, the combination with a pair of coaxially rotatable spring barrels one of which is rotatable with respect to the other, a spring in each of said barrels and operatively connected thereto, and a pair of coacting clutch members coaxial with said spring barrels and arranged to operatively connect said springs.

7. In a spring motor, the combination of a shaft, separate sleeves mounted on the shaft, a power spring connected to each of the separate sleeves, spring barrels connected to each of the respective springs, and clutches forming interlocking connections between the sleeve of each spring and the barrel of the next adjacent spring.

8. In a spring motor, the combination of a shaft, separate spring barrels rotatably mounted on the shaft, springs within the sprin barrels, a sleeve within one of said barreIs and independently rotatable on the shaft and connected to the corresponding spring, and interlocking clutch means provided respectively on one end of said sleeve and on the face of the adjacent spring, barrel.

9. A power unit for spring motors, including a spring barrel open at one end and closed at the other end, a cover plate for the open end of the barrel, said cover plate and the closed end of the barrel being formed with substantially central alining apertures, a sleeve within the barrel rotatable independently thereof and adapted to register and communicate with said aper tures, a power spring connecting the sleeve and the barrel, the sleeve being journaled at one end in one of said apertures, a clutch member provided at said end of the sleeve. and a clutch member provided adjacent the other aperture.

10. A talking machine motor having in combination, a frame, a turn-table spindle rotatably mounted therein and provided with a Worm, a shaft removably and nonrotatably fixed in said frame, a gear wheel meshing with said worm and rotatably mounted on said shaft, a sleeve rotatably surrounding said shaft alongside said gear wheel, said sleeve and said gear Wheel havin separable interlocking parts to provide a rivln engagement therebetween, a drum surroun ing said sleeve, a spiral spring having its ends attached to said drum and sleeve, respectively, a bushing surrounding said shaft and rotatably mounted in a bearing in said frame, said bushing being detachab y connected to said drum, and means for rotating said bushing to wind up said spring.

11. A talking machinemotor having, in combination, a frame. a shaft removably and non-rotatably fixed therein, a gear wheel, a. sleeve, a drum and a bushing, all rotatably mounted on said shaft, said sleeve and gear being directly but separably connected together, a spiral spring having its ends attached respectively to said drum and said sleeve, the drum and sleeve being independently rotatable on the shaft, said bushing being directly but separably connected to said drum for rotating the latter, means for rotating said bushing to drive said drum and wind up said spring, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said drum.

12. A talking machine motor having, in combination, a removably mounted shaft and a plurality of spring units mounted side by side on said shaft separably connected together, each of said units comprising a drum, a central sleeve and a spiral spring having its ends attached respectively to said drum and sleeve, the drums, springs and sleeves of the different units being duplicates of each other, whereby any one of said parts is adapted. for use either in a singleunit or plural-unit motor, and means arranged to be driven. by said units and having a connection with one of them substantially identical with the connection between adj aa cent units.

13. A talking machine motor having, in combination, a supporting shaft and a plurality of duplicate spring units mounted side by side on said shaft, all of said units being interchangeable and each comprising a drum and a sleeve directly mounted on the shaft for independent rotation, and a spring having its ends attached respectively to said drum and sleeve, the drums, springs and. sleeves of the several units being duplicates of each otherand the sleeve of one unit being arranged to detachably interlock with the drum of the next unit to rotate together, means to receive power from the sleeve at one end of the series of units, and means for rotating the drum of the unit at the other end of the series forwinding up all of said springs, the connections between the two last mentioned means and their adjacent units being substantially identical with the connection between the sleeve of one unit with the drum of another unit.

14:. A talking machine motor having, inv

combination, a supporting shaft, a plurality of spring units mounted on said shaft and each comprising outer and inner elements independently rotatable and connected by a spiral spring, the elements of the respective units being duplicates of each other so that any element may be used either in a single- 'unit or plural-unit motor, the respective inner and'outer elements of two adjacent units having a direct but separable engage site end of the series of units and directly 7 but separably engaging the outer element of the first unit for rotating the latter to wind up the springs in all of the units, and means for rotating said bushing in the direction to wind said springs.

16. A talking machine motor having, in combination, a plurality of spring units located side by side, each of said units com prising an outer and inner element con nected by a spiral spring, and all of the units being detachably connected together by means of a direct rigid engagement of the inner element of one unit with the outer element of the next adjacent unit, means to apply power to one of said elements of the first unit located at one end of the series, whereby all of the springs may be wound up, the non-corresponding element of the last unit at the opposite end of the series having a connection with the means to be driven substantially identical with the connection between the non-corresponding elements of adjacent units whereby'to transmit the power of the springs to the desired end.

17. A talking machine motor having, in combination, a frame, a shaft removably and non-rotatably fixed therein, a series of,

spring units supported on said shaft and each comprising a drum and a sleeve directly mounted on said shaft for independent r0- tation and connected by a spiral spring, the drums, springs and sleeves of the respective units being duplicates 'of each other, each sleeve having one end shaped to detachably interlock with an adjacent part, the sleeve of one unit detachably interlocking with the drum of the next adjacent unit for rotating said drum, a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft at one end of the series of said units, the sleeve of the unit at said end de tachably interlocking with the hub of said gear wheel to drive the latter, means for rotating the drum of the unit at the opposite end of the series to wind up all of the springs, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said drum.

18. A talking machine motor having, in

combination, a frame, a shaft removably and nonrotatably fixed therein, a series of spring units supported on said shaft and each comprisin a drum and a sleeve directly mounted on said shaft for independent rotation and connected by a spiral spring, the drums, sprin s and sleeves of the respective units being uplicates of each other, each sleeve having one end shaped to dctachably interlock with an adjacent part, the sleeve of one unit detachably interlocking with the drum of the next adjacent unit for ro tating said drum, a .gear wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft at one end of the series of said units, the sleeve of the unit at said end detachably interlocking with the hub of said gear wheel to drive the latter, a bushing rotatably surrounding said shaft and rotatably mounted in a bearing in said frame at the end of the series of units opposite to said gear wheel, said bushing having one end shaped to detachably interlock with the drum of the adjacent unit, means for rotating said bushing to drive the drum engaged thereby and wind up all of said springs, and means for preventing reverse rotation of said drum.

19. A spring motor having, in combination, a frame, a shaft having one end removably and non-rotatably fixed in said frame,

a bushing in which the other end of said shaft lies, said bushing being rotatably .mounted in said frame, a gear wheel rotatably mounted on said shaft, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said shaft alongside said gear wheel and directly but detachably engaging said wheel for rotating the latter, a drum rotatably mounted on said shaft for rotation independently of said sleeve. and a spiral spring having its ends attached respectively to said drum and sleeve, said bushing being arranged to rotate said drum to wind up said spring, and means for preventing rotation of the drum in the opposite direction.

20. A spring motor comprising a shaft and two power units mounted upon said shaft, and arranged to act in series, each of said units including three elements, namely, a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve ex tending within said cage and rotatable with respect to said cage. and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said cage and said sleeve. one of the said elements of each of said power units being in the orm of a clutch member. and the said clutch member of one of said units being arranged to engage the said clutch member of another of said units to transmit power between said units.

21. A spring motor comprising a stationarv shaft and two power units mounted upon said shaft, each of said units including three elements. namely. a rotatable spring cage. a sleeve extending within said cage and retatable with respect to said cage, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said cage and said sleeve, one of the said elements of each of said power units being in the form of a clutch member, and the said clutch member of one of said units being arranged to engage the said clutch member of another of said units to transmit power between said units.

22. A spring motor comprising a shaft and two power units mounted upon said shaft and arranged to act in series, each of said units including three elements, namely, a rotatable spring cage having an end wall, a sleeve extending within and rotatable with respect to said cage and fitting snugly in an opening provided therefor in said end wall thus providing a bearing for said end wall, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said cage and said sleeve, one of said elements of each of said power units being in the form of a clutch member, and the said clutch member of one of said units being arranged to engage the said clutch member of the other one of said units to transmit power between said units.

23. A spring motor comprising a sta tionary shaft, and two power units mounted upon said shaft, each of said units including three elements, namely, a rotatable spring cage having an end wall, a sleeve extending within and rotatable with respect to said cage and fitting snugly in an opening provided therefor in said end wall thus providin a bearing for said end wall, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said cage and said sleeve, one of said elements of each of said power units being in the form of a clutch member, and the said clutch member of one of said units being arranged to engage the said clutch member of the other one of said units to transmit power between said units.

24. A spring motor comprising a shaft and two power units mounted upon said shaft and arranged to act in series. each of said units including three elements. namely a rotatable spring cage. a sleeve extending within and rotatable with respect to said cage. and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said cage and said sleeve. one of said elements of each of said power units being provided with a projecting portion integral therewith. and the said projecting portion of one of said units being arranged to engage the corresponding projecting portion of the other of said units to operatively but disengageably clutch the corresponding elements together for transmitting power from one of said power units to the other.

25. A. spring motor comprising a stationary shaft and two power units mounted upon said shaft. each of said units including three elements, namely a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve extending within and rotatable with respect to said cage, and a 1 spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said'cage and said sleeve, one of said elements of each of said power units being provided with a projecting portion integral therewith, and the said projecting portion of one of said units being arranged to engage the corresponding projecting portion of the other of said units to operatively but disengageably'clutch the corresponding elements together for transmitting power from one of said power units to the other. i I

26. A spring motor comprising a shaft, and a plurality of power units mounted upon said shaft, each of said units including a spring cage surrounding said shaft,

,a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending in and rotatable with respect to said cage, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said sleeve and said cage, the said springs of said units being normally operatively connected in series, said shaft being removable from said sleeves and the construction and arrange- -ment of said spring motor being such that nected in series, said shaft being removable from said sleeves, and the construction and arrangement of said spring motor being such that when the parts thereof are all in operative positions and the said shaft is then removed from said sleeves, each of said units will be freely separable from each other of said units.

28. A spring motor comprising a shaft, a plurality of rotatable spring cages mounted upon said shaft, a plurality of sleeves surrounding said shaft, and'a plurality of springs coiled aroui'id'said sleeves and arranged to act in series, and normally connecting said sleeves to said spring cages insu'ch a manner as to cause said sleeves to act in series, said shaft being removable from said cages and said sleeves, the construction and arrangement of said motor being such that upon the removal of said shaft from said sleeves each of said sleeves will be freely movable longitudinally and independently of all of the remaining of said sleeves and independently of all of said spring cages, and the construction being such that upon said removal of said shaft one of said cages may be disconnected from another of said cages by a longitudinal movement of one of said sleeves with respect to one of said cages.

29. A spring motor comprising a shaft, power unit mounted upon said shaft and including two elements, namely, aspring cage, and a spring connected to and coiled within said cage, and a second power unit mounted upon said shaft and including three elements, namely, a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said sleeve to said cage, said sleeve being provided with arecess and one of the said elements of said first-mentioned unit being provided with a projec- 'tion arranged to engage in said recess to operatively connect said last-mentioned element with said sleeve, and said projection being withdrawable from said recess by moving said projection with respect to and longitudinally of said sleeve.

30. A'spring motor comprising a stationary shaft, a power unit mounted upon said shaft and including two elements, namely a spring cage, and a spring connected to and coiled within said cage, and a second power unit mounted upon said shaft and including three elements, namely a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve surrounding said shaft, and a spring coiled around said sleeveand operatively connecting said sleeve to said cage, said sleeve being provided with a recess and one of the said elements of said first-mentioned unit being provided with a projection integral therewith and arranged to engage in said recess tooperativ'ely connect said last-mentioned element with said sleeve, and said projection being freely withdaiwable from said recess by moving said projection with respect to and longitudinally of said sleeve, 7

31. A spring motor comprising a shaft, a power unit mounted on said shaft and including a spring cage, and a yielding pawl arranged to vibrate-in a predetermined path and to engage said cageto hold said cage against rotation in one direction but to pe mit of its rotation in an opposite direction.

32. A spring motor comprising a shaft, a power unit mounted on said shaft and including a spring cage, and a yielding pawl arranged to vibrate in a predetermined path parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft and to engage said cage to hold said cage against rotation in one direction but to permit of its rotation in an opposite direction.

7 33. A; spring'motor comprising a shaft, a power unit. mounted upon said shaft'and including a spring cage, and a spring conllU nected to and coiled' within said cage, a

winding element arranged to wind said spring, and a driving element mounted on said shaft and arranged to be driven as a result of the action of said spring, said shaft being removable from said unit and said unit being separable from said driving element upon the removal of said shaft and by causng a relative movement of said driving element from said unit in the direction of the normal axis of rotation of said driving element.

34. A spring motor comprising a stationary shaft, a power unit mounted upon said shaft and including a spring cage, and a spring coiled within and connected to said cage, a winding element arranged to wind said spring, and a driving gear mounted on said shaft and arranged to be driven as a result of the action of said spring, said shaft being removable from said unit and said gear and said unit being separable from said gear upon the removal of said shaft and by causing a relative movement of said gear from said unit in the direction of the normal axis of rotation of said gear.

35..In a spring motor, the combination with a frame, of a stationary spring cage casing supported thereby, a shaft extending through said casing and projecting in opposite directions therefrom, a rotatable spring cage arranged within said casing and surrounding said shaft and having a bearing in one end of said casing, a spring coiled within and connected to said cage, and a driving gear mounted upon said shaft and arranged to be actuated by said spring.

36. A spring motor comprising a shaft, and a pair of power units, each of said units including two elements, namely a rotatable spring cage surrounding said shaft, and a sleeve extending Within and rotatable with respect to said cage and surrounding said shaft, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, one of said elements of each of said units being in the form of a clutch member. and the said spring of one of said units being detachably clutched in series with the said spring of the other of said units through said clutch members.

37. A spring motor comprising a stationary shaft, and a pair of power units, each of said units including two elements, namely a rotatable spring cage surrounding said shaft, and a sleeve extending Within and rotatable with respect to said cage and surrounding said shaft, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, one of said elements of each of said units being in the form of a clutch member, and the said spring of one of said units being detachably clutched in series with the said spring of the other of said units through said clutch members.

88. A spring motor comprising a shaft and a plurality of power iinits surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatable clutch member. and a coiled spring operatively connected to said clutch member, the said spring of one of said units being operatively and detachably connected in series with the said spring of another of said units through said clutch members.

39. A spring motor comprising a stationary shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatable clutch member, and a coiled spring connected to said clutch member, the said spring of one of said units being operatively and detachably connected to the said spring of another of said units through said clutch members.

40. A spring motor comprising a shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including two rotatable clutch members and a spring con nected to one of said clutch members, said springs being detachably connected in series by a plurality of said clutch members.

41. A spring motor comprising a stationary shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including two rotatable clutch members and a spring connected to one of said clutch members, said springs being detachably connected in series by a plurality of said clutch members.

42. A spring motor comprising a shaft, a power unit surrounding said shaft, and including two rotatable clutch elements, one of which is rotatable with respect to the other, and a coiled spring connecting said elements, winding means arranged to r0- tate one of said elements to wind said spring and a driving gear arranged to be rotated as a result of the rotation of the other of said elements.

43. A spring motor comprising a shaft, a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft and each including two rotatable clutch elements, and a spring coiled around said shaft and connecting said clutch elements, a clutch member engaging one of said clutch elements to rotate the same, and a clutch member provided with a driving gear and arranged to engage another of said clutch elements to be rotated thereby, said springs being operatively connected in series between said clutch members by said clutch elements.

44. A spring motor comprising a shaft and two power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatable cupped element surrounding said shaft and a power transmitting element in the form of a sleeve extending within said cupped element and rotatable with respect thereto. and a spring coiled around said sleeve and operatively connecting said sleeve to said cupped element. one of said elements being in the form of a clutch member and the said ing the shaftin Operative position.

spring of one of said units being operatively connected in series with the said spring of the other of said units through said clutch members.

45. A spring motor comprising a shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatablespring cage, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending within said cage and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, one of said'springs being normally connected in series with another of said springs, and said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being free to fall apart upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

46. A spring motor comprising a stationary and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve surrounding said. shaft and extending within said cage and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said. units being free to fall apart upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

47. A spring motor comprising a shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each of said units including a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending within said cage,

and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, one of said springs being normally operatively connected in series with another of said springs said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being normally clutched together but free to fall apart and out of operative connection upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

48. A spring motor comprising a stationary shaft and a plurality of power units surroundingsaid shaft, each of said units in cluding a rotatable spring cage, a sleeve surrounding said shaft and extending within said'cage, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said cage, said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being normally clutched together but free to fall apart and out of operative connection uponthe with drawal of said shaft.

49. In a spring motor, the combination with a stationary shaft, of separate spring units movably mounted on the shaft, clutches forming interlocking connections between adjacent spring units, and means for hold 50. In a spring motor the combination with a shaft of a plurality of spring units bly clutched together to act in series.

51. In a spring motor the combination with a stationary shaft of a plurality of spring units movably mounted on said shaftbly clutched together to act in series, said shaft. being withdrawable from said units and said units being free to fall apart upon the withdrawal of said shaft;

53. In a spring motor the combination with a shaft of a plurality of spring units movably mounted on said shaft and separably clutched together to act in series, said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being freely separable upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

54. In a spring motor, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of spring units surrounding said shaft and normally operatively connected together to act in series, said shaft. being withdrawable from said units and said units being freely separable upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

55. In a spring motor, the. combination with a stationary shaft, of a plurality of spring units surrounding said shaft and normally operatively connected together to act in series, said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being freely separable upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

56. In a spring motor, the combination with a shaft of a pair. of power. units surrounding said shaft and each including a spring cage surrounding said shaft, a'sleeve extending in said-cage and surrounding said shaft and a spring coiled around said sleeve andv connecting said sleeve and said cage, said units being normally operatively con nected with the spring of one unit operatively connected in series with the spring of the other unit. said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being freely separable each with its cage and sleeve remaining connected by the corresponding spring upon thewithdrawal of said shaft.

57. A spring motor comprising a shaft and a plurality of power units surrounding said shaft, each ofsaid units including a clutch member and a'spring connected to said clutch member, two of said springs being detachably connected in series by a pair of said clutch members, and one of said pair of clutch members being held against rotation 1110Il8 direction but being rotatable in the opposite direction with respect to the other of said pair of clutch'members.

58. In a spring motor, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of spring units mounted on said shaft and separably clutched together to act in series, said spring units being interchangeable.

1 59. In a spring motor, the combination with'a stationary shaft, of a plurality of spring units mounted on said shaft and scparably clutched together to act in series, said s ring units being interchangeable.

60. n a spring motor, the combination with a shaft, of a plurality of spring units mounted on said shaft and separably clutched together to act in series, said s ring units being interchangeable, said sha t being withdrawable from said units and said units being freel separable upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

61. In a spring motor, the combination with a stationary shaft, of a plurality of spring units mounted on said shaft and separably clutched together to act in series, said spring units being interchangeable, said shaft being withdrawable from said units and said units being freely separable upon the withdrawal of said shaft.

62. A power unit for spring motors including a spring barrel provided with clutching means arranged upon one side of said unit, a sleeve extending within said barrel and provided with clutching means arranged upon the opposite side of said unit, and a spring surrounding said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said barrel, said clutching means of said barrel and said clutching means of said sleeve being so constructed and arranged that when two of said units are mounted upon the same shaft the clutching means of the barrel of one unit will be adapted to engage the clutching means of the sleeve of the other unit to connect the springs of the two units in series.

63. A power unit for spring motors including a spring barrel provided with clutching means rigid therewith and arranged upon one side of said unit, a sleeve extending Within said barrel and provided with clutching means rigid therewith and arranged upon the opposite side of said unit, and a spring surrounding said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said barrel, said second-mentioned clutching means being in the form of a complement of said first-mentioned clutching means and being so arranged that when two of said units are mounted upon the same shaft the said clutching means of the barrel of one unit will engage the said clutching means of the sleeve of the other unit to connect the springs of said units in series.

64. A spring unit for motors including a spring barrel forming a clutch member, a sleeve extending within said barrel, and a spring coiled around said sleeve and connecting said sleeve and said barrel, said clutch member being so formed that when two of said units are mounted upon the same shaft the clutch member of one unit will be adapted to engage a clutch member of the other unit to connect the corresponding springs in series.

igned at Camden, N. J in the county of Camden and State of New Jersey, this 13th day of April, A. D., 1916.

JOHN BAILEY BROWNING.

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