US1425304A - Gearing - Google Patents

Description

B. C. WHITE.

GEARING.

APPLICATION F|LED MAY5, |920.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' B. C. WHITE.

GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1920.

l ,425, 304. yPatented Aug. 8, 1922,.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BRUCE CLARK WHITE, OF NEW YORK,`1\T. Y., `ASSIGrN'OR TO FEDERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GEARING'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

Application led May 5,.4 1920. Serial No. 379,011.

To aZ whom yz'z may concern:

Be it known that I. BRUCE CLARK IVHITE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gearing; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,` clear, and exact description thereof, refeience being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in Gearing, and consists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The improved gearing is of especial advantage for use in connection with washing machines of the oscillating cylinder type and it is herein illustrated and described as applied to such a machine, but as it is apparent, the improved gearing may be used in other machines where its peculiar characteristics make it advantageous to do so.

The' advantages of the improved gearing will be more apparent as I proceed with my specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in front end elevation of an oscillating cylinder washing machine to which the improved gearing has been applied. i

Figure 2 is a transverse, horizontal sectionv through the front endl of the washing machine, the plane of the section being indicated by the line Q--Q of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is/,a vertical detail section on an enlarged scale. the plane ofthe section being indicatedr by the line'3-3 of Figurel.

Figure l is another vertical detail section on an enlarged scale` the plane of the section being indicated by the line l-et of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a slip clutch embodied in the drive shaft of the washing machine. Y

Referring now in detail to that embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings 5 indicates the main support for the gearing, which as illustrated herein, is the frame of a washing machine of the oscillating cylinder type. Said frame includes a tub 7 which is mounted at its corners upon front and rear pairs of upright legs, only the legs 6 of the front pair being shown in this instancc. Said front pair of legs are connected together at their top and bottom ends in the `usual manner, so as to brace the frame as a -cylinder of course having a door in its top wall, for access thereto. Above the center of gravity and on the front wall of said cylinder, which is spaced a short distance' inwardly from the front end wall 8 of the tub, is fixed a bearing plate 10a, capable of a de. tachable operative engagement with the inner end of a horizontal, power driven, rotary oscillating stub shaft 11 (see Fig. 4), which projects through said front wall in axial alignment with the bearing trunnion atthe rear end of the tub. The compartment 9 is adapted to be closed at its front end by a door 12 hinged to one of the front legs 6. In this compartment, as before mentioned, is located the power driven gearing which imparts the oscillatory movement to the cylinder 10, and which also actuates Ja second mechanism such as a 'clothes wringer.

15 indicates an irregularly-shaped bracket plate which is located within the compartment 9 at about its middle part. Said bracket includes a central upright body part 16, arranged arallel with but spaced outwardly a short distance from the frontwall .8 of the tub, and having a horizontal bottom fla-nge 17, an arm 18 which projects 'laterally from the bottom part of said Abqdy front leg 6, said hollow boss having an L .sliaped, upright corner Harige 20 (see Figs.

2 and 3) which fits in and is secured to said left hand front leg. The hollow boss 19 extends into a plane below that of the Web 17 before mentioned, to there terminate in a substantially shallow, horizontally disposed well 21, the open top of said boss being closed byfa cover plate 22.

At the top end of thev body 16, on its'vertical median line, are provided longitudinallyl spaced, front and rear bearing sleeves 24 and 25, respectively, (see Figs.'2 and 4). The stub shaft 11 before referred to, is journaled in the rear bearin sleeve 25 while a second aligned stub shalfyt 26, made integral with a segmental gear 27, is journaled in' the front bearing sleeve 24, the segmental gear`27 being arranged in a plane in front of said bearing sleeve. Each stub shaft includes squared parts 11a and 26a respectively, which abut each other and on the squared part 11a is fixed a clutch member 28 by means of a pin 29. From the construction just mentioned, it is apparent that while the stub shaft 11 has rotative bearing l in the sleeve 25, it cannot move endwise v na'lly toothed, large gear segment 37, Shas' by means of which thereon, and to prevent leakage at this point, where said stub shaft 11 extends through the front wall of the tub, I provide a comressible gasket 30 about said stub shaft,

etween the rear end of the sleeve 25 and the front face of the. wall 8 of the tub. On the squared part 26a of the stub shaft 26, which 1s the operating shaft, is a clutch collar 31,

rotative with said shaft part but movable endwise' thereon, into and `out of engagement with the clutch member 28 with which it is associated. Said clutch collar has a peripheral groove 31a between its vends in which a clutch shifting member extends for the purpose of shiftingsaid collar, endL wise on the squared part of the `operating shaft 26. A .pin 32 passes through said operating shaft, in back of the bearing 24 in a manner preventing endwise movement of said shaft.

In the horizontal plane of the operating shaft 26 and preferably to the right hand side thereof, the body 16 of the bracket 15 is provided 'with a forwardly projecting stud 35 upon which the hub 36 of an interbearing, the teeth of said internal segmental gear meshing with the teeth of the smaller segmental Tgear 27 madeintegral with the stub'shaft 26. Said larger segmental gear 37 'has a forwardly projecting crank pin 38 it is actuated, to impart a. rota-ry .oscillating movement to thesegmental gear 27. l

The open top hollow boss 19 has a longitudinally extending stub shaft 40, which is arranged in a plane parallel with but below and to the left hand side of' the aligned shaft parts 26 and 11 respectively. f On this shaft 40 which extends forwardly from the rear upright wall of said boss, is rotatively mounted a large worm gear 41 carrying a crank pin 42 on its front side, which crank pin isconnected by a pitman or link 43 to the crank pin 38 on the large segmental gear 37. A suitable opening 44 (see Fig. 3) 1s provided in the cover 22 through which said pitman extends. A i Y The worm gear 41 meshes with the top of and is driven by a worm 46 fixed to a horizontal shaft 47, arranged below and at a right angle to the shaft 40. This shaft 47 has bearing in the end walls of the well 22l and it is connected by a slip clutch or coupling 48 (see Fig. 5) to the armature shaft 49 of an electric motorvO, hung in an inverted position from they underside of the bottom flange 17 of the bracket 15. Said slip clutch includes a collar 51 fixed in the shaft 47, having a rounded toothhub 52 that bears within a shell 53, said shell and collar being secured together by screws 54.` The armature shaft 49 projects into said shell and has a squared end 55 which extends into a rounded tooth clutch collar 56. A coiled spring 57 surrounds that part of the armature shaft 49 within the shell 53 and. engages at its ends between the end wall of said shell and said clutch collar 56, to normally hold said collar in engagement with the hub 52. Should the shaft 47 lbe held against rotation for any reason, said clutch 48 will automatically disconnect the driving connection between the shafts 47-49, as for instance, when the shaft 47 is given an overload resistance. Thus instead of breaking any parts subjected to -the overload,y the clutch 48 will slip, returning to its normal engaged position after the overload has been relieved.`

In a vertical plane between that of the shaft 40 and the adjacent front leg 6, and in a plane in front of the axis of the worm 46,

is an upright shaft 60, which has bearing at 105 s its bottom end in a sleeve 61 rising from the bottom wall of the well- 21. Said shaft has bearing near its top end in a sleeve 62 fixed near that top corner of the machine frame near the Secured to -said shaft near its bottom end within' the xwell 21 isa small worm gear 63 which meshes with the front side of the.

front leg 6 before mentioned. 110

worm 46. The shaft 60 also extends through the. same slot I44 in the pitman 43. The hollow boss 19vand the well 21 are adapted to cant wfor the "various worm gears therein, there bein also provided in said well, suitable end t The top end of the upright shaft 60 extends into a suitable gear box 65, located in a plane above the top ofthe washing machine, and to said gearbox is secured a clothes' wringer 66 which zontal plane about the shaft 60 as'an axis into the desired position and locked therein by the hand Wheel 67. The gear box 65 which includes a cover 68, contains the reverse gears for the rolls of the wringer, 130

cover 22 as does the 11.5

hold a suitable lubrii rust bearings for the worm l46. 120

may be swung in a horihandle 69.

As before stated, the clutch collar 31 on the squared shaft part 26a is capable of being moved into and out ofengagement with the associated clutch member 28 on the squared shaft part 11a and the means for so shifting said clutch collar is as follows:

indicates a transversely extending rock shaft which is arranged substantially 1n the plane of the operating shaft 26, before mentioned. Said rock shaft is journaled at its inner end in a-bearing 71 provided therefor on the top end of the bracket body 16, and at 'its outer end in a rearwardly extending arm 72 made integral with the top end of the upright L-shaped corner fiange 20 of said bracket 15. The inner end of said rod is bent to provide an offset crank arm 73 which extends into the groove 31a in the clutch collar 31. To the outer end of said rock-shaft and adjacent the arm 72 is fixed a bell crank lever 75 (see Fig. 3) having a substantially upright arm 76 and a substantially horizontal arm 77. The top end of the arm 76 has a handle 78 which projects outside of the frame so that it may be easily grasped by the operator. Pivoted to the end of the arm y 77 is a pin 79 which has sliding bearing at its free end in an ear 8O made integral with the arm 72 in the horizontal plane of said rock shaft. A coiled expansion spring 81 surrounds said pin between its head and the ear 80, so that said spring always acts to swing the end of the arm 77 in a plane above or below that of said rock shaft, tlie limits ofI movementof said arm corresponding with the engaged and fully disengaged positions of said clutch members 31 and 28. Thus, when the handle 78 is actuated the clutch 31 is moved endwise on the squared shaft part 26a, into and out of engagement with the clutch member 28.

The operation is as follows :-`With the motor 50 driving the shaft 47 through its slip clutch coupling 18, a rotative movement is imparted to the worm 46. which in turn drives continuously both the big worm gear 41 on the horizontal shaft Ll() and the smaller worm gear 63. onvthe bottom end of the upright shaft 60. As the gear -llis thus driven. it will through the crank pin #12, pitman 43 and crank pin 38 on thel large gear segment 37, rook said gear segment about its axis pin 35. This rocking movement of the gear segment, is imparted to the smaller gear segment 27 and operating shaft 26, as will be. apparent and to the cylinder through the stub shaft '11. according of Acourse,.to the engagement or disengagement between the clutch collar 31 and clutch member 28. It is apparent that with the upright shaft 60 being driven continuously, the wringer 66 may be brought into and out of operation at the will of the operator or the rolls thereof stopped, started or caused to run in either direction by manipulation of the handle 69, which controls the operation of the lgears in the gear box 65.

By t e construction above described, an even, smooth oscillation is imparted to the clothes cylinder, and this is carried out by a comparatively few number of parts which are so constructed as to obviate any possibility of the clothing of the operator becoming caught therein. Furthermore, both the oscillating movement of the cylinder and the drive for the wringei are taken from off the same worm which is fully enclosed with its associated worm gear and pinion, in a casing holding a lubricant. bath, so that proper lubrication of these parts are insured, as well as reducing the noise thereof to a minimum.

All of the gearing may be readily assembled upon tlie bracket 15 before the same is bolted to the legs 6.

vhile in describing my invent-ion, I have referred to certain details of mechanical construction and arrangement of parts, I do not wish to be limited thereto except as may be pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In combination with a support, a horizontal operating shaft journaled therein, an externally toothed segmental gear fixed onr said operating shaft, an internally toothed segmental gear journaled on an axis at one side of and in substantially the horizontal plane of said operating shaft, a horizontal drive shaft located in a plane below and extending transversely with respect to said operating shaft, a worm connected to said shaft, a worm gear journaled on an axis parallel with but below and spaced on one side of the vertical plane of the operating shaft said worm gearv meshing with said worm, and a pitman connecting said worm gear with said internally toothed segmental (rear.

C, 2. In combination -with a support, a horizontally disposed operating shaft journaled therein, an externally toothed segmental gear fixed to oneend of said operating shaft, a secondary operating shaft aligned with and adapted to be connected with and disconnected from the other end ,ofsaid operating shaft, an internally toothed segmental gear journaled on an axis at one side of and in substantially the horizontal plane of the operating shaft, a horizontal drive shaft located in a plane below and extending'transversely with respect to said operating shaftga worm on said driving shaft, a worin gear journaled on an axis parallel with but below and spaced on one side of the vertical plane of the operating shaft said worm `gear meshing with said worm, and a pitman connecting said worin gear with said internally toothed segmental gear. l

3. In combination with a-support having a hollow boss including a well, a horizontally disposed drive shaft journalled in said well, a horizontally disposed worm connected to said shaft,.two worm gears located in planes at a right angle to each other, each meshing with said worm, one of said gears being located in said well and the other being located in said hollow boss, an oscillating operating shaft connected to the worm gear in said boss, and a second continuously rotating shaft .connected to the`other worm gear in said well.

4. In combination with a support having a hollow boss including a well, a, horizontally disposed drive shaft, a worm on said drive shaft, a vertically disposed worm gear and a horizontally disposed worm gear, lo

said well and extending at right angles to' said operating shaft, a worm on said shaft, a worm gear in said hollow boss rotative about an axis parallel with the operating shaft and meshing with the top of the worm, means connecting said worm gear with said operating shaft for translating 4the rotary movement of said worm gear intoa rotary oscillating movement ,of lsaid operating shaft, an upright shaft, having bearing at shaft,a,worm on ,said shaft,'a worm gear the bottom end in said wellt anda worm gear on the bottom end of said upright,

shaft within said well, meshing with one side of the worm.

6. In combination with a support having a hollow boss including a well, a horizontally disposed operating shaft journalled in the support above the boss, a horizontally disposed shaft journalled in said well Yand* extending at right angles to said operating in said hollow bossrotative about an axis parallel with the operating shaft and meshing with, the top of said worm, means connecting said worm gear with said operating shaft for translating the rotary movement of said worm gear into a rotary,;oscillating movement of said joperating shaft an upright shaft, having bearing at the bottom end in said well, a worm gear on the bottom endof said upright shaft within said well meshing with one side of said horizontally disposed worm, a motor depending from said support and having an armature shaft in linewith said Worm gear shaft, and an overload slip clutch between said worm shaft and armature shaft.

. 7. In combination with a support having gear a pair of legs and including an end wall spaced from said legs, a bracket plate" mounted in the space between said legs and said end wall, an operating device in said `support, an operating shaft in said bracket plate and adapted to be connected to and disconnected from said operating device, a segmental gear on said operating shaft, a second segmental gear journaled on the bracket plate and meshing with the first mentioned segmental gear, -a horizontally disposed driven worm journaled in the bracket plate in a planebelow and extending transversely with respect to said operating shaft, fa worm gear rotative about a horizontal axis, parallel with the operating shaft, and driven' by said worm, and. a pitman connecting said worm gear with said second segmentall gear.

8. In combination with a supporthaving` `a pair of legs and including an end wall spaced from said legs, a -bracket plate mounted in the space between said legs and said end wall, said bracket plate comprising an upright central body part with a hollow boss at one side thereof and a laterally extending arm on the other side thereof, said) boss and arm being fixed to said'legs, an oscillating, operating shaft, including a segmental gear jou'rnalled on the `top end of said central body part, and two parallel stubshafts carried by said bracket plate, one of said stub shafts being fixed in said central body part and the other -being fixed in said hollow boss, a worm gearon the stub shaft in said boss, a 'driving lworm in a well included in saidfhollow boss and meshing with said worml gear, a segmental gear on the other stub shaft onthe central body part, meshing with the like gear Yonthe operating shaft, and a pitman connecting said worm gear and said segmental gear on the said stub shaft.

In testimony that I- claimthe foregoing as my invention, I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 27th day of April, A. 1920.- I

BRUCE CLARK vi Witnesses: l

JOSEPH IsAAos MARY A. Fos'rnn.

Images