US1445271A

US1445271A - Ratchet mechanism

Info

Publication number: US1445271A
Application number: US497126A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edgar W Gent
Original assignee: Western Electric Co Inc
Current assignee: AT&T Corp
Priority date: 1921-08-31
Filing date: 1921-08-31
Publication date: 1923-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 1940-02-13

Description

Feb. 33, 1923.

1,445,271 E. w. GENT RATCHET MECHANISM Filed Aug. 51, 1921 l/ve/enzorr' Lid aw 14/. Gena:

Patented Feb. 13, "i923.

it a. a it r it, it! ii ti EDGAR GENT, OE MOERISTOVJN, NEW' ASSIGIIOR TO VJESTERN ETIEC'I'RIC .GOI'EPANY, TNGQRPORATEDOF NEW YORK, N. Y., COR-PURATION OF NEW YORK.

narcnnr MECHANISM.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, EDGAR W. GENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morristown, inthe county of Morris, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet Mech anisms, of which the following is a iiuli, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to ratchet mechanisms. 1

n An object of the invention is to provide a ratchet of the relatively noiseless type with means for preventing itsoverthrow.

A, feature oi? the invention consists in the combination with a driven ratchet member of a driving pawl, means cooperating with the ratchet member for positively moving the pawl into position to operatively engage the ratchet member during the forward movement of the pawl and means for preventing overthrow of the ratchet. This means, in its preferred form, comprises a lug integral with the driving pawl which is arranged to engage a fixed stop for moving the cam end of the pawl into thepath of the teeth of the ratchet member.

Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing show the preferred form of the invention in different operating positions.

The ratchet wheel 1, as shown, is provided with six teeth, 1 1 1 1*, 1 1", and is secured to the spindle 2 and rotatable therewith. The member 3 is preferably journaled on spindle 2 about which it is rotatable, and may, for example be attached to or form a part of the finger wheel of an automatic telephone calling device, such as that shown in U. S. Patent No. 1,161,854, issued to O. F. Forsberg November 30, 1915. The members at and 5 are each pivotedv on member 3 by means of pins 6 and 7, respectively and comprise an arm 8 which operates as a pawl and a cam arm 9 which cooperates with the teeth of the ratchet to control its associated pawl 8. As illustrated, each pivoted membcr 4i and 5 subtends two ratchet teeth.

In Fig. 1, the member 3, together with the members 4. and 5 are indicated by an arrow as moving in a clockwise direction during which movement, as is evident, the ratchet wheel 1 remains stationary. The end of the pawl 8 of the member 4 is situated midway between the teeth 1 and 1 whereas the end of the pawl 8 of the member 5 is disposed at the top of the tooth 1. The end of the arm 9 of the member 4:, which is suitably curved, is seen to be engaged with the tooth 1 and it is evident that in this position the end of the pawl 8 of the same member is in position to engage tooth 1 upon a movement in the direction indicated. in Fig. 2, in which figure said pawl is seen to have engaged the tooth 1 Now with reference to Fig. 1, let it be assumed that the member 3 is turned through a considerable angle so that the

pivoted members

4 and 5 pass over several ratchet teeth. It is apparent from the drawing that each time the end of an arm 9 engages a ratchet tooth, the end of the pawl 8 associated therewith will be moved toward the spindle 2, and accordingly into position to engage one of the ratchet teeth. It is also Y apparent that the end of the pawl 8 in passing each ratchet tooth, moving in the direction indicated in Fig. 1, will be moved out of engageable relation to the ratchet teeth. The pawl 8 of the member 5 in Fig. 1 illustrates this last-mentioned condition. It will be seen that said pawl, after passing the tooth 1 will remain out of the path thereof until the end of the arm 9, associated with said pawl, is moved outwardly by the action of tooth 1.

While the mechanism described comprises two pawls, it is not at all essential to the operation of the invention that more than one pawl be employed. Thereason for using two or more pawls properly distributed with respect to the ratchet teeth is to reduce the maximum distance which the member 3 would have to turn in the direction indicated in Fig. 2 before one of the pawls engages the tooth. Such arrangement is common in ordinary ratchet mechanisms, and does not constitute a part of the present invention.

Where it is desirable to stop the ratchet wheel immediately after the driving member comes to rest, a fixed stop 10 may be provided to engage the lug 1.1 which is preferably integral. with one of the pivoted memhere, such as 4, upon which engagement the member 4L is rotated to press the curved end or cam portion of the arm 9 against the ratchet wheel, or preferably, against the back of one of the ratchet teeth. This action immediately brings the ratchet 1 to rest.

In the appended claims, the curved end 1.71117 combination, a toothediratchet, a. member comprlsmg arpawl anda cam for.

cooperating with said ratchet and a'stop for engaging said member to throwsaid ca minto engagement with said ratchet to prevent overthrow thereof. it

2. In combination, a ratchet, a bifurcated piyoted member, one arm of which is a driving; pawl for said ratchet, and a stop 0 erabie to engage and rotate said pivoted member to movethe other arm thereof into engagement with said ratchet to prevent overthrow of said ratchet.

3. In combination, atoothed ratchet meme her, a driving pawl, fo'rlsa'idiratchet memher, a fixed stop for limiting the movement of said-gpawl and braking means operable by said stop to engage said ratchet member.

Inwitness whereo-fyl hereunto subscribe my name this 23rd day of August A. 1)., 1921