US1449341A

US1449341A - Offset, zigzag, and staggered key

Info

Publication number: US1449341A
Application number: US539507A
Authority: US
Inventors: George T Mills; Joseph H Demars
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1922-02-27
Filing date: 1922-02-27
Publication date: 1923-03-20
Anticipated expiration: 1940-03-20

Description

Mar. 20, 1923. 1,449,341

. G. T. MILLS ET AL OFFSET, ZIGZAG, AND STAGGERED KEY Filed Feb. 27, 1922 awuentow 6.727172 719- JHJmar-s' Patented Mar. 2%, i923.

enoaen rraILLs, OF'ATHOL, AND aosnrn r 1. uni/tans, or wonons'rna, MASSA- crrusnr'rs. i

OFFSET, ZIGZ AG, AND STAGG-ERED KEY.

Application filed February 27, 1922. Serial No. 539,507. a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE T. Mums and JOSEPH H. DEMARs, citizens of the United States, residing at Athol and Worcester, respectively, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oflset, Zigzag, and Staggered Keys; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to mak and use the same. i

This invention relates to an improved key which is designed for connecting a machine element such as a pulley, gear, or the like to a shaft, the same being especially, but not necessarily, designed for connecting the timer gears of an automobile engine to the shafts onwhich they are mounted.

It has been found after careful study, that a great deal of automobile engine trouble is due to the fact that undue play exists between the intermeshing timing gears. This result is probably due to the fact that at the time of manufacturing, the parts under consideration are not made accurately because of defective workmanship. Poor timing is also caused by the continual wear w to which the gear teeth are subjected.

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a key which is such in construction that it will correct the defaults above pointed out and will restore the gears to their original positions, will compensate wear and insure correct relation of the gears and perfect timing of the valves. These re sults are accomplished by employing a key which is such in construction that it will advance or retard the operation of the valves by simply permitting the gear to be moved with respect to the shaft in the proper direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key of this class which is such in construction that it can be substituted for the VVoodrufi keys such as are now commonly employed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the timing gears of a conventional type of automobile showing one of these gears connectiad with the crank shaft with my improved rey.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 22 of Fig.1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of the improved key.

In the drawings, A designates the drive gear which is connected with the engine crank shaft B. This gear meshes with a relatively larger timer gear C which is keyed or otherwise secured to the tappet shaft D which serves to actuate the engine valves.

Persons skilled with automobiles, espe cially Fords, will remember that the type of keys now employed and commonly known as VVoodrufl keys are substantially semicircular in shape and are adapted to be seated in shallow correspondingly shaped keyways formed in the shaft. That is, a portion of the key is to be seated in the groove in this shaft while the remaining portion is received in the co-acting groove or key-way in the gear. Although, it is not necessary,

we prefer to construct our key of the same design as the one above mentioned to enable it to be substituted for the same without requiring any alterations. By referring to the detail view of the key in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the same comprises a semi-circular body 1 which has opposed fiat sides 2. In accordance with our ideas, the upper half of the key is offset laterally as indicated at 3. With this construction, the lower half of the'key is permitted to be seated in the usual curved groove or key-way E in the crank shaft whereas the offset portion is received in the co-acting key-way F formed in the hub of the small gear A. When placing the key in position and arranging the offset upper portion 3 toward the right, the operation of the valves will be advanced because the gear A will be moved around the shaft slightly toward the right. However, if it is. desired to retard the operation of the valves, the key is reversed and the oifset part disposed toward the left. Hence, it will be seen that wear of the gear teeth may be compensated and incorrect timing of the valves rectified.

The manner of restoring the timing gears to their original positions or to enable them to be positioned on the shaft to rectify and correct valve timing caused by improper workmanship or other reasons has been made clear by the foregoing description and drawing. In View of this a more lengthy and detailed description Will be omitted.

Before concluding, it is desired to point out that although the improved key has been disclosed as being modeled after a marketed type of key, it is desirable in some instances to vary the shape and size thereof, yet to retain the feature of offsetting a part thereof to accomplish the result set forth.

We claim:

1. A key having a fiat-faced portion for reception in grooves in a shaft and an element to be mounted thereon, that portion of the key received in the groove in said element being laterally offset With respect to GEORGE T. MILLS. JOSEPH H. DEMARS.