US1514083A

US1514083A - Power transmitter

Info

Publication number: US1514083A
Application number: US671924A
Authority: US
Inventors: Park A Herr
Original assignee: Singer Co
Current assignee: Singer Co
Priority date: 1923-10-31
Filing date: 1923-10-31
Publication date: 1924-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1941-11-04

Description

NOV. 4 1 19240 P. A. HERR POWER TRANSMITTER 3 Sweets-Sheet 1 v Filed Oct.

iNVENTOR ATTORNEY cgx Nov. 1924.

P. A. HERR POWER TRANSMITTER Filed Oct. 31. 1923' 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR TTORNEY Mull/ Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PARK A. HERB, OF EILLSIDE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

POWER TRANSMITTER.

Application filed ctober'31, 1923. Sertafl No. 671,824.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PARK HERB, a citi- 'zen ofthe United States, residing at Hillside, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power Transmitters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to power-transmitter mechanisms and more particularly to unitary motor and power-transmitter mechanisms adaptedfor use in' clothing manufacturing establishments as individual sewing machine drivers; each sewing machine having its own individual transmitter mechanism or motor-and-transmitter unit.

In garment manufacturing establishments it is customary to arrange the sewing machines in rows upon long tables known as power tables;.each sewing machine being belted to a power-transmitter mounted under the table and connected to a treadle or the like, whereby the operator may start and stop and control the speed of the sewing machine at will. The several power-transmitters may receive their power from a lineshat't. running lengthwise of the table, or may each be combined with an individual driving motor.

Being located below the table-top, these power-transmitters are more or less difficult of access and experience has taught that in factory installations the matter of their proper lubrication is more often neglected than not; little thought being given the transmitters as long as they will run. When trouble arises or harsh or noisy running is experienced, the shop mechanic is apt to give the transmitter a liberal application of oil, most of which is promptly thrown off by the rapidly rotatin" parts and is spread over the lloor, the treadfe, the operator and the work being operated upon, to the great. annoyance of all concerned. Moreover, this treatment usually comes too late, as a certain amount of destructive Wear in the transmitter has already occurred, whereb the latter is apt to continue to run noisi y and unsatisfac torily. v

An object of the present invention is to provide a power-transmitter which will run quietly and efficiently for long periods without attention and which requires an applicatioln of lubricant only at infrequent interva 8.

Another objectof the invention is to provide a power-transmitter which will take care of a liberal supply of lubricant withoutscattering it over the work and the surroundings in general.

A further object of the invention is to provide a power-transmitter whereby a nice control may be had over the driven machine without excessive lost motion in the control ling mechanism and without any tendenc of the transmitter parts to cramp or bin particularly when a braking effort is being applied.

To the attainment of the ends in view the driven shaft of the transmitter, that is, the shaft carrying the driven clutch-element is journaled in a non-rotating sleeve which, in turn, is journaled to slide endwise in a bearing in the transmitter frame. The driven shaft is forced to move endwise with the sleeve by the use of thrust bearing connections at the opposite ends of the sleeve. The transmitter frame is preferably formed with an oil reservoir and the slidable non-rotating sleeve is provided with means for drawing the oil from the stationary reservoir into the bearing between such sleeve and the driven shaft. Thespent oil escaping from the end of the sleeve is preferably caught by an internal groove in the frame bearing member and returned to the reservoir through a suitable duct.

The sleeve may be slid in its bearing by any suitable means such for example as a treadle controlled lever. The driven clutchelement is dis osed between a line clutchelement and a rake, so that when the sleeve is moved endwise the driven clutch-element is positively carried into engagement with either the driving element or the braking element. A belt pulley for driving the sewing machine is mounted on the driven shaft preferably at the outer end of the latter.

1n the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of a combined motor and power-transmitter unit embodying the invention. Fi 2 is a reverse side elevation of the same. 1g. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the bearing sleeve for the driven shaft of the transmitter and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 44, Fig. 2.

The invention is shown as embodied in a motor-transmitter unit comprising an electric motor having a frame 1 and powershaft 2; the frame having. feet 3 adapting it to be secured to the under side of a tabletop 4. Keyed on the motor-shaft 2 is a driving element in the form of a fly-wheel 5 havwith a cylindrical guard rim 9 surrounding the driving clutch-element 5. At its other end the transmitter frame is formed with a bearing boss 10 sustained from the rim 9 by the curved webs 11.

Slidably mounted in the bearing boss 10 is the sleeve 12 having at one end a hollow cup-shaped head 13 for a ball-thrust bearing 14 between such head and the hub of the driven clutch-element 15 which latter is pinned to the driven shaft 16 journaled to rotate in the sleeve 12. The driven clutchelement 15 is formed with a female conical surface into which is let the friction leather 17 adapted to mate with the conical driving portion 6 of the wheel 5. Driving relation between the clutch members 5 and 15 is established preferably by means of a treadlecontrolled lever 18 pivoted-on the pin 18 bridging the space between the two" lowermost frame webs 11. The lever 18 is formed at its upper end with a curved off-set arm 19 to which is fixed a hollow pin 20 freely entering an aperture 21 in the head 13. A grease cup 22 is fitted to the hollow pin 20 and serves as a means for supplying lubricant to the thrust-bearing 14.

The driven clutch-element 15 is formed with an annular plane surface 23 which is adapted to be engaged by the stationary brake shoe 24 fitted to an arm 25 hung from The spring 36 will force the driveneelement en clutch-member between driving and braking positions. The screw 28 enables the operator to compensate for wear on the driving and braking leathers, 17 and 24, respec-. tively.

The lever 18 has fitted to its free end a. rod 30 formed with an eye 31 through which passes the headed upper end of a treadle rod 32. A spring 33 is interposed between the head 34 of the rod 32. and theeye 31 and cushions the downward or clutching force applied by the operator through the rod 32; The lever 18 is formed with a lateral lug 35 which is connected by the spring 36 to a screw 37 threaded into the transmitter frame.

15 against the brake 24 with a certain predetermined pressure which may-be exceeded to any desired extent by the operator in .forcing the rod 32 upwardly and causing the collar 37 to lift the arm 18 in conjunctionouter end of the bearing 10 and terminating with an oil throw-oft flange 40 within the annular oil-catching groove 41 in the bearing 10. f

The inner end of the hub 39 is faced normal to its axis and has interposed between it and the sleeve 12 a bearing washer 42. Threaded into the outer end of the shaft 16 is an adjustingscrew 43, the head of which engages the outer end of the hub of the pulley 38 and serves to determine the working clearance between thebearings at the ends of thesleeve 12 and the hubs of the pulley 38 and driven member 15. The adjustment is held by means of the set-screw 44.

The transmitter-frame is formed below the bearing 10 with an oil reservoir 45 cast integral with the transmitter frame and having an open top at one-side of the bearing into which extends the bent oil-tube 46 carried by and extending through the wall of the sleeve 12. The open top of the reservoir 45 is fitted with an open ended cover 47.

The sleeve 12 is formed with a longitudinal duct 48 intersecting the tube 46 and with an internal longitudinal groove-49 parallel to and spaced from the duct 48. A strip of wicking is laidin the groove 49 and threaded through the duct 48 and tube 46 so as to dip into the reservoir 45. The duct 48 is separated from the internal bearing surface of the sleeve 12 by a wall 50 of metal, Fig. 3, whereas the groove 49 is cut through the bearing surface to apply the lubricant to the shaft 16. It will be evident that the lubricant is drawn by capillary attraction from the reservoir 45 through the tube 46 and duct 48 to the opposite ends of the sleeve 12 from which it is supplied to the wicking in the groove 49 and is distributed with uniformity throughout the length of the bearing. The i spent lubricant is eventually thrown fromthe flange 40 of the pulley 38 into the groove 41 from which it is returned by gravity through the duct 51 to the reservoir 45. Suflicient lubricant for the bearing between the sleeve 12 and the frame bearing support 10 will be drawn into such bearing by capillarity from the groove 41. Since the sleeve "jeither the driving element or the brake ele- 12 does not rotate this latter bearing requires but little oil.

A guard 52 of sheet metal is preferably placed about the pulley 38 and supported by arms 53 curved around the opposite ends of the pivot pin 18' so as to permit the guard to be swung about such pivot pin. The spring arm 54 secured to the guard is provided with a depression 55 to snap over one of the lower Webs 11 of the transmitter frame and hold the guard in raised or operative position.

In accordance with the present improvement 'the braking effort is applied to the driven element lengthwise of the driven shaft and excessive side thrust on the bearings, when braking, is avoided. Further, there is no tendency for the driven element to stick or become locked to the brake. This feature is particularly desirable where a nice control of the driven machine is a desideratum.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. A power-transmitter having spaced driving and brake elements, a driven element disposed between said driving and brake elements, a supporting frame formed with a bearing, a non-rotating sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, a shaft journaled in said sleeve and confined to move endwise with the latter, said driven element being carried by said shaft, means for moving said sleeve endwise in opposite directions to carry said driven element into engagement with ment, and a belt-pulley mounted on said shaft.

2. A power-transmitter comprising a frame formed with a bearing, a non-rotating sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, a shaft j ournaled in said sleeve, a driven clutchelement and a belt-pulley mounted on said shaft at the opposite endsof said sleeve,

thrust-bearings between said sleeve and said driven clutch-element and belt-pulley, means for sliding said sleeve in opposite directions, and driving clutchand brake-elements disposed on opposite sides of said driven clutch element.

3. A power-transmitter comprising a frame formed with a bearing, a non-rotating sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, a driven clutch-element and a belt-pulley mounted on said shaft at the opposite ends of said sleeve, thrust-bearings between said sleeve and said driven clutch-element and beltpulley, means under the control of the oper ator for sliding said sleeve in opposite directions, driving clutchand brake-elements disposed on, opposite sides of said driven clutch-element, and means for adjusting one of said thrust-bearings lengthwlse of said shaft and relative to said sleeve.

4. A power-transmitter having, in combination, a frame, a non-rotatin sleeve mounted to slide endwise- 1n sai frame,

means for sliding said sleeve, a shaft journaled in said sleeve and confined to move endwise with the latter, a driven clutchelement and belt-pulley on said shaft, and a driving clutch-element opposed to said driven clutch-element.

5. A power-transmitter having, in combination, a frame, a non-rotating sleeve mounted to slide endwise in said frame, means for sliding said sleeve,,a shaft journaled in said sleeve and confined to move endwise with the latter, a driven clutchelement and belt-pulley on said shaft, and driving and braking elements on opposite sides of said driven clutch-element.

6. A power-transmitter having, in combination, a frame, a non-rotating sleeve mounted to slide endwise in said frame, said sleeve having at one end an enlarged cupped head, a ball thrust-bearing in said cupped head, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, a driven clutch-element on said shaft adjacent said thrust-bearing, a belt-pulley on said shaft adjacent the other end of said sleeve, a driving clutch-element opposed to said driven clutch-element, and means for sliding said sleeve.

7. A power-transmitter havin in combination, a driving element, a driven element, a shaft carrying said driven element, a sleeve in which said shaft is journaled, means for preventin relative endwise movement between said shaft and sleeve, a bearing bracket in which said sleeve is slidingly mounted, a stationary oil-reservoir carried by said bracket, and means for conducting oil from said reservoir to the inner bearing surface of said sleeve.

8.' A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a motor having a frame and a power-shaft, a transmitter-frame rigidly assembled with the motor-frame and having a bearing in line with said shaft, a nonrotating sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, a driven shaft journaled in said sleeve and having both its ends extended beyond the latter, a driven clutch member on the driven shaft at the end of said sleeve adjacent the motor, a belt-pulley on the shaft at the other end of said sleeve, said driven clutch-member and belt-pulley confining said shaft to move endwise with said sleeve, a driving clutch-member, and means for sliding said sleeve.

9. A driving mechanism comprising, in combination, a motor having a frame and a power-shaft, a transmitter-frame rilglidly assembled with the motor-frame and aving a bearing in line with said shaft, a nonrotating sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing, a driven shaft journaled in said sleeve and having both its ends extended beyond the latter, a driven clutch-member on the driven shaft at the end of said sleeve adjacent the motor, a belt-pulley on the shaft at the other end of said sleeve, said driven clutch-member and belt-pulley confining saidshaft to moveendwise with said sleeve, a driving clutch-member, means for sliding said sleeve, a stationary oil-reservoir in said transmitter-frame, means for conducting oil from said reservoir to the inner bearing surface of said sleeve, and means at the belt-pulley end of said sleeve for returning spent oil to the oil-reservoir.

10. In a power-transmitter, a driving clutch-element, a driven clutch-element, a shaft carrying said driven clutch-element, a

sleeve in which said shaft is journaled for rotation and relative to which said shaft is confined against endwise movement, a bearing bracket in which said sleeve is slidably mounted and confined against rotation, a

slot in the inner bearing surface of said sleeve, a lateral conduit secured tosaid sleeve, an oil-reservoir carried by said bracket, a wick passing from said oil-reservoir through said conduit to and along the slot inv said sleeve, and means for sliding said sleeve to establish and interrupt driving relation between the clutclrelements.

. 11. A- driving mechanism comprising a driving clutch-element, a driven clutch-element, a belt-pulley, a shaft carrying at its opposite ends said driven clutch-element and belt-pulley, a bearing bracket for said shaft between said driven clutclrelement and beltpulley, a sleeve slidably mounted in said bearing bracket, said shaft being journaled to rotate in said sleeve and confined to move endwise with the latter, a manually operated lever connected to move said sleeve toward and away from said driving clutchelement," and a stationary brake-element carried by the frame on the side of the driven clutch-elementopposite the driving clutch-element. p

12. A driving mechanism comprising a motor having a frame and a power-shaft, a

driving clutch-element on the motor-shaft, a transmitter frame rigidly associated with the motor-frame and having an oil-reservoir site end of said shaft, and means for slid ing said sleeve.

13. A drlvlng mechanism comprising a drivingclutch-element, a driven clutch-element, a shaft carrying said driven clutchelement, a sleeve in which said shaft is ournaled, said sleeve having at one end an enlarged' and cupped head, athrust-bearing for said driven elementfitted in said head, a frame in which said sleeve'is slidably mounted,,a treadle-controlled lever fulcrumed on said frame and connected to move said sleeve toward and away from said driving element, a belt-pulley mounted on said shaft adjacent the other end of said sleeve, and a stationary brake adpated to cooperate with said driven element when the latter is shifted away from the driving element.

14. In a power-transmitter, a driving clutch-element, a driven clutch-element, 'a shaft carrying said driven clutch-element, a non-rotative sleeve in which said shaft is journaled, a transmitter frame in which said sleeve is slidably mounted, said frame being formed with a lubricant reservoir, a lubricant duet connecting said sleeve to said reservoir, and means for sliding said sleeve.

15. In a power-transmitter, a driving clutch-element, a driven clutch-element, a shaft carrying said driven clutch-element, a non-rotating sleeve in which said shaft is journaled, a transmitter frame in which said sleeve is slidably mounted, said frame being formed with a lubricant reservoir, an oil duct carried by said sleeve and fitted with wicking extending into said reservoir, and means for sliding said sleeve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

/ PARK A. HERB.