US1632212A - Adjusting device - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1927.

L. E. BALTZLEY ADJUSTING DEVI CE Filed Nov. 925

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR June 14, 1927.

L. E. BALTZLEY ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 14. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will/[77717171711110 Patented June 14, 1927. I

clf ilTED STATES LOUIS n. BALTZLEY, or GLEN nrnen, rinw zrnrisny.

Anausrrno nnvron.

Application filed November Special objects of this invention are to provide asimple, prac ical and inexpensive mechanism for the adjustment and control of such instruments as variable condensers and the like, and which mechanism will be in a form readily adaptable to meet different requirements.

The invention is particularly applicable for use as a radio control and in this connection a special feature of the invention is the construction of the operatingmechanism of the device as a single unit and the provision of such unit with various forms of indicators interchangeably usable with the unit. This construction, for example, makes it possible to employ the same operating unit as a radio control both in that style of set where the indication is provided at the front of the panel as well as in the more advanced styles where the indication appears at the back of the panel.

The various novel features of the invention by which the foregoing and other de sirable objects are attained are set forth in the following specification and broadly claimed. 7

The drawings forming part of the specification illustrate practical embodiments and uses of the invention, but the structure is subject to variations without departure from the broad spirit and scope of the invention.

Figures 1 and 2 are part sectional front and side viewsof the bare operating unit, Figure 1 in effect being a section taken on line 11 of Figure 2.

Figures 3 and 4 are front and side views of the unitwith a cover or shield applied thereto and serving as a pointer traversing a suitable scaleon the front of the panel.

Figures 5 and 6 are similar views showing the applied cover or shield as a dial member carrying a scale for registry with a marker on the panel.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the applied cover or shield as a scale at the back of the panel and readable through a suitable window in the panel.

Figures 8 and 9 are detail views of the rear and central portions of the operating unit. Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional details of the. scale structure. r

The operating unit consists in the illustration of central roll 10 having a beveled inner end 11 engaging the correspondingly beveled larger ends 12 of rollers 13 grouped about the axis of roll 10 and having smaller rollers about the central axis.

1 j usted.

14, 1925. $eria1 No. 68,949.

beveled ends let engaging a beveled track 15. This track is shown having a friction pad 16 bearing against the face of the panel 17 so that when the center roll is turned by means of the knob or handle 18 on the outer end of the same, the rollers 18 will turn atreduced speed and by engagementwith the track will effect a bodily rotation of the I This central axis is represented in the present instance by the shaft 18 which may be the shaft of a condenser or other instrument to be ad- The rollers 13 are rotatably and slidably mounted on studs 19 shown as having shoul dered ends 20 secured on an annular back plate 21 by riveting at 22. This annular plate thus forms a. carrier for the rollers and has provision for affixing it to the shaft to be operated, consisting here ofa setscrew 23. To insulate the structure from the condenser shaft, a collarof insulating material 24 is shown as interposed between the supporting plate and shaft. This insulating member is shown as carrying at its center, a sleeve 25 of a size to slip over the shaft and the set screw 23 is indicated as extending through. the insulating member and the centersleeve so as to directly engage the shaft. The supporting plate 21 is shown fastened to the face of the insulating collar or hub-by securing screws 26. V

The central actuating roll 10 is rota-tably and slidably journaled on thecenter sleeve 25 and is shown as held in tractive engagement wlth the ends of the surrounding roll ers by a spring washer 27 seated in a cavity 28 in the face ofthe knob beneath a washer 29 engaged by the head 30 of a split screw 31 entered'in the outer end of the sleeve.

The central knob or handle roll 10, the washer 29 which carries the spring. and the adjusting head 30 of the spring tensioning screw 31 are all shown as made of insulating material so that hand operation and adjust ment of these parts will not electrically affect the instrumentto'which the device is attached. a f 1 7 The effect of the spring, Washer being to shift the center roll inwardly into tractive engagement with the outer ends of the surrounding rollers and to force said rollers inwardly into engagement with the traclnit will be observed that adjustment of 'the tension of this spring by means of the'thumb screw 31 will have the effect of varying the tractive' engagement of the actuating roll with the traveling rollers, the engagement of the rollers wit-h the track and the engagement of the track with thepanel. Consequently, after the device has been secured upon the shaft, the parts may allbe set at the desired tractive pressure by means of this single adjustingiscrewb To gain compactness and reduce the amount of insulation required, the insulating hub is shown as countersunk-in its outer face at 32 to admit the inner end ofthe actuating roll and as having its sides cutaway at the backat 33to receive the larger ends of the rollers' and enablethe same to contact the inner end of the actuating roll. The central insulator 24isthus in the nature of a spider, with a hub portion-fixed on the cente-r sleeve with three radially and forwardly 1 pro ecting arms carrying'the roller supportin gannulust The annular track is automatically centeredby the'inward thrust of the tapering rollers and so requires nospecial centering means; This track-is shown as formed of a sheet metal ring cupped to provide the beveled track surface at the insideand to provide-an outstandingperipheral flange 34. S r1n metal ch )s'or stra s are shown as held' between the arms of the central insulator-"and the back of-th'e supporting plate 21 thedevice is complete as thus far described.

By turning the knob 18, very fine and gradual adjustn'ients may be effected and there being no gears, there is an ent'ire-absence of backlash and lost motion, enabling adjustinents ofextreme accuracy "and a smooth continuity of motion in eitherdirection. For quick adjustments'the entire unit'may be turned asby grasping the mechanism in back of the knob, for instance, by engagement of the fingers'with the clips 35, the trackin such cases simply slipping over the face of the panel or other part which it engages; If a pointer or indicator is desirable for inclicatingfthe position'of the mechanism ad'- justed, one or more of theclips may be lined or otherwise marked to serve as such, as indicated at 37', or the set screw 23-by which the-unit is secured on the' shaft, may

. be utilized as apointer.

It; is preferably, however, to cover or piece or in a number-of pieces.

shield the operating partsof thedevice to keep out dust and give the device a more finished appearance. In such a case the cover or shield may be utilized as an indicator.

In- Figures 3 and 4 the shell or cover 38 is shown as of generally frustoconical shape having: a: substantially flat front wall 39, Figure 9, engaged directly over the face of the supporting ring 21 and provided with an inwardly extending annular flange 40 at the center entered within said ring to center the shell thereon. Screws 41 are shown extending through the front of the SllGlldIltO the ring or plate 21 to secure the shell thus centered, in position at the back of the knob 18. The conical skirt portion of the shell extends inwardly over the rollers and track and for indication purposesis shown provided with anoutwardly extending pointer 42 at the base of the same. The shell travels with the operatingunit in the adjustment of the same so this pointer" may register with a suitable scale or indications provided on the face ofthe' panel.

If desired, the shell may take the form of a dial, as indicated at 43 inFigures 5 and 6, where the same is shown as having a wide outstanding flange 44' carrying a scale or other desired indicia',

To meet requirements for an'indicator atthe back of the panehthe cover may be in the form of a shell'45 projecting forwardly through a-corresponding.opening 46 inthe panel and carrying in back of the panel, a flange 49 marked with suitable designations visible through a: window 50in the panel.

"Under these conditions the-track 15 may engage the face of the bracket or support'47 for the condenser'or otherinstrument, which bracket customarily is secured either. to the back of the panel or to the baseboard of the instrument, as indicated atv48. Two scales may be provided on the flangeof the shell extending in opposite. directions and adapting the device for either right or'left hand operations. Theconical portionof'the shell which projects forwardly throughthe panel is of sufficient depth to afford a-convenient grip for the quick adjustment of the device and-the knob serves as before,-asoperating means for securing fine adjustments.

The unitary construction of the device,.independent of any dial structure makes it readily adaptable to any special dial or panel.requirements and enables the manufacture ofthe device as a standard unit adaptable to many special uses. The shells maybe made up in various colors and shapes and be constructed of different materials suited'tothe purpose.

They also may be made up either in one Figures 10 and 11 show indetailhow theshell may be made: up of abody or coverj'portion 497 and lUU aback or rim portion ,the latter having an acutely angled flange 51 at the inn-er edge of the same adapted to be sprung into agroove 52 in the rear of the cover shell If desired, an annular scale or indicator 53 may be clamped in between the meeting faces of these two parts. This method of construction allows for the selectionwof different 1. An adjusting device comprising a me tallic sleeve, a hub of insulating material fixed on said sleeve, an open center flat metallic ring attached to said hub, rearwardly projecting pivot studs fixed on the back of said ring, rollers slid-ably journaled on said studs at the back of said flat ring, an actuating roll journaled on the sleeve at the front of the hub projecting rearwardly through the open center of the flat ring and engageable at its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers and a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers.

2. An adjusting device comprising a sleeve, a hub of insulating material fixed on said sleeve, a ring attached to said hub, pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaled on said studs, an actuating roll journaled on the sleeve at one side of the hub and engageable at its inner end with the for ward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers and clips for loosely retaining the track, said clips being secured between the hub and ring.

3. An adjusting device comprising a sleeve, a hub of insulating material fixed on said sleeve, a ring attached to said hub. pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaled on said studs, an actuating roll journaled on the sleeve at one side of the hub and engage-able at its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers. a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers and retaining means for the track, said means be ing yieldable to release the track from its engaged relation with the rollers.

4;. In an adjusting device, a supporting ring, means for securing the same upon the shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, rearwardly projecting pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaled on-said studs, an actuating roll journaled to engage at its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers and means for re leasably confining said track tothe ring to cause said track to hold the rollers slidably confined on the studs; i r

In an adjusting device, a flat metallic supporting ring, means for securing the same upon the "shaft of an instrument to be adj usted, rearwardly projecting pivot studs fixed onsaid ring, rollers slidably j ournaled on saidlstuds, an actuating roll journaled to engage at-its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rearward. ends of the rollers and a cover detachably secured over the front of the ring and extending rearwardly over the rollers.

G. In'an adjusting device, a supporting ring,.means for securing the same upon the shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, rear- -wardly projecting pivot studs carried by said ring, rollers slidably journaled on said -stnds, an actua-tingroll journaled to engage at its inner "end with the forward ends of the rollers, a track engageable by the rear- 7 ward ends of the rollers and a cover centered on the ring by having a flange entering prising a flat metallic supporting ring at tachable to the shaft of an instrument to be adjusted, a set screw behind said ring for variably securing said'ring to theinstrument shaft, a shell removably attachable to said ring and providing a cover about the sides of the same and over said set screw, rollers journaled on the ring and housed within the shell when the shell is in place, an actuating roll having ,a handle at the front of the removable shell and j ournaled to engage at its inner end with the forward ends of the rollers and a track engageable by the rearward ends of the rollers and means for fixedlysecuring the shell to the ring whereby when said shell is used it may be employed as a handle for bodily rotating the metallic supporting ring. v

8. In apparatus of'the character disclosed,

a'panel having an opening, a member in back of said panel opening, a track having a slipping engagement with said member, a handle, speed reducing drive'means operated by said handle and engaging said track and a cover over said speed reducing drive means extending forwardly through the panel opening.

. 9. In combination, a panel having an opening and amember at the back of said opening, an adjusting device having quick and slow adjusting means and having a sliding connection with the member at the back of the panelopening, said adjusting device extending from the member at the back of the panel and having said quick and said slow adjusting means projecting forwardly through said openin 10. Anadjusting device comprising rollers grouped about a central axis, a holder on which said'rollers are journaled in bear- (ings providingfree axial self-adjustment of end on the outer ends of the rollers and hav 111g atelts outer end, an actuatlng. handle, a

track engaged bythe inner ends of therollers, sard track and the holder belng relatlvely rotatalcleandonehanng means accessible for detachablysecuring the same on the part to be adjusted and a cupper shell detachabl r mountedon the holder in back of the actuating handle and extending rearlou cover, an outstanding annular flange secured vto thexbac'k of said vcover and a scale czlalnped between the meetmg faces of the cover and flange, the parts 'helng secured 1n this relation :by an acutely angled shoulder on :the flange entering a groove in the back .026 the cover.

12. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a dial structure comprising a hollow cover having an internal groove at the back of the same, and an annular flange having an acutely angled shoulder entered in said groove. v

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day ofOctober, 1925 LOUIS E. BALTZLEY.

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