US1795692A - Flexible driving means - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1931.

E. F. WHITE FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS Original Filed Jan. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 10, 19 31. w n' 7 1,795,692

FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS Original Filed Jan. 18, 1925- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 10, 1931 i I 1,795,692 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EZEIKIEL F. WHITE, 01? HARTFORD, CONNECTIC'U'L FLEXIBLE DRIVING MEANS I Original application filed January 18, 1928, Serial 110,247,543. Divided and this application filed November 25, 1929. Serial No. 409,738.

This invention relates to flexible driving tween the main driving shaft and the atomizmeans, more particularly, though not excluing spindle; sively, intended for driving a centrifugal Fig. 7 is a detail showing the method of element. such as a rotatable body, adapted bolting the bearing support to the casing; and

under high speed. to seek its natural center Fig. 8 is a detail showing in elevation a 5 of rotation, one object of the invention being portion of the triple spring driving connecto provide a simple driving mechanism tion between the driving shaft and the driven through which a body may be rotated at a spindle. relatively high speed with a minimum of Referring to the drawings, I have there 1 noise, vibration and power consumption and shown for illustrative purposes one embodion with assurance of long life and durability in ment of the invention applied to a centrifugal respect to the bearings and other parts subliquid fuel burner, the liquid fuel, for the. ject to wear. purpose of description, being herein assumed The invention as herein described is shown to be oil.

in its application to a'liquid fuel, centrifugal Referring to the drawings in detail, the burner, but it will be evident that various apburner comprises a centrifugal a'tomizing plications thereof may be made and uses member designated generally at 11 which is other than that herein described. located in the combustion chamber of the This application is a division of my prior heater and is driven to rotate at high speed I co-pending application, Serial No. 247,543, about an upright axis through appropriate 70 filed January 18, 1928, no claim being made gearing by means of a horizontal, relatively herein to the features of the burner alone or low speed, electric motor 13 mounted on the in combination. base plate 15. The armature shaft 17 of The invention will be best understood by the motor carries at its end aworm gear 19 2 reference to the following description when located within the casing 21 which is secured 75 taken in connection with the accompanying to the end of the motor frame, the gear 19 illustration of one specific embodiment theremeshing with the worm 23 secured to the upof, while its scope will be more particularly right drive shaft 25. pointed out in the appended claims. The drive shaft 25 is mounted to rotate in In the drawings: upper and lower bearings 27 and 29, each of o Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation illustrating which is in the form of a sleeve'having a the centrifugal atomizing element and the spherical enlargement represented at 31 and driving mechanism therefor, as well as other 33, the latter being seated each in a spherical parts of the burner apparatus which are lorecess in the supporting casing 35. The bear- 85 cated in or adjacent the combustion chamber ing sleeves 27 and 29 are provided with pins 85 of the boiler or other heater; 37 engaging recesses in the casing which Fig. 2 is a plan view of the driving mechprevent the sleeves from turning about the anism with the atomizing cup, its driving axis of the shaft 25 but permit a slight, spindle and the oil feed pipe removed; limited, rocking movement of each bearing 40 Fig.3isasect-ional elevation on an enlarged sleeve in its socket to permit the sleeve to scale, taken through the bottom of the main adapt itself to slightly different axial posidriving shaft, showing the provision for cirtions.

culating the lubricant In assembling the parts, the supporting cas- Fig. 4 is a section in plan taken on the line ing 35, with the sleeves and shaft assembled 45 4-4 in Fig. 3; therein, is inserted through an opening in the Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view of the atomtop of the casing 21 and is secured thereto izing member looking from beneath and taken by the flanged plate 39 which 1S bolted to the on the line 55 in Fig. 1; casing by means of the bolts 41 (Fig. 2), the Fig. 6 is an enlar ed, elevational view worm being brought into mesh with the teeth 50 of the flexible spring driving connection be of the worm gear.

- casing can be shifted within a limite The holes in the flanged plate 39 through which the bolts 41 pass (see Fig. 7) are of larger diameter than the bolts themselves, so that a certain amount of clearance is left. Accordingly, after the apparatus has been assembled the plate 39 with the supporting range and the worm adjusted in any direction with relation to the gear 19 to secure the position of best interengagement. In practice the final adjustment of the worm with relation to the worm gear can be made after the apparatus has been completely assembled and the motor operated, the flanged plate, with the bolts only partly tightened, being then tapped into the position where the smoothest and most quiet running conditions are secured. When this position is found, the bolts are set up tight and if desired the plate may be pinned in place.

The spherical supports for the worm shaft bearings provide a certain amount of self adjustment for the worm shaft, permitting the worm to ada t itself to the exact alignment required and also allowing for any flexing of the shaft through its engagement with the worm,=-thus preventing binding and servingto minimize the wear on the bearings, while at the same time providing bearing contact for the shaft for the full length of the bearings. This adjustment of the main drive shaft and its self adaptability materially decrease thenoise and vibration, add to the life and durability of the apparatus, and reduce the power required to operate the burner.

The gear is driven in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1, so that when the burner is in operation the engagement of the gear with the worm tends in large measure to offset the weight of the drive shaft, atomizing member and other driven parts, thereby relieving the bearings of a substantial amount of frictional wear and further reducing the power required to drive the burner.

Referring to the driving connections for the centrifugal atomizer, the latter is provided with the driven spindle 51 which is rotated within the upright casing 53 by a driving connection to the main drive shaft, hereinafter described. The driven spindle rotates in a bearing 55 of substantial length, the bearing being in the form of a sleeve provided with a spherical enlargement 57 which rests in a spherical recess in the casing 53, so that the bearing is capable of moving freely within reasonable limits on its spherical seat, there being provided elsewhere a substantial clearance between the sleeve and the casing to permit such movement. The bearing sleeve 55 is prevented from turning by the pin 59 which permits, however, the necessary movement of the hearing. The spherical seat on which the movement of the spindle takes place is located well below the center of gravity of the atomizing cup, the latter in the illustrated form of the invention having its center of gravity in approximately the plane of the bottom of the hereinafter described head 71.

Referring now to the driving connection between the spindle 51 and the driving shaft 25 (see Fi 6), the spindle, which is in a position of en stantial alignment with the shaft, is connected to be driven thereby through a yieldable connection, permittin the spindle and its bearin 55 a certain freedom of movement so that t e atomizer may automaticall adjust its center of rotation, the extent of sucli movement, however, being limited by its relation to the drive shaft.

For this purpose the lower end of the spindle is tapered at 61 for a substantial distance and has applied thereto a coiled connecting spring 63, the opposite end of the spring being applied to a similarly tapered but closely opposing end 65 of the drive shaft 25.

Owing to the small scale of the drawing, a conventional showing of a single spring only is made in Fig. 1. While a single or a double wound spring may be employed, I preferably employ a triple wound s ring, that is to say, a spring wound from t ree separate pieces of spring wire with parallel and adjacent convolutions, this preferred form of spring being shown in Figs. Bend 8.

The inside diameter of the spring is preferably somewhat less than the greatest diameter of the tapered portions of the shaft and spindle and somewhat greater than the smallest diameter thereof. When assembled, and with the atomizer at rest, the outer ends of the spring are distended and tightly grip the tapered portions of the driving and driven members for a substantial part of their length, the intermediate part of the spring retaining its normal shape and diameter and clearing the tapered walls. The direction of the spring winding is such that when the burner is started up the spring tightens its grip on both the driving and driven members and, under the torque of the driving motor, the open part of the spring closes in and, in whole or In part, also wraps about and grips the tapered wall. In starting the torque is several times the normal running torque, so that the action of the middle portion of the spring is first to wrap about or close in on the tapered walls, yieldably enforcing an alignment of the driving and driven spindles, but to open up more or less and release the adjoining portions of the tapered driving and driven members as the critical speed is reached, allowing the atomizing member to float or seek its natural center of rotation.

In assembling the parts, the tapered ends of the two members can be readily forced and twisted into engagement with the spring and the latter provides an adequate driving connection between the driving and driven members, but ermits the driven spindle to have the described movement or adaptation on its bearing seat 57 when it is driven at high rates of speed.

It is desirable at all times, and particularly in starting up the rotation of the atomizer, that means should be provided for yieldably centering the driven spindle or drawing it lnto a position of true axial alignment with the driving spindle; also that some means should be provided for limiting the extent of the movement of the spindle away from its position of alignment. Otherwise vibration and unnecessarily wide and uncontrolled rocking or swaying of the atomizer and its spindle may result, and if intiated at starting it is apt quickly to get out of control with disastrous results.

To this end the ends of the two shafts are tapered as described so as to provide two tapered aligned seats for the spring. The spring or springs are thereby maintained in true axial alignment under all conditions and variations of torque. In the case of a spring forced about two adjoining, truly cylmdrical shaft portions of slightly greater diameter than the inside diameter of the spring, each distended portion of the spring surrounding the shaft is concentric with the shaft but the intermediate portion which surrounds neither shaft is eccentric to the adjoining shafts. This creates an unbalanced condition, throwing the shafts out of ahgnment, which condition is eliminated under all conditions of torque through the use of the tapered spring-engaging portions.

A plurality of springs, and preferably three, is also employed for this purpose, since a single spring in wrapping about the shaft at starting provides a yielding resistauce variable in different directions due to the characteristic of the spring. Through the use of a triple wound spring, however, the three separate windings may be so adjusted and disposed with relation to each other that in the case of each tapered shaft the final points of contact between the shaft and the three spring members may be located 120 apart giving a balanced condition and an equal yielding resistance in all directions and under all conditions.

To limit the extent of movement of the driven spindle from its aligned position, the tip of the spindle is reduced in diameter at 67 and this reduced end enters within an opening 69 in the tip of the driving shaft, there being provided a small but sufiicient amount of clearance to permit the necessary movement of the spindle as the atomizer seeks its natural center of rotation at high speeds.

In practice it is found that the balancing of the cup can be so closely approximated in its initial construction, that, although some movement of the driving spindle is necessar to insure perfectly smooth runnin suc paratus starts into operation and tending at all times yieldably to restore such relationshipv if it is departed from. At the same time it provides a resilient connection permitting slight displacement of the spindle from an exactly aligned position and permitting the slight gyratory movement necessitated by the gyrostatic effect of the hi h speed, centrifugal atomizing member. e effect of the spring driving connection is also to cushion the shock between the cup and the motor, preventing the effect of irregularities in the driving of the motor from being transmitted to the cup.

Referring to the construction of the centrifugal atomizing cu the latter is herein provided with a head 71 which projects into the combustion chamber, the head being of substantial mass and preferably constructed of a non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum or brass, to rovide a good conductor of heat.

Depen ing from the head and secured thereto is an annular oil' receiving cup 73 having a trough-like bottom 75 in which the oil is adapted to be delivered by means of the stationary delivery pipe 77 entering through the annular opening in the bottom of the cup between the rim thereof and the casing 53. The sides of the cu are flared slightly upwardly and outwardly, so that when the atomizer is rotated the oil delivered to the trough 75 passes in the form of a thin film up the side of the cup and through a slot 79 formed between the sides of the cup and the edges of the head 71. The head is beveled or undercut at 81 to provide an escape for the oil, there being left, however, a series of radial ribs 83 (see Fig. 5) through which the cup is fastened to the head by means of rivets 85. The upper rim of the cup itself is provided with a lip 87 which, in conjunction with the beveled edge of the head, forms the slot 79 and directs the air radially out- Ward at a slight upward inclination while the atomized oil is projected tangentially from the cup and in a horizontal plane.

The described burner may be employed in connection with air supply passages arranged in any suitable manner. Herein the bottom of the combustion chamber is formed by the plate 89 supported on the base 15 by posts 91 (one of which only is shown) and carrying the wall 93 in the form of a truncated cone. On the top of the cone shaped wall 93 there is supported an air control casing 95 having an annular air admission passage 97 about the upright casing 53 for the atomizing cup spindle and adapted to deliver air immediately beneath and around the atomlzing element. The air control casing is also provided with a plurality of additional air supply openings 99, the available area of which may be regulated by means of an ad- ]ustable damper ring 101 so that additional air may be admitted from beneath the plate 89 through the air space 103 and the air openings 99. Above the air control casing 95 there is also provided a deflector plate 105 which rests on the casing by means of several radial ribs 107 and serves to deflect the air entering through the openings 99 so that it passes intdthe combustion chamber in part about the outer edges of the deflector plate and in part through the central opening 109 in the deflector plate, where it commingles-with the centrally fed air and passes in and about the atomizing member.

' In the operation of the burner, the centrifugal atomizing member is driven at a hi h rate of speed, for example, seven or eig t thousand revolutions per minute. The oil delivered to the cup is thereby discharged through the annular slot 79, entering the.

combustion chamber tangentially in the form of an atomized horizontal disk-like sheet. The air entering centrally about the atomizer through the opening 109 is augmented by that entering about the edges of the plate 105 and provides a layer of air underlying the sheet of atomized oil. The air passing through the cup and the slot 7 9 is deflected above the sheet of atomized oil and provides an overlying layer of air, the effect being to produce an atomized sheet of .oil between two layers of air. The action of the burner provides a circulation of the upper air layer so that a substantial part of the hot, burned gases are returned back into the flaming mass, raising its temperature of combustion.

Any of the usual methods of feeding th oil to the .atomizing cup or controlling and regulating the oil feed in response to the requirements of the burner as well as controlling and regulating the action of the burner and the motor may be employed, and since these are well known no attempt is made to illustrate the same. The oil is herein supplied to the pipe 77 through the connection 111' and inlet passage 113 by means of'any suitable feeding devices.

In the operation of the burner, the centrifugal atomizing element operating at high speed quickly finds its natural center of rotation. Any slight divergence of the axis of the spindle 51 from its required position is immediately corrected by the movement of the spindle axis, the bearing 55 adapting itself to this condition by a slight movement on its ball seat 57 and the resilient connection between the driving shaft and the spindle permitting this movement of adaptation to readily take place. Unnatural or unnecessary oscillations of the cup spindle, however,

are prevented by the relationship of the re-' duced end 67 of the driving spindle to the recessed end of the driving shaft, the play between these two members, however, being sufficient to permit all necessary movements of adaptation. When the centrifugal member has been brought up to speed it runs smoothly and noiselessly in its bearings, operating in similarity to the spinning action of a top, and the spindle and shaft will run with a minimum of bearing wear.

Preferably the driving mechanism herein, including also the motor, is resiliently mounted, there being provided for this purpose the four springs 115, 117, 119 and 121 (Fig. 2), each seated in a socket 123 (Fig. 1) in the base plate 15 and supporting the motor and casing 21 by means of studs 125 preferably threaded into the bottom of the motor frame and easing respectively so as to be capable of adjustment. When the apparatus is assembled, the studs are adjusted to secure the best possible vertical alignment of the driving shaft. During the operation they provide a resilient support for the entire driving mechanism.

To assure lubrication for the driving mechanism, the bottom of the casing 21 forms a well in which there is maintained a quantity of lubricating oil, the bottom of the supporting casing 35 being immersed in the lubricant and the rotation of the driving shaft serving to circulate this oil through the bearings and other parts.

For this purpose it will be seen that the bearing support for the drive shaft terminates short of the bottom of the casing so that the oil has access to it. In the bottom of the casing 35 there is provided an oil chamber 127 (Figs. 3 and 4) surrounding the bottom of the drive shaft 25, the lower end of which is formed with four radial slots 129. The bottom of the casing is closed by a plate 131 having a central opening 133, the plate being covered by a gauze screen 135 retained by a holdingplate 137. The slotted lower end of the drive shaft acts as a centrifugal pump, drawing the oil in through the central opening 133, discharging it radially into the oil chamber 127 and thence through the discharge passage 139 by which it is carried up through the bearing support 35 and through a registering passage 141 (Fig. 1) in the easing 53, being delivered between the spindle 51 and the spindle bearing 55 about the pin 59. The priming andoperation of this pump are assisted by a baflle' wall which is in the form of a pin 143 (Fig. 3) located in the oil chamber to divert the oil into the passage 139.

The upper end of the bearin 55 is surrounded by a thimble 145 secure to the spindle to prevent the escape of lubricating oil m itating from the spindle, passes down within the casing between the drive shaft 25 and its bearings, the excess oil being discharged through the groove 151 into the casing and onto the worm wheel 19. During the operation of the burner, therefore, there is a constant circulation of thelubricating oil from the casing to the bearings of the spindle, thence to the bearings of the drive shaft, the worm and the worm wheel.

Since the head 71 of the atomizer is formed of non-ferrous, heat-conducting metal, the.

heat which it acquires iscondncted through the body of the head to the underside thereof and dissipated uickly to the air passing through the cup. is keeps the headrelatively cool and raises the temperature of the air passing through the slot 79. The ribs 83 act as radiatin vanes whichBma-terially increase the trans erence of-heat from the head to the incoming air. The capacity of the head 71 to dissipate the heat quickly to the air circulating beneath and around the same enables the head to be runbelow the coking tem erature of the oil." This prevents the coking or carbonizing of the oil, which has been a fault with atomizers provided with heads of ferrous metal and particularly when employed with oil carrying more or less cylinder stock or having an asphaltum or paraflin base, the high temperature at which such atomizers mustbe run causing accumulations of carbon which interfere with atomization and tend to throw the cup out of balance.

It will be observed that the spring driving connection is not only located remote from the efi'ect of an high temperature, but is protected within the casing 53 where it is also subjected to the cooling effect of the circulating lubricant, and that the bearing 55 for the spindle 51 is also protected within the casing and similarly subjected to the cooling action of the lubricant. Due to the self cooling capacity of the non-ferrous head 71 in conjunction with the air circulation provided, these parts, and particularly the bearing 55, are also protected against the effect of any high temperature.

While I have herein shown and described for the purpose of illustration one specific embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that extensive deviations may. be made therefrom and widely different relationship of the various parts described may bearing member belowthe body be had, all without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims:

1. The combination with a freely rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a spindle rigidly connected to drive the body, a journal bearing member for the spindle in which the latter is rotatably mounted, a separate driving shaft, a resilient sprinv connection between the shaft and the spindle, and a spherical bearing support on which the bearing member is movable and about which the gyratory movement of the spindle may take place.

2. The combination with a freely rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driving connection permitting the latter to seek its natural center of rotation and comprising a shaft ri 'dly connected .to drive the body, a journal glaring for the shaft in which the latter is rotatably mounted, a s herical seat on which the bearing is movab e, permitting gyratory movement of the shaft about said seat, a separate driving shaft and a resilient driving connection between the driving shaft and the shaft for said rotatable body permitting such gyratory movement with relation to the drivin shaft.

3. The combination with a rotatab e body freely rotatable about an upright axis and adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a depending spindle rigidly secured to said body to drive thesame, a journal and below the center of gravity thereof in which bearing member said spindle is rotatable said spindle having an end protruding below the bearing member, a-driving shaft separate from but normally aligned with the protrading end of said spindle and presenting an end adjacent the end of the spindle, a yielding driving connectionbetween the spindle and shaft comprising a coiled spring in gripping engagement with the outside walls of the adjacent ends of the spindle and shaft, journal bearings for said driving shaft, a rigid casing enclosin said spring and providing support for t e journal bearings of said driving shaft and providing also a support on which the journal bearing member for the spindle is movable to permit gyratory movement of the spindle axis,.and means to drive the driving shaft.

4. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a spindle rigidly connected to said body to drive the same, an elongated 'ournal bearing sleeve in which said spin e is rotated,

said spindle having an end protrudingthrough said sleeve, a s herical seat in which said sleeve is mounte to permit gyratory movement of the spindle, a separate driving shaft normally aligned with the protruding end of the spindle and presenting an end adjacent the end of the spindle, a yielding freely rotatable about an upright axis and adapted to seek its naturalcenter of rotation,

-of a depending spindle rigidly secured to said body to drive the same, a ournalbearing member below the body and below the center ofgravity thereof in which bearing member said spindle is rotatable, said spindle having an end protruding below the bearing member, a driving shaft separate from but normally aligned with the protruding end of said spindle and resenting an end adjacent the end of the spindle, a yielding driving connection between the spindle and shaft comprising a coiled spring in gripping engagement with-the outside walls of. the adjacent encls of the spindle and shaft, journal bearings for said driving shaft, a rigid casingenclosing said spring and providing support for the journal bearings of said driving shaft and providing also a support on which the journal bearing member for the spindle is movable to permit gyratory movement of the spindle axis, means to drive the driving shaft, and means forcirculatin fluid through said casing from said journal earing member and said s ring.

6. The com ination of a rotatable hollow open bottomed body adapted to seek its natural axis of rotation, of a driving spindle rigidl secured to. and dependin from said bo g, a closed supporting and fl iiid containing ousing surrounding said s indle and extending up through the open ottom end of said body, a journal bearing within said housing in which said spindle is rotatably mounted, a spherical seat in said housing in which said journal bearing is loosely supported and is capable of free rocking movement to permit gyrations of said body as it passes through its critical speed, a separate driving shaft spaced from and in axial ali ent with said housing, bearings for said riving shaft mounted in said housing and a resilient driving connection between said shaft and spindle acting to yieldingly restrain excessive gyrations of said body about said seat as a fulcrum.

7. In a centrifugal machine of the class described in combination, a rotatable body and driving unit therefor, permitting said body to assume its natural axis of rotation at high speeds, said unit comprising a substantially tubular housing, a spindle within said housing and rigidly connected to said body to drive the latter, a journal bearing for the spindle in which the latter is rotatably mounted, a spherical seat on the bearing and cooperating spherical support in the housing for pivotally supporting said spindle and body to permit free rocking movement of'the latter as it passes through its critical speed, a separate driving shaft journalled in said tubular housing, and resilient driving connections between the shaft and spindle for iniparting rotation of the former to the latter and also acting to exert a resilient restraining force against the end of the spindle to re strain excessive gyrations of the spindle about its point of pivotal support as a fulcrum.

8. The combination with a rotatable body freely rotatable about an upright axis and adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a depending spindle rigidly secured to said body to drive the same, a journal bearing member below the body, in which bearing member said spindle is rotatable, said spindle having an end rotruding below the bearing member, a riving shaft separate from but normally aligned with the protruding end of the spindle and presenting an end adjacent the end of the spindle, a yielding driving connection between the spindle and the shaft, journal bearings for said driving shaft, asupport positioned below the center of gravit of said body and between the latter an said yielding driving connection and presenting a support on which the journal bearing member for the spindle is movable to permit gyratory movement of the spindle axis, said support providing a center of gyration for said s indle and serving as a fulcrum through which said yielding driving connection is ada ted to act to restrain excessive gyrations o the body, and means to drive the driving shaft.

9. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driven member connected to saidbody to drivethe same, means providing a gyratory movement of the driven member about a' center between the center of gravity of the body' and the end of said member, a driving member, said driving and driven members having tapered ends separated but normally in closely aligned relationship, the end of the driven member being movable laterally with relation to the end of the driving member to permit said gyratory movement of the driven member, and a driving and aligning connection-between said members comprising a coiled spring connecting said driving and driven members.

10. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driven member connected to said body to drive the same, means providing for gyratory movement of said member about a center between the center of gravity of the body and the end of the driven member, a driving member, the ends of said driving and driven members being separated but normally in closely aligned relationship and the end of the driven member being movable laterally with relation to the end of the driving member to permit said gyratory movement of the driven member, a resilient driving connection between said members comprising a coiled spring, and means to limit the lateral movement of the driven member with relation to the driving member.

11. The combination with a body rotatable about an upright shaft and adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of an upright driven shaft connected to said body to drive the same, means providing for gyratory movement of the shaft about a center between the center of gravity of the body and the lower end of the shaft, an upright driving shaft, said driving and driven shafts having tapered ends in separated but closely aligned relationship and the end of the driven shaft being movable laterally with relation to the end of the driving shaft to permit said gyra- ,tory movement of the driven shaft, and a driving and aligning connection between the shafts comprising a coiled spring gripping said tapered portions, said body and shaft being axially free to rest on and move with said spring, whereby the latter serves as a resilient driving, aligning and supporting member.

12. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driven member connected tosaid body to drive the same, means providing for gyratory movement of the driven member about a center between the center of gravity of the body and the end of said member, a driving member, said driving and driven members having tapered ends, separated but normally in closely aligned relationship, the end of the driven member being movable laterally with I relation to the end of the driving member to permit said gyratory movement of the driven member, and a driving and aligning connection between said members comprising a coiled spring gripping said tapered portions,

the spring when unstressed being of lesser inside diameter than the larger portlons of said tapered ends and of greater inside diameter than the smaller portions of said tapered ends.

13. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driven member connected to said body to drive the same, means providing for gyratory member away from a osition of axial alignment substantially uniform in all directions.

14. The combination with a rotatable body adapted to seek its natural center of rotation, of a driven shaft connected to said body to drive the same, means providing for gyratory mdvement of the shaft sbout a center between the center ofgravity of the body and the end of the shaft, a driving shaft, said driving and driven shafts havingtapered ends, separated but normally in closely aligned relationship, the end of the driven shaft being movable laterally with relation to the end of EZEKIEL F. WHITE.

movement of said member about a center between the center of gravity of the body and the end of the driven member, a driving member, said driving and driven members having ends separated but normally in closely aligned relationship, the end of the driven member being movable laterally with relation to the end of the driving member, and a driving and aligning connection between said members comprising a spring engaging the adjacent ends of said driving and driven members and adapted to provide a yielding resistance to the movement of the driven

Images