US2288955A - Operating knob or handle for shafts and the like - Google Patents

Description

y 1942- M. H. RICHARDSON ETAL 2,288,955

OPERATING KNOB OR HANDLE FOR SHAFTS AND THE LIKE Original Filed April 26, 1939 Patented July 7, 1942 I OPERATING KNOB OR HANDLE FOR SHAFTS AND THE LIKE Myron H. Richardson and Floyd 0. Black, Chicago, and Albert E. Gebert, Wilmette, 111., assignors to Advance Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Original application April 26, 1939, Serial No.

270,092. Divided and this application September 23, 1940, Serial No. 357,880

8 Claims.

This application is a division of application Serial #270,092, filed April 26, 1939, and relates more specifically to an operating handle, particularly adapted, though not necessarily limited in use for the mechanism described in the aforesaid application.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved handle or operating structure which will yield under abnormal conditions with respect to the shaft with which it is connected, so that the mechanism which is to be set into motion by the operation of such shaft will be prevented from becoming damaged.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects as will appear, the invention consists in the features of novelty in substantially the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing illustrating this invention, and in which Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation, partly broken away, and partly in section, showing a handle or knob constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention applied to the operating shaft of a coin control mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the shaft and the knob or handle attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 33 Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 44 Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on line 5-5 Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I designates generally the operating knob or handle which is connected to an operating shaft II of a coin control mechanism, the latter being diagrammatically illustrated as at I 2.

In order to protect the mechanism against damage in an attempt to operate the same by the actuation of the knob or handle I0, under predetermined conditions, that is, when the shaft I I meets with abnormal obstruction or resistance in its rotation, the knob is constructed so as to yield with respect to the shaft and to that end the knob is of a hollow construction and seated therein is a disc I3 which is held against rotation with respect to the knob in any desired or suitable manner such as by means of an ear or projection I4 seated in a recess I in the wall tration with the apertures It in the disc I3. Balls I9 are provided which are seated in the apertures I8 and project through the disc I! so that a portion thereof will enter the apertures I6 in the disc I3.

Any desired number of annular spring members 20 engage and rest upon the balls I9. The disc i3 is provided with a circular opening 2I while the disc I1 is provided with an opening 22 registering therewith, but the opening 22 is angular in cross-section as shown more clearly in Figure 4.

The shaft II is provided with a reduced exiremity 24. The shaft passes through the annular spring member 20 and the reduced extremity 24 passes through the aperture 22 in the disc I! and is seated in the circular aperture 2| in the disc I3. The portion of the shaft II which is seated in the aperture 2| is adapted to rotate in the disc i3 as the latter is held against rotation by the ear or projection I4 seated in the recess I5. An angular portion of the reduced end 24 of the shaft II passes through the aperture 22 and causes the disc I7 to be held against rotation when the rotation of the shaft is prevented, and the disc I3 will be rotated with the handle and with respect to the disc I'I. During such rotation the springs 20 will yield to permit the balls I9 to move out of the apertures I6 in the disc I3, so that the disc I3 may be rotated. This rotation of the disc I3 may be continued until the balls I9 are in a position to enter other apertures I6 in the disc I3.

Passing through the shaft I I is a pin 25 which engages and rests against the springs 20 and holds them under tension.

Resting against the pin 25 is an annular member 26 which forms a bearing or surface over which the pin 25 moves.

Resting against an annular shoulder 21 in the knob I0 is an annular member 28 which latter may be of any desired thickness according to the number of spring elements 20 it is desired to employ.

A plate 29 encompasses the shaft II and rests against the member 26 and the annular member 28, and a cap member 30 may also be provided, the periphery of which is disposed preferably Within the knob I0 and rests against the plate 29.

The parts are held together in any suitable manner, such as by means of fastening bolts 3| which pass through the cap plate 33, the plate 29, the annular member 28 and are screwed into the body of the knob l0.

It will thus be manifest that if the shaft H is held against rotation and it should be attempted to rotate the knob or handle H], the latter will yield with respect to the shaft because the disc I! will also be held against rotation by the angular portion of the shaft H passing therethrough, but the disc l3 being connected with the knob or handle Iil by means of the ear or projection Id seated in the recess I5, will rotate therewith causing the disc i3 to rotate with respect to the disc IT.

This will cause the balls E9 to be forced out of the apertures It in the disc 53 against the stress of the springs 28.

As soon, however, as the apertures it in the disc [3 are in alinement with the balls [9, the springs 29 will project the balls [9 into the apertures H5.

The tension of the springs 2d is such that under normal conditions the normal operation of the shaft I I or rotation of the handle or knob iii, the

' disc I3 and the disc I! will be locked together for simultaneous rotation by means of the balls While the preferred form of the invention has been herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, within the scope of the claims, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, an actuating shaft, a handle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between said handle and the shaft, said connection embodying two discs rotatable one with relation to the other, each of said discs having apertures, means for maintaining one of said discs against rotation with respect to said handle, means for maintaining the other'disc against rotation with respect to said shaft, separate elements seated in the apertures in one of said discs and also adapted to be seated in the apertures in theother ofsaid discs when said apertures are brought into registering relation, said elements having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, and resilient means operating to exert stress upon said elements in a direction lengthwise of said shaft to cause. them to be seated in said apertures.

2. In combination, an actuating shaft, a handle, for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between said handle and the shaft, said connection embodying two discs rotatable one. with relation to the other, each of said discs having apertures, means for maintaining one of said discs against rotation with respect to said handle, means for maintaining the other disc against rotation with respect to said shaft, separate elements seated in the apertures in one of said discs, and also adapted to be seated in the apertures in the other of said discs when said apertures are brought into registering relation, said elements having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, resilient means operating to exert stress upon said elements to cause them to be seated in said apertures, said resilient means embodying an annular element separate from the discs, the axis of which element coincides with the axis of said handle and against which annular element the said rotatable elements have a bearing surface.

3. In combination an actuating shaft, a bandle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between said handle and the shaft, said connection embodying two discs rotatable one with relation to the other, each of said discs having apertures, means for maintaining one of said discs against rotation with respect to said handle, means for maintaining the other disc against rotation with respect to said shaft, separate elements seated in the apertures in one of said discs and also adapted to be seated in the apertures in the other of said discs when said apertures are brought into registering relation, resilient means operating to exert stress upon said elements to cause them to be seated in said apertures, said resilient means embodying an annular elemet the axis of which coincides with the axis of said handle and against which annular element the first recited elements have a bearing surface, the first said elements comprising balls having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, said balls also having rolling engagement with said annular element when said discs are rotated with relation to the other, said balls being disposed within the confines of the peripheries, of said discs and said annular element.

4. In combination, an actuating shaft, a handle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between the said handle and shaft, said connection embodying alined elements disposed in close proximity to each other, the proximate faces of said elements being of substantial area and each being provided with spaced open recesses, one of said elements being connected with the handle for rotation therewith and with respect to the other element, the other of said elements being connected with said shaft for rotation therewih and with respect to the first said element, separate elements disposed between said faces and seated in the recesses in both faces when said recesses are in registering relation, said separate elements being movable out of the recesses in one of said faces and being maintained in the recesses in the other of said faces when the first said elements are rotated one with respect to the other, means operating to exert stress upon said separate elements to cause them to be seated in said recesses, the, last said means embodying a resilient disc, the said separate elements contacting and moving over said disc, and means for maintaining said disc under tension,

5, In combination with an actuating shaft, a

handle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between the said handle and shaft, said connection embodying a disc connected to the handle for rotation therewith, a second disc in abutment with the first said disc and connected with the shaft for rotation therewith, the first said disc havinglaterally opflning recesses within the confines of theperiphery thereof, a plurality of ballscarried by the second said disc and projecti l beyond the. lateral face thereof to enter the recesses in the first said disc, said balls projecting beyond both latera l' faces of the second said disc anda dapted to leave the recesses in the first. said disc when the discs are relatively rotated, and a yieldable surface separate from the discs and operating upon the balls to move them into the recesses of the first said disc, said balls having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated.

6. In combination with an actuating shaft, a handle for rotating the shaft,'a yieldable connection between the said handle and shaft, said connection embodying a disc connected to the handle for rotation therewith, a second disc in abutment with the first said disc and connected with the shaft for rotation therewith, the first said disc having laterally opening recesses within the confines of the periphery thereof, a plurality of balls carried by the second said disc and projecting beyond the lateral face thereof to enter the recesses in the first said disc, said balls projecting beyond both lateral faces of the second said disc and adapted to leave the recesses in the first said disc when the discs are relatively rotated, a yieldable surface separate from the discs and operating upon the balls to move them into the recesses of the first said disc, said balls having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, and a pin passing through said shaft and contacting said surface for maintaining the latter under tension.

7. In combination with an actuating shaft, a handle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between the said handle and shaft, said connection embodying a disc connected to the handle for rotation therewith, a second disc in abutment with the first said disc and connected with the shaft for rotation therewith, the first said disc having laterally opening recesses within the confines of the periphery thereof, a plurality of balls carried by the second said disc and projecting beyond the lateral face thereof to enter the recesses in the first said disc, said balls projecting beyond both lateral faces of the second said disc and adapted to leave the recesses in the first said disc when the discs are relatively rotated, a yieldable surface separate from the discs and operating upon the balls to move them into the recesses of the first said disc, said balls having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, a pin passing through said shaft and contacting said surface for maintaining the latter under tension, and an abutment against which said pin operates, whereby the handle will be maintained against detachment from said shaft.

8. In combination with an actuating shaft, a handle for rotating the shaft, a yieldable connection between the said handle and shaft, said connection embodying a disc connected to the handle for rotation therewith, a second disc in abutment with the first sai disc and connected with the shaft for rotation therewith, the first said disc having laterally opening recesses within the confines of the periphery thereof, a plurality of balls carried by the second said disc and projecting beyond the lateral face thereof to enter the recesses in the first said disc, said balls projecting beyond both lateral faces of the second said disc and adapted to leave the recesses in the first said disc when the discs are relatively r0- tated, a yieldable surface separate from the discs and operating upon the balls to move them into the recesses of the first said disc, said balls having free rolling engagement over the surface of one of said discs and also being rotatable with relation to the other of said discs when said discs are relatively rotated, and a conical shield secured to and projecting from said handle and encompassing the shaft.

MYRON H. RICHARDSON. FLOYD C. BLACK. ALBERT E. GEBERT.

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