US254624A - Horse-power - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

VW. DEBRING. HORSE POWER. No. 254,624. f A Patented Mar. `7, 1882.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM DEERING, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

HORS E-POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming-'part of Letters Patent No. 254,624, dated March '7, 1882.

Application filed December 19, 1881.

1o all whom it may concern Beit known that I, WILLIAM DEERING, of Louisville, county of Jefferson, State of Kentucky, have invented or discovered a new and useful Improvement in Horse-Powers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accom panyingdrawing, making a part of this specification, which is a view in elevation of a horse-power illustrative of my invention.

My present invention relates chiefly to that class of horse-powers which are used in barns and gin-houses, and which require the use of some part of the frame-work of such building as a means of attachment for operative purposes. Such horsepowers, designed to be driven by horses, mules, or oxen, are made with a vertical shaft carryin ga horizon tal master-wheel, from which, through bevel-pnions, countershaft,pulley, and belts, power is transmitted to the machinery which does the work.

It is a well-understood rule inthe putting up of ordinary bevel-gear that the lines of the cogs, both of driver and driven, should be in the planes passinglongitudinally through their respective axes of motion, and that such planes at the middle point of the bite or mesh of the cog-wheels should coincide throughout, and in such ease the axial lines of the shafts, if continued, will intersect each other.

Usually in the putting up of bevel-gearing in manufacturingestablishments, machineshops, &c.,the setting of the axle-shafts is done by skilled machinists, who understand and in practice are governed by this principle; but for barn and gin-house work skilled labor is seldom available. The work is usually done by farmers or ordinary carpenters, who have not the necessary skill for always setting the shaft carrying the bevel-pinion exactly or with precision inthe radial plane of the shaft of the main drive'or master wheel, so that the bevelwheels may run in practice as they are designed in principle. Hence it'too frequently occurs that such shafts are put up out of the proper alignment; and even if the first alignmentbecorrectitoften happens that the springing or yielding of the barn or ginhouse timbers, under heavy strains or from other causes,

(No model.)

master-wheel, both on its original setting and also in case it afterward be moved or displaced. By this means I dispense with the necessity of employing skilled mechanics to set up such horse-powers for use, as such work can be done by common laborers, the necessity for nice adj ustment being removed or otherwise provided In the drawing,A represents a master-wheel carrying on its upperface a bevel-gear, a. This master-wheel, according to its size for different purposes, may be of all iron or of wood segments on radial arms supported by braces, as desired. In this case itis supported by a vertical ceniral shaft, B, radial `arms b, and braces b', the latter resting on their lower ends on the lever-box B', to which the levers are to be bolted for the attachment of the horses. The foot of shaft B rests in a step, b2, which may be supported on any desired form of foundation. The upper end 'of this shaft is journaled in one or more bxes, c c', secured to the central hanger, C. I have shown two of these boxes, c and c', separated somewhat, and between them is tted a swivel journal-block, E, consisting of a tubular hub, e, and a journal socket-projection, e. The hub e is bored to fit closely enough on the shaft Bto support the socket e horizontally, and yet to allow a motion on the shaft in a rotary direction. Vertical movement of the swivel on the shaft is prevented by collars ss above and below, which are bound to the shaft by set-screws s2. The height of the swivel can thus be adjusted between the boxes c c', as desired.

1n the socket e', which is carefully bored at right angles to the hub e, is journaled the inner end of counter-shaft F, on which is the bevel pinion a', with its cog working into thecogs a ofthe master-wheel A. The outer end of this counter shaft is supported by hanger IOO F, and-outside of this hanger is the pulley H for conveying the power to the thrashing-machine, cotton-gin, or home corn-mill.

Heretofore a nice knowledge of the principle involved and great care had to be exercised in setting the central hanger, C, and the outside hanger, F, so as to secure the pinion-shaft F in theright alignment with the master-wheel shaft B; but with the mounting herein shown no such nice knowledge or care are necessary. Heretofore if the hanger F were put up a hairs breadth to the right or to the left of a due position, or if, with the machine in operation, it were moved to the right or to the lelt of that position,thecogs ofboth Wheel and pinion ground abnormally against each other, and the consequences were harder Work on the horses, a premature wearing of the pinion, and an irritation toward and dissatisfaction with the manufacturer. With this improvement the outside hanger may be put up to the right or to the left, or underany pulling of the belt may move to the right or to the left, and, as in either of these cases the journal-socket e will of itself veer round in the measure exactly proportionate, it follows that the cogs of tne pinion will always converge without deviation exactly toward the point necessary to secure their proposed and perfect operation.

With the improvement herein shown and described it is now, therefore, a matter of indifference, sofar as the proper Working ofthe gear is concerned, how hanger G be set, or whether hanger F' be moved horizontally or not, since at Whatever point in the circumference hanger F be placed, or if it be moved from its original position,the swiveled journal-block E will turn on shaft B, so as to bring its socket e in proper line, and thus keep the inner end of the counter-shaftpointing toward the axial line of the master-wheel shaft. Consequently in setting up my improved horse-power the position of hanger C may be determined solely With reference to keeping the main shaftB improper vertical position, and the hanger F may be 'located at any point with reference to the desired position of pulley H, for in so doing the `swivel E will accommodate itself to any suoli position' independent of hanger O. In this -way the counter-shaft may without difficulty be set and maintained in proper line, and the gears a a be made to mesh evenly and properly.

If preferred, a single box may alord bearing for the shaft B, which box may be placed either above or below the collars s s', and be attached tothe central hanger, substantially as either the box c or o.

By using collars ss separate from the boxes c c', with free space between the collars and boxes, as shown, the vertical position of swively E on shaftB may bedetermined oradjustedindependent of the hanger and its box; also, the counter-shaft will not be effected by vertical movement of hanger C, due to shifting of timber D by settling or springing under or when relieved from a load. For these and similar reasons I prefer to secure the swivel E substantially as represented, though in cases not subject to the changes mentioned the collars s s may be omitted, and the boxes c c be employed to prevent vertical movement of the swivel by making the hub part e of proper length to fill the space on the shaft between such boxes.

The vertical shaft B may be solid, as shown, and as commonly employed in the cheaper class ofhorse-powers; or it may be tubular, inclosing acentral cylindricalpost, around which the shaft or sleeve will revolve.

The application and purpose of the swivel or journal block E will be substantially the same in either case.

I claim herein as my invention- In astationaryhorse-power, the combination of vertical shaft B, master-wheet A, countershaft F, geared with the master-wheel, swiveled journal-block E, having free pivot-connection with shaft A, central hanger, G, for supportg ing the upper end of such shaft, and adjustable bearings s s' on this shaft above and below the journal-block, substantially as described, whereby provision is made for separate adjustment of the journahblock and central hunger.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand.

WILLIAM DEERING.

Witnesses:

MARY C. REXTER, WILLIAM LUTZ.

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