US2723727A - Drive mechanism for mainspring-driven dynamo-electrical shot firing or ignition machines - Google Patents

Description

Nov- 15, 1955 K. SCHAFFLER-GLGSSL 3,

DRIVE MECHANISM FOR MAINSPRING-DRIVEN DYNAMO-ELECTRICAL SHOT FIRING OR IGNITION MACHINES Filed NOV. 1, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l l I 9/0 901 11 8c 19 8b a z 24 16 8a 2301 21 5 7 24a 28 26 I5 7 1 5a I 1; I 1 120 f 2 i'IIL 25a 23b 27 14 25 a M l/VVE/VTOI? KON/PHD sew/ ay? -6L 5$$L HTTOE/VEHJ K. SCHAFFLER-GLOSSL 2,723,727

FOR MAINSPRING D EN DYNAMO-ELECTRICAL FIRING 0R IGNIT MACHINEs RIV ION

Nov. 15, 1955 DRIVE MECH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 1, 1952 INVENTOR KO/VRHD SCHHFFLER-GLOSSL HTTOR/VEYS United States Patent 0 DRIVE MECHANISM FOR MAlNSPRlNG-DRIVEN DYNAMO-ELECTRICAL SHOT FIRING 0R IGNI- 5 TION MACHINES Konrad Schafiler-Gliissl, Vienna, Austria Application November 1, 1952, Serial No. 318,284 Claims priority, application Austria March 25, 1952 7 Claims. (Cl. 185-37) This invention relates to mainspring-driven, dynamoelectrical shot firing or ignition machines, more particular to the drive mechanism, comprising the Winding and release means, of such machines, especially of machines of the type in which the release of the mainspring before the complete winding thereof is prevented by two control members which are arranged between the winding device and the mainspring, and which can be coupled with each other for rotation only after going through a backlash, the first of these control members being connected to the winding mechanism by means of a unilaterally acting clutch, e. g., a freewheel ratchet (cf. the applicants Austrian Patent No. 127,618 and U. S. Patent No. 1,788,892) whereas the second, loose control member, which is driven by impact as the spring is running down, operates a rotary wiping contact device to produce ignition current pulses of the shortest possible duration (cf. the applicants Austrian Patent No. 166,937 and U. S. Patent No. 2,563,494).

In the known ignition machines, e. g., of the type described above, the bearing provided for the winding pin where it extends out of the casing is exposed to soiling and oxidation so that the pin, which is driven at high speed by the spring gear after the mainspring has been released, may be seized or may at least consume such an amount of driving power, owing to the high friction, that the ignition machine is no longer capable of delivering suflicient electric power and the electric firing of the blasting shots may fail.

To avoid this drawback, the invention provides between the winding pin and the spring winding shaft a clutch, which is disconnected automatically, e. g., positively, before the released mainspring is running down. As a result the winding pin is at rest as the spring is running down. Preferably the winding and firing pins of the ignition machine are positively coupled in such a 0 manner that upon operation of the firing pin in the releasing sense the coupling between the winding pin and the spring gear is released, as well as the pawl locking the latter e. g., a transmitting member may be provided, which is firmly connected for rotation with the firing pin of the ignition machine and locks the firing pin during the winding operation whereas after the mainspring has been wound completely said transmitting member unlocks the firing pin and effects the positive coupling of the firing pin with the winding pin.

Preferably the winding pin of the ignition machine has pivotally arranged thereon the locking and releasing pawl for the spring gear, as well as a train of two gears which are in constant mesh and one of which is firmly mounted on the winding pin for rotation therewith. These gears may be connected to said pawl by a coupling of the delayed-positive-action type, which initially acts by nonpositive and later by positive engagement. The connecting member of the train of gears is in engagement with the transmitting member of the firing pin. A rotary cam, consisting, e. g., of the loose control member mentioned hereinbefore, may serve as an engaging member to lock the transmitting member against movement in the releasing sense until a recess in the rim of the cam permits said movement.

Thus it is a feature of the invention to provide in a drive mechanism for a dynamoelectrical ignition machine which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the mainspring, and mainspring release means, the combination of a clutch interposed between said winding pin and said winding shaft, and clutch operating means interposed between said mainspring release means and said clutch and operable to disengage said clutch, said mainspring release means being movable to a position in which it is operative to operate said clutch operating means to disengage said clutch and to a position in which it is operative to release said mainspring to permit it to run down while the winding pin is disconnected from the winding shaft.

The firing pin may be movable out of a position of rest preferably first to a position in which it is operative to operate said clutch operating means to disengage said clutch, and preferably thereafter to a position in which it is operative to move said locking pawl out of engagement with said ratchet to release said mainspring, and thus to effect disconnection of the winding pin from the winding shaft preferably prior to the release of the mainspring.

The transmitting member may carry means cooperating with the winding shaft to lock the firing pin against rotation in the releasing sense except when the winding shaft is in a position corresponding to the completely wound condition of the mainspring.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Fig. l is a schematic, perspective overall view showing the parts necessary to understand the invention,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the transmitting member connected to the firing pin, and

Figs. 3 and 4 are top plan views illustrating the winding and release means comprising the transmitting member of Fig. 2, in the positions after the complete winding and after the release of the mainspring, respectively.

A shaft 1 is carried in a bearing block of the casing of the ignition machine. This bearing block is indicated only by the several bearing points. Near its lower journal the shaft 1 is provided with the drive or spring gear 2, and with a ratchet 3 rigid therewith. The armature pinion 4 of the ignition dynamo (not shown) is in permanent mesh with the spring gear 2. A sleeve 5, which is loosely passed on the shaft 1 and can be coupled only in one sense of rotation with the shaft 1 and the spring gear 2 by means of a freewheel ratchet 6, has a control cam 7, constituting the first control member, which only after going through an amount of backlash engages with the coupling pin 8a of a cam 8 constituting the second control member and freely rotatably mounted on the sleeve 5 over the control cam 7. The cam 8 is coupled by means of its driving pin 8b with the rotary part 9a of the totally encased, disk-type ignition current instantaneous switch 9, which is loosely fitted on the sleeve 5. The means to prevent rotation of the switch 9 are indicated at 91:. At the flattened top end 5a of the sleeve 5 a hub 10a is fitted, which is connected to the inner end of the mainspring 10. The outer end of the spring is connected to the spring case (not shown), which is rigid with the casing of the ignition machine. The winding pin 11, which is rotatable in the bearing block of the casing of the ignition machine, has keyed to it a winding gear 12, which is in permanent toothed mesh with a second gear of the same size, which is carried in connecting straps 14 whereby the two gears are combined to form a gear train pivotally movable about the winding pin 11. Of this train the gear 13, which can be swivelled on the winding pin and will hereinafter be referred to as swivel gear," can be moved into and out of mesh with the spring gear 2.

Above the upper connecting strap 14 the locking and releasing pawl 15 for the ratchet 3, rigid with the spring gear 2, is pivoted on the winding pin 11. A coil spring 16, wound about the winding pin 11 and connected at one end to the pawl 15, on the other end to the bearing block, tends to maintain the pawl 15 in engagement with this ratchet 3. The approximately wedge-shaped locking pawl 15 has fixed to its wider end, remote from the engaging nose 15a, a coupling spring 17, which when the pawl is in engagement bears with its free end on a stop pin 18, which protrudes on both sides from the top connecting strap 14. Thus the strap 14 represents a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on winding pin 11 and carrying on one arm the second gear 13 of gear train 12, 13. Lever 14 is operable to move gear 13 into and out of engagement with spring gear 2. Between the other arm of lever 14 and pawl 15 the coupling spring 17 is interposed. When the pawl 15 is in engagement with ratchet 3, the coil spring 16 urges through the in termediary of pawl 15, coupling spring 17 and lever 14 the gear 13 into mesh with spring gear 2. A forked transmitting member 20, which in the overall perspective view of Fig. l is shown in a schematic form differing from the actual design, in order that all parts can be made visible, whereas a practical embodiment of said member is shown in the perspective view of Fig. 2 and in Figs. 3 and 4, is in engagement with this stop pin 18. This transmitting member 20 is firmly connected for rotation with the firing pin 19. A coil spring 21, the spring force of which considerably exceeds that of the spring 16 arranged on the winding pin 11 and which is inserted between the bearing block and the transmitting member 20 (cf. Figs. 1 and 2) tends to hold the firing pin 19 in its inoperative position. The transmitting member 20 is fixed to the firing pin 19 by means of two screws 22 (Fig. 2) passing through its shorter prong 20a, which is concentrically rounded at its front end. A pin 23 (Figs. 2 to 4) passing through the longer prong 20b parallel to the axis of the transmitting member, has linked to each of its ends a follower 24 and 25, respectively, each of which has a shorter arm and a longer aim. The shorter arm of each of said followers 24 and 25 is urged by a coil spring 24a and 25a, respectively, fixed on the respective end of the pin 23, against a stop 26 and 27, respectively, protruding from the respective face of the transmitting member 20. In the schematic Fig. 1 the pin 23 is replaced by two pins 23a, 23b, of the two followers 24 and 25, the release checking follower 24 cooperates with the rim of the loose control cam 8, which has a recess 80, and the engagement checking follower 25 cooperates with the hub 12a of the winding gear 12 of the swivelled gear train 12, 13. The follower 25 is adapted to engage the hub 12a with an end face, or with a side face less spaced from its pivotal axis than said end face. Due to the action of spring 21 the follower 24 in the position of rest of firing pin 19 (Fig. 1) is slightly disengaged from cam 8.

When the device is in its position of rest, the locking pawl 15 and the gear train 12, 13, as shown in Fig. 4, are secured in their disengaged position by the engagement checking follower 25 of the transmitting member 20 mounted on the firing pin 19, said follower 25 under the action of the spring 21 of the firing pin 19 bearing against the hub 12a of the winding gear 12 with its end face. When the winding pin 11 is rotated in the clockwise sense by means of a suitable key, the end face of the engagement checking follower 25 will be deprived first of its support on the hub 12a of the winding gear 12 so that the locking pawl 15 and the gear train 12, 13 are now brought in mesh with the gear rims of the.

ratchet 3 and the spring gear 2, respectively, by the spring 16 wound on the winding pin 11.

When the gear train 12, 13 is in mesh with the spring gear 2 (Fig. 3), a plane extending through the axes of rotation of the two gears 12 and 13 is at an acute angle with the tangential plane to the point of engagement of the swivel gear 13 with the spring gear 2 so that the force applied for winding promotes the toothed mesh of the swivel gear 13 with the spring gear 2. A stop 14a, which may be fixed to the bearing block, cooperates with the connecting strap 14 to prevent a swivel movement of the swivel gear 13 beyond the position determining this angle, which corresponds to the most favorable meshing conditions. As the turning of the winding pin 11 is continued, the spring gear 2 and the ratchet 3 are turned through the gear train 12, 13, and through the intermediary of the freewheel ratchet 6 the sleeve 5 surrounding the spring gear shaft 1 is turned in the clockwise sense as well as the control cam 7 and the hub 5a, and with it the inner end of the mainspring 10. Thus the spring is wound up, the locking pawl 15 engaging with the ratchet 3 to prevent a turning back of the spring gear 2 under the force of the increasingly strained mainspring 10. During the winding operation the control cam 7, after going through a backlash, drives the coupling pin 8a of the loose control cam 8, and the latter drives through the driving pin 8]) the rotary part 9a of the ignition current instantaneous switch, until the spring 10 has been wound completely. Initially the solid rim of the loose rotary control cam 8 cooperating with the release checking follower 24 prevents a clockwise pivotal movement of the transmitting member 21) fixed on the firing pin 19. Only when the spring 10 has been wound completely does the release checking follower 24 face the recess 8c of the loose control cam 8 to permit of the turning of the transmitting member 20, the locking of the firing pin thus being removed.

To fire the shots, the firing pin 19 is turned in the clockwise sense by means of the operating key against the force of the coil spring 21. Being in engagement with the stop pin 18 of the upper connecting strap 14 of the winding gear train 12, 13, the transmitting member 20 of the firing pin 19 then swivels the gear train 12, 13 in the anticlockwise sense. During this operation the engagement checking follower 25 of the transmitting member 20 is pivotally moved against the force of the spring 25a, which urges the rear end of the follower 25 toward the stop 27. Thus the follower 25 first slides with its concavely curved side past the hub of the winding gear 12. As the connecting straps 14 of the gear train 12, 13 are pivotally moved, the swivel gear 13 is first brought out of mesh with the spring gear 2, and after the strong coupling spring 17 has been deformed the locking pawl 15 is also lifted by impact out of the ratchet 3. It is thus seen that the transmitting member 20 represents a pawl-actuating member movable from an initial position (Fig. 1) in the clockwise sense (when seen from the top) to a second position in which it is operative to move through the intermediary of lever 14 the gear 13 out of mesh with spring gear 2 (Fig. 3), and to a third position in which it is operative to operate pawl 15 for releasing the mainspring to permit the latter to run down while winding pin 11 is disconnected from winding shaft 1. Spring 21 represents resilient means arranged to urge pawl actuating member 20 towards said initial position. Cam 8 is a control member mounted on winding shaft 1 for rotation thereby into and out of the range of pawl-actuating member 20. When cam 8 is in said range it limits the movement of pawl actuating member 20 in the clockwise or pawl disengaging sense from the initial position of Fig. 1 before the positions of Figs. 3 and 4. The parts are secured in this position by the engagement of the end face of the engagement checking follower 25 with the hub 12a of the winding gear 12, as has been described hereinbefore.

Running down the main. spring" byiiiieansz of itssinner end and through the intermediary of the. hair 5a the sleeve 5, and through the'freewheel: 6,. which is now locked, turns the spring gear 2 in: an anticlockwise sense, to drive the drive pinion 4' of. the ignition dynamo.

After going through the. backlash provided, the control cam 7 meets the pin 8aof the loose control cam 8-, which is thrown forward at high speed together with the movable part 9a of the instantaneous switch connected therewith by the pin 8b,. as has been described in my U. S. Patent No. 2,563,494. A buffer spring 28 cushions the slowing down'control cam 8.

When the operating key is pushed again on the winding pin 11 and the latter isturned to some extent in the clockwise sense, the engagement. checking follower 25 of the transmitting member 20 mountedon the firing pin 19 is turned over (see Fig. 3), whereuponv the locking pawl 15 and the winding gear. train 12,. 13 are moved by the spring 16 from their outer position of rest. back into their position of engagementwith the ratchet 3- and the spring gear 2, respectively, so that the mainspring can be wound up again.

I claim:

1. In a drive mechanism for a dynamo-electrical ignition machine which comprises a mainspring, av winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the. mainspring, a ratchet and a spring gear mounted on said winding shaft, and a firing pin, the combination of alocking pawlmounted on said winding pin and associated with said ratchet, a train of two gears in permanent mesh, one of which is fixed on the winding pin, swivel means pivotally connecting the second gear of said train to said winding pin and adapted to move said second gear into engagement with said spring gear, coupling means coupling said swivel means and said locking pawl, a transmitting member firmly connected for rotation with said firing pin and in engagement with said swivel means, a rotary cam having in its rim a recess, said rotary cam being in cooperation with said transmitting member to stop the same in a position in which said second gear of said train is free to engage said spring gear and said pawl is free to engage said ratchet, except when said cam faces said transmitting member with said recess, the transmitting member in the latter position of said rotary cam being operable to move said swivel means into a position in which said second gear is held out of engagement with said spring gear to disconnect the winding pin from said winding shaft, and to move said locking pawl through the intermediary of said coupling means out of engagement with said ratchet, to release said mainspring.

2. In a dynamoelectrical ignition machine which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft, a first control member, a unilateral-action clutch connecting said first control member to said said winding shaft, a ratchet and a spring gear mounted on said winding shaft, and a firing pin, the combination of a second control member loosely mounted on said winding shaft and consisting of a rotary cam having in its rim a recess, means to couple said two control members with substantial backlash, the mainspring being adapted to operate said first control member to drive said second control member by impact, rotary wiping contact means directly connected to said second control member, a locking pawl mounted on said winding pin and associated with said ratchet, a train of two gears in permanent mesh, one of which is fixed on the winding pin, swivel means pivotally connecting the second gear of said train to said winding pin and adapted to move said second gear into engagement with said spring gear, coupling means coupling said swivel means and said locking pawl, a transmitting member firmly connected for rotation with said firing pin and in engagement with said swivel means, said rotary cam being in cooperation with said transmitting member to stop the same in a position in which said second gear of said train is free to engage said spring gear andsaid pawl is free. to engage said ratchet, except when said cam faces said transmittingmember. with said recess, the transmitting member in the latter position of said rotary cam being operable to move said swivel means into a position in which said second gear is held out of. engagement with said spring gear'to disconnect the winding pin from said winding shaft, and to move said locking pawl through the intermediary of said coupling means out of engagement with said ratchet, to release said mainspring.

3. In a drive mechanism for a dynamo-electrical ignition machine which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the mainspring, a ratchet and a spring gear mounted on said winding shaft, and. a firing pin, the combination of a locking pawl mounted on said winding pin and associated with. said ratchet, a train of two gears in permanent mesh, one of which has a hub fixed to the winding pin, swivel means pivotally connecting the second gear of said train to said winding pin and adapted to move said. second gear into engagement with said spring gear, coupling means coupling said swivel means and said locking pawl, a transmitting member firmly connected for rotation with said firing pin and in engagement with said swivel means, a rotary cam having in its rim a recess, two followers pivotally mounted on said transmitting member, each of said followers having a shorter arm and a longer arm, a stop fixed on said transmitting member adjacent to each of said followers, a spring connected to each of said followers to urge the shorter arm thereof toward the respective stop, said rotary cam cooperating with one of said followers to stop the transmitting member in a position in which said second gear of said train is free to engage said spring gear and said pawl is free to engage said ratchet, except when facing said follower with said recess, the transmitting member in the latter position of said rotary cam being operable to move said swivel means into a position in which said second gear is held out of engagement with said spring gear to disconnect the winding pin from said winding shaft, and to move said locking pawl through the intermediary of said coupling means out of engagement with said ratchet, to release said mainspring, the hub of said first gear of said train being in cooperation with the other of said followers, which has an end face and a side face less spaced from its pivotal axis than said end face, said second follower being adapted to engage said hub with said end face to hold the transmitting member in a position in which the latter through the intermediary of said swivel means and coupling means holds said locking pawl out of engagement with said ratchet and through the intermediary of said swivel means holds said second gear of said train out of engagement with said spring gear, said second follower being movable into a position in which said side face engages said hub to provide freedom of movement for the transmitting member to move into a position in which the locking pawl is free to move into engagement with said ratchet and said swivel means is free to move said second gear of said train into engagement with said spring gear.

4. The combination of claim 3, in which said transmitting member comprises two prongs, one of which engages said swivel means and the other of which carries said followers.

5. In a drive mechanism for a dynamo-electrical ignition machine which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the mainspring, a spring gear on said winding shaft, and mainspring release means. the combination of a train of two gears in permanent mesh, one of which is fixed on the winding pin, swivel means pivotally connecting the second gear of said train to said winding pin and adapted to move said second gear into engagement with said spring gear, gear disengaging means interposed between said mainspring release means and said swivel means and operable to move said second gear of said train out of engagement with said spring gear, said mainspring release means being movable to a position in which it is operative to operate said gear disengaging means to move said second gear out of engagement with said spring gear, and a stationary stop in the path of said swivel means and adapted to limit the movement of said second gear beyond a position of engagement with said spring gear, the axes of rotation of said gears of said train lying in a plane which in said position of engagement is at an acute angle with a tangential plane to the point of engagement of said second gear with said spring gear.

6. In a drive mechanism for a dynamo-electrical ignition machine, which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the mainspring, a pawl operable to release said mainspring, a clutch interposed between said winding pin and winding shaft, and clutch operating means operable to disengage said clutch, the combination of a pawl actuating member movable from an initial position in a pawl disengaging sense to a second position in which it is operative to operate said clutch operating means to disengage said clutch, and to a third position in which it is operative to operate said pawl for releasing said mainspring to permit the latter to run down while the winding pin is disconnected from the winding shaft, resilient means arranged to urge said pawl actuating member toward said initial position, and a control member mounted on said winding shaft for rotation thereby into and out of the range of said pawl actuating member and when in said range limiting the movement of said pawl actuating member from said initial position in said pawl disengaging sense before said third position.

7. In a drive'mechan'ism for a dynamo-electrical ignition machine, which comprises a mainspring, a winding pin, a winding shaft connected to the mainspring, a ratchet and a spring gear fast on said winding shaft, and a train of two-gears in permanent mesh, one of which is fixed on the winding pin, the combination of a locking pawl rotatably mounted on said winding pin adjacent to said ratchet, a two-armed lever pivotally mounted on said winding pin and carrying on one arm the second gear of said train, said lever being operable to move said second gear into and out of engagement with said spring gear, a coupling spring interposed between said pawl and the other arm of said lever, a spring arranged to urge said pawl into engagement with said ratchet and to urge when the pawl is in engagement with said ratchet said second gear into mesh with said spring gear through the intermediary of said pawl, said coupling spring and said lever, and pawl actuating means operable to move said pawl out of engagement with said ratchet and to move through the intermediary of said lever said second gear out of mesh with said spring gear.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,316,168 Lehman Sept. 16, 1919 1,502,671 Hillmer July 29, 1924 1,788,892 Glossl Jan. 13, 1931 1,936,554 Lansing Nov. 21, 1933

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