US339259A - Friction-clutch - Google Patents

Description

(N0 Modem J. W. BLODGETT.

FRICTION CLUTCH;

No. 339,259. Patented Apr. 6, 1886.

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JOHN IV. BLODGETT, OF HIGHIVOOD, ASSIGNOR OF OXE-HALF TO FRANKLIX M. BLAIR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FRICTION-CLUTCH.

@PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,259, dated April 6, 1886.

Application filed September 7, 1885. Serial No. 176,439.

To (I/ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. BLODGETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highwood, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Friction-Clutches, which are fully set forth and described in the annexed specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a shaft and crank-arm with my friction-clutch applied; Fig. 2. a similar view with crank arm removed; Fig. 3, a reverse elevation of the crank-arm detached; Fig. 4, a cross-section taken on the line x m, Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a dc tail view of the clutch eccentric ring detached, and Fig. 6 a similar view of the eccentric wedge against which the ring acts.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction and operation of frictionclutohcs, whereby a certainty and quickness of action are obtained, and there is little or no effect from wear.

I will now proceed to describe in detail one way in which I have carried out my invention in practical form, and will then point out definitely in the claims the special improvements which I believe to be new, and wish to protect by Letters Patent.

In the drawings, A represents one end or some other part of a shaft, to which is secured in any suitable way a cup-shaped disk, 13. The flange I) of this cup-disk is perpendicular to the body, and on the same side of the latter is a boss, I). centrally arranged and fitted to the shaft. The cup may be attached to the shaft through the boss or otherwise.

The eccentric ring O is fitted to the exterior of the boss I), the circumference of the latter being a true circle having the same center as the shaft. This ring is provided on one side or face with a short projecting stud or pin, 0, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, which also illustrates the varying width of the ring, by which its outer circumference is made eccentric as to the center of its central Opening.

An eccentric wedge or clamp, l), is fitted within the cup between the flange and boss. This piece is the segment of a ring, the outer (No model.)

circumference of which is the same as the inner circumference of the flange, and in the drawings this segment is shown as about onehalf of such a ring. The width of this seg ment is not sufficient to fill the space between the flange and the boss; but it doesnearly or quite fill the space between the flange and the eccentric ring when the latter is placed on the boss. In fact, it is wider than the space be tween the flange and the widest portion of the eccentric ring, but not quite so wide as the distance between the flange and the narrowest part of said ring. The internal circumference of the segment is a circle corresponding to that of the exterior circumference of the eccentric ring, so that the exterior surface of the latter will fit the whole length of the inner surface of the segment, while the outer surface of the segment along its entire length fits the inner surface of the dislcflange. The position of these parts within the cup and their relation to each other are clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The segment D is made slightly tapering in width from its heel end (I, so that its front end, (1, is the narrowest portion of the entire piece. A slight recess, al is made in theheel end of the segment, which is placed loosely within the cup, setting loosely between the flange of the latter and the eccentric ring, which is also placed loosely on the boss.

It is obvious from an inspection of Fig. 2 of the drawings that if the eccentric ring he turned in the direction of the arrow its widening portion willbe drawnin against the inner circumference of the segmental clamp by reason of the increasing width of the ring and the decreasing width of the space between the boss and the segment. At the same time the segment is forced out firmly against the flange of the cup, and so it is evident that by the frictional contact between the surfaces of the boss, ring, segment, and flange the ring and cup will be secured to each other, so that one must turn with the other. It is also evident that by turning the ring slightly in the other direction the friction between these surfaces will be relieved or entirely removed, if the backward movement of the ring is made sufficient. An eccentricity in the ring of about one-fortieth of an inch to one and one-fourth inch of the inside diameter of the cup is well adapted for this use.

Now, suppose E to bea cranl -arm to which a pitman or some other device is to be' connected for giving the required movement to some piece of machinery. This arm is either attached to or made in one piece with a simple disk, F, which is adapted to entirely cover the cup B, being fitted to the outer edge of its flange b. At a suitable point in this disk is an aperture, f, which is adapted to receive the pin on the eccentric ring, thereby connecting the latter with the disk and crankarm. The cover-disk is also fitted to the boss I), which projects beyond the cup-flange somewhat, as shown in Fig. at of the drawings," for this purpose, the disk being provided with a central opening, f, adapted to receive the boss. The cover disk is held in place by means of washer and nut G on the shaft, or by any other suitable devices, the disk, however, beingleft free to turn on the boss. On t-he inside of the cover-disk isa spiral spring, H, surrounding a curved rod, 71, which is fastened at one end to the disk, but is free at the other to permit the movement of the spring when it is compressed or recoils, the free end of the spring extending somewhat beyond the free end of the rod in its normal condition, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. This spring is arranged on the disk opposite to the aperture f, which receives the pin of the eccen tric ring, and when the cover is applied the free end of the spring is intended to rest in the recess at the heel end of the segmental clamp. The effect of this spring is twofold: it provides an elastic resistance to the back ward movement of the segment when the ring is turned forward to clamp the parts together, thereby preventing the segment from slipping around under the action of the ring. There is not much danger of this movement, however, as the frictional surfaces are so large that the wedging or clamping effect is quick and certain. When the diskcover is turned back, thereby turning the eccentric ring back, the spring also carries the segment around in the same direction,'thereby causing the segment to follow up the eccentric ring, so that it will always be in position for the quick engagement of the ring when the latteris turned forward. It is also evident that this move ment permits the ring to be carried entirely around its journal, which would not be possible if the segment remain stationary when the ring is turned back. It is obvious that the crank being a part of or connected to the cover-disk, its movement will impart a like movement to the disk, and through the latter.

to the eccentric ring, so that when the crank is turned in one direction it will be clutched to the shaft and rotate the latter; but if turned in the opposite direction it will be un' clutched therefrom and move around without moving the shaft.

with the devices constructed and arranged substantially as described above, I obtain a friction-cl utch which is very quick in actiou,for the reason that the segment follows closely the movement of the ring, and so a slight turn forward of the latter produces at once a clamping effect; also a clutch that is very certain in its action, for the reason that the frictional surfaces are of considerable extent, and for the same reason the clutch is very strong. It will also be seen that as the parts of the clutch are all circular and the contact-surfaces are brought together on the arcs of circles the clutch will not be impaired by ordinary wear, which will be readily compensated by the form of the parts, and in use the wear will be neeessarily slow because of the large frictional surfaces. There is no biting effect or unequal wear-such as results from the use of small rollers or balls, which have sometimes been employed for this purpose-and there are no parts to be moved by special devices to effect a clamping operation. The clutch is entirely automatic and always ready for action.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the cdnstruction and arrangement of devices precisely as herein shown and described, for it is evident that changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the essential characteristics of my invention, and, in fact, such changes will be a necessity in applying the improvement to different mechanisms and in different locations.

In the drawings and description above I have intended to illustrate an application of my improved clutch, and only this.

I do not wish to be understood as hereshowing the exact and only conditions under which my improvement is to be applied.

It is obvious that this clutch is applicable in a great many places where other clutches are used, and I wish to be understood as claiming it wherever it may be applied and with whatever changes may be necessary in making different applications thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1's- 1. In a friction-clutch, a cup attached to one of the moving parts, in combination with an eccentric ring movable about the center of the cup and connected to the companion moving part, and a ring-segment arranged loosely between the eccentric ring and the flange of the cup, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The disk B, provided with the flange 1) and central boss, I), in combination with the eccentric ring 0, mounted loosely on the boss, and the loose ring'segment D, fitting against the flange on its exterior surface, and the eccentric ring on its interior surface, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The eccentric ring 0, provided with a stud, c, in combination with the cover-disk F,

provided with an aperture, f, to receive the .3. The cup-disk B, in combination with the 10 stud, substantially as and for the purposes set eccentric ring 0, thering-segment D, the cover forth. F, and the spring H, substantially as and for 4. The cup-disk B, in combination with the the purposes set forth.

eccentric rim O, the loose ring-segment D, T H

5 the cover-disiz F, to which the eccentric ring 70H; BLODGET'L is connected, and a follower connected to the Witncsses: cover and arranged behind the ringsegnlent, \V. G. CORLIES, substantially as and for the purposes set forth. G. FEIGEL.

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