US343472A

US343472A - Clay-tempering machine

Info

Publication number: US343472A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-06-08
Anticipated expiration: 1903-06-08

Description

(No Model.)

F. MIDDLETON.

CLAY TEMPBRING MACHINE. No. 348,472. Patented June 8, 1886.

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UNITED STATES PATENT EETEE.

FRANK MIDDLETON, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

CLAY-TEMPERING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 343,472, dated June 8,1886.

Application tiled January 14, ld. Serial No. 183.614. (No model.)

nations of parts, as will be described, and

pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a perspectiveview of my apparatus. Fig. 2 is aside elevation thereof, parts being broken away and others shown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-section of the frame, cross-beam, and

the circular track, with the carrier-pinion in place on the latter. spective view of the center bearing-tube. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the pitman, showing the manner of connecting the same with the traveler-shaft. Fig. 6 is a detail per! spective View of the bearing-connection. Fig.

7 is a detail perspective View showing a portion of the tempering-wheel shaft and the collar and set-screw thereon, and Fig. 8 is a detail top plan view of one of the posts.

The objects of my improvements are, to secure steadiuess of frame and machinery when in operation; to provide a circular cog-track that will hold the oil in position to be taken up bythe traveler-pinion, and will prevent it n from dripping off 5 to simplify the mechanism for transmitting and applying the power, to so form the main frame that the weight and.

vmotion of the machinery will stiffen the whole main frame; and a further object is to economize material in the construction. of machinery of this class.

In the drawings I have shown the posts A as mounted on a base-piece. It will be understood that in practice such posts may be sunk in the ground, or may have any other suitable foundation-support. I arrange these posts in a circular form around the clay-pit, which may be of common construction, having a central bearing for the shaft l, carrying the tempering-wheel 2, such shaft and wheel being also Fig. 4 is a detail perof the common construction. The upper ends of posts A are joined by cross-beams B.

In the present instance the posts A have the opposite sides of their upper ends mortised at 3, to receive the cross-beams, and the walls of such mortises on the opposite side of the same post diverge toward the outer side of the post, as shown most clearly in Fig. S.

The cross-beams B serve as a foundation for the circular track. C, and are preferably grooved at 4, to form a seat for such track, although snch groove might beomitted where so desired.

By the circular arrangement of the posts A and B, which constitute what, for convenience of reference, I denominate the outer frame, I provide a rm foundation for the circular track D, which is usually seated in a groove, et, formed in the upper side of the cross-beams at the inner edges thereof.

The track C is provided at about its center with the rack 5, and is provided on opposite sides of such rack with the elevations or flanges 6. rlhe object of these flanges is to prevent the oil used to lnbricate the rack from flowing off and wasting, and also obviate the dripping of such oil onto the workmen below. This track is depressed at 7, at the base of the cog-rack, so the oil will accumulate in such depression, and will be taken up and distributed by the traveling pinion in the operation 0f the apparatus.

Between the cog-rack and the outer flange of the carrier I form a smooth bearing, 8, for the plain-faced pulley of the traveling wheel.

The arch-frame is formed of a series of beams,l), having their outer ends supported on the tops of posts A. These beams D may be secured to the outer frame by seating them in socketed castings secured on the tops of the posts, as shown, or they may be secured to the posts by lagbolts,ffas will obviously appear. These beams D rise toward the center, where they are usually secured to or against a centerpiece or key-block, E, which latterv is preferably hexagonal, as shown, or, where more or less beams D are used, with a number of sides corresponding to the number of beams employed. It is usual to provide this keyblock with small metallic blocks 9, secured to it, one above each of the beams D. Mani- VICO festly, thejoint between beams D and block E may be formed by mortising the beams into the block or in othersuitable manner. By thus elevating the arch-frame at the center I attain two desi red ends. In the irst place, I provide a support for thedrive mechanism suiiiciently above the track to avoid the necessity of hangers or similar expedients, by which to support such track. Another important result is that the weight and motion of the operating mechanism, instead of sagging the top frame and rocking the entire framing, as is the ease where thetop frame is formed horizontal, will rather operate to tighten and increase the rigidity of the framing by the weight and motion operating at the crown of the arch, causing the archframe to press out on the outer frame, as will be understood.

The key-block is provided with a vertical opening for the central bearingtube, F. This tube forms a bearing for the vertical shaft G, and is provided with a bearing-flange resting on the key-block. This iiange might be formed a disk, but it preferably consists of a number nf arms, 10. as shown. I provide this bearing-tnbe with a bracket, H, usually an eX- tension of one of the arms 10, and provided at its outer end with abearing, 11, for the upper or countershaftfl. Near itslower end the bearing-tube is provided with an annularl groove, 12, for the connection-piece J. The vertical shaft J is journaled in the center beaiingtube, and is provided at its upper end with a gear, 13, and at its lower end with a gear, 14. The counter-shaft is journaled near its inner end in the bearing l1, and has at such end a gear, l5, meshing the gear 13 of shaft G. At its outer end the `counter-shaft has a pulley, 16, to receive a belt from the source of power, and is journalcd near said. end in the bearing 17 of the standard K. This standard, it will be seen, is formed with two legs, 18, which rest on the outer frame, and are usually dis posed one ou each side of 011e of the posts A thereof. By the use of this countershaft I avoid the use of twist-belts and the like, necessary when power is communicated by'belt directly to the vertical shaft, and facilitate the application of the power and avoid the slipping consequent to the use of twist-belts.

The connectiolrpiece J is provided at one end with a cuff or removable bearing, 19, iitting the groove l2 of the center-piece, and bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the body or web of the connection, which has at its opposite end a bearing, 20, for the travelershaft L. It will be noticed that the body or web of the connection is curved, and all abrupt bends or angles are avoided, giving the greatest strength with `the least expenditure of metal, as will be seen. This connection, it will be seen, revolves around the central bearingtube, its bearing 19 turning in the annular groove l2, as shown.

The traveler-shaft L is journaled at its inner end in bearing 20, and has a pinion, 21, meshing the lower gear of the vertical shalt. At

its outer end, shaft L has the traveler M, having a cog-wheel, 22, meshing the circular cograck of track G. As the vertical shaft isturncd by means of the c0untershaft, the traveler will by the meshing of cogs 22 in the circular rack, be caused to move around the center bearing, as will be understood from the drawings and foregoing description.

To the shaft of the carrier is connected one end of a pitman, N, which may be formed of wood or iron, or, as is preferred, of wood and iron combined. In order to form this connection, it is preferred to secure two collars, 23, on the traveler-shaft, and to secure the split cuff 2l of the pitman on the shaft between said collars. The opposite end of the pitman is provided, with a hook, 25, which engages an eye, 26, on the collar O. This collar is fitted on and movable along the tempering-wheel shaft.

To secure the pitman from slippingin against the tempering-wheel, and at the same time obviate the necessity of braces and the like, I employ a set-screw, 26, turning through the collar O, and bearing against the temperingwheel shaft. This set-screw operates to secure the collar to the shaft, and permits it to be adjusted as may be desired.

Herctofore machines for transmitting power to clay-tempering machines have been in use for a long time. I do not claim any of those old principles as used in such machines as inventions of my own; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent, is-

1. In a clay-tempering machine having a traveling shai't and intermediate gearing connecting the same with the driving-gear, a main frame comprising an outer frame and an archframe, which supports the intermediate gearing, supported at its outer end on the outer frame,and having its central portion or crown elevated, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. In a clay-tempering machine, a frame comprising standards or uprights having connecting-beams and arranged in approximately a circular series, whereby to provide an elevated support for the circular track, substantially as set forth.

3. In a clay-tempering machine, a main frame consisting of a circular outer frame having vertical posts and cross-beams connecting .said posts, and the arch-beams supported at their outer ends on the posts, and being inclined upward toward their innerends, substantially as set forth.

IOO

4. In a clay-tempering machine, a circular the base of such cogs, and the traveling pinion meshing said cog-ring, whereby oil will be distributed thereby, substantially as set forth.

6. rlhe combination, with the circular track, the traveling pinion, the shaft supporting said pinion, a vertical shaft geared with aforesaid shaft, and a gear on said vertical shaft, of the counter shaft operating above the central gearing, and having a pinion meshed with the gear of the vertical shaft and provided with a pulley, whereby to facilitate the transmis`r sion of power from the driver, substantially as set forth. l

7. The combination of the outer frame, the beams D, a center-piece or keygblock, and a bearing-tube, F, the travelershaft, and the vertical shaft geared therewith and journaled in tube F, substantially as set forth. y

8. The combination, in a lclay tempering machine, with the traveler-shaft, the vertical shaft, and lthe counter-shaft, of the center bearingtube encircling the vertical shaft and provided with a fiange adapted t0 rest upon the supportingframe, and having a bracket provided with'a bearing for the counter-shaft, substantially as set forth.

9. In a clay-tempering machine, and" in combination with the traveler-shaft, the vertical shaft, and the counter-shaft, the central bearingtube having near its lower end an annular groove and provided with a bearing for the vertical shaft, and with arbracket having a bearing for the counter-shaft, and the connection having at one end a bearing itting the annular groove 0f the bearing-tube and provided with a bearing for the traveler-shaft, substantially as set forth.

l0. In a clay-tempering machine, the coinbinatiou, with the tempering-wheel shaft and the traveler, of the collar encircling the wheelshaft and provided with a set-screw, whereby it may be fixed thereto, and the pitman having oneV end connected with the traveler and its other end detachably joined to the collar of the wheelshaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

1l. The combination, with the framing and the vertical and traveler shafts, of the bear- -ing-tube encircling the vertical shaft, and having annular groove 12, fiange l0,`and bracket L H, having bearing 11, the standard, the counter-shaft journaled iu bearing'yll and the standard, and suitable gearsconnecting the counter, vertical, and traveler shafts, substanl Witnesses:

W. J; McDownLL, W, E. LEFEW.