US58345A - Improvement in shaft-couplings - Google Patents

Description

U' rrnn S'rnrns P rrnr MOSES HAWKINS, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO It. M.- BASSE'IT T. S. BASSETT, AND MOSES HAWKINS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHAFT-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,345, dated September 25, 18616.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, Moses Hawkins, of Derby, New Haven county, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Method of Coupling Lines of Shafting; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improved mode of coupling or uniting the lengths in lines of sl1afting;and has for its object to effect the coupling in a simple, economic, effective, and durable manner, while at the same time the coupling shall constitute the journal or bearing, and may be readily shifted to admit of the extraction of a length of the sh aft-ing when desired; and to these ends my invention consists in the employment of a peculiarly-shaped key in connection with the shafts ends and a surrounding collar, all as hereinafter fully described.

To enable those skilled in the art to make a-nd use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of the coupled ends of two lengths of shafting embracing my invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of same with the collar partially broken away to show shape ofkey, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of shaft end.

In the several figures the same parts are designated by the same letters of reference.

A B are the ends oftwo lengths of a line of shafting. C is the coupling and journal band or sleeve. d d are retainingcollars. Eis the lockingkey, and f a tightening-key or wedge. The sleeve C is a simple cylindrical shell7 which may be made of wrought-iron, and which I propose to turn inside of a bore just adapted to accommodate the diameter of the shafts A B, and of a size outside, (or of an external diameter,) suitable to form the journal or bearing of the shafting, and adapted to run in the box or hanger. On the inner surface of said sleeve C is cut a longitudinal slot or spline of a width corresponding to the width of the key E, and deep enough to receive the. said key, and also a tightening key or wedge f. (See Fig. l.)

The peculiar form of key E is clearly seen in the drawings, as also the forni of the keyseat in the end of shafting. It will he seen that the straight portion of said key lies partially in the slot of sleeve C and partly in the slots in the ends ofshafts A Bin the usual manner, thus preventing the turning of the shafts ends. or cit-her of them, in the said sleeve; and it will also be observed that at the end of each slot in each shaft the latter is slabbed out or cross-slotted to a depth equal to the depth of said slot to accommodate the lugsor cross-key portions i of the key E, which hold the shaft ends A B together longitudinally.

The kcyf is driven in to take up any slight backlash or lack of fit between the diameter of shafts ends and bore of sleeve C. l

The collars d d, are employed simply to hold the sleeve C laterally in the proper position in the box or hanger, and they may be fastened to the shaftin g by a simple set-screw, m, or in any other suitable manner that will permit their ready removal or adjustment.

rIhe operation of my improved coupling may be explained in few words: The shafts ends being splined out longitudinally and crossslotted, as shown and deseribed,and the sleeve C and keys E andf made as shown, the sleeve C is slid over onto one shaft end-for instance, A.`4 The two ends A and B are now brought into position and the key E inserted, when the sleeve C is slid over B, so as to surround both 4 The tightening key Vor A and B, as shown. wedgcfis then inserted and driven in tight, and, after placing the sleeveC in its journ al-box or hanger, the collars d d (which were rst slipped onto the shafts) are brought up each side of the box and fastened on the shafting by the set-screws m.

It will be seen that with my new mode of coupling' the shafts may be turned up of a given length, and the key-seats cut in their ends all of a size, aud the sleeves C and keys E all made to fit anywhere on the line at comparatively a small cost, and that when the coupling is effected, which is most easily accomplished, the shafts are held perfectly in line and without any backlash circumferentially, and in a most secure manner.

1t will be observed that in my improved mode of coupling, the adjacent ends of two lengths of shafting are'held together longitudinally, and are also held circumferentially in the sleeve C by means of the slots and a single key, E, shaped as shown and described, which was never before done in any coupling` to my knowledge; and it will also be observed that the peculiar shape of key shown is not essential so long as the shape is such as to cffect the double purpose, as just explained.

Whenever it becomes necessary to remove a lengt-h of shafting, or even a bearing, it is only necessary to loosen the collars d d, (or one of theni,) slip said collars out of the way, loosen up the wedgef, slide sleeve C to one side, and lift out either shaft, and, if necessary to rcnew the sleeve C, puton a new one.

Having,` fully explained my improved mode of coupling, and wishing to be understood as not limiting myself to the precise forms or proportions of any of the devices so long as they are so constructed and arranged as t'o carry out the functions ascribed to them, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The use, in combination with asurrounding, sleeve and the slotted shafts ends, of a key, E, so shaped and the whole so arranged as to lock the shafts ends longitudinally together and key them both in the sleeve, substantially as set forth.

2. .Forming the `journals of the shafting of the coupling-sleeve C, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In wit-ness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of July, 1866.

MOSES HAWKINS. lL. 8.]

In presence of- DAvin TonRANcn, WM. B. Woosrnn.

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