US964651A - Spring-tension device. - Google Patents

Description

A, H. KIRK.

SPRING TENSION DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.19, 190a.

Patented July 19, 1910.

WASMINGYON. n. c.

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ALVA H. KIRK, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SPRING-TENSION DEVICE.

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To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA I-I. KIRK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring- Tension Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved spring adjusting device, and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims. The said spring adjusting device is shown as applied for a particular purpose, to-wit, as a spring tension device for a so-called impact plate in my prior United States Letters Patent No. 881,135, issued of date March th, 1909; and, in the present application, the said spring device is, for the purposes of illustration, shown as applied for the same purpose; but it will, of course, be understood that it is capable of general applica tion wherever a spring tension device of the character hereinafter described may be found desirable.

The said spring tension device is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the View shown is a side elevation, with some parts broken away and some parts sectioned.

In the said drawing, the parts shown are indicated by the same characters that were used to designate the same in the said prior application. Referring to these parts, the numeral 3 indicates the box-like casing, into which the running grain of the grain dampener is assumed to be delivered, by an inclined run-way (not shown) and the numeral 4 indicates a feed trough which receives from said casing 3.

The numeral 10 indicates part of a water supply conduit and the numeral 11 indicates a column that is rigidly secured to the top of the casing 3 and is provided with an extended base 11 The numeral 12 indicates a box-like casing which is supported by the column 11 and, in turn, supports a bearing 14.

The numeral 15 indicates a short shaft which is mounted in the box 12 and bearing Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19, 1908.

Patented July 19, 1910.

Serial No. 416,787.

14: and operates a water supply valve (not shown).

Two overlapped slotted arms 19 and 20 are connected by a pivotal coupling 26. The arm 19 is secured to the outer end of the shaft 15, and the arm 20 is pivoted to a bearing bracket 21, which, in turn, is rigidly supported by the standard 11. The arm 20 has an arm extension 20 and a depending stem 23, to the lower end of which latter is rigidly secured a so-called impact plate 22.

The improved spring adjusting device, as herein illustrated, comprises a coiled spring 29, a threaded rod 30, and a head or nut 31, the latter having a multiplicity (shown four) of fingers 32, the upper ends of which are hooked or bent radially inward so that they work between the coils of the said spring 29. The said spring 29, at its upper end, is attached to the end of the arm extension 20 The threaded rod is rigidly anchored to the base extension or support 11 and is axially alined with the said spring 29. Said coiled spring 29 is preferably tapered in a direction from its lower toward its upper end. The head 31 works as a nut on the threaded rod 30. Furthermore, the said spring 29 should be so wound that when it is normally tight or solid, its coil should have the same number of threads per inch as the threaded rod 30.

The spring 29 exerts a force which tends to hold the impact plate 22 in the position indicated by dotted lines, in which position we will assume that the valve, not shown, but which is carried by the shaft 15, is in a closed position. It may be also stated that the impact plate is forced into the position shown by full lines by the flow of grain against the same, which movement is resisted by the spring 29. By rotary adjustments of the head or nut 31, a greater or less portion of the spring 29 may be brought into or cut out of action, so as to thereby vary the strength of said spring. WVhen the impact plate 22 is in the position shown by dotted lines, the coils of the spring 29 will be drawn together. Hence, the head 31 and fingers 32 may be adjusted upward or clownward with respect to the spring at such times, without varying the tension which the said spring will normally exert. It is, however, evident that the shorter the operative portion of said spring 29, the greater will be the force required to move the said impact plate 22 or other part, the movementof which is resisted by said spring, any predetermined distance away from its normal position.

What I claim is:

1. A spring tension device comprising a solidly wound coiled spring, a relatively fixed rod axially alined with said spring and having threads corresponding in direction of travel and number per inch to the closed coils of said spring, and a head working as a nut on said rod and having a multiplicity of fingers with in-turned ends working between the coils of said spring, the said head and fingers being adjustable to cut into or out of action more or less of said spring, substantially as described.

2. A spring tension device comprising a coiled spring, a relatively fixed rod axially alined with said spring and having threads corresponding in direction of travel and number per inch to the closed coils of said spring, and a head working as a nut on the said rod and having fingers or projections that work between the coils of said spring, the said head and fingers being adjustable to cut into or out of action more or less of said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVA H. KIRK.

WVitnesses:

H. D. KILGORE, MALIE HonL.

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