US2368731A - Flexible shaft and motor carrier - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1945. w, SNYDER ETAL 2,368,731

FLEXIBLE SHAFT AND MOTOR CARRIER Filed Dec. 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS 1345, w. n. SNYDER ET AL 2,368,731

FLEXIBLE SHAFT AND MOTOR CARRIER Filed Dec. 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PAT Eur o FLEXIBLE snAFiilN rl uoToncnnnrm I v Willis D. snggtalslllild Wilbur J. Emmer,

Ohio

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a flexible shaft and motor carrier and has for an object to provide a. simplified device of this character in which the weight of the device will be small, this bein accomplished by the castored base sections being connected by the motor itself, thus eliminating the use of a separate base plate and its consequent weight.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a special safety feature in the nature of a spring-pressed bearing for supporting the belt drive to the motor so that in the event accessories or tools become lodged in the work the spring will allow the belt to slip and relieve the strain on the flexible shaft and the accessory or tool.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having an arm provided with a loop through the medium of which the carrier may be suspended from a carriage mounted on an overhead track.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which the rear base section is 'provided at opposite sides of the motor with supports or rests for receiving the flexible shaft when it is not in use without necessitating stopping of the motor.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts; which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure l is a side elevation of a flexible shaft and motor carrier constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the carrier shown in Figure 1 with the motor removed.

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the carrier.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the carrier.

Figure 5 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the belt drive shaft, bearings therefor, post for the bearing and spring for yieldably supporting'the post.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in Figure 5, removed from the standard.

Figure 7 is a front elevation of the parts shown in Figure 6 with the pulley guard in section.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the flexible shaft and motor carrier comprises a base including a'front section l0 and a rear section II, the front section being provided with a single castor l2 and the rear section being provided with a pair of castors I3. The front section is provided'at its rear end with a transverse bar it, as best shown in Figure 2, and the rear section consists of a transverse bar i 5 having its end portions inclined outwardly and rearwardly. The castors l3 are connected to the angular end portions of the rear section i5. The base plate 15 of an electric motor I! is secured respectively to the cross bar I4 and the rear section l5 of the base by bolts l8 and i9 so that the motor connects the two sections of the base together without the use of an additional base plate,

thus promoting lightness in weight of the structure.

A standard 20 is carried by the front base section in and is provided at its upper end with a socket 2!, best shown in Figure 5. The socket receives a post 22 which is provided at the top with a transverse head 23, best shown in Figure 7, and a cap plate 24 secured together by screws 25. The head is provided with a semi-cylindrical groove 25 to receive the lower side of a cylindrical housing 21 which is formed integral with the cap plate. The cylindrical housing extends longitudinally of the front base section l0, a best shown in Figure 1, and at the outer end is provided with stepped threaded shoulders 28 and 29 to receive the outer casing 30 of a flexible shaft 3 I, the core of which is to be driven by the motor H.

A counter shaft 32 is engaged longitudinally through the housing 21 and terminates at the front end near the stepped threaded shoulders where it is provided with a substantially rectangular socket 33 for receiving the' core of the'flexible shaft 3|. A pair of spaced collars 34 are secured in spaced relation on the shaft by set screws 35 and confine ball bearing assemblies 36 against the ends of the housing to support the shaft for anti-friction rotation in the housing. A packing washer 31 i interposed between the rear ball bearing assembly and the rear end 38 of the housing, this end preferably being in the nature of a flanged cap screw-threadedly engaged with the rear end of the housing, as best shown in Figure 5.

The rear end of the shaft projects through the rear end i8 of the housing and is equipped with a pulley 39 which is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves 40 of diflerent diameters in a radial direction to interchangeably receive a belt 4| which is trained over a similar pulley 42 on the shaft 43 of the electric motor l1, asbes shown in Figure l.

The post 22 is supported upon a helical spring 44 which is confined in the socket 2| of the standard 20, as best shown in Figure 5. The spring yieldably supports the shaft 32, which carries the flexible shaft 3i. Should accessories or a tool become lodged in the work, the spring will yield and allow the belt M to slip, thus relieving strain on the flexible shaft and on the tool or accessory.

A one piece substantially convex cap 45 is disposed over the pulley 39 and is provided with securing lugs 46, 'best shown in' Figure 7, with which the beforementioned screws 35 are threadedly engaged to secure the cap 45 to the cap plate 24 of the head 23 carried :by the post 22.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, an arcuate arm 41 extends rearwardly from the standard 20, above the motor I! and forms a handle through .the medium of which the device may be manipulated if desired. The arm is equipped at the end 4 with a loop 48, through the medium of which the device may be suspended from the carriage of an overhead track when desired.

Upwardly extending bifurcated arm 49 are secured by the motor securing bolts I! to the transverse bar l5 of the rear base plate IS. The upper ends of the arms are adapted to receive and support the free end of the flexible shaft 3| when the shaft is not in use, as best shown in Figure 1.

From the above description it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation. I

What is claimed is:

. In a support for a portable power plant of the type having a motor and a countershaft driven from the motonan integral frame section comprising a longitudinally extending elongated bottom portion having its rear end rigidly fastened to the motor, a standard rising vertically from the front part of said longitudinally extending portion, said standard having a socket in its upper end adapted to receive a depending projection of a countershaft support, and a guiding and lifting arm extending rearwardly from the upper partof the standard. y WILLIS D. SNYDER. WILBUR. J. EMMER.

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