Improvements in the driving of rotatable shafts

摘要

675,536. Gearing for conveying rotary motion. AMBLER SUPERDRAFT, Ltd. Dec. 8, 1950, No. 1644/50. Class 80 (i). [Also in Group IX] To reduce the bearing load on a shaft 47, such as the shaft of a textile drafting apparatus as described in Specification 671,633, [Group IX], substantially equal drives are applied at diametrically opposed points of the shaft by a pair of parallel chains 57, 58 in combination with a differential gear. The chains 57, 58 are driven in opposite directions by a double sprocket 64, 66, Fig. 7, and gearing 67, 68, 69 from a suitable source of power and in turn drive sprockets 78, 79, Figs. 3 and 6, which are freely mounted on the shaft 47 and are integral with or secured to the side bevels 86, 87 respectively of a differential gear 84, 86, 87. Bevel pinions 84 of the differential are mounted on radial shafts 83 on a carrier member 82 secured to the shaft 47. Thus the lower run of chain 57 and the upper run of chain 58 moving in opposite directions drive the sprockets 78, 79, in the same direction of rotation so that apart from equalising the torque transmitted from each chain the differential gear rotates solid to drive the shaft 47. This arrangement also allows of transverse adjustment of the shaft 47 without affecting its speed of rotation. In a. modified arrangement the differential gear is included in the drive to the two chains which drive sprockets secured direct to the shaft 47 or if the gearing is suitably arranged with the chains operating in the same plane the chains may engage one and the same sprocket on shaft 47.