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Manufacturers Index - Reeves Pulley Co.

Reeves Pulley Co.
Columbus, IN, U.S.A.
Manufacturer Class: Metal Working Machinery & Steam and Gas Engines

Patents
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Patent Number Date Title Name City Description
403,857 May. 21, 1889 Split-Pulley Marshal T. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN
    Split-Pulley Milton O. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN  
403,858 May. 21, 1889 Hub for Split Pulleys Marshal T. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN
    Hub for Split Pulleys Milton O. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN  
403,860 May. 21, 1889 Hub Plate for Wooden Pulleys Milton O. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN
    Hub Plate for Wooden Pulleys Marshal T. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN  
403,861 May. 21, 1889 Temporary Covering for Pulleys Milton O. Reeves Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN
419,558 Jan. 14, 1890 Method of making wooden split bushings Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN
581,770 May. 04, 1897 Belt Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN This patent covers the belt used in the early Reeves drive mechanisms.
583,402 May. 25, 1897 Speed-varying mechanism Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN This is the earliest patent for the Reeves drive mechanism to provide continuously variable speed. This early version was primarily targeted at sawmills. Later versions were applied to everything from drill presses to tractors and even automobiles.
The basic Reeves pulley setup consists of two pulleys, each consisting of a pair of truncated-cone disks plus a belt that is stretched between the two pulleys. By inversely varying the spacing between each pair of cones, the effective diameter of each pulley is inversely varied. This basic idea was not new. Reeves' innovation solves a problem with previous versions of this type of drive: the length of belt requires varies slightly as the speed varies because the curves around each pulley an angle that varies from 180 degrees at mid-speed to something greater than 180 at the smallest circumference and less than 180 degrees at largest circumference. Of course, as one pulley is at smallest diameter the other is at largest diameter, but these effects do not exactly cancel out at each speed. Reeves' solution was to make each pulley side, not as a straight-sided truncated cone, but as a curved shape calculated to exactly account for the change in wrap-around angle; the resulting curve is described as an oblate spheroid. This simple change created a constant belt tension regardless of speed, and also enabled more compact versions of the drive with the pulleys closely spaced and a short belt. This mechanism would be improved in patents 588,354 and 630,407.
56,811 Jul. 27, 1897 Speed varying mechanism Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN
588,354 Aug. 17, 1897 Variable-speed counter-shaft Ernest K. Hood Columbus, IN This patent is an improvement on the Reeves Pulley mechanism of patent 583,402. The improvements deal with an issue with the original design where it was difficult to keep the belt sufficiently tight, in part because the belt lacing would stretch slightly in use. The improvement uses a continuous (non-laced) belt and jam-nuts that allow the cone positions to be adjusted on the shaft; adjusting the cones for each pulley is used to adjust the belt tension.
    Variable-speed counter-shaft Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN  
57,555 Sep. 23, 1897 Belt Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN
630,407 Aug. 08, 1899 Speed-varying mechanism Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN Improvement to the Reeves pulley mechanism of patents 583,402 and 588,354, and using the drive belt of patent 581,770. This improvement is another approach to overcoming the problem of maintaining a constant belt tension as the pulleys change their ratios. The inventors' previous mechanisms use pulley elements that have faces that are not straight cones but have oblate spheroid faces that are carefully calculated to keep a constant belt length at all speed ratios. This patent uses conventional straight conical pulleys and using an eccentric lever mechanism to move the cones of the two pulleys in a non-linear manner that maintains a constant belt length. This was a winning idea although a subsequent patent, 710,714, would simply the mechanism.
710,714 Oct. 07, 1902 Speed-varying transmission Ernest K. Hood Columbus, IN Improvement to the Reeves pulley mechanism of patent 630,407. This improvement simplifies the linkage mechanism used to move the two pairs of pulley cones in a slightly non-linear way as the speed ratio as adjusted, where the non-linearity is calculated to maintain constant belt tension.
    Speed-varying transmission Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN  
1,264,129 Apr. 23, 1918 Grinding Machine Milton O. Reeves Columbus, IN Hood & Schley - patent attorneys
1,434,992 Nov. 07, 1922 Speed Varying Transmission Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
In that type of speed varying transmission in which there are two pairs of co-acting cones supporting a V-shaped belt, the cones of the two pairs being simultaneously shifted in opposite directions in order to vary the radii of contact between the belt and cone pairs, it has heretofore been customary for many years to control the position of the cone elements of each pair by means of thrust bearings acting upon the ends of the hubs of the cones and, because an apparatus of this kind must ordinarily be as compact as possible, the hubs of the cone elements have been made comparatively short. As a consequence, owing to the heavy wedging force exerted by the belt upon the cones, considerable difficulty has been experienced in maintaining proper thrust bearings.
Claim:
In a speed varying transmission, the combination with belt-receiving cone pairs having extended hubs, and shafts upon -which said cone pairs are splined, of a thrust sleeve journaled upon said extended hub and having an axial extent substantially coextensive with. the cone hub, and a bearing-receiving cup, within the cup of sleeve, a controlling lever, and a yoke interposed between said lever and sleeve intermediate the length of the sleeve, said yoke having a rocking engagement with the sleeve at diametrically opposite points on a line substantially parallel with the plane of the lever, and a rocking engagement with the lever at diametrically opposite points on a line substantially at right angles to the plane of the lever.
1,545,638 Jul. 14, 1925 Automatic Speed Regulation Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
It is the object of my present invention to time automatically relatively to each other two machines through which mate- rial, especially textile material or paper, travels in series; and to control these relative speeds automatically by the amount of material, as by the length of the bight of the strip of material, between the two machines.
Claim:
In combination, two machines arranged to operate on the same material in series,. a variable-speed mechanism through which one of said two machines is driven, power-operated means for operating said variable-speed mechanism to vary the relative speeds of said two machines, and means for controlling said power-operated means jointly by the accumulation of material between the two machines and by the position of said power-operated means.
1,662,660 Mar. 13, 1928 Controller for Variable Speed Transmission Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
My invention relates t0 means for controlling the operation of speed varying transmission. It is particularly applicable to that type of speed varying transmission commercially known as the "Reeves" transmission and one of the objects of the invention is to provide means for electrically controlling the operation of said transmission so that the transmission will operate the driven mechanism at different speeds depending upon the requirements.
Claim:
The combination with a variable speed mechanism, of an electric motor for operating said mechanism to cause the same to drive at varying speeds, a switch for controlling the operation of said motor including an arm movable by said electric motor, switch contacts mounted on said arm, a controller arm movably mounted on said first arm, switch contacts mounted on said controller arm arranged to cooperate with the first mentioned switch contacts and means for moving said controller arm to close said switch contacts and maintain said arm in a stationary position during the movement of said first mentioned arm to cause said contacts to move to open position.
1,663,493 Mar. 20, 1928 Control for Variable Speed Mechanism Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
My invention relates to means for controlling the operation of speed varying transmission. It is particularly applicable to that type of speed varying transmission commercially known as the "Reeves transmission.
Claim:
The combination with ai variable speed mechanism, of an electric motor for controlling the same to cause it to drive at varying speeds, a switch controlling the operation of said motor and means for operating said switch, including a pair of operating arms operated by different agencies, an arm for operating said switch and a differential gear operably connecting said arms.
1,671,048 May. 22, 1928 Belt fastener Paul B. Reeves Columbus, IN
1,759,438 May. 20, 1930 Veneer Cutter Speed Control Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
Our invention relates to means for automatically controlling, in a veneer cutting machine, the speed at which the log from which the veneer is cut is rotated and particularly , to means for maintaining the peripheral speed of the log constant as the cut is made deeper into the log.
Claim:
The combination with a veneer cutting machine having means for rotating the log and means for feeding the cutting knives toward said log, of a speed varying mechanism drivingly connected with the log rotating means and comprising two pairs of friction cones, a connecting belt, two controlling levers acting upon said pairs of cones to variably position the same relatively to one an-other, means for simultaneously shifting controlling -levers, and means operated by the movement of the knives for operating said lever shifting means.
1,761,155 Jun. 03, 1930 Belt splice Paul B. Reeves Columbus, IN
RE18,333 Jan. 12, 1932 Variable speed unit Paul B. Reeves Columbus, IN
1,941,417 Dec. 26, 1933 Variable speed unit Paul B. Reeves Indianapolis, IN
1,963,827 Jun. 19, 1934 Variable Speed Unit Control Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
The present application relates to a variable speed unit control, and more particularly to means for controlling the setting of a variable speed unit in response to the demands of mechanism driven through said unit. The primary object of the invention is to provide means of the character described which shall be highly sensitive to demands of the master mechanism, which shall be sufficiently resilient in character to prevent damage as the result of sudden large demands, and which shall be unusually efficient in operation.
Claim:
The combination with a reversing motor and its circuits, of a control unit comprising a base, a carriage rockabilly mounted on said base, circuit-12 closers mounted on said carriage and connected12 in said motor circuits, said circuit-closers being arranged and connected to cause clockwise rotation of said motor upon tilting of said carriage in one direction from its neutral position, and to t cause counterclockwise rotation of said motor upon tilting of said carriage in the opposite direction from its neutral position, a lever mounted on said base and co-operable with said carriage to tilt the same, and means mounted on said base for operating said lever, said means comprising an element movable to shift said lever, and a second element pivotally connected with said firs t element and movable to restore said lever to its original position after such shifting without affecting said first element.
2,094,750 Oct. 05, 1937 Speed varying power drive Harry E. Brooks Columbus, IN
    Speed varying power drive Paul B. Reeves Columbus, IN  
2,096,339 Oct. 19, 1937 Variable speed spinning frame drive Paul B. Reeves Columbus, IN
2,112,141 Mar. 22, 1938 Hydraulic Control for Variable Speed Transmissions Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
The present application relatet1o hydraulic controls, primarily intended for controlling variable speed transmissions of the well-known "Reeves" type. A primary object of the invention is to provide means whereby the power delivered by a constantly operating motor may be utilized, as required, to adjust the ratio between input speed and output speed of such a transmission. A further object of the invention is to improve hydraulic controls, generality. A further object of the invention is to provide, in an organization of the character indicated, particularly effective means whereby the operation of the control is utilized to brink the control to rest after exactly the required degree of adjustment of the transmission elements has been effected.
Claim:
For use with a variable speed transmission including an element movable to vary the ratio between the input speed and the output speed thereof, a control mechanism comprising a reversible fluid motor having two fluid inlets, a source of fluid under pressure, a conduit connecting said source to supply fluid to one of said motor inlets to drive said motor in one direction, a conduit connecting said source to supply fluid under pressure to the other of said motor inlets to drive said motor in the opposite direction, valve means connected in said conduits for controlling flow therethrough, and comprising a valve member shiftable in one direction from neutral position to direct fluid flow to one of said motor inlets and shiftable in the opposite direction from neutral position to direct fluid flow to the other of said motor inlets, means connecting said motor to drive the movable element of the transmission in opposite directions, a rock shaft, a beveled pinion fast on said rock shaft, an arm angularly related to said rock shaft, oscillable about the axis of said rock shaft, and operatively connected to said valve, a beveled gear loosely mounted on said arm and meshing with said beveled pinion, a second beveled pinion loosely mounted on said rock shaft and meshing with said beveled gear, and means operatively connecting said element-driving means to rotate said second beveled pinion.
2,179,813 Nov. 14, 1939 Belt Splice Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
The present application relates to a belt splice, and more particularly to a splice specifically adapted for use in connection with belts of the type which are used in the well known "Reeves" type of variable speed transmission. As is well known in the art, this type of transmission ordinarily incorporates a belt comprising a web which has little or no lateral rigidity, and to the inner and outer surfaces of which are attached series of laterally rigid blocks, in order to provide the necessary characteristics of a belt to effect a drive between cone pulleys. These belts are ordinarily not integral, but must be closed by connecting the two ends thereof; and a great deal of work has been done in the art looking toward the provision of a completely satisfactory splice for the belt ends.
Claim:
For use with a belt, splicing means comprising a block adapted to be associated with the inner Surfaces of the ends of the belt. said block being formed, upon its face engageable with the belt, with two plane surfaces respectively sloping inwardly from a median line of juncture, and with curved surfaces merging the remote edges of said sloping surfaces with the lateral faces of said block, a cooperating block adapted to be associated with the outer surfaces of the ends of the belt, said last-mentioned block> being formed, upon its face engageable with the belt, with two plane surfaces respectively sloping inwardly from a median line of juncture, and with curved surfaces merging the remote edges of said sloping surfaces with the lateral faces of said last-mentioned block, and means for clamping said first- and second-mentioned blocks against opposite faces of the belt with the sloping surfaces of said second block substantially parallel with the sloping surfaces of said first block, the ends of said belt being received and clamped between said sloping surfaces of the respective blocks.
2,225,952 Dec. 24, 1940 Control Mechanism Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
The present invention relates to a hydraulic motor mechanism and controlling means there- for, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a mechanism delicately and instantaneously responsive to movements of the controlling means.
Claim:
In combination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a head for one end of said cylinder, a stem on said piston and projecting through and beyond said head, a head for the opposite end of said cylinder and formed to provide a stationary elongated chamber outside said cylinder, said piston being provided with a socket, ports opening from said socket into said cylinder on opposite sides of said piston, a valve mounted for reciprocation in said chamber and extending into cooperation with said socket ports to control the same, the body of said valve closing direct communication between said chamber and said cylinder, a source of fluid under pressure, rigid conduit means connecting said source with said chamber and two independent passages in said valve, one of said passages providing communication between said chamber and certain of said socket ports, and the other of said passages providing communication between certain of said socket ports and a reservoir.
2,295,161 Sep. 08, 1942 Hydraulic Control Mechanism Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
The primary object of the invention is to provide a hydraulic control mechanism for shifting a movable element, said mechanism comprising a constantly driven rotary pump for supplying fluid under pressure to a fluid motor which, in turn, upon actuation of a valve, will operate to shift the movable controlled member to a degree and in a direction dependent upon the degree and direction of movement of the valve. A feature of the invention is the provision of conduit means connecting the pump with the motor and with a fluid reservoir in such a manner that, upon operation of the pump in one direction, a single flow path from the reservoir through the pump to the motor will be established, while, upon operation of the pump in the opposite direction, a different single flow path will be established from the reservoir, through the pump, and to the motor. While the control mechanism is illustrated in association with a particular type of variable speed transmission, it will be recognized that the control mechanism is applicable to other types of variable speed transmissions, and to the control of different mechanisms, in which a desired end is attained by positive movement of a controlled member in one direction or the other.
Claim:
In combination, a variable speed transmission comprising a casing, a driving shaft rotatably positioned in said casing, an expansible V-pulley on said driving shalt and comprising two oppositely facing coned discs, at least one of said discs being axially shiftable, a driven shaft rotatably positioned in said casing, an expansible V-pulley on said driven shaft and comprising two oppositely facing coned discs, at least one of said discs being axially movable, a V-belt providing a driving connection between said V-pulleys, said casing being provided with an aperture in its wall adjacent one of said shiftable discs and means for shifting said one disc, comprising a housing, a fluid pump in said housing, and a fluid motor in said housing, said housing being formed with an aperture in one wall and being secured to said casing with said housing aperture in registry with said casing aperture, said motor comprising a cylinder operatively connected to said one disc, and a piston in said cylinder and fixed with respect to said housing, and means for controlling fluid flow from said pump to and from opposite ends of said cylinder.
2,306,541 Dec. 29, 1942 Floating Hydraulic Control Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Abstract:
While hydraulic controls of various types have heretofore been applied to a variable speed transmission of the Reeves type, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic control of a sort which has not heretofore been adapted to such a use, and to associate such a control in a novel manner with the shiftable elements of the transmission, thereby providing a combination which, while very simple, achieves an accuracy and delicacy of control not heretofore obtainable with such simple mechanism.
Claim:
For use with a variable speed transmission having two .levers oppositely movable simultaneously to effect variations in the speed ratio of said transmission, and means operatively connected with said levers to enforce such opposite simultaneity of movement, a fluid motor comprising a cylinder supported upon and movable with one of said levers, a piston reciprocally received in said cylinder and having an operative connection with the other of said levers, a source of fluid under pressure, and means for controlling fluid flow to and from opposite ends of said cylinder.
2,332,988 Oct. 26, 1943 Control Mechanism for Variable Speed Mechanism Harry C. Clay Columbus, Bartholomew County, IN Original application April 08, 1935. Divided and this application December 15, 1939.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a control means for a driven machine such, for instance, as a so-called woolen spinning frame, whereby the speed of the spinning frame is automatically controlled directly in accordance with the demands of such spinning frame, and with a sensitivity far beyond any heretofore attainable.
Claim:
In combination, a driven machine including an element reciprocable through a stroke of varying position, power means, a variable speed transmission connecting said power means to drive said machine, a control unit connected to control the speed ratio of said transmission, and including an element shiftable to operate said control, means providing an operative connection between said machine element and said control element, and means for rendering said machine element ineffective to shift said control element.