US2577569A - Adjusting device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, 1951 C. DEM UTH ADJUSTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 14, 1948 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTING DEVICE Charles Demuth, Mineola, 'N. Y.

Application September 14,1948, Serial No. 49,158

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to adjusting devices wherein a movable part is movable with respect to a relatively fixed part to the desired degreeof adjustment and then secured in adjusted position. The invention though useful in many environments furnishes a simple means ideally adapted for use in connection with a variable outlet air distributor, and hence an embodiment showing the invention adapted for this particular use will be described herein as illustrative of my invention.

In my Patent No. 2,367,104, issued January '9, 1945, there is disclosed a variable outlet air distributor comprising an adjusting device, and the present invention is in the nature of an improvement thereover.

An object of the present invention is to provide a greatly simplified adjusting device which may be economically manufactured and is capable of infinite increments of adjustment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjusting device which presents an improved mode of manipulation and durable inservice.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following. description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, by Way of example, the present preferred embodiment of the invention.

The invention consists of the novel feature, arrangement and combination of parts embodied by way of example in the structure hereinafter described as illustrating a present preferred form of the invention, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an embodiment of my invention showing its adaptation for use in a variable volume air distributor;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the adjusting elements per se on a somewhat enlarged scale, being approximately full size, with certain portions broken away;

Fig. 3A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the relative angular relationship of the parts shown in Fig. 2 in locked adjusted position; and

Fig. 3B is a similar view showing the parts in the position when free for relative adjusting operation.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, I in general designates a relatively fixed part of the adjusting device and H in general designates a part which it is desired to move to adjusted position with respect to the part II). In the present embodiment the fixed part ['0 is rigidly secured to an air duct outlet I 2 rigidly fixed in position, as on a ceiling (not shown; and the part ll carries rigidly secured thereto a cone-shaped diffuser designated in general as 13 which it is desired to move upwardly and downwardly toward and away from the outlet l-2 to desired adjusted position.

In the features essential to the present invention the member H comprises a shaft M which is of general oval cross-section (Fig. 3A) for an axial extent of its operable length, which in the present embodiment is determined by the cotter pin l5 and the flange [B which serve as limit stops to engage the upper and lower surfaces of the adjacent portion of the member ID. The crosssection -of the shaft 14 thus provides a major diameter (Fig. 3A) designated AB and a minor diameter designated C--D, for the purposes to be .more fully pointed out hereinafter. Likewise, the essential feature of the member Iii is the sleeve portion designated 1''! through which the shaft [4 extends and with respect to which relative movement in an axial direction is desired for adjusting the parts to the desired position. In order to effect the desired locking of the parts in adjusted position the bore of the sleeve I! is likewise provided with a major diameter (E-F) and a minor diameter (G-H). In the present embodiment the bore in general is defined by a cylinder whose diameter represents the maximum diameter of the bore and the minor diameter of the bore is provided by a protuberance l8 extending inwardly of the :bore and between the inner surface of which and the diametrically opposite surface of the bore the minor axis is defined. This protuberance is preferably provided byinwardly deforming the sleeve ll along the vertically extending narrow zone designated l9 (Fig. 2). In the preferred form the member I0 is shown as made of two metal strips 20 and 2|, the outer ends of which are rigidly secured, as at 22, to the fixed duct outlet I 2 (Fig. 1); each of the metal strips providing substantially rigidly extending oppositely disposed arms so that in all four arms are provided. Intermediate their ends the strips are bent and are permanently secured together by welding, as at 23--24 (Fig. 2). In the preferred form the strips are so bent and welded that the circular arcs of the strips, which together define the major bore of the sleeves [1, are bent to their respective arms by parallel portions, such as 25-26, which are spaced slightly apart so as to provide resiliency between the portions of the strips which define the sleeve. In order to augment this resiliency to the degree preferred for the best results the strips 20-2I are made of spring steel or the like resilient material. The lower end of the member I I is provided with a ring 21 which serves as a convenient means for engaging this member for the purpose of adjustment.

Operation When it is desired to adjust the vertical position of the member I I with respect to the member In the member II is engaged as by inserting the hook end of a pole to the ring 21 and angularly moving the member II so as to bring the oval shaft I4 in the angular relationship shown in Fig. 3B, at which time the member I4 is freely slidable axially in the bore of the sleeve I1, and then adjusting the member I I to the desired position. When the desired position of adjustment is reached angular movement of the member II disposes the oval shaft I4 in the position indicated in Fig. 3A, in which position the member I I is locked by the frictional engagement of the oval shaft I4 between the protuberance I8 and the opposite side of the bore of sleeve H. In other words, with the major diameters of the shaft and sleeve in approximate alignment the members are free for relative movement one with respect to the other and when the major diameters of the shaft approachesa position of alignment with the minor diameters of the sleeve the parts are firmly secured together. It will be noted that in the preferred form a partial rotation of the shaft I4 in either direction causes this locking action to take place. Preferably, with the sleeve made of steel I have found it highly advantageous to make the shaft of a medium hard bronze to prevent undue wear of the parts and to provide improved gripping action between the members. It will be understood that conversely the strap members 20 and 2I may be made of bronze, preferably spring bronze and the shaft may be made of steel; in which event the bronze straps may be conveniently secured together by rivets or other means well known to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention with particularity with reference to a presently preferred form of the same, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention, and it is my intention to cover in the appended claims such changes as come within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In an adjusting device the combination of i a shaft member and a sleeve member providing a bore through which said shaft extends, said shaft being of generally oval cross-section throughout its operable length, said bore having major and minor diameters greater than the respective major and minor diameters of said shaft, said sleeve comprising two sections each having a substantially semi-cylindrical portion with aligned diametrically opposed portions disposed as outwardly extending continuations thereof, the aligned portions of one section being spaced apart in a direction normal to the corresponding portions of the other section and being secured thereto at zones spaced outwardly from said semi-circular portions in the direction of said alignment, whereby said sleeve sections are resiliently yieldable for frictional engagement with said shaft when the latter is rotated to a position where its major diameter approaches alignment with the minor diameter of said sleeve, and said shaft is freely slidable through said sleeve bore in one angular position to provide for axial adjustment and is frictionally locked to said sleeve member in another angular position.

2. In an adjusting device the combination of a shaft member and a sleeve member providing a bore through which said shaft extends, one of said members being made of bronze and the other of steel, said shaft being of generally oval crosssection throughout its operable length, said bore having major and minor diameters greater than the respective major and minor diameters of said shaft, said sleeve comprising two spring strip sections each having a substantially semi-cylindrical portion with aligned diametrically opposed portions disposed as outwardly extending continuations thereof, said strip sections extending outwardly beyond said diametrically opposed aligned portions in generally radial divergent directions to provide four supporting arms, the

aligned diametrically opposed portions of one section being spaced apart in a direction normal to the corresponding portions of the other section andbeing secured thereto at zones spaced outwardly from said semi-circular portions in the direction of said alignment, whereby said sleeve REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,125,454 Marshall Aug. 2, 1938 2,367,104 Demuth Jan. 9, 1945 2,502,780 Dreffein Apr. 4, 1950

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