Patent GB-190508116-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to the Driving Mechanism of Motor Road Vehicles
Inventor: DENT CHARLES HENRY
Filed: 1905-04-17
Granted: 1906-07-17
Abstract: 8116. Dent, C. H. April 17. Motor road vehicles.- Relates to variable-speed gearing for motor road vehicles in which a belt is shifted over stepped speed cones as described in Specifications Nos. 2847 and 5325, A.D. 1904, and comprises combined balance and reversing gear applied to the driven speed cone, a poweroperated belt shifter which, when once started, moves the belt until the next speed is reached, thus avoiding the necessity for an indicator, and alternative means for shifting the belt by hand. (1) Fig. 1 shows the driven speed cone A carrying the driving- pinions b of the balance gear, one of the balance wheels b<1> being fixed to the main shaft D and the other to a sleeve E<1> carrying a chain-wheel E. The main shaft may be connected by a clutch H either to the sleeve F<1> carrying the chain-wheel F or to the loose pulley G. When the clutch H engages the sleeve F<1>, the speed cone A drives the chain-wheels E, F forwards through the balance gearing. When the pulley G is driven by the belt and clutched to the shaft D, the speed cone A being at the same time held by means of the brake drum C, the chain-wheel E is driven in the reverse direction. (2) Figs. 2 and 4 show elevations of the means for shifting the belt by power. The fork P for the main driving-belt is traversed by a screw J, which is driven by a supplementary belt I<3> passing over one of the pulleys I, I<1>, I<2>. The pulley I' drives the screw in one direction through chain gearing i<3>, and the pulley P in the other direction through toothed gearing i<5>, the pulley I being loose. The fork k for the supplementary belt is operated by suitable means such as a lever pivoted on the steering-column so as to shift the belt from its normal position on the loose pulley I to either of the pulleys I', I<2> and thus start the movement of the main belt fork P, which continues until the next speed is reached, when the fork k automatically returns the supplementary belt to the loose pulley I. The means for effecting this automatic stoppage comprise a spindle N parallel to the screw J and connected by an arm and link M with the fork k. The spindle tends to return the fork k to its normal middle position under the influence of the spring-controlled arm n<4>, but is prevented from doing so, when the main belt is being shifted, by projections n from the spindle engaging either above or below a horn o carried by the main belt fork P. Gaps n<1> corresponding to the different speeds allow the springs to return the spindle N and fork k to their middle positions and thus stop further motion. The supplementary belt I<3> is kept tight by a jockey pulley, or by mounting the pulleys I, I<1>, P, on a spring-controlled slide L moving in a quadrant. (3) Fig. 7 shows one arrangement for rotating the screw J by hand and locking it in a position corresponding to each speed. The hand-wheel R is mounted on a spindle r, which rotates the screw through bevel-gearing and at the same time turns, through toothed gearing, a disk having holes t corresponding to the different speeds, the holes being engaged by a hinged catch s'. In another form, a band-lever imparts motion to the screw through a catch engaging a notched wheel and a train of spur gearing.