Patent GB-190518342-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Variable Speed Gear
Inventor: MANLY CHARLES MATHEWS
Filed: 1905-09-11
Granted: 1906-09-11
Abstract: 18,342. Manly, C. M. Sept. 11. Pump stroke, varying; radial-cylinder pumps.- Variable-speed gear consists of a pump operated by the driving-shaft, and of a motor, similar in construction to the pump, on the driven shaft, actuated by the fluid circulating through the pump. The relative speeds of the two shafts are varied by adjusting the relative capacities of the pump and motor. A radial-cylinder pump 20 and a motor 20<1> of the same construction are secured together by the flanges 36, the suction and delivery passages of the pump forming the exhaust and pressure passages of the motor and passing through the flanges 36 to the valve-chests of the pump and motor. The working fluid is thus completely enclosed. The piston valves 46 are double and driven from a crank at right-angles to the crank driving the pistons. The capacity of the pump cylinders is varied by altering the stroke of the pistons. The crank-pin 42 is eccentrically mounted on a shaft 53, which is itself eccentrically mounted in a bush 54, co-axial with the centre line of the apparatus. The bush 54 is connected to a slidable sleeve 56 by means of a pin 57 engaging the slot 58. The shaft 53 is also attached to the sleeve 56 but by the pin 60 engaging the slot 61. The slots 58, 61 are spirals of opposite hands, so proportioned that the rotation given to the bush 54, when the sleeve 56 is moved longitudinally, is one-half that given to the shaft 53, and in the opposite d rection. The eccentricity of the shaft 53 with the bush 54 is the same as the eccentricity of the crank-pin 42 with the shaft 53, and the relative movement by means of the sleeve 56 causes the crank-pin 42 to move along a diameter of the crank circle. The crank disks 50, 80 are provided with diametrical slots to permit the crank-pin radius to be varied while the apparatus is in motion. The sleeve 56 is keyed to the shaft 52 by a feather 64 and operated by the lever 73 through the yoke 67. The stroke of the piston valves remains constant, and, when the crank-pin 42 passes from one side of the position of no stroke to the other, the port which was originally the suction pipe becomes the delivery port, and vice versa. There is fitted to the flanges 36 a reservoir 96 from which any leakage that may occur is made up, being supplied through the pipes 90, 91. The supply is regulated by the piston valve 87. The fluid used in the apparatus is also utilized to operate the sleeve 56. This is effected by means of the cylinders 220, provided with piston-rods 222 secured to the yoke 67. The supply of fluid pressure to the cylinders 220 is controlled by the valve 181, which is operated by the lever 73, arranged so that there is a certain amount of lost motion for this purpose. A spring- loaded valve 152 puts the inlet to the valve chamber 183 in communiction with the pressure side of the apparatus. The links 173, 174, 175 are arranged so that the valve 181 is returned to its central position after the requisite movement of the sleeve 56 has been made, and the sleeve is thus maintained in position until the lever 73 is again moved.