Patent GB-724077-A (GB)
Title: An improved hand controller for electric vehicles
Inventor: BATCHELOR PETER EDWARD
IPC: B60L15/20
Filed: 1950-05-18
Abstract: 724,077. Controlling vehicles. BRUSH ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING CO., Ltd. May 18, 1951 [May 18, 1950], No. 12411/50. Class 79(5). [Also in Group XXXVII] When the control lever 3, of an electricallydriven vehicle for example, is in the " off " position A a gear wheel 12 meshes with a gear 11 of a reversing shaft 8 which can thus be turned by turning the lever about its axis. If the lever is moved rearwardly towards the position B the gears 11 and 12 may disengage and the shaft 8 cannot be turned by turning the lever 3. In a modification, Fig. 3 (not shown), the gears 11, 12, re-engage at position B but the hand lever can only turn the shaft 8 at position A. The control lever is journalled in a forked mounting 13 having trunnions received in bearings in lugs 16 thereby forming a pivot when the lever is swung between positions A and B. Such movement of the lever causes turning of a master speed-controlling shaft 7 due to engagement of a toothed quadrant 17 with bevel gear 10. When in the " off " position the upper part of the lever 3 is removable so as to immobilize the controller. In any other position the upper part of the lever cannot be removed since a collar 25 is then unable to pass through slots 2 and 200. A squared part 26 is provided having a sliding fit in the slot 200 so that the control lever cannot be turned about its own axis, except when it is in the position A, the slot having enlarged width at this end. It may be arranged that a complete half-turn of the lever 3 about its axis is required to effect the change from " forward " to " reverse " and an arrow may be provided on knob 5 to indicate the correct positions. The lever has an intermediate " no drive " position wherein it can be fitted and removed. In electric vehicles having a prime mover, however, the lever may have to be adjusted into a larger number of positions about its axis and the squared part 26 may be replaced by one of hexagonal form, Figs. 3, 4, (not shown). The shafts 7 and 8 may carry control drums, Fig. 13 (not shown), the reversing shaft having a set of arcuate contacts constituting part of master or selector switch means for preparing the electric circuits. Each drum may be mounted on a base plate having an elongated aperture and a plate of slightly less size is carried by the drum and is fixed by screws at right angles to the aperture, Figs. 5, 7 (not shown). This construction allows ready assembly of the drums. The base plates are located for height by spacing tubes. The drums are correctly positioned by toothed discs co-operating with spring-pressed pawls, Fig. 6 (not shown). Pivotal movement of the lever may be prevented until the lever has been moved about its axis to one of the desired positions of adjustment. For this purpose cams fixed to the reversing shaft are adapted to push a plunger into locking engagement with a slot in a disc carried on shaft 7. A visual indicator may comprise a scale carried on a spring-biassed arm which engages a cam fixed to the shaft 8. The scale co-operates with a window to indicate whether the shaft is in the " reverse " or other position, Figs. 4, 8 (not shown).