Patent GB-452133-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to change speed gears for motor cars and other applications
IPC: F16H61/02
Filed: 1934-11-15
Abstract: 452,133. Variable - speed gearing operating clutches ; free-wheel clutches ; locking levers; universal joints. BAILLEUL, L. P. A. A., 3, Quai de PenthiÞvre, and CHIRON, J. J., Chemin du Landreau, both in Nantes, France. Nov. 15, 1934, No. 32934. Void [Abridged as open to inspection under Sect. 91 of the Acts, June 28, 1935]. [Classes 80 (ii) and 80 (iii)] [See also Groups XXXI and XXXIV] A four-speed-and-reverse gear, for a motor vehicle, is controlled by sliding the driving and countershafts 9, 34, and in direct-drive all the wheels in the gear are at rest. In direct-drive, teeth 9<10> on the end of the driving shaft 9, clutch the latter through positive rollers 13<6> to the driving member 13 of a one-way tail clutch which constitutes the driven member of the gear. In the indirect forward speeds, the driving shaft 9 is slid to the right, firstly to declutch the teeth 9<10>, secondly to clutch thereto at 9<3>, 11<1> a gear cluster 112, 11<3>, 11<4>, and thirdly to clutch together a final driven wheel 12 and the driven member 13, the latter operation being effected by bridging positive clutch-rollers 12<4> and 13<6> by means of clutchteeth 12<2> on a sleeve 12<3>, freely rotatable on the driving shaft 9. The three indirect speeds are then obtained by clutching teeth 34<1> on the countershaft, successively with clutch-rollers inside loose wheels 30, 31, 32, the end-wheel 29 remaining clutched to the countershaft by clutch-rollers 34<2>. For reverse the countershaft is slid further to the right to declutch the endwheel 29, and simultaneously a second countershaft 58<14>, Fig. 3, is slid to clutch together, by teeth 62<3>, a pair of wheels, one 61 of which meshes directly with the final wheel 12, whilst the other 60 meshes with the wheel 11<2> through an idler 64, Fig. 2, on a third countershaft. Simultaneously, a fork 14<1> carried by the reverse countershaft 58<14> locks the one-way tail clutch by sliding an element 14<3>. The locking-fork 14<1> can also be independently operated through a spring-loaded Bowden cable 59<5>. For all the clutches, plain teeth may replace the roller-teeth shown. The four forward speeds are all operated by straightthrough pivotal movement, in one plane, of a shifter-lever 55, Fig. 2, acting through a secondary lever 57<2>. For reverse the shifter lever is pushed forwardly beyond the lowspeed position, and during this movement is guided laterally by a gate, which disengages a pin connection 55<5> between the shifter-lever 55 and the forward control lever 57<2>, and makes a pin connection at 55<4> with a reversing-lever 56<2> for sliding the reversing countershaft 58<14>, Fig. 3. The forward control lever 57<2> acts on the main shaft 9 and countershaft 34 respectively, through parallel sliding elements 681, 701, Fig. 6. For the indirect speeds, the lever 57' is moved to the left, taking along the element 70<1> without effect on the element 681, until the former reaches the limit of its travel, whereupon blade-springs 67<2> or coil-springs yield and the lever 572 moves alone until a shoulder 671 abuts against and moves the element 68<1> to introduce direct-drive. In Figs. 30 and 31 (not shown), the countershaft 34 is moved by rack-and-pinion and screw-and-nut gear, or by an internal ball-mounted link. In an automatic control for a four-speed gear, the gradient of the road tilts a pendulum 89, Fig. 39, which, through a crank 911, toothed gearing 91, 92<2>, and a cam 92, operates a sliding distributer-valve 94 having conduits 95 leading to cylinders (not shown), for introducing the speeds. The motive fluid may be enginesuction, vacuum produced by an independent pump, compressed air, or electricity. Preselective control (not described), can also be used. Operating clutches and brakes.-The main friction clutch is controlled by the brake and accelerator pedals, and is operated by turning a thrust collar 5, Fig. 1, having cam inclines 5<2>, Fig. 4, which ride up loose balls 5<1>, and urge the presser plate 2<4> into engagement. The thrust-collar 5 is urged into the disengaged position, shown in Fig. 4, by a spring 38<2> and is turned into the clutch-engaged position by engine-suction or other vacuum, applied to the underside of a piston 39 under the control of a rotary-valve 52, operated by the pedal controlling the engine fuel-supply. Compressed air, or hydraulic or electric means may alternatively be used. The piston operates on the thrust collar through a lever 5<3> to which it is connected by an eccentric 37. A similar lever 5<5> connects the service-brake pedal-lever 50 to the thrust collar, there being lost-motion at 48<5>, taken up by a spring. The arrangement is such that depression of the brake-pedal 50 pulls the rod 47 downwardly to slip the clutch and apply the brakes, both by direct mechanical action. Further depression of the brake-pedal opens a valve 47<4>, which supplies suction to the upperside of the piston 39, whereupon the brakes are applied by power acting through the lever-arm 5<3>, 5<5>. The thrust-collar 5 is lubricated by oil-impregnated filter discs 7<1>. Gravity-feed lubricators.-The piston 39 is lubricated by oil-impregnated filter-discs 45<1>, oil being released each time the piston moves over and depresses a spring-loaded ball-valve 433 projecting into the cylinder. Free-wheel clutches.-The one-way clutch 14<6>, Fig. 1A, is locked by sliding the element 14<3>, to move its rollers 14<6> into bidirectional positive engagement with clutching teeth 13<7> in the driving member 13. Mounting gear-boxes.-The rear of the gearbox is resiliently supported by cylindrical or spherical rubber rollers 20, Fig. 27. Universal joints.-At each end of the cardan shaft is a universal joint comprising a cylindrical pin 81, Fig. 1A, in split cylindrical bearing blocks 22 having flat faces parallel to the axis of the pin and engaging a complementary split housing 15. Locking levers.-A hand-brake lever 538, Fig. 2, is locked by a spring-loaded pawl 53<5>, released by pressing down a spring-loaded button 53<13>, Fig. 38, in the operating-knob 53<14> of the lever, the releasing movement being transmitted to the pawl through a push-rod 53<10> and loose balls 53<11>, or convex rollers. Bearings.-A grooved shaft 96, Figs. 40 and 41, is supported in a grooved bearing 98 by a cage member 97 which has axial cylindrical borings 97<1>, in which " oil rollers " are formed by the turning of the shaft. In a modification, the shaft and bearing are plain and the cage is a corrugated ring. In a further modification dispensing with the cage, an axially grooved shaft rotates in a concentrically- or helicallygrooved bearing.