Patent GB-190629491-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the Starting of Motor Vehicles.
Inventor: ARMAND FARKAS
Filed: 1906-12-27
Abstract: 29,491. Farkas, A., and Kieffer, J. Dec. 30, 1905, [date applied for under Patents Act, 1901]. Void. [Published under Patents &c. Act, 1907.] Momentum motors.-A starting-device for motorvehicles comprises a fly-wheel rotated at the same speed as the engine when the main clutch is in gear, but rotated at an increased speed when the engine is de-clutched so as to help to start the vehicle when the clutch is again engaged. The mechanism may be adapted to act also as a reversing-gear. Fig. 1 shows one form of the device. The engine shaft 2 carries a disk 1 having internal teeth engaging planet-pinions 3 carried by a second disk 5, fast on the driven shaft 6. The pinions 3 engage another set of planet-pinions 8 which are in mesh with a spur-wheel 9 on the fly-wheel 10. The driven shaft 6 carries a clutch surface 15 adapted to engage a coned surface on the fly-wheel, and the rim of the disk 1 is also coned to engage a similar surface 12 on the opposite side of the fly-wheel. The rim of the main clutch 15 has a spring connexion with its hub 18 and is pressed into engagement by a coiled spring 16, which is also adapted to slide the fly-wheel 10 along the shaft 6 so as to cause the clutch 12 to engage. When the clutch 15 is disengaged, the engine is running free and the fly-wheel is driven at high speed through the gear-wheels 1, 3, 8, 9. To start the vehicle, the clutch 15 is gradually put into gear and the flywheel moved to the left until the clutch 12 engages, when a solid drive is obtained. A reverse drive is obtained by holding the fly-wheel stationary by means of the brake 20, the clutches being disengaged. In a modification, the pairs of planetpinions 3, 8 are replaced by a single planet-wheel having internal and external teeth, the internal teeth meshing with the wheel 9, and the external teeth with wheel 1. In another modification shown in Fig. 5, the planet-pinions 25 are carried by a disk 27 on the engine shaft 2 and gear on the one hand with a spur-wheel 9 on the fly-wheel, and on the other hand with internal teeth on a drum 28 enveloping the fly-wheel and adapted to be clutched to a projecting rim on the disk 27. The drum 28 is fast on the driven shaft 6, and carries a brake surface 30 engaged by a brake 31, which is operated in conjunction with the clutch 28. When the clutch is disengaged and the brake in action, the fly-wheel is driven at high speed by the planetpinions 25, and the vehicle is stationary. To start the vehicle, the brake is first released, and the energy of the revolving fly-wheel helps to overcome the inertia of the vehicle. The clutch is then engaged and a solid drive is obtained. With this form of starting-gear, a separate reversing-gear is necessary. In a further modification, shown in Fig. 7, the driving-shaft 2 carries a cup-shaped member 27 having a pair of internal coned surfaces 32, 33 adapted to be engaged by corresponding surfaces on the fly-wheel 10 and the planet-carrier 36. The planet-pinions are mounted in the casing 36 and gear on the one hand with a pinion 9 connected to the fly-wheel, and on the other hand with an annulus 1 secured to the driven shaft 6. A spring 41 tends to keep the clutch 32 in engagement. Suitable operating means 40, 43 are provided for controlling the clutches. When the vehicle is at rest the clutch 32 is disengaged, and the fly-wheel 10 is rotated at high speed in the same direction as the cup 27, the planet-carrier 36 being driven through the clutch 33. The fly-wheel is then brought into engagement with the cup 27 by means of the clutch 32, and the vehicle is started. Reversal is effected by putting the planet-carrier 36 in engagement with a fixed clutch surface 37. By means of a succession of shocks, the device may be used for assisting the engine in climbing hills.