Patent GB-190716972-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Change Speed Gear for Motor Road Vehicles.
Inventor: ADAMS ARTHUR HENRY
Filed: 1907-07-24
Granted: 1907-12-31
Abstract: 16,972. Adams, A. H. July 24. Variable-speed gearing.-In change-speed gearing of the epicyclic type in which the several forward speeds and the reverse are obtained by means of a series of clutches or brakes, always operating two at a time, pedal or hand-lever interlocking controlling-mechanism is arranged so that the operation of any particular pedal or hand lever, to bring the corresponding pair of clutches or brakes into operation, puts the remainder into the inoperative positions. Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the gearing and pedal operating mechanism, Fig. 3 a similar sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a section on the line x-x of Fig. 1. The engine flywheel is provided with a sleeve extension 4 forming a bearing for one end of the driven shaft 14, which is connected to the road wheels. The sleeve 4 also supports one end of a rotatable gear-box 6,7,carrying spindles 8, on each of which a set of three pinions 9, 10, 11 keyed together is freely mounted. The pinions 9 mesh with teeth on the end of the driving - sleeve 4, and the pinions 10, 11 gear respectively with wheels 19, 21 keyed to the sleeves 18, 20, which are formed with brake or clutch drums 22,23. The outer drum 23 may be held stationary by the band 49, or clutched to the driven shaft 14 by the band 42, which is operated by supporting levers 41. pivoted on pins carried by a spider 26 bolted to a flange on the driven shaft. The inner ends of the lever 41 are operated by a half conical wedge 45, which forms part of a sleeve 46 connected to a lever 47. The inner sleeve 18 may be similarly clutched to the driven shaft by means of the band 29, levers 27, and half conical wedge 38 formed on the end of a sleeve 34 operated by the lever 37. When driving at either the first or second forward speeds, the casing 6, 7 is held stationary by the band 51, so that the spindles 8 act as ordinary countershafts. The bands 29, 51 are applied to give the first forward or slow speed, the bands 42, 51 to give the second forward or intermediate speed, the bands 29, 42 to give the third forward speed direct driving, and the bands 29, 49 to give the reverse speed, the last being the only case in which the mechanism acts as an epicyclic gearing. The bands are applied in pairs by depressing one of the pedals 52, 53, 76, and 80, corresponding respectively to the three forward speeds and reverse, the operating link-work being so arranged that any one of the three forward pedals is retained in position when depressed, but the reverse pedal is automatically returned to its disengaged position when released. The depression of any of the pedals releases any other which may be in operation. The first-speed pedal 52 applies the clutch band 29 by means of the rod 66 and lever 68, mounted on the spindle 70 carrying the lever 37 operating the half cone 38. At the same time a hook 55 on the boss of the pedal lifts a pin 57 and a rod 58 connected to a three-armed lever 59, one arm of which applies the brake 51 while the other moves a locking bar 61 until a notch 62 thereon engages a fixed catch 63, and thus retains the bands in their operative positions. The second speed pedal 53 similarly applies the clutch band 42 by means of a rod 71 and a lever connected by a sleeve to the lever 47 operating the half cone 45. The brake 51 and locking bar 61 are operated in this case also by lifting the rod 58 by means of a hook 56 which engages the pin 57. The third speed pedal 76 applies the two bands 29, 42 by means of the rod 77 which pulls forward both the levers 68 connected to the half cones 38, 45. The reverse pedal 80 applies the band 49 by means of the rod 82, lever 83, and rod 84, and at the same time applies the brake 29 through the medium of the sliding rod 87 having a cam-shaped end 88 which engages the lever 90 connected to the spindle 70 so as to shift the half-cone 38. The cam 88 also disengages the half-cone 45, should that be necessary, by acting on the lever 73<a> connected thereto. To ensure that the locking bar 61 is not held when either of the pedals 76, 80 is depressed, lugs on the pedals, one 99 of which is shown, engage a plunger 100 slotted at the lower end to straddle the bar 61. To ensure the disengagement of the half-cone clutches, the pedals 52, 53 are connected by slotted links 92, 96 to the levers operating the half-cone clutches.