The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-02-26
NO GEAR SHIFT.
ON AUTOMOBILES.
MADE POSSIBLE
Local Man Perfects Invention
To Eliminate Gears On
Motor Cars
STOCK co. FORMED
TO MAKE DEVICE
Will Erect F factory Here, Says
Williamson; Incorporated
For $4,000

With the invention and patenting
of device known as a hydraulic .
speed control by Romeo Williamson
of this city. the system of gearing au-
tCmobile and steamboat engines for
three speeds" will be forced into the
list of obsolete things, according to
the inventor, who has given his in
vention a thorough try-out on an auto
mobile of the REQ type and found it
to work perfectly.
Williamson declares that with his
invention attached to u motor the
gear.shift is eliminated, the speed of
the machine being regulated entirely
by a valve which controls flow of
oil into the mechanism. This, he says,
will also increase the engine power
about 90 percent, eliminate noise and
enable the driver to have complete
control of his car at all times.
SO sure is Williamson Of the sue.
cess of his appliance that he is now
arranging to market stock in a COM
pany fer the manufacturing of the de-
vice. The company was Incorporated
about one week ago, Williamson re-
ers and a capital stock of $4,000, of
which large part has already been
sold. Mr.. Williamson did not give the
names of the stockholders in the COM
pany Saturday saying that these
would be given out later. He did say,
however, that Park Worley of the c..
| & G.. Cooper Co. is the secretary and
! treasurer of the new corporation.
WILL BUILD FACTORY
The remaining stock to be sold,
! Mr.. Williamson said, will be pur-
chased for the most part by the pres.
ent stockholders. The company plans
to erect a factory in this city to pro-
duce the appliances and will also per-
nit other concerns to manufacture
them on royalty basis.
The inventor said Saturday that
the hydraulic speed control will prove
invaluable to steamboat engines, both
by reason of the ease with which the
engine can be governed with it and
because it will eliminate the danger
of broken propeller shafts, automat-
ically adjusting the speed of the shaft
to the force that is eXerted against
it. Mr.. Williamson has been working
continuously during the last six
months perfecting the invention.
The device consists of two drums,
open on one side, and a center piece
in which the mechanism is placed.
The large piece of the center is
round and fits between the two end
pieces, or drums, making the entire
piece air tight.
THE "ocEAN ROLL"
On the side of the center piece
which faces the rear wheels are foul
wells into which plungers which have
round knobs on the exposed end, fit
The round ends of these plungers
press against depressions in plate
about an inch in thickness and the
exact circumference OF plate which
is incorporated in the rear end piece
The plate in the end piece is station
ary, but is installed on driving shaft
at slant, giving it the motion which
is named from its resemblance to al
ocean roll. The plate against which
the plungers press is movable eXcep
where it is fastened in the center by
shaft which screws into the center
piece. This mechanism relieves any
strain which would result from
bumps or twisting of the frame, hav
ing the qualities of a universal join
right in the gearless transmission,
CONTROLLED BY OIL
Behind the two holes into whicl
the plungers fit is reservoir Tor OF
with an outlet pipe which has Il valv'
= in it. The oil in these wells form
2 the principle of the invention, henc
1 the name hydraulic transmission.
: With the pieces together the eli
l tire transmission is flied with med
Y ium oil which acts as the regulate
t for power and speed and it is through
+ this element that the device acts,
Regulation of speed from the dri\
+ er's seat of the automobile is achieN
e ed through lever which is attache
{ to a collar just back of the transmi'
:. sion on the driving shaft AS the ley
e er is moved back the collar is throw
g forward aud automatically the valve
s in the outlets Of the wells at the rea
of the plungers are forced to the oil