Improvements in Driving Gear for Motor Cars and other Vehicles, or Engines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left 17th June 1907 Accented as Ana 1007
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Motor Cars and other Vehicles,
or Engines.
[A communication from abroad by PAUL ALPHONSE THEODORE. DE BOUILIAC,
DE BOURZAC, 42 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Inventor.]
I, JOIN PATRICK O'DONNELL, of 70 and 71 Palace Chambers, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to automatic driving mechanism for vehicles of all
kinds, and is especially suitable for motor cars.
In motor cars driven by a motor of limited power, such as gas, carburetted air
or petroleum motors, it is necessary to connect the motor to the driving wheel by
a system of gearing for variable speeds. The arrangements mostly in use are
formed of combinations of gearing that can be thrown into gear at will; in this
way the driving momentum is varied, that is to say that with a limited amount of
work the effort is increased by diminishing the speed.
Besides being complicated in arrangement and manipulation there is also the
serious disadvantage of a reduced output, noise, as well as other drawbacks;
finally the problem is very far from being solved as there is only a limited number
of combinations, three or four at most, so that only a portion of the force of the
motor is utilized, and it becomes necessary to stop below the maximum given by
the combination adopted for fear of stopping on the road.
With my invention I utilize all the available force of the motor which itself
automatically develops an effort equal to the resistance to be overcome.
The speed of the motor being regulated by a governor runs of itself at a rate
which depends on the resistances. According to circumstances the speed of the
vehicle may be varied by acting on the governor.
The way in which I carry out my invention is as follows:-
I provide a lever either directly coupled with the piston or connected by
connecting rod and crank to the driving shaft of the motor, said lever receiving
au oscillating or reciprocatory movement from the motor. This lever is connected
and transmits movement to another lever running loose on the shaft or axle of the
wheel to be driven by a spring connecting rod which latter consists of two parts
one (say the upper portion) fitting within the other; the said upper portion is
provided with a piston or stop at its end and a spring is placed below the said
biston in the lower or hollow portion, said spring causing the piston to rest against
a stop at the top of the said lower portion of the spring connecting rod. The
second lever above mentioned carries a catch or pawl which in the downward
movement of the lever engages with a toothed wheel keyed to the axle or shaft
of the wheels to be driven. More tension is exerted on the spring connecting rod
as the said toothed wheel on the driving axle, and consequently the lever which

page_text: operates it, works slower than the first mentioned lever. The first lever now on
moving upward, the spring in the lower portion of the connecting rod expands
until the piston at the end of the upper portion of said rod comes against the stop
at the top of the lower portion; the above mentioned second or loosely running
lever is thereby returned to its normal position and the pawl which it carries is
again brought into position for engaging with the toothed wheel.
The above described spring device is used as a suspension spring for the body
of the vehicle, one being provided at each end of the axle of the driving wheels
either working alternately or in unison. The said spring driving device may be
varied to suit different circumstances, for instance, the two levers above mentioned
may have both their ends connected together by a spring rod, two pawls or catches
being arranged to suitably engage with the toothed wheel on the axle of the driving
wheels. Disengaging gear being provided for throwing one or both pawls or
catches out of gear, such disengaging gear being operated by the driver of the
vehicle.
Although I have described the spring connecting rod connecting the two levers
together as consisting of an upper portion working in a lower portion which, latter
contains a spring, yet its construction may be varied in any suitable manner, the
main feature of my invention being the arrangement of an oscillating or recipro-
cating lever or levers driven by the motor and connected by means of a spring
connection or connections with catches engaging with and acting on the driving
wheels of the vehicle, said spring connections serving at the same time to suspend
the vehicle.
In lieu of pawls engaging with ratchet wheels keyed on the driving axle, I may
use any of the well known friction driving devices.
Dated this 17th day of September 1896.
JOHN P. O'DONNELL, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.
Improvements in Driving Gear for Motor Cars and other Vehicles,
or Engines.
[A communication from abroad by PAUL ALPHONSE THEODORE DE BOUILILAC,
DE BOURZAC.]
I, JOHN PATRICK O'DONNELL, of 70 and 71 Palace Chambers, Westminster, in
the County of Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to automatic driving mechanism for vehicles of all
kinds, and is especially suitable for motor cars, acting as an auxiliary.
In motor cars driven by a motor of limited power, such as gas, carburetted air
or petroleum motors, it is necessary to connect the motor to the driving wheel by
a system of gearing for variable speeds. The arrangements mostly in use are
formed of combinations of gearing that can be thrown into gear at will: in this
way the driving momentum is varied, that is to say that with a limited amount of
work the effort is increased by diminishing the speed.
Besides being complicated in arrangement and manipulation there is also the
serious disadvantage of a reduced output, noise, as well as other drawbacks;
finally the problem is very far from being solved as there is only a limited number

page_text: f combinations, three or four at most, so that only a porcie
aotor is utilized, and it becomes necessary to stop below the maximum given by
he combination adopted for fear of stopping on the road.
With my invention I utilize all the available force of the motor which itself
utomatically develops an effort equal to the resistance to be overcome.
The speed of the motor being regulated by a governor runs of itself at a rate
rhich depends on the resistances. According to circumstances the speed of the
ehicle may be varied by acting on the governor.
The way in which I carry out my invention is as follows:-
I provide a lever either directly coupled with the piston or connected by
connecting rod and crank to the driving shaft of the motor, said lever receiving
an oscillating or reciprocatory movement from the motor. This lever is connected
and transmits movement to another lever running loose on the shaft or axle of the
wheel to be driven by a spring connecting rod which latter consists of two parts
one (say the upper portion) fitting within the other; the said upper portion is
provided with a piston or stop at its end and a spring is placed below the said
piston in the lower or hollow portion, said spring causing the piston to rest against
a stop at the top of the said lower portion of the spring connecting rod. The
second lever above mentioned carries a catch or pawl which in the downward
movement of the lever engages with a toothed wheel keyed to the axle or shaft
of the wheels to be driven. More tension is exerted on the spring connecting rod
as the said toothed wheel on the driving axle, and consequently the lever which
operates it, works slower than the first mentioned lever. Now as the first lever
moves upward, the spring in the lower portion of the connecting rod expands
until the piston at the end of the upper portion of said rod comes against the stop
at the top of the lower portion: the above mentioned second or loosely running
lever is thereby returned to its normal position and the pawl which it carries is
again brought into position for engaging with the toothed wheel.
In order that my invention may be better understood and more readily carried
into effect I will describe it with reference to the drawing annexed:-
Figure 1 is intended to illustrate the principle of my invention:-In this figure
the lever A receives an alternative movement from the motor, being, for instance.
either directly coupled with the piston, or connected by connecting rod and crank
to the driving shaft.
This lever transmits its movement to lever B, running loose on shaft O
of the wheel to be driven by a spring connecting rod. The latter consists of two
parts C and D, separated by the spring R, causing the piston e of part C to rest
against the stop d'of the piece D. The lever B is connected with the driving axle O
by the catch or pawl F and the wheel E. During its descending course the catch F
catches into the wheel E and tends to set it in motion but the latter resists; more
tension is exerted on the spring as the wheel E, and consequently the lever B works
slower than the lever A. Then this lever A returns backwards and the spring
expands until the stop e meets with d, the lever B being brought back again to
its original position.
The wheel E has, during the complete oscillation of A) from a to a made the
course demanded by an effort which has increased and then decreased. This
maximum tension of the spring is all the greater in proportion as the course b
is smaller, since it depends on the difference of course between a¹ a³ and b¹ b². The
work transmitted being the product of the mean tension by the course b¹ 63 tends
to remain constant because of the two factors, the one decreases while the other
increases.
The sketch Figure 2 clearly illustrates this fact. Let any z represent the course
of the lever A, straight lines r n, np, rg represent the courses of the wheel E for
different speeds assumed for the purposes of argument to be constant. The tensions
5 of springs are proportionate to the flexions; consequently for the various cases.
the tensions are represented by the lengths of the abscisse comprised hetween zy:
and the lines rn and so on. The distances covered are given for each elementary

page_text: instant by the tangent of the angle of inclination. Therefore, for the speed the
work is represented by the surface e yn multiplied by the tangent.
For the surface y p multiplied by tangent B.
For the surface z y y multiplied by tangenta.
g
These products are almost constant with the exception of the very slight values
f the angle of inclination where the speed decreases more rapidly than the effort
increases. If the wheel E were, and remained, immovable the work would be
l although the effort would be very great, the distance run being nil.
Briefly with this arrangement, the driving momentum increases at the same
time as the speed decreases, and I am consequently sure of being able to surmount
and overcome the difficult points.
Figures 3 and 4 show an example of the practical application of this arrange-
ment to the single driving wheel of a traction engine, which would be coupled
direct to the fore-carriage of the vehicle to be hauled: It maintains the equilibrium
because there are two coupling points, nevertheless it can turn on its vertical axis
by means of a suitable arrangement and this is for the purpose of securing the
direction of the whole: a is a carburetted air or petroleum motor of any description
actuating the beam A which is double by means of the connecting rod.
The arm placed in the front part of the figure, by means of the connecting
reds C and C, the connecting rods D and 1 and the springs It' and R commands
a beam B keyed on to the shaft O. On this same shaft there is also carried a
beam B (Figure 4) situated on the other side of the wheel actuated by the other
portion of the beam A by means of similar connecting rods and springs. The
springs It R have each of them an end attached to the parts CC the other to the
parts DD, so that these springs may work equally well under an extension and
under compression. To the beam B at each extremity are attached the ratchet
catches F and F acting inversely on the wheel E. These catches can only be put
into action separately by means of the double sector G sliding on the bearing of
the axle 0; the object of this part, when it is removed to the right for instance,
is to stop the action of the ratchet catch by means of the roller f which is used
for reversing and which runs over the right-hand curve of the sector g so as to
push back the said roller, and consequently to prevent contact of the ratchet catch F
with the wheel E.; in its intermediate position the sector G prevents contact between
the two catches, this constitutes the throwing out of gear. When to the left it
allows the reversing catch to fall. The driver puts it into action by means of the
connecting rod H from his position on the vehicle.
The driving wheel of the vehicle is fixed on the socket Q (Figure 4) carrying the
wheel E; this socket turns loose on the shaft O. All this is at liberty to rise or
descend, the four springs R, R2, R3, R, (see Fig. 6) acting as suspension springs.
If I lower the end of the beam A, I develop a rotation couple (of forces) on the
beam B irrespective of what the initial tension of the springs may have been under
the load of the vehicle: the sum of these tensions remains the same, but their
difference becomes equal to the momentum of propulsion. Therefore there is no
vertical reaction on the shaft 0.
The beams B and B are capable of being controlled in all the respective posi- 4
tions of O and the motor, the distance being variable according to the load and the
jolting to which the vehicle is subjected, the motor springs (as R₁ R²) being
employed as suspension springs for the body of the vehicle. By the action of the
double acting springs I avoid the effect of the shock produced by C striking d
(see Fig. 1), since the motor springs, on attaining their equilibrium, slightly con- 5
tract inversely under the effort of the bulk of the heams B, 1 1, 1 (Figs. 1, 3
& 4) and act as buffers. Movement in either direction is obtained by throwing
into gear one or other of the catches For F1, an operation which can be effected
while in full motion without accident. It is impossible, however, for the beam to
be shifted by the wheel heyond its two limited positions a and B, as the catch 5
always comes in contact with one or the two stops d which free the beam.
Figures 5 and 6 show a plan of a motor car in which the hind wheels are driven

page_text: by this means, the control being exercised on the differential motion in use in
motor-cars. In the arrangement which has been described I can introduce any
variations that may be desirable. I can make the two beams A independent, and,
instead of being connected, can work one after the other, that is D' and D3 (Fig. 4)
descending at the same time, while D and D are ascending. In this case the
two beams B and B are no longer carried to the same shaft and the catch arrange-
ment must be double. I, in this way, get the dynamic equilibrium and a greater
continuity of action.
The above described spring device is (as before mentioned) used as a suspension
spring for the body of the vehicle, one being provided at each end of the axle of
the driving wheels and either working alternately or in unison. The said spring
driving device may be varied to suit different circumstances, for instance, the two
levers above mentioned may have both their ends connected together by a spring
rod, two pawls or catches being arranged to suitably engage with the toothed wheel
on the axle of the driving wheels. Disengaging gear being provided for throwing
one or both pawls or catches out of gear, such disengaging gear being operated by
the driver of the vehicle.
Although I have described the spring connecting rod connecting the two levers
together as consisting of an upper portion working in a lower portion which latter
contains a spring, yet its construction may be varied in any suitable manner, the
main feature of my invention being the arrangement of an oscillating or reci-
procating lever or levers driven by the motor and connected by means of a spring
connection or connections with catches engaging with and acting on the driving
wheels of the vehicles, said spring connections serving at the same time to suspend
the vehicle.
In Lieu of pawls engaging with ratchet wheels keyed on the driving axle, I
may use any of the well known friction driving devices and any suitable form of
spring may be employed in the place of the spiral springs, illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The improved driving gear consisting of an oscillating lever driven by a motor
and connected by means of a spring or springs with catches or pawls acting on
the driving axle or wheel of the vehicle so as to produce an effort in proportion
to the resistance to be overcome, said springs also acting as supports for the body of
the vehicle, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings
annexed and for the purposes specified.
2. In combination with driving gear substantially as herein described and
claimed in Claim 1, a double sector which can he moved by the driver for the
purpose of reversing the direction of motion substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
1008
JOHN P. O'DONNELL, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
70 & 71 Palace Chambers, Westminster, S.W.