Improvements in Distance Registering Devices for Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 20th Aug., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Distance Registering Devices for Vehicles.
I, JOHN HARVEY WHITING, of Belvidere, in the County of Boone, and State of
Illinois, United States of America, Machinist, 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 relation to instruments adapted to indicate the distance
travelled by cars or vehicles; and it consists in the novel construction and arrange-
ment of its parts as hereinafter described.
The object of my invention is to provide a device that will show at a glance
the number of miles travelled by a car or vehicle, the device being adapted to
indicate the mileage travelled irrespective of the direction in which the vehicle
is going.
The further object of the invention is to provide a means for connecting a cog
wheel located on the car axle with a cog wheel attached to the lower end of the
shaft which extends into the car.
The further object of the invention is to so construct the cog wheels that they
cannot disengage from each other even though the axle have a slight or great
longitudinal movement.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a car showing my device located thereon.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section of the intermediate portion of the
device.
Fig. 3 is a top plan view partly in section of the shifting mechanism.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of a modified form of the means for transmitting motion
from the car axle to the indicator.
Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the car body showing a yoke adapted
to maintain the gear wheels in mesh with each other.
Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view of a truck beam showing a hanger connected
thereto.
Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the car showing a modified
form of the device.
Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of a portion of the car showing still another
modified form of the device, and-
Fig. 9 is a top plan view of a modified form of the hanger.
The beveled cog wheel 1, is split, and the two sections of the said wheel are
permanently held together and in close contact with the axle 2, by the bolts 3.
A collar 4, is also permanently fixed to the axle 2. Said collar may also be split
and applied to the axle in a manner similar to that of the heveled cog wheel 1.
The yoke 5, bears at its downwardly-extending ends laterally against the face
of the collar 4, and thus as the cog-wheel 1, and the collar 4, move laterally, the

page_text: yoke is made to move. The downwardly-extending ends of the yoke 5, are pro-
vided with the hinged sections 6, as shown in Fig. 6. The sections 6, together
with the lower ends of the yoke surround the axle 2, and the end of the section 6,
is secured to the yoke proper by means of the bolts 7. There is sufficient play
between the sections 6, and the end of the yoke to allow the free revolution of the
axle. The lugs 8, 8, are fixed to the truck beam 9, and the inner end of the arm 10,
is pivoted between the lugs 8. The outer end of the arm 10, is pivoted at the
point 11, to the upper edge of the yoke 5. The description thus given applies
alike especially to the form of the invention as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. A perpen-
dicular bearing 12, is provided in the horizontal section of the yoke 5, and the
shaft 13, is journaled in the said bearing 12. The cog wheel 14, is permanently
fixed to the lower end of the shaft 13. Said cog wheel 14, is adapted at all times
to mesh with the beveled cog wheel 1. The perpendicular shaft 13, is connected
by means of the universal joint 15, with the pin 16, the upper end of the pin 16,
being received within the sleeve 17.
.
Said pin is adapted to play up and down in the said sleeve. The universal
joint 18, connects the sleeve 17, with the perpendicular shaft 19, the last said
shaft 19, passing through the floor of the car. It will be seen that as the relative
perpendicular position of the body of the car and the axle 2, changes, the pin 16,
and the sleeve 17, will compensate therefor. It will also be seen that as the align-
ment between the body of the car and the trucks changes, that is as done when
the car is passing around curves the universal joints 15 and 18, and the pin 16,
and the sleeve 17, will compensate therefor. It will also be seen that should the
axle 2, slip longitudinally in its bearings, the yoke 5, will follow the lateral
movement of the axle and at all times retain the cog wheel 14, in mesh with
the cog wheel 1. In the form of the invention as shown in Fig. 8, the yoke 5, is
held in an upright position by means of the sleeve 20, said sleeve being pivoted
at its lower end to the yoke. The pin 21, enters said sleeve and is adapted to
play up and down therein. The pin is pivoted at its upper end to the beam 22,
of the floor of the car. It will thus be seen that the yoke 5, as supported as shown
in Fig. 8. can have a lateral movement and thus follow any lateral play of the
axle 2. In the form of the invention as shown in Figs. 7 and 9. the yoke is held
in an upright position by means of the arm 23, said arm being attached at one end
of the truck beam 9. The said arm 23, is provided with a guide 24, said guide
being preferably made of a spring rod formed in the shape of an elongated U,
the said guide being secured at both its ends to the arm 23. The guide passes in
the annular recess 25, of the collar 26, said collar 26, being located on the perpen-
dicular shaft 13. It will thus be seen that with the form of the invention as
shown in Fig. 7, the yoke 5, will be permitted to have a slight lateral movement
and thus it can follow any lateral movement of the car axle 2, and will retain, at
all times, the cog wheel 14, in mesh with the cog wheel 1. As shown in Fig. 4,
the universal joints 15 and 18, are dispensed with and in lieu thereof the flexible
shaft 27, is provided. Said shaft compensates for the perpendicular motion of
the body of the car and also for the difference in alignment between the body of
the car and the truck when the car is going around a curve. A horizontal shaft 28,
is journaled at any suitable point within the car. The said shaft 28, is journaled
in the yoke 29, and is adapted to slip longitudinally therein. The gear wheels 30
and 31, are loosely mounted on the shaft 28. Each of the said gear wheels 30,
and 31, is provided with a collar that surrounds the shaft 28, and the said collars
are provided at their inner ends with the ratchets 32. The collars 33, are fixed
by means of set screws, on the longitudinal portion of the shaft 28, the said
collars 33, being provided at their outer ends with suitable ratchets adapted to
engage the ratchets 32. When the ratchets of one of the collars 33, is in engage-
ment with the ratchets of one of the collars of the gear wheels, the ratchets of the
other collar 33, are disengaged from the ratchets of the collar of the other gear,
wheel, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The disk 34, is fixed to the shaft 28, said disk
having on its periphery a number of pins 35. The ring 36, surrounds said disk.

page_text: The
and the pins 35, enter the slanting perforations 37. The ring 36, is provided on
its inner face with a gear 38, the said gear 38, meshing with the
gear wheel 39, the gear wheel 39, being fixed to the upper end of
the shaft 19. The horizontal gear wheel 40, meshes
with the gear
wheels 30, and 31, the said gear wheel 40, being provided on its
upper face with a set of ratchets 41, and the pawl 42, is fixed to the yoke 29, and
adapted to engage the ratchets 41, and thus prevent the wheel 40, from revolving
in but one direction. The wheel 41, is fixed to the perpendicular shaft 43, the
said shaft 43, extending up and entering the indicating instrument 44.
upper end of the shaft 43, being provided with a worm gear, as indicated in dotted
lines in Fig. 1, and operating the hands passing over the dials. Said dials indicate
the miles, tens of miles, hundreds of miles and thousands of miles travelled by
the car.
As shown in Fig. 1, suitable lugs 45, are provided to prevent the longi-
tudinal movement of the ring 36. It will thus be seen that as the car moves and
the axle revolves a rotary motion is transmitted through the shaft 19, and wheel 39,
to the ring 36, and through the ring 36, to the disk 34, and thus the shaft 28, is
revolved. The ratchet of one of the collars 33, engaging the ratchets 32, of one
of the collars of the gear wheels and thus transmitting a rotary motion to the gear
wheel 40, which in turn rotates the shaft 43, and thus the indicators are operated.
When the car is moving in the opposite direction the same rotary motion is con-
veyed to the gear wheel 39, and as the pawl of the ratchets 41, and 42, prevents
the wheel 40, from revolving in the opposite direction, the gear wheels 30 and 31,
are for an instant held stationary and the pins 35, shift in the slanting perfora-
tions 37, and thus the shaft 28, is moved longitudinally and the ratchets of the
free collar 33, are engaged with the ratchets 32, opposite the same and thus a
rotary motion in the same direction is transmitted to the wheel 40, and the shaft 43.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is:-
1. A device adapted to transmit rotary motion from revolving axles, consisting
of a cog wheel fixed to the axle and a collar fixed to the axle, a yoke embracing
said collar and cog wheel, said yoke having a bearing, a shaft passing through
said bearing, a cog wheel fixed to said shaft, said cog wheel adapted to mesh with
the cog wheel on the axle, a sleeve pivotally attached to said yoke, a pin pivotally
attached to the body of the car, said pin entering said sleeve and adapted to retain
the yoke in an upright position, said pin adapted to play in and out in said sleeve.
2. A device adapted to transmit rotary motion from revolving car axles, con-
sisting of a cog wheel fixed to the axle, a collar fixed to the yoke, a yoke embrac-
ing said collar and cog wheel, said yoke having a lateral play, a shaft passing
through said yoke, a cog wheel fixed to said shaft, said yoke adapted to retain
the said cog wheels at all times in mesh with each other, the ends of the yoke
having hinged sections, said sections in conjunction with the ends of the yoke
adapted to loosely surround the car axle, and suitable means for securing the free
ends of the hinged sections to the ends of the yoke.
3. A device for indicating the distance travelled by vehicles, consisting of a set
of dials located on the vehicle, arms revolving over said dials, a revolving axle, a
perpendicular shaft carrying at its lower end a pinion, a pinion mounted on the
axle, said pinions engaging each other, an arm connected by a universal joint
with said perpendicular shaft, a sleeve receiving the upper end of said arm, said
arm adapted to slide longitudinally within said sleeve, a shaft passing through
the floor of the car and connected by means of a universal joint with said sleeve, a
pinion fixed to the upper end of said shaft, a horizontal shaft journaled within the
vehicle, said shaft adapted to shift longitudinally, pinions located on said shaft,
the last said pinion engaging the pinions located on the horizontal shaft, ratchets
located on the upper face of the horizontal pinion, a pawl adapted to engage said

page_text: ratchets and prevent reverse revolution of the last said perpendicular shaft, a
suitable means for shifting the horizontal shaft and a means located on said shaft
whereby rotary motion is transmitted to one or the other of the pinions located
thereon.