Improvements in or relating to Reversing Mechanism.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Reversing Mechanism.
I, JOHN FORREST WALTERS, of Clyde House, Strawberry Vale, Twickenham,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
This invention relates to reversing mechanism in which toothed gearing is
employed; it is used to connect two shafts in the same axial line and as it is
particularly suitable for use in screw shafts for launches and other small powered
boats, I will describe it in such an application, it being understood that where the
conditions are suitable it may be applied in quite different circumstances and that
it is not restricted as to the power to be transmitted. Another application to
which this invention is particularly suited is for reversing purposes upon motor
cars where the motor employed is not capable of reversing.
In applying the invention to the screw shaft of a launch driven more especially
by an oil motor (a steam engine usually having reversing mechanism operating
upon its own valves) I divide the screw shaft or the engine shaft and place my
gear between, or I may place it partly upon the engine shaft proper and partly
upon the screw shaft proper. The engine shaft has secured at or near its outer
end a bevel wheel and the screw shaft is similarly fitted and between these is what
I will term a cage carrying any desired number of bevel wheels or
pinions adapted to engage with both the previously mentioned wheels. The cage
is provided upon its outer periphery with teeth or clutches adapted to
engage with corresponding teeth upon either a non-rotatable part of the mechanism
or with a rotatable part rotating with the screw shaft. The rotatable
sleeve slides upon the screw shaft but rotates with it, and can be caused to traverse
by an ordinary clutch lever or equivalent device.
The non-rotating clutch may conveniently be carried in a shell sliding in the
general framework, carried in the casing which boxes all in or in any other
desired manner carried so that although it cannot rotate it can slide longitudinally
in relation to the engine shaft.
The cage is carried by its hollow central boss which rests upon the ends respec-
tively of the screw and engine shafts or upon the bosses of the previously described
bevel wheels thereon. The operation is as follows:-
When it is desired to drive ahead the shell is moved so that the cage or carrier
is disengaged from the non-rotating clutch and is engaged with the rotating clutch:
consequently both shafts rotate together as a single shaft, all the mechanism turn-
ing solidly together. When it is desired to reverse, the clutch lever is moved so
that the rotating clutch is disengaged from the cage, and at the same time the
non-rotating clutch is brought forward so as to engage with the cage; with the
parts in this position the cage does not rotate and the engine shaft drives through
its own. bevel wheel the cage pinions and the screw shaft bevel wheel, rotating the
screw shaft in the direction opposite to that which it normally takes and conse-
quently reversing the motion of the screw.
There is a central position in which the cage is not engaged with either clutch

page_text: and consequently no power is transmitted so that the engine may run free without
rotating the screw and the screw can run free without rotating the engine.
It will be easily seen that the actual structural details may be greatly varied
without departing from the spirit of this invention, and that while in the mech-
anism as above described the clutches are inside the shell and a clutch lever is
used for operating them, the positions of these parts could be altered and other
mechanism substituted without departing from the invention.
Dated this 18th day of September 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Reversing Mechanism.
I, JOHN FORREST WALTERS, of Clyde House, Strawberry Vale, Twickenham,
in the County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
This invention relates to reversing mechanism in which toothed gearing is
employed; it is used to connect two shafts in the same axial line and as it is
particularly suitable for use in screw shafts for launches and other small powered
boats, I will describe it in such an application, it being understood that where the
conditions are suitable it may be applied in quite different circumstances and that
it is not restricted as to the power to be transmitted. Another application to
which this invention is particularly suited is for reversing purposes upon motor
cars where the motor employed is not capable of reversing.
In applying the invention to the screw shaft of a launch driven more especially
by an oil motor (a steam engine usually having reversing mechanism operating
upon its own valves) I divide the screw shaft or the engine shaft and place my
gear between, or may place it partly upon the engine shaft proper and partly
upon the screw shaft proper. The engine shaft has secured at or near its outer
end a bevel wheel and the screw shaft is similarly fitted and between these is what
I will term a cage or carrier carrying any desired number of bevel wheels or
pinions adapted to engage with both the previously mentioned wheels. The cage
or carrier is provided upon its outer neriphery with teeth or clutches adapted to
engage with corresponding teeth upon either a non-rotatable part of the mechanism
or with a rotatable part or sleeve rotating with the screw shaft. The rotatable
sleeve slides upon the screw shaft but rotates with it, and can be caused to traverse
by an ordinary clutch lever or equivalent device.
The non-rotating clutch may conveniently be carried in a shell sliding in the
general framework, carried in the casing which boxes all in, or in any other
desired manner carried so that although it cannot rotate it can slide longitudinally
in relation to the engine shaft.
The cage is carried by its hollow central boss which rests upon the ends respec-
tively of the screw and engine shafts or upon the bosses of the previously described
bevel wheels thereon. The operation is as follows:-
When it is desired to drive ahead the shell is moved so that the cage or carrier
is disengaged from the non-rotating clutch and is engaged with the rotating clutch;
consequently both shafts rotate together as a single shaft, all the mechanism turn-
ing solidly together. When it is desired to reverse, the clutch lever is moved so
that the rotating clutch is disengaged from the cage, and at the same time the

page_text: non-rotating clutch is brought forward so as to engage with the cage; with the
parts in this position fhe cage does not rotate and the engine shaft drives through
its own bevel wheel the cage pinions and the screw shaft bevel wheel, rotating the
screw shaft in the direction opposite to that which it normally takes and conse-
quently reversing the motion of the screw.
There is a central position in which the cage is not engaged with either clutch
and consequently no power is transmitted so that the engine may run free without
rotating the screw and the screw can run free without rotating the engine.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one method of applying this
invention:
-
Figure 1 is a central sectional elevation through the gear.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the non-rotatable clutch,
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the cage or carrier showing the bevel wheels in
position.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the carrier with the bevel wheels removed
showing the clutch teeth.
Figure 5 is a reduced perspective view of the carrier with the bevel wheels
removed, showing the carrier with two clutch teeth on each side.
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but showing the carrier with only one
clutch tooth on each side.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
On the shaft A of the engine which turns in the direction indicated by the
arrow, is keyed or otherwise secured a bevel wheel A¹ and on the screw shaft B
is similarly fixed another bevel wheel B¹ between these wheels is disposed a
carrier C, the hollow central boss C¹ of which fits loosely upon the ends of the
shafts A and B. On the carrier C bevel wheels C are mounted and are capable of
being rotated on suitable pins C³. The teeth of these bevel wheels engage with the
teeth of the wheels A¹ and B. The carrier C is provided on its outer faces with
clutch teeth 0* 05 A casing I surrounds the gear, and sliding in a longitudinal
direction in the casing D) is a non-rotatable clutch E, having flanges E2 projecting
from it through slots D¹ in the casing D. The non-rotatable clutch E has upon
it teeth E similar to the teeth on the carrier C and capable of engaging with
them. Upon the boss of the wheel B is mounted a clutch F capable of moving
in a longitudinal direction and caused to rotate with the wheel B by the feathers B
Longitudinal movement of the non-rotatable clutch E is transmitted to the rota-
table clutch F by a flange E³ on the clutch E, and flanges F on the clutch F,
balls F being disposed in races formed between the flanges F2 and E³.
The operation of the gear is as follows:-
:-
When it is desired to drive ahead both the non-rotatable clutch E and the
rotatable clutch F are moved in the direction indicated by the. arrow, by a lever
or other device acting on the flanges E. The clutch teeth F1 of the rotatable
clutch F will now engage with the teeth C of the carrier C, and both shafts will
rotate as a single shaft, all the mechanism turning solidly together. When it is
desired to reverse the screw shaft the non-rotatable clutch E and rotatable clutch F
are moved in a direction contrary to that indicated by the arrow, so that the clutch
teeth (5 on one side of the carrier Care disengaged from the teeth F¹ of the rota-
table clutch F. and the teeth C on the opposite side of the carrier C engage with
the teeth E of the non-rotatable clutch E. With the parts in this position the
carrier C can not rotate, and the engine shaft A drives through its own bevel-
wheel A, the carrier-pinions C2, and the bevel wheel B¹ of the screw shaft B. the
latter consequently being rotated in a direction contrary to that of the engine
shaft A and therefore reversing the motion of the screw. The central position in
which the carrier C is not engaged with either clutch is shown in Figure 1.
It will be easily seen that the actual structural details may be greatly varied
without departing from the spirit of this invention, and that while in the mech-
anism as above described the clutches are inside the shell and a clutch lever is
used for operating them, the positions of these parts could be altered and other

page_text: mechanism substituted, also the clutch teeth on the carrier C and sliding clutches E
and F may be varied as regards their number as in Figure 5 where the carrier C
is shown with two teeth on each side, and in Figure 6 where it is shown with one
tooth on each side, witliout departing from the nature of the invention.
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. In a reversing and disconnecting gear wherein two shafts are connected by
gear wheels some of which are mounted in a rotatable carrier the combination with
a non-rotatable sliding clutch of a rotatable sliding clutch so connected that end-
wise movement of one clutch will cause simultaneous and similar movement of the
other substantially as described.
2. In a reversing and disconnecting gear wherein two shafts are connected by
gear wheels some of which are mounted in a rotatable carrier the combination with
a non-rotatable sliding clutch such as E of a rotatable sliding clutch such as F so
connected that endwise movement of one clutch will cause simultaneous and
similar movement of the other clutch and a fixed casing such as D and projections
from E engaging with the casing substantially as and for the purpose described
or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The complete reversing and disconnecting gear substantially as described
and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In a reversing and disconnecting gear a clutch carrier such as C, C+ sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Lith day of Tune 1000
JOHN F. WALTERS.
Boult, Wade & Kilburn,
Agents for the Applicant.