Improvements relating to Power Transmitting and Speed Controlling Gear Especially Intended for Use with Autocars and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1900-Accepted, 6th Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Power Transmitting and Speed Controlling
Gear Especially Intended for Use with Autocars and similar
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES MCROBIE TURRELL and JAMES GEORGE ACCLES, both of Holford
Works, Perry Barr, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to power transmitting and speed controlling gear which
is specially devised for use with autocars and similar vehicles and has for its
chief object to enable the vehicle to be started or stopped or its speed changed
without shock.
According to our invention the pulley or wheel to be driven is loosely mounted
on its shaft which may be the main shaft or a counter-shaft and said pulley
or wheel carries a hydraulic cylinder having its piston connected to a crank, cam
or eccentric on the said shaft. The said cylinder is formed with one or more
ports or passages that are capable of being opened and closed at will, and said
cylinder is adapted to be kept constantly supplied with water, oil, glycerine, or
other suitable fluid. When the said ports are opened the piston works in its
eylinder without meeting with any material resistance because the fluid can
readily flow from the cylinder at each stroke of the piston, the latter does not
therefore tend to impart the rotary motion of the shaft to the said pulley or
wheel carrying the cylinder. When however the said ports are closed, the fluid
can no longer escape and the resistance to the movement of the piston is greater
than it can overcome, consequently it ceases to reciprocate and then serves as a
fixed connection or rigid link between the shaft and the said pulley or wheel
which therefore then revolves with the driven shaft. This apparatus may be
termed an hydraulic clutch or brake.
In applying our invention to an auto-car we may key or otherwise affix to the
motor-shaft or other driven shaft, three or other desired number of gear wheels of
varying diameter which gear respectively with corresponding gear wheels mounted
loosely on a countershaft. The ratio between these sets of wheels is determined
by the speed which the vehicle is intended to attain. On the boss or face of each
of the gear wheels that are loosely mounted on the countershaft, we arrange one
or more of the said cylinders whose pistons receive reciprocating motion from a
crank, eccentric, or similar device formed on or keyed to the countershaft.
valve is mounted in a suitable position on the said cylinders and communicates
with the interior thereof through the aforesaid ports or passages, the said valve
being adapted to be opened or closed at the will of the driver. The said shafts,
the wheels, and the above described apparatus are preferably encased in a box
containing the oil, water, glycerine or other suitable fluid with which the said
cylinders are supplied.
A
We may provide an automatic valve on each of the cylinders or pistons to enable
any oil leaking from them to be replaced from that in the box or casing and we

page_text: may also provide if desired safety valves to relieve the pressure within the
cylinders should it become excessive.
Instead of operating the said apparatus hydraulically .e. by supplying the
cylinders with oil or other liquid, we may employ both hydraulic and pneumatic
pressure combined, or pneumatic pressure alone.
We may utilize the heat of the exhaust gases from the motor to maintain the
liquid in a fluid condition in cold weather, by carrying said exhaust gases through
or around the aforesaid box or casing by suitable piping or otherwise.
Obviously the arrangement of the cylinders and pistons relatively to the pulleys
and shaft may be reversed.
By making the aforesaid ports adjustable with regard to their area we can in
some cases dispense with the ordinary speed gearing and employ the aforesaid
cylinders for regulating the speed of the car
The said cylinders may either be single or double acting and may if desired be
arranged singly, or in pairs, in triplets or otherwise.
Dated this 17th day of October 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to Power Trausmitting and Speed Controlling
Gear Especially Intended for Use with Autocars and similar
Vehicles.
We, CHARLES MCROBIE TURRELL and JAMES GEORGE ACCLES, both of Holford
Works, Perry Barr, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Engineer, 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 follow-
ing statement:—
This invention relates to power transmitting and speed controlling gear which
is specially devised for use with autocars and similar vehicles and has for its
chief object to enable the vehicle to be started or stopped or its speed changed
without undue shock.
According to our invention the pulley or wheel to be driven is loosely mounted
on its shaft which may be the main shaft or a countershaft and said pulley or wheel
carries an hydraulic or other cylinder or cylinders having their pistons connected
to a crank, cam or eccentric on the said shaft. The said cylinders are formed
with one or more ports or passages that are capable of being opened and closed at
will, and said cylinders are adapted to be kept constantly supplied with water,
oil, glycerine, or other suitable fluid. When the said pulley or wheel is revolv-
ing and the ports of the cylinders are opened, the pistons work in their cylinders
without meeting with any material resistance, because the fluid can readily flow
into and out of the cylinders at each stroke of the pistons, and consequently the
rotary motion of the wheel or pulley is not transmitted to the said shaft or vice
versa. When however the said ports are closed, the fluid can no longer escape
from the cylinders and the resistance to the movement of the pistons is greater
than the latter can overcome, consequently said pistons cease to reciprocate and
thus serves as a fixed connection or rigid link between the shaft and the pulley
which therefore then revolve together. This apparatus may be termed
hydraulic clutch or brake. The said apparatus is preferably enclosed in a box
or casing containing the water, oil, glycerine or other suitable fluid with which
the said cylinders are supplied.
an

page_text: :
In order that our said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect we will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which :-
-
Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section of our improved apparatus and
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 1-1 of Figure. 1.
Figure is an elevation and Figure 4 a plan of one of the valves for opening
and closing the ports of the aforesaid cylinders.
Figure 5 is a sectional front elevation showing the apparatus combined with
speed gearin and enclosed in. the casing containing the fluid with which the
cylinders are supplied.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same partly in section.
In all the figures the same letters of reference indicate similar parts.
a is the driven wheel or pulley and the shaft on which it is mounted. ccare
the hydraulic or other cylinders carried by said wheel or pulley and are the
pistons of said cylinders which receive reciprocating motion from connecting
rods operated by an eccentric e on the shaft b. Or the pistons may be operated
by a crank or other similar device formed on or keyed to said shaft. In the
example illustrated we have shewn the said wheel a provided with three cylinders,
but this number may be varied according to requirements.
Each cylinders is provided with a valve chest c in which is situated a rotary
valve f having two openings or ports f which are pear shaped and communicate
by means of ports in the valve chest, with the interior of the cylinder and
with the box or casing g (see Figures 5 and 6) which encloses the apparatus and
contains the water, oil or other suitable fluid with which the cylinders are sup-
plied. By forming the ports of the valve pear shaped a gradual opening and
closing of the ports can be effected and sudden shock to the motor or vehicle be
avoided when starting or changing the speed.
The stem of each valve is provided with a crank f", the free end of which
engages with a socket ft in a sleeve f on the shaft b. The said sleeve can be
shifted along the shaft, to simultaneously operate all the valves f, by means of
a rod f (Figures 5 and 6) which receives a partial rotation in either direction
trom an arm and cam f operated, through suitable levers or other means, by
the driver of the vehicle.
In addition to the aforesaid valves, each cylinder. or the piston of each
cylinder, is preferably provided with an automatic valve which is normally
kept closed but which, if the quantity of fluid in the cylinder is diminished by
leakage past the piston rings or other cause when the clutch is operating, opens
to permit of the liquid so lost being replaced from the fluid supply in the box g,
and thus maintain the efficiency of the apparatus.
Safety valves may also be provided to relieve the pressure within the cylinders
should it become excessive.
When the driver operates the cam 8, each of the valves f is rotated on its
axis so as to open communication between the interior of the cylinders e and the
surrounding box or casing g. The pistons as the wheel carrying them rotates,
then reciprocate freely in their cylinders, because the fluid in the casing g can
readily pass into and out of the cylinders through the ports and ². The loose
gear wheel is rotated by the speed gear wheels on the driving shaft (Figures 5
and 6) without 'communicating motion to the said shaft b. When each of the
valves f is actuated to close the ports, the fluid contained in the cylinders is
imprisoned therein and resists the movement of the pistons in the cylinders and
maintains them stationary. They therefore serve as a fixed connection or link
between the shaft and the gear wheel a, so that the gear wheel cannot now rotate
independently of the shaft but communicates to it the motion received from the
driving shaft i.
Obviously the arrangement of the cylinders and pistons relatively to the pulleys
and shaft may be used.
Instead of operating the apparatus hydraulically i.e. by supplying the evlinders

page_text: with water, oil or other fluid as above stated, we may in some cases employ
hydraulic and pneumatic pressure combined, or pneumatic pressure alone.
We may utilize the heat of the exhaust gases from the motor to maintain the
liquid within the casing in a fluid condition in cold weather, by carrying the
exhaust gases through or around the said casing by suitable piping or otherwise.
By making the aforesaid ports adjustable with regard to their area, we can in
€2
some cases dispense with the ordinary speed gearing and employ the aforesaid
cylinders for regulating the speed of the car.
The said cylinders may either be single or double acting and may if desired be
arranged singly or in pairs, or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim in connection with power transmitting and speed controlling gear for use
with auto-cars and similar vehicles is:-
1. The combination with a loose pulley and its shaft of a clutch or brake
device comprising a cylinder or cylinders having pistons and hand operated valves,
so arranged that when the apparatus is working and said valves are open, the
pistons merely operate to charge and discharge the cylinders with water or other
Huid. but when said valves are closed the movement of the pistons is resisted or
stopped by the fluid imprisoned in the cylinders, for the purpose specified.
2. The aforesaid hand operated valve or valves having or working in conjunc
tion with pear shaped or similar ports substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The aforesaid cylinder or cylinders enclosed in a box or casing containing
'water oil or other fluid for the purpose specified.
4. Apparatus having its parts constructed arranged and combined to operate
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the
purpose specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.