Improvements in and relating to the Transmission of Power by Gearing.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 14th Apr., 1894-Accepted, 19th May, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Transmission of Power by
Gearing.
MICHAEL RADCLIFFE WARD Electrical Engineer, 38 Gracechurch Street
London E.C. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
The object of my invention is to transmit power, so that, the motor can exert
various pulls, for instance-on the wheels of a vehicle.
I provide two or more trains of gearing of spur wheels or other form of power
transmitting gear, and connect both the pinions and the wheel with which it gears,
or their equivalent, to their shafts, by means of an electro magnetic clutch.
When a train of gearing is in use, the electro magnetic clutch is magnetically
active; when not in use it is not magnetised.
Having a clutch on both pinion and wheel causes no idle wheels to be running,
and so saves power, and wear and tear.
I provide an electric circuit through the clutches, by a switch, with contacts
corresponding with the respective electro magnetic clutches. The clutches are
worked in pairs corresponding with the pinion and wheel in gear. The switch may
go from the contact connected with one set of clutches, to the contact connected to
the next set direct, passing from one to the other, or if desired to avoid chance of
drag, the circuit may be broken between the contacts of the respective sets of
clutches. Resistances may be inserted to reduce the current at moment of break;
or, switch may pass over resistance contacts and reduce current, without actually
breaking circuit. The circuit is carried through the revolving parts by ring or
other contacts.
In the case of using the gear with an electric motor, the circuits can be arranged
to pass through the motor, with different pairs of clutches, or a single switch
Motor and
handle could operate independent contacts for motor and clutches.
clutches can of course be actuated by independent devices.
By means of this gear very great range of power can be obtained, specially
advantageous with vehicles; at the same time there is the great advantage of no
idle gearing running, and, great simplicity in the working.
Electricity to actuate the clutches is obtained from any convenient source.
14th Tung 1803
M. RADCLIFFE WARD.
COMPLETE SI DUITICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Transmission of Power by
Gearing.
MICHAEL RADCLIFFE WARD 38 Gracechurch Street London E.C. Electrical
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 following statement :-
The object of my invention is to transmit power so that the motor can exert
various pulls, on-for instance--the wheels of a vehicle.
1
I provide two or more trains of gearing of spur wheels, or other form of power
transmitting gear and connect both the pinion and wheel with which it gears, or
their equivalent, to their shaft by means of an electro-magnetic clutch.

page_text: When a train of gearing is in use the electro-magnetic clutches are magnetically
active, when not in use they are not magnetised. Having a clutch on both pinion
and wheel, causes no idle wheels to be running, and so saves power, and wear
and tear.
I provide an electric circuit through the clutches by a switch with contacts
corresponding with the respective electro magnetic clutches. The clutches are
worked in pairs, corresponding with the pinion and wheel in gear.
The switch may go from the contact connected with one set of clutches, to the
contact connected with the next set direct, passing from one to the other; or if
desired, for instance, to avoid chance of drag the circuit may be broken between
the contacts of the respective sets of clutches.
Resistances may
be inserted to reduce the current at moment of break, or switch
may pass over resistance contacts and reduce the current without actually breaking
the circuit.
The circuit is carried through the revolving parts by ring, or other contacts.
In the case of using this gear with an electric motor, the circuit can be arranged
to pass through the motor with different pairs of clutches, or a single switch handle
could operate independent contacts for motor switches.
Motor and clutches could of course be actuated by different devices.
By means of this gear very great range of power can be obtained, specially
advantageous with vehicles, at the same time there is the great advantage of idle
gear not running; and, great simplicity in the working.
Electricity to actuate the clutches is obtained from any convenient source.
The action
On the drawing I have shown my invention working with three distinct
variations of power see Sheet No. 1. On this E represents a source of electricity,
for instance on a car employing electric accumulators for its propulsion, E would
be the battery of accumulators, S is a switch, G the group of gearing.
is as follows. When the switch is placed in contact with C¹, contact piece the
current passes through the electro magnetic clutch g¹, g, g' being the clutch which
grips the smallest pinion P'; g* being the electro magnetic clutch which grips the
wheel W', which gears with pinion Pi and so transmits the power with the relation
of speed P¹ to W The electric current passes through 9' and then through gl
and then to point T', and thence through the electric motor M and so back to the
source E. When the switch passes off and disconnects with C¹ the pinion P' and
wheel W' cease to work and the important advantage is gained of the doing away
with idle gearing.
This portion of the gearing would be used to work the car at times when the
greatest effort is required or when it is desired to go slow with economy.
P & W run loose on the shaft, K K are those portions of the electro-magnetic
clutch which are fixed to the pinion P' and wheel W₁, and run loose on the shaft
with the pinion and wheel; except when gripped by the magnetised parts g'
and gl
My invention can be carried into effect with many forms of electro magnetic
clutches.
A simple form is having on g' and 91, 3 pairs of horse shoe magnets the axis of
the magnet parallel with the shaft on which the clutch is; and making parts K K
the keeper.
A very small clearance is allowed between keepers K K and gl and gls, so that
when current passes they grip at once; but are free to run loosely relatively to
each other when no current passes.
In the diagram drawing, parts g¹ & gl are keyed to the shafts. The slight
lateral movement necessary can be allowed for in either part; either K K between
collars or by g¹ & y on feather key.
The magnets can be put on part attached to the wheel and pinions, and the keepers
be the part attached to shaft by feather key; the reverse of what is shown on
diagram.
do not shew the ring or other contacts on drawing as it is clear how the circuit

page_text: runs from my description; ring contacts can he put on to periphery of the parts g'
& gl for ingress and egress of current and brushes fixed in any convenient way as
will be well understood.
The current when passing through C', will as above stated transmit the power
in relation P' to W', and having described this section of the gearing it will be
easily understood how the system works through C and C³ when position of switch
is altered; the difference being the speed ratios.
On the diagram drawing Sheet No. 1. A is of course the centre line of shaft
driven by the electric motor.
On Sheet No. 2. I show my system of power transmitting gear when the driven
shaft a is actuated by some motor other than an electric motor, and the gear is
employed to vary the speed.
The operation of the gear will be as described with reference to Sheet 1, except
that the electric motor there shewn will not be successively brought into action, it
not being used in this case, but shaft A. actuated as above stated by some other
motor.
I have shewn only three variations of speed but as will be seen this system
permits of a large number of speed variations with simplicity in working and
without running of idle gear; and great economy will be attained by it, especially
advantageous when used with electric accumulators.
Electro magnetic clutches are not new; nor is their use in a train of gearing
new.
Very early in the history of electric traction I drew attention to the great
economic advantages of changing the relation of speed between motor and car
wheels.
My present invention is a highly economical and simple way of carrying this
into effect.
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 I claim
1. The method of and appliances for changing relation of speed between a motor
and wheels or driven parts, consisting of the combination of an electro magnetic
clutch with both pinion and wheel substantially as herein described & shewn."
2. The use of electro magnetic clutches for the purposes set forth coupled in
pairs substantially as described and shewn.
3. The combination of switch appliances circuits electro magnetic clutches, and
electric motor, substantially as described and shewn.
4. The use of an electric motor in combination with electro magnetic clutches
attached both to pinion and wheel substantially as described and shewn.
5. The combination and use of electro magnetic clutches attached both to pinion
and wheel, with the various methods of switching herein referred to.
Dated this 14th day of April 1894.
M. RADCLIFFE WARD.