Improvements in Universal Joints, and in the Application of such Joints to the Gearing of Motor Cars.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 15th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Universal Joints, and in the Application of such
Joints to the Gearing of Motor Cars.
I, FRANÇOIS PILAIN of 34 Rue Ferrandiere Lyons in the Republic of France,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be. as
follows:-
This invention relates to a novel construction of universal joint which notably
consists in the suppression of all bolts, and pins employed hitherto to maintain
Buch joints as for instance in the gimbal joint and in the form, the system of
enclosure, and the mounting and dismounting of the joint as hereinafter described
with reference to the annexed drawing.
In the drawing;
Fig. 1 is an elevational cross section illustrating the improved joint as applied
to the gearing of a motor to the wheel of a motor car.
Figs. 2 and 3 are the two outer members of the joint each shown in two views..
Fig. 4 shows two views of the inner member or kernel of said joint.
The joint is composed 1) of a shaft with a hood at the end (Fig. 2) turned in
the form of a sphere hollowed interiorly with two plane faces. for engaging in the
inner member or kernel: 2) of a second shaft with a hood at the end similar to the
first (Fig. 3) but with a part.hollowed out also at A to permit of the passage of
the hood of Fig. 2 at the time of assembling the joint: 3) of the inner member or
kernel (Fig. 4) in the form of a sphere with two cylindrical recesses B B' that is
to say recessed to copstitute two cylindrical bodies whose axes cross at right
angles, each of a length equal to the width of the hoods of the outer members
At the meeting places of these recesses on each side there is a plane face B'
Buch that the thickness of the kernel between the plane faces from one to the
other is reduced to be equal to the distance between the points of the hoods, to
permit the latter to be passed over the kernel.
The pieces are easily assembled as follows; Taking the kernel in the position
in which it is represented in Fig. 4 on the right and presenting it to the hood in
Fig. 2 held as shown in the upper figure, a quarter turn in direction of revolution
about the axis of cylinder B' will enable it to be passed into the hood. A quarter
turn in direction of rotation about axis of B will secure it in the hood to which it
serves as a rotary pin. Keeping the kernel in this position relatively to the hood
the latter is turned perpendicularly and brought over the other hood in the
position shown in the upper view of Fig. 3; the latter being passed about the
kernel the latter is given a quarter turn about the axis of cylinder B' and the joint
is thus constituted.
A couple of such joints are shown in Fig. 1. A box C on the motor car near
the wheel axle and in the middle of the car carries suitable gearing with a
differential movement of which the shafts each have a hood D being one of the
hoods of the universal joint; a double joint carries the movement to the shaft E
which turns in a bearing F and carries a toothed pinion G gearing in an interiorly
toothed drum H fixed on each wheel of the car and receiving a brake on its
exterior surface. At the extremities of the axle are fixed sleeves I of steel
carrying at their centres short axle shafts for the wheels and at their upper parts

page_text: the bearings for the shafts E. Each sleeve carries a circular disk or flange J
substantially closing the interior of the drums and protecting the gear from dust.
A bag K of flexible material surrounds the double universal joints and protects
these from dust etc.
This construction enables chain gearing to be dispensed with in motor cars and
permits of gearing which is undisturbed by the spring action of the car.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
Improvements in Universal Joints, and in the Application of such
Joints to the Gearing of Motor Cars..
I, FRANÇOIS PILAIN, of 34 Rue Ferrandiere, Lyons, in the Republic of France,
Mechanical 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:-
This invention relates to a novel construction of universal joint which notably
consists in the suppressiou, of all bolts aud pius employed hitherto to maintain such
joints as for instance in the gimbal-joint, and in the form, the system of enclosure,
and the mounting and dismounting of the joint as hereinafter described with
reference to the drawing:-
In the drawing filed with my Provisional Specification;
Fig. 1 is an elevational cross section illustrating. the improved joint as applied
to the gearing of a motor to the wheel of a motor car.
Figs. 2 aud 3 are the two outer members of the joint each shown in two views.
Fig. 4 shows two views of the inner member or kernel of said joint.
The joint is composed. 1) of a shaft with a houd at the end (Fig. 2) turned in
the form of a sphere hollowed interiorly with two plane faces for engaging in the
inner member or kernel: 2) of a second shaft with a hood at the end similar to
the first (Fig. 3) but with a part hollowed out also at A to permit of the passage
of the hood of Fig. 2 at the time of assembling the joint: 3) of the ioner member
or kernel (Fig. 4) in the form of a sphere with two cylindrical recesses B. B' that
is to say recessed to constitute two cylindrical bodies whose axes cross at right
angles, each of a length equal to the width of the hoods of the outer members. At
..the meeting places of these recesses on each side there is a plane face B such that
the thickness of the kernel between the plane faces from one to the other is
reduced to be equal to the distance between the points of the hoods, to permit the
latter to be passed over the kernel.
The pieces are easily assembled as follows:-Taking the kernel in the position in
which it is represented in Fig. 4 on the right and presenting it to the hood in
Fig. 2 held as shown in the upper figure, a quarter turn in direction of revolution
about the axis of cylinder B will enable it to be passed into the hood. A quarter
turn.in direction of rotation about axis of B will secure it in the hood to which it
serves as a rotary pin. Keeping the kernel in this position relatively to the hood
the latter is turned perpendicularly and brought over the other hood in the
position shown in the upper view of Fig. 3; the latter being passed about the
kernel the latter is given a quarter turn about the axis of cylinder B and the joint
is thus constituted.
A couple of such joints are shown in Fig. 1. A box C on the motor car near
the wheel axle and in the middle of the car carries suitable, gearing with a

page_text: differential movement of which the shafts each have a hood D being one of the
hoods of the universal joint: a double joint carries. the movement to the shaft E
which turns in a bearing F and carries a toothed pinion G gearing in an interiorly
toothed drum H fixed on each wheel of the car and receiving a brake on its exterior
surface. At the extremities of the axle are fixed sleeves I of steel carrying at
their centres short axle shafts for the wheels and at their upper parts the bearings
for the shafts E. Each sleeve carries a circular disk or flange J substantially
closing the interior of the drums and protecting the gear from dust. A bag K of
flexible material surrounds the double universal joints and protects these from
dust etc.
This construction enables chain gearing to be dispensed with in motor cars and
permits of gearing which is undisturbed by the spring action of the car.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An improved universal joint with hoods articulated directly on a nut or sphere
having two circular grooves of the width of the hoods perpendicular to one another
and of which the encountering points of the two grooves are the bases of two plates
parallel and perpendicular to the grooves, these plates diminishing the sphere to
allow of its entering. into the hoods by presenting the nut in the hood in the
direction of the plates, and by turning it a quarter turn, then presenting the
second hood perpendicular to the first and always in the direction of the plates of
the nut, and turning it a quarter turn.
2. For the application of said joint to a motor car a bearing, fixed upon the
extremity of the axle and receiving the trunnions of the one of the hoods of
the joint, which carries a straight toothed pinion gearing with a cylinder interiorly
toothed and fixed upon the wheel of the carriage, such arrangement dispensing
with chains and allowing freedom for the flexion of the springs.
1005
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.