Improved Reversing Gear.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th June, 1897-Accepted, 14th Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Reversing Gear.
JOHN ARMSTRONG, Broadwell Road Oldbury near Birmingham. I do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Two spur wheels revolving loosely upon a cylindrical shaft & moving in opposite
directions one to the other each being made with a groove or in any manner so
that a disc can be forced against it & held firmly in position when desired, such
disc or discs being fixed directly upon or forming part of the before mentioned
cylindrical shaft. Running into the cylindrical shaft is a solid shaft capable of
being moved laterally by a hand wheel & screw moving in a box in which the solid
shaft is held loosely by a neck or collar; or the shaft may be moved by a lever
fixed to the end of the said shaft in any suitable manner and working upon a pivot
fixed in the frame or any convenient part. Two pins or dowels are fixed through
the inner shaft & the collars of the discs & are inserted through the cylindrical shaft
by means of a slot or opening in it of any desired length so that they can be moved
freely to & fro, & either of these pins or dowels when moved into position by means
of the hand wheel or lever, force or pull one or other of the discs as desired into or
against one or other of the spur wheels, thus revolving the cylindrical shaft in the
desired direction. To the cylindrical shaft is fixed a spur wheel or band pulley which
rotates with the shaft & from which is obtained the necessary motion for propelling
or repelling.
Dated this 7th day of October 1896.
Improved Reversing Gear.
JOHN ARMSTRONG, of No. 82, Broadwell Road, Oldbury, Worcestershire Engine
Fitter, 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 consists of machinery, the parts of which are constructed, arranged
and worked substantially in the manner hereinafter described, to enable the driver
of a Motor Car, Launch, or other vehicle or machinery to immediately reverse the
motion of the propelling power viz., the spur wheel or band pulley from which the
motion of the machinery is obtained.
The following is the machinery herein before referred to, and consists of:-
A shaft upon which at either end is fixed a spur wheel B & C one being of greater
diameter than the other, the smaller one (B) running into and being revolved directly
D

page_text: by a pinion spur wheel, (D) from which is worked another spur wheel (F 1), running
loosely upon a cylindrical shaft (E) such pinion spur wheel (D) being revolved by
ordinary methods obtained by gas, electricity, or other motive power.
The spur wheel of greater diameter (C) running directly into and giving motion
to another spur wheel (F 2) working loosely upon the other end of the cylindrical
shaft (E). The two spur wheels (F 1 & F 2) are of equal size and as before said work
loosely and in opposite directions upon the cylindrical shaft (E), both of these spur
wheels being so made as to allow of a disc (G) attached to or forming part of the
cylindrical shaft (E) being fixed against them & held tightly in position, the desired
reversing motion being given by either one of the discs (G) being pressed firmly
against the revolving spur wheel (F 1 or F 2) which is working in an opposite direction
to the other.
This pressure is obtained by turning a hand wheel (H) to which is connected and
which acts directly upon a screw (I) resting upon a frame (J) and working into one
end of a box (K) the other end of the box (K) being forced by the action of the
screw (I) against a shaft (L) running into the cylindrical shaft (E), each of the two
discs (G) being held in position by a dowel pin (M) placed through the two
shafts (E&L), a slot or groove being made in the cylindrical shaft (E) so as to
ailow the dowels (M) a free lateral motion, the extent of such motion being
determined by the pressure exercised upon the inner shaft (L) through the turning
of the hand wheel (H).
The two discs (G) being fixed to or forming part of the cylindrical shaft (E) to
which shaft (E) is also fixed, between the discs, a band pulley or spur wheel (N),
when either of the discs (G) is pressed firmly against or into either of the revolving
spur wheels, (F 1 or F 2) a revolving motion is at once communicated to the band pulley
or spur wheel (N) fixed to the cylindrical shaft (E) and from this band pulley or spur
wheel (N) is obtained the required driving power, necessary to propel either forward
or backward.
In a modification of my invention, instead of using the hand wheel screw, and
box (H, I & K) I may move the shaft (L) and discs (G), for reversing the mechanisin,
by means of a suitable lever (0) fastened to the end of the shaft (L) in any suitable
manner, and working upon a pivot (P) fixed in the frame (J) or any convenient
part.
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:
An invention consisting of machinery the parts of which are constructed, arranged,
and worked substantially in the manner hereinbefore described, to enable the driver
of a motor Car, Launch, or other vehicle, or machinery to immediately reverse the
motions of the propelling power viz. the spur wheel or band pulley from which the
motion of the machinery is obtained.