gear for vehicles and the
Year: 1898

page_text: I, ARTHUR HERSCHMANN, of 155, Pershore Road, Birmingham, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
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This invention for improvements in speed gear for motor vehicles and the like
has for its object an arrangement whereby the vehicle can be caused to move at
varying speeds, the engine shaft rotating at a constant speed and whereby toothed
wheels which have to be moved into or out of engagement as is at present the
practice are done away with, and the consequent shocks to the gear which often
results in the breaking or damaging of the teeth are obviated.
According to this arrangement upon the driving shaft which may be either the
engine shaft itself or an auxiliary shaft connected thereto a number of toothed
wheels of different diameters according to the number of speeds required are
mounted, and these toothed wheels are rigidly connected together and to the shaft.
Another shaft is arranged parallel to the driving shaft, and upon this a number of
sleeves or bushes are arranged rotating one within the other, and independently
of each other and of the shaft. To each of these sleeves a toothed wheel is secured
at one end, and these toothed wheels are so arranged as to gear with the toothed
wheels upon the driving shaft. It will readily be understood that as the driving
shaft rotates so these sleeves or bushes will be caused to rotate at different speeds,
each of these sleeves having one of the speeds required for the vehicle.
At their other ends the sleeves or bushes are provided with discs which will
rotate with them, and these discs are side by side but rotate independently of each
other. The circumferences of these discs are provided with flutings or projections.
These flutings or projections do not extend for the whole width of the disc so that
there is a space between each series of fluting or projections greater than their
width.
A hollow drum is mounted upon the shaft so as to rotate therewith, but is
capable of moving longitudinally thereon. The above mentioned discs are
arranged within this hollow drum and upon its inner surface a ring of flutings
or projections is formed on or attached to it these flutings or projections being
adapted to fit into one or other set of flutings or projections upon the discs when in
engagement therewith.
This hollow drum can be moved longitudinally upon the shaft, and the flutings
or projections will engage first with the projections or flutings on the disc rotating
at the lowest speed so that the drum will be caused to rotate and will communicate
motion to the shaft. On further moving the drum it will be caused to engage with
the second of the discs and so on until the highest speed is obtained. It will be
seen that the internal flutings or projections of the drums cannot be in engagement
with two of the discs at once owing to the width between each set of flutings or
projections and there will be consequently no risk of damage from this cause.
Upon the sleeve or bush which rotates at the lowest speed an external toothed
ring is mounted and within the hollow drum two small pinions are mounted upon
037

page_text: suitable spindles supported upon the drum and by moving the drum to one end
of its movement these pinions can be caused to gear with the toothed ring. These
pinions also gear with an internal toothed ring formed on the drum and will serve
to reverse the motion of the shaft, the speed however being slow.
Instead of the flutings or projections being formed on the circumference of the
disc, they may be formed at the sides thereof or the disc may be otherwise
arranged.
Convenient means of shifting the hollow drum is by means of a groove formed
upon its outer surface with which a forked lever engages, the said forked lever
being operated by means of a toothed sector with which a worm gears. This worm
is mounted on a shaft rotated by a suitable hand wheel and by turning it the
speed of the vehicle can be varied as required. Any other convenient means may
also be employed for shifting the hollow drum.
1 1000
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
improvements in orde
I, ARTHUR HERSCHMANN, of 155, Pershore Road, Birmingham, 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 improvements in variable speed gear for use with motor
vehicles and for general transmitting purposes, and its object is to provide a gear
of this kind which will allow the speed to be varied in a simple and efficient
manner without danger of shock or injury.
The essential feature of my invention consists in the employment of a number
of independent concentric sleeves mounted upon a shaft or spindle. These sleeves
are each capable of rotating both independently of each other and of the shaft
and are each provided at one end with a spur wheel differing successively in
diameter.
At the other end each spindle is provided with a disc or wheel, all of these discs
cr wheels being of the same diameter. The driving shaft from which motion is
to be transmitted is provided with a number of fixed spur wheels varying succes-
sively in diameter and gearing with the spur wheels on the sleeves. The largest
of the fixed spur wheels of course gears with the smallest sleeve wheel, the
arrangement forming a succession of steps. Each sleeve is thus driven at a
different rate the outer sleeve being driven more slowly than the one immediately
within it, and the innermost sleeve being driven most rapidly.
The disc or wheels at the other end of the sleeves are formed with their circum-
ferences fluted or toothed in a sinuous manner. These projecting teeth do not
extend through the whole width of the wheels but form a marrow central ridge
so that a space is left between each set of teeth or flutings. To transmit motion
from these discs, an adjustable drum or cylinder is employed provided with corre-
sponding teeth or flutings which may engage successively with the discs, the rate
at which motion is transmitted varying with the disc engaged.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had
to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section
of the apparatus and Fig. 2 a cross section on the line xy.

page_text: Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the driving shaft or spindle carrying the fixed
spur wheels B which are stepped and may be in one piece. The driven shaft or
spindle C carries the sleeves 1 all of which are loose and independent so that they
can rotate at various speeds. Each of these sleeves carries the spur wheel dat
one end these spur wheels forming a stepped series of wheels corresponding to B
and gearing with them.
By the rotation of the shaft A a different speed is thus transmitted to each of
the sleeves D which constantly rotate one within the other.
Each
These sleeves carry on their other ends the discs E which are arranged side by
side, and are all of the same diameter but do not interfere with each other.
disc is provided with the teeth or fluted portion e around its circumference the
fluted portion or teeth forming a central ridge and providing a free space between
each pair. F is a cylinder or drum which is keyed at one end of the shaft C so as
to slide thereon and can rotate freely upon the outer sleeve. This drum is formed
with a fluted ridge or teeth f projecting inwardly and adapted to engage with
the corresponding part on one of the discs E. According to the position of this
drum and the disc it engages, a higher or lower speed is transmitted to the shaft C.
The disc first engaged or that belonging to the outer sleeve gives the lower speed,
and in passing from this to a higher the drum is momentarily disengaged, then
In order to pass from a low to a high
engaging with the teeth upon the next disc.
speed or vice versa, all the intermediate speeds or gears must be first attained.
To move the drum F along the shaft C to which it is loosely keyed, arms or
levers G are employed one on each side carried on a spindle g and provided with
the pins gl. These pins engage in the groove f³ in the outer circumference of
the drum. To operate the levers the toothed quadrant g2 is employed gearing
with the worm H on the spindle h. This spindle is provided with the hand
wheel or other suitable devices by which it may be turned. Other arrange-
ments for moving the drum may of course be employed such as a rack and pinion
motion or other well known device.
Instead of the engaging parts being on the periphery of the discs, they may be
at any other convenient part, the drum or other engaging part being varied
accordingly.
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) An improved variable speed gear device, consisting of a series of concentric
sleeves capable of rotating independently, means for rotating the said sleeves at
various speeds, and dises mounted upon the sleeves provided with engaging parts
and adapted to engage one at a time with a drum mounted upon the driven shaft,
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(2) An improved variable speed gear apparatus consisting of a series of con-
centric sleeves, capable of rotating independently, gear wheels of various diameters
upon one end of the said sleeve, discs on the other end of the sleeves, engaging
parts on the said discs and an adjustable drum mounted upon the driven shaft
adapted to engage with one or other of the said discs substantially as described
and for the purposes specified.
(3) In an improved variable speed gear the combination with a series of con-
centric sleeves capable of rotating independently, and spur wheels of different
diameters on one end of the said sleeves gearing with external spur wheels on the
driving shaft, of dises on the other end of the sleeves, teeth or engaging parts on
the said discs, a sliding drum carried on the driven shaft and an internal set of
teeth or engaging parts adapted to engage with one or other of the said discs, sub-
stantially as described and for the purposes specified.
(4) The improved variable speed gear comprising the concentric sleeves capable
of rotating independently means for driving the said sleeves at various speeds,
engaging discs on the ends of the sleeves, a sliding drum mounted on the driven

page_text: shaft and engaging with one or other of the said discs and means for sliding the
said drum into various positions for altering the speed, substantially as described
and shown in the accompanying drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 15th day of December 1898.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.