Improvements in Driving and Speed-changing Mechanism for Motor Vehicles
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1899
..
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
"
"Improvements in Driving and Speed-changing Mechanism for
Motor Vehicles."
1.
I, LOUIS RENAULT, of 14 Place de Laborde, Paris, in the Republic of France, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to driving and speed, changing mechanism for. motor
vehicles which is characterised by the special feature that the movement is trans-
mitted from the motor to the wheels directly by means of gear, wheels. without the
intermediary of either chains or belts, although the inotor and the speed changing
mechanisin are suspended upon springs and are capable of displaceinent indepen-
dently of the wheels. In addition to this, the said mechanism comprises a special
arrangement which enables motion to be transmitted by means of two gear wheels
only upon level ground and during the ascent of slight inclines, thereby considerably.
reducing friction.
'
"
For each change of speed I interpose two gear wheels entering into engagement.
tangentially and not laterally, this being preferable from, the point of view of the
deformation of the teeth. The mechanism is designed in such a manner that, in.
changing from one speed to another, the gear wheels. of the speed previously.
employed are rendered inoperative and no longer rotate, thereby obviating fric-.
tion. Backward travel is obtained by interposing, in the mechanism corresponding.
to the lowest speed an intermediate, bevel pinion..
The whole of the changes of speed are controlled, by means of friction gearing.
which is rendered extremely progressive, owing to a special arrangement... This
gearing is operated by means of a pedal which also serves to actuate. a brake..
Change of speed is effected by ineans of a single hand lever, whilst backward,
motion is produced by means of a second pedal.
Upon the fly-wheel of the friction gearing is provided an engaging device without
teeth, the driving of which is effected by wedging balls within a groove, the said
engaging device being operated by means of a chain and serving to start the.
motor, the omission of teeth resulting in a diminution of friction and noise.
The fly wheel of the motor is formed with a cavity having the form of a
truncated cone within which is adapted to engage a gearing. cone of the same..
form provided with a ring or annular piece for progressive driving which is
attached to it by means of springs. This cone is operated by means of disengaging
fork actuated by a lever and a cam. Another loose lever is provided for operating
the pedal brake, the band of which is wound upon a brake drum, the release of the
brake being effected by means of levers.

page_text: Within the casing of the, mechanisin is arranged a shaft to which is rigidly
connected the engaging cone. A pinion keyed upon the said shaft but capable
of sliding longitudinally upon it is provided with claws engaging, with teeth of
the same form with which is provided the assemblage of two pinions which is
submitted to the pressure of spiral spring. A disengaging fork operated by
the shaft carrying the cam enables the two pinions to be rigidly connected one
with the other at will. Two other pinions permanently connected one with the
other are mounted loose upon a shaft which is supported at its extremities by
excentrics, in such a manner that if this shaft is caused to rotate upon the said
excentrics by means of a chain, a lateral displacement of the said shaft is produced
which enables the said pinions to be either engaged or disengaged, a spring tending
always to maintain them out of engagement.
Another shaft carries two pinions provided with notches forming an engaging
device and which under the influence of a spring tends to remain constantly in
engagement. These pinions as a whole have a different ratio from that of those
previously described, that is to say they produce different speeds.
The pinions which have just been referred to are rigidly connected with two
bevel pinions. At the upper portion of the casing of the mechanism is a pinion
mounted upon a shaft which is provided with a fork and a spring kept in place by
a knob. The driver of the vehicle pressing upon this knob with his foot, depresses
the pinion pushing before it the fork, the incline face of which, separating the two-
other pinions, renders them independent one of the other. The pinion mounted
upon the fork shaft than gears with the two bevel pinions thereby producing a
rearward motion.
Disengagement is effected by means of a fork and can operated by a shaft which
is provided at its extremity with a spur or projection arranged between two pulleys,
within said pulleys are two other projections arranged upon wither side of the first
mentioned projection. These-pulleys are provided externally with cheeks upon
which are fixed two chains in such a manner that the rotation of the said pulleys
causes the rotation of one or other of the two shafts by means of the said chains.
The arrangement of pinions which carries the brake drum is connected by means
of a Cardan joint with a shaft keyed loosely upon this latter, which is itself
connected by means of a second Cardan joint to a bevel pinion driving a gear wheel
fixed upon the differential mechanism which actuates the wheels of the vehicle
directly.
The motor is started by operating a ball clutch consisting of a ring within which
are formed six notches serving for the reception of the balls. This ring is capable
of rotating within a second ring within which is formed a groove in which the
balls enter. If the ring is caused to rotate in one direction; the balls remain
at the bottom of the notches and no clutching action takes place between the balls
of the ring and the groove, the ring remaining fixed although the fly wheel is
rotating. If, however, the ring is caused to rotate in the reverse direction, the
balls follow the incline of the groove formed upon the ring and become wedged
within the groove thereby causing the ring to participate in the movement of the
fly wheel.
The shaft upon which the cam is mounted is provided at its extremities with a
pinion which gears with another pinion fixed upon a shaft provided at its upper
portion with a handle adapted to engage in notched for the purpose of
inaintaining the said pinion in the various positions corresponding to the different
speeds.
The casing of the mechanism is filled with oil in order to insure perfect
lubrication, the filling and emptying-of the said casing being effected by means of
plugs.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: "Improvements in Driving and Speed-changing Mechanism for
Motor Vehicles."
I, LOUIS RENAULT, of 14 Place de Laborde, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Civil 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 driving and speed changing mechanism for motor
vehicles which is characterised by the special feature that the movement is
transmitted from the motor to the wheels directly by means of gear wheels without
the intermediary of either chains or belts, although the motor and the speed.
changing nechanism are suspended upon springs and are capable of displacement
independently of the wheels. In addition to this, the said mechanisin comprises a
special arrangement which enables motion to be transmitted by means of two gear
wheels only upon level ground and during the ascent of slight inclines, thereby
considerably reducing friction.
For each change of speed I interpose two gear wheels entering into engagement
tangentially and not laterally, this being preferable from the point of view of the
deformation of the teeth. The mechanism is designed in such a manner that, in
changing from one speed to another, the gear wheels of the speed previously
employed are rendered inoperative and no longer rotate, thereby obviating friction.
Backward travel is obtained by interposing in the mechanism corresponding to
the lowest speed an intermediate bevel pinion.
The whole of the changes of speed are controlled by means of friction gearing
which is rendered extremely progressive owing to a special arrangement. This
gearing is operated by means of a pedal which also serves to actuate a brake.
Change of speed is effected by means of a single hand lever, whilst backward
motion is produced by means of a second pedal.
Upon the fly-wheel of the friction gearing is provided an engaging device without
teeth, the driving of which is effected by wedging balls within a groove, the
said engaging device being operated by means of a chain and serving to start the
motor, the omission of teeth resulting in a diminution of friction and noise.
And in order that my said invention may be readily understood and easily
carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the same more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, an
improved driving and speed-changing mechanism, with three changes of speed,
designed according to my invention. It will however be obvious from the following
explanations that the number of the said changes of speed may be increased or
diminished without departing from the essential principle of the invention.
In said drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the whole mechanism.
Figure 2 is a top view of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the rear face of the gearing cone.
Figure 4 is an axial transverse section of said gearing cone.
Figure 5 is an axial transverse section of the motor-fly-wheel and the ball-
clutch.
Figure 6 is a face view of the said clutch.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a longitudinal elevation and an end view of the
device enabling as one to disengage and put out of gear the speed changing
imechanism:
Figure 9 is a top view of the casing of the speed-changing mechanism, the cover
of said casing being removed in order to exhibit the internal parts.

page_text: Figures 10 and 11 are end views of the said casing taken respectively from
the clutch-side and from the brake-side.
Figure 12 is a section through the central axis of the same...
Figure 13 is a top bottom view thereof.
Figure 14 is a section through the axis of the device.controlling the intermediate
speed.
Figure 15 is a section through the axis of the device controlling the lower
speed.
1
The fly wheel 1 of the motor is formed with a cavity (Figure 5) having the form
of a truncated cone within which is adapted to engage a gearing cone 2, (Figure 4)
of the same form provided with a ring or annular piece 3 for progressive driving
which is attached to it by means of springs 4, 4, (Figure 3). This cone is operated
by means of disengaging fork 5 (Figures 1 and 12) actuated by a lever 7 and a
cam 6. Another loose lever 8 is provided for operating the pedal brake, the
band 9 of which is wound upon a brake drum 10 the release of the brake being
effected by means of levers 11 and 12 (Figure 1).
J
Within the casing 13 of the mechanism is arranged a shaft 14 (Figures 9 to 12).
to which is rigidly connected the engaging cone 2. A pinion 15 keyed upon the
said shaft but capable of sliding longitudinally upon it is provided with claws
engaging-with teeth of the same form, with which is provided the assemblage of
two pinions 16 which is submitted to the pressure of a spiral spring 17. A.
disengaging fork 18 (Figures 7, 8 and 12) operated by the shaft 19.19 carrying the
cain 20 enables the two pinions 15 and 16 to be rigidly connected one with the
other at will: Two other pinions 21 permanently connected-one with the other are
mounted loose upon a shaft 22 which is supported at its extremities by excentrics
(Figure 10 16), in such a manner that if this shaft eccentric is caused to rotate.
upon-the-said-excentries by means of a chain 24 (Figure 10), a lateral displacement
of the said shaft 22 is produced which-enables the said pinions 21 to be either
engaged or disengaged, a spring 23 tending always to maintain them out of
engagement.
Another shaft 25 carries two pinions 26 and 27 provided with notches forming
an engaging device, and which, under the influence of a spring 28 tends to remain
constantly in engagement. These pinions 26 and 27 as a whole have a different
ratio from that of those previously described, that is to say they produce different
speeds....
The pinions which have just been referred to are rigidly connected with two
bevel pinions. At the upper portion of the casing of the mechanism is a pinion-
mounted upon a shaft 29 which is provided with a fork 30 (Fig. 15) and a spring 31
kept in place by a knob 32. The driver of the vehicle pressing upon this knob.
with his foot, depresses the pinion 37 mounted upon the shaft 29 pushing before it.
the fork 30, the incline face of which, separating the two other pinions 26 and 27.
from each other renders them independent one of the other. The pinion mounted
upon the fork shaft 29 then gears with the two bevel pinions 26 and 27 thereby.
producing a rearward motion.
A...
Disengagement of the pinion 15 from the pinion 16 is effected by means of a the
fork 18 and cam 20 operated by the a shaft 19 which is provided near at its
extremity with a spur or projection 33 (Figs. 7 and 10) arranged between two
pulleys 34 and 35; within said pulleys are two projections arranged upon either
side of the first mentioned projection 33. These pulleys are provided externally
with cheeks upon which are fixed two chains in such a manner that the rotation of
the said pulleys causes the rotation of one or other of the two shafts 22 24, 25.
by means of the said chains: and the excentrics.
.
...The arrangement of pinions 16 which carries the brake drum 10. is connected
by means of a Cardan joint 38 with a shaft 39. keyed loosely upon this latter,
which is itself connected by means of a second Cardan joint 40 to a bevel
pinion 41 driving a gear wheel 42 fixed.upon the differential mechanism..which
actuates the wheels of the vehicle directly..."
tex
་་

page_text: The motor is started by operating a ball clutch (Figures 5 and 6) consisting of a
ring 43 within which are formed six notches serving for the reception of the balls 45.
This ring 43 is capable of rotating within a second ring 44 within which is formed
a groove in which the balls 45 enter. If the ring 43 44 is caused to rotate in the
direction of the arrow (Figure 6) the balls remain at the bottom of the notches and
no clutching action takes place between the balls of the ring 43 and the grooves,
the ring 43 remaining fixed although the fly wheel is rotating. If, however,
the ring 44 43 is caused to rotate in the reverse direction, the balls 45 follow the
incline of the groove formed upon the ring 43 and become wedged within the
groove thereby causing the said ring to participate in the movement of the fly
wheel.
The shaft 19 upon which the cam is mounted is provided at its extremityies
with a pinion 46 which gears with another pinion 47 fixed upon a shaft 48
provided at its upper portion with a handle 49 adapted to engage in notches 50
for the purpose of maintaining the said pinion 47 in the various positions
corresponding to the different speeds.
The casing 13 of the mechanism is filled with oil in order to insure perfect
lubrication, the filling and emptying of the said casing being effected by means of
plugs 51 and 52.
The working of the above described mechanism is as follows:
Assuming that the motor has been started; (that is to say that the fly-wheel 1 is
rotating, this starting being effected by operating by means of a crank-handle the
ring 43 through the medium of a chain which passes around a second pinion: on the
shaft of the crank-handle) as As soon as the motor will have attained a speed
greater than that of the ball-clutch the action of on the ring 43 will cease and
consequently the chain and crank-handle will no more rotate, the same working
taking place as with an ordinary pawl and ratchet device. The fly-wheel 1 now
rotating, by the motor it will be possible, as hereinabove explained, by means of the
pedal 12 the levers 11 and 7 and the cam 6 to shift laterally the gearing cone 2,
In such conditions the ring or annular piece 3 placed around the latter and
maintained by the very flexible springs 4, comes in contact with and bears
against the fly-wheel before the gearing cone be engaged and, whereas the
springs 4 are calculated in view of being capable to start the vehicle in motion
without this engagement having taken place, a progressive driving is thus
obtained. When the gearing cone is engaged into the fly-wheel, the coupling
becomes very rigid, whereby any sliding of the driving wheels on the ground is
avoided. A groove provided in the clutch 2 serves to retain the lubricating
oil which might otherwise be projected during the running of the vehicle.
the disengaging pedal is completely depressed, the lever 7 draws, through the
medium of a pin or stud, the lever 8 which actuates the brake-band passing
around the drum and stretches it upon the latter. The pedal 12 thus serves,
as it will be readily understood, both to produce the disengagement and to put
the brake into action.
The changes of speed are effected in the following manner:
If
Assuming the cam 20 in the position shown in the drawings., the The pinions 15 and
16 are invariably connected with each other and the rotating movement is trans-
mitted directly, without the medium of any gearing, from the fly-wheel 1 to the
friction device 2, from the latter to the shaft 14, from said shaft to the pinion 15,
from this pinion to the pinion 16 and from the latter to the intermediate shaft 39
by the Cardan joint 40 driving the pinion 41 which latter actuates the pinion
wheel 42. If the handle 49 is rotated, it results therefrom, according to the direction
of the rotation, the disengagement of the pinions 15 and 16 and the engagement,
either of the pinions 21, or of the pinions 26 and 27, whereby three changes of
speed may be obtained. When the whole of the pinions 26 and 27 is engaged, if
the pinion shaft 29 is pushed, the latter pinion thereon is interposed between the
pinions 26 and 27 and changes the direction of the rotating movement. In this
manner, the friction, when running at high speed, is reduced to a minimum as the

page_text: movement is transmitted from the motor to the wheels through the medium of
the bevel gears 41 and 42 only, whereby the noise, like the friction, is diminished.
The engagements of the speed-changing devices are effected laterally and, owing
to the transmission of the movement from the pinion 15 to the two pinions 16, or
from the pinion 15 to the pinions 27 and 26, a comparatively small and light speed-
changing mechanism may be constructed after this system.
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 what I
claim is :-
1. An improved driving and speed changing mechanism for motor vehicles,
characterized by the fact that the movement is transmitted from the motor to the
driving wheels directly by gear-wheels without the medium of chains or belts,
though the motor and the speed changing mechanisın be supported on springs and
capable of being moved independently from the wheels, the said mechanism com-
prising moreover the above described peculiar devices enabling the movement to
be transmitted (in the case of maximum speed) through two gear wheels only and
the changes of speed to be effected while reducing the friction to a minimum, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes specified.
2.- In-gearing-for-motor-vehicles, the combination-of-friction-eluteh--mechanism
forming-a-coupling,
a-brake-working-with-one-section-of--the--coupling,--means--for
aetuating-the-brake-and-coupling-in-unison;-and-means-for--transmitting-the-move-
ment-of-the-coupling-section-with-which-the-brake-is-connected.
3.- In-gearing--for--motor--vehicles,--the--combination---of--eluteh---and---brake
mechanisms--a-toothed--wheel,--and--a-shaft---connecting--the-eluteh--and--brake
mechanisms-with-the-toothed-wheel;-the-connections-of-the-shaft-being-such-as--to
permit-the-independent-play-of-the-eluteh-and-brake-mechanism-with-respect-to-the
toothed-wheel.
4-A-gearing-for-motor-vehicles,-the-gearing-being-arranged-in-two-sections, and
a-shaft-connecting-the-sections,-the-connections-being-such as to permit-the-indepen-
dent-movement-of-the-several-sections-of-the-gearing.
2. 5. In a gearing for motor vehicles, the combination of a primary movement
member driven from the motor, a clutch working with said member, a shaft driven
by the clutch, the shaft being in two sections with a releasable connection between
them, variable speed gear mounted on one or more parallel shafts for driving the
sections of the shaft, and the herein described movement-transmitting devices in
connection with said shaft. consisting of the flexible connection 39 and the gear
between it and the driving axle.
3. 6. The combination of a shaft forined in two sections, a clutch connecting the
sections with each other, an eccentrically mounted shaft, movable eccentrically
toward and from the first named shaft, gears fastened to the several shafts, and
means for operating the clutch and for throwing the eccentric shaft in unison
with each other.
4. The combination with a casing, of a shaft mounted thereon and formed in
two sections, a clutch connecting the sections, a shaft mounted in the casing, means
in connection with the shaft for throwing the clutch, a third shaft eccentrically
mounted in the casing and movable toward and from the first named shaft, gear
wheels attached to the first named shaft and to the eccentric shaft, and means for
throwing said eccentric shaft, such means having connection with the second
named shaft.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1800
or 1800
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.