A New or Improved Method of Machine Gearing and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
A New or Improved Method of Machine Gearing and Apparatus
therefor.
I, MAX MANNESMANN, of The Mannesmann Tube Company Limited, of Landore,
R.S.O. South Wales, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to means of gearing one wheel with another or a wheel with a
rack, in such a manner that the driving power is always transmitted through surfaces
sliding upon one another.
For this purpose, when one wheel has to drive another, instead of employing teeth
or cogs fixed upon each of the wheels, I pivot, capable of turning in each wheel, a set
of cylindrical pins projecting beyond the periphery of the wheel and having their
projecting parts flattened on one side, so that the flat side of each pin of the one wheel
bears against and slides along the flat side of a pin of the other wheel, the pins
turning somewhat round their axes so as to accommodate themselves to the different
positions which they have to assume while they are engaged with each other. In
order to ensure that each pin of the one wheel as it comes into contact with a pin of
the other, shall present its flat side for the contact, I provide a set of teeth on the
neck of each pin gearing with a ring free to revolve in a groove formed in the
periphery of the wheel. Thus each pin while it is engaged determines the position of
the pins which are about to be engaged.
In some cases, instead of thus connecting the successive pins by gearing them with
a ring, I gear them by intermediates with each other, or I provide for each a
spring causing it to turn till it comes against a stop in the position suited for
engagement.
When the wheels are plane and equal wheels, the pins project from them preferably
at an angle of about 45° to the plane of revolution so that the pins of the one wheel
cross those of the other at about right angles. For unequal, or bevil gearing the pins
project at such angles from each wheel that they cross each other preferably at about
right angles.
When the wheel has to gear with a rack, the pins of the wheel are fixed, only those
of the rack turning round their axes so as to keep their flat sides bearing against
those of the pins of the wheel.
In order to take off back lash, I duplicate the pin gearing so that while one set of
the pins of the one wheel are bearing against those of the other in the direction of
driving, another set are bearing against each other as followers.
Dated that 1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Method of Machine Gearing and Apparatus
therefor.
I, MAX MANNESMANN of The Mannesmann Tube Company Limited, of Landore
R.S.O. South Wales, 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 :-
My invention relates to means of gearing one wheel with another or a wheel with
a rack, in such a manner that the driving power is always transmitted through
surfaces sliding upon one another.

page_text: For this purpose, when one wheel has to drive another, instead of employing teeth
or cogs fixed upon each of the wheels, I pivot capable of turning in each wheel a set
of cylindrical pins projecting beyond the periphery of the wheel and having their
projecting parts flattened on one side, so that the flat side of each pin of the one
wheel bears against and slides along the flat side of a pin of the other wheel the pins
turning somewhat round their axes so as to accommodate themselves to the different
positions which they have to assume while they are engaged with each other.
In order to ensure that each pin of the one wheel, as it comes into contact with a
pin of the other, shall present its flat side for the contact, I connect the pins by
gearing or cranks, so that each pin of the one wheel when it is engaged with a pin of
the other wheel determines the position of the pins to be next engaged.
Or the pins of each wheel may be provided with springs causing them to turn to
attitudes determined by stops, ready for engagement with one another, the springs
yielding so as to allow the necessary changes of attitude during engagement of
the pins.
When the wheels are plane, the pins project from them at an angle of about 45° to
the plane of revolution so as to cross each other at about right angles. Also, for
unequal or bevel gearing, the pins project at such angles as to cross each other
preferably at right angles. A wheel may be made to gear with a rack in a similar
manner.
In order to take off backlash the pins may be duplicated, the alternate pins flattened
on opposite sides, so that while one set of the pins are bearing against each other in
the direction of driving the other set bear against each other as followers.
Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings shew my invention applied instead
of bevil gearing. Fig. 1 is a front view of one wheel, and Fig. 2 is a plan of a
pair of wheels on shafts at right angles to each other, one of the wheels being shewn
in section.
The wheel bodies A B have sockets formed in them arranged in a circle for the
reception of rotatable pins C, these being formed of two different diameters, the
front part c of larger diameter, fitting the corresponding enlarged part of the socket,
which is by preference bushed with gun metal, while the rear part c¹ of each pin
passes through the wheel body, and has fixed upon it a crank D whose pin passes
through a ring E that connects the cranks of all the pins C and thus causes them all
to turn simultaneously into the position determined by the pin or pins that are in gear
with those of the other wheel. The projecting front part of each pin C has a flat
face formed on it lying in a plane passing through the axis of the pin, or in other
words the one half of the projecting portion of the pin is cut away. The pins Cof
the two wheels are arranged in such positions relatively to each other, that as those of
the one wheel approach those of the other in revolving they present their flat faces to
each other and consequently slide upon each other as they come in contact, and, as
the flat faces of the pins of both wheels are always maintained parallel to each other as
shewn in Fig. 1, the meeting faces are always in accurate contact from the moment
when the pins of the one wheel first come into contact with those of the other wheel
until they separate again. In order to prevent back lash each pin C may have a
feather fixed in its back or rounded side, the feather of the pin in the one wheel
coming to bear on a corresponding feather in a pin of the other wheel. Instead of
connecting the pins C by cranks to the loose ring E, they may as shewn in Fig. 3
be provided with toothed pinions c gearing with a toothed ring or wheel E turning
loosely; or as shewn in Fig. 4 each pin may have a bevil pinion c gearing with a
bevil toothed ring E¹ turning loosely in an annular recess.
Or, again, instead of all the pinions gearing with a single toothed wheel or
ring E they might gear with one another through intermediate pinions turning freely
on pins projecting from the back of the wheel.
When great strength is required supporting pieces F as shewn in Fig. 5 may be
introduced in the alternate spaces between the pins. When the wheels are intended
to work in either direction the arrangement shewn in Fig. 6 may be adopted, the
alternate pins being flattened on opposite sides, so that those à of the one set serve

page_text: for driving in the one direction and those 6 of the other set for driving in the opposite
direction.
As shewn in Fig. 7 the pin C¹ of the one wheel A. may be supported at each end,
those C of the other wheel B projecting into a recess in A. which is crossed by the
pins C. Figs. 8 and 9 shew the pin gearing applied to wheels on shafts inclined to
one another.
Fig. 10 shews the gearing together of two wheels in the same plane, the pins
projecting from each at an angle of about 45°. When the wheels are unequal the
angle which the axis of each pin make with the plane of revolution should be greater
in the wheel of the larger diameter. Fig. 11 shews a wheel with obliquely projecting
pins gearing with a rack R having its pins set obliquely so as to cross those of the
wheel at about right angles.
Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation shewing a pair of wheels in which the pins are
urged by springs S against stops to the attitude which they should have when they
engage with each other. While they continue engaged the springs allow them to
turn sufficiently to keep the flat surfaces in contact, and after they become disengaged
the springs restore them to the proper attitude for re-engagement.
As shewn in Fig. 13 the pins C are supported by abutments F as described with
reference to Fig. 5, and present their flat sides alternately opposite so that one set of
the pins can serve for driving in the one direction and the other set for driving in
the opposite direction. Their cranks d are in this case at right angles to the flat faces
and are all connected to a ring E which is guided between rollers R¹ mounted on
some convenient fixed framing. The ring being free to revolve around its own
centre which is kept by the rollers constantly eccentric to the wheel causes all the
pins to turn during the revolution of the wheel so as always to present their flat
faces in the same direction.
As shewn in Figs. 14. 15 and 16 the gearing pins may have more or less of their
sides cut away so that their flat faces are either coincident with or parallel to but at
some distance from the axis of the pins. When the wheels geared together have
their axes not lying in one plane the flat surfaces of the pins should not coincide
with their axes.
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. Gearing a wheel to another wheel or to a rack, by pins flattened on one side
projecting from each, these pins being fitted to rotate, so that the power is
transmitted through flat surfaces of the pins sliding upon one another, substantially
as described.
2. Connecting on a wheel pins such as are referred to in the preceding claim, by
cranks working in a ring or by pinions gearing with a wheel or ring or with each
other through intermediate pinions, so that the pins are made to present their flat
faces in the proper attitudes for gearing substantially as described.
3. Providing each pin with a spring and stop holding it in the proper attitude
for engaging in gear, but allowing it to turn partly round during engagement,
substantially as described.
Dated this 11th day of June 1889.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.