Improved Clutch Arrangement for Motor Driven Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Clutch Arrangement for Motor Driven Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM SIMPSON, of 8, Minshull Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Cotton Manufacturer, WALTER LIGHT BODMAN, of Village View,
Burnage Lane, Didsbury, in the County of Lancaster, Carriage Builder, and
DANIEL HARRISON SIMPSON, of One Oak, Cheadle Hulme, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved clutch arrangement for vehicles
having two driving wheels driven by two independent motors, and its object
is to enable the two motors to be coupled to either of the two driving wheels
with the cranks at a suitable relative position or at right angles to one another,
or the motors to be coupled one to each wheel.
In motor driven vehicles of the class to which cur improvements are applicable
the separate crank shafts of the motors are mounted in the same axial line.
When the driving wheels are driven directly the crank shafts are also in
the same axial line as the driving wheels; in other cases intermediate gearing
is used which gearing is disposed between the hubs of the driving wheels and
the crank shaft.
In carrying out our invention we employ a suitable clutch coupling upon
the contiguous ends of the crank shafts, the two parts of which coupling can
only engage when the cranks are at a suitable relative angle or at right angles
to one another. A coupling having two corresponding jaws and teeth in each
of the two parts thereof is suitable to our purpose. Upon each of the ends of
the crank shaft furthest removed there is mounted one part of a suitable
clutch coupling, the corresponding parts of the couplings being fixed to the
hub of each driving wheel or gear wheel at the end of each crank shaft geared with
the driving wheel; preferably suitable friction clutches are employed at the outer
ends of the crank shafts..
The sliding parts of the clutches on each crank shaft are coupled together,
and both parts forming the clutch on the inner ends of the crank shafts pre-
ferably slide. Two operating levers or their equivalents one for each pair of
clutch parts mounted on each crank shaft are employed and by means of coupling
rods and levers or by flexible connections and springs operate the clutches to
the end desired.
each
The effects produced by this arrangement are as follows: -When
operating lever is home in ene direction, its motor crank shaft is coupled to
one of the driving wheels. When either of the levers is home in the opposite
direction the
shafts
two
are coupled together and
crank
one
to
or

page_text: other of the driving wheels. When the operating levers are central the motors
run free of the wheels.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1898.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester,
Harrington Chambers, 24, North John Street, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Clutch Arrangement for Motor Driven Road Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM Simpson, of 8; Minshull Street, Manchester, in the County of
Lancasten, Cotton Manufacturer, WALTER LIGHT BODMAN, of Village View,
Burnage Lane, Didsbury, in the County of Lancaster, Carriage Builder, and
DANIEL HARRISON SIMPSON, of One Oak, Cheadle Hulme, in the County of
Chester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:—
This invention has reference to an improved clutch arrangement for vehicles
having two driving wheels driven by two independent motors, and its object
is to enable the two motors to be coupled to either of the two driving wheels
with the cranks at a suitable relative position or at right angles to one another,
or the motors to be coupled one to each wheel. In motor driven vehicles of
the class to which our improvements are applicable the
crank shafts
of the
separate
motors are mounted in the same axial line.
When the driving wheels are driven directly the crank shafts are also in
the same axial line as the driving wheels; in other cases intermediate gearing
is used which gearing is disposed between the hubs of the driving wheels and
the crank shaft.
In carrying out our invention we employ a suitable clutch coupling upon
the contiguous ends of the crank shafts, the two parts of which coupling can
only engage when the cranks are at a suitable relative angle or at right angles
to one another. A coupling having two corresponding jaws and teeth in each
of the two parts thereof is suitable to our purpose. Upon each of the ends of
the crank shafts furtherest removed there is mounted one part of a suitable
(by preference) friction clutch coupling, the other or counter-parts of the coup
lings being fixed to the hub of each driving wheel or gear wheel at the end
of each crank shaft geared with the driving wheel.
The sliding parts of the clutches on the outer ends of each crank shaft are coupled
together, and both parts forming the clutch on the inner ends of the crank shafts pre-
ferably slide. Two operating levers or their equivalents one for each pair of
clutch parts mounted on each crank shaft are employed and by means of coupling
rods and levers or by flexible connections and springs operate the clutches to
the end desired. The effects produced by this arrangement are as follows:-When
each operating lever is home in one direction, its motor crank shaft is coupled to
one of the driving wheels. When either of the levers is home in the opposite
direction the two crank shafts are coupled together and to one or 4
When the operative levers are central the motors
other of the driving wheels.
run free of the wheels.
And in order that our said invention may be more readily understood and
carried into practical effect we have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawing and will
now proceed to describe the same with the aid of the various figures and letters 5
of reference marked thereon';-

page_text: Figs. 1 and 2 and 3 illustrate the driving shafts of a duplex motor driven
road vehicle, mounted in the same axial line, and fitted with our improved ar-
rangement of clutches shewing respectively the position they occupy when the
engines are each driving their respective crank shalt (Fig. 1) and one of the
vehicle wheels, the position they occupy when the shafts are coupled up, and
exerting all their power on one of the vehicle wheels only (Fig. 2), and the
position they occupy when running light, i.e., not coupled up to either of the
vehicle wheels (Fig. 3).
(A), (B) are the engine crank shafts arranged in the same axial line, and
with their two contiguous ends in close proximity. (C) (D) are the half por-
tions of the coupling upon the said contiguous ends of the shafts, capable of
sliding to-and-fro upon a sliding key-way.
(E) (F) are the half portions of the friction clutches upon the ends of the
shafts furtherest removed and (G) (H) the counter-parts upon or connected to
the wheels (1) and (J) which convey the motion to the vehicle wheels.
In ordinary driving the half couplings (C) (D) are disengaged and the coup-
lings (E) (F) drive the wheels each engine or motor driving its own particular
shaft and vehicle wheel as shewn in Fig. 1. When requiring to apply all the
force of both engines on one side of the vehicle only, say in manoeuvring or
starting the vehicle out of a rut, the half-coupling (C) (or (D)) is thrown into
gear with the other half-coupling (D) (or (C)) and the half-friction (E) (or
(F)) is drawn out of contact with the friction wheel (G) (or (H)) as shewn
in Fig. 2.
When it is desired to hold both frictions (E) and (F) out of gear with their
respective counter-parts (G) and (H), the said frictions are both drawn out, the
mesh or engagement of the half-couplings (C) (D) in Fig. 2 being such as to
only require an amount of movement to bring the half coupling completely
together to effect the total disengagement of the shafts from the gear wheels (1)
and (J).
The position of each half-couplings (C) and (D) when engaged in relation
to the cranks (K) (L) is by preference at right angles.
The means for engaging and disengaging the couplings may be in the form
of levers, engaging by bowls with grooves (M) in the boss of each half coupling
with means for effecting the various movements from one handle
lever having one or two movements.
or control
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is;-
1:—In driving mechanism for vehicles, the use of couplings for connecting
and disconnecting two independent crank driving shafts to each other, and to
the respective driving or gear wheels, independently or collectively, substan-
tially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated on the accompany-
ing drawings.
1000
cember 1898.
WILLIAM SIMPSON
WALTER LIGHT BODMAN
DANIEL HARRISON SIMPSON
By John G. Wilson & Co.,
Agents.