Improvements in Belt Tightening or Slackening Devices for Use on Automobile Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
Improvements in Belt Tightening or Slackening Devices for Use
on Automobile Vehicles.
We, EDOUARD ALEXIS VIVINUS and AUGUSTE JULES HECHT, both of Schaerbeck-lez-
Bruxelles, Belgium, Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a belt-tightening or slackening device for use on auto-
inobile vehicles and which is such that a person is enabled to tighten or slacken the
transmission belt or belts without dismounting from the vehicle.
According to this invention the frame of the vehicle is movably suspended from
one of two trains of wheels (preferably from the rear train) in such a manner that the
position of this train relatively to the frame can be varied, by means of a system of
levers actuated from the seat of the vehicle; these two parts are each rigidly
connected with one portion of the transmission, so that their separation or approach,
resulting from movement of the train relatively to the frame, have as a consequence
the tightening or slackening of the belt or belts actuating the axle of the train in
question.
The accompanying drawing represents a small automobile vehicle fitted with a belt-
tightening device in accordance with this invention.
The frame V of the vehicle on which is fixed the motor M driving the pulley P¹, is
suspended from the rear train A by springs R (one on each side of the carriage)
which are supported by links J J, so arranged as to form with the spring a
parallelogram and consequently be able to simultaneously take up a certain forward
or backward inclination and allow of a movement of the train A relatively to the
frame or vice versa. The train A forms one with the transmission T, comprising
gear-wheels E E¹ and pulley P, connected to the pulley P¹ by means of the
transmission-belt C which is to be tightened or slackened by the device now being
described; the pulleys P1, P, constituting the two ends of the transmission and the parts
which are
to be separated from, or approached towards, one another. This
movement is effected by means of the tightening device proper which comprises a
lever placed within reach of the driver and connected by a rod D to a projection on
the axle A of the rear train which is to be moved. The lever B has a fixed fulcrum
at U on the frame V which is a fixture on the front train in the ordinary way. The
operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The position 1 of the lever B, shown in the drawing by full lines, corresponds to a
position of the transmission in which the belt C is slackened.
To tighten the belt the lever B is pushed forward to position 2, shown in dotted
lines, which will cause by the movement of the connecting-rod D a backward
movement of the whole rear train A with its springs R and all that portion (E E¹ P)
of the transmission which is rigidly connected with this train; the links J J, inclining
backwards (from position 1 to position 2). The movement of the axle A, and
therefore of the pulley P (to position 2 shown in dotted lines) has the effect of
tightening the belt.
When it is required to slacken the belt again the lever B is moved from position 2

page_text: to position 1 and the rear train A will be brought forward, the links J inclining
forwards again.
This tightening device may be applied to one or more transmission belts actuating
the driving axle of the carriage directly or to an intermediary transmission.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTHI,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.
Improvements in Belt Tightening or Slackening Devices for Use
on Automobile Vehicles.
We, EDOUARD ALEXIS VIVINUS and AUGUSTE JULES HECHT, both of Schaerbeck-lez-
Bruxelles, Belgium, Engineers, 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 a belt-tightening or slackening device for use on
automobile vehicles and which is such that a person is enabled to tighten or slacken
the transmission belt or belts without dismounting from the vehicle.
According to this invention the frame of the vehicle is movably suspended from
one of two axles (preferably from the rear axle) in such a manner that the position of
this axle relatively to the frame can be varied, by means of a system of levers actuated
from the seat of the vehicle; these two parts are each rigidly connected with one
portion of the transmission gear, so that their separation or approach, resulting from
inovement of the axle relatively to the frame, have as a consequence the tightening
or slackening of the belt or belts actuating the axle in question.
The drawing filed with the Provisional Specification represents a small automobile
vehicle fitted with a belt-tightening device in accordance with this invention.
The frame V of the vehicle on which is fixed the motor M driving the pulley "¹,
is suspended from the axle A by springs R (one on each side of the carriage) which
are supported by links J J, so arranged as 10 form with the spring a parallelogram and
consequently be able to simultaneously take up a certain forward or backward
inclination and allow of a movement of the axle A relatively to the frame or vice versa.
The axle forms a part of the transmission gear T, comprising gear-wheels E E¹ and
pulley P, connected to the pulley P¹ by means of the transmission-belt C which is to
be tightened or slackened by the device now being described; the pulleys P1, P,
constituting the two ends of the transmission gear and the parts which are to be
separated from, or approached towards, one another. This movement is effected by
means of the tightening device proper which comprises a lever B placed within reach of
the driver and connected by a rod D to a projection on the axle A which is to be
moved. The lever B has a fixed fulcrum at l on the frame V which is a fixture on
the front axle in the ordinary way. The operation of the apparatus is as
follows:-
The position of the lever B, shown in the drawing by full lines, corresponds to
a position of the transmission gear in which the belt C is slackened.
To tighten the belt the lever B is pushed forward to position 2, shown in dotted
lines, which will cause by the movement of the connecting-rod D a backward move-
ment of the axle A with its springs R and all that portion (E E P) of the trans-
mission gear which is rigidly connected with this axle; the links J, J, inclining
backwards (from position 1 to position 2.) The movement of the axle A, and

page_text: therefore of the pulley P (to position 2 shown in dotted lines) has the effect of
tightening the belt.
When it is required to slacken the belt again the lever B is moved from position 2
to position 1 and the axle A will be brought forward, the links J inclining forwards
again.
This tightening device may be applied to one or more transmission belts actuating
the driving axle of the carriage directly or to an intermediary transmission
gear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. A device for tightening the transmission belts of automobile vehicles in which
the frame is so arranged that its position relatively to one of the axles of the vehicle
may be varied, each of these parts being rigidly connected with one of the portions of
the transmission gear which are connected together by the transmission belt or belts
substantially as described.
2. A device for tightening or slackening transmission belts for automobile vehicles
in which the suspension of the frame of the vehicle from one of the axles is obtained
by means of parallelograms, formed by the suspending springs and links arranged to
pivot on the frame in such a manner as to be capable of inclining backwards or
forwards and thus permit the rearward or forward movement of this axle relatively to
the frame, under the action of an appropriate directing device, substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
3. A device for tightening or slackening belts for automobile vehicles comprising a
lever pivoted on the frame and connected by a rod to the axle of one of the pairs of
wheels, this axle being connected to the frame of the vehicle by means of springs
fixed to links arranged to pivot on the supports of the frame, the arrangement being
such that the movements of said lever cause the movement of the said pair of wheels
relatively to the frame, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
4. A device for tightening and slackening transmission belts for automobile vehicles
comprising a lever B pivoted on the frame V and connected by a rod D to the axle A
of the rear pair of wheels of the vehicle, said pair of wheels being connected to the
frame of the vehicle by means of two parallelograms each of which is formed by the
suspending spring R and two links J J the axle forming a part of a portion E E¹ P of
the transmission gear whilst the frame V carries the other portion P1 of the trans-
mission gear driven by the motor and connected to the first portion by means of the
belt C to be tightened or slackened, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
5. The improved belt tightening or slackening arrangement for automobile vehicles
combined, arranged and operating substantially as described and shown in the accom-
panying drawing.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.