Improvements in Variable Speed Friction Gearing, Part of the Invention being applicable for Oonnecting Independently Rotating Sliding Sleeves.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1898-Accepted, 13th Feb., 1887
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Friction Gearing, Part of the
Invention being applicable for Oonnecting Independently
Rotating Sliding Sleeves.
.
I, MICHAEL HOLROYD SMITH of Albany Buildings, 47 Victoria Street, in
the City of Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manuer the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in variable speed friction gearing adapted
among other purposes for use on vehicles driven by motive power.
In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification is illustrated
some forms of apparatus by which my invention is carried into effect, though I
desire it to be understood that the actual details herein shown may be varied while
yet retaining the essential features of my invention.
In these drawings:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus partly in section on the line of
Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a plan of the apparatus.
Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional plan of a part of the apparatus.
Figure 5 is an elevation of a modification of my invention showing it arranged
in connection with a worm gearing enclosed in a casing surrounding an axle such
as that of a vehicle.
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.
Figure 8 is an alternative arrangement of apparatus for a purpose hereinafter
described.
Figure 7 is an end elevation one half being in section.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the apparatus.
Figure 9 is a plan partly in section to show other portions of my apparatus, and
Figure 10 shows a portion of a disc face.
In the form of apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 1 scoure to a driving shaft
a friction wheel and connect such shaft in some suitable way such as by a loose
sleeve and so that it shall not be driven direct, with the shaft to be driven.
The driven shaft also carries a friction wheel, and the two wheels are placed
between a pair of large friction discs mounted.at right angles thereto, one friction
wheel being on each side of the centres of such discs.
The friction wheels are capable of being slid along their shafts, and by, the
arrangement above described the driving wheel will communicate motion to the
discs, and the discs will transmit the motion to the wheel and shaft which is to be
driven, the speed varying according to the position of the two wheels between the
centres and the peripheries of the discs. The two wheels being moved together,
as one approaches the peripheries of the discs the other nears the centres.
The disce 1, 1, are mounted as shown in yokes 2, 2, which are supported at their
ends by the rods 3 on which they can have a sliding movement, springs 4 being
employed to keep the discs pressed against the friction wheels 5, 5. To keep the
discs pressed evenly against the wheels the bearings of the yokes 2, 2, around the

page_text: rods 3 have a slight play given to them so that any inequality in the size or wear
of the friction wheels is met by a slight tilting of the discs. To allow the discs
to run easily each disc is carried by a spindle 6, the thrust and rolling motion being
taken by the ball bearings, 7, 8, enclosed in a casing 9. The two friction wheels 5
are feathered to their respective shafts such as 10, 11, of which one may be the
driving and one the driven shaft, and to keep the ends of Bame in alignment if
required, a loose pin 12 as shown in Figure 4 may be used to fit loosely in a
recess 13 in the end of each shaft. The wheels are connected by a loose sleeve 14
the ends of which engage collars 15 formed on each friction wheel 5 so that each
wheel may rotate independently of the other but yet the distance between them be
preserved.
About centrally of the sleeve are placed trunnions 16 which are embraced by
forks 17 connected together and capable of sliding on the channel iron 18 or other
part forming the framework or a fixed part of the apparatus, said forks being
connected to a bar 19 by which they may be moved so that the sleeve and friction
wheels may be moved across the faces of the discs to occupy different positions
thereon. The friction wheels 5 themselves may be formed of rings 20 of vulcanized
fibre or other material having a cousiderable holding power against a metal or
other disc, such rings being clamped between metal plates 21, 21. In the positions
in which the friction wheels 5, 5, are shown in Figures 1 and 2, if 10 were the
driving shaft transmitting its power to its friction wheel 5, which is near to the
centres of the discs it would drive the wheel 5 of the shaft 11 at the maximum
speed as the latter is situated at the extremno edges of the disos. Thus by
varying the position of the wheels the speed of the driven shaft may be made
either greater, the same, or less than that of the driving shaft. The discs 1 are
preferably provided with recesses or openings such as indicated at 22, (Figure 1)
in the centre so that one of the friction wheels may be moved to this point, in
which case the driving will cease so that the motor may be constantly running
and the power be stopped or applied with gradually increasing speed to the
vehicle or the machinery it may be required to drive. In the arrangement shown in
Figure 1 however the discs should be of larger diameter if the opening 22 is to be
used (or tho whoels closer together) in order that the outer one may remain
between the disce.
The modification shown in Figures 5 to 9 differs from the preceding chiefly in
the method of applying and releasing the pressure of the discs upon the friction
wheel, it having been found in practice that if through any circumstance it be
necessary to suddenly arrest the movement of the driveu shaft, it takes too long to
traverse the driving wheel to the release hollow in the centre employed in
Figs. 1-2, and for this purpose I mount the discs in bearings carried by gates
that can be opened and shut, opening free from the friction wheels and ceasing
movement or being drawn to by the application of power using sufficient pressure
for driving. Advantage is taken of this gate movement for operating a reversing
clutch by forming bell crank levers at the hinged ends, so that when the gates
are opened releasing the pressure from the friction wheels, the bell crank by
attached levers draw into coutact a friction clutch.
In these figures the improved apparatus consists of the discs 1, 1, between which
are situated the friction wheels 5, 5, each mounted upon a separate sleove 23, 24,
connected together as hereafter described, one of them being driven by the
shaft 25, the outer end of which is journalled in the bearing 25 carried by a
bracket 25b. When the friction wheel 5 is driven by the shaft 25, and when in
the position shown in Figure 6, it drives the discs 1, 1, at their slowest speed,
such disce in turu driving the wheel 5 at a slower speed than the wheel 5*, and
from this latter wheel the power is transmitted by a sleeve 26 to the worm gearing
in the casing 27, such worm gearing driving in turn the axle 28.
To move the wheels across the discs without excessive friction and easily and
silently and to keep them connected together yet free to rotate independently, the
sleeve 23 which is secured to the shaft 25 is provided with a flauge 29, and the

page_text: alcove 24 with a corresponding flauge 30, ench sleeve having an extension piece 31
projecting beyond the flanges while between the two flauges 29, 30, are rings 32
of hardened metal preferably steel forming a race for a set of balls which keep the
extensions or ends 31 of the sleeves apart. Beyond the flanges 29, 30, respectively
are the rings 33, 33, and 34, 34, also forming races for balls. These parts are
enclosed in a sleeve or casing 35 having an extension 36 to which are secured
trunnions 37 which may have a forked lever 38, Figs. 5 and 7, attached thereto,
said lever being pivotted at 39 and moved by a rod from its upper end so that the
sleeve or casing 35 and the wheels 5, 5, may be moved across the faces of the
discs.
The arrangement of the antifriction casing 35 and sleeves 23 and 24 and the ball
bearings and parts serving to connect the two sleeves together so that they may
move independently may be employed for other purposes than moving the wheels
described such for instance in connection with friction clutches for moving one
part toward the other.
The sleeve 24 in the arrangement illustrated is feathered to and slides on a
sleeve 26 surrounding the shaft 25 and it is on this sleeve 26 that the worm 40
indicated in Figure 5 is secured. The sleero 26 also carries the cone 41 of a
friction clutch, the socket part 50 of which is keyed to, but free to slide on the
driving shaft 25, a collar 51 being conuected to it so as to form a means for
applying a fork 52 thereto for the purpose of moving the socket. This fork is
moved by rod 53 the other end of which is attached to bell crank levers 54, 54,
pivotted on luga 54", the long arms 56, 55, of which carry screws 56 passing through
lugs 57 forming part of said arms 55 and entering into boxes 7 on a casing 58
which carries the discs as hereafter described so that they will be pivotted on the
conical ends of the screws and will thus have a slight rocking movement on same
in order to balance the pressure on the friction wheels and that they may adjust
themselves to any inequalities in the peripheries of the wheels occasioned by wear
or by any difference between the diameters of the two wheels. To secure this
pressure the arins 55 have attached to them bars 59 which may be of wood or of
metal and act as springs if desired. Each arm carries lugs 60, 60, between which
is a pin 61 which serves to hold a chain, rod cord, or the like 62, attached to pins 63
or opposite points on a pulley 64, which may be rotated by a hand or the like 65 80
that the arms 59 may be drawn close together and the discs be pressed upon the
friction wheels 5, 5, or the arms 59 released.
For the purpose of ceasing driving the pressure of the gates (which includes the
discs) upon the friction wheels is released by reversing the action previously
described thus throwing open the arms.
To reverse the direction of driving the pulley 64 is turned to open the arms 59
and levers 55, when the discs will be removed from the wheels and the short arms 54
of the levers 55 will be drawn outward, thus moving the rod 53 and bringing the
socket 50 into contact with the cone 41 when (the socket being driven by the
shaft 25) the cone 41 will through the sleeve 20 to which it is attached drive
directly the worm 40 in the opposite direction.
The discs are provided with spindles 66, Figures 7 and 9 which pass into the
casing 58, such casing being made dust tight at the end nearest the disc by an
annular ring 67 screwed to an annular projection 68 of the dise, which ring 67,
covers a flange 69 on the end of the sleeve 58. The sleeve carries ball races 70, 71,
which take up the thrust on the discs and permit them a free rotary motion.
To increase this holding surface the face of the disc is preferably plugged with
leather or similar plugs 72 arranged as shown in Figure 10, so that the wheels will
always be bearing on one or more of same, or the discs may if desired be faced
with leather but I prefer to plug them as shown.
The driving end of the shaft being the left hand end in the drawings it will be
seen that the shaft drives tho wheel 5* secured to the sleeve 23, transinitting the
power to the wheel 5 on sleeve 24 and through the sleeve 26 to the worm 40, worm
wheel and axle.

page_text: In Figure 6 is shown another arrangement for drawing the arms 59 together
and pressing the discs upon the friction wheels such device consisting of a
cylinder 73 and piston 74 between which a fluid is admitted from a flexible pipe,
the piston being connected by a yoke 75 and rods 76, 76, 77, with one arm while
the cylinder is connected by rod 78 with the opposite arm. Or in place of this
arrangement a right and left handed screw may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the naturo of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In variable speed friction gearing, an arrangement of apparatus consisting of
a pair of opposed discs, a friction wheel, connected to a driving shaft between said
discs, and a second friction, wheel connected to a second or driven shaft also between
said discs, the two wheels being suitably connected and being capable of movement
across the faces of the discs, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In variable speed friction gearing an arrangement of apparatus consisting of
a pair of opposed discs, a friction wheel connected to a driving shaft between said
discs and a second friction wheel connected by a loose yoke or the like to the first
and secured to a second or driven shaft also between said discs, the disos having
recesses or openings in the centro so that one of the friction wheels which are
capable of movement across the faces of the discs when moved to this point will
not be driven, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In variable speed friction goaring an arrangement of apparatus consisting of
a pair of opposed discs, yokes in which said discs are carried springs for pressing
said dieca towards each other, means for allowing the discs a slight movement for
adjustment, a friction wheel connected to a driving shaft between said discs, and a
second friction wheel connected to a second or driven shaft also between said discs
the two discs being connected by a loose sleeve or the like, and means for moving
the sleeve and rollers across the faces of the discs, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
4. In variable speed friction gearing an arrangement of parts consisting of a pair
of discs, arms pivoited at one end on which said discs are pivotally carried, means
for drawing the arms together at the opposite end and opening same, a pair of
wheels situated between said discs and means for moving the wheels across the
discs, substantially as described.
5. In variable speed friction gearing consisting of a pair of wheels situated
between a pair of discs aud means for pressing said discs against the wheels, the
combination with same of means whereby when the discs are removed from the
wheels a friction clutch is put in operation so that the driving shaft may rotate
the gear or parts driving the shaft or axle in a reverse direction substantially as
described.
6. In variable speed friction gearing in which is employed a pair of wheels
situated between a pair of discs the combination with same of a separate sleeve for
each wheel the driving shaft being inside of same, a casing connecting the sleeves,
antifriction bearings in said casing and a third sleeve on which one of the wheel
sleeves is feathered but free to slide and from which the power is taken, substantially
as described.
7. In variable speed friction gearing, in which discs and friction wheels are
employed, the construction and arrangement of disc having a face plugged with
leather or other suitable material, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. In variable speed friction gearing in which discs and friction wheels are
employed, the construction and arrangement of a disc having a stud or shaft as 66,
antifriction bearings and a casing such as 58, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
9. The construction and arrangement of a casing such as 35 antifriction bearings
in said casing and sleeves such as 23, 24, which are united by said casing substantially
us and for the purposes described.

page_text: 10. The variable speed friction gearings constructed substantially as described
and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated the 31st day of August 1896..
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent,
For the Applicant.