An Improved Rack and Pinion Gear, for Converting Reciprocating into Rotary Motion, and vice versa.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1894-Accepted, 14th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Rack and Pinion Gear, for Converting Reciprocating
into Rotary Motion, and vice versa.
1, WILLIAM KEEN 1 Regency Place, White Hart Street Kennington in the
County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention consists of a toothed pinion working inside or travelling up
and down inside a round ended oblong loop or slot formed in the end of a
connecting rod.
The inside of the loop is furnished' with teeth or transverse pins which engage
with the teeth of the pinion.
Motion can be transmitted from the connecting rod to the pinion, causing it to
revolve and thus rotating any axle connected to it, or the motion may be com-
municated from the pinion to the connecting rod causing it to work to and fro
reciprocally.
When working in the open way of the loop, the pinion engages only with one
spot on the interior periphery, and as the loop travels to & fro, the pinion follows
the entire circuit or orbit of the interior space.
This is ensured by the joint action, of two rollers, running on two flanges
projecting from the sides of the loop. These rollers revolve on a pin supported
by the frame of the machine, or in some other way detached from the connecting
rods.
As the loop travels to and fro it takes also au up and down motion, so that the
rollers are alternately above or below the flanges, and one of them is alternately
keeping the loop firmly in contact with the pinion.
When used for driving cycles, for which it is eminently suitable, different speeds
are obtainable by varying the size of the pinion.
Dated this 8th day of September 1893.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Rack and Pinion Gear for Converting Reciprocating
into Rotary Motion, and vice versa.
I, WILLIAM KEEN of 1 Regency Place White Hart Street, Kennington in
the County of Surrey, 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 mechanical apparatus for transmitting power and is
specially designed for use on cycles and for like purposes, but is also applicable to
any analogous uses.
It consists of a toothed pinion working inside or travelling up and down inside a
round ended oblong loop or slot formed at the end of a connecting rod.
The inside of the loop is furnished with teeth or transverse pins which engage
with the teeth of the pinion.
Motion can be transmitted from the connecting rod to the pinion, causing it to
Pies 871

page_text: revolve and thus rotating any axle, connected to it, or the motion may be com-
municated from the pinion to the connecting rod causing it to work to and fro
reciprocally, and thus operate a crank or slide valve or other contrivance.
When working in the open way of the loop, the pinion engages at any given
moment with only one of the teeth on the internal periphery, and as the loop
travels to and fro, the pinion follows the entire circuit or orbit of the interior
space.
.
This is insured by the joint action of two rollers, running on two flanges
projecting from the sides of the loop. These rollers revolve on a pin supported
by the frame of the machine, or in some other way detached from the connecting
rods.
I will now describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which,
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the geared end of my improved power connecting
rod, and the pinion with which it works. A portion of the side is removed to show
the teeth more distinctly.
Fig. 2 shows a cross section of Fig. 1 on the line 1-2 of the same figure.
Fig. 3 shows a cross section similar to Fig. 2, but on a reduced scale and with a
method of employing two rollers instead of four as in Fig. 2.
a, is a toothed pinion mounted on shaft a¹ engaging with the shrouded pins or
teeth b, b, which are set all round the open end c, of the connecting rod d.
b, b, are the shrouded pins or. teeth.
c, is the open end of the connecting rod.
d, is the connecting rod.
e, e, are angular guides, on which run the small guide rollersf, f, so as to keep
the pinion a, always in gear with the teeth b, b.
It will be seen that as the loop travels to and fro it takes also an up and down
motion so that the rollers are alternately above or below the flanges, and one of
them is alternately keeping the loop firmly in contact with the pinion.
When used for driving cycles, for which it is eminently suitable, different speeds
are obtainable by varying the size of the pinion.
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. A method of transmitting. motion consisting of a connecting rod, the end of
which forms an open loop, said loop being fitted with flanges working on rollers and
with shrouded pins or teeth for engaging with pinion rotating inside said loop as
herein described and set forth.
2. The combination of a loop end connecting rod as described in Clause 1 with a
toothed pinion and rollers for the transmission of power as herein described and
set forth.
Dated this 4th dox of T
1004
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant.