Improved Lever Mechanism for Transmitting Power.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Lever Mechanism for Transmitting Power.
I, JOSEPH BURLEIGH CHAMBERLAIN, Merchant, a Citizen of the United States
of America, residing at 519, Eleventh Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 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:
The object of the invention is to provide means whereby movement or force
transmitted may be varied at will between zero and a maximum. independently
of variation in the actuating movement or force. This end is attained by com-
bining with a power transmitting lever means whereby one of the lever arms
may be given, at will, any length between zero and a maximum. In the better
forms of the apparatus, the changes may be made gradually while the apparatus
is in motion, and thus while the speed or force of the prime mover remains
constant the speed of devices operated by the lever may be gradually changed
in either direction between the limits suggested, the power exerted varying, of
course, inversely with the speed.
The apparatus is especially adapted to meet the requirements of motor carriages,
but it is by no means limited to such use.
One embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings,
wherein :
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the devices.
Figure 2 shows the same devices looking from the right in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an axial section through a certain sleeve and its trunnions.
In these views, the lever is shown as transmitting power by means of a segment
engaging a gear, although this is but one of many possible devices. A represents
this gear, mounted upon a shaft B, and D a segment engaging the gear and
borne by a radial, power transmitting lever G. E, E are rigidly fixed arms, one
on each side of the segment and parallel to its plane, and upon each of these
works a fulcrum slide F. Upon the lever G is a sleeve I provided with gudgeons J
projecting oppositely in the same line and working in bearings in the slides F,
respectively. The lever is prevented from sliding longitudinally by links H, H
pivotally connecting the power arm of the lever with the gear or its shaft.
Power is conveniently applied to the lever through these links which are con-
nected, at any desired point as M, for example, with the source of power. The
slides Fare at will moved in either direction along the bars E by any suitable
means, but for illustration I have selected a forked lever L having its branches
slotted to engage studs N upon the slides. The sleeve I is slotted to pass over
the segment and gear, in order that the axis of its gudgeons may be carried fully
up to the line of engagement of the segment and gear, or in other words to the
extreme end of the lever arm. Now if reciprocating motion be given to any
part, M, of the links, the lever G will he oscillated about the axis of the fulcrum
gudgeons J and the gear will move back and forth through an are varying with
the position of that axis,-whose distance from the gear is the working arm of

page_text: the lever. But by swinging the lever L toward the gear, which in no way
affects the movement of the links H, the slides F are moved along the bars E.
the sleeve I is drawn forward, and the working arm of the lever is gradually
reduced to zero, when it ceases to impart motion to the gear. Obviously, when-
ever the working arm of the lever becomes zero, no work is done, whatever the
mechanical device through which the arm acts upon the work: and hence,
broadly considered, the invention includes all possible devices at this point.
In the form of the invention chosen for illustration, and in some others,
only a portion of the gear A is used, and although it is shown entire it is not
necessarily so, and the word "gear" is herein used to designate any gear, toothed
or frictional, entire or mutilated.
Whatever movement is transmitted to the gear may be transmitted from it
by a suitable clutch or in any of many well known mechanisms.
I have shown only a single segment, giving reciprocating movement only and
capable of imparting only step by step motion. This course has been followed
because this simple form shows what is conceived to be the gist of the invention;
but my practical constructions have not been thus limited. It is evident that
changes in construction can be made while keeping within the proper limits of
my invention, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the illustrative form
set forth, but desire to claim the invention broadly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination with a power transmitting lever, of a fulcrum for the
lever, means for at will sliding the fulcrum to the end of the lever arm, means
for swinging the lever about the fulcrum axis, and means for holding a point
in the lever at a constant distance from a fixed point without said axis.
2. The combination with a power transmitting lever, of a fulcrum for the
lever, means for at will sliding the fulcrum to the end of the lever, and a
pivotally attached link holding a point of the lever at a constant distance from
a fixed point not the fulcrum.
3. The combination with a shaft and a gear thereon, of a segment engaging
the gear and borne by a lever pivotally supported upon a transverse axis, a link
swinging about the axis of the gear and pivotally fixed at its opposite end to
said lever, and means for at will varying the distance of the pivotal axis of the
lever from the axis of the gear.
4. The combination with a suitably mounted gear, of a segment engaging
said gear and borne by a lever, a movable fulcrum sliding along the lever,
means for swinging the lever about the fulcrum axis, and means for at will
moving the fulcrum in a fixed path parallel to the plane of the segment.
5. The combination with a suitably mounted gear, of a segment engaging
said gear and borne by a lever, a fixed bar parallel to the plane of the lever
segment, a slide working upon said bar, a fulcrum pivot working in said slide
and in sliding engagement with the lever, means for swinging the lever about
the axis of said pivot, and meaus for at will gradually moving the slide along
the har.
Dated this Second day of March 1800.