Improvements in Variable Speed Gear for Use in connection with Motors and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Gear for Use in connection with
Motors and the like.
1, FREDRIC JOSEPH WARDEN-STEVENS, of Martin's Chambers, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Consulting Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to variable speed driving gear applicable to the motors of
motor-cars, cranes, machine tools, and other apparatus, and has for its object to
provide compact, simple, and efficient apparatus which shall also be light, noiseless
in action, and inexpensive to fit; and whereby varying speeds may be transmitted
to a driven wheel from a motor running at constant or uniform speed so as to suit
varying conditions of load, gradient, or other resistance, and the same device is
also capable of use as a brake when desired.
According to my invention I employ and dispose between the motor and a wheel
upon the axle to be driven a movable friction wheel of suitable kind adapted to be
simultaneously thrown into and out of gear completely or to any desired degree
with the said motor or driving wheel and the axle or wheel to be driven. The
axle of the friction wheel is carried at each side in bearing blocks sliding in guides
in a fork shaped frame fixed to the apparatus. These blocks are connected by
interposed springs of suitable strength and through a cross connecting bar to an
operating device which is preferably a screwed spindle working through a long
bearing upon the said guide frame and operated by a hand wheel; an equivalent
device for operating the bearing blocks of the friction wheel may however be
substituted.
By this arrangement on turning the spindle or equivalent the friction wheel will
be raised or lowered, and its pressure upon the driving and driven wheels, and
hence the speed, can be adjusted as required by allowing the driving wheel to slip;
or it may be disengaged at will without stopping the motor; also all shocks and
jars caused on applying the wheel or by any unevenness of the wheels are taken up
by the spring suspension bearings. By screwing the friction wheel down into gear
any required degree of brake power is applied.
Dated this 18th day of February 1896.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Gear for Use in connection with
Motors and the like.
I, FREDRIC JOSEPH WARDEN-STEVENS, of Connaught Mansions, 34, Victoria
Street, Westminster, in the County of London, formerly of Martin's Chambers,
Cannon Street, in the City of London, Consulting Electrical 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:-
My invention relates to variable speed driving gear applicable to the motors of

page_text: motor cars, cranes, machine tools, and other apparatus, and has for its object to
provide compact, simple, and efficient apparatus which shall also be light, noiseless
in action, and inexpensive to fit; and whereby varying speeds may be transmitted
to a driven wheel from a motor running at constant or uniform speed so as to suit
varying conditions of load, gradient, or other resistance, and the same device is
also capable of use as a brake when desired.
I will now fully describe my invention in reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which Fig. 1 represents the arrangement in elevation with the wheels
in-gear, and Fig. 2 is a side view of same.
According to my invention I employ and dispose between the motor, the driving
wheel of which is marked A, and a wheel B upon the axle to be driven, a movable
and adjustable friction wheel C of suitable kind adapted to be simultaneously
thrown into and out of gear completely or to any desired degree with the said
motor or driving wheel A and the axle or wheel C to be driven. The axle of the
friction wheel C is carried at each side in bearing blocks L sliding in guides f f
in a fork-shaped frame F fixed to the apparatus as indicated at G. These sliding
blocks L are connected by interposed springs S of suitable strength and through a
sliding cross connecting plate or bar H to an operating device which is preferably
a screwed spindle such as illustrated at E working through a long bearing F upon
the said guide frame F and operated by a hand wheel D; an equivalent device for
such as a lever or any suitable system of levers for operating the bearing blocks L
of the friction wheel C may however be substituted.
By the above described arrangement, on turning the spindle E or equivalent
operating device, the friction wheel will be raised or lowered, and its pressure
upon the driving and driven wheels A and B respectively, and hence the speed,
can be adjusted as required by allowing the driving wheel to slip; or it may be
disengaged at will without stopping the motor A; also all shocks and jars caused
on applying the wheel C or by any unevenness of the wheels are taken up by the
spring suspension bearings above described. By screwing the friction wheel C
down into gear, any required degree of brake power is applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The use as a variable speed gear for motor cars, cranes, machine tools, and
other apparatus, of an adjustable friction wheel such as C adapted to simultaneously
engage the driving wheel and the wheel or axle to be driven, said friction wheel
being carried at each side in sliding bearing blocks connected by interposed springs
through a sliding cross connecting plate to an operating device such as specified,
and adapted to operate substantially in the manner described in reference, to the
drawings.
2. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improved
variable speed gear as shown and described.
Dated this 18th day of November 1896.
J. C. CHAPMAN,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.