Improvements in connection with Gear Wheels: for Effecting Engagement while they are in-Motion.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
Improvements in connection with Gear Wheels: for Effecting
Engagement while they are in-Motion.
We, COUNT ALBERT DE DION. and GEORGES BOUTON, both of Puteaux
(Seine) in the Republic of France, Builders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an arrangement. enabling gear-wheels mounted on
parallèl shafts to be thrown into engagement without concussion, and without
interrupting the operation of the machine, one of the said shafts being at- rest,
while the other isfrevolving with greater or less speed.
We will describe the invention with reference to the case of two toothed wheels
one of which revolves continuously on a shaft to which it is rigidly secured whilst
the other which is supposed to be stationary is capable of longitudinal displace-
nient upon its shaft so that this wheel is enabled to be thrown into gear with the
other wheel; but, in order to avoid a shock and the breaking-of the teeth of the
gear-wheels, in performing this operation, it is necessary to set the wheels moving
at a speed slightly different from that at which they will turn on being thrown
into gear, so that this difference of speed may enable the teeth of the wheels to
assume the proper relative positions in getting into gear with each other.
We obtain this result by means of the following arrangement:
Integral with the first wheel is a ring, the cylindrical outer surface of which is
turned perfectly true, and the diameter of which is somewhat less than the
original or normal circumference of the toothed wheel. Another or second-ring
of less depth is secured to the other toothed wheel say by. means of screws and
with the interposition" of india-rubber washers.
The diameter of the second. ring: is détermined in such a manner that its
periphery may come into contact with the first ring.
The operation is as follows:-
Supposing the rotating toothed wheel is in motion in order to throw the other
toothed wheel into gear, it is only necessary to shift such wheel and its ring or
collar bodily towards the moving wheel when the seabnil ring on the wheel so
moved will come into contact with the ring on the other wheel and the hitherto
stationary gear wheel will be started gradually until it attains the degree of speed
at which it should enter into engagement; its teeth being,.however, for the time,
When
prevented from striking, or engaging with, the teeth of the first wheel.
the normal speed is attained and one of the teeth of the second' wheel has come to
be situated exactly opposite a space between two teeth of the first wheel, both
wheels will engage with each other of their own accord without any concussion.
The india-rubber interposed between the screws and the screw holes in the
second ring as aforesaid serves to cause the said ring to exercise a sufficient
pressure upon the other ring during the whole time that they: remain in contact.
These rings are slightly compressed at the moment when the mechanism gets
into gear and owing to their elasticity they cause the second ring- to constantly
press upon the other ring.

page_text: In order to throw the two toothed wheels out of gear the second wheel and its
ring are bodily shifted in the direction the reverse of that for engaging.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in connection with Gear Wheels for Effecting
. Engagement while they are in Motion.
We, COUNT ALBERT DE DION, and GEORGES BOUTON, both of Puteaux
(Seine) in the Republic of France, Builders, 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 is designed to enable two gear wheels, one of which is revolving,
to be thrown into engagement without concussion, and without interrupting the
operation of the motor or machine of which said wheels form parts, or with which
they are connected.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we will proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is vertical central section of a pair of gear wheels with our improve-
ments applied thereto the wheels being out of gear, and
Figure 2 is a corresponding view showing the wheels in gear.
1 is the revolving gear wheel and 2 is the shaft to which it is rigidly secured.
3 is the other gear wheel, to which motion is to be imparted by the wheel 1. The
wheel 3 is mounted on the shaft 4, upon which it is capable of being moved to and
fro to throw it into and out of gear with the wheel 1, whilst remaining in rotary
connection with such shaft.
In order however to avoid shock, and risk of breaking the teeth of the wheels, it
is necessary to set the wheel 3 moving at a speed but slightly different from that at
which it will turn on being thrown into gear, so as to enable the teeth of the wheels
to assume the proper relative positions in getting into gear with each other.
To this end we provide the wheel 1 with a cylindrical portion 5 whose outer
surface is smooth and turned true, the diameter thereof being somewhat less than
that of the circumference of the toothed wheel 1. This cylindrical portion is
connected with the wheel by a neck 5* of reduced diameter which is preferably
integral with the wheel and aforesaid cylindrical portion.
To the toothed wheel 3 a ring 6 is secured by means of the screws 7, the holes
for which are made sufficiently large to receive rings or sleeves 8 of india rubber
or other suitable resilient material surrounding the screws 7. The diameter of
the ring 6 is such that its periphery will bear against that of the cylindrical
portion 5 when these parts are opposite each other.
The width of the neck 5* is greater than the width of the wheels so that the
parts 5 and 6, come into contact with each other before the wheels are in gear,
while as they pass into gear the part 6 moves away from the part 5. The edges
of the said parts are slightly rounded to enable them to pass one another whilst at
the same time compressing the sleeves 8.
When the toothed wheel 1 is rotating and it is desired to throw the wheel 3 into
gear therewith, it is only necessary to move the said wheel 3 laterally towards the
wheel 1, when the smooth parts 5 and 6 will come into contact and the wheel 3
previously stationary will be started revolving gradually, until it attains the speed
at which it should enter into engagement with the wheel 1, that is to say the speed

page_text: at which the teeth of the wheel 3 come exactly opposite the spaces between the
adjacent teeth of the wheel 1. It follows that if at this time the wheel 3 be still
pressed laterally towards the wheel 1, both wheels will engage with each other
without concussion, thus taking up the position shown in Figure 2 in which the
part 6 has passed out of engagement with the part 5. The india rubber rings or
sleeves 8 become slightly compressed when the parts 5 and 6 come into engage-
ment and owing to their elasticity they cause the ring 6 to press against the
cylindrical portion 5 with sufficient force to insure its being rotated thereby.
In order to throw the wheels 1 and 3 out of gear, the wheel 3 and its ring 6 are
moved in the reverse direction to that for engaging them, viz. towards the left in
Figure 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
Toothed gear wheels provided with frictional devices, substantially as described
with reference to the accompanying drawings and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 15th day of January 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants. 1