Improvements in Power Transmitting and Automatic Speed Varying Mechanism.
Year: 1897

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Power Transmitting and Automatic Speed Varying
Mechanism.
I, LOUIS MAUGRAS, of 21 Boulevard Poissonniere, Paris, in the Republic of
France, 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 will be best described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front view, and
Figure 2 a side elevation, of my improved mechanism or gear.
As shown, this gear mainly consists of an epicycloidal train, either plane or
bevel geared, in which the shaft B, which carries such train, is the driving shaft.
The epicycloidal train shown in the drawing is bevel geared and consists of two
bevel pinions a a¹, loose upon the said shaft B, and facing each other. Gearing with
these pinions a, a' there are two, three, four or any number of other bevel pinions n
mounted loosely upon spindles n', which are secured to, or formed integral with,
a sleeve m, which sleeve is fast upon the shaft B. The shaft B receives motion
by reason of the two pinions or gear-wheels a and a revolving in opposite direc-
tions. These gear wheels, when their speed is unequal, cause the pinion n to
revolve about the central part of the shaft B, thus setting in rotary motion the
spindles n and the sleeve m, and consequently the shaft B to which such sleeve
is secured.
The wheel a receives motion from the source of power through the medium of
the wheels b and c, the wheel b as well as the pinion a, being fast upon a sleeve,
which latter is mounted loosely upon the shaft B; and the wheel c being fast
upon the shaft A of the motor. The gear-wheel a¹ also receives motion from the
motor, through the agency of one or more other gear-wheels b₁ c¹ and a worm d,
rotated by the disc e, which is arranged in frictional contact with a circular plate
or disc f, fast upon a shaft g. This shaft also carries a wheel h, gearing with a
wheel i, which is fast upon the driving shaft A. The gear wheel 6 is fast upon the
same loose sleeve as the pinion a¹.

page_text: which is transmitted to
until the disc reaches the central portion of the plate f, or the shoulder or stop
of the hand-lever. When ascending a hill of such a gradient that it involves an
effort exceeding the power of the motor at the speed, the motor will tend to
The wheel a will then revolve
slow down, and the governor will lower the disc e.
in such a manner as to reduce the speed of the shaft B, until the motor resumes
its normal speed. In other words, if n be the number of revolutions of the shaft B;
R, the resisting stress or effort; and F, the power of the motor; then the result,
in all cases, will be
F Kn R;
=
the product of the number or revolutions of the motor-shaft into the resisting
stress or effort being in all cases constant; while the speed will always be inversely
proportional to the effort, and the power and rate of working of the motor will
remain constant and independent of the speed of the vehicle.
(2). TITE OPERATION OF DYNAMO ELECTRIC MACHINES BY MOTORS WORKING AT
VARYING SPEEDS.
Generally speaking, a dynamo should turn at a constant speed, in order to
yield a constant voltage and, consequently, uniform illumination. Not infrequently,
however, there occur instances in which a motor revolving at a variable speed
may conveniently be employed; and, where this is so, the improved transmission
gear herein described will prove serviceable. The governor should in this case
be driven from the shaft B, and the disc e, whilst inoperative, should be
located in the centre of the circular plate or disc f. With such an arrangement,
whatever the fluctuations in the speed of the motor may be, the speed of the shaft B
must obviously continue uniform, and so also must the speed of the dynamo driven
by this shaft.
(3). CONTROLLING ELECTRO-MOTIVE FORCE.
Where the number of lamps in the circuit of a dynamo varies, there is a cor-
responding variation in the voltage. Now by regulating the speed of the shaft
driving the dynamo, a constant voltage may be secured. In this case also,
therefore, the improved means of transmitting motion, as hereinbefore described,
will be applicable; but here the governor should be dispensed with, motion being
imparted to the disc from a thin-wire coil connected in multiple arc to the dynamo;
or from a relay, or a small electric motor set in motion from a thin-wire coil.
The voltage which determines the position of the disc e, will, consequently,
regulate the speed of the dynamo, which will therefore invariably be such as to
ensure a constant EMF. It will be readily understood that this method of
operating the disc e by means of a special mechanism, say, by a relay, either
electrical or non-electrical; or by compressed air; or otherwise may be adopted
whatever the purpose for which the transmission gear is intended: whether in
propelling a motor carriage, in driving a dynamo, or in accomplishing any other
of the diverse objects to which it may be applicable.
A further case to which the improved transmission gear may be advantageously
applied is that of the operation of lifts.
Obviously, too, the dimensions of, and relation between, the gear wheels and
pinions, which go to form the novel mechanism, may vary according to the specific
application, i.e. according to the nature of the power or force to be imparted, and
the rates of working or speed to be attained.

page_text: 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). The improved power transmitting and automatic speed varying mechanism
consisting essentially of an epicycloidal train of gear-wheels, either plane or
bevel-geared, actuated, on one side, in a continuous manner from the motor shaft
through the medium of toothed wheels, and on the other, from the motor shaft
likewise, but variably, through the medium of toothed wheels and a worm
such as d, which is operated by a disc, such as e, moved either automatically or
by hand, in contact with the surface of a circular plate or disc such as f; the
said epicycloidal train being mounted upon and driving a shaft such as B, adapted
to serve as a driving shaft; substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
(2). In the transmission gear specified in the first claim, regulating the speed
of the shaft B by displacing the disc e in relation to the plate f, either by means
of a governor operated by the motor, through the shaft B or any other shaft, or
by any other automatic or non-automatic mechanical or electrical appliance,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
(3). The speed-varying motion transmitting gearing whether in its complete
form or in its details, substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.