Improvements in and relating to the construction and arrangement of Gear for regulating or automatically controlling the Speed and Power of Internal Combustion Engines and in the manner of connecting same to Tricycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 8th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the construction and arrangement
of Gear for regulating or automatically controlling the Speed
and Power of Internal Combustion Engines and in the manner of
connecting same to Tricycles and other Vehicles.
I ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH of 208 Choumert Road, Peckham, in the County of
London, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates (first) to the particular construction and arrangement of
governing mechanism for controlling or regulating the speed or power of a two stroke
internal combustion engine, either by hand, or automatically under the action of
any well known centrifugal governor.
If the engine is intended for use in propelling a vehicle, say for example a tricycle
it is geared to same preferably in the ratio of three revolutions of the engine shaft,
to one revolution of the driving wheel or wheels of the tricycle.
Therefore an engine of the two stroke cycle would give three explosions for every
single revolution of the driving wheels, the power and speed of the engine being so
calculated, that a tricycle under these conditions would be propelled at a relatively
high rate of speed upon the level road, or a moderate rate of speed when going
uphill. If however a slower rate of speed is required on the level road or such as
when descending a slight incline, the regulating gear is such that by the simple
movement of a lever the engine is converted from a two stroke cycle, to that of a four
stroke, consequently the engine would only exert force twice during every revolution
of the driving wheels, or again by a further movement the lever may cause the
engine to exert force only once to every revolution, thereby causing the engine to
work upon a six stroke cycle.
By this means I am enabled to perfectly control the speed of the vehicle propelled,.
with the greatest certainty and ease, and without the use of complicated and noisy
clutch, worm or other extra mechanical gear generally used for this purpose, moreover
the same lever is used to stop the engine when required, and to put the brake on, and
also to put the gear into position for starting again which in the case of a tricycle is
preferably done by turning the usual pedals with the feet of the rider.
The second improvement consists in the particular manner of connecting the
motor to the tricycle or other vehicle, the object being to so connect said engine to
the driving spindle of the vehicle, that the usual chain and pedal arrangement can
be used to propel it by foot power or to start the engine, and also to so adapt the
driving mechanism that the usual differential gear, (Starley's) for allowing and
causing the machine to turn easily, can be retained.
To carry the foregoing improved governing or regulating, and driving gear into
practice, I arrange that the engine shaft is geared, preferably by a worm into a worm
wheel fixed to a countershaft upon which is mounted a sliding sleeve, that is caused
to turn with said countershaft by means of a feather engaging a corresponding
featherway cut in the sleeve.
The countershaft is revolved preferably once for every six revolutions of the engine
shaft, and the sliding collars which revolves with said countershaft has formed upon
it six cams, or studs, or these may be fixed thereto, at a given position and all equi-
distant from each other, these studs serving to operate a small lever that opens the
gas valve or injects oil, as the studs or cams successively come into action. At

page_text: another position on the sleeve four studs, and at another two studs are arranged at
equal distances apart, so that it follows that if the sleeve be moved by a hand lever,
or by a centrifugal governor for the six studs to be opposite the small lever, said
lever will allow or cause gas or oil to enter the cylinder at every revolution of the
crankshaft, but if the sleeve be shifted to bring either of the other rows of studs
opposite the said lever then gas or oil will only enter the cylinder at every alternate
or every third revolution as the case may be. By a still further movement of the
lever the studs will miss the small gas or oil lever and the brake band by being
attached at a suitable projection from the hand lever may be caused to grip the
engine wheels or a drum upon the cycle spindle.
To connect the motor to the tricycle it is arranged that the differential (Starley's)
gear is enclosed within a tube which is of sufficient length to carry a spur wheel at
each end thereof and be clear of the engine base to engage with the pinions on the
engine shaft. The usual chain teeth may project through or be fixed on the central
portion of the tube for connection by chain to the pedal sprocket wheel.
The spur wheels may have ball bearings at that part which fits over the tricycle
driving spindle which it closely fits, and they may instead of being fixed to a tube
be connected by rods to the chain wheel so long as they are free to be connected to
the engine and free to revolve upon the spindle of the tricycle under the action of
the differential gear.
Dated this 8th day of July 1896.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the construction and arrangement
of Gear for regulating or automatically controlling the Speed
and Power of Internal Combustion Engines and in the manner of
connecting same to Tricycles and other Vehicles.
I, ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH, of 20 Hinckley Road, East Dulwich, late of 208
Choumert Road, Peckham, in the County of London, 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 (first) to the particular construction and arrangement of
governing mechanism for controlling or regulating the speed or power of two stroke
internal combustion engines either by hand or automatically under the action of any
well known centrifugal governor.
If the engine is intended for use in propelling a vehicle say for example a tricycle
it is geared to same preferably in the ratio of three revolutions of the engine shaft to
one revolution of the driving wheel or wheels of the tricycle. Therefore an
engine of the two stroke cycle would give three impulses for every single revolution
of the driving wheels the power and speed of the engine being so calculated that a
tricycle under these conditions would be propelled at a relatively high rate of speed
upon a level road or a moderate rate of speed when going up hill. If however a
slower rate of speed is required on the level road or such as when descending a
slight incline the regulating gear is such that by the simple movement of a lever the
engine is converted from a two stroke cycle to that of a four stroke, consequently
the engine would only exert force twice during every revolution of the driving wheels
or again by a further movement the lever may cause the engine to exert force only
once to every revolution of the driving wheels thereby causing the engine to work
upon a six stroke cycle.
. I may continue this to an eight or ten stroke cycle if desired moreover I do not
confine myself to the particular ratio of gearing the engine to the vehicle, but have

page_text: named a given ratio in order that the action and principle of my invention may be
the better understood. By the foregoing means I am enabled to perfectly control
the speed of the vehicle propelled with the greatest certainty and ease without
changing the ratio of gearing of said engine to the vehicle as is now mostly done,
moreover the same lever is used to stop the engine when required, and to put the
brake on, and also to put the gear into position again for starting which is preferably
done by pedals and chain gear..
The second improvement consists in the particular manner of connecting the
motor to the tricycle or other vehicle, the object being to so conneet said engine to
the driving spindle of the vehicle, that the usual chain and pedal arrangement
can be used to propel it by foot power or to start the engine, and also to so adapt
the driving mechanism that the usual differential gear for allowing and causing the
machine to turn easily can be retained or used.
My invention will be clearly understood by the aid of the annexed drawings in
which Fig. 1 is a side view shewing the regulating mechanism and method of
connecting and gearing the motor to the driving shaft of a tricycle or other vehicle.
Fig. 2 plan of the governing sleeve with cams, and gas valve or pump and lever
which said cams operate, Fig. 3, alternative and equivalent form of cam plate,
Figs. 4 and 5, diagrams or sections on different planes of the cam sleeve. Fig. 6,
cam sleeve as operated by a centrifugal governor. Fig. 7, plan of differential gear
tube. In carrying the foregoing improved governing or regulating driving gear
into practice I arrange that the engine shaft A is geared preferably by a worm B
into worm wheel C, fixed to a counter shaft D, upon which shaft is mounted a sliding
sleeve E which is caused to turn with the counter shaft by means of a feather F
engaging a corresponding feather way cut in the sleeve E.
The counter shaft D is revolved preferably once for every six or twelve revolutions
of the engine shaft A, and the sliding collar or sleeve E has formed upon it six or
twelve cams or studs G, or these studs may be fixed upon the sleeve E at a given
plane say a and all equidistant from each other on any given plane; these cams or
studs G serving to operate a small lever H that opens the gas valve I or injects oil
to the vaporizer of an engine as the studs or cams & successfully come into action.
At another plane b on the sleeve, three or six cains, and at another plane c two
or four studs are arranged at equal distances apart, so that it follows if the
sleeve E be moved by a hand lever J, or by a centrifugal governor K for the six or
twelve studs to be opposite the small lever J, said lever will operate the valve or
pump I and allow or cause gas or oil vapour to enter the cylinder of the engine
at a given moment at every revolution of the shaft A, to produce an impulse at
every revolution but if the sleeve E be shifted to bring either of the other rows of
cams b, c or d opposite the said lever H, then an impulse will only be possible at
every second third or fourth revolution as the case may be. By a still further
movement of the lever J, the cams G will miss the lever H altogether and the brake
bend L being suitably attached to a suitable projection M of the hand lever J may
be caused to grip the engine wheels or drum N upon the shaft A. Or said drum
may be on the tube P if desired.
To connect the motor to the tricycle or other vehicle it is arranged that the
differential (Starley's) gear Q is enclosed within the tube P which is of sufficient.
length to carry a spur wheel S at each end thereof and be clear of the engine base T
to engage with the pinions (represented by the pitch line U) on the engine shaft A.
The usual chain teeth V may project through or be fixed upon the central portion
of the tahe P, for connection by chain to the pedals and sprocket represented by
the lines W and X respectively. The spar wheels S, S, may have ball bearings at
that part which fits the spindle f, which they closely fit, and said wheels may if
desired be connected to each other and to the Starley's gear by rods g, g, as in
dotted lines instead of the tube P. Or in some case I may move the valve lever H
over the face of a fixed cam plate E as in Fig. 3 in which it will be seen that the
studs or cams G are arranged radially on the face in such a manner that as the cam
plate revolves with the shaft D it operates the valve lever H³ more or less number of

page_text: times according to the position of said lever on said plate E and thus produces the
same effect as in Fig. 1. I have described the shaft D as being geared to the engine
in the ratio of six or twelve to one, but I may if desired gear it at the ratio of four
to one, the essential feature in all cases being to employ as many cams or studs
equally divided on a sleeve or plate, as number of revolutions are required to turn
said sleeve or plate once round and to arrange a less number of studs at different
planes in such a manner that they are equidistant from each other, on any given
plane yet operate the gas or oil valve in proper sequence and time for the purpose of
converting said engine from a two stroke to a four six or eight stroke cycle at will, as
by this means I am enabled when an engine so arranged is connected to a vehicle, to
regulate the speed of same to the finest degree without in any way altering the
mixture or depending upon a variable expansion or other means involving delicacy
of manipulation. The cams may vary in shape and size to suit circumstances
moreover I have not described or shown any particular method of mounting or fixing
the engine to the framing of the vehicle as this and kindred matters form no part of
my invention and can be accomplished in any well known manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1. The improved construction and arrangement of gear for regulating or auto-
matically controlling the speed and power of internal combustion engines, and in the
particular manner of connecting same to tricycles or like vehicles herein described
and shewn.
2. As a means for regulating the speed and power of internal combustion engines
the employment of a sliding sleeve having cams or studs for operating the gas valve
circumferentially arranged thereon at different planes in combination with a lever,
or centrifugal governor and a counter shaft geared to the engine shaft by worm and
worm wheel, the number and position of the cams and studs being as described with
reference to Figs. 1-2 4 and 5 of the annexed drawings.
3. The modified arrangement or its equivalent for operating the gas inlet or oil
vapour or spray valve of an internal combustion engine for altering or determining
the sequence of explosions in said engine as described and shewn with reference to
Fig. 3 of the drawings.
4. The combination with an internal combustion engine of a sliding sleeve F
having cams G arranged circumferentially in different planes thereon, the counter
shaft D and geiring same to the engine shaft A at a ratio of four six or twelve to
one and fitting a corresponding maximum number of equidistant cams to the before
mentioned sliding sleeve in one plane, as and for the purpose described, and operating
said sliding sleeve E and brake band N¹ by a lever J and projection M as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of April 1897.
ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH.