Year: 1897

page_text: I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street,
Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
The present application relates to a novel gearing especially adapted for use with
autocars but which may be also applied to many other purposes. This gearing is"
composed of a main shaft receiving motion from the prime mover preferably by means
of friction cones and bearing keyed upon it three gear wheels of different and
progressive diameters, engaging with three other gear wheels also of progressive
diameter, but arranged inversely with regard to the first set. These latter gear wheels:
run loose upon a second shaft parallel to the first but any one of them may be fixed
upon the shaft and consequently cause the same to share the movement of rotation
by means of the following arrangement:
:-
The second shaft bearing the loose gear wheels is hollow and contains an interior
shaft; this latter bears a key or feather which passes through a slot cut for this
purpose in the hollow shaft and projects above the exterior of the said shaft to the
requisite amount. Each one of the loose gear wheels bears at its hub a series of
cavities the dimensions of which correspond exactly to the projection of the key or
feather aforesaid. The ends of the key, as also the ends of the solid parts of the
hub separating the cavities, are shaped to a point so as to permit of immediate
engagement in all positions. The cavities designed to engage the key for causing the:
revolution of the shaft occupy only a portion of the length of the hub of each gear
wheel; over the remaining part of this length the hub is completely cut out so as to.
have its free parts rather longer than the key. Owing to this arrangement the key
has always released one of the wheels before its engages with the next.
The slot cut in the hollow shaft for the passage of the key is of such length that
it admits of the longitudinal displacement of the said key which is effected at will.
by the action of a suitable mechanism upon a sleeve fixed to the internal shaft which
bears the key aforesaid; the first shaft being actuated by a continuous movement and
one of a constant speed communicated by the motor, it will suffice to act upon the
internal shaft of the second shaft to cause the key aforesaid to engage with one of
the loose gear wheels. This wheel causes its hollow shaft to revolve at a speed
corresponding to the proportion of its diameter in respect to that of the wheel which
drives it. The arrangement of the gearing thus permits to give the second shaft.
three different speeds. The movement is then transmitted to the wheels of the car..
or machine by the interposition of coned gearing and of chain wheels. In order that

page_text: this transmission of motion may be made in either direction we have devised the
following arrangement :-
The hollow shaft in question bears keyed to its end a coned wheel actuating
simultaneously two other coned wheels so placed that they receive motion in
opposite directions. These two coned wheels are loose upon a tube bearing the
differential gearing and a clutch sleeve or similar apparatus enables the tube of
the differential gearing to be actuated by one or other of the gear wheels aforesaid.
The wheels of the car or other machine can consequently be moved at will in the one
direction or in the other. It is obvious that modifications of detail may be made in
connection with the invention without departing from the principle thereof.
Tlated this 7th day of Ta1005
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322 High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
improved variable Speed Gearing.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S, M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool,
and 6, Bank Street Manchester, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Civil 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 a novel system of power transmission, designed especially
for use in automobile vehicles but which is of course applicable to many other
apparatuses.
I
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing the whole device.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the shaft 2 in the part which receives the straight
gearing.
Figure 3 is a front view of the central part of one of the gearings 11, 12,
and 13.
Figure 4 is a transverse section upon the line A B of Figure 3.
My system is composed of a first shaft 1 receiving its motion from the shaft 20
of the motor by means of friction cones 5 and 6. The control of the shaft 1 by the
motor may be effected by means of the arrangement of the central shaft 3 and of the
spring 7 as shown in the drawing or by any other suitable means, the shaft 1 has keyed
upon it 3 tooth wheels of different and progressive diameters 8, 9, and 10
engaging with 3 other tooth wheels 11, 12, and 13 which also of progressive
diameter but arranged inversely. These wheels 11, 12, and 13, are loose upon a
second shaft 2 parallel to shaft 1, but any one of them may be rendered rigid with its
shaft and caused to communicate its rotation to it by means of the following
arrangement.
The second shaft 2 bearing the loose tooth wheels 11, 12 and 13, is hollow and has
an internal shaft 4. This shaft carries a key or feather 14 which transverses the
hollow shaft 2 through a slot 18 cut for this apparatus, and projects above the surface
thereof as far as requisite. Each of the loose tooth wheels 11, 12, and 13, has at its
hub a series of slots 15 corresponding in size exactly to the dimensions of the
projection 14. The ends of this projection as well as the ends of the solid parts 16
of the hub, which parts separate the slots 15, are shaped to a point so as to facilitate
the immediate engaging in all positions. The slots 15 designed to receive the
feather for the locking arrangement only occupy a portion of the width of the hub

page_text: of each tooth wheel; upon the remainder of this width the hub is completely cut
out so as to form. free portions 26, a little longer than the feather 14. By these
means the said feather has always released one of the wheels when it enters into
connection with another one; the slot 18 cut in each hollow shaft for the passage of
the feather 14 is of such a length that it admits of the longitudinal displacement of
the said feather 14, which is separated at will by the action of a mechanism of any
kind upon a sleeve 19 in one piece with the internal shaft 4 which bears the same
piece 14. The first shaft 1 possessing a continuous movement and speed as communi-
cated by the motor, it is only requisite by acting upon the internal shaft 4 of the
second shaft 2 to cause its feather 14 to engage with one of the loose tooth
wheels 11, 12, or 13, when the said wheel will revolve its hollow shaft 2 at a speed
depending of course upon the relation of its diameter to that of the wheel which
engages with it. The arrangement of the gearing thus permits of communicating to
the second shaft three different speeds. The movement is then transmitted to the
vehicle wheels by means of cone gearing and chain wheels. In order that this
transmission of motion may be effected by wheels in either direction we make use of
the following device. The hollow shaft 2 above described has keyed to its end a cone
gearing 21 controlling at the same time two other cone gearings 22 and 23 so placed
that they receive motion in opposite direction. These two cone gearings are loose
upon a tube 24 bearing a differential gearing and a grip sleeve 25 or other apparatus
of the same kind which enables the tube of the differential gearing to be controlled
by one or the other of the said cone gearings. The wheels of the vehicle can
consequently be moved forwards or backwards.
It is understood that I may introduce in my invention various modifications of the
details without departing from the essential principle of the invention.
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 method of obtaining different speeds by the use of several tooth wheels
possessing different rotary speeds and mounted loosely upon one hollow shaft, so that
any one of the said wheels can at will, be firmly, connected to the said hollow shaft,
by means of a movable feather working longitudinally along the hollow shaft and
actuated by a central shaft substantially as described.
2. The method of obtaining backward or forward motion by the use of two
conical pinions mounted loosely upon the same shaft together with a clutch sleeve so
disposed as to render the said shaft solid with one or the other of the two conical
pinions substantially as described.
3. The improved system of gearing for motor vehicles and the like, substantially
as described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this on day of October 10.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322 High Holborn London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.