Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
I ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH of 208 Choumert Road, Peckham, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to n combined crank and differential gear for use in connection
with the motors of mechanically driven vehicles, the object being to provide a means
to compensate the difference of rotation between a pair of coupled steering wheels
when turning corners, or travelling in a circle, so that the engine may directly exert
its force upon the wheel axles through the action of its crank, and not through the
intervention of chain or other gear as is required when "Starley's" or other known
differential apparatus is used.
To carry the invention into practice the crank proper is mounted loosely within
the inner ends of the driving wheel axles; upon the inner end of say the left hand
driving wheel axlo an externally toothed wheel is formed or fixed; and upon the
inner end of the right hand driving wheel axle an internally toothed wheel is formed
or fixed.
The crank forms the connection between the two inner ends of the driving wheel
axles and in order that the rotation of the crank may also rotate both driving wheel
axles, the crank pin is bored and a spindle fitted within it the ends of which project
through the crank webs sufficiently to carry two toothed pinious, one to gear with the
externally toothed wheel beforementioned and the other with the internally toothed
wheel, so that either wheel can be revolved separately causing the crank to turn and
the pinion to rotate over the teeth of the wheel fixed to the axle of the stationary
wheel, but each wheel can be turned to an equal degree if the crank is rotated, whereby
it follows thut the vehicle can be more easily turned and steered.
The crank pin in some cases may be fixed to or form the connecting rod end and
be allowed to turn in ball or other bearings in the crank webs, and by gearing into
other wheels fixed to the driving wheel axles enables the ratio of movement of the
crank relatively to that of the axles to be increased or decreased for power or speed
purposes, but in any case it is preferably fitted with the differential turning gear as
before described.
Dated this 25th day of August. 1896
A Combined Orank and Differential Gear.
I ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH of 20 Hinckley Road, East Dulwich, late of
5 208 Choumert Road Peckham 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 :-

page_text: This invention relates to a combined crank and differential gear for use in connection
with the motors of mechanically driven vehicles, the object being to provide a means
to compensate the difference of rotation between a pair of coupled steering wheels
when turning corners or travelling in a circle, so that the engine may directly exert
its force upon the wheel axles through the action of its crank, and not through the
intervention of chain or other gear as is required when "Starleys" or other known
differential apparatus is used.
The method of and means for carrying my invention into practice will be under-
stood by the accompanying drawing in which it will be seen that the crank A is
mounted loosely within the inner ends of the driving wheel axles, B, B'.
Upon the inner end of say the left hand driving wheel axle B, an internally toothed
wheel C is formed thereon or fixed thereto, and upon the inner end of the right hand
driving wheel axle an externally toothed wheel D' is formed or fixed.
The crank A forms the connection between the two inner ends of the driving wheel
axles B, B, and in order that the rotation of the crank A may also rotate both driving
wheel axles, the crank pin E is bored, and a spindle F, is fitted within or through it,
the ends of which project through the crank far enough to carry two toothed
pinions G, G, one to gear with the externally toothed wheel D beforementioned, and
the other with the internally toothed wheel C, by which means either driving wheel
can be revolved separately, thereby causing the crank to turn and the pinion to
revolve over the other or stationary wheel. Thus if the crauk be rotated by the
engine and the resistance is equal on both axles B, B', the crank turns each axle to
the same degree, but if the resistance to rotation is greater in one axle say B than
in the other axle B such as when turning a corner then the pinion G, will
revolve over the internal teeth of the wheel C, and proportionately increase the speed
of the axle B', for that wheel to travel round the outer circle when the vehicle is
turning a corner or moving round in a circle and vice versa when turning in the
opposite direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1. Loosely mounting a crauk within the inner ends of the driving axles of a vehicle,
and fitting an internally toothed wheel to one end of one of said axles, and an
externally toothed wheel to the end of the other of said axles, and connecting
same, by pinions fixed on the end of a spindle that passes through the crank pin,
all arranged substantially as described & shewn, and operating in the manner set
⚫ forth.
2. The combination with a divided axle of a crank, and an internally & externally
toothed wheel, and a spindle & pinions arranged as described & shown.
Dated this 25th day of May 1896.
ALFRED GEORGE MELHUISH.