Improvements in Speed Changing Mechanism, chiefly Designed for Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
apprivation, YIN NOV., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Aug., 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept.. 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Speed Changing Mechanism, chiefly Designed for
Motor Vehicles.
I, ALFRED GEORGES DELBRUCK, of 7, Rue Garnier, Nice, Department of Alpes
Maritimes, in the Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a speed changing mechanism of great simplicity and
which is more especially applicable to motor cycles.
In carrying my invention into practice I mount upon the shaft of the motor,
which is suitably prolonged, a short hollow shaft which is rigidly connected
with the said motor shaft by means of a tubular nut which is screwed upon the
screw-threaded extremity of the motor shaft. Two parallel side plates united
by a wall are journalled upon this hollow shaft.
The said plates or cheeks form a gear-case supporting and protecting the parts
which I will now describe, the form of which is determined by the form of these
parts when assembled as a whole.
Upon the hollow shaft is rigidly fixed a driving wheel or pinion which gears
with two gear wheels hereinafter termed first and second gear wheels rotating
upon axes mounted between the cheeks.
These first and second gear wheels mesh with two gear-wheels which I will
term the third and fourth gear wheels rotating upon axes which are likewise
mounted between the cheeks or plates; these third and fourth gear-wheels are
rigidly connected with pinions either of which, as hereinafter explained, may
gear with the large toothed wheel rigidly fixed to the driving shaft, in the case
of a tricycle.
The whole assemblage of side plates and of the shafts and pinions supported by
them being journalled upon the driving shaft, it is only necessary to cause such
assemblage to pivot slightly around this axis in order to bring into engagement
with the large toothed wheel either the pinion of the third wheel or the pinion of
the fourth wheel which pinions are driven by the motor by means of the third and
fourth wheels which gear with the first and second wheels respectively, these
atter gearing with the driving wheel or pinion which is rigidly attached to the
motor shaft.
It will therefore be understood that the large toothed wheel may be driven
with two different speeds depending upon the ratios of the different gear wheels.
This angular displacement of the frame around the axis may be effected by
ny appropriate means, for example by means of a rod jointed to this frame or
ear case and which terminates in a lever arranged within reach of the driver of
he vehicle.
In the apparatus herein described, perfect lubrication is ensured by means
f passages which lead from an oil reservoir extending within the thickness of
ne of the side plates in such a manner as to lubricate the whole of the axes
nd for this purpose they communicate with passages formed in the thickness of
uch axes.

page_text: The gear case contains in addition a certain quantity of oil serving to ensure
the lubrication of the toothed surfaces; this oil may be run off through an aper-
ture closed by a plug.
It will be noticed that, in addition to the speed changing which may be
effected by it, my invention also enables the motor to be completely thrown
out of gear, which is most advantageous should an accident happen to the motor,
as the driver may propel his vehicle by pedalling in this case disengagement
is effected merely by placing the plates or cheeks in a position such that
neither of the gear wheels (the third or fourth wheels) meshes with the large
toothed wheel. Hitherto, in order to throw the motor of a motor cycle out of
gear, it has been necessary to entirely dismount the small pinion rigidly attached
to the shaft of the motor thus in addition to its use as a speed-changing device,
my improved mechanism presents this further advantage.
I reserve the right to introduce into the device which I have described all
such constructional modifications and details as do not affect its principle. Thus,
for example, the various axes may be mounted in ordinary or in ball bearings,
the teeth of the gear wheels may be different from the usual straight cut teeth,
and so forth.
It should also be remarked that the third and fourth gear-wheels might be
driven directly by the pinion instead of by means of the intermediate or first
and second gear-wheels, and I reserve the right to employ this modification;
although the arrangement described ensures a more regular working.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Speed Changing Mechanism, chiefly Designed for
Motor Vehicles.
I, ALFRED GEORGES DELBRUCK, of 7, Rue Garnier, Nice, Department of Alpes
Maritimes, 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:-
1
This invention relates to a speed-changing mechanism of great simplicity and
which is more especially applicable to motor cycles.
In order that my invention may be readily and clearly understood I have
represented the mechanism in the accompanying drawing; in which;:
Figure 1 is an external view of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a partial sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure 1, and
Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevation of a motor cycle to which my mechanism
is adapted.
In carrying my invention into practice I mount upon the shaft A of the motor,
which is suitably prolonged, a short hollow shaft B which is rigidly connected with
the said motor shaft A by means of a tubular nut 6 which is screwed upon the
screw-threaded extremity of the motor shaft A. Two parallel side plates C C¹
united by a wall e, are journalled upon this hollow shaft B.
The said plates or cheeks C C form a gear-case supporting and protecting the
parts which I will now describe, the form of which is determined by the form of
these parts when assembled as a whole.
Upon the hollow shaft B is rigidly fixed a driving wheel or pinion D which

page_text: gears with two gear-wheels E and F rotating upon axes mounted between the
cheeks.
These gear wheels E and F mesh with two gear-wheels G and H rotating upon
axes and h which are likewise mounted between the cheeks or plates C C¹;
these gear-wheels G and H are rigidly connected with pinions G H either of
which, as hereinafter explained, may gear with the large toothed wheel I rigidly
'fixed to the driving shaft, in the case of a tricycle.
The whole assemblage of side plates C C and of the shafts and pinions supported
by them being journalled upon the driving shaft AB, it is only necessary to
cause such assemblage to pivot slightly around this axis in order to bring into
engagement with the toothed wheel I, either the pinion G or the pinion H
which pinions are driven by the motor by means of the pinions G and H which
gear with the pinions E and F respectively, these latter gearing with the driving
wheel or pinion D which is rigidly attached to the motor shaft A B.
It will therefore be understood that the large toothed wheel I may be driven
with two different speeds depending upon the ratios of the different gear wheels.
This angular displacement of the frame C c C around the axis A B may be
effected by any appropriate means, for example by means of a rod J jointed to
this frame or gear case at ; and which terminates in a hand lever arranged
within reach of the driver of the vehicle.
In the apparatus herein described, perfect lubrication is ensured by means of
passages which lead from an oil reservoir K extending within the thickness of
one of the side plates in such a manner as to lubricate the whole of the axes
and for this purpose they communicate with passages ¹¹ formed in the thickness
of such axes.
The gear case contains in addition a certain quantity of oil serving to ensure
the lubrication of the toothed surfaces; this oil may be run off through an
aperture closed by the screw plug L.
It will be noticed that, in addition to the speed changing which may be effected
by it, my invention also enables the motor to be completely thrown out of gear,
which is most advantageous should an accident happen to the motor, as the driver
may propel his vehicle by pedalling; in this case disengagement is effected merely
by placing the plates or cheeks CC in a position such that neither of the gear
wheels G H meshes with the large toothed wheel I. Hitherto, in order to
throw the motor of a motor cycle out of gear, it has been necessary to entirely
dismount the small pinion rigidly attached to the shaft of the motor; thus in
addition to its use as a speed changing device, my improved mechanism presents
this further advantage.
I reserve the right to introduce into the device which I have described all such
constructional modifications and details as do not affect its principle. Thus, for
example, the various axes may be mounted in ordinary or in ball bearings, the
teeth of the gear-wheels may be different from the usual straight cut teeth, and so
forth.
It should also be remarked that the gear-wheels G and H might be driven
directly by the pinion D instead of by means of the intermediate gear wheels E
and F, and I reserve the right to employ this modification; although the arrange-
ment described ensures a more regular working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A speed-changing mechanism more especially applicable to motor cycles,
essentially constituted by a frame journalled upon the driving shaft and support-
ing shafts upon which rotate gear-wheels driven either directly or indirectly by
a pinion rigidly fixed upon the driving shaft and which are rigidly attached to
other gear-wheels capable of gearing with a toothed wheel rigidly fixed to the
driven shaft in such a manner as to drive this latter by one or other of these last

page_text: mentioned gear-wheels, according as the frame is caused to rotate by a certain
amount in one direction or the other around the driving shaft, in order to engage
one of them with the driven wheel, as explained and specified above with reference
to the accompanying drawing.
2. The arrangements as a whole and the different constructional details of
the speed-changing mechanism more especially applicable to motor cycles which
has been described above as a whole and in detail with reference to the
accompanying drawing.
Tatthin 2nd law of Aroust 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.