Improvements in Mechanical Variable Speed and Reversing Power Transmitter.
Year: 1898

page_text: Reprinted as amended in accordance with the decision of the Comptroller General,
dated the 16th day of September 1899.
Date of Application, 22nd Feb., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Mechanical Variable Speed and Reversing Power
Transmitter.
I, GEORGE JOHN ALTHAM, of Swansea, in the County of Bristol and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, 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, that is to say:-
This invention has relation to power transmitting mechanism, and is principally
designed for use on a vehicle propelled by an oil or gas motor, for imparting power
from the motor shaft to the shaft on which the driving wheels of the vehicle are
placed.
It is essential, in motor vehicles of this type, in which an oil or gas engine is
employed, that it should not be necessary to vary the speed of the engine, and there-
fore that the driving mechanism should be under the immediate control of an
operator and should be capable of such adjustment that the vehicle might be propelled
at any desirable rate of speed, and also that the mechanism should be capable of
rotating the driving wheels in either direction, without affecting or reversing the
motion or power shaft, or the motor.
My invention therefore consists of a power transmitter having certain features of
construction and arrangement, such as illustrated upon the drawings, and now to be
described in detail and pointed out in the claims, whereby the speed of the driven
shaft may be gradually varied from minimum to maximum, though the motor- or
power-shaft be rotating at its normal rate of speed, and whereby the direction of
rotation of the said driven shaft may be reversed, practically instantly, without a
corresponding reversal of the direction of rotation of the power shaft.
The invention also consists in other improvements all as shall now be explained.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters or figures
marked thereon, forming a part of this Specification, the same letters designating the
same parts or features, as the case may be, wherever they occur.
Of the drawings:
-
Figure 1 represents in side elevation one form of transmitter in which my
invention is embodied, the driving and driven shafts being both in section.
Fig. 2 represents the same in front elevation with the exception that the driven
shaft and the wheel by which power is imparted thereto, are omitted for the sake of
clearness.
Fig. 3 illustrates the clutch and other mechanism confined in the drum, which
latter is shown in section and the mechanism for imparting power to the wheel on the
driven shaft.

page_text: •
Fig. 4 represents a rear elevation of the end of the drum and the adjacent
mechanism.
Fig. 5 represents a rear end elevation of the drum, and the parts therein
confined.
Fig. 6 represents a central longitudinal section through the drum.
Fig. 7 represents on an enlarged scale a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6, showing one
of the clutches employed for imparting power from the power shaft.
Fig. 8 represents a rear end elevation of the parts mounted within the drum, the
end plate of the drum being removed.
Fig. 9 represents a cross section through the drum taken on the line 9-9
of Fig. 6.
Fig. 10 represents a sectional view of the cushioning and the brake mechanism
which is employed for the purpose of reversing the rotation of the driven shaft, as
will be hereinafter fully explained.
Fig. 11 represents a face view of one of the halves of the brake wheel shown
in Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 represents in section enlarged scale the sprocket wheel which may be
thrust into frictional engagement with a gear wheel on the driven shaft.
Figs. 13 and 14 represent, in different positions, the oscillating arms and the.
clutch levers which co-operate therewith to transmit power from the power shaft,
Fig. 14, also illustrating the mechanism for varying the speed of the driven shaft.
Fig. 15 represents a front elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 14.
Figs. 16 and 17 represent sections taken on the lines 16-16 and 17-17,
respectively.
Fig. 18 represents another form of transmitter which I have elected to
illustrate.
Fig. 19 represents a vertical transverse section, taken on the line 19-19, of Fig. 18,
looking in the direction of the arrow.
Fig. 20 represents an end elevation of the apparatus with the casing which
surrounds it broken away.
Fig. 21 represents in section the hanger which is mounted on the end of the
driving shaft, the gear wheel on the said shaft, and the pinion for driving the crank
from which power is transmitted to the clutches of the driven shaft.
Fig. 22 represents a plan view of the driven shaft, the casing being illustrated in
section.
Fig. 23 represents a horizontal section through the shaft, and the parts which are
mounted thereon.
Fig. 24 represents an enlarged view of the driven shaft with the oscillatory clutch
members partially broken away.
Fig. 25 represents a cross section on the line 25-25 of Fig. 24.
Fig. 26 represents a section on the line 26-26 of Fig. 24, looking in the direction
of the arrow.
Fig. 27 represents a section on the line 27-27 of Fig. 24.
Fig. 28 represents a section enlarged scale on the line 28-28 of Fig. 23.
Fig. 29 represents a section on the line 29-29 of Fig. 23.
Fig. 30 represents a section on the line 30-30 of Fig. 24.
Fig. 31 illustrates the sleeve for operating the clutch spiders.
Fig. 32 is a perspective view of the spider.
Figs. 33 and 34 represent the rings which are secured in the spider.
Fig. 35 is a perspective view of the sleeve shown in Fig. 31.
Figs. 36 and 37 show a slightly different form of the transmitter.
Figs. 38 to 40, inclusive, are diagrams illustrative of the movement of the
clutches.
As I have previously stated, my invention is particularly applicable for use on
vehicles employing oil or gas motors, and has been designed by me especially for the
purpose of transmitting power from the motor shaft thereof to the shaft on which the
driving wheels are mounted. I have not deemed it necessary, however, to illustrate

page_text: upon the drawings any of the parts of such a vehicle, or the motor therefor, and have
consequently shown two shafts (see Figs. 1 to 17, inclusive) indicated by a b,
respectively, and term them the motor, power, or driving shaft and the driven shaft,
with the understanding that the first may be either the shaft of the motor itself or a
shaft driven thereby, and the latter the shaft on which the driving wheels are mounted
or from which the power is transmitted to the driving wheel shaft.
Upon the shaft a is loosely mounted a sleeve a¹ and loosely mounted relatively to
the shaft and sleeve is a drum c having the end wall c¹ thereof formed into a hub c²
journaled on a reduced end of said sleeve. The drum projects beyond the end of the
shaft a and the sleeve a', and is provided with a centrally arranged spider c³, having its
hub journaled upon the hub of a plate d secured upon the end of shaft .
The sleeve and the drum are thus both loosely mounted relatively to the driving
shaft a and to each other, so that they may be rotated in opposite directions, and, as
will be afterwards shown, the driving shaft will rotate the driven shaft in one
direction by means of the drum, and in the other direction by means of the said
sleeve.
D
On the end of the shaft a, which projects a little way beyond the hub of the
spider c³ is formed or secured the said plate d having a slideway formed therein, as
shown in Figs. 6, 16, and 17.
A slide dis adjustable in the slideway and is formed with a rearwardly projecting
crank pin d2, said slide d' also having an internally threaded aperture to receive a
screw shaft d³ journaled in the said plate d and having a beveled friction wheel d
secured to one end. By rotating the said wheel d, the slide may be moved so as to
bring the crank pin in axial alinement with the shaft a, or else to force it radially of
the said shaft, as shown in Fig. 16.
Referring to Fig. 8, in connection with Figs. 16, and 17, it will be seen that I
provide three connecting rods e e e, all pivoted upon the crank pin d² and each
having its outer end pivoted to an arm e', extending inward from the end of a shaft e²
arranged parallel with the shaft a and journaled in ears e extending inward from
the cylindrical wall of the drum, and ears et extending inward from the flange of the
end plate of the drum.
Now, it will be seen that if the power shaft a be rotated, the movement of the
crank pin will, through the connecting rods e and the arms e¹, cause the oscillation
of the axially arranged shafts e², and that the degree of movement of the rock
shafts e2 may be varied by adjusting the crank pin in the plate d. I accomplish the
adjustment of the said pin by means of the following devices.
In connection with the friction wheel d on the screw shaft ds which is beveled, I
employ a ring f having its opposite flanges or edges f¹f beveled, so that if the
power shaft is rotated, and the said ring is moved to cause either of the said beveled
edges for f to impinge against the friction wheel d, the said wheel will be
rotated, and the crank pin will be moved towards or from the axial line of the
shaft a, as the case may be.
The ring is secured to a ring f³ of sheet metal, as shown in Figs. 6 and 8,
the last mentioned ring having radially projecting arms f* secured to lugs f pro-
jecting rearwardly from the arms of the spider c³.
By reason of the ring 3 being of flexible material, the ring ƒ may be moved
slightly axially of the shaft a to bring either the flange f¹ or the flange f2 thereof
into engagement with the friction wheel d. The wheel + and the ring f may be
formed with bevel teeth, if desired.
For the purpose of moving the said ring f, it is provided with lugs f6 from
which pins or rods f extend rearwardly and are pivoted to levers f³ fulcrumed in
the end plate ct of the drum. The said levers are arranged radially of the drum
and have their lower ends projecting into a grooved wheel on the forward end
of a sliding shaft 10 journaled in a hub c projecting rearwardly from the end
plate of the drum. On the rear end of the shaft f10 is a grooved wheel f¹ into
which pins 12 extend from the forked end of a hand lever f¹³, fulcrumed at f¹ on
a support fis, the last mentioned parts being illustrated in Fig. 2. By moving the

page_text: hand lever f¹³ to the right or to the left, the friction ring f may be thrust into
frictional engagement with the wheel d so as to adjust the crank pin with relation
to the shaft a, and thereby increase or decrease the arc of movement of the rock
shafts 2, as will be readily understood. When the crank pin is in alinement with
the shaft, the rock shafts are not oscillated, and by gradually adjusting the crank.
pin, they may be started with a very limited oscillation which may be increased to
a great or maximum extent, as desired.
Upon the sleeve a¹ are mounted six clutch members or collars g g, etc., which
occupy the space from the spider c³ to the end wall c¹ of the drum, and projecting
out from each collar y is an arm g¹ which is connected by a rod g² with an arm or
lever g³, projecting inwardly from one of the rock shafts e². The said rock shafts
are three in number as above stated, and are equally spaced in the drum, so that to
each arm g³ there are pivoted two diverging connecting rods g². Of course it will
be understood that the number of clutch members and rock-shafts may be increased
or decreased, as desired.
The clutch members or collars g are arranged in pairs and the arms g¹ of each pair
diverge, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14, so that the rods g² extend from their pivotal
points in the arms g³ to opposite sides of the collars.
I
The said sleeve a³ is provided with longitudinal slots co, the bottom walls of which
are eccentric to the interior walls of the collars g and in the cavities thus formed are
placed rolls c which are normally forced forward by springs 8 to frictionally connect
each collar with the sleeve, the last mentioned parts being more particularly shown
in Fig. 7.
Now, then, when the rock-shafts e² are rocked, the arms or levers g³ are oscillated
and the collars g of each pair are partially rotated in opposite directions about the
sleeve a¹. Hence when one of the arms g³ moves in a direction towards the sleeve a¹,
one of the collars is clutched to the sleeve a¹, to move it while the other collar moves
relatively thereto, and when the lever or arm g³ is moving in the opposite direction,
the collar which was operative during the first movement, is inoperative during
this movement and the other collar g operates to force the sleeve a¹ further around
in its rotation.
Inasmuch, however, as the three rock-shafts e² are placed at equal distance about
the central power shaft a, the revolution of the crank pin will cause the oscillations
of the said rock-shafts to occur successively, and hence only one of the clutches
operates at a time, and moreover, effects a forward rotation of the sleeve or the drum
only for a brief interval during the central portion of its movement. The central
portion of the inward movement of each arm g² is at a maximum or greater rate of
speed than the remainder of its movement, and hence by having the clutches operate
successively, during the central portion of this movement, the next clutch engages
the sleeve just prior to the preceding clutch releasing it, and in that way the rotation
of the sleeve or drum is practically constant. Of the clutches, one is always operating,
so that there is no time that the sleeve or drum is not being driven.
By reason of the drum and the sleeve being loose relatively to each other, I am
enabled to cause, through the operation of the clutches, the rotation of the drum in
one direction if the sleeve is held stationary to act as an abutment for the clutches,
or the rotation of the sleeve in the opposite direction if the drum be held sub-
stantially stationary.
The movement of the drum and of the sleeve may be alternately imparted to the
driven shaft through the medium of the devices to be now described. On the end
wall c¹ of the drum is secured an externally toothed ring or gear wheel which inter-
meshes with the toothed gear wheel i rigidly secured upon the driven shaft b. On
the end of the sleeve a¹ is rigidly secured a disk ; having a hub j¹. The disk is
formed with a concentric groove which is semi-circular in cross-section and which is
provided with stops or webs j2 projecting therefrom, as shown in Fig. 10.
upon the hub is a hub j formed on one end with a pinion j and on the other
end with a disk jo, confronting the disk j, and having a groove corresponding to the
groove in the disk j, as shown in Fig. 6 and in Fig. 11.
Placed

page_text: The said disk 15 is also provided with projecting webs or stops jo so that when the
two disks are placed side by side their grooves form a circle and the webs or stops jo
and 2 overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 10. Then in the sockets in the ring
formed by the two grooves is placed a series of coiled springs 77, each having one end
abutting against a web or stop 2 and its other abutting against a web or stop jo.
The hub is loose upon the hub j¹ but the two are locked together by the springs
which act as cushions to insure that the gear wheel j is driven with a constant speed,
and to equalize any slight inequality of movement that may be transmitted to the
sleeve a¹ by the clutches.
The disk is extended laterally at its outer end to form a band or brake-wheel ³
with two flanges on its peripheral edges, as shown in Figs. 1, 6, 10 and 11.
The brake-strap is passed under the brake wheel and has one end attached to the
lower arc-shaped end of a support m which support is provided with two rollers m¹
resting upon the wheel j³ near one edge thereof, as shown in Fig. 3.
The other end of the strap is attached to a lever m² mounted on a shaft m³
journalled in the support m, (see Fig. 10). The outer end of the shaft m³ is provided
with an arm m so that by rocking said arm, the band or brake strap may be caused
to tightly engage the band wheel or to release it, as desired.
The outer end of the arm m is connected by a rod m³ with the lower end of a
hand-lever m pivoted at m7 on a stationary support in so that the brake wheel and
therefore the sleeve a' may be locked against rotation by throwing the said hand
lever me to the left. The upper end of the support m is formed into a bearing
sleeve n, in which is journaled a friction wheel provided with sprocket teeth, as shown
in Fig. 12.
The said friction wheel consists of two beveled disks n² and n³, the former having
an internally threaded hub nt to receive a threaded pin n³ formed on the disk n³.
The hub n is journaled in the bearing n so that when the pin n has been screwed
into the hub of the disk n², the friction wheel is securely mounted in place. The
disk n³ is provided with a circumferential flange upon which are formed the sprocket
teeth no and between the sprocket wheel thus formed and the sprocket wheel j'
formed on the hub j³ extends an endless sprocket chain n', as shown in Figs. 1
and 3.
The gear
wheel i, which, as before stated, intermeshes with the gear-wheel hon
the drum c, is beveled as at 2 so as to project at times between the beveled inner
face of the disks n² n³, as shown in Fig. 12, in frictional engagement therewith.
The bearing sleeve n is provided with an outwardly projecting lug n¹ to which is
pivoted a rod m also pivoted at m¹0 to the hand lever mo.
Now it will be seen that by swinging the hand-lever me to the right, the connecting
rod me will force the friction wheel into engagement with the gear wheel i and will
release the brake mechanism and if it be thrown by the hand lever mo to the left, the
friction wheel will be thrown out of engagement with the gear wheel and the brake
strap will lock the brake wheel and the sleeve a¹ against movement.
I will now proceed to describe the operation of the transmitter :
Let it be assumed that the power shaft is rotated continuously in one direction
and that the crank pin d² is exactly in alinement with the shaft a, and that therefore
the drum and the sleeve a¹ are both stationary. Now, by means of the lever f18 the
friction ring f is thrust against the wheel d4 which is being revolved about the axis of
the shaft a, the said ring being held in engagement therewith until it has caused it
to rotate about its axis sufficiently to adjust the crank pin out of the central axial
line of the shaft a.
Thereupon the crank pin, through the connecting rods e and the arms e¹ imparts a
continuous rocking movement to the rock-shafts e², the hand lever mⓇ having been
previously shifted so as to lock the band wheel and the sleeve a¹ against rotation, and
to also withdraw the friction wheel from the gear wheel 2. The rocking of the
shafts e² will, through the clutch mechanisms on the sleeve a¹, rotate the drum in the
direction of the arrow 1, in Fig. 8, and will through the gear wheel h, rotate the gear
wheel in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figs. 1 and 8.

page_text: The speed with which the drum is revolved may be increased by forcing the crank
pin further away from the central axial line of the shaft a by the mechanism operated
through the lever f¹³.
In order to stop the rotation of the drum gradually the crank pin may be adjusted
so as to be in alinement with the shaft a by throwing the ring finto engagement
with the wheel d to rotate the screw in the direction opposite to which it is rotated
in forcing the crank pin away from the shaft. In order to reverse the direction of
rotation of the driven shaft b and the gear wheel i, the hand lever m is thrown to the
right so as to release the sleeve a¹ and to force the friction wheel into engagement
with the gear wheel i. The crank pin having been again adjusted, to cause the
oscillation of the rock shafts e², the clutch mechanism will operate to rotate the sleeve
which through the sprocket wheel, the chain 7, the sprocket wheel n and the
friction wheel on which the sprocket wheel no is formed, will rotate the gear wheel i
in the direction of the arrow 3.
During this time, the gear wheel is still intermeshed with the gear wheel h on the
drum, and acts as an abutment to resist the thrust of the levers g³, the connecting
rods g, and the clutches, in rotating the shaft, but the rotation of the drum, by
reason of the intermeshing of the gears h and i, will be so relatively slow as not to
affect the rotation of the sleeve, which is correspondingly rapid.
Of course it is necessary that in order for the sleeve to be rotated, the clutches
must operate against an abutinent just as the sleeve must be locked in order to
rotate the drum about it. And therefore the slow rotation of the drum in the same
direction in which the sleeve is being rotated, tends only to increase the speed of the
sleeve.
The drum is caused to rotate in the same direction as the power shaft when it is
propelling the carriage forward, and I am thereby enabled to obtain a very important
result. If the clutches were removed, and the drum held stationary, the rock shafts
would be oscillated once for each rotation of the power shaft, whereas, when the
clutches are operating and the drum is rotating in the direction of the power shaft,
the oscillations decrease in number, since the greater the speed of rotation, the less in
number are the oscillations of the rock-shafts. By reason of this arrangement, I am
enabled to reduce the wear of the parts, and an also enabled to prevent, in a large
measure, a corresponding increase in the inertia of the moving parts. The mechanism
acts as a "slowing down" gearing, and even when the drum is rotating at its
maximum speed, the driven shaft rotates at a rate one-third of the speed of the
power shaft.
The drum likewise acts as a momentum or fly-wheel to assist in forcing the vehicle
over a small stone or other obstruction, and renders the use of an additional fly-wheel
unnecessary. And, moreover, by employing the cushioning devices, i.e., the brake-
wheel provided with the springs for locking the sleeve, and forming a yielding
abutment for the clutches to operate the drum, the motor is not affected by the
vehicle meeting an ordinary obstruction. The drum is employed for driving the
vehicle forward, since it is in that direction that it is necessary to attain any great
amount of speed, whereas the sleeve is rotated for the purpose of backing the vehicle,
or as a brake for the friction wheel which engages the gear wheel i may be employed
to check its rotation and rapidly bring it to a state of rest. This is an important
feature of the invention, as, if the vehicle be travelling forward at a high rate of
speed, it may be halted or stopped by merely reversing the hand lever me and throwing
the drum out of operation and throwing the sleeve a¹ into operation. The friction
wheel which engages the wheel i is of relatively small diameter, as it is unnecessary to
have the vehicle back at any great rate of speed, and as it is seldom necessary to back
a motor vehicle for more than a few moments at a time.
Now referring to Figs. 18 to 40, inclusive, the driving shaft which is indicated
at o extends into the journal bearing o¹, formed on the side of a casing o² into which
the shaft projects. The casing is of the shape indicated in Figs. 18, 19, 20 and 22,
although this particular shape is not essential.
Between the journal bearing o' and the shaft o is placed the sleeve or hub p15 of a

page_text: hanger p which is U-shaped, as shown in Fig. 21. Between the two arms of the
hanger is placed a large gear wheel p¹, rigidly secured to the shaft o and intermeshing
with a pinion p2 secured to a shaft 3 mounted in the hanger and projecting forward
therefrom. The shaft p³ is provided with a crank arm pt out from one end of which a
crank pin p³ extends the other end of the crank arm being weighted.
To the sleeve p15 is rigidly secured the hub p of a hand lever p7 so that by
swinging the lever around the shaft o as a fulcrum, the position of the hanger may
be changed as desired without affecting the operative relationship of the gear
wheel p¹ and the pinion p². The hanger may be held in any desired position by a
latch p adapted to enter any one of a series of notches in a segment rack p³, the latch
being drawn out from engagement with the notches by a thunb lever 10, fulcrumed
at pl, and connected to the latch by a rod p¹², which may, if desired, be an extension
of the latch itself.
A spring p13, presses againt the end p¹+ of the thumb lever pio so as to hold the
latch ps normally in one of the notches in the rack-bar. The lever extends up to the
reach of the person who is guiding the vehicle and may be placed in any desired
position.
The driven shaft which is indicated at 7 is mounted in bearings 03 03 in the barrel-
like or cylindrical end of of the casing 02. Upon this shaft are placed the driving
wheels of the vehicle or else it is connected to the shaft upon which the said wheels
are placed. Between the bearings 03 upon the shaft q is placed a sleeve q¹, which is
yieldingly connected to the shaft by means which I shall now describe.
Rigidly secured to the shaft q by a tapering pin is the hub 1 of a disk 2 which
is provided with an annular or concentric groove, semi-cylindrical in cross-section.
And confronting this disk 2 is a similar disk 3 whose hub is rigidly secured to
the end of the sleeve q¹.
The disk and the disk 2 form a circular concentric groove and they are provided
with projecting webs or stops r6 r7 which overlap each other, as shown in Fig. 29, and
between which are placed cushioning springs r³. Now, then, it will be seen that
while the sleeve q¹ is secured to the shaft q so as to cause it to turn therewith, yet at
the same time it is capable of a slight movement relatively thereto by reason of the
resiliency of the springs. Hence by imparting motion to the sleeve it will be
transmitted to the shaft and even though the movement of the said sleeve may be
slightly irregular, the springs will cause it to be transmitted to the shaft in such
way that the movements of the shaft will be regular and even, within the limit of the
cushioning power of the said springs.
For the purpose of imparting a rotary movement to the sleeve, I employ clutches
operated from the crank pin p5, as I shall now proceed to describe.
The sleeve gl is formed with enlarged flanges 92 which constitute driven clutch
members and placed upon them are two rings s 8 which constitute driving clutch
members. The driven clutch members q2 q² are each recessed to provide double
wedge-shaped apertures q³, as shown in Fig. 28, and in the apertures are placed
clutch rolls 8. The walls of each cavity are doubly eccentric so that if the said rolls
are moved to one end of the cavity, the clutch member q2 will be driven in one
direction, and if shifted to the other side of the cavity, it will be driven in the
opposite direction.
The rolls are held from longitudinal movement by a ring 95 as is more particularly
shown in Fig. 24. When the clutch rolls s¹ are in a position substantially half-way
between the ends of the cavities q³, they are inoperative, and though the driving
clutch members be operated, they will affect no movement of the driven
members.
The driving clutch members 8 8 are provided with oppositely extending arms 8³, as
shown in Fig. 18, connected together by toggle links s8, the pivot 88 connecting
the said links being connected to the crank pin p³ by a connecting rods, and being
also connected to a stationary pivot & by a connecting rod s².
Now it is apparent that when the crank is revolved through the medium of the
pinion p² and the large gear wheel pl, it will cause the opposite oscillation of the

page_text: arms 8383, and a corresponding opposite oscillation of the driving clutch members 8,
so that when the crank pin is moving towards the shaft q, one of the driving
clutch members is locked to one of the driven clutch members so as to move the
sleeve q', and the shaft q with it for a portion of a revolution and when the crank
pin is moving in the opposite direction, the other clutch member will be actuated
and locked to its co-acting driven clutch member 92 to carry the sleeve q¹ still further
around, this successive operation of the two clutches causing finally a complete
rotation of the shaft g.
For the purpose of shifting the clutch rolls s¹, I provide a spider, as shown in
Fig. 32, consisting of two rings t t¹, connected together by rods 2 passing through
elongated apertures q in the driven clutch members of the sleeve. At each end of
the spider are three rings u, u¹ u², each of which is provided with two inwardly pro-
jecting fingers u³ u³ which lie on either side of one of the clutch rolls 8¹, there being
a ring for each roll.
A ring is passed through eyes 5 in lugs u of the rings, and
through eyes 12 in lugs 13 of the rings t t of the spider, and springs are coiled
about the said ring and have their ends abutting against the lugs (3 and the
lugs u so that the said rings u u¹ u² are yieldingly connected to the spider. Hence
by partially rotating the spider in one direction or the other, the clutch rolls may be
shifted from one operative position to the other to reverse the direction of movement
or cause a cessation of movement of the sleeve q¹ and the shaft q, as will be readily
understood.
For causing this partial rotation of the spider, the ring t is provided with an out-
wardly projecting huby having a pin ¹, the said hub or sleeve v being loose relative
to the sleeve q¹.
The sleeve 2 is of the same diameter as the hub and is rigidly secured to the
sleeve q', being provided with a spline v³ which projects into a groove or key-way in
a longitudinal sliding sleeve vs. The said sleeve v5 is provided internally with a
spiral groove 6 into which the pin v projects, and has flanges between which a
pin on the end of the hand lever v extends. The hand lever is pivoted at 10
and projects through the casing of so as to be reached by a person on the
vehicle.
By swinging the lever on its fulcrum, the sleeve is moved longitudinally
and by reason of its cam and slot connection with the hub of the spider, it
causes the partial rotation of the spider, and a shifting of the clutch rolls s¹, as will be
understood.
The clutch shifting rings u ul u² are yieldingly connected to the spider for the
reason that when one set of clutch rolls is operating, and the lever is shifted, it is
impossible to unlock the said rolls, although the other set of rolls will be shifted by
the movement of the spider, and hence the springs t cause the said first-
mentioned rolls to be immediately shifted into their other positions as soon as they
are released by their driving clutch member being reciprocated in the opposite
direction.
In Figs. 36 and 37, a transmitter is shown in which I dispense with the swinging
guide or link 87.
In this event, I provide guides xx, supported by brackets x x for
the pivot s which connects the toggle levers 8+ 84 and the rod 85.
The degree of movement of the clutch members may be varied from practically
zero or minimum to maximum, by shifting the hand lever p' and with it the
pinion 2 and the crank arm operated thereby.
Referring to Figs. 38, 39, and 40, I have shown diagrams illustrating how the
range of movement of the arms 83 of the driving clutch members may be varied
and the speed of the driven shaft q regulated through the movement of the hand
lever.
In Fig. 38, the hand lever is shifted to its limit at the right so that the
arms 3 are oscillated through their greatest arc of movement, as shown by
dotted lines, so that the driven shaft is rotated, at its greatest maximum
speed.
In Fig. 39, the hand lever is shown as occupying a central position and the arms 83

page_text: have a limited oscillation so as to cause the driven shaft to be rotated at a moderate
rate of speed.
In Fig. 40, however, the hand lever is shifted to the extreme of its movement
to the left and the arms s³ are separated so that the pivot 88 has a movement
to each side of a line connecting the pivots so whereby the arms e³ are practically
not oscillated at all.
And hence it will be seen that the more acute the angle of the two arms s³,
the greater is the oscillation of the said arms and the greater the speed of the
driven shaft.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and yet
highly efficient mechanism for transmitting the power from a continuously
rotating motor shaft of a vehicle to the driven shaft. The speed of the driven
shaft may be varied at will, and may be stopped or reversed, without affecting the
movement of the driving shaft.
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. A power transmitter, comprising a constantly rotating power shaft, a reversible
driven shaft, means for imparting power from the power shaft to the driven shaft,
said means including devices for regulating the speed of the driven shaft, and
devices for reversing the direction of rotation of the driven shaft substantially as
described.
2. A-power-transmitter, comprising a constantly rotating-power-shaft,-a-reversible
driven-shaft, means driven by the power-shaft for rotating the-driven-shaft-menus
for-varying the speed of the driven-shaft from zero to maximum;-and-means-for
reversing the direction-of-rotution-of-the-driven-shaft.
3. A-power-transmitter, comprising a constantly rotating-power-shaft,-a-driven
shaft,-means-driven-by-the-power-shaft for rotating- the-driven shaft, said-means
including clutches and a screw-shaft-for-varying-their-throw-for-gradually varying
the speed of the-driven-shaft-from substantially-zero-to maximum;-and-devices-for
disconnecting the driven-shaft-from-the-power-shuft.
4. A-power-transmitter-comprising a shaft, reciprocating clutches on-the-shuft,
means-operated by the-driving-chaft-for netuating said clutches,-and-a-controllable
serew-shaft-having-connections-for-varying-the-degree of movement of the clutches.
2. A power transmitter comprising a shaft and a sleeve thereon, clutches on the
sleeve such clutches being on and having diverging arms, reciprocating means actuated
from the driving shaft, and rods connecting said diverging arms with said means, as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. 6. A power transmitter comprising a driven shaft and a sleeve thereon, clutches on
the sleeve such clutches being on and having diverging arms, reciprocating means
actuated from the driving shaft, rods connecting said diverging arms with said means,
and means for varying the movement of the said diverging arms substantially as set forth.
7. A-power-transmitter comprising a-shaft, a-sleeve on the shaft, oscillatory-clutch
members-on-the-sleeve, means for oscillating said-clutch-members-simultaneously in
opposite-directions, and means operated by the driving shaft for actuating said
means.
4. A power transmitter comprising a driven shaft, clutch members on said shaft
such clutches being on and-having diverging arms, toggle levers connecting said arms,
means for reciprocating the connecting pivot of the two toggle levers, means for
reversing the operations of the clutch members, and means for varying the position
or location in which said pivot reciprocates without varying the extent of movement
substantially as described.
5. 9. A power transmitter comprising a shaft, oppositely actuated clutch members
thereon, a crank connected to said clutch members, and means for adjusting the
pivot of the crank towards and from the driven shaft whereby the crank is bodily
adjusted to regulate the degree of movement of the clutch members.
R

page_text: 6. 10. A power transmitter, comprising a shaft, independent clutch members for
actuating said shaft, toggle levers for operating said clutch members, means for
reciprocating the pivot of the toggle levers to actuate the clutch. members, and
adjusting devices for varying the position. of the said means to regulate the movement
of the clutch members substantially as described.
11. A power transmitter comprising a shaft, a-eluteh member thereon, and-having
an-arm, a-crank, two-pivoted levers-connecting said-erank with the arm, a guide for
the-pivot of the said-levers, and means--for varying the-position-of-the-axis-of-rota-
tion of said-crank.
7. 12. A power transmitter comprising a power shaft having a gear wheel rigid
therewith, a pinion meshing with the gear wheel, means for adjusting the pinion
while so meshed, a driven shaft, an oscillatory clutch mechanism on the driven shaft,
pivoted levers connecting the clutch mechanism with the pinion, and a guide for the
pivot of the said levers substantially as described.
8. 13. A power transmitter comprising a shaft, a sleeve on said shaft, opposing
stops or abutments carried by said shaft and sleeve, springs interposed between said
stops or abutments to act in opposite directions, clutches on the sleeve, and means
for actuating said clutches to alternately engage and move said sleeve substantially as
described.
14. A power-transmitter-comprising-driven-eluteh-members, driving-clutch-mem
bers, means for causing said driving clutch-members to alternately-engage-and
operate-caid-driven-clutch-members, a shaft and a plurality of oppositely-neting
springs-connecting-the-driven-clutch members-with-the-shaft:
9. 5. A power transmitter comprising a shaft, driven clutch members thereon,
oppositely actuated driving clutch members, clutch rolls inserted between the clutch
members, means for shifting said clutch rolls into and out of their operative positions,
and means for adjusting the extent of movement of the clutch.
10. 16. A power transmitter comprising a shaft, driven clutch members thereon,
oppositely actuated driving clutch members, clutch rolls inserted between the clutch
members, a spider having means controlling said clutch rolls, and means for adjusting
said spider to simultaneously vary the positions of the rolls of both of the oppositely
actuated clutches to start, stop, or reverse the shaft.
11. 17. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a shaft, driven clutch
members thereon, oscillatory alternately acting driving clutch members, there being
double wedge-shaped cavities between the said driving and the said driven clutch
members, two independent sets of clutch rolls in said cavities, and yielding means for
simultaneously shifting both of said sets of clutch rolls in said cavities.
12. 18. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a shaft, a driven clutch
member thereon, a driving clutch member, there being wedge shaped cavities between
said clutch members, independent clutch rolls in said cavities, and an independent
yielding device for each clutch roll to vary its position.
13. 19. A power transmitting mechanism comprising a shaft, a driven clutch
member thereon, a driving clutch member, there being wedge-shaped cavities between:
said clutch members, independent clutch rolls in said cavities, an independent device
controlling the movement of each roll, and a spider, yieldingly connected to said
devices, for operating them.
14. 20. A power transmitter comprising a continuously rotating driving shaft, a
driven shaft, rotatable in opposite directions with varying speed, oppositely reciprocat-
ing clutches for imparting power to said driven shaft, means for varying the move-
ment of said clutches, and means for reversing the direction of rotation of said driven
shaft substantially as described..
Dated this 21st day of February 1808
GEORGE JOHN ALTHAM,
Per Samuel Hey,
Agent