Improvements in Variable Speed Gears.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 1st Oct., 1891-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Gears.
JOHN THOMAS MOORE The Firs Langley Macclesfield Cheshire Chair
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN VARIABLE SPEED GEARS to be as follows:-
An arrangement for obtaining 2 or more speeds by the use of the sun & planet
motion. call the sun wheel No. 1 planet wheel No. 2 & the internal toothed
spur wheel No. 3.
It
The carrier of No. 2 is usually loose upon the shaft between No. 1 & No. 3.
is continued to the outside of No. 3 to form a chain, tooth, pulley or other wheel,
as required; I have 1 speed by locking No. 1 & 3 to shaft and 1 speed by
locking No. to frame & No. 3 to shaft & another speed by locking No. to frame
& No. 1 to shaft. This gear is applicable to chaff cutters velocipedes, lathes &
other machinery where a variable speed is required.
Dated this 31st day of December 1890.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Variable Speed Gears.
I JOHN THOMAS MOORE of Langley near Macclesfield in the County of
Chester, Chair Manufacturer 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 to improvements in variable speed gears designed
principally for bicycles and other velocipedes, but the invention can also be
applied to other machines where a variable reduced or increased speed is required.
The nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the annexed sheet of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 on the drawing is an elevation (partly in section) of my improved
variable speed gear, and
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the same drawn full size.
a represents the driving axle, 6 a stud wheel by which the driving power is
transmitted by means of a chain in the ordinary manner.
In my invention three kinds of toothed wheels are employed and are arranged as
in the well-known "sun-and-planet" motion: c is the sun-wheel, d the planet
wheel and e an internal toothed wheel which will call the "spur wheel."
с
The planet-wheel d is carried on a stud screwed into a collar g which is placed
between the sun-wheel c and spur wheel e and this stud f and two other screws f¹
connect it to the face of the wheel outside the spur wheel e which is provided
with studs b or other surfaces for driving.
The sun-wheel C the spur-wheel e and the collar g carrying the planet wheel d
are all loose upon the axle a.
The external faces of the bosses of the sun-wheel c and spur wheel e are made in
the form of clutches the other halves of which and e' slide upon keys or feathers
on the axle a so that by sliding these movable clutches c' and e¹ one or both of
these wheels may be secured to the axle a. Or, they may be out of gear with the
movable clutches and prevented from revolving by means of a guider stop as
hereinafter mentioned.

page_text: The movement of the clutches c¹ and e¹ to throw the clutches into or out of gear
may be effected in any convenient manner but for the sake of illustration I have
shown on Fig. 2 an arrangement which I have found convenient for application to
a bicycle, or other similar velocipede.
Each of the clutches c¹ and e¹.is provided with a neck or depression in which
slides a fork h which is capable of sliding to and fro in fixed sockets. This fork is
made with two inclined planes and k and as it is moved in either direction
these inclines move either of the clutches c¹ or e' into or out of gear as the case may
be. The fork is also provided with two stops or holding catches m m¹ which when
either of the clutches or e¹ is engaged with its respective wheel c or e comes into
a notch on boss of the opposite wheel and prevents it from revolving with the
axle a.
The following description shows how two decreased rates of speed may be
obtained in addition to the normal speed.
In driving at full or normal speed both the sun-wheel c and spur wheel e are
fastened or secured to the axle a by means of their respective clutch boxes, the
fork then being in its central position.
For medium speed the sun-wheel c is liberated from the axle and prevented from
revolving by the catch m' (see Fig. 2) the "planet" combination revolving at
about the difference between the number of teeth on the "sun
and "spur
wheels.
"
"
For lowest speed the spur-wheel e is thrown out of gear and prevented from
revolving and the speed reduced to about the number of times the teeth of the sun-
wheel c will divide into the teeth of the spur-wheel e.
If increase from the normal rate of speed be desired the driving must be
reversed, that is to say the axle must be driven by (instead of driving) the
gear..
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
cclaim is :-
First. The combination with a "
sun and planet" motion of two clutches
whereby either the "sun-wheel" or the outer "spur wheel" can be locked to the
axle, in conjunction with two holding catches for simultaneously preventing the
revolution of the wheel which is unlocked substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawing annexed.
Secondly. The combination of the wheel b and the collar g which carries the
stud of the planet wheel, all substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the drawing annexed.
Dated this 30th day of September 1891.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.