Improvements in or relating to Devices for Tightening Belts or other * Driving Gear in Self-propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: . Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
",
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Devices for Tightening Belts or other
* Driving Gear in Self-propelled Vehicles.
1, CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN of Vernon Lodge, Eastnor Grove Leamington
in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 'to be as follows:-
This invention relates to devices for tightening the driving gear such for
example as belts or chains in self-propelled vehicles where a difficulty is experi-
enced in consequence of the road driving wheels of the vehicle to which the power
must be imparted being carried upon springs while the engine or intermediate
shaft from which the power is taken is usually.connected with some fixed portion
of the mechanism so that it cannot be shifted for the purpose of tightening.
Jockey wheels or the like may be employed for tightening, but these increase the
friction and complication and are undesirable.
In carrying out my invention I secure the springs which carry the driving
road wheels of the vehicle upon a frame or equivalent adapted to be moved upon
the main frame of the vehicle so that the springs and wheels can be adjusted
together and the previously experienced difficulty of adjusting the belts overcome.
A suitable arrangement is to form the main frame of the vehicle of parallel flat
plates connected at the ends, or a single piece may be carried round for the two
sides and one end, or the two sides and both ends, and the ends rivetted up. Upon
this frame a bar or frame at each side--one for each spring is arranged to slide
upon the main frame, the bar being provided with lugs or ears to hold on to the
edges of the main frame and connected to it by a suitable number of bolts passing
through holes in the bar and slots in the main frame or vice versa. When these
bolts are slackened the sliding frame can be shifted, but when they are screwed
up it is firmly fixed to the main frame. For the purpose of making the necessary
adjustment I prefer to employ a screw device say for example a bolt passing
through the end of the main frame and engaging with a screwed lug or nut
secured upon the bar so that when the bolt is turned it will move the bar; a
lock nut or equivalent may be provided for securing the bolt. A stay between
the engine or intermediate shaft and the axle of the road wheels may be used
and by preference made in two pieces screwed right or left with a correspondingly.
screwed nut between so that its length may be altered as required; lock nuts may
be used to secure this arrangement.
In order that the road wheel axle may be maintained parallel with the counter-
shaft or driving axle any convenient arrangement of scale may be provided say
for example the top edge of the main frame may carry a scale to indicate the
position, and the edge of one of the lugs or a special.index upon the bar may be
used to verify this; other means however may be employed for this purpose and

page_text: it will be appreciated that the details of the invention may be modified without
departing from the spirit of this invention.
Dated this 21 ....
1907
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Devices for Tightening Belts or other
Driving Gear in Self-propelled Vehicles.
I, CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN, of Vernon Lodge, Eastnor Grove, Leamington,
in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 devices for tightening the driving gear such for
example as belts or chains in self-propelled vehicles where a difficulty is experi-
enced in consequence of the road driving wheels of the vehicle to which the power
must be imparted being carried upon springs while the engine or intermediate
shaft from which the power is taken is usually connected with some fixed portion
of the mechanism so that it cannot be shifted for the purpose of tightening.
Jockey wheels or the like may be employed for tightening, but these increase the
friction and complication and are undesirable.
In carrying out my invention I secure the springs which carry the driving
road wheels of the vehicle upon a frame or equivalent adapted to be moved upon
the main frame of the vehicle so that the springs and wheels can be adjusted
together and the previous experienced difficulty of adjusting the belts overcome.
A suitable arrangement is to form the main frame of the vehicle of parallel flat
plates connected at the ends, or a single piece may be carried round for the two
sides and one end, or the two sides and both ends, and the ends rivetted up. Upon
this frame a bar or frame at each side-one for each spring is arranged to slide
upon the main frame, the bar being provided with lugs or ears to hold on to the
edges of the main frame and connected to it by a suitable number of bolts passing
through holes in the bar and slots in the main frame or vice versa. When these
bolts are slackened the sliding frame can be shifted, but when they are screwed
up it is firmly fixed to the main frame. For the purpose of making the necessary
adjustment I prefer to employ a screw device say for example a bolt passing
through the end of the main frame and engaging with a screwed lug or nut
secured upon the bar so that when the bolt is turned it will move the bar; a
lock nut or equivalent may be provided for securing the bolt. A stay between
the engine or intermediate shaft and the axle of the road wheels may be used
and by preference made in two pieces screwed right or left with a correspondingly
screwed nut between so that its length may be altered as required; lock nuts may
be used to secure this arrangement.
In order that the road wheel axle may be maintained parallel with the counter-
shaft or driving axle any convenient arrangement of scale may be provided say
for example the top edge of the main frame may carry a scale to indicate the
position, and the edge of one of the lugs or a special index upon the bar may be
used to verify this; other means however may be employed for this purpose and
it will be appreciated that the details of the invention may be modified without
departing from the spirit of this invention.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure is an elevation showing a portion of a self-propelled motor vehicle
provided with the improvements.

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan of the framework of the same.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The frame of the vehicle is formed by lateral flat plates A connected at the
ends by smaller plates A¹. The axle C of the driving road wheels C is mounted
on springs D, which, in the example shown, are of the laminated type, the ends
of each spring being attached through short lengths E to the ends of an adjustable
frame F. The latter consists as shown in the drawings of a long flat plate
provided with broader pieces at its ends turned
over as at Fi SO as
to partially embrace the side plates A of the main frame of the
vehicle. Slots F are cut in the plate F through which pass bolts G
provided with nuts and washers G₁, the bolts passing also through holes in
the side plates A of the main frame of the vehicle being so arranged that by
tightening up the nuts the frames F may be fixed in any desired position. On
the back or inner side of the plate F is formed a lug F3 through which runs a
screw-threaded hole. A screw-threaded bolt H of suitable length is passed through
a hole in the end plate A' in the. framing of the vehicle, the end of the bolt
screwing into the lug.F. The bolt is provided with a head H₁ which takes a
bearing on the plate A¹ and a collar H2 which prevents its withdrawal after being
placed in position.
By slacking back the nuts on the bolts G and screwing up the bolt H it will
be seen that the whole frame F carrying the spring D and bearing B may be
moved relatively to the framing A of the vehicle. By thus adjusting the frame F
on each side of the vehicle, the driving road wheel axle C and consequently the
chain wheel J mounted thereon may be moved relatively to the fixed counter
shaft K of the engine. Thus the chain or belt L through which the motive power
is imparted from the chain wheel K' on the shaft K to the chain wheel Ċ and
road wheel C may be tightened. A stay is arranged between the shaft K and
the axle C, being formed in two parts M M¹, the ends of which bear right and left
handed screwthreads engaging with a correspondingly threaded nut M². By
means of the latter the length of the stay may be adjusted when the chain or
belt L is tightened.
If desired the frame F on each side of the vehicle may be suitably connected
together, in which case only one bolt H may be employed if preferred, the end in
this case screwing into a suitably rigidly held nut carried centrally between the
two lateral frames F.
Suitable means for locking the bolt or bolts H after adjustment may be
employed.
It is obvious that other types of spring than that above described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings may be utilised if preferred.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Tightening the belt or other driving-gear of a self-propelled vehicle by the
adjustment of one or more frames such as F carrying the spring or springs of the
driving road wheels substantially as described.
2. Mounting the springs of the driving road wheels of a self-propelled vehicle
on adjustable frames such as F for the purpose described.
3. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination with a spring such as D of an
adjustable frame such as whereby the tightening of the belt chain or other
driving gear can be effected without interfering with the spring substantially as
described.
4. In a belt or other driving-gear a tightening device for a self-propelled vehicle
the combination with the main frame of the vehicle of one or more adjustable
frames such as F carrying the spring or springs of the driving road wheels sub-
stantially as described.

page_text: 5. In a belt or other driving-gear a tightening device for a self-propelled vehicle
the combination with the chain or other driving-gear wheels of an adjustable stay
such as M M¹ between them and an adjustable frame such as F carrying the
spring of the driving road wheel substantially as described.
6. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination with the vehicle frame A A¹ of
an adjustable frame F F1 F3 H carrying the spring of one of the driving road
wheels substantially as described.
7. The complete belt or other driving gear tightening device for a self-
propelled vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1897