Improvements in Motor Car Driving Gears and Gear Changing Devices.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1899
Complete Specification_Left, 19th Mar., 1900—Accepted, 16th June, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motor Car Driving Gears and Gear Changing
Devices.
I, ALFRED RAWLINSON, of Winwick Warren, Rugby, in the County of Warwick,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
One part of my invention relates to motor car driving gears, and has for its
object to enable a variety of speeds to be obtained from the motor in a simple and
efficient manner, more especially where a motor is used having two shafts rotating
in opposite directions.
Another part of my invention relates to gear changing appliances in motor cars,
and has for its object to enable any gear selected to be put into action as desired,
and yet to ensure that no two gears can possibly remain in or be put into action
at the same time, or any brake applied without withdrawing the gear clutch in
action.
The first part of my invention consists in the improved arrangement and com
bination of change speed gears, and their supports, as hereinafter described, for
transmitting power from the motor to the driving axle, more especially where
the motor has two shafts rotating in opposite directions.
In carrying the first part of my invention into effect according to one modifi-
cation, I provide a suitable frame on which the motor is mounted, and which
supports the ends of the two motor crank shafts, and also a countershaft adapted to
be operated by means of any of the clutches on the motor shafts. I provide fly
wheels on each of the two oppositely, rotating shafts, and these fly wheels I provide
with recesses to engage with friction clutches which can be brought into engage-
ment with the wheels. The clutches I prefer to operate by means of screwed
sleeves. A lever on each screwed sleeve when turned through the necessary
angle, forces the clutch forward into engagement with the fly wheel. The counter-
shaft, also mounted on the frame with the two main shafts, is provided with
three gear wheels which engage with gear wheels fixed on the back
of the three friction clutches before mentioned. These gear wheels
are 80 proportioned to one another as to give three different speeds
of the countershaft according to which of the clutches is put into gear
with the respective fly wheels. The two clutches gearing with the same fly
wheel will drive, say in such a direction as to give a forward motion of the motor
car, the third one engaging with the other fly wheel rotating in the opposite
direction to the first, will give a motion of the car backwards. The fourth friction
clutch I provide with a chain wheel, and on the countershaft I mount a similar
chain wheel adapted to give, when put into gear, a third speed in the forward
direction. The chain wheel on the countershaft is so mounted as to be capable
of a lateral movement along the shaft by means of a screwed sleeve and lever
similar to that which operates the friction clutch. These two screwed sleeves are
linked together so that the putting of the clutch into gear will shift the chain
wheel on the countershaft equally with that connected with the clutch itself and
both chain wheels will always remain in line.
I attach the motor frame to the driving axle by means of two pivoted adjust-

page_text: able links adapted to allow a free swinging motion of the frame in relationship
to the driving axle. On this driving axle I provide two chain wheels, which I
connect by chains to chain wheels on the motor countershaft. The chain wheels
on the driving axle are loose thereon, but they are formed with projections
adapted to engage with the jaws of a positive clutch placed between them. This
clutch is keyed to the shaft with a feather key so as to allow of sliding, and it is
adapted to be moved into gear with one or other of the chain wheels, as desired.
These chain wheels are of different sizes, so that by the use of this positive clutch
the number of speed changes which can be obtained on the driving axle from
the motor is doubled. With this arrangement it will be seen that two speeds
can be obtained in the backward direction, and six speeds in the forward direction.
I prefer to suitably support the engine and countershaft frame by means of
springs from the axles independently of the car body, and it will be seen
that the links between the driving axle and the countershaft hold the latter in
its proper relationship to the driving axle, while allowing suitably limited motion
of the frame and of the driving axle in relation to one another under the forces
produced by the unevenness of the road.
The second part of my invention consists in operating the clutches connecting
the several gears of a motor car with the driving axle by means of a crank shaft
operated by a pedal or hand lever. I provide a number of cranks on the shaft
and a corresponding number of connecting rods with suitably shaped ends
adapted to be operated by the cranks, each connecting rod being attached to
one of the clutch levers. The cranks are so disposed in relation to the positions
of the connecting rod ends that only one crank can be in a position to operate its
connecting rod at one time, and this crank shaft is adapted to be moved endwise
by a suitable selecting lever. By setting the selecting lever at any position, one
crank will be chosen, and when the pedal or crank shaft operating lever is moved
one clutch only will be put into gear. The cranks may be adapted to operate
the quadrants either positively, or may be adapted to permit of the movement of
each of the clutch levers under the action of a spring.
In carrying my invention into effect according to one modification, as applied
to a motor car gear having four clutches, I provide four connecting rods, cach
having a quadrant shaped loop in one end. This loop embraces the crank shaft,
and is of such size that the crank shaft with its cranks can be passed through
the loop on end by a selecting lever. The other end of each connecting rod is
attached to a lever on the screwed sleeve which puts the corresponding clutch
in gear. The connecting rod itself is guided so as to have only a straight line
motion. A powerful spring is attached also to this lever, which puts the clutch
into gear as soon as the crank on the crank shaft is brought within the quadrant
on the other end of the connecting rod, and either given or allowed to take a
quarter turn. All the cranks on the crank shaft lie in the same direction, and
suitable balance weights may be provided on the other side to balance their
weight. In the position when no gear is in action, the cranks all lie in a vertical
plane, and in this position only can the crank shaft be travelled laterally by the
selecting lever. The selecting lever moves over a quadrant marked with the
various gears, say two gears on one side of the quadrant, and two gears on the
other side, with a neutral position between. This arrangement may be varied if
desired, and the neutral position put at either end. When the selecting lever is
in the neutral position none of the gears can be operated all the clutches being
withdrawn. When the selecting lever is moved to one gear, then the crank shaft
is shifted till the crank corresponding to that gear passes within the quadrant at
its connecting rod end. Then a releasing of the gear lever or pedal will allow
the spring to pull over the lever on the screwed sleeve and put the selected
clutch into operation. Thus by one single motion such as the depression of a
pedal giving a quarter turn to the crank shaft, any clutch in gear is at once
withdrawn and the motor permitted to run free.
It will be seen that by this device any gear can be selected at will, and no two

page_text: gears can possibly be in operation at the same time. This device also puts it out
of the power of a careless or ignorant person to put two gears in together, that
is to say put the second one in before the first has been withdrawn. Any sudden'
or positive alteration of gear is rendered impossible as the clutch in action must
be withdrawn by bringing the cranks into their neutral position before the
crank slíaft can be moved laterally into, position for the operation of another.
clutch.
Where the gearing arrangements described in the first part of my specification
are used, I provide an additional device on my gear changing crank shaft, adapted
to prevent the positive clutch between the two chain wheels on the driving axle
from being operated except when all the friction clutches are withdrawn.
I prefer also to arrange that the brakes can only be operated when the cranks
are in a vertical position. In this arrangement the gears are automatically
withdrawn before the brakes are put into action, although this may be varied
without departing from my invention.
In a further modification of my invention instead of the quadrant on the con-
necting rods I may provide the connecting rods with slotted ends, the slot being
at right angles to the length of the connecting rod. In this case also I guide the
connecting rod so that it has only a straight line motion backward and forward.
With this arrangement I am enabled to positively operate the clutches instead
of permissively operating them as described above although I may provide a stiff
compression spring connection between the screwed sleeve lever and the connecting
rod to prevent jar.
11
7
C T
1000
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street.
Improvements in Motor Car Driving Gears and Gear Changing
Devices.
I, ALFRED RAWLINSON, of Winwick Warren, Rugby, in the County of Warwick,
England, 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:-
My invention relates to driving gears, and gear changing appliances for motor
cars, and has for its object to enable any gear selected to be put into action as
desired, and yet to ensure that no two gears can possibly remain in or be put into
action at the same time.
My invention consists in operating the clutches connecting the several gears
of a motor car with the driving axle by means of a gear selecting shaft operated
by a foot or other lever. I provide a number of cranks on the gear selecting
shaft, and a number of suitably shaped links or levers adapted to be operated
by the cranks, each link or lever being provided with means to operate one of
the clutches. The cranks are so disposed in relation to the positions of the link
or lever ends that only one crank can be in a position to operate a link or lever
at one time; and the gear selecting shaft is adapted to be moved longitudinally
by a suitable mechanism. By moving the gear selecting shaft to a certain
position, one crank will be chosen to operate, and, when the foot lever or other
gear shaft operating lever is moved or let go, one clutch only will be put into

page_text: gear. The cranks may be adapted either to operate the links or levers positively
or to permit of the movement of each of the clutches under the action of a spring.
Referring now to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a side elevation and
Figure 2 is a plan of a driving gear for a motor car arranged and constructed
in accordance with one modification of my invention, in which there are four
clutches on the motor shaft.
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, drawn to an enlarged scale, show details of the mechanism
and will be referred to hereafter.
The motor is mounted on a frame a which supports the motor shaft b, and
also a counter shaft c, adapted to be operated by means of any one of the clutches
on the motor shaft. I provide on the motor shaft two fly wheels and e and
these fly wheels I provide with recesses of which are suitably constructed to engage
frictionally with clutches g which are fixed to sleeves h. These sleeves are mounted
loosely on the motor shaft b, and are slid along the shaft in and out of gear
by links to be described hereafter. This sliding motion I prefer to accomplish
as follows:
The motor shaft. passes through bushes in the frame a; and a continua-
tion m of each bush is screwed and enclosed in a nut n to which are attached
clips which catch a flange o on each sleeve h.
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation through the nut n and the screwed part m
of the bush 7. Therefore a rotation of the nuts n will slide the sleeves along
the shaft and put the clutches in or out of gear. The nuts have each an arm p
to the end of which the links are pivotally connected, and also an arm y to
which the spring 27 is attached.
The countershaft c also mounted on the frame a is provided with three toothed
wheels which gear respectively with three pinions s fixed on three of the
sleeves h carrying the clutches on the motor shaft. The countershaft also carries
a sprocket wheel which is driven by a sprocket wheel
u fixed on
the remaining sleeve on the motor shaft. The pinions are of different
sizes, SO as to give three forward speeds to the countershaft while
the sprocket wheel drives the counter shaft in a backward direction.
The sprocket wheel t is mounted on a sleeve which slid along the counter-
shaft by means of a screwed bush w and a nut 9 in a manner precisely the same
as the sleeves on the motor shaft. This may be omitted if the chain is adapted
to slide laterally on the sprocket wheel teeth. The nut 9 has an arm and its
adjacent nut n on the motor shaft has an arm y; x and y are pivotally connected
to the ends of the link z by which means their motions are identical.
The driving axle 2 carries two chain wheels 3 and 4, which are driven by
chains connecting them with chain wheels 5 and 6, on the countershaft c. The
chain wheels 3 and 4, are loose on the axle, and are formed with projections 7
adapted to engage with the paws 8 of positive clutches 10. These clutches 10
are keyed to the axle with a loose feather key, so as to allow of longitudinal,
but not of rotary movement relatively to the axle. The number of teeth on the
chain wheels 3, 4, 5 and 6 are so arranged as to give different speeds to the axle
according as the axle is driven by the wheels 3 and 5, or the wheels 4 and 6. By
this means the number of speed changes that can be given to the axle is doubled.
With the arrangement described six forward and two backward speeds can be
obtained.
I provide four links k each having a looped end 11, Figures 1 and 3, the
greater length of the loop 12 being perpendicular or nearly so to the length of
the link. These loops 12 enclose the gear selecting shaft 14. The other ends
of the links are pivotally attached as before described to arms p of the nuts n
of the screw clutches g. Rollers 13 and 20 are provided to support and guide
each link k. The gear selecting shaft 14 has four pairs of cranks 15 with crank
pins 16. When a loop 12 of a link encloses any part of the
shaft 14 between the cranks, the link k cannot move although the shaft be rotated;

page_text: but, if the loop encloses a crank pin 16, then if the shaft 14 be suitably rotated
through about a quarter revolution, the link k will move longitudinally into a
position shown in Figure 3, and put the clutch g into gear by means of the arm p
and screwed nut n. All the cranks on the gear selecting shaft lie in the same
plane, and suitable balance weights may be provided on the other side to balance
their weight. In the position when no gear is in action the cranks are arranged
to lie in a vertical plane. In this position only can the gear shaft be travelled
longitudinally, as the cranks when in any other position cannot be travelled
through the loops 12 in the links. k. The gear selecting shaft is given a longitu-
dinal motion that is a motion in its own line, by two links 18, operating a ring 19
which works between two collars 21 in the gear shaft. These links 18 are
operated by a bell crank lever 22 pivoted at 23 and rocked by a link 24, operated
by a crank 25, fixed to a hollow shaft 26, which can be rotated by hand or other-
wise in any suitable manner. The end of the bell crank lever 22 is shown
enlarged at Figure 5, which is a section through CD. The gear selecting shaft 14
may be in any one of five positions longitudinally. One of these is called the
neutral position, and, when in this position, all the cranks are clear of the links k
therefore, although the gear selecting shaft be rotated none of the links can be
moved, and all the clutches remain withdrawn. In the other four positions one of
the crank pins 16 is in a loop 12 of a link k, a different link being engaged for
each of these four positions of the gear shaft. The link enclosing the pin can then
be moved as before described. The neutral position may be one of the extreme
positions of the gear shaft, or may be an intermediate position, say the middle
position or I may have more than one neutral position. I may cause the gear
selecting shaft to be locked from rotation in the neutral position or positions by
means of a fixed ring surrounding the shaft and having a notch into which a pin
on the shaft passes as the shaft is travelled longitudinally into a neutral position.
The links can be moved to put the clutches into gear either by a suitable positive
rotation being given to the gear shaft, or they may be operated by springs 27
attached to arms y on the nuts n, the gear selecting shaft being simply released.
The links are returned by a suitable rotation of the gear selecting shaft. This
shaft may be rotated by means of a crank 28 keyed to it, and connected by a
link 29 with a foot lever 31 pivoted at 32. Thus, by a single motion such as the
depression of a foot lever giving a quarter or less of a turn to the gear selecting
shaft, any clutch in gear is at once withdrawn and the motor permitted to run
free.
It will be seen that by this device any gear can be selected at will and no two
clutches can be put in action at the same time. This is clear as the cranks are so
placed that only one link can be opposite its crank at any one time. Further, one
and the same motion of the foot lever 31 or other operating device will rotate
the gear shaft and thereby withdraw whichever clutch may be in action.
I actuate the positive clutches 10 by a lever 33, pivoted at 34 and operating
through the clutch shifting arms 41, said lever 33 having, at its end remote from
the clutches, the slot 35 which encloses the gear selecting shaft 14. The shaft
at this place has six teeth 36 which are so placed on the shaft that, when the
clutches g are withdrawn by means of the links k, the slotted lever 33 can pass
these teeth to operate the clutch 10. The teeth 36 and slot 35 are shown clearly
in Figure 4 which is a section on the line A B of Figure 2 drawn to an enlarged
scale. No other position of the gear shaft will permit of the operation of the
lever 33, as, in any other position, the slot 35 will not be in line with the teeth 36
and therefore cannot be passed over them. The lever 33 is rocked by a link 37,
operated by a bell crank lever 38, oscillated by a crank 39 fixed on a hollow
shaft 40 which can be rotated by any suitable means. The effect of this device is
to prevent the position of the positive clutches 10 being altered unless the friction
clutches g are withdrawn. In both modifications of my invention I may, if
desired, key the chain wheels 3 and 4 on to the driving axle and dispense with

page_text: the positive clutches 10, the lever 33 with the rest of the actuating mechanism.
In this case the velocity ratio of the chain wheels 3 and 5 must be the same as
that of the chain wheels 4 and 6, or one of these pairs of wheels may be omitted.
According to another modification of my invention as illustrated in Figures 7,
8, 9 and 10, I employ only two crank pins 16 in place of four; and I cause each
crank pin to operate one or other of two levers, each lever actuating a clutch.
Figure 7 illustrates this modification in plan.
Figure 8 illustrates the same in front elevation the standards 48 being removed
for the sake of clearness.
Figure 9 illustrates the same in side elevation and,
Figure 10 shows a detail and will be referred to hereafter.
14 is the gear selecting shaft with two pairs of cranks 15 and two crank pins 16.
Two pairs of levers 44 are provided, each taking the place of a link k in my first
modification; and each lever is fixed to one of the nuts which actuate the
.clutches as before described. I prefer to construct the nuts n in two parts
one of which is made in one piece with the lever 44. Each lever when its clutch
is out of gear, rests on a pawl 45 which retains it in an inoperative position just
above and clear of the gear selecting shaft. This is the position accupied by
three of the levers in Figures 7 and 8 and by the upper lever in Figure 9. Each
pawl is pressed into position to hold up its lever by a spring 46. When it is
desired to put any clutch into gear, the gear selecting shaft is moved so as to
bring a crank pin 16 into the plane of the lever corresponding to the clutch to be
actuated. A protuberance 47 on the crank pin forces back the pawl supporting
the lever and allows a spring, not shown in the drawings but preferably applied
directly to the lever, to pull down the latter to the position shown by the lower
lever in Figure 9. The nut n will therefore be rotated and the clutch put into
gear. On the gear selecting shaft being rotated back to its upper or out-of-gear
position, the lever will be again raised to its original situation.
The pawls 45 are carried by standards 48 bolted to the frame a, the frame and
standards having slots 49 to guide the ends of the levers 44 when the latter are
descending or ascending. Figure 10 is a separate elevation of the standards and
pawls.
The cranks on the gear shaft are so placed that only one crank can be in
operative position at a time; and the levers 44 are preferably bent as shown in
plan in Figure 7 to enable a small longitudinal movement of the gear selecting
shaft to suffice for actuating any clutch.
In other respects this second modification resembles my first.
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. The herein before described arrangement and combination of change speed
gears for transmitting power from the motor shaft to the driving axle.
2. The combination of a motor shaft with a counter shaft and a driving axle,
the motor shaft having a plurality of clutches to one of which is fixed a sprocket
wheel, and to the others toothed pinions, the sprocket wheel being, adapted to
drive another sprocket wheel on the counter shaft by means of a chain, and the
pinions being adapted to gear with wheels on the countershaft; and the counter
shaft being provided with two or more sprocket wheels adapted to drive by chains
two or more sprocket wheels on the driving axle, the latter sprocket wheels being
loose on the axle and either of them being adapted to drive the axle by means
of a clutch substantially as described.
3. The combination of a motor shaft with a counter shaft and a driving axle,
the motor shaft having a plurality of clutches to one of which is fixed a sprocket
wheel, and to the others toothed pinions, the sprocket wheel being adapted to
drive another sprocket wheel on the counter shaft by means of a chain, and the

page_text: pinions being adapted to gear with wheels on the countershaft; and the counter-
shaft being provided with two or more sprocket wheels adapted to drive by chains
two or more sprocket wheels on the driving axle, substantially as described.
4. In gearing for motor cars, a gear selecting device consisting of a cranked
gear selecting shaft and set of connecting links or levers operating clutches on
the motor shaft, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
5. In gear for motor cars, operating the clutches on the motor shaft by a gear
selecting shaft having cranks and crank pins such as 15 and 16, through the
agency of links such as having loops such as 12 enclosing the aforesaid gear
selecting shaft, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6.
6. In gearing for motor cars, operating the clutches on the motor shaft by a
gear selecting shaft having cranks and crank pins such as 15 and 16 through the
agency of levers such as 44 which are normally supported by pawls such as 45,
the pawls being thrown out of action by suitable means when desired, substantially
as described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
7. In gearing for motor cars, the combination of a lever such as 33 for operating.
the clutches on the driving axle with a gear selecting shaft such as 14, for
operating the clutches on the motor shaft, the lever being provided with a slot
such as 35 enclosing the gear selecting shaft, which at this place is provided with
teeth such as 36, substantially as and for the purpose described.