Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Motor Vehicles.
I, PROSPER ALEXANDRE RENAUx, of 33, Rue du Repos, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows.
-
This invention relates to a mechanical combination more particularly intended to
be applied to motor cycles, automobile tricycles, and such like vehicles, and it
consists in the combination of an arrangement for operating a shaft by the con-
necting rod of a motor piston with a device known under the name of differential
gear, which reduces to a great extent the space occupied by the driving mechanism,
and simplifies the construction of the same
In carrying out this invention, two discs are mounted loosely to act as fly
wheels on two separate axles suitably carried, and on these shafts are mounted
the devices for transmitting the power.
On each axle is keyed a mitre wheel, between which is a mitre pinion, the axle
of which turns freely in a disc, which is securely attached to the fly wheels, and
round this pinion disc turns the collar of a connecting rod
The operation is as follows -The rod, by means of the collar and the pinion
disc, which is connected to the fly wheels, drags on these latter continuously, the
power being transmitted through the pinion and mitre wheels, which parts
constitute the differential gear
If the resistance is equal, the pinion does not turn, and drags the two wheels at
the same speed, but if the resistance is not equal, the pinion turns in one sense
or the other, and moves the two axles at different speeds
By this arrangement, the parts occupy small space, the mechanism is com-
posed of symmetrical parts, evenly balanced, and the expense of construction is
diminished.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Motor Vehicles.
I, PROSPER ALEXANDRE RENAUX, of 33, Rue du Repos, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inveption and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement
The present invention relates to a mechanical combination intended more
particularly to be applied to motor cycles, automobile tricycles, and other power-
driven vehicles
It consists in the combination of a means of actuating the driving shaft by the
connecting rod of a diving piston, with a device known under the name of
differential gear, which greatly reduces the space occupied by the driving
mechanism, and simplifies the construction of the apparatus
In order to make my invention readily understood, I have represented my
system as arranged specially for a tricycle worked by a hydrocarbon motor, but it
must be understood that I reserve to myself the night to make other secondary
arrangements, in accordance with the necessities of special adaptations
In the accompanying drawing,-
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus on the line 1-1 of
Fig 2; and
Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig 1
AA are two discs constituting fly wheels, each of which is mounted loosely on
one or other part of the driving shaft BB, and upon this driving shaft are fixed,
according to requirements, the devices for transmitting power, pinions, b, b, gearing
with a toothed wheel 6', for example. In the case of a motor cycle, a chain wheel a
connected to the pedal shaft serves to operate the machine, these are however only
accessory portions of the apparatus
Upon each part of the driving shaft B, B, which is therefore independent of the
revolving discs A A, is keyed a mitre wheel C, there are therefore two mitre
wheels CC, and they constitute the two parts of a differential movement In con-
nection with these two wheels is a pinion D, which constitutes the third member,
or pinion, of the differential device, it is mounted as follows:-
The axle d upon which this pinion tuins loosely, according to the well known
principle of the differential gear, is mounted in a disc E provided with a recess
made to receive the said pinion. This disc E, by means of two roda ee, is in
ngid connection with the revolving dises or fly wheels AA, it thus constitutes
practically a crank pin, around this disc a collai F is arranged to turn, having
fixed thereto the head of the connecting rod G
The mode of operation of this special arrangement is as follows:-
The connecting rod G, by means of the collar F and the disc E rigidly connected
with the fly wheels A A, drives these latter continuously, but the fly wheels A A
are not in iigid connection with the two portions B B of the driving shaft, and the
power is therefore only transmitted to this latter by means of the pinion D in gear
with the two bevil wheels CC, keyed upon the shaft This arrangement constitutes
a differential gear, and operates in the well-known manner If the resistance is
equal upon the two portions B B of the shaft, the pinion D remains relatively
stationary, and causes the two bevel wheels CC to turn at the same velocity; if the
resistance 18 no longer equal upon the two portions of the shaft, the pinion D
commences to turn upon its axis d, either in one direction or the other, thus
imparting to the two parts BB of the shaft, different degrees of velocity, in
accordance with the known method of operation of a differential motion or device
It will be seen from this combination of parts, that the steering mechanism of
the shaft, operated by the connecting rod and the differential motion, occupy a
very small compass; this mechanism is composed of symmetrical portions well
balanced, it diminishes the cost of construction, because it renders unnecessary the
separate establishment of the two parts of the machine, hand lever and differential
movement, grouping the same together as one single operating device
I would here remark that I reserve to myself the right to give to my system
all modifications which do not alter the principle of the mechanical combination
which I have just described; thus, the entire arrangement might be enclosed in a

page_text: liquid-tight box or case H, where it may be abundantly supplied with lubricant,
that the fly wheels might also be provided with band brakes L, and so on
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 An arrangement of mechanism consisting in the combination of a means of
governing the driving shaft by a connecting rod, with a differential motion device
comprising two discs tuining loosely upon the two portions of the shaft, and united
by what I term the crank-pin, fixed in a recessed disc carrying a small axle, upon
which is also loosely mounted a bevil pinion, this pinion constituting the pinion
of two toothed wheels rigidly connected with the two portions of the driving
shaft, and the disc which carries the pinion being surrounded by a ring or collar in
which it turns freely, and which forms the head of the connecting rod, all as
herein described and shewn with reference to the accompanying drawing
2 The general combinations and the constructive arrangements of mechanism
described with reference to the accompanying drawing
Dated thin 7th don of March 1800
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.