Year: 1897

page_text: I, HENRY MARIE LÉON CROUAN, of 21, Boulevard National, Clichy, Department
of Seine, France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
The present invention concerns an arrangement applicable to autocars the
object of which is to transmit the motion of the motor to the axle of the driving-
wheels and to vary the speed of these latter, ad libitum, by means of wheels and
rollers provided with catches.
This arrangement is composed of wheels of suitable diameter the rim of which
is provided with one or more necks which are arranged in equal number to that
of the changes of speed, upon the axle of the motor and that of the driving-
wheels.
Between each pair of grooved wheels composed of a driving wheel and a
driven wheel a roller is placed in the interior of a frame properly guided at its
lower part, and connected at its upper part by a rod and a spiral spring with
a draw-rod of suitable form, connected with a lever rotating around a fixed
point, the free extremity of which rests upon an eccentric wedged upon an axle.
This axle hears, therefore as many eccentrics as there are of changes of speed
and these eccentrics are wedged upon the axle with suitable angles. for instance
1200 for three changes of speed, so as to act successively upon the levers to which
the rollers are suspended when a rotary motion is communicated to the axle of
the eccentrics by means of a conical gearing fixed upon it and worked by
another conical wheel fixed upon an axle which also bears a spur-gear worked
by means of intermediary gears which are themselves worked by a wheel fixed
to a crank fitted upon the extremity of the axle bearing the conical wheel but
turning upon this axle.
The above-described arrangement is intended for the forward motion: for the
backward motion the transmission from the wheel fixed upon the axle of the
motor to the driven wheel is made by two rollers instead of one, in order to
obtain an inverse movement to the preceding one: these two rollers are arranged
on the same frame and the first commands the second either directly by the
rim by means of catches or by spur-gears fixed upon the axle of the rollers. The
working of this arrangement is very simple and is as follows:
By making the crank turn. a rotary movement is communicated to the axle
of the eccentrics and one of the latter causes the corresponding lever to rise and
consequently, the frame and the roller suspended to this lever: the rim of the
roller presses simultaneously upon the rim of the wheels of the motor axle and
upon that of the corresponding driven wheel. and transmits the movement of
the first to the second.
Br causing the crank to turn thus is one or the other direction and with a

page_text: determinate number of revolutions, all the rollers can be successively worked
and every speed can be obtained ad libitum.
Dated this 24th day of November 1897.
L. DUVINAGE,
Patent Agent S. Rue des Princes, Brussels, Belgium.
1, HENRY MARIE LÉON CROUAN, of 21, Boulevard National, Clichy, Department
of Seine, France, 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 autocars and has more particular
reference to the construction and arrangement of different devices for effecting
the transmission of motion, and producing changes of speed and reversing the
movement in such autocars, as more clearly pointed out and claimed hereinafter,
and shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings, wherein :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the construction embodying my invention, the
box or covering B hereinafter referred to being in section.
Figure 2 is a plan sectional view of same.
The arrangement of apparatus for transmitting motion for autocars is con-
structed as follows:-The whole of the mechanism is contained in a closed box B.
This box is attached by means of a collar C to the journal bearing of the motor
and is supported at another point by means of an angle piece or suitable bracket.
A gear wheel R gears with another wheel mounted on the shaft of the motor
and it transmits the movement which is imparted to it to a wheel comprising
three wedges of different dimensions p, p, p, which is situated in the box in
front of a similar wheel the three wedges of which P. P. P³, are well opposite
the former wedges but are opposed as regards dimensions in such a manner
that a wedge of large diameter will have opposite to it a wedge of small diameter.
Between each set of opposed wedges there is capable of engaging a grooved
wheel g, g', or g³, which renders the two wedges as it were one piece when the
said wheel engages between the wedges and which leaves them free when moving
away from the same. It is therefore sufficient to cause gg, or to engage
when it is desired to transmit to the second cone the movement of the first cone
with a ratio of velocity depending on the ratio of the diameters of the engaging
wedges.
In rearward motion, two grooved rollers gl and having a toothed periphery
and gearing together, and thus filling the function of a grooved wheel and of
a gear wheel at the same time, are caused to engage with the two wheels having
wedges of low velocity. As the motion of the driving cone is always the same,
the motion of the driven cone will become the reverse of what it was previously
by reason of the engagement of the rollers g, g'. The vehicle will thus move
backwards. These roller gear wheels can obviously be replaced by rollers similar
to each being keyed upon the same shaft as a gear wheel which is
engaged with the gear wheel of the other roller. This produces the same result.
Each of the rollers g, gg is mounted in a small frame g, q', 7° and each of
these frames is jointed to a horizontal lever 1, P. 1, (71 18 are not shown on the
drawings) pivoting about the point and provided each with three rollers, .
d, (the other six rollers are not shown on the drawings). The frame q of

page_text: and
Each
small velocity carries in addition the two roller gear wheels g" and g
according to its position it places either y or gy into engagement, or it
throws the whole out of gear, thereby producing according to the condition in
each case, travel in the forward direction, travel in the rearward direction, or
the driving mechanism is thrown out of gear. Also each frame is guided in
its movement by means of a guide G in such a manner as not to rock.
horizontal lever is pressed by an adjustable spring r, ',, (the latter not
visible on the drawings), which has a tendency to engage with the roller in such
a manner that the driving action or engagement is always produced with the
desired intensity and is independent of the effort exerted by the hand of the
driver. The driver merely throws the corresponding roller out of gear, or he
throws it into gear to the speed which he requires, excepting for travel in a
rearward direction where the engagement is produced by the direct pressure
of the hand of the driver. Under the end of the three levers 1, 1 and 2 and
corresponding to their three rollers, there are arranged three perpendicular
axles V, A, D, of which we shall now explain the operation.
First axle. The first axle V is formed with three flat surfaces arranged at
120 degrees apart and arranged in such a manner that each of said flat surfaces
corresponds to one of the three rollers, of the three levers 7, 11, 13. According
to the position occupied by V, the lever corresponding to the flat situated at
the upper part of the axle at that time, will be out of gear and by the action
of its spring, or, will cause the roller g, y', or which it carries to engage
and thus produce motion in a forward direction. Thus it will be sufficient in
order to obtain the different speeds, to cause to turn and to place it in the
desired position. It will be perceived that each of the flats subtends an arc
of less than 120 degrees in such a manner that any one of the levers which may
be engaged, will become disengaged before another lever can commence to be
engaged.
This relates to the change of speed.
The second axle A is provided with a flat extending its whole length, and only
one flat, and a projection corresponding only to the lever for the low velocity.
So long as the flat is situated at the upper part, all the levers are free and any
desired velocity can be thrown into engagement by means of the axle V. Which-
ever may be the speed in engagement, the driver may by operating A first throw
this speed out of engagement because the round part of the axle raises the roller
of the lever which is engaged, and then if the movement be continued he will
produce rearward travel and the projecting cam will act upon the roller d¹ of
the lever which controls the low velocity. The result of this is, first, that the
forward travel at any speed is first thrown out of engagement; second, in con-
tinuing the movement the rearward travel is placed in engagement at low speed
only, third, by moving A backwards, the lever which was previously in engage-
ment (whichever it was) and which is instantaneously disengaged, will become
re-engaged without any other operation.
The above relates to rearward travel.
The third axle D is provided like the preceding one with a flat throughout
its length, and like it, it produces as soon as it is operated the disengagement
of any speed that may have been in engagement. It further carries a small
pin acting through a small connecting rod f upon a lever m which pulls the rod t
and operates a shoe F which is mounted on the lever L. An adjusted spring is
interposed at K for the purpose of preventing the pressure from exceeding the
desired amount. This axle D thus produces: (1) the throwing out of gear,
and (2) the stoppage by means of the brake F.
It may be arranged in such a manner as to be actuated not only directly by
hand or by a treadle, but also by the operation of the other brakes of the vehicle
and in this latter case the arrangement may be such that the complete movement
of the lever D shall not take place and that it shall only throw out of gear the

page_text: speed which was engaged without effecting the operation of the brake F. The
brake F is by this means rendered independent of the other brakes which may
be operated alone. Also if desired, there may be arranged in this same box
an automatic device which shall prevent rearward travel whilst not interfering
in any way with forward travel. It is sufficient to arrange not far from the
shoe and upon the same cone with wedges, an eccentric shoe bearing with its
weight upon said coue. This shoe will not produce any result during forward
travel. But if the vehicle should tend to move rearwardly independently of
the will of the driver, the eccentric shoe being drawn by the friction will become
jammed and will stop the cone and consequently also the vehicle. If it is
lesired to travel backwards it will be sufficient to connect the axle A for rearward
travel with this eccentric shoe by means of rods and levers in such a manner
as to cause, as soon as the cam for rearward travel comes into engagement, the
eccentric shoe to be raised so as no longer to touch the cone with the wedges
and thus to be no longer drawn by the latter so that it cannot become jammed
and stop the said cone. This arrangement is as easy to understand as it is
to carry out in practice. N.B. It is obvious that if simple wedges with a single
grooved wheel should be too weak for transmitting the power, I may employ
double wedges or triple wedges, &c. with double or triple &c. grooved wheels.
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) A combination of two cones having opposed wedges each of them carrying
a certain number of simple, double, triple, &c. wedges of different diameters,
One of the wedges being adapted to receive motion from the motor, and the
other being connected to the vehicle, and the transmission of the motion from
one cone to the other being effected by the interposition:-
(a) For forward travel, of a simple, double, triple, &c. grooved wheel inter-
posed between the two wedges whose relative diameters produce the desired
speed, and
(b) For rearward travel, of a set of two grooved wheels which drive each
other mutually by means of gear wheels which are arranged to engage
between the wedges of the low speed.
(2) The combination of levers and cams or analogous devices arranged in such
a manner that the transmission of motion shall be produced by the action of an
adjusted spring, whilst the interruption of said motion is effected by the direct
action of the hand of the driver. This has reference to forward travel. The
contrary is the case for rearward travel.
(3) The action of three cam axles adapted to disengage or to cause to engage
the grooved wheels for the purpose of producing:
-
The first axle. The changes of speed with automatic disconnection between
each speed, of the speed which is first thrown into engagement.
The second axle. First, the disengagement of whichever speed was first
engaged and then if the movement is continued, travel in a rearward
direction.
Finally, when the reverse movement is produced, the whole mechanism is
moved back to its original position and the speed which was first engaged
is then automatically re-engaged.
The third axle. The general disengagement, and if the movement is con-
tinued, the application of a brake having a regulated and adjustable
tension.
This third axle may if desired be connected to the other brakes of the
vehicle for the purpose of producing automatically the disengagement
when the said other brakes are operated, without thereby compulsorily
producing the tightening of the above described brake nor of the other
brakes which may have been provided.

page_text: (4) The arrangement, if desired, of an eccentric shoe which automatically pre-
vents rearward motion or a recoil of the vehicle so long as the vehicle is kept
by its driver in forward gear, said shoe being connected by means of levers or
connecting rods to the cam for rearward travel in such a manner that it will
be automatically disengaged when the driver placed the latter in engagement.
The rearward motion is not possible unless and when the driver desires it, the
re-engagement of the recoil shoe being automatic as soon as the driver reengages
the forward travel or even only disengages rearward travel without engaging
for forward travel.
1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
70. Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.