Improvements in Driving-gear for Motor Carriages, Launches, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1896-4ccepted, 5th Dec., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving-gear for Motor Carriages, Launches, and
the like.
I, JAMES FRANK DURYEA, of No. 70 Montrose Street, in the City of
Springfield, in the County of Hampden State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Mechanical 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 :-
This invention relates to driving mechanism for automobile vehicles, and has for
its object the improvement in means for controlling and varying the speed of
vehicles of this class in which belting is used for the transmission of power from the
motor to the driving shaft thereof; and the invention consists essentially in the
construction and arrangement for shifting said driving-belts, all as hereinafter fully
described and claimed.
In the drawings forming part of this specification,-
Figure 1 is a plan view of an encased motor, its main shaft and cone-pulley
thereon, and a counter-shaft and the belt-shifting mechanism between said shafts,
and a portion of a driving-axle or shaft of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the counter-shaft looking at it from a position
between it and the main shaft of the motor.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of an automobile carriage showing the position in the
body thereof of the said main shaft and said counter-shaft, connections between the
counter-shaft and the driving-axle of said carriage, and means in the steering head
thereof for actuating the belt-shifting devices.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the steering head and the connection of
the operating lever therewith.
Figure 4 is a side elevation, partly in dotted lines, of an idler pulley as applied
to a belt between the main and counter-shafts, said view being on line 4-4,
Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the belt-shifting mechanism in its frame,
but removed from the vehicle. A portion of the frames of the idler-pulleys being
broken away.
In the drawings, the above described improvements are shown as applied to a
carriage though said improvements are equally applicable to launches, or other means
of conveyance.
In the drawings, A represents the motor; B, its main or crank-shaft; C, the
cone-pulley fixed on said shaft; D, the counter-shaft having a series of tight and
loose pulleys fixed on said shaft; F, the driving-shaft or axle of the vehicle, and
G and H, the gear and pinion, respectively, on said axle F, and shaft D.
The said motor and its shaft are suitably supported in the body of the vehicle.
Said counter-shaft is suitably supported from the driving-axle F, for always
maintaining, in operative relation, the gear G, on said axle, and the pinion H, on
the said counter-shaft.
Two rods 2, 2, extend from the ends of said counter-shaft to the main shaft.
The ends of said rods are pivotally connected to two lugs on the top of the
arms 3, 3, supporting said counter-shaft, and a similar pivotal connection of the
opposite ends of said rods is made with two collars 4, 4, on said main shaft. Said
collars 4, and the bearings on the end of said arms 3, in which the counter-shaft
revolves, maybe provided with ball-bearings if desired.

page_text: Two frames 5 and 6, for supporting the idler-pulley frames and belt-shifting
mechanism are placed transversely between the said shafts B and D, and are
clamped by bolts, as shown, or otherwise secured rigidly to said rods. These frames
are clearly illustrated in Figure 5.
The said frame 6, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5, supports all of the belt-
shifters, and the said frame 5, supports one of the idlers entirely, and the two others
partially.
To obtain the desired variations in the speed of the counter-shaft D, the
cone-pulley C, is made with the varying diameters 7, 8, and 9, the part 9, being
divided into two parts 9 and 9, by the annular flange 10, thereon, and the other
spaces 7 and 8, being suitably flanged to prevent the belts from running off from
their faces.
On the counter-shaft D, tight and loose pulleys are provided.
Said tight
pulleys are indicated by 11, 12, and 13, and said loose pulleys are indicated by
11, 12, and 13*.
Space 9, has located opposite its face the pulleys 11 and 11°.
Said space 9, has located opposite its face the pulley 12", and one-half of the
pulley 12.
Space 8 has located opposite its face one-half of pulley 12, and pulley 12b; and
space 7, has located opposite its face the pulleys 13 and 13".
Said cone-pulley on main-shaft B, and said tight and loose pulleys on counter-
shaft D, are provided with four belts, see Figures 1 and 2, viz., 14, 15, 16,
and 17.
Said belt 14, is a crossed belt and serves only when the counter-shaft is to be
driven in a direction contrary to that given to it by the belts 15, 16, and 17.
In the drawings, the belts are all shown on their loose pulleys. The position of
belt 15, on tight pulley 12, being indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.
Belts 15, 16, and 17, are provided with idler-pulleys 18, 19, and 20, whereby
suitable tension may be maintained on said belts.
Said idler pulleys are made of substantially the same width as the face of the
spaces 7, 8, and 9, on the cone-pulley, viz.,-a width equal, substantially, to the
surface occupied by one of said belts on both tight and loose pulleys.
Said idler-pulleys are supported on frames 18, 19, and 20, which are pivotally
secured by one end to the frames 5 and 6.
Said frames consist, as shown in Figure 4, of a long base 21, hinged at one end
to the frames 5 and 6, at 21", and having on their free ends the arms 22, at right
angles to said base, and between said arms is hung, on a suitable arbor, the said
idler-pulleys, the said belts running between said arms 22, in contact with the
underside of said pulleys.
The said free ends thereof have screwed therein the rods 23; said rods 23,
pass through slightly elongated slots 24, in the said frame 5, and have suitable
heads thereon.
Between said heads and the underside of said frame 5, is a spiral spring 25, and
by screwing the rod 2, into or out of said frame, thereby compressing said spring
or relieving the tension thereof, more or less tension is applied to the upper side
of the belts according to the work demanded of them.
That part of the frame 6, parallel with counter-shaft D, and connecting the
two sides which are clamped to the rods 2, 2, lies in a vertical position, relative to
said two sides, and several extensions 26, 27, 28, 29, of its edges are provided to
which the shipper-levers 30, 31, 32, and 33, are pivotally connected, as shown in
Figure 2. The shipping lever 30, engaging the belt 14, which is the crossed belt,
is hung on the upwardly extended part 26, of the frame 6, by a bolt 34, with the
forked end of said lever 30, engaging with the lower side of the said belt which is
its driving side.
Shipping levers 31 and 33, are hung on the downwardly extended parts 27 and 29,
of the frame 6, by bolts 35 and 36, and the shipping lever 32, is hung on the
upwardly extended part 28, of frame 6, by a bolt 37. Said shipping levers 30

page_text: and 31, are connected to each other by a spring 38, and the shipping levers 32
and 33, are similarly connected together by spring 39.
Each of said levers 30, 31, 32, and 33, is moved singly and consecutively by
mechanism which will be described further on and as each of them moves in a
direction opposite to that of the lever with which it is connected by the said
springs 38 and 39, it is apparent that while one of said levers is being operated by
said lever-operating mechanism, it moves against the tension of one of said springs,
and as each of said shipping levers is provided with a stop-pin, as 40, 41, 42, and 43,
each lever, in turn, offers a rigid point of resistance to the action of one of said
springs, when the lever with which it is connected is moved to shift a belt from the
loose to the tight pulley.
The purpose of the said springs 38 and 39, is to ship the belt from the tight to
the loose pulleys, and as will be more fully set forth further on.
The said belt-shipping mechanism above referred to, by which the said belt-
shipping levers are operated, is constructed as follows:
An endless wire-rope 44, is suitably supported on the frame 6, by the grooved
pulleys 45, in such position as to permit that part of it between said pulleys to move
in a horizontal plane in proximity to, and parallel with, that part of the frame 6,
lying next to the faces of the tight and loose pulleys on the counter-shaft D.
Other suitably placed grooved pulleys 46, on the frame of the vehicle, guide the
said wire-rope to a point near the base of the steering-head 47, and from thence
upwardly to and around the grooved pulley 48, secured to the steering-head
frame 49.
A clamp fixed on said steering-head secures thereto one of the two parts of said
rope parallel therewith, whereby vertical movements imparted to said steering-
head, by its operating lever 50, impart to said rope a corresponding degree of
movement. The direction of movement thereof, shown by the arrows near said
rope, indicates the direction in which it is moved to shift said belts from their
loose to their tight pulleys. The movement of the lever 50 is transmitted to the
rope 44 by means of a short connecting rod 50 pivotally attached to the rod 50°
which is guided vertically in the steering head by guide-discs 50°. The rod 50° is
provided with an arm 50 to which the rope 44 is attached by means of a set-screw.
In Figure 3, the position of said operating-lever 50, is that in which it would be
with the vehicle at its highest speed. As shown in Figure 3A a spring-actuated
cross-head 51 is attached to one end of a rod or wire 51 arranged in the operating
handle 50 the said rod or wire having its opposite end secured to a ferrule 53
mounted so as to slide on the said handle 50. The cross-head 51 engages with
the slot 47 having the notches 47° therein, each of the said notches corresponding
to certain speed of the vehicle. Therefore, in depressing the handle-end of said
lever 50, to bring it to the position shown in Figure 3, the said cross-head moving
in said slot will engage with said notches 47° in said slot, and remain in engagement
therewith until the ferrule 53, on said lever 50, has been operated by the driver of
the vehicle to withdraw said cross-head from such engagement and permit the
handle of the operating lever to be still further depressed.
This explanation is given to show that each notch of the slot 47 is engaged by
mechanism in the operating-lever coincidently with the shifting of a certain belt
from its loose to its tight pulley, and said belt will remain on said tight pulley as
long as said lever 50, is held fixed by engagement of a part thereof with a notch
in slot 47".
Said wire-rope 44, is shown in Figures 1 and 2, in its normal position, that is,
with all the belts on their loose pulleys.
The various shipping levers 30, 31, 32, and 33, are provided with means of
engagement with metal buttons 54 and 55, suitably secured thereon.
Said button 54, operates shipping levers 30 and 31, and said button 55, operates
shipping levers 32 and 33, lever 30, being operated by a movement of button 54, to
the left, (see Figure 2,) and lever 31, by a movement thereof to the right.
Said levers 32 and 33, are moved, also, by a movement to the right of button 55,

page_text: and means are provided, as will be described further on, for permitting said buttons
to pass under the ends of levers 31 and 32, in one direction, without imparting
movement thereto..
The above-named means of engagement between the said shipping levers and
said buttons are provided as follows: On shipping lever 30, (see Figure 2,) an
arm 56, is rigidly secured, and its free end is bent rearwardly and bifurcated, as
shown, the wire-rope 44, passing between the two members of said bifurcated
portion.
When said button 54, is carried by the rope 44, to the left, (Figure 2,) said
button comes in contact with said bifurcated end of arm 56, on the lever 30, (the
lower end of which is forked to receive said belt 14,) and moving said lever to the
left, ships the said belt from its loose pulley 11ª, to its tight pulley 11, said lever 30,
moving against the tension of spring 38, the end of which is secured to the shipping
lever 31, which is rigidly held against movement in the same direction as lever 30,
by pin 41, fixed in the frame 6.
As said wire-rope 44, is more or less flexible, and as the arm on lever 30, stands
at an angle relative to the line of movement of said rope, the tendency thereof is to
spring upward, as soon as force is applied thereto, to move said lever 30; and to
provide against said upward tendency thereof, a rib 57, is fixed to the frame 6, and
extends out from the face thereof parallel with said rope and just far enough
above it to permit the button 54, to pass under it to the end that it may hold said
rope to practically a horizontal line of movement regardless of the amount of power
required to be exerted thereon to move said shipping lever.
When said helt 14, is to be shipped again onto its loose pulley 11, the wire-rope
is given a proper direction by a movement of the operating-lever 50, (see
Figure 3,) and said button 54, is moved back to the position shown in Figure 2,
and spring 38, retracts said lever 30, and forces said belt over onto the said loose
pulley.
When it is desired to ship belt 15, from its loose pulley 12", to its tight pulley 12,
it is moved in a direction contrary to the movement just described, as given to the
shipping lever 30, viz.,it is moved to the right, (see Figure 2,)-its shipping
lever 31, being secured on the extended part 27, of frame 6.
A short lever 58, having a vibratory movement on the bolt 59, screwed into
frame 6, has a pin 60, projecting at right angles outwardly therefrom, and normally
held in contact with the edge of the said shipping lever 31, as shown in said
Figure 2, by a spring 61, secured to said frame 6, one end of which spring bears
against one end of said lever 58.
When said wire-rope 44, carrying the button 54, moves to the right, it encounters
the end of said lever 58, which is moved thereby from its position shown in full lines
in said Figure 2, to that indicated in dotted lines, at which point the movement of
lever 31, is arrested and held stationary by the stopping of the said rope 44, in such
position that the button 54, is left over the end of said lever 58, the movement of
the rope being arrested by the engagement of the operating-lever 50, (Figure 3,)
with one of the notches 52, in the slot 51, of the steering-head.
A guide-plate 57", is secured to the face of the frame 6, in a position directly
over the said lever 58, said plate projecting outwardly from said frame to a point
beyond the outer edge of the button 54, and then turning downward, forming
thereby a downwardly flanged guide-plate to hold the rope 44, to a horizontal line
of movement, when the button 54, is engaged with the top of the lever 58, to throw
shipping lever 31, over to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2.
A similar guide-plate 57b, is provided for the button 55, when it is in engagement
with the lever 62, by which the shipping lever 32, is operated.
Belt 16, runs from the counter-shaft pulley 12, and 12, to a larger diameter 8,
cf the cone-pulley C, and if it is desired to still more increase the speed of the
counter shaft D, the said operating-lever 50, is disengaged from its said restraining
notch 52, and the handle end thereof depressed still further, whereby additional
movement to the right is given to said rope 44, and the button 54, passes on over

page_text: the top of said lever 58, releasing the shipping lever 31, which, by its spring 38, is
again returned to its normal position shown in Figure 2, and returning lever 58, to
the position thereof shown in full lines in said figure.
The first movement of the rope 44, to operate the shipping-lever 31, by the
button 54, carries the button 55, on said rope to the first position thereof shown in
dotted lines, viz.,-in close contact with the end of the lever 62, which operates
shipping lever 32, and therefore the second or continued movement of the rope 44,
to the right above mentioned, moves the downwardly projecting end of the lever 62,
with it, and as far as is indicated by the position thereof in dotted lines; it is there
arrested and held by the engagement, as aforesaid, of the forward end of the
operating-lever 50, with one of the notches 47b of the slot 47", of the steering-head,
the shipping lever 31, having, as above described, been returned to its normal position
by its spring 38.
The operation of the button 55, to throw the said lever 32, differs somewhat from
the operation of the lever 31, as follows:
A short lever 62, is pivotally secured on the bolt 37, on which the shipping
lever 33, has a swinging movement, as described, and is located between said
lever 32, and the face of the frame 6.
A part of said lever 32, extends below the bolt 37, and has fixed therein a
pin 63, which projects rearwardly therefrom and close to the edge of said
lever 62.
A spring 64, secured to the frame 6, bears on the side of lever 62, and holds the
latter normally in contact with said pin 63. Therefore, as said button 55, moves
said lever 62, the latter bearing on pin 63, moves said lever 32; as above
described.
When said lever 32, is operated to move its belt 16, from pulley 12b, to pulley 12,
that is from the loose to the tight pulley, it does so against the action of the
spring 39, which connects said levers 32 and 33, and as said levers move in opposite
directions, and as they each come to a stop against their pins 42 and 43,
respectively, when their belts 16 and 17, are on the loose pulleys 12 and 13ª, it
follows that each of them in turn acts as a fixed point against which the spring 39,
may act when said spring is brought into operation by the movement of one of said
levers 32 or 33..
Belt 17, runs from the counter-shaft pulleys 13 and 13, to the largest diameter 7,
of coue-pulley C, and after said lever 32, has been shipped onto its tight pulley 12,
and it is desired to still more increase the speed of the counter-shaft D, the wire-
rope 44, is moved still further to the right, (Figure 2,) and the button 55, on said
rope moves out from under the end of the lever 62, of the shipping lever 32,
which is immediately operated upon by the contraction of spring 39, which returns
it to its normal position, and thereby ships belt 16, back again onto its loose
pulley 12b.
Meanwhile, said button 55, carried by the rope 44, comes in contact with the
edge of the lever 33, pivotally secured to the extension 29, of frame 6, by the
bolt 36, and moves it far enough to ship the belt 17, to the tight pulley 13, from its
loose pulley 13ª.
When said belt 17, is on the tight pulley 13, the position of the button 55, is
about that shown in dotted lines back of said lever 33, in Figure 2.
Said shipping lever 33, is made with an enlargement 65, on its side, on the
backside of which are two rearwardly projecting arms 66, (shown in dotted lines in
Figure 2,) between which the rope 44, passes; the purpose of said arms being to
hold said rope 44, which is more or less flexible, as aforesaid, to a practically
horizontal line of movement.
When said button 55, has been carried to the position indicated by dotted lines
back of the lever 33, it has reached the limit of its movement, and the position of
the operating-lever 50, coinciding with the said position of the button 55, is that
shown in Figure 3, viz., with the handle end thereof depressed to its lowest poiut.
In this position, the belt 17, is on the tight pulley 13, which is opposite the largest

page_text: diameter 7, of the cone-pulley C, and the highest speed of the counter-shaft D, is
attained.
From this last-named position of the button 55, and lever 33, one continuous
movement of the handle end of the operating lever 50, in an upward direction will
operate, first, to cause the belt 17, by its spring 39, to be shipped onto the loose
pulley 13; next, the button 55, will encounter the short lever 62, pivoted on the
bolt 37, and swing it on its said pivot without imparting any motion to the shipping
lever 32; the movement of said lever 62, being against the action of its spring 64.
The button 54, will then encounter the short lever 58, which will swing on its
pivot 59, without imparting any movement to the shipping-lever 31.
The two buttons 54 and 55, will then be in the position shown in Figure 2, in
full lines, and a still further upward movement of the operating-lever 50, will cause
said button 54, to operate shipping-lever 30, and impart to the counter-shaft D, a
motion contrary to that given to it by said belts 15, 16, and 17, and drive the
carriage, or other conveyance backwards.
Thus it is seen that at any time while the carriage is moving forward, at any
rate of speed from the lowest to the highest, that by a continuous upward movement
of the handle-end of the operating-lever 50, the then operating driving-belt may
be instantly shipped onto its loose pulley and the pulley 11, be given a reverse
motion by the belt 14, and the carriage or other conveyance be driven at full speed
in a reverse direction.
The said operating lever 50, can be moved unobstructedly to reduce the speed,
or to reverse it, but increase in speed must normally be given step-by-step, because
of the engagement with the notches 47b of the forward end of the said operating-
lever 50.
While in the above description the driving belts have been referred to as several
straight and one crossed belt, it is obvious that the reverse of this arrangement,
viz., one straight belt and several crossed belts,-would accomplish the same
purpose.
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
claim is :-
1. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft having a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, a
plurality of straight belts, and one crossed belt engaging said driving and said
driven pulleys, and means for moving said belts singly and consecutively from said
loose to said tight pulleys, and automatic means for singly and consecutively
moving each of said belts back onto its loose pulley, and suitable connections
between a motor and said driving cone-pulley, and between said counter-shaft and
the driving axle or shaft of the conveyance, substantially as set forth.
2. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft having a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, a
plurality of straight belts and one crossed belt engaging said driving and said
driven pulleys, and means for moving said belts singly and consecutively from said
loose to said tight pulleys, and automatic means for singly and consecutively
moving each of said belts back onto its loose pulley, and an adjustable idler pulley
for each of said straight belts, and suitable connections between a motor and said
driving cone-pulley and between said counter-shaft and the driving axle or shaft of
the conveyance, substantially as set forth.
3. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft having a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, and a
plurality of driving belts engaging said driving and said driven pulleys, a part of
said belts running in one direction, and a part running in an opposite direction, and
a plurality of shipping levers pivotally supported between said driving-cone and
said counter-shaft pulleys, and means for imparting to each of said shipping levers,
consecutively, a swinging movement in one direction against the action of a

page_text: retracting spring, and suitable connections between a motor and said driving-cone,
and between said counter-shaft and the driving axle or shaft of said conveyance,
substantially as set forth.
4. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft having a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, a
plurality of straight belts and one crossed belt engaging said driving and said
driven pulleys, and a plurality of shipping levers pivotally supported between said
driving-cone and said counter-shaft pulleys, and means for imparting to each of
said shipping levers, consecutively, a swinging movement in one direction against
the action of a retracting spring, said means consisting of a member moving in
proximity to the said shipping levers and substantially at right angles thereto, and
engaging consecutively with each of them, and means for imparting movement to
said moving member, and connections between a motor and said driving-cone, and
between said counter-shaft and the driving axle or shaft of a carriage or other
conveyance, substantially as set forth.
5. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley and a
driven counter-shaft having a tight pulley on said counter-shaft, and a loose pulley
on each side of said tight pulley, suitable belts engaging said driving and driven
pulleys, two shipping levers pivotally supported for movement in a vertical plane,
and in engagement with said belts, and a member moving in a line substantially at
right angles to said shipping levers, and engaging them at a point vertically
between the pivotal points thereof for moving said belts singly from said loose
pulleys to said tight pulley, and suitable connections between a motor and said
driving pulley and between said counter-shaft and the driving axle of said carriage
or other conveyance, substantially as described.
6. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft having a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, a
plurality of straight belts and one crossed belt engaging said driving and said
driven pulleys, and a plurality of shipping levers pivotally supported between
said driving-cone and said counter-shaft pulleys, and means for imparting to each
of said shipping levers, consecutively, a swinging movement in one direction
against the action of a retracting spring, said means consisting of a suitably
supported wire-rope one portion of which lies in proximity to said shipping levers,
and having movements in a line substantially at right angles thereto, said.
portion having means thereon for engagement with said levers, and an operating
lever, as 50, with which said wire-rope is connected, and by which said movements
are imparted thereto, combined with suitable connections between said cone-pulley
and a motor, and between said counter-shaft and the driving-axle or shaft of the
carriage or other conveyance, substantially as described.
7. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a driving cone-pulley, a
driven counter-shaft baving a plurality of tight and loose pulleys thereon, a
plurality of straight belts and one crossed belt engaging said driving and said
driven pulleys, and a plurality of shipping levers pivotally supported between said
driving-cone and said counter-shaft pulleys, alternately above and below the line of
movement of a member moving in a line substantially at right angles to said
shipping levers, an operating lever, as 50, for imparting said movement to said
member, and suitable connections between a motor and said driving cone-pulley
and between said counter-shaft and the axle or shaft of a carriage or other
conveyance, substantially as described.
8. In an automobile carriage or other conveyance, a motor, a driving shaft and
a counter-shaft, belts engaging pulleys on said shafts, and means for moving said
belts in a line with the axes of said shafts, consisting of the shipping levers 30, 31,
32, and 33, the wire-rope 44, the operating lever 50, and the buttons 54 and 55, on
said wire-rope, for moving said shipping-levers in one direction, and the springs 38
and 39, for moving said levers in a reverse direction, and the fixed guide-plates 57,
57", and 57, substantially as described.
9. In the herein described belt-shipping mechanism, a tight-pulley, a loose pulley

page_text: on each side thereof, and having belts thereon engaged by shipping levers pivotally
supported respectively above and below the line of movement of the wire-rope 44,
having the buttons 54 and 55, thereon, for imparting movement to said shipping
levers by the engagement of said buttons with the levers 58 and 62, fixed to the
frame 6, and the fixed guide-plates 57, 57, and 57b, for said rope 44, substantially
: as described.
Dated this 16th day of June 1906
JAMES FRANK DURYEA.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C, Agents for the Applicant.