Changeable Speed Gearing.
Year: 1897

page_text: 6
Changeable Speed Gearing.
I, WILLIAM COKER ILIFFE, of Allesley House, Allesley, near Coventry, in the
County of Warwick, Printer, do hereby declare, the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention refers to changeable speed gearing, particularly gearing suitable
for connecting the driving shaft with the driven shaft in autocars.
In three-speed gearing constructed according to my invention, only one hand-
37 64 intermediate "
lever is necessary for changing the gear and either speed ("high,"
or "low") of the driven shaft can be readily obtained by moving this hand-lever
into one of its three positions. The "low gearing is independent of the hand-
intermediate'
lever, which is consequently only required to throw the "high" or
"
"
gearing into or out of gear. The low" gearing comes automatically into gear
directly the lowest relative speed of the driven shaft is reached and goes auto-
matically out of gear directly that speed is exceeded.
"
-The "low"
I prefer to carry out my invention in the following manner :-
speed pinion is forged on or firmly fixed to the driving shaft. The "high" speed and
"intermediate" speed gear-wheels are mounted loosely on the driving shaft; one
on each side of and in contact with the "low speed pinion, which serves as a
stop. The "high" speed gear-wheel can be locked to and caused to rotate with the
driving shaft by a sliding cone clutch mounted upon and connected by a feather
and feather-way to said shaft. The intermediate gear-wheel is also provided
with a similar clutch. The two clutches are united by a rigid frame upon which
the hand-lever acts. (Block or other suitable clutches may be used instead of
cone clutches.) The driven shaft is in two parts; these parts being connected by
a balance-gear surrounded by a drum. Upon the drum are three gear-wheels.
The outside gear-wheels are fixed to the drum and are for the "high" and
intermediate" relative speeds. The driven shaft can overrun the "low" speed
gear-wheel; and that gear-wheel can drive said shaft at the lowest relative speed.
This gear-wheel may be connected to the driven shaft by a silent roller-clutch or
by a ratchet and pawls. The three positions of the hand-lever may be marked
high," "intermediate" and "low to correspond with the three relative speeds.
The gear-wheels on the driving shaft and on the drum of the driven shaft may be
connected by chains. Or the two shafts may be connected through spur gearing.
While the hand-lever is in the "low" position, the clutches of the "high" and
"intermediate" gear-wheels are inoperative and the "low" speed pinion drives
the driven shaft through the "low" speed gear-wheel and its clutch connection
with the drum; the "high" and "intermediate" gear-wheels rotating idly on the
driving shaft.
When the hand-lever is in the "high" position, the clutch pertain-
ing to the "high" gear-wheel locks that gear-wheel to the driving shaft; the "low"
speed pinion serving as a stop. The driven shaft then rotates at the highest relative
speed and overruns the "low" speed gear-wheel on the drum; the "intermediate
gear-wheel rotating idly on the driving shaft. If the hand-lever be moved over
to the "intermediate" position, the clutch pertaining to the "intermediate gear-
wheel locks that gear-wheel to the driving shaft; the "low" speed pinion again
"

page_text: acting as a stop. The driven shaft then rotates at the intermediate relative speed
and continues to overrun the low" speed gear-wheel on the drum; the "high
speed gear-wheel rotating idly on the driving shaft.
.)
In carrying out my invention, I do not limit myself to any particular details,
as variations may be made according to circumstances.
Dated the 17th day of November 1897.
I, WILLIAM COKER ILIFFE, of Allesley House, Allesley, near Coventry, in the
County of Warwick, Printer, 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 refers to changeable speed gearing, particularly gearing suitable
for connecting the driving shaft with the driven shaft in autocars.
The accompanying drawings show how my invention may be carried into effect.
Fig. 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section illustrating the
gear-wheels and clutches of the driving shaft.
Fig. 2 is a similar view representing the gear-wheels and balance-gear of the
driven shaft.
In three-speed gearing constructed according to my invention, only one hand-
lever is necessary for changing the gear and either speed ("high,'
97 66 intermediate"
or "low") of the driven shaft can be readily obtained by moving this hand-lever
into one of its three positions. The "low" gearing is independent of the hand-
lever, which is consequently only required to throw the "high" or "intermediate
gearing into or out of gear. The "low" gearing comes automatically into gear
directly the lowest relative speed of the driven shaft is reached and goes auto-
matically out of gear directly that speed is exceeded.
"
A is the driving shaft, which is always positively connected to the driven
shaft B B. The "low" speed pinion C is forged on or firmly fixed to the driving
shaft A. The "high" speed gear-wheel D and the "intermediate" speed gear-
wheel E are mounted loosely on the driving shaft; one of the gear-wheels on each
side of and in contact with the "low" speed pinion C, which serves as a stop.
The "high" speed gear-wheel 1) can be locked to and caused to rotate with the
driving shaft A by a sliding cone clutch F mounted upon and connected by feathers f
and corresponding feather-ways to said shaft A. The "intermediate "
is also provided with a similar clutch G mounted upon and connected by feathers g
gear-wheel
and corresponding feather-ways to the said shaft A. The two clutches F and Ġ
are united by a rigid frame upon which the hand-lever (not illustrated) acts.
This frame may comprise a ring H fitted in a groove in the clutch F and a similar
ring H¹ fitted in a groove in the clutch G; the rings H and H' having arms united by
three bars. One of the bars (marked H2) is shown. (Block or other suitable
clutches may be used instead of cone clutches.) The driven shaft is in two parts B
and B; these parts being connected by a balance gear I surrounded by a drum K.
The balance-gear is of the ordinary well-known kind and is therefore not drawn in
detail. Upon the drum K are three gear-wheels C, D₁ and E. The outside gear-
wheels D and E are fixed to the drum K and are for the "high" and "inter-
mediate" relative speeds. The driven shaft B B can overrun the
low" speed
gear-wheel C¹; and that gear-wheel can drive said shaft at the lowest relative
speed. This gear-wheel ₁ may be connected to the drum K on the driven
66

page_text: shaft B B by a silent roller-clutch or by a ratchet and pawls. c is a pawl mounted
on a pin c. One end of the pin passes through a hole in the gear-wheel C¹ and
the other end through a hole in a ring C which is screwed to said gear-wheel.
K is a ratchet on the drum K with which the pawl c engages. There may be
any suitable number of pawls such as c. The three positions of the hand-lever
may be marked "high," "intermediate" and "low" to correspond with the three
relative speeds. The gear-wheels C, D, E, C, 1) and E are formed with teeth to
engage with endless chains. But it will be obvious that the two shafts may if
preferred be connected through spur gearing.
While the hand-lever is in the "low" position, the clutches F and G are inopera-
tive and the "low" speed pinion C drives the driven shaft B B through the "low"
speed gear-wheel C¹³, its pawls, the ratchet K, the drum K and the balance-gear J;
the gear-wheels D and E (by reason of their connection through endless chains with
the gear-wheels D₁ and E) rotating idly on the driving shaft. When the hand-
lever is in the "high" position, the clutch Flocks the gear-wheel D to the driving
shaft A; the "low" speed pinion C serving as a stop. The driven shaft B B*
then rotates at the highest relative speed and overruns the low" speed gear-
wheel C, which ncessarily rotates at a lower speed than said shaft by reason of
its connection through an endless chain with the pinion C; the "intermediate
gear-wheel E rotating idly on the driving shaft. If the hand-lever be moved over
to the "intermediate" position, the clutch Glocks the gear-wheel E to the driving
shaft A; the "low" speed pinion. C again acting as a stop. The shaft B B then
rotates at the intermediate relative speed and continues to overrun the "low"
speed gear-wheel C₁; the "high" speed gear-wheel 1 rotating idly on the driving
shaft.
"
An important feature of my invention is that owing to the "low" gear being
always ready for action directly the "high" or "intermediate gear is thrown out
of action, the driving shaft can not race while the speed is being changed.
In carrying out my invention, I do not limit myself to any particular details,
as variations may be made according to circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. Changeable speed gearing constructed substantially as described.
2. In changeable speed gearing, the combination of a pinion C on the driving
shaft and a wheel CT pertaining to the driven, shaft and connected to 'that shaft
by a ratchet and pawls, substantially as set forth.
3. Changeable speed gearing comprising a pinion C, a gear-wheel C, gear-
wheels D and E, clutches F and G, and gear-wheels D' and E', substantially as
described. .
4. Changeable speed gearing comprising a pinion C, a gear-wheel C¹, gear-
wheels 1 and E, clutches F and G, gear-wheels D' and E, a drum K and balance-
gear J, substantially as described.
5. In changeable speed gearing, the combination of parts substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Changeable speed gearing constructed substantially as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings."
Dated the 9th day of August 1898.
JAMES W. SMALLMAN,
Nuneaton, Agent for the Applicant.