Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1886
Complete Left, 24th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 1st Mar., 1887.
WILLIAM WORBY BEAUMONT 229 Norwood Road Herne Hill London S.E. engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It comprises new mechanical arrangements of wheels gearing or parts by means of
which I am enabled to vary the speed of rotation of any driven mechanism revolving
shafts wheels or spindles without any apparent or fixed gradations of velocity between
the greatest and the least velocities. On the driven and driven shafts or spindles or
revolving parts or on one of them or intermediate between these I mount a cone or a
pair of cones in such a manner that one side of the cone may be continuously parallel
or approximately so to the revolving shaft or part upon which it is mounted. A belt
or the periphery of a wheel may thus run upon the cone as though it were a cylinder.
The cones may be used for driving or being driven direct or they may be employed as
I specially employ them as part of an arrangement of epicycloidal gear or of Jack in
the box' gear in which that part that holds the excentric wheel or the idle wheels in
these gears respectively is made permissively rotative at any desired speed so as to
change the velocity of the driven parts without loss of power.
W. WORBY BEAUMONT.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Varying the Velocities of Rotating Mechanism.
I WILLIAM WORBY BEAUMONT 229 Norwood Road Herne Hill London S.E.
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 mechanism or apparatus in which or in some parts of which
a variable velocity of rotative movement is necessary and it comprises new mechanical
arrangements of cones alone or in combination with wheels gearing or parts by means
of which I am enabled to vary the speed or velocity of driven or in some cases of
driving mechanism revolving shafts wheels spindles or other parts of machinery or
apparatus, tho velocity being variable between zero and any chosen limit of velocity
and in some cases between zero and any chosen velocity of rotation in the one or the
other direction.
A primary element in the invention is the use of a cone generally a hollow cone
.mounted so that its smaller end is approximately concentric with the spindle with or
upon which it revolves but so that the axis of the cone is inclined from that of the
spindle or makes an angle therewith the cone being used in most cases so that its axis
lies stationary in the same plane the rotation not affecting the angle between its axis
and that of the spindle nor the position of the plane in which both spindle and cone
axis lie.
One side or one part of the surface of the cone is thus always parallel or approxi-
mately parallel with the spindle upon or with which it revolves.
When the cone is employed to receive or transmit motion or power at variable
velocity by means of belts it is provided at its smaller end with a spherical or
equivalent form of universal joint in or by which the cone is free to move in all
angular directions, that part of the joint which does not form part of the cone, being
attached to the spindle or part upon or with which the cone rotates, and generally
either fixed thereon or attached by means which permit its longitudinal movement.
In some cases however, that part of the joint not forming part of the cone may rotate
upon the spindle carrying it, & may form a pulley or other wheel drum or piece of
mechanism.
For rough machinery or implements the cone may be attached by a pin in the
spindle the pin taking into a hole in the small part of the conc. When the cone is
employed to receive or transmit motion or power at variable velocity by means of
gearing or other mechanical devices, the cone is similarly fixed or attached but is in
most cases movable longitudinally upon the spindle carrying it, velocity of rotative
movement of the mechanism with which the cone is connected being varied and
controlled by a wheel, disc, or roller which bears against the periphery of the cone
upon that part where the circumferential velocity is that required for the purpose.
My invention is illustrated by the several drawings accompanying this specification.

page_text: In these drawings:-Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through one of the cones and a
spherical or ball & socket joint by which it is attached to the spindle upon with
which it rotates. Figs. 1A & 1B are transverse views of parts of the same joint &
show sections of the cone. Fig. 2 is a similar cone & spherical joint shown in
elevation. Fig. 3 shows the larger end of a cone as mounted in one way upon the
end of a spindle. Fig. 4 shows the cone as employed for controlling or varying the
velocity of epicyclic rotating mechanism of which it forms a part, the purpose of
the mechanism being to transmit at a lower & variable velocity the power from a
motive source or from a motor of higher velocity. Fig. 5 indicates the pitch lines of
the gearing in Fig. 4 and their directions of rotation. Fig. 6 shows an alternativo
form of gearing of an epicycloidal kind which for some purposes would be used in
place of that shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 indicates the pitch lines of the gearing of
Fig. 6. Figs. 8, 9 & 10 are side elevation, plan partly in section, and an end view of
the cone and mechanism shown in an elementary form in Figs. 4 & 5 and designed
for such purposes as receiving at a high speed the power of an electro-dynamic or
other high speed motor and giving off that power at a lower and variable velocity, so
that when a high speed motor is employed for instance in propelling a vehicle, the
high velocity may be converted into a lower velocity, and varied so as to vary the
propelling effort upon the driven wheels, so, that for instance, the motor of the vehicle
may run at a uniform speed and the speed of the vehicle varied in proportion to the
resistance to be overcome. Fig. 11 shows the cone as employed with epicyclic gearing
of the form, though not necessarily for the purpose, of that known as Jack in the box
or as Houldsworths differential or equational gear or compensating gear, the object
being to give a variable velocity to the power or motion transmitting wheel or final
wheel of the series. Fig. 12 is a separate view of the spherical joint with two keys
for the cone and it indicates by dotted lines the use of the boss or exterior part of the
joint as a pulley or drum or means of conveying rotative motion when the cone is
driven & cone & joint rotate upon the spindle.
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Fig. 13 shows the cone attached to the spindle which it drives by means of a
the shaft & a slot hole in the end of the cone. Fig. 14 shows the cone mounted upon
a shaft through the medium of a spherical joint and with a spindle in the axis of the
cone to provide a bearing for the large end of the cone when the shaft upon or with
which the cone rotates is not carried through the cone. Fig. 15 is a diagram
indicating a modification of the variable velocity gears illustrated by Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, 9 & 10. Turning now to Fig. 1. in which A. is a section of the hollow ex-axial cone
mounted upon a shaft S by means of a spherical or bal! & socket joint. The inner part
of the joint, the ball, is formed with or as part of the cone A as shown & is free to
move in the socket, which is part of a hollow sphere made in three parts, one half
hollow sphere P being formed with a boss for attachment either loosely, or fixed by a
key Cupon the shaft S upon which the cone is placed. The part Q see also Fig. 1B
is made in two parts, like an annulus or a ring divided diametrically, and is fixed to
the part P Fig. 1A by bolts or screws. When it is necessary to be able to move the
cone longitudinally backwards & forwards upon the spindle S, a feather or pin must
be fixed in the boss of the part Pand the keyway D must be made of the necessary
length to allow the cone & joint to be moved as desired. In some cases the cono
would be. used in such a way that the part P would be fixed to the spindle &
longitudinal movement would be effected by moving the spindle itself in the direction
of its length. Within the parts of the hollow sphere provision is made for the
insertion of the key E see Figs. 1, 1A and 12. The body of this key is cylindrical
but one end is flattened as particularly seen in Fig. 1 A so that it may enter the slot F,
see Figs. 1 & 12, made in the ball at the end of the conc. By means of this key E
motion is either conveyed by the cone to the part P, or by the part P to the cone,
according as the cone is driver or driven. The key E may be quite enclosed as
shown at Fig. 1 or it and the hole containing it may be made to reach the circum-
ference of PQ as seen at Fig. 12 and may be held in its place by a pin Y or by a
screw pin passing or projecting into a groove turned in the cylindrical part of the key.
In any case the key E must be free to move in partial rotation, to suit the movement

page_text: of the ball within the socket. Two keys E may be used as seen at Fig. 12, or four if
necessary. The surface of the larger end of the cone has a velocity greater than that
of the smaller end in proportion to the difference in dianieters so that although one
part of the cone remains approximately parallel to the spindle S, upon or with which
it revolves, it is necessary when a spindle passes through the cone, to provide for the
difference between the velocity of the inner part of the cone at the larger end and that
of the spindle. In some cases this may be sufficiently provided for by a roller Gas
shown at Fig. 1, or by one at B at Fig. 3. where the cone being at the end of the
spindle the roller is shown as running upon the reduced end of the spindle & kept in
place by a collar or washer & nut. The roller G in Fig. 1 might be allowed to run
upon the spindle and kept in place by a small inserted pin running in a groove in the
spindle or collars might be fixed on either side of it. Generally a collar on the outside
would be sufficient as the tendency of a small collar roller like G would be to move
away from the cone.
For some purposes a fixed collar at G would answer the requirements, the collar
and inside of the cone might be lubricated so that the inner surface of the cone would
slip over the collar, and lubrication would be easy, because, the tendency of the
lubricant would always be to seek the end of the cone.
In sonic cases the exterior end of the cone would be supported by a bearing which
encircles it as shown in section at N Fig. 1 and at L Figs. 8, 9 & 10.
When at the end of the spindle S with which it revolves & drives or is driven, the
large end of the cone may be supported as in Fig. 14. When two cones are used for
transmission by means of belts they would be placed with the large end of one
opposito the small end of the other as shown by Figs. 1 & 2 together, and the
advantage of these cones would be that the belt A Fig. 2 would run upon them very
much as it would upon two cylindrical drums or pulleys while a variation of speed
would be obtainable by moving the belt A Fig. 2 to any position between A & B
Fig. 2.
In Figs. 4 & 5, S is a spindle receiving motion from any prime mover or source of
rotative motion, and it is desired to drive the transmitting wheel A, which may have teeth
upon it, for tooth gearing or chain at J or may have a drum or pulley as indicated by
dotted lines M, at either a uniform or a variable velocity. Upon the spindle S is fixed a
pinion gearing into a pinion or idle wheel D, which in turn gears with the interior of
the wheel A which is loose upon the spindle S. The stud spindle G upon which the
idle wheel or pinion D rotates is fixed in the wheel B, which is also loose upon the
shaft S. Now so long as the wheel B is held or prevented from rotating, the wheel A
revolves at a velocity proportionate to the speed of C and the relation between the
diameters of C & A. In order to provide for a variable velocity in A, the wheel B is
provided with exterior teeth which engage with the teeth of the pinion E which is
fixed to the spindle H carrying the friction wheel F. So long as I is not in contact
with the cone K on the shaft S, and is held fast by suitable means, the velocity of
rotation of A will remain as above stated, but when the wheel F is placed in contact
with the cone surface it will through the pinion E permit the wheel B to revolve at a
speed which will be proportional to the relation between the diameter of the part of
the cone in contact, the diameter of the wheel F the pinion E & wheel B. When F
is in contact with the small part of the cone the wheel B will have the smallest
velocity within the variable range & A the highest velocity and correspondingly the
wheel B will have the highest & the wheel A the lowest velocity within that range,
when the wheel F is in contact with the largest part of the cone. The position of
contact between the cone K and wheel F is changed by moving the cone longitudinally
along the spindle S by suitable means such as a clutch or forked lever engaging with
the groove at P. By means of this gearing the permissive rotation given to the wheel B
is not accompanied by any loss of work, as it would be if B were held by a brake, &
allowed to slip more or less against frictional brake resistance. The directions of
rotation of the pinions C & D and the wheel A are shown by arrows Fig. 5, & as ihe
wheel B acts as fulcrum for pinion D it tends to turn in the direction opposite to that
indicated by the arrow at A. And in this direction it is permitted to rotate at greater

page_text: or higher velocity by the cone K wheel F & pinion E, rotative velocity being corre-
spondingly taken from A. By making a suitable relation between the diameters of the
conc & wheel F, pinion E & wheel 13, the speed given by the larger part of the cone
to the wheel F might be sufficient to move the wheel B faster than the wheel A. in
which case the apparatus becomes a reversing apparatus & the wheel A. would rotate
in the opposite direction to that shown by the arrow at A Fig. 5. The wheel A may
receive a drum M which may be for power purposes or may be used in small apparatus
as a paper carrying drum for velocity & work recording purposes.
In Fig. 6 is shown an epicyeloidal arrangement of gear which for some purposes
might be substituted for the epicyclic train of wheels & pinions A B C & D of Fig. 4.
In Fig. 6 S is the main shaft as in Fig. 4. is an excenctric and D is a pinion
which gears with the internal teeth of both wheels A & B. The number of teeth in
the wheels A & B are not the same although the pitch diameters must be practically
so, the one or other having the greater number according to the direction it is
necessary to rotate A. Suppose A to have 50 teeth and B 49 internal teeth, then A
will revolve in the direction of the spindle, and assuming this to be as at C of Fig. 7
then the relations between directions will be as shown by the arrows on C, D &
outside wheel A.
A will have precessional rotation with reference to the epicycloidal path of D, but
in the same direction as C, and the speed of A will be such that it will be one fiftieth
of one revolution for each time the pinion D completes the epicycloidal traverse of its
path within wheel B. The rotation of the pinion D'being in a direction opposite to
that of the spindle, S. Fig. 7 shows the pitch lines of the several wheels.
The wheel F in Fig. 4 is shown as of some width on its edge or periphery. Within
this width upon the surface of the cone there will be differential velocity proportionate
to the difference in the diameter of the cone within the limits of width of the wheel.
This detracts from the purely rolling movement of wheel F on the cone, but in
most practical applications it would be a matter of no importance and in many cases
the width of the edge of the wheel would be small. To overcome the slight rubbing
friction which would result from this difference of velocity within the area of contact,
and to obtain a purely rolling contact when necessary, the disc wheel I may be made
conical instead of cylindrical and placed upon a spindle inclined to the main spindle
as shown at N Fig. 4, the angles of the cone & conical wheel being the same so that
the velocity ratio within the width of the conical disc & that width on the cone may
he equality. In Figs. 8, 9 & 10 are shown the complete gear of the form partly
shown by Fig. 4 for reducing a high velocity to a lower uniform or variable velocity.
Fig. 8 is an elevation, Fig. 9 a plan partly in section and Fig. 10 an end view
looking from the cone end.
In these Figs. 8, 9 & 10, the gearing is the epicycloidal arrangement shown at
Figs. 6 & 7 combined with the cone gear shown at Fig. 4. The letters A B C & D),
signify the same parts as in Fig. 6 and the letters S. F. H. E J. P & K indicate the
same parts as in Fig. 4. The wheels A & B perform the same functions as in Fig. 4
though working as explained with reference to Fig. 6.
For the purpose of bringing different parts of the cone K in contact with the
wheel F Figs. 8, 9, 10, the cone is made movable longitudinally on the spindle S by
means of the forked piece Q attached to one of the vertical portions N of the slide M
which is moved by the lever R rod Rand pin joint 0. As shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10,
that part of the cone K which is opposite the wheel F is recessed so as to escape the
wheel F, and the brake piece X is pressed in contact with the wheel F by the
wedge Y pushed into its place by the arm Z which is attached to the slide M, thus
when the lever R is moved toward the opposite side of the quadrant Q to that in
which it is shown the wedge Y is pulled from under X, the wheel Y is freed from X
but the cone K is brought into contact with it, and is free to revolve under the
influence of the cone. The large end of the cone is shown as supported in a bearing L
attached to one of the portions N of the slide M. The slide M. slides upon the rod T
which is held by bearings U & W & passes through holes in the ends of M which also
slides upon the ends of the set screws T' by which the slide is adjusted. The brake

page_text: piece X is loosely held by a bolt & nut. The bearings V and V of the spindle S may
be placed where suitable and the teeth J may be as shown for a pitch chain for
working a tram car or other purpose or a pulley or drum as indicated at M' may be
substituted when the apparatus is used for other purposes or when the device is used
wheel.
for speed recorders or other instruments, or it may be a gear
The wheel Fis shown as made of a central disc of hard paper board held between
metallic discs bolted together & fixed to the spindle H. Any other suitable friction
wheel may be employed instead of the cylindrical wheel F & spindle H the conical
wheel & spindle may be employed as already described.
To adjust the pressure of the contact of the wheel F and the cone K. the bearing H
at the pinion E end of the spindle is made to pivot on a pin G Figs. 8 & 9 and is set
by a screw & lock nut 'S", the end of the set screw touching against the face of the
bearing which is a circular curve struck from G as centre. At the end F the bearing`
is pressed against by a spring in a hollow indicated by dotted lines at G see Fig. 10
the pressure upon which is adjusted by the screw & nut S.
Fig. 11 shows one mode of application of the cone for the purpose of obtaining
"Jack in the
variable velocity in conjunction with what is known as compensating or
box gear" or Houldsworth's gear. In this there are four bevil or mitre gear
wheels A, C, D & D¹. As shown in Fig. 11 it is intended that motion at a variable
velocity shall be communicated to the wheel A which is shown with teeth J for a
The bevil wheels or
pitch chain but may communicate its motion by other means.
.
mitre wheels as shown at D, D' run upon short spindles N, which project from a boss
loose upon the shaft S. The outer ends of the spindles N are attached to a geared
ring B. Gearing with the ring B is a pinion E which is held fast by or allowed to
rotate with the spindle H. The spindle H also carries the friction disc wheel F which
is either held fast by a brake after the manner of that described with reference to
Figs. 8, 9 & 10, or is caused to rotate when the cone K is brought against it. When
the geared ring B is held fast and the bevil wheel C is rotated with the shaft S upon
which it is fixed, motion is communicated to the wheel A through wheels D & D₁.
& A being the same size as C it will rotate at the same speed. But if B be allowed to
rotate in the direction it would move under the influence of C and resistance offered
by A, then A will correspondingly lose velocity. By bringing the cone K in contact
with F, the ring B will thus he allowed to rotate at a velocity corresponding to that
of the part of K which is so in contact & thus a variable velocity will be transmitted
to A after the manner described with reference to Figs. 4, 8, 9 & 10. In some
applications the boss of the part P of the spherical joint may be required to receive a
drum as indicated by dotted lines at Fig. 12, and the drum may either give motion to
the cone or the cone may give motion to it, and the part P may be fixed to the
spindle S or rotate upon it & a collar W with set screw X may be employed to keep it
in place. The drum as indicated by dotted lines may be of any necessary form, may
either communicate or receive power, or may be made to carry paper for receiving
marks or impressions from a pencil, pen or marker in a position which will correspond
with the longitudinal position of the cone & therefore corresponding with the velocity
at which the paper is moving. The marks may be only a series of rings or may be
curves according as the cone is moved longitudinally by a persaltum or a gradual
movement, and the marks may indicate velocity only or may indicate work.
Fig. 12 also shows the cone K as driven or driving by two keys E, but four keys
may be used. As shown in Fig. 12, the cylindrical part of the key is fitted in a
circular hole which is half in the part 1 of the joint & half in the part Q and is kept
in place by pins Y which pass through the parts P & Q and take into the groove
which is shown in the cylindrical part of the keys. Short screw pins the ends of
which project into the groove diametrically, may be used instead of the pins Y which
take into the grooves tangentially.
Fig. 13 shows a cone K mounted upon a spindle S by which it is driven or which
it drives and attached thereto simply by a pin E screwed into the spindle and passing
This arrangement might be
through a slot hole in the smaller part of the conc.
employed in rougher kinds of machinery. In all the examples so far shown, the cone

page_text: is employed in such a manner that although it rotates about or upon its axis, in
abstract it has not a real or concrete spindle or axial support in its axis at the larger
end but in some cases it may be necessary to mount the cone quite at the end of the
shaft or spindle by which it is driven or which it drives as shown at Fig. 14 in which
however the keys E Fig. 1, 1 A & 12 are not shown. In this case the part P of the
spherical joint is fixed by any suitable usual key or other means to the end of the
shaft S and the larger end of the cone K is supported by a short spindle S¹ in the axis
of the cone, provided with a journal to run in a bearing. In some cases the part P
might be loose upon the shaft S and transmit motion by means of a drum or pulley
attached to P or by other known means.
For some purposes the cone might be mounted by means of a form of gimbal or a
Hooks joint but the spherical joint is the preferable one.
Having now described my invention and explained the manner in which it may be
variously carried into effect I would have it understood that I do not confine the
application of my invention to any particular kinds of machinery or apparatus or to
those only that are mentioned as the invention has very numerous applications such
as controlling the speed of steam engines & other machines & in cotton spinning &
other machinery and I would also observe that I do not claim as my invention except
in the combination described, the epicycloidal gear explained with reference to
Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10, nor the internal epicyclic gear described with reference to
Figs. 4 & 5, nor the bevil wheel gear described with reference to Fig. 11, but what I
do claim as my Invention is:-
1. In machinery or apparatus a rotating cone mounted with its axis inclined from
the axis of the spindle or shaft upon or with which it rotates or to which its smaller
end is mounted or attached by means of a spherical or equivalent joint substantially
as described and shown.
2. In machinery or apparatus a rotating conc mounted with its axis so inclined to
the axis of the spindle or shaft to which it is attached at its smaller end, through the
medium of a spherical or other joint, that the surface of the cone at the part which
by the inclination of its axis is brought nearest the axis of the said spindle may
remain parallel or approximately parallel to the said spindle-axis whether the spindle
pass through the cone or only carry it by means of the said joint, substantially as
described and shown.
3. In machinery or apparatus in or by which it is desired to receive, transmit or
obtain rotative motion and to control & vary the velocity of rotation, a cone mounted
upon a spindle or shaft and with its axis inclined from that of the spindle & the
combination of such a cone with a train of epicyclic or epicycloidal gearing or of
Houldsworths equational or differential gearing or compensating gearing substantially
as described and shown with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 15.
4. Generally in mechanism, apparatus, tools or instruments the ex-axial cone
marked A in Figs. 1, 1 A 1B, 2 & 3 and marked K in Figs. 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 13,
14, & 15, that is to say a cone whose axis is so inclined from that of the spindle or
shaft to which it relates or is attached by its smaller end that its surface in any one
determined direction may during its rotation remain parallel or approximately
parallel with the axis of that spindle or shaft, substantially as described & shown.