US781959A - Variable-speed gearing. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

S. L. LANGDALE.

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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. o/za j/Afzazz No. 781,959. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905. S. L. LANGDALE.

VARIABLE SPEED GEARING.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 3,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

STONAY L. LANGDALE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

VARIABLE-SPEED GEARING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,959, dated February '7, 1905.

Application filed June 3, 1904. Serial No. 11,044

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Be it known that I, STONAY L. Laxenann, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Variable-Speed (Iearings,of which the following is a tull,clear, and exactdescription,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a gearing constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention, part of the casing being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the casing and through the mechanism, one of the disks and one pair of cooperating clutch members being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional view through one of the raceways of a bearing and through one of the drive-shafts. Fig. & is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line it -.t of 3, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

This invention relates to gearings, and particularly to a gearing for motor-vehicles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for varying the speed of a driven part with relation to the driving part.

Another object is to provide means for yieldingly starting the rotation of the driven part, so as to avoid sudden jarring of the machinery, with the resultant detriment thereto; and a still further object is to provide means whereby the driven part can be reversed while the driving part is rotating in the one direction.

Other objects and advantages of this in vention, as well as the novel details of construction, will be specifically described hereinafter, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

As illustrated in the drawings, the gearing is applied to a motor-vehicle.

I and 2 designate the sectional axles on which the driven traction-wheels are secured. Loosely mounted upon the axles I and 2 are the sleeves 3 and t, which sleeves carry oppositely-disposed parallel friction-disks, (designated by the reference-numerals5and 6, respectively.) The friction-disks are lixed to the sleeves in any suitable manner, and these sleeves rotate in hearings in a suitable gearcasc, (designated by the n umeralT.) The gearcase is a sectional one--that is, it is made of two parts, each part being provided with flanges through which suitable fastening devices may extend to secure the parts together. At one end of the gear-case is an oil-reservoir 8, which forms a housing for spur-gears, to be referred to hereinafter.

The numeral 9 designates a driving-shaft which may be connected to any suitable motor. This driving-shaft is longittulimtllydisposed in the casing, extending from end to end, and near one extremity thereof is lixedly secured a spur-gear It), which is positioned in the oil-reservoir. The spur-gear 10 is at all times in mesh with a similar gear 11 fixedly secured upon a secondary drive-shaft 9, receiving its motion from the driving-shaft 9.

'A partition 12 divides the oilreservoir 8 from the interior of the main portion of the casing. and in this partition 12 are packingrecesses for the reception of ring-packing13.

The shafts 9 and 9 are parallel with each other, and each is provided with a longitudinal groove (designated as H) to receive the lug or projection II of the corresponding friction device. nously movable friction devices are carried upon the respective shafts and are connected by suitable bearings. One pair is at one end of the casing, while the other pair is positioned at the opposite end, so that the respective pairs can be brought into engagement with the oppositely-located disks 5 and 6 to cause the axles to rotate in either direction. Each pair of friction devices consists of an intermediate casting 15, having terminally-disposed scmicylindrical bearing portions 16, which are secured to complementary semicylindrical bearing portions 17, whereby collars are formed with raceways 18 for the reception of antifriction devices It). The respective collars on the ends of thcconnccting portion or casting receive the grooved por- Pairs of cooperating synchro-.

tions of the rotatable friction device 21, which also receive the antifriction devices 19. These friction devices are provided with sleeved portions slidable upon the respective shafts, and each is provided with a circumferential portion 22, having afriction-face 23, of paper or some similar material. The intermediate portion 15, which connects the two collars, is attached to a reciprocating rod 24,

which is movable by a suitable hand-lever or.

other mechanism, (not shown,) so that the friction devices can be moved on the shafts toward and away from the center of the respective disks 5 and 6. In order to prevent rotation of the friction devices, the sleeves thereof are provided with projections 14, which receive the splines 14 on the shafts 9 and 9. It will therefore be apparent that these friction devices can be moved toward and away from the center of the respective friction-disks, so as to increase or decrease the speed thereof, and thereby change the speed of the vehicle.

A shifter-rod is secured to a central portion of the connecting member for the sleeves on the pair of friction devices remote from the opposite pair of friction devices, and this rod 25 is adapted to be operated independently of the rod on the first-named pair of friction devices, so that the respective pairs of friction devices can be moved into and out of engagement with the friction-disks independently of each other.

Adjusting devices (illustrated as nuts 26) are carriedon the respective axles, and each nut receives one end of a coiled spring 27, the convolutes of which surround the respective axles, the opposite end of each spring projecting through an opening in a collar 28, made fast to one of the sleeves 3 or 4:, the end of the spring being securely held in place by a suitable fastening device, (indicated in Fig. 5 as a set-nut 29.) Fixed to each axle and projecting at substantially a right angle thereto is a pin or projection 30, extending through segmental slots 31 and 32 in the sleeves and the collars, respectively. As heretofore stated, the axles are loosely mounted in the sleeves, so that when motion is imparted to the driving-shafts and communicated to the frictiondisks through the medium of the cooperating friction devices the friction-disks and sleeves will be rotated. The initial rotation given to the sleeves will cause the torque of the springs to impart a rotary movement to the axles in a yielding manner, thus obviating the disadvantage of sudden jar in starting the machine. Under a normal load it is desired to maintain this yieldability between the sleeves and the axles; but under abnormal conditions it is possible that the strength of the springs will not be suflicient to preserve the yielding connection, and in order to provide for the limit of rotation of the sleeves with respect to the axles the projection has been provided, Which will only permit the sleeve to rotate the distance of the length of the slot before the projection 30 will abut against one edge of the slot, so as to cause a positive connection between the sleeve and the shaft. Of course these springs can be of various strengths for diiferentsizes of motor-vehicles. The springs not only serve as yielding connections between the sleeves and the shafts, but also act as tension devices materially assisting in preserving the frictional contact between the friction devices and the friction-disks. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the peripheries of the friction-disks are beveled or chamfered, so that the friction-faces of the devices on the driving-shafts will ride on the edges and slightly spread the disks apart against the expansive force of the springs.

The oil is introduced into the oil-reservoir 8 by means of a ported portion normally closed by a cap or cover 33. The oil is prevented from entering the main portion of the casing by the partition 12 and the cooperating ring-packing 13. If, however, any oil, dirt, or other foreign substances find access into the major portion of the casing, the liquid canbe removed by a petcock 34, (illustrated in Fig. 2,) and access can be had to the interior of the casing by means of the removable closures 35 and 36, also illustrated in Fig. 2, and which are fastened by the fastening devices 37 and 38.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, it will be apparent that by operating one set of friction devices so that they will frictionally engage the opposing friction-disks the vehicle can be moved in one direction, and the speed can be varied according to the position assumed by the friction devices with relation to the centers and peripheries of the disks. If it is desired to stop the vehicle, both sets of friction devices will be thrown out of contact with the disks, and the driving-shafts can be constantly rotated without affecting the axles. If it is desired to drive the vehicle in the opposite direction, the proper set of friction devices will be thrown into contact with the disks, it being apparent that in any case the vehicle must of necessity be started at a low rate of speed, after which the speed can be increased by moving the friction devices toward the center ofthe disks.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a gearing, a rotatable sleeve, a shaft inserted in the sleeve, a spring, one end of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, and a projection carried by the shaft and engaging a slot in a rigid part on the sleeve; substantially as described.

2. In a gearing, a pair of driving-shafts, friction-disks adjacent to each shaft, driven shafts connected to the disks, and independently-movable pairs of friction devices adapted to move on the respective driving-shafts and over the faces of the disks; substantially as described.

3. In a gearing, a pair of driving-shafts geared to each other and one taking motion from the other, independently-movable pairs of sleeves movable longitudinally on said shafts or non-rotatable with relation thereto, a divided axle, friction-disks on the contiguous ends of the axle, means on the sleeves for engagement with the friction-disk, and means for independently moving the pairs of sleeves longitudinally on their shafts alternately into and out of operative position; substantially as described.

a. In a gearing, a pair of parallel drivingshafts provided with longitudinal grooves, independently-movable pairs of sleeves movable on the respective shafts, means for independently moving the pairs of sleeves, friction devices carried by the sleeves, a divided axle, and friction-disks carried by the contiguous ends of the axle for engagement with the friction devices carried by the sleeves; substantially as described.

5. In a gearing, the combination with a pair of parallel driving-shafts, friction devices on the driving-sha fts and movable in pairs, driven shafts, disks on the driven shafts, and yielding connections between the disks and driven shafts including a rotatable sleeve, a spring, one end of which is fixed to the shaft and the other to the sleeve, and a projection carried by the shaft and engaging a slot in the sleeve; substantially as described.

6. In a gearing, a pair of parallel drivingshafts, a casting having oppositely-disposed bearings, friction devices in the bearings and surrounding the respective shafts but non-rotatable with relation thereto, friction-disks, and means for moving friction devices into and out of engagement with the disks; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of May, 190%.

STONAY L. LANGDALE.

\Vitnesses:

B. F. FUNK, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

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