A Simple NON-JAMMING CHANGE-SPEED MECHANISM.
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A Resume of Recently Published Patent Specifications.
-INtheir specification, No. 309,368, Halley Motors, Ltd., and H. G. Gilchrist describe a very simple means whereby the jamming of the connections between the hand-lever and the selector 'rods of a gear-change mechanism is practically prevented. The invention applies particularly to that class of control in which the change-speed lever is at some distance from the gearbox.
The specification points out that in known mechanisms of this type the desired object is achieved either by the provision of a multiplicity of control rods led from the change-speed lever to the gearbox or by a single, universally jointed shaft operating in conjunction with a system of rocking or swivelling levers. Such mechanisms often get Out of order through mud or dust obtaining access to the working parts ; they are also liable to be jammed through distortion of the vehicle frame.
The object of the present invention is to obviate these disadvantages in a simple and inexpensive way by providing a connection between the shaft which carries The hand lever and the sliding selector shaft, of such a kind that it will cause a sliding movement as well as the necessary slight rotation for the selection of each gear.
As will be seen from the drawings, the hand lever is mounted on the end of a shaft, which is of appreciable length, extending inwards towards the centre of the chassis. To this shaft two levers are attached by keys. At their c-ads the levers arc connected by a spindle which is firmly attached to them. On this shaft a long boss works freely, so far as rotation is concerned, but is prevented from sliding movement by the collars at both ends. This long boss forms part of a member which acts as a connecting rod to impart rotary movement and at the same time as a means for sliding the particular selector rod required.
The prevention of jamming is due to the great distance apart of the bearings of botth the long boss and the shaft of the hand lever.
A Strange Way of Obtaining Clutch Action Behind the Gearbox.
3A-EANS whereby a total disconnection of the drive can le obtained between the gearbox and the rear axle, instead of utilizing a free wheel, seem to be gaining ground, as some of the best experts appear to consider this to be the final solution of the gear-change difficulty. This
easy gear changing is the object of the inventor of the arrangement described in specification No. 308,961, J. H. Buckley, of Besses-o'-th'-Barn, Whitefield.
The invention is mainly interesting on account of the curious method by which the result is obtained. As will he seen from the drawings, the shaft extending from the gearbox carries a bevel wheel On its splined part, whilst a ball bearing supports a casing similar to that used in
differential gears. A similar bevel wheel and ball bearing are carried on the shaft extending to the rear axle. Two pins extend inward from the casing and carry further bevel pinions, thus forming an arrangement whereby the direction of the drive is reversed so long as the casing is prevented from revolving by means of the brake band.
When the casing is thus held from revolving the drive is transmitted to the rear axle, but when the brake is released all drive ceases, so easy gear changing is possible and coasting can be indulged in. It is, however, doubtful whether this result is worth attaining, considering that it will entail constant loss of power as well as noise through friction of the bevel gears.
An Automatic Ignition-advance Device.
THE device described in specification No. 309,220 does not appear to contain any very novel features, and would hardly be of general interest were it not for the names of the inventors, L. Griffiths and C. .T. Morton, being coupled with that of the British Thomson-Houston Co., Ltd. The invention consists of certain improvements in an automatic advance governor, which, we understand, advances the ignition of internal-combustion engines as their speed increases. The specification points out that in such mechanisms difficulty has been experienced owing to noise at low speeds due to oscillation of the weights in their guides, the object of the present invention being to overcome this difficulty by utilizing certain materials in the construction which prevent rattle.
Weights actuated by centrifugal force are employed to advance the ignition, • the only novel point apparently being in the introduction of cork washers and the making of. certain parts of synthetic condensation resin, fibre, etc.
A New Departure in Steel Manufacture.
THE invention described in the specification of Dr. Her
man Johan van Royen, No. 295,315, is claimed to be a means for manufacturing both iron and steel which is, to a marked extent, free from ageing and is insensitive to the greatest degree of cold shortness, i.e., brittleness, also to blue shortness. Such a material should be of interest to the motor industry, especially for such parts as valves, which are exposed to heat.