GB310301A - Improvements in or relating to apparatus for indicating relative speeds - Google Patents

Abstract

310,301. Cowey, L. E. Jan. 19, 1928. Indicating suitable speeds for changing gear.-In a device for indicating relative speeds to facilitate the changing of gear particularly for use on motor vehicles comprising indicating discs driven by the engine and by a driven member on the vehicle in such a manner that the appropriate discs appear to have no motion or have the same motion, the discs are covered by a plate or casing having apertures through which the discs are visible and having colour bands or other markings which by their appearance give an indication of the state of rest or motion of the various discs. In one form, as shown in Fig. 1. a central shaft 3 disposed vertically in a casing 1 is surrounded by a sleeve 6 to which is secured a worm wheel 5 adapted to be rotated by a worm 7 coupled to a driven member of the vehicle such as the propeller shaft. Secured to the sleeve 7 is a planetary gear housing 9 carrying a rotatably mounted spindle 10 with a sleeve 11 to which is attached planetary pinions 12<a> - - 12<c> in gear with pinions 13a - - 13<c> on nested sleeves 14<a> - - 14<c>. The spindle 10 has secured thereto a toothed wheel 19 in mesh with a pinion 17 integral with a sleeve surrounding the sleeve 6. This second sleeve carries a worm wheel 16 in mesh with a worm 18 driven by the engine The planetary gears may be balanced by a counterweight 20 or several sets of gears may be provided. The nested sleeves 14<a> - - 14<c> carry indicating dials 15<a> - - 15<c> having distinctive colour bands viewable through slots in a dial plate 21. The dial plate as shown in Fig. 3 has a. chart 27 formed thereon as a key to the movements of the gear changing lever. In a modification shown in the lower part of Fig. 3, the engine drives a disc 29 and the vehicle drives speed discs arranged below the disc 29 in a manner similar to that described above, excepting that the gears 17 and 19 are omitted.