921,909. Change - speed epicyclic gear. FICHTEL & SACHS A.G. Feb. 13, 1961 [March 10, 1960], No. 5249/61. Class 80 (2). A four-speed cycle hub gear, with or without a back-pedal brake 21 (not described), comprises first and second sun-ring trains of different ratios and series-connected by a stepped annulus 4, and provides high, reduced-high, direct and low speeds. The first train comprises an input carrier 2 fast to the driving sprocket 1 and having planets 3 meshing the small step of the annulus 4 and an axially shiftable sun 8, and the second train comprises an output carrier 5 driving the hub 23 through a one-way clutch 7 and having planets 6 meshing the large step of the annulus 4 and an axially shiftable sun 9. The suns 8 and 9 are rightwardly shifted against return springs 15, 17, 18 by push blocks 22, 14 actuated by a pull rod 13. In operation, in high, the leftwardly positioned sun 8 is braked at 10 by the fixed axle 11 and the leftwardly positioned sun 9 clutches, at 12, 25, the planets 6 to the carrier 5, for drive through the overdriving first train and the locked-up second train. In reduced-high, the sun 9 is rightwardly moved to unlock the second train and be braked at 19 by the fixed axle, for drive through the overdriving first train and the reducing second train. In direct, the sun 8 is fully rightwardly moved to be released from the fixed axle and clutch, at 16, the planets 3 to the carrier 2, and the sun 9 is further rightwardly moved to be released from the fixed axle and clutch, at 12, 20, 25, the planets 6 to the carrier 5, for drive through the locked-up first and second trains. In low, the sun 9 is fully rightwardly moved to unlock the second train and be braked at 10 by the fixed axle for drive through the locked-up first train and the reducing second train. 921,931. Change-speed control. REGIE NATIONALE DES USINES RENAULT. Aug. 7, 1959 [Aug. 18, 1958], No. 27085/59. Class 80 (2). A push-button control mechanism for a change-speed gear providing four forward ratios comprises a finger 7 selectively engageable with shift forks 3, 4 by an axially slidable shaft 12 and moved angularly to actuate the selected shift fork in the required direction by a shaft 8. Both movements of the finger are controlled by an axially slidable rod 16 which in its upper position has a notch 22 registering with a cam 21 formed on a lever 18 pivotally connected to the shaft 12. Downward movement of the rod 16 causes the lever to pivot freely when a check member 25 is in an inoperative position 25<SP>2</SP> beneath the free end of the lever; when the check member is moved to a position 25<SP>1</SP> by manual operation of a push-button, the free end of the lever is held so that the shaft 12 is moved to the left and the finger 7 engages the shift fork 4. A spring 14 biases the shaft 12 to its other position. For rotating the shaft 8 to establish a gear, this shaft is provided with an arm 42 to which a lever 36 is pivoted about a pin 41, and legs 44, 45 are pivoted at 43 to the lever 36 and the facing edges of the legs are shaped as cams co-operating with a pin 46 on the rod 16. Cheek members 48, 49 are selectively movable by push-buttons from inoperative positions 48<SP>1</SP>, 49<SP>1</SP> to positions 48<SP>2</SP>, 492 in which positions downward movement of the rod 16 causes the leg 44 or 45 to pivot about position 48<SP>2</SP> or 49<SP>2</SP> and hence causes the lever 36 to pivot about the pin 41 which causes a notch 38 or 39 in the lever 36 to engage a pin 34 or 35. Pins 34, 35 connect pairs of links 28, 30 and 29, 31 which are pivoted at 27 to the rod 16 and at 32, 33 to a fixed housing. When a pin has been engaged by a notch, further downward movement of the rod 16, beyond that necessary to actuate the shaft 12, causes the pins 34, 35 to move together, thus moving the lever 36 and, through the pin 41, rotating the shaft 8 in the appropriate direction. The pushbuttons actuate cams 68-70 through a set of yokes (not shown) so arranged that a single push-button may be provided for each gear ratio. The cams 68-70 act on levers 56-58, respectively, which are pivoted at an intermediate point to links 59 and the free ends of which actuate the check members through cables 52-54. The links 59 are pivoted to arms 60-62 freely pivotal about a rod 63. Operation.-Assuming the gear is in neutral, with rod 16 moved to its lowest position by a spring 50 and the check members 25, 48, 49 and cams 68-70 in their retracted positions, actuating a push-button moves, for example, cam 70. The associated check member 49 is prevented from moving by the end of the leg 45, and the arm 62 is lowered, a lug 65 of this arm actuating a spring-biased plate 66 to close contacts 67 which actuate an electromagnetically operated valve admitting fluid to a cylinder 51 so as to move the rod 16 upwards. In the uppermost position of the rod 16 the check member 49 is free of the leg 45 and moves to its position 49<SP>2</SP> under the force of the springs acting on the plate 66 which consequently moves to open contacts 67. Cylinder 51 is then exhausted and rod 16 is moved downwardly by the spring 50 to engage the corresponding gear. To obtain neutral, a transverse bar 71 is moved to the left to retract the cam 70. However, check member 49 is held in the position 49<SP>2</SP> by the leg 45, and the lever 58 remains in a low position in which it acts on a plate 72 closing contacts 73 which are in series with contacts 74 closed by the leftwards movement of the rod 71, thus completing a circuit controlling supply of fluid to the cylinder 51 to raise the rod 16 and disengage the gear. In the uppermost position of the rod the check member 49 is released and lever 58 resumes its upper position, so that contacts 73 open and the cylinder 51 is exhausted so that rod 16 moves to its lowest position.