US1115878A - Gear-shifting mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

G. R. UNDERHIL..

GEAR SHIFTING MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1914.

1,115,878. u Patented N0v.3,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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C. R. UNDERHILL.

GEAR SHIFTING MECHANISM.

.APPLICATION FILED uns, 1914.

1,1 15,878. Patented Nov. 3, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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GEAR-SHIFTING' MECHANISM.

, Specification of Ietters 19a-Lent.

Patented Nov. 3,1914.: f3.1 1

Original application tiled.E October 8, 1913, Serial No. 7523,986. Divided and this applicationqiled April 6,., l 1914. Serial No. 829,809:

To all who/m, it may concern Beit' known that I?, CHARLES R. UNDER- Hrm., a 'citizen of the United States, and a 'resident of'NeW Haven, in the county of New Haven and State et Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear-Shifting Mechanism, of Which y the following is a specification.

This invention relates to` gear-shifting mechanism, and especially to an apparatus of this type for use on motor-cars, motortrucks, etc., and the principal object of the invention is to provide an improved and' simple type of mechanism by means of Which all the movements necessary for selecting and performing. the operations necessary for changing the gear connections from one speed to' another may be readily accomplished. The present application which is a division lof that liled by nie yOctober 8, 1913, SerialfNo. 793,986, is directed mainly to the electrical features of' the mechanism.

In apparatus of this type as commonly constructed it is the custom to set the gears to the neutral position When the clutch is throtvnfout'. In case of the failureof power for operating the gear-shifting mechanism there would under the circumstances be no .way to control the movement of the car.

substantially instantaneous movement that shifts a gear out of mesh with the one With which it is in 4eiigagement and shifts a gear through 'the neutral position into mesh With another gear corresponding to the different .'sqieed. v

In the usual operation of my improved vear--sliit'ting mechanism elect-ric energy will oe employed for effecting the described Changes in the relations of the gears, and in the pi-eferredftype ot apparatus al single eleetromagnet serves yto supply energy to perform all' of the operations required Ifor shitting the gears to change from one re-` lation' to any other corresponding to the..

vspeed or position' desired. Asimple type of manualv device is used for `selectingthe position or speed desired and: for setting the selecting mechanism inra relation corresponding to such position or speed ,y

oithe gearing and asingle electromagnet operates upon the set parts to shift the speed changing parts fromthe positionin,

which they are to the new position `'corre-vv sponding to the desiredspeed.-

These and other features of my inven-v tion not hereinbeore referred to but which ings, in Which- J p Figure `l is an elevation of one gear-shifting mechanism embodying lmy.

oi' the same with the parts inthe sa'me positions; Figs. el and 5 are respectively an. end and a side elevation of one ofthemain portions of the setting mechanism contrjo1- will be hereinafter described and claimedv l 1 i are illustrated in the accompanying drawff ling the changes in the gear connections;

F G and 7 are similar views of the other` f A1,; i

nia-in part of the setting mechanism which controls the setting of the gear-shiftingI` mechanism in the neutral position; Fig. 8

is a detail showing the development of a cam for controlling the principal parts of v y matic view illustrating an electric circuit the setting mechanism; Fig. 9. is a ydiagrama'nd the principal elements of the selecting and actuating means controlling. the changes in the positions of the gears, and Fig. l0 is a detail illustrating in plan the manual sei-- leeting or controlling lever for selecting the gear changes to be made.

Similar characters designate like parts in all the figures ot' the drawings. v

l'n carryingmy invention into effect I may make use anywell-lnown or suitable type of gearing capable of` being shifted to different positions corresponding to the various positions or speeds in or for which such gearing may be set. As'tlie particular. type of gearing' used forms'nopart of my present invention I' have not illustrated the gears themselves but' `merely gear-shifting UNITED .srariis PATENT `OFFIClilgff f means of which the desired changes in the tions of the gears may be made.

. (not shown).

The drawings illustrate a gear-shifting mechanism comprising two principal elements, one of' which is suitable selecting means for determining the change to be made in the relations of the gears and the other of which is suitable actuating means for performing the operations determined by the selecting means. The selecting means in the present construction is a sub-mechanism adapted to be set in various ways corresponding to the speed changes to be made, the setting of the parts being under man- Jual control and the setting operations bein in this case performed by manual action. The actuating means is intended to come into operation only after the placing of the selective mechanism in a condition or position corresponding to the speed or position of gearing to which it is desired to change. This actuating means may be either under manual control and operated manually or it may be under proper control and operated by'power. one in which a single electromagnet isernployed for supplying energy for shifting the gearing or gears to a position corresponding to the speed desired, though the bringing of the power device into action is shown as under manual control.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, 2 and 3' represent gear-Shifters in the form of rods, suitably connected to the usual shifting-gears These-gear-sh-ifters, are under the control of both the selecting means and the actuating means, the selecting 'means being in this case wholly mechanical and interposed between the gear-Shifters 2-3 and the power device from which power is transmitted through the selecting means to said gear-Shifters. The movements of the selecting mechanism are preferably determined, and are also here' shown as effected, by a suitable manual device, such as a selecting lever 4, which may be mounted at the upper end of 'a suitable rod or post, 5. In this case said lever is pivoted at 6 on an extension, 7, of an annular member, 8, mounted to turn at the upper end of the post 5 to various positions, anda spring, such as 9, will preferably hold the selecting lever 4 up in the positions shown in Figi). Just below the annular support 8 for this selecting lever there is shown secured to the post 5 in a suitable iiXed position an index-head and plate, 10, having a'plurality of indications corresponding respectively to the various relations in which the gears may be put. Here there are five such positions or relationsV shown corresponding respectively to the first, second and third speeds ahead. the reverse speed and the neutral position of the gears. On the part 7 there is also a pointer,

The construction illustrated is,

cam

transmitted by any suitable means to the principal portion of the selecting mechanism. Here this movement is illustrated as transmitted mechanically` transmitting connections, such as the vertical shaft, 13, within the post 5 and having at its lower end a bevel-gear, 14, meshing with a bevel-gear, 15, at one end of a horizontal shaft, 16, mounted in the upper part of a casing or housing, 17, which is intended to inclose the main parts or the selecting mechanism by means of which the various positions shown in Fig. 10 are selected and through which movement is transmitted to the gear-Shifters 2 3 by suitable actuating means. Here the movements of the vertical shaft 13, the bevel- gears 14 and 15 and the horizontal shaft 16 are utilized to turn more or less a primary selector, which is shown as a barrel-cam, 18, securedv to said horizontal shaft 16. This barrelhas a circumferential cam-groove, 19, which in this instance followsl the course in dicated in the developed view in Fig. 8. As the barrel cam is not intended to rotate but merely to oscillate through an arc corresponding to the range of horizontal movement of the selecting lever 4, the ends of the cam-groove 19 are located at different points in the length of said barrel-cam. The camgroove 19 is intended, in this construction, to` determine the position of a selecting frame, such as 20, which is mounted to slide in suitable parallel guide-ways in the upper and lower parts of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be seen that this sliding movement of the selecting frame 20 is in the direction of movement of the gear-Shifters or rods 2-3. At its upper end the selecting pin, 21, that works in the through suitable frame 20 has a cam-groove 19 and through which the walls of the cam-groove operate to slide said frame 2O to any one of ive main positions lengthwise of the positions being respectively the central or neutral point ofthe cam-groove and two other .positions at each side thereof corre- I spending respectively to the four active or workmg positions of the gearing to be controlled, that is, the first, second and third speeds ahead and the reverse speed.

The slide-frame 20 shown comprises a pair of slides connected by four rods, 22, forming a rectangular sheleton frame. 0n these rods actuating slides are mounted by means of which movement is intended to be imparted to one or the other of the two gearshiftcrs 2-3 shown. There are two of these actuating slides, each of which is designated b y 23, and from the center of each of which gear-Shifters 2--3, these rises an actuating cam, 24, with its apex uppermost and located in vertical alinement with the center of the stud, 21, that works in the cam-groove 19. Each of these actuating-cams 24 has at its inner side in this case a projection or stud, such as 25, by means of which said cams may be raised vertically. Each of these actuating-slides and its cam 24 corresponds to one of the gearshifters 2 3, one of said cams 24 being intended to coperate with one of said gearshifters and the other of said cams with the other gear-shifter. According as one or the other of these slides 23 is raised vto the proper extent one or the other of the gear- Shifters 2 3 will be moved lengthwise. As shown, each of said gear-Shifters has three positions in Aany one of which it may be held by a suitable spring-pressed detent, such as 26, (see -Fig. 2) the construction shown being lv one in which either gear-shifter is moved when selected from' a central or neutral position tothe right or to the left, as

the casemay be, according to the position of the pointof the corresponding actuator` cam 24, to anl active or workin position controlling a correspondingposition of the gearing.

Which one of the two actuating cams 24 will be raised to move its gear- shifter 2 or 3 to one side or the other of the central neu- "tral position will depend upon the positions of certain other parts of the selecting means. Here not only is the primary selector or barrel-cam 18 operated by the turning of the horizontal shaft 16 when the selecting-lever 4 is turned but a second selector for determining which one of the two actuating cams 24 shall be brought into action is also operated. This .second selector is illustrated in this case as a rack, 27, mounted in guides and meshing with a spur-pinion, 28, secured to a stud, 30,`journaled in a wall of the housing and also having in fixed relation therewith a relatively largespur-gear, 31, meshing with a spur-pinion, 32, on the shaft 16.

, Through this gearing 32, 31 and 28 turning movement of the shaft 16 by theselecting lever is transmitted to the rack 27, which may take any one' of five diii'erent positions lengthwise of 4the rod 28 and corresponding to the five positions indicated in Fig. on the index-plate. Each one'of these five positions of the rack 27 controls in turn a corresponding position of an actuating memloer, such as a lever 33, splined on a shaft, 34, so as to be movablelengthwise thereof but adapted to turn in unlson therewith. the movement of tnis lever' along said shaft being derived from the rack through a long fork 27 secured to said rack and depending therefrom and straddling said lever near the shaft 34 in all positions of the lever. The lower end of this actuating lever 33 works in the space between the inner sides of the actuating-slides 23 and under the studs 25 and the space between them. I n two of its positions the actuating lever 1s under one of said studs and in two other positions it is under the other of said studs, and in all of these positions said lever is voperative for raising said actuating slides and cams. In the fifth position the lower end of said actuating lever. is in line with the space between the studs 25 and is not operative to actuate either of the cams 24. This intermediate position corresponds to theneutral position of the gear-shafts 2 3 andthe gears operated thereby. v

The parts just described as controlled and operated from the selecting-lever 4 and the actuating-lever 33 when swung up by the turning of the shaft 34, are suiicient to effeet the selection of a gear-shifting movement for bringing the gears into operative relation corresponding to any one of the four active positions shown on the indexplate in Fig. 10, and are also suiicient, when power is applied to the shaft 34 to swing said arm 33 up as described, to bring about the necessary shifting of the parts 2 3 and the gearing corresponding to the desired speed. It being understood that suitable means will lbe employed for applying power to turn the shaft 34, it will be seen that these parts control the selection of two speed positions through one of the cams 24 and the gear-shifter 2, and of the other two speed positions' through the other cam 24 and the gear-shifter 3; and it will also be seen that one or the other of said gear-Shifters will be moved endwise in one direction or the other according as one or the other of the studs 25 of the actuating cams 24 is over the lower end of the actuating lever 33 and according as the point of such cam is at the right or at the left hand side of a stud or antifriction roller, 35, one of which is secured to the end of each gear-shifter in order that said gearshifter may be properly actuated by its respective cam 24.

For the purpose of controlling the neutral position of the gear-Shifters 2 3 and the gearing operated thereby have shown within the housing 1,7 additionahselecting and actuating means by means of which both gear-Shifters may be moved to the neutral position in advance of the actuation of the gear-Shifters to a new speed position. It is important', however, that the gears be maintained in mesh in one working position unless power is available for shifting the gears from thatposition to a working position representing another speed, as otherwise if the gears were shifted out of mesh and left out of mesh and no power were available for shifting them into mesh againy a condition of danger would exist. For this reason I employ actuating means common to the means for shifting to the neutral position and to the meansffor shifting to each of the' working) positions, this common actuating means eing a single actuator, either an electromagnet. or a'manual device, for supplying energy for positively and substantially instantaneously' `moving the gears Shifters from one working position through the neutral position to another Working position without stopping at the neutral point. In this case the specific means illustra-ted for restoring the gear-Shiftersv to the neutrall position is a pair of resetting slides,

.such as 36, vertically movable on guides,

such as the -long 'smooth Shanks of the threaded tie-rods, 37, by means of which the cover and the body portion of the housing 17:.are securely fastened together. Each of these resetting slides has a substantially triangular opening constituting a substantially triangular cam, 38, with a locating recess, 39, at the bottom thereof, for locating the studs or antifriction rolls on the gear-Shifters 2 3 in the central or neutral position.

These resetting slides and cams are intended to be raised-by suitable means such as a resetting lever, 40, secured to the same shaft 34 as the actuating lever 33, and having at its Y outer end a spring-pressed by-pass pawl, 41,

' which on the rise of the resetting lever en- 30 l gages the under side of a suita e projec- .tion or stud, 42,- on'saidresetting slide and raises the same ony the rods 37 to its uppermost position, it being understood that both of the resetting slides areraised in unison by the two arms of the resettingv lever 40. On reachingthe top of its stroke the stud 42 slips ofi the end of the by-pass device 41 and thereupon the resetting slides are returned to their lowermost positions, as, for example, by gravity. In their extreme l upper positions these resetting slides of course locate thegear-shifters 2 3 in their neutral positions in which they are held by the spring-pressed pins 26. On the descent of the resetting lever 40 each by-pass device '41 turns about its pivot when it strikes the projection or stud 42 and passes on to its lowermost position.

`From the foregoing it will be clear that whenpower is applied to the shaft 34 to:

previously positioned in the direction of the axisof the shaft 34 by the manual selecting ...lever 4, will engage the under side of the stud 25 on one or the other of the actuating cains 24 and will raise said cam and c ause it to operate the corresponding gear-shifter 1n the one direction or the other, according as the point of the cam 24 is at one side or the other of the roll 35, which termined vby theeXtent and direction of the shifting movement of the slide-frame 22, which in turn, as before stated, is controlled by the cam-groove 19.n It will be noticed that this cam-groove has a gradual inclination from the first to the vsecond speed ahead through the neutral position, while the angle of the cam-groove from the second to the third and from the first to the reverse position is considerably Greater. The object of this is to produce a sulbstantial dwell in passing` through the neutral point.

Suitable primary actuating means will 'be employed to operate the parts before described located in the selected gear-shifting positions. I prefer to use a single actuator for supplying energy for operating all of the gear-shifting devices, this actuator, in the presentcase, being operated by electric energy. I have illustrated an electrical gearshifting mechanism having a single electromagnet of the solenoid type, such as 43, connected in any suitable manner to the shaft 34, as, far example, by a lever, 44, secured to said shaft and having a pin and slot connection, 45, with the core, 46, of said solenoid. A strong spring, 47, is illustrated for the purpose of pushing out the core when the circuit through the solenoid is broken. In the present case this circuit is a simple one comprising a source of energy, 48, and conductors, 49 and 50, leading respectively to the solenoid 43 and to a contact terminal, 51, supported and insulated on the annular support 8 for the selecting lever 4, conductors 52 and 53 being shown `as passing respectively from the post 5 to a contact, 54, and from the other side o-f the solenoid 43 to a Contact, 55, the conductor 52 being grounded on said post. The select-ing lever 4 is also grounded on the post 5 so ythat when said lever is brought into engagement with the contact 51 the circuit will be closed at that point. At the contacts 53 and 54 the circuit may be closed by a switch, 56, se'- cured, for example, to a clutch lever or other device, 57, this construction being such that when the pedal, 58, is depressed to throw out the clutch the circuit will be closed at the contacts 54 and 55. This method of control of the gear-shifting electromagnet 43v is similar to that heretofore employed. By providing a selecting lever 4 having @both horizontal and vertical swinging movements it will be seen that the selection of the .desired gear-shifting operation will be determined by the horizontal swing of said lever on the post 5, the 'gear-shifting' operation itself being effected ordinarily by power, and when so effected being due to the deosition is de- 1,11. asas pression of the selecting lever 4 into engagement with the contact 51. Of course in the construction shown. in Fi 9 this circuit is not actually closed. until t Ae pedal 58 is depressed. In case the source of energy or battery 48 should fail, however, the necessary gear-shifting operations may be performed by a single actuator in the form of a manual device, such as the lever 59. This lever is splined on the shaft 34 (see Fig. 3) and has a relatively long pin, 60, extending therefrom constantly in engagement with one edge of the ower lever 44. This manual lever 59 is shlftable along the shaft 34 to the ve positions of the actuating lever 33 and is connected to said lever so as to locate it in an one of said positions as desired.

The o ject of making the lever 59 shiftsble along the shaft 34 is to provide an alternative Way of selecting a new speed, this mode of operation corresponding to that heretofore generally used in changing from one speed to another by a sidevvise shift of a lever.

What I claim is:

1. Electric gear-shifting mechanism, compricing` gear-shiftin Ineens having a plu'- rality of gear-sh` ting movements, and meansinvludin a source ef electric ener@ ami a single e ectromagnet for supplying emrgy for el'ectin all of said movements.

:2. Electric ear-s ifting mechanism, comprising gearifting means having a plurality of gearshifting movements, electrical means for supplying energy for bringing about all of said movements,- and combined manual selector and circuit-controller`mov able into and out of position for controlling i said gear-shitting movements selectively and into and out of position for inuencing the circuit ofsaid electrical means.

3. Electric ar-shifting mechanism, comprising gearlifting means having a plurality of gear-shiftingmovements, electrical means for supplying energy for bringing about all of said movements, and a combined manual selector and circuit-controller movable in one path :for controlling said gearshitine movements selectively and movable in another path for infiuencing the circuit of said electrical means.

4. Electric Dear-shifting mechanism, comnrising gearifting means, an electric circuit including a source of energy and an electromagnet for sup lying energy for operating said gear-shiL ing means to different positions representing'dierent speed relations, and a clutch-operating device for controlling said circuit. g

5. Electric gea1=shifting mechanism, com prising gear-shiftin means having a plurality of ear-.shi ing movements, and means inclu g a source of electric energy, an electromagnet and a single circuit-closer for supplying energy for effecting all ci. said movements.

Signed at New Haven .in the county of. New Havenand State of Connecticut this 30th day of March A. D. 19145.

CHARLES R. UNDEBl-IILL.

Witnessesa EVA M. Viena, Many A. Mmirny.

Gomes o! this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressing the Soumissions: et Intenta Washington, D.

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