USRE14472E - Driving and steering device fob motor-vehicles - Google Patents

Description

T. SPACI E. DRIVING AND SIEERING DEVKjEfOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

I nruemon FILED mun. ma. Bnissued May14, 1918.

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llllllllllll TPSPA'CIEY DRIVING AND STEERING DEVICE FOR MOIOR VEHICLES.

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omvmc AND s Reissued May 14, 1918.

DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLI FILED JAN.28, l9l8.

. the driving axle. "A further 0 THOMAS SPAOIE, 01' DE KALB, ILLINOIS.

DRIVING AND STEERING DEVICE FOR MOTOR-VEHICLES.

Specification of Beimied Letters Patent. Reiggued May 14, 1918,

Drilnal 110. 1,188,854, dated June 27, 1918, Serial No. 789,594, nled November 6, 1913. Application for reissue filed January 28, 1918. Serial No. 214,210.

To all whom it-may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnomas Snore, a citizen of the United States, and resident of De Kalb, in the county of.Dekalb and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving and Steering Devices for Motor-Vehicles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a driving and steering device or mechanism for motor vehicles.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved driving and steering device for motor vehicles, so arranged thereupon as to permit driving the vehicle or turning the same into any angular position for steering pu oses, the device being simple and durab e in construction, easily manipulated and arranged to efiectively transmit the power and reduce the friction to a minimum.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provlde novel drivin and steering apparatus so arranged that t e contacting lugs on the driving and driven members shall be in rolling enga igement instead of in sliding engagement. his is of relatively great advantage in reducing the frictional resistance to steering and reducing the loss in power whenever the wheels are turned to a position other than one at right angles to ject is to so construct said parts that there is no tendency of the driving member to urge the driven wheel into its normal position. structure in which this occurs, particularly if large and heavy parts are employed, it s pract cally impossible to shift the driven wheel into abnormal position without first freeing it from the driving force.

Another object in my invention is to provide driving and driven members adapted for relative angular movement and so arranged that all the inter-engaging lugs shall be in contact in whatever an lar position the parts may assume. This is not possible in any construlctionh in one off the interg ugs asa e pointo contact. TEe lugs must be so designed that at each position follow an angular disposition of the driving an driven members, dif-.

ferent points of the driving and driven are in contact. A collateral advant construction such as described will lugs of a that both edges of the driving and driven'luge In any.

will always be in contact and there will be no opportunity for backlash upon a reversal of rotation of one of the parts. usual situation is that the rotation is reversed while the driven member is in cramped position, as for instance, when turning around. In that situation the driving motion is alternately forward and back while the steering wheels are turned and it is eminently desirable that there shall be no clearance or backlish permitted between the driving and driven members.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which;

Figure 1 is a side elevation, the axle being partly broken away, illustrating the mechanism comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view with the cap removed;

Fig. 3 is'an elevation of the cap;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig fi is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe socket plate;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic developed view showing the dilferent positions assumed by the driving and driven lugs in one cycle of rotation of the parts when the driven member is in an angular osition, and,

Figs. 8 and 9, w en placed end to end, show diagrammatically the positions assumed by the cooperating parts at various points during one cycle when the driven member is in an extreme a ar position.

. Before proceeding with t e description of The most the drawin I desire to call particular at- I tention to t e fact that while I have evolved my invention with particular reference to its application in connection with motor veholes, the same may be readily utilized as a driving and steering device for marine vessels, traction en es, flying machines and various other ve icles of the self-propelled Eferring now to the drawings wherein is illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designates the front axle of the motor'vehicle inconnection with which the present invention is employed, the said axle having associated therewith a driving gear 2, whereby motion is imparted thereto. suitable construction is provided for the said axle 1.

Formed integrally with the axle 1, or fixedly secured thereto, I rovide a ball member designated as an entirety by the numeral 4, the ends of the ball being flattened, as at 5, while the periphery is provided with a plurality of preferably four, integrally formed concavo-convex ridges or extensions (3, thereb providing grooves or recesses 7,

the purpose of. which will subsequentlyap: pear. I

Arrangedto embrace the ball member 4, and to partially inclose the same, 1 provide a socket member designated as an entirety by the numeral 8, the said member in its preferred embodiment comprising a pair of annular socket sections9 and 10 respectively, the said two sections being detachably yet rigidly secured through the medium of screws or bolts 11, extending transversely therethrough. The meeting faces of each of the said sections are cut away as at 12, to provide an annular groove within which the spokes 13, are seated; an nular flanges 14, being formed integrally with each of the said socket sections, the

said flanges engaging the said spokes-13, to-

provide a securing element therefor when taken in connection with the screws 15, extending transversely therethrough and through the said spokes as is illustrated to advantage in Figs 1, 2 and 4 of the drawings. Extensions or ridges 16, are formed integrally with and project from the inner periphery of the said socket member 8, the said extensions fitting one within each of the recesses 7, formedwithin the ball member 4, thereby effecting substantially a ball and socket connection for the wheels (not shown) supported by the spokes 13, forming a part thereof.

A casing is provided for the ball memher 4:, the said socket 8, forming a part thereof, which socket is supported or maintained in frictional engagement with an enlargement 17, of the steering arm, desig- .nated 16, the said enlargement formin a operative relation with the enlargement 17 the said band serving in the capacity of a i as support or connecting means for the said socket. v

The inner periphery of the collar or band -18, is preferably shaped to conform to the configuration of. a portion of the outer face of the enlargement or casing section 17 this A bearing 3, of any.

is rotated with the said axle. The ri being illustrated to advantage in 4, of the drawings. A cap 20, is detach 1y secured by means of screws or other means 21, to the socket section 10, the said cap forming a casing section, which with the socket 8, and the enlargement. 17 effects a housing provision of the opening 22, permitting the steering'arm 16, to beswung at an ang e to the axle and thus provide for the steering feature of the device.

It W111 be noted that the elongated, horizontal opening 22, engages with the flattened portion 23, of the bearing 3, and holds the part 17, from rotation with the wheel.

Fig... 7 is an' accurate diagram showing.

different positions which the lugs will assums in one an lar position-of the driven member. It wi 1 be seen by reference tofthis figure that assuming a driving force a plied in the direction of the arrow, that t e lug 16, rolls on the surface 6. This is determined by noting that the point of contact between the driving and driven lugs changes to the same extent on each member in each of the different positions. Of course, these pointschange an infinite number of times in one cycle, only a few of the positions being ShOWIL In Figs. 8 and 9, a complete cycle is illustrated the positions being somewhat-exaggerated in order to bring outas well as possible in a small drawing, the helical curve which defines the path otthe cen- Fig. 7 illustrates,

lateral component of the driving force tending to return the driven member intoline wlth the driving force is very small and is in fact neutralized by the opposite force exerted on the two sides of the line which reprresents-the driving force. i

hus it will be seen that the wheel may be turned as in steering without overcoming a portion of the driving force. This is due to the design by reason of which all of the lugs are indrivmg contact in all positions of the arts. aving described in detail the construction of t e mechanism comprising the resent invention, it now remains to set orth the operation thereof. Motion being transmitted to the axle 1, through the 'driv' gear. 2, it is apparent that the ball membei' f, es'or extensions 16, of the socket member fitted loosely within the recesses 7,. of the ball member will receivemotion from the ball member during the rotation of the latter, and as the wheel is secured to the said is connected to the socket or hub 8, the latter is swung at an angle tov the axle 1, the elongated opening 22, permitting suchmovement, thereby rotating the wheel at the angle desired.

From the above, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it.will be seen that the ball member 4, is incapable of rotation independent of the socket 8; that the enlargement 17, socket 8, and ca member 20, provide a casing for the said all member 4, thereby protecting the latter as well as providing a dust-proof inclosure therefor; and that by the provision of the band,

or collar 18, a ositive retaining element is rovided where y the socket 8, is maintained in frictional engagement with the enlargement 17, the said socket being rotatable nde endent thereof.

n reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is;

the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily, vary, I desire to emphasize'the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportionand arrangement of arts may be resorted to, when required, without, sacrificing an I of the advantages 'ofmy invention, as efined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of driving and driven members, inter-engaging lugs carried by said members, said lugs being nerally ellipsoidal in outline, substantial y as described.

2. In a device of theclass described, the combination of a spherical driving member having surface lugs, a driven member hair-- ing a spherical recess provided withl inwardl pr0ject1ng,generall ellipsoidal ngs, the lugs on the driving an driven members scribed.

being so shaped that in their relative movement the edges of the lugs roll on each other,

substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a spherical driving member and a driven, member havin a spherical recess rovided with inwar y projecting, general ellipsoidal lugs the parts bei arrange to permit osc1l ation on a fix axis transverse to the driving member, the

lugs beingso shaped that all thereof are in sitions of oscilsubstantially driving e agement in all lation of I e driven mem as described.

4. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of ashaft" having a spherical portion, a wheel havin a portion-adapted to fit over said spherica portion, said interfitting lportions being provided with substantia y ellipsoidal ugs, the edges of the lugs on one member engaging with the edges of the lugs on the cooperating member, and means permitting oscillation of the wheel on an axis transverse to the shaft, said inter-engaging lugs being so curved that the edges r0 1 on each other during rotation of the wheel when in a sition other than at described.

5. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a shaft havin substantially a sphere thereon, said sphere ing rooved perlpherally to grovide lugs the e ges of which correspon in curvature to that of the sphere, the driven member fitting over said sphere and bein adapted to oscillate thereon and provide with lugs, the edges of which are. curved on a radius corres 0nding substantially to the radius of oscil ation of the driven member relative to the driving member whereply the edges of said lugs are in contact in a of the driven member, substantially as deigned a" De Kalb, mos, this 19th day of J uary,i1918. p I

' THOMAS SPACIE.

Witness: I

I FABBE.

positions of angularity'

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