From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Patent application describing a control mechanism for gearboxes with seven distinct claims.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 136\4\ scan0153 | |
| Date | 18th January 1932 | |
| 4 372,040 which are slidably mounted in the gear box casing but are incapable of rotating. In these figures, the locking member, 6, is arranged in a slot, 31, in the guide rod, 3, and is pivotably mounted on the pin, 7, which is screwed into the guide rod. The guide rod, 3, slides over a bar, 32, which is fixed in the gear box casing. The edges, 33 and 34, of the bar are bevelled as shown. In the guide rod, 3, an axially arranged hole, 35, houses a spring-actuated ball, 36, the ball being acted on by the spring, 37, so that the ball is continually pressed towards the right. The ball, 36, is adapted to co-act with recesses, 38 and 39, so as to hold the locking member, 6, in either of its tilted positions. A second spring-mounted ball, not shown, of the usual type is provided for retaining the guide bar, 3, and hence the locking member, 6, in the neutral position shown in figure 4. On moving the end, 11, of the control lever, 1, to the left of the neutral position shown in figure 4, the locking member, 6, together with the guide rod, 3, are moved also to the left until the tooth, 14, engages with the edge, 33, of the bar, 32, as shown in figure 5, when the spring-actuated ball, 36, engages with the recess, 38, and locks the parts in position. In the above movement, the striking fork, not shown, which is secured to the guide rod, 3, has positioned the gear wheels for one of the speeds. On moving the control lever, 1, in the reverse direction, the locking member, 6, on the initial movement is swung in the clockwise direction, figure 5, on the pin, 7, disengaging the spring actuated ball, 36, from the recess, 38, and the tooth, 14, from the edge, 33, of the bar, 32, when the locking member together with the guide rod, 3, and its striking fork, may be moved back to the neutral position as shown in figure 4, or to the left of this position so that the tooth, 15, may engage with the edge, 34, of the ball, 32, when the spring-actuated ball, 36, engages with the recess, 39, and locks the parts in position. In the latter position, the striking fork and gear wheels in the gear box are in one of the speed positions. By means of my invention, an improved control mechanism is provided in which accidental displacement of the striking members is effectively prevented and in which the locking and unlocking movements of the locking member are effected by extensions of the normal striking movement without alteration in its direction. My invention may be applied to gear boxes having other numbers of speeds than that above described and also to gear boxes with gear change. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :— 1. A control mechanism of the type indicated in which the operative connection between the control and striking members is effected through a member which also acts to lock the associated striking member in one or more positions corresponding to speed positions of the variable speed gear, the locking member being released on the operation of the control member to effect a gear change. 2. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in which the locking member is pivotably mounted on a striking member which is slidably mounted on a guide rod fixed in the gear box, the locking member being provided with teeth which are adapted to engage with notches in the guide rod in order to lock the striking member in position. 3. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 1, in which the locking member is pivotably mounted on a guide rod slidably mounted in the gear box and secured to a striking member, the locking member being provided with teeth which are adapted to engage with a part in fixed relation to the gear box in order to lock the striking member in position. 4. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, in which the locking member is retained in the locking position by spring means. 5. A control mechanism as claimed in claim 4, in which the means for retaining the locking member in the locking position also act to retain the associated striking member in its neutral position. 6. A control mechanism of the type indicated in which the unlocking and locking movements of the locking member are continuous with and in the same direction as the striking movements. 7. Improved control arrangements for gear boxes, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated the 18th day of January, 1932. WILLIAM BRYSON, Chartered Patent Agent, 29, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. 2. Redhill: Printed for His Majesty's Stationery Office, by Love & Malcomson, Ltd.—1932. | ||