[1]Patented Dec. 15, 1931 l @ 8 3 6 t 2 9 8 UNIT-ED 5TATES PATENT OFFICE XARTIN PHILLIP WINTHER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WINTHER CONTANY, OF WILXINGTON, DELAWARA A CORPORATION OF 3)ELAWARE POWER TRANSLAIEOR Application Illed February 21, 1929. Serial No. 341,654. This invention relates to clectrical,powei- Fig. 2 is a I 'tudinal section taken CI]1 91 trans lators, and with regard to certain m4)re - througli the translator per se; spec ific features, to an alternating current Fig. 3 is a fragn-wntary section showing.a power translator of improved type for use clutch release rod detail; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the translatoir OA on a reduced scale showing certain operating linkages; ' Fig. 5 is an enlarged right-end elevation of Fig. 4, certain portions being broken away and/or eliminated; 60 Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail showing a spaced connection between certain members forming a rotor; Fig. 7 is a section showing the appearance on line 7-7 of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a wiri . iag (liagrdm; Fig. 9 is 9, simplified diagrammatic view of a ina n6t spider, a rotor and a stator showing electrical and magnetic fiel(i aciion aS 70 viewed from the left of Figs. 1 and 2; 9@nd, Fig. 10 is a diagramnaatic section taken substantially'on line 10-10 of Fig. 2, illus'tracting an epicyclic reversinlr gear' Similar reference charactei@s indie'ate cor- Ts i,espondin- parts throughout the several views of- the drawings. Ref@trin@g' now more particularly to Fig. I there is illustrated at A a prime mover such as is ordinarily used in automotive con- Bo struction, that is, one requiring a change in mechahical advantage between it and the point of power application as an accelerition pbriod is passed over, so as to adapt the speedtorqtie range of the prime mover to that at ,Sa the pqint of application. The power shaft B of this engine iscelectrically and/or mechanically connected with a pro@eller, shaft C by means of the translator or transmission D, herein'to be described. -.90 Broadly, the translator D comprises a multi-pole magnet spider 1 fastened to the Power shaft B a;nd directly rotatable therewith, this ma.gnet si)ider 1 carryink fin extension or clutc'h sha:k 15 piloted at earing 43, 06 in a part of the propeller sha-ft systern C. The clutch sha-ft 15 has splined thereto a driving male clutch plate 41. The propeller shaft system C is attached a'nd rotates with a cluteb housing 2. The 101 15 improved electrical means functioning with. of a number of U-bars, the section being taken fj i 5 inore especiall iii motor vehicles and the .y like, but being applicable, also to.other purposes. Among the several objects of the, invention may be noted the provision of means for 10 translating power from'a. prime ulover to t4e drivino, wheels of a vehicle so as to ad:n,@t tlae limited effective s@eed-tor'que range of the foriiier to the unlimited effective speedt' @que range imposed on the latter, wherein 0 alternating current is used, whereby the advantage is'had of eliminating sliding'c()ntacts for carrying an elecfrical.power circuit; the provision of a device of the class 20 described having a short power circuit with a consequent r6duction in weight and losses, the provisioii of a device of the class de' scribed wherein a, simplified form 6f rotor used for driving the prop6ller shaft is ae25 ttiated bc@th bv engine torqtie and electrical motor torque; and the provision' of a translator of the class described including in combination certain improved dual hiah. speed, direct connecting'features adapte& to @,- con30 omize f uel and increase operating speeds. This dev-lce is an improvement in the constriietion set out in I the patent application of Martin Phillip Winther and Anthony Winther Serial No. 321,071, filed November 22, 25 1928. Other objects will be in part 6bvious and in pait pointed out hereinafter. The invention aci@ordingly coinprises -the elements and corhbin@tions of elements, fea@ 40 tures of colistructl4Dn,l and arrangeiiients of parts which will be exemplified in the strueture hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will @be indidated in the following -claims. 45 In 'the accompa.nying drawings in which is illustrated one of vari.cus pbssible embodiments of the invontion, Fig. I 'is a diagrammatic side elevation showing the translator applied to a prime 50 mover;
[2]1,836,298 attachr,aent is made by wa- .y of studs 26. Th e clutch housing 2 carries a gear 200 wh@ich meshes with a gear 201, the latter being nested with a.gear 262 and rotatable ther6- with as a, unit on 'a countershaft 203. The gear 202 mesl-ies witl-i a gear 204, said gear 204 being affixed with a, sleeve 205. The sleeve 205, bv means to be shown, is attached to and rotatef, with a, rotor 71, the lo latter being piloted with respect to the magnet spider at bearings 58. The rotor 71 is thus geared (by way of gears 204, 202, 201 a.nd 200) to the driven clutch drum 2 and clutch pressure plate 42 movable witli said .15 drum. The clutch case 2 and plate 42 form driven female memberg for releasably gripping the driving male clutch plate 41. Siirrounding the laminations of the rotor 71 is a sta-tor 39 located in a housing 5, the 20 pow6r shaft B being rotatably borne in respect to the housing 5 as is the propeller shaft C. The above describes the primary interacting features of the invention, namely, the 2r, rotatable magnet spid6r or rotating field member 1, the intern-iediate rotor 71 and the stator 39, the rotor 71 b'eing aeared to and with the female portions @f' the clut@ch. There is also -an epicyclic reverse gear con30 nection 19 actiiig between the clutch housing 2 the sha-fting C and ari extension 15 of the rotating:Held member -or spider 1, which connection may be used at -,vill by operation of a certain clutch band 44 to be described 35 more particularly hereinafter. The spider 1 forms a rotating field member for generating aIternating current in indi'cator bars 32 located in th& intermediate rotor 71. The inductor bars 32 are arranged in an improved 40 and novel manner (to be particularly described) for prodticing a rotatin& field at the outer surface of the iiitermediate rotor, such th@t said field rotates in a dire@tion opposite to the rotation of th(, field of the spider 1. 45 This reverse field during its movement ciits the stator 39, said stator functioning as a motor secondar)7 in the manner also to be particularized. The element 39 forms a secondary for the induced currents in bars 32. It is to be uilderstood that this secondary may, if desired, be of the -squirrel cage type, as explained in said prior application, Serial No. 321,071. Thus it will be seen that a itiaunetic drag I I is effected between the spider 1 and r'otor 71, whereby the latter tends to be moved in a direction corresponding to the dire-etion in movement of tlie, spider 1. However, the inherent slip between the magnet member 1 60 and r'otor 71 induces current in the inductors 32 dnd these, by said means to be set out, set up the magnetic field externally of the rotor 71 which moves in a,direction reverse to the m@vement of t-.'ie field emanating from the 65 spider 1. The result of this externa-I field cutting the stationary ring 39, whereby the movement of the rotor is au-, ented in the tlm direction that it is already travelling, rather than resisted, as wotild.be the case were the direction of movenient of the external field 70 the same as that. of the internal or spider field. The magnet member.1 and the inner inductors or windings on the rotor may be referred to as an alternatin- current generator, whereas the outer in(fuctors or wind- 75 ings and the stator fc)rm an I.Iternating current motor. With the above in mind, the details of the construction will be set out (see Fig. 2). The maunet. spider I includes a separately So excited field coil 60., brush connedted at 18 with connected exciting current collector rings 17, the latter receiving current by wly of a, separate exciting brush 68 fed from the exciter. Thus the rotatin,,f field of the Ina(y- 85 n liet spider is e:ffected. It is to be noted that this is not a field due induction, but is a simple mechanically rotatin- field. The spider 1 is bolted to the end flange of the engine crank or power shaft B by metiis of studs 63. The eltitch shaft 15 is splined at the center of spider 1. The iiiside of the sdider 1 is formed as cup P, said cup formation F riding on a centerin(Y and pilot bearing 58, the latter permitti@ig relative rotati@n with respect to the rotor 71. The rotor 71 comprises laminations 71a suitably clamped tozether. A copper end riny 69 is -Lised as a @ommon return for the iniuctors 32. Each inductor 32 is in effect a, U-bar (see also Fig. 7) the open end of which is riveted rearwardly to the common return ring 69. Each leg of each U-bar is straight. The, two legs of each U-bar are connected forwardly by a straight riveted nnecting link 65. The conco'lducting co dtl'tin- link is connected directly to the outer bar and held in position by a' condlicting ferrule 70., Each U-bar is entirely separated at its U-portion from or electrically insulated from its mate. In the present form of the invention there are eight Lyroups of these inductors 32, each group con-sisting of six inductors a.rrano-ed as illustrated in Figs. 2,5and6. Eachgr-oupofinductorsorwindings on ihe rotor comprises three pairs of U-bars each pair consisting of a, crossed arrangement (see Fig. 5). The exact number' of ba'rs in each group is optional d it is not an necessary that even numbers be -Lised. The desirable feature is the separated crossed arrangement of the U-barg2 The respective pairs -of indtictors are elettrically connected only at and by way of the ri-ng'69 and the respective link 65. It will be seen that as the mao,,netic fields of the magnet spider sweep across the innermost,eircular arrangement G of the legs of the U-bars 32, current is induced in these legs. G and that the direction of current flow
[3]in the innermost set 6f 'legs will be opposite to that in the outermost arra,@@ement H of legs, due to the riiig flow in each U-bar and the fact th-at the outermost set H or'legs is not so greatly affected by the moving field being farthler th@refrom. Also, the maximum or any. otlier predetermined value of current in ca'ch of the inner set- of legs G oc@curs in successive legs in a direction corre10 spondino, f 6 the rotation of the magnet spider but, due to the crossed arrangement, it will be seen that the oppositely flowing maximum or other predetermined value of currents in'the outer set of legs R t-'kes place 15 in successive leos in a direction opposite to zn the rotation of the magnet spider, this being due to the crossed arrangenients of @the Ubars or inductors 32 - in their respective groups. These, inductors, due to their form 20. anct action will be referred to hereinafter as, flux rotation reversinl, bars or windings. For purposes of suceii@et description, these wi@ndings or inductors will also be ref erred to as X windings. They will be seen to 25 be of the ca-e type. The successive currents flowing in, successive, lengths H induce successive field or flux @conditions about saicl leiigths H, which conditions, as they changd successively advance in a direction opposite 30 to the advance of field conditions due to the magnet spider 1, th,u's providing the effects above set out. There are eight poles on the spider 1 in the present embodiment, opposite poles having 35 liko polarity and sucqessive peripheral poles having opposite polarity, whereby eight groups of north anct south pole combinations are had''for inducing current in eight groups Of north and south pole combinations of the 40 U-bars 32. -At this stage of the clescription, the simplified diagram of Fig. 9 may be profitably referred to, in which 9, four pole magnet spider 1 is -shown for simplicity, as well as 45 only four groups of crossed indu6tor bars 32. It will be seen that opposite magnet spider oles h-ave like polarity and successive opes about the periphery'have unlike polarity, this being dub to the manner of ap50, plicati6n of the windings 60. As the spider t move clockwise, reference to the up@er north pole indicat6s that the outward sweep J of magnetic lines cuts the inner groul) oi legs G of the bars 32 and that the successive 55, current va-lues will be induced, in these legs ow' the succesfl ing away from the reader, sive, values advancing clockwise in successive leas G and at the same time return current's flow toward the reader in the outer row 60- of legs H. However. the success,ive current values in the outer row of legs H move in I:t counter-clockwise direction due to the crossed posit-ioning of the incluctor-S. IC is apparent thot the@,upward flow in the. -,outer legs H induces a flux fielcl K, instantaneo-us values of which are sue"Cessively mo ving count6rclockwise so as to cut the motor secondary or stator 39. The stator.is homogeneous and therefore of the utmost simplicity, At the, same time an adjacent south pole is inducing opposite effects in the inner row of legs G of the adjacent group of four of the ea-ge b-ars 32 with consequently opposite progressive effects in the outer row of the adjacent four legs H, the reverse actinfield having progressively opposite effects on corresponding elements of the inductor 39. The result is that each of the legs G in succession goes progressively through all values of altern@tinz current fl6w, both plus and minus and likewise does each leg H, except that the succession progresses in the reverse peripheral direction. Hence the field - K has successive values ",hich rotate or progress in the reverse direction to the successive values of th.e rotaiing magnet field. As above stated, the reaction between the maunet spider and rotor is that of a rnagnotic drag, whereby the rotor' tends to follow the spider; but the reaction between the rotor and the stator is that of repulsion, whereby the- rotor tends further to be forced in the directi-on of spider movement. It is to be unclerstood that the same theory set out in regai-d to Fia. 9 holds in regard to Fi,-s.. 1 to 8 and 10, the feiver number of ely to simplify ly to show that n tl-ie nurnber of should also be clear that the exact number of crossed@ Ubar inductors used in a matter of choice, depending upon the smoothness of drag and repulsive acti'on desired. 'Reference to Fig. 7 will show t-hat the rotor inductors 32 are surrounded by insulatinmica 216 or the like for insulating them from the lamin@itions. Referring azain to the rotor 71 (Figs. 2 and 6), it will be @een that the plate 73 support- inz the laminations 71a is fastened to the ro@t@or hub 66, which is supported in the bear58 and carries rin(-,-s 1'7. This hub or 'Ilg n drum 66 is fastened to the herringbone pinion 204 by way of a sleeve connection 205. As described in contleetion Nvith Fig. 1, the gear 204 is positioned in the reverted train of gears 204, 202, 201 and 2,00, all of them being the h6rringbone type. By reverted is meant that the first and last gears of the train are on the same center line. The last gear 200 is connected by a suitable sleeve 206 with the clutch dftim 2. Said shaft 15 associated with the magnet spider I passes throiigh the aligned hollow sleeves and gears 204, 205, 200 and 206, and passes into the clutch housiiig 2 where it is splined with the male clut@h plate 41 and piloted in -bedring 43. On the end of the shaft 15 is located'a pinion lba.
[4]1,836"298 Within the driim 2 is located the clutch ])ressure plate 42 adapted to be pressed into frictional en-agement and clamped position in respect to the clutch plate 41 which is splined to the cliitch shaft 15. Operation of the pressure plate 42 is effected by clutch levers 53, pivoted. at pins 54 (three used in the present embodimeiit), said levers havintheir operating ends en-agincr with a grooved col10 lar 10 slidably arranged on an extension of the plate 3. . As indicated in Fig. 3, the collar 10 is provided with extension studs N which pass throtigh the plate 3 and a portion of a flange 15 4 of, the driven shaft C. Forwardly these studs N enzage with a ferrule 14 which is iic@imary F@ressed to the right by a clutch spring 45, said sprin- reacting a-ainst the plate 12 fastened to and rotatable with t,he 20 flange 4. The ferrule 14, and consequently the rin,- 10 mav be moved backwardly against - the closing a@'tion of the spring 45, this beina accomplished by the oscillating a@tion of the clutch operating yoke 46 on a collar 47,, 25 a bearing 48 bein interposed between the collar 47 and -the ierrule 14 for permittinfree rel@tive rotation. The collar rides on an extension of a rear bearing retainer 9, th@ latter havin- a cap 16 f oi- supporting the 30 driven shaft C @pon beaiing 49. From the above it will be seen that the rotor 71 may be driven electrically from the ma@,met, spider land that the rotor may ti-ansmit its resultiln,& torque - when the clute@ is open by 35 way 6f the gea.r train.' Said train will be referred to hereinafter by the indicia GT. The -gear train GT then drives the free clut6li ea sing 2. Within the reverse oear box cover @ is 40 rotatably inounted an internal gear 18 fastened to a gear plate 7, the latter in turn bein(,T fastened to a reverse operatin2@ drum 11. Ii is apparent thit if no resistance is applied to the drum ll'that the inte rnal (re-.ii45 18 will rotate with the cover 8 but when the drum.11 is held stati6nary, such as by tht-@ friction,,tl application of a reverse band 44, that said ii@ternal gear will be held stationarv rel'atively to the rotatincy p,,irts. !50 Relferring to Figs. 2 and 10, it will be seen that the studs 25 carry meshed pairs of idlin& pirlions or reverse gears 19, one of each pai7r meshing with the reverse gear pinion 15a and the otber meshing with the internal g@ar 18. 55 As long @-,is the drum 11 is free, there is no relative rot tion between the gears 15a, 19 ,ind,18, said group rotating as an integral m-,iss. When the band 44 is frictionally applie'd to the drum 11, the a-nnular gear 18 is r) 0 constrained to' remain- station.ary, where,upon the pinion 15a drivos the pinions,19 to rotate on their own. axis so that the outer pinions det epicyclically and move a-long the perilyhery of the internal "ear 18, this move65 ment being in an angular direction reverse to t-he angular direction of movement of the pinion 15a. This results in the.studs 25 boing forced around in the reverse direction, thereby carrying the whole clutch housing 2 backwards and therefore incidenta.lly driving 70 the rotor 71 backwards by aetion through the gear train GT. It is apparent,that means should be provided for coordidatin(r the clutching and reverse operations such that there is lao inter- 75 ference. The method used is illustrated more pai-ticularly in Figs. 4 and 5, wherein a pedal 20 is show'n pivoted to a lever arm 22 and resiliently held thereto by a spring 50, tho lever arm 22 also being pivoted and en- 80 gaoing a-t 23 with a linkage 40 for operating the"yoke 46,. so that the clutch ma-y be opened and closed. The operation is such that when the pedal is permitted to move to the right .(Fi_g. 4) under the action of the clutch spring 85 45, then th6 clutch is closed, as is usual in clutch operation. This calls for drivilag from the spider 1, through shaft 15, closed clutch, idle revers I e gear, to the driven shaft systeni C. 90 The peda-I @O has a yoke 67 fori-ned inteo,@al therewith to which the spring 50 is fastened and wllich is notched at 74 and 75. A magnetically operated latch is provided as shown at numeral 51 for preventin'g the 95 pedal f rom being normally depressed f ar enou-rh so that the reverse friction band 44 engalres the drum 11. This magnetic latch is operated frbin a switch on the steering column (or the latch may be mechanic@lly 100 operated) and when in clearing position pern-iits the pedal to be depress6d f ar enough, not ohly t6 open the clutch but a-Iso to apply the friction band, application of the friction band being effected by wi@y of linkage 55. 105 When the pedal is depressed so that a fixed stop 61 is relatively to yoke 67 at point 0, the machine is prepared To'r forward electrical drive. The stop 61 is in notch 75. Inadvertent reversal will not occu@, because the 110 latch 51 engages notch 74 alid it requires another manual operation of the c6ntrol for latch 51 before reversal can be effected. Electrical drive can be continued without attention. from the opera-tor, the iaotch 75 115 beirig hooked over the stop 61. When the pedal is let ba@k or up, so that the stop 61 is relatively to yoke 67 a@ position P, th.en the electrical drive is rendered inol)erative, there bein- no -relative motion of 120 the rotating parts, the cli-itch being closed or en- o, dtoprovideadirectmechanicaldrive. -a,e To effect reverse o eration the circuit for I p the latch 51 is closed, thereby clearing it from the notch 74,' after which the p6dal may be 125 depressed entirely so that the stop, is, positioned at Q ielati.@ely to the yoke 67. , It will be s'een that the -@@licle as a whole may be rocked under its own pow8r and oscillations thereof backwa-rcl and forward 130
[5]synchronized readily by moving the clutch pedal mechalaism alternately between forward'electrical drive and reverse'drive positions. This feature of operation is desitable in maneuvering the vehicle out of difficult situations such as in mud holes and 'snow drifts. brush coil 56 is placed between the members 66 and 57@ in such position with respect to the brush 28 that when the coil 56 is energized it will draw said brush 28 i.-ito coi@tact 25 with the extensi6ns 31 so as to short eireuit the X windinos and prevent tho formation of the traveling field. The ipurpose of this construction is to bring the slip between ihe enoine and propeller sha:ft to near me30 chanical synchronism. The short eircuiting cuts out operation as a rnotor, thereby reducing the net torque to that had by drag (only. In Fig. 8 is shown a wiring dia-aram and a 35 method for effectih- short eircuiting. Short circuiting is t o tak;eitect at about ten to fiffor the vehicle. ns for preventinitial contact 40 ig dtawn against the extensions 31. numerals, there e rotor including 68. Mounted on 45 1 (not shown in' Fig. 2 for simplicity). which are 4ormally in closed,,circuit when the rotor is stationary, because of the action of the springs 59, that 50 is, when the driven member 71 is sta'tionary the ferruied contacts 70 are closed, thereby @utting out of circuit the, brush f-@oil 56 which is connected across the poiiits as shown. The field coil 60 is. conne@eted in series with the brush coil 56 and also 65 in series with -said ferriiled contsets 70. Hence whc@n the rotor 71 is stationa . ry and the ferruled contacts To are closed, exciting currei@t follows wire 38 throu@h excitiiig 6oils g full field flux. 00 o f t h e r o t o r 7 1 opens -the ferruled contacts . Then the exciti@g current, follows wire 33 through both the @brush coil 56 and field - coil 60 in 'eries. The -sudden $ interposition in circuit of the brush eoil 56 10 sociated with, each of the outer portiods H of the -enerator @mductors, 32 for short circuiting-purposes and adapted to be engaged by a circular brush 28 sup ported on a movable circular ring 27. The brush 28 is composed 15 of thin-riveted circular sheets of copper which are engageable with the angularly machined ends of the extensions 31. The circular brush as a whole, including the body 27 is slidably mounted for longiiudinal movement on an decreases the exciting current appreciably, due to the self indu'ction of the brush coil 56 ana also the resistance thereof. The short circuit brush 28 is then quickly drawn into contact by the maznetic action of coil 56 be- 70 fore the current i@ the circuit 33, 56, 60 assumes fullinte@sity. Hence there is no heatonly five pe,,r cent or so of the maximum ourrent thiough the brush coil 56 in order to 79 completely and instantaneously close the short circuitin- brush 28. This weak five per cent curreilt ITassing throu - gh the field coils 60 is not enouzh to effect a powerful field. 80 Hence induceccurrent in the windings 39, is low. Afte-r the brush 28 is shut the current builds up to one hundred per cent value as the self inductance of the brush coil disapReferring to Figg. 2 aiid 'T there.may be ing, because the eurrent in the inductors 32 noted at -numerals 31 certain extensions asis then low. It has be-en'found that it takes 20 extpnsion 57,of the m@mber 66. A circular @pears. Thenmaximumeurrentflowsthrough sti the inductors 32 and the brush 28 is positive-, ly 61d shut with a high mechanical tension. It has been found that the brush 28 does not cause sparking when it goes out. of contact, evidently, because the current finds, a, more i)o ready path over the outer portions H of the bars 32. This is because the reactance of the bars H is practically absent when no current is flowing through them. It takes seve ral frequency changes before the reactance 9 5' is built iip, but by that time the brush circuit h as been broken., 'In Fig. 8 at the right is s hown a circuit control diagtam whien ine ludes conitections with the pedal 20. As a safety measure the ioition swit;ch 34 is mel oo c hanicary interlocked,with the switch 35. It will be 'Seen that the switch 34 is located in' t he ignition circuit 36 and that the switch 35 - is in the circuit 107 connectizig the exciter b rush 68 with the battery charging general os t or 109. Thi@refol-e opening of the ignition s witch when shutting off the engine also opens t he exeiter switch 35 so as to prevent translat or excitation. However when starting the e ngine, the act of closing I the ignition switch ii o d oes not necessarily close, the translator exc iting circuit swit@h, because the coniaection @,t numeral 209 is by abutment only. Hence t he dri-ver can race the engine until it is warmed, up as is customary in cold weather, ii i without moving the car. The translator g witch can be opened ECnd closed iiadependentl y of the ignition switch but the ignition s; witch cannot be left open n ex s witch is closed. 1 20 Another I feature shown in Fig. 8 is the clectr ical switch 211 associated with the pedal 2 0, which swiieh 211 is adapted to close when t he pedal is thrown into electrical driving icahy opens when the 125 p osition and automat p edal returns to direct drive or cliitch closed. p osition. Froni the above description it is clear that t he translator includes the alternating curting ag- 130 rent nerator- compiising the rota m ge
[6]11886,298 net spider 1 and the intemal row G of inductors 32. It also includes the alternating current electrio, motor element comprising the external row H of incluctor bars 32 taken with the stator. The, ioaagnet spider forms a rotating generator field. It is to be understood that any of the inductor bars may be referred to as windings and that the windings of the rotor (the U-bars) form a motor 10 primary eireiiit as well as part of the g6nerator secondary circuit, ihat,is, they comprise a power circuit between the generator and motor inductors. This circuit is permanently closed without sliding contacts or 15 connections. The following remarks will aid in understandin this device: The current generated is alternating, the use of alternating current having the advangenerates curreiit for motorizing. and at the @ame time effects drag, the drag effect and The regulation of the torque between the magnet spider I and the rotor 71 is inherent and may be controlled to give a'desired effect by propeir desigm. The resistances and 30 reactances of, the ' circuit should be so designed that the current and active flux values in the rotor bars and magnet spider respectively multiply out to give the same product at any given normal operating speed. 35 Shortly stated, the machine coriiprises a polyphase alternating current generator t@nd a polyphase alternating curre-nt motor built integrary in such a manner that the circuits between the generator I ii@cluctors and the 40 motor primary are always closed and require no collecting ring or.sliding contacts, Also, where the slip between two genera-ting elements produces nearly engine torque for, use in, driving the driven shaft, it in addi45 tion produces an alternating current for use in providin-g additional torque at the driven shaft, The present invention not only provides an automatio transmission for moior vehicles 50 giving the advantages of electric drives for acceleration and hill climbing E@nd 'direct drive for free running but also what is known as two top "sppeds" which are quiet enough for free running conditions, one of the-se r,5 speeds operating electrically and the other mechanically. It has been recognized that much greater fuel ee'onomy could be obtairied if the socalled high gear in three speed inotor vehicle, 60 transmissions could be successfullv and satistion and hill climbing ability iia so-called "high" is reduced directly in proportion to the ratio drop. In gear change boxes of either the three or four speed types this means frequeiit gear shifting which has al- 70 ways been objectionable. - Wiih the present invention many advantages accrue. When the clutch pedal is back in "clutch closed" position the highest. spepd or "first high". is had for direct drive. The 75 eiagine under these conditions runs slower for a given vehicle speed than the eiagines used with the, ord ar - iia y three speed forward transmissions, the rear axle ratio hoving been reduced of the order of from 4.7: 1.0 to 4.0: 1.0. 80 This decrease in axle reduction economizes fuel on an average of fifteen per cent or more. Next by'pushin g in the pedal 20 to "electric 5 1 g i n g 25 the motorizing effect being additive. factorily operated at a @ear.redu@tibn which'equivaleiit of the gear ratio of 12 to I and an would lower the'speed of the prime mo-ver. infinite number of descending ratios autor,owering the speed of the prime mover in 'mitically effective with increase in car speed. relation to the axle s'peed in modern cars With all its universality the operation is ex130 65 provides a quieter. runniiag car but acceleratremely simple. When the clutch pedal is from this upl)er "first hioi speqd to the lower "second high" speed, as was the case in prior four speed transmissions. In these 9( previous four speed transmissions descending shifts were difficult to make. Furthermgr,!@ the lower or "second high" speed was iiolsier than "first high". With the present invention no gears are, shifted and the lower 95 "second high" speed is not noisy because herringbone gears as used and can be used because the gears need never be slid apart as was the case in prior three or four speed gear transmissions. It would be impossible to use 100 herringbone g'ears in old style fbiir speed transmissions,because these gears cannot be slid apart without changing center distances. The ratio from enoine to driving wheels in lower "second high" speed in the case of this 105 invention is of the order of 6 to 1, whereas t@e second speed in a three speed transmission was about 8 to I and Very iaoisv. "Second high" in four speed transmissions was 110 also somewhat noisy. "Second high" in the case of -this inventioli is very quiet because it involves electrical driving. Below the upper "first high" and lower "second higlill speeds in previous four speed 115 gear transmissions there were what were known as second speed and first speed giving ratios respectively of aboui 81/2 to 1 and 12 to 1. They were noisy as were the first and second speeds of the three speed transmissions. 'fTi the case of the present inven- 120 tion the improvement over these first and second speeds is the quiet electrical operation with high starting iorque (before the brush 28 -,hort circuit s wherein both magnetic dratr and magnetic reaction are-used) _ givino,, the 125 20 tage of eliminating sliding contacts for car-' drive" position the "sep-ond high" speed is 85 rying the power circuit. The relative mo- effected. By me.ans of this invention no tion between the magnpt spider and rotor, shifting of gears is necessary when chan '
[7]back the cluteb is closed and the highest speed or"firsthigh"ishad. Whentheclutchpedal is depressed the clutch is released and the electric exciting circuit @f the translator is closed. If the vehicle speed is above about ten or fifteen miles per hour the translator is automatically in "second higli", that is, the engine torque is not augmented by any electrical reaction with the stator 39, inas10 much as the U-bars 32 are short eircuited. If however, the vehicle goes below ten to fifteen iiiiles per hour when the clutch pedal is depressed or at any speed for which the short eircuitin- b@ush 28 has been set to open by means of suitable sprinos, then the tra.nslator is automatically in it;to,rque increasing position with an infinite n-Limber of effective gear ratios. It may also be,noted that this invention 20 effects a weight reduction. Th,- lowest weight in potinds per horse power in previous gas-electric drives has been tweiity and has often been, greater. In this device the ii7eight has been reduced to about 11/2 pounds 25 per liorse power, which is equal to that of the otherivise inferior mechanical transmissions. Also, the pre ent device is no larger than a mechanical transmission. inside of - the field coil 60 which diie to centrifilgal action, is thrown outwardly and es35 capes bet@",een the spaced plate or spider 66 and rotor 71. Anotlier advantage of this invention is that electrical braking m,,ty be effected in going down hills and the like. In order to ,io do this (see Fig. 8) there@ is provided a manil,,tlly operable switeb 219 which shunts the pedal switch 211. It will be seen that if the car is rolling down a hill with the clutch closed, that is, in mechanical drive, "first high," tha-t there will be relative motion bet-,v,een the rotor 71 and the armatur6 1. Inasmtich as switch 219 is closed and consequently excitation of the magnet starter or armature 1 allowe(l, an electrical b'raking effect is had wben energy flows froin the driven shaft system C to the outer cluteb member 2 and,throu(rh the gear drive 200, 201, 202 and 204. I@asmuch as the clutch is closed, some of this energy is shunted alon(r the splined shaft of the magnet spider 1. The resultino, electrical riaction between the map,net spi(fer effects the brakino, without putting torque on ' tbe, engiiie shaft. This energv (@omes from the momentum of the car. In order that the switch 219 may not be iii closed'posiiion when the pedal 20 is in eleet@ical drivin(,r position, there is provided an abutting pedal rod 221 which is adapted to open the switch.219 during.electrical forward driving connection. The arrangement is 8uch that wlien the pedal 20 is in direct mechanical or higb speed connecti on, then it is possible to close the switch 219 b3 - - a inantial reset 220, in order to effect braking. It is desirable 70 to open the ' switch 219 whenever the pedal 20 is put into electrical driving arrangement, because otherwise the driver may for?,),et t6 open the switch 219. If he forgets to f. open this switeh and lets the pedal 20 back 75 again he may have a braking action wbich he does not at that instant desire. With the prese nt construction when the pedal 20 aaain coriae s back into direct drive connection,-the driver will automatically bave eliminated 8o any bralcing action which he may not desire. If he. again desires brakin- actioli, he may reclose the switch 219 by ii@eans of the manual reset 220. A limiting resigtance 223 is put into this s5 sbunted circuit of switch 219 for braking, in order that a desirable brakin, eltect may be had, It will be seen that as acceleration down a hill proceeds, that excitation of the inagnet oc, starter I increases due, to increasing speed of the exciter wbich is coupled to rotate from the prime mover and also that relative movegiven grade, provided no slipping tali:es place at the contact witli the road. This speed may be'governed by the o@erator by coil- 100 trollint@e resistance 223 whicli is adjustable as shown. In 'vienv of the above, it will be seeii that the severa l objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained. 105 A-s many changes could be made in carryinout the above constructions without de. zn partin g from the scope of the invention, it is intend ed that all matter contained in the above description or shoivn in the accom- 110 panyin g d-rawings sball be interpreted as illustra tive and not ih a limiting sense. I
