George Constantinesco: Inertial Transmission (US Patent
1591471 etc)

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**[rexresearch.com](../index.htm)**

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 **George CONSTANTINESCO**

**Inertial
Transmission**

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See also : [CONSTANTINESCO,
George : Transmission ( II )](../constantinesco2/constantinesco.htm)  
**[Newton Burke: *Popular Science
Magazine* (February 1924)](#popsci)**   
**[Ian Constantinesco: George Constantinesco
-- His Torque Converter and Other Inventions (Chapter 5)](#chap5)**
  
**[George
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1, 542,668; Method
and Means for Transmitting Power](#1542668)**   
**[G.
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1,582,734; Power
Transmission](#1582734)**   
**[G.
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1,591,471; Power
Transmission Mechanism](#1591471)**   
**[G.
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1,613,344; Power
Transmission](#1613344)**   
**[G.
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1,617,410; Clutch
and Unidirectional Driving Device](#1617010)**   
**[G.
Constantinesco: *US Patent* # 1,715,816; Driving
Gear for Motor Vehicles](#1715816)**

---

***Popular Science* (Feb. 1924)**

**"Amazing
New Car Has No Gears"**

**by Newton Burke**

![](1popsci.gif)

*Ingenious Automatic Power Control Does Away
with Nuisance of Shifting*

A
marvelous new type of automobile is now running through the
streets of Paris. In appearance it resembles the thousands
of small cars that throng the French capital. And yet this
car is capable of performing such remarkable feats that it
has aroused the intense interest of automotive engineers in
all parts of the world.

The
car has no transmission of the conventional type. There are
no gears and no gear shift lever. Automatically and without
attention on the part of the driver, it adjusts itself to
the load, so that in any kind of a test or demonstration the
driver has nothing to do except steer and press on the
throttle with his foot until the desired results are
obtained, whether he is towing a 5-ton truck up a steep hill
or traveling at high speeds on an open country road. George
Constantinesco, well-known automobile engineer, has
perfected in this new gearless car a transmission along
radically new lines.

If
you ever have tried to push a stalled automobile along a
road or to shove a heavy motor boat away from a dock you
know how hard it is to get a heavy object into motion and
how relatively easy it is to keep it going once you have it
started. You have also found that it takes a lot more energy
to get it started quickly than if you take your rime with
the job.

The
ease with which an object can be set in motion if you do the
job at slow speed, and the extra effort required when you
try to speed up the operation, is taken advantage of in the
new gearless automobile. How this is accomplished is shown
in the simplified drawing of the most important parts. It
shows what happens when the crank is rotated by the engine.

When
the motor is started and un slowly and the automobile is
stationary, the weight of the car keeps the drive shaft on
which the ratchet wheel is mounted from turning, and the
motion of the rotating crank is transmitted to the inertia
wheel, which consequently oscillates back and forth. When
the driver steps on the throttle the motor starts to speed
up, and if the inertia wheel weighed practically nothing it
would oscillate back and forth at increased speed. But the
inertia wheel is made heavy and consequently it offers
resistance to being oscillated back and forth with any great
amount of speed.

This
resistance tends to hold the differential lever attached to
it from making the full motion imparted through the
connecting rod by the crank and forces the other end of the
lever to move back and forth slightly when the increase in
speed first starts, and more rapidly as the engine develops
more power. Note that the ratchets are so arranged that the
ratchet wheel is turned in the same direction both on the
forward and and backward motion of the link operating
through the drive rods. At high speed the inertia wheel
remains practically stationary and all of the motion is
transmitted directly to the rear wheels.

The
drawing, of course, does not show the parts as they actually
are arranged in the automobile. For the sake of clearness
the parts have been spread out and simplified. The ratchet
wheel, for instance, really consists of a pair of
over-running clutches that accomplish the same result
without lost motion. Of course this mechanism can drive the
car only in the forward direction, and consequently a
reverse gear is fitted to facilitate backing the car around
in the garage and to make turns on the road.

The
control of the new car is much more simple than any of the
standard automobiles. There being no clutch or gear shift
lever, the driver does not have to worry about changing
speeds. When he wants to stop he takes his foot off the
throttle and puts on the brake. The motor slows down and the
small amount of energy still being generated is used to rock
the inertia wheel back and forth.

When
he wants to start he throws off the brake and steps on the
throttle and the car starts up without a jerk, automatically
increasing speed until a balance is obtained between the
speed of the car and the amount of power developed by the
motor.

Hills
present no difficulties. The car simply slows down in
proportion to the steepness of the hill. Consequently it
will climb any hill as long as the rear wheels can obtain
traction. Weird results can be accomplished by the
remarkable infinite ratio transmission. If the back wheels
are block with heavy logs when the car is standing and the
driver steps on the throttle, the wheels rise up over the
obstacle with a slow and gradual movement that suggests the
running and jumping figures seen by a slow motion camera. It
also enables a light demonstrator car fitted with a
low-powered motor to tow a loaded 5-ton truck up a steep
hill without laboring.

This
simplified diagram shows how the gearless transmission
passes the power from the motor to the drive shaft in
proportion to the motor speed and the load. As the crank
runs faster, the weight of the inertia wheel resists this
speeding up process, and the other end of the differential
lever starts to move back and forward, rotating the drive
shaft by means of the ratchet wheel.

---

**Source:****www.fluid.power.net ---**


**George Constantinesco**

**His Torque Converter and Other
Inventions**

**by**

**Ian Constantinesco**

George Constantinesco was born in
Romania and arrived in London in November 1910. By 1913 he had
already applied for eighteen British Patents related to
improvements in internal combustion engines and their
ancillaries such as carburettors, fuels and transmission
elements as well as early patents on methods of transmitting
power by pulsating waves of energy through liquids. He
formulated the Theory of Sonics --- the science dealing with
the transmission of power by periodic forces and motions
through liquids, solids and gases. He discovered that these
phenomena had their analogies not only with the properties of
sound waves and the laws of harmony, but also with AC
electrical circuits.  Prototypes of rock drills working
on the percussion system and polyphase rotary systems were
already being demonstrated by 1913. The most important
application of his theory of sonics was a "synchroniser gear"
which allowed to fire a machine gun through the aircraft
propeller. This gear was employed on all allied aircraft
during WWI and on some aicraft during WWII. After WWI
Constantinesco had an idea for a low cost "peoples' car''
which would travel 100 km miles on 2.5 litres of petrol at the
most commonly used road speeds of 50 to 70 km per hour. He
considered that this performance and low cost could be
achieved by using a cheap 500 cc single cylinder two stroke
air cooled engine together with his unique Torque Converter
transmission which would eliminate the conventional gear box
and clutch. Experience in this field could then be applied to
the transmission of much higher powers in heavy vehicles such
as railway locomotives. The car was displayed at London and
Paris Motor shows in 1925 and attracted more than one hundred
articles in world press. General Motors acquired a licence to
build the car in 1926. Unfortunately development of the
transmission stopped as there was no need for infinitely
variable transmission while car engines were large (4-5
litres) and had plenty of torque. His torque converter was
however used in self propelling railcars. Constantinesco died
in 1965 at the age of 94, and only few years before his death
he presented a paper on Power Transmission at the Institutiom
of Mechanical Engineering. Constantinesco had 133 British
patents to his credit in the fields of automobile engineering,
fluid power, mechanical transmissions and others. The
following pages describe his career and his various
inventions.  We hope that you will enjoy reading this
fascinating story.

*1. Early Days in Romania - the
Conception of Sonics // 2. England - Birth of Sonics // 3.
Firing between the Props // 4. The Admiralty Backs Sonic
Research //*   
***5. The Torque Converter //** 6. Other Applications of
Sonics // 7. Laboratory at Coniston // 8. Epilog // 9.
Acknowledgments // 10. References // 11. Bibliography*

**Chapter 5   The Torque
Converter**

With the war over and the Sonic
Works at West Drayton disbanded, George was no longer
compelled to apply his Sonic principles to engines of
destruction. He had for many years shown an interest in motor
cars and other vehicles for road and rail transportation. The
first practical indications of this interest appeared in his
patent for a monorail system in 1910, followed by others
relating to components of internal combustion engines and
transmission elements. Among these there was a paraffin
vaporizer patented in 1911 which was tested in a car fuelled
by crude paraffin oil on a journey from London to Brighton and
back - at a cost of one shilling for the fuel for the round
trip! During the war years George had already made an in-depth
mathematical analysis of infinitely variable transmissions and
had arrived at a concept for a mechanical Torque Converter. He
claimed that such a device could be universally applied in
industry, motor vehicles, railway locomotives, ships, military
tanks and agricultural tractors. The exigencies of the war had
interfered with further development, but now there was an
opportunity to return to the theme.

Of the various possibilities which
came to mind George concluded that the most fruitful and
marketable line of approach to start with should be
improvement in the efficiency and ease of operation of the
transmission train of motor cars. He was concerned at the
wasteful use of fuel inherent in existing engines and their
transmission systems, the inconvenience of manual gear
changing, and clutch operation, with consequent shocks to the
engines and transmissions. Also there was the high price of
motor cars, which only a minority of people could afford to
buy. His idea was to produce a low cost one hundred guinea
"peoples' car'' which would travel 100 miles on one gallon of
petrol at the most commonly used road speeds of 30 to 40 miles
per hour. George arrived at this figure after conducting a
comprehensive survey of average car road speeds and designed
his car to benefit the most people, rather than a car of
higher speed which would only benefit a minority. He
considered that this performance and low cost could be
achieved by using a cheap 500 cc single cylinder two stroke
air cooled engine together with his Torque Converter
transmission which would eliminate the conventional gear box
and clutch. Experience in this field could then be applied to
the transmission of much higher powers in heavy vehicles such
as railway locomotives.

George admitted that the mechanics
of his automatic variable transmission, or Torque Converter
were not easy to explain because the theory of conventional
mechanisms did not apply to this invention. It will be
recalled from previous chapters that George used a hydrosonic
system to operate the aircraft machine guns and the injector
system for Diesel engines. His Torque Converter was a
sonomechanical application of his theory on the transmission
of power by vibrations where the impulses are transmitted
through solids instead of liquids. Power is transmitted from
the engine to the output shaft through a system of oscillating
levers and inertias1 arranged in such a way as to split the
alternating motion derived from a primary crank rotating with
uniform angular speed and torque into two components. The
first component oscillates a mass or any form of inertia. The
second component oscillates a set of mechanical valves. The
valves are arranged in pairs out of phase at 180 deg, so that
positive and negative impulses are rectified into a
unidirectional torque on the secondary. The angular speed and
torque on the secondary varies automatically within wide
limits according to the resistance to be overcome and the
revolutions of the engine.

The Torque Converter was typical of
the way in which George Constantinesco worked, the first model
emerged from a purely mathematical analysis of the problem to
be solved, followed by a mathematical solution translated into
a working drawing. The model made from the working drawing
performed as predicted without "trial and error'' or
modification.

A great deal of interest in the
invention was aroused in the popular and technical press, but
many of the statements made were inaccurate or misleading. In
an attempt to clarify the situation, the Editor of the
Automobile Engineer invited George to discuss the whole
concept of variable transmissions for motorcars in a series of
five articles in that publication from November 1923 to July
1924. These articles, together with the correspondence which
arose, were reprinted at George's request, in a volume
entitled "Variable Transmissions for Automobiles'' [9], and
issued in quantity from his offices at 7 Grosvenor Gardens in
London. This was an indication of George's confidence in the
accuracy of his analysis of the problem and his solution
provided by his invention, in spite of the criticism and
sometimes heated arguments generated in the correspondence.
Further criticism and disbelief was silenced when George
published a letter in the July 1924 issue of the Automobile
Engineer offering a prize of GBP100 ''to the first individual
who will prove that my mathematics are wrong or the
interpretation of my formulae are not in strict accordance
with logic".

To illustrate the basic principle
of the Constantinesco Torque Converter, consider figs 16a and
16b. The impulses are produced by a crank connected to a point
distant from the apex of a pendulum, or lever with a weight on
the end. This apex is connected by a short link to a fixed
point; the apex of the pendulum is connected with links to
unidirectional ''mechanical valves" on the secondary shaft,
which operate like ratchets, but much more smoothly. When the
primary crank rotates slowly, figure 16a, the pendulum swings
to and fro about the apex, or fulcrum of the lever, as in a
clock and no energy is imparted to the secondary shaft. This
corresponds to the ''neutral" position in a conventional gear
box with the prime mover ticking over.

![](fig27.gif)

**Fig. 16  Principle of operation of the Torque
Converter**

When the revolutions of the prime
mover are increased considerably, the frequency of the crank
oscillations increases and thus tries to increase the
frequency of the pendulum oscillations. At this point a new
set of circumstances arises. Due to its inertia the pendulum
weight tends to remain stationary fig. 16b. Under these
conditions and when the load on the secondary is moderate, the
fulcrum of the pendulum, which was at the apex, has been
transferred to the position of the pendulum weight. The result
is that the apex of the pendulum oscillates instead, to the
maximum to and fro motion, permitted by the design. This
causes the links to oscillate the valves, which in turn rotate
the output shaft to the maximum angular speed permitted by the
design. Under these conditions the system is operating in
''top gear" with a 1 to 1 ratio. (The remarkable similarity to
the operation of the hydrosonic system for the aircraft firing
gear is apparent. As soon as the aircraft engine reached a
predetermined number of revolutions, the inertia of the liquid
column diverted the high frequency pulses down the pipes
connected to the trigger motors.)

At intermediate angular speeds of
the input crank the effective fulcrum will take up
intermediate positions on the pendulum rod. Consequently there
will be more or less swing (or amplitude) of the pendulum
weight and more or less travel (or amplitude) of the valve
links according to the speed of the input crank and the torque
on the secondary shaft, fig. 16c.

In other words, the operation of
the mechanism is dependent on the frequency and amplitude of
the input impulses to the mechanical valves which
automatically increase or decrease according to the load to be
overcome on the secondary shaft. The mechanical valves rectify
the alternating nature of the impulses into unidirectional
impulses which act on the output shaft in a cumulative way.
One valve rotates the output shaft on the forward stroke and
the other valve rotates the shaft in the same direction on the
reverse stroke.

The first model ever made to
illustrate the principle of the Torque Converter is shown in
fig.17. It will be observed that the mechanism is upside down
in relation to the previous description with the ''weight" of
the ''pendulum" at the top instead of at the bottom. The
construction of this model follows the arrangement shown in
fig. 18, where the primary shaft is connected by a rod to the
centre of a floating lever. This introduces more elasticity in
the system, but in all other respects the model demonstrates
the basic principle of the Torque Converter as described.

![](fig28.gif)

**Fig. 17 Constantinesco Torque Converter, first model
ever made**

![](fig29.gif)

**Fig. 18  Alternative arrangement of TC with
floating lever**

Other models to demonstrate the
principle of the Torque Converter were made in Meccano by
schoolboys and other enthusiasts during the 1920s, an example
of which is shown in figs 19 and 20 applied to a model car
chassis. This example follows the same arrangement as in fig.
18, but ratchets had to be used as it was not possible to
construct mechanical valves with Meccano parts. This mechanism
occupied the space of the former conventional gearbox in the
standard Meccano model of a motor car chassis. The Torque
Converter mechanism was driven by a Meccano electric motor
connected to the input eccentric by a chain.

![](con01.gif)

**Fig. 19  Meccano model of Torque Converter**

![](con02.gif)

**Fig. 20 Underneath view of Meccano Model**

George first successfully tested a
Torque Converter in a car in May l 923, using an experimental
model that had been built only for bench tests. He obtained an
old Sheffield Simplex chassis and replaced the big 45 hp
engine with a 10 hp "light car'' Singer engine, and built a
platform on the chassis. This car was driven around the
outskirts of London loaded with 10 people, including the
inventor at the wheel, fig.  21, and later towed a lorry
up a steep hill. As a further demonstration of the
capabilities of the car, six inch wooden blocks were placed in
front of the wheels. When the accelerator was depressed the
car climbed over the blocks smoothly and without hesitation,
to the astonishment of the bystanders. This test was merely to
demonstrate the possibilities of the Torque Converter, because
even a 10 hp engine was much larger than necessary for the
production car envisaged.

![](fig25.jpg)  
**Fig. 21 First Converter Car**

The next development was to apply
the idea of a low cost 500 cc single cylinder two stroke
aircooled engine coupled to a Torque Converter installed in a
light car chassis. This was exhibited in the Palace of
Engineering during the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in
1924, fig. 22.

![](fig31.jpg)  
**Fig. 22   Constantinesco's stand at 1924
Wembley Exhibition**

The chassis performed as predicted
under test but the disadvantages of the aircooled engine and
balancing problems associated with the one cylinder were
recognized and subsequently overcome in a completely new
design concept for a production car. This comprised an
integral balanced power unit of about 500 cc capacity (bore 67
mm, stroke 70 mm) with the Torque Converter mounted between
two water cooled cylinders and an improved carburettor, also
one of George's patents. The RAC rating was 5.58 hp and the
tax was GBP6. A cross section of the power unit through the
converter mechanism is shown in fig 23, where the arrangement
of oscillating inertias, links, and valves can be seen. The
diagram in fig. 24 shows the position of the inertias in the
extreme working condition equivalent to fig. 16b.

![](fig36.gif)  
**Fig. 23   Cross-section of Torque Converter**

![](fig37.gif)  
**Fig. 24   Converter in "top gear" position**

The general arrangement of a
chassis fitted with this power unit is shown in the drawing in
fig. 25. A chassis of this design, together with two prototype
cars were exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1926, fig. 26.

![](fig38.gif)  
**Fig. 25  General arrangement of chassis**   
 

![](fig33.gif)  
**Fig. 26  Constantinesco stand at 1926 Paris Motor
Show**

A demonstration model of the power
unit and a similar chassis is housed in the Science Museum in
London. A two seater model of the car, with the inventor at
the wheel, is illustrated in fig. 27. The performance of the
car was exactly as George had predicted, 100 miles per gallon
of petrol at 38 miles per hour. Only the originally estimated
sale price of 100 guineas was found to be too optimistic for a
car fitted with the improved two cylinder power unit and had
to be revised to GBP215, and GBP315 for the saloon version.

![](fig34.gif)  
**Fig. 27  Constantinesco automatic two-seater in
Paris 1926**

In addition to the economic virtues
of the car, the other outstanding feature was the ease of
control, which George often demonstrated in a convincing
manner. Here was a car which even a child could drive after a
little practice at steering, as proved by his small son Ian,
who was taught to drive and demonstrate it at the tender age
of eight. Then there was M. Antoine Bourdelle, the famous
sculptor, who drove the car around the streets of Paris after
only a few minutes tuition, although he had never handled a
car before. Another of George's demonstrations was to have
somebody leading the car with a thin string attached to the
throttle lever on the carburettor. In fig. 28 his wife Sandra
is performing the demonstration and George is following on
behind.

![](fig26.jpg)  
**Fig. 28  Constantinesco automatic car being led by
string attached to throttle lever**

In order to appreciate how easy it
was to drive this car a description of the method of operation
is appropriate. With the car at rest and the handbrake on, the
engine would be started and allowed to tick over. To move off,
the handbrake would be released in the usual way and the right
foot would depress the accelerator pedal. At about 1200 rpm.
the car would start to move away smoothly and progressively
gather speed, but at the same time the engine revolutions
would gradually decrease until maximum speed was attained in
the equivalent of "top gear''. Speed control thereafter would
be entirely through the accelerator pedal. On reaching a hill
it would be noticed that the car would tend to slow down, but
the engine revolutions would not decrease as in the case of a
conventional gearbox. By depressing the accelerator pedal
fully the car would regain speed and continue to climb the
hill. On a very steep slope, say 1 in 3, the car would slow
down but continue to climb, without loss of engine
revolutions. In other words the Torque Converter would
automatically select the correct "gear ratio'' under all road
conditions encountered. Starting on a steep hill was also very
easy, because when the brake was released the car was
automatically spragged by the mechanism and could not run
backwards. No matter what the conditions were, the engine
would never stall due to overload. For example, it was
possible to place the front of the car against a wall and
fully depress the accelerator, but the engine could continue
running at maximum revolutions and exert maximum torque on the
driving wheel.

In order to slow down and stop the
car, the accelerator pedal would be released and the left foot
would depress the brake pedal. The car would soon stop if
required, as it had brakes on all four wheels, and then the
handbrake would be applied. The only other control in the car
was a lever, which actuated a reverse gear in the back axle.

Another novel feature was that the
back axle had no differential. It was unnecessary because
there was only one driving wheel and the other was free. Since
the propeller shaft rotated anticlockwise looking from the
rear, the torque on the propeller shaft gave a considerable
increase of loading on the driven wheel. Furthermore, as the
propeller shaft torque was about five times that commonly
encountered in the orthodox chassis, the single fixed wheel
had a road adhesion comparable with that provided by a
conventional differential axle driving two wheels. A further
important feature was that as the direction of rotation of the
propeller shaft was the same for both forward and reverse, the
road adhesion was the same for both directions.

In addition to motorcars, the
railway locomotive offered fertile ground for the application
of the Torque Converter transmission. The steam locomotive was
still the best practical solution available for long distance
heavy haulage, but was admittedly uneconomical. The internal
combustion engine could provide greater economy but it had not
been possible to employ it at reasonable cost. Although
electrification seemed to provide the ultimate long term
solution, the conversion from steam to electricity would
entail enormous capital outlay and it was thought that many
years would pass before the full benefits could be made
available. Even then, it would only be applicable to a small
percentage of the world's railways.

The use of George Constantinesco's
Torque Converter transmission in a locomotive appeared to
offer an immediate and economical solution to the problem
because of its ability to cope with heavy starting and
acceleration torques without overloading or stalling the
engine, while the wide and automatically variable gear ratios
would enable light weight high speed internal combustion
engines to be used. Although George's main effort in the early
1920s was directed to development of the Torque Converter car
the prospects for a Torque Converter locomotive appeared to be
equally compelling. Consequently, he fitted a locomotive
chassis with a six cylinder 250 hp petrol engine and Torque
Converter and demonstrated it on his stand at the Wembley
Exhibition in 1924, fig. 29. The chassis of this locomotive
was a former Great Western Railway ''Armstrong Goods'' 0-6-0
No. 395, which George converted to a 2-4-0, using the leading
jack shaft for transmission of power to the other four coupled
wheels from the Torque Converter.

![](fig32.jpg)  
**Fig. 29  250 hp Locomotive chassis with
Constantinesco's converter at 1924 Wembley Exhibition**

The first experimental trials of
this locomotive hauling a load of goods wagons took place on
the Southern Railway in its Longhedge Yard, Battersea, on 30th
June 1925, coinciding with the celebrations of the Centenary
of Railways. At the same time, it was inspected by members of
the International Railway Congress. This considerable
publicity and expense did not result in this Torque Converter
system being adopted on British railways, but it was adopted
by the Romanian State Railways for railcars on their branch
lines a few years later.

Apart from cars and locomotives,
the possibility of the universal application of the
Constantinesco Torque Converter in all cases where automatic
adjustment of speed and load would be useful was given due
weight in George's advertising material and demonstration
models. Some of the more important applications considered
included ship propulsion, auxiliary machinery on board ships,
winches, cranes, haulage gear, machine tools and heavy duty
starters for powerful engines.

![](fig06.gif)

**Fig. 30 Bench model of torque Converter application for
ship propulsion**

Bench models of some of these
applications were demonstrated on George's stands at Wembley
in 1924, Paris in 1926 and at a special conference on George
Constantinesco's work at the French Society of Civil Engineers
in Paris on 16th December 1926. Fig. 30 shows a model of a
marine application to replace clutches, reduction gears and
reverse gears. In this model a very high speed petrol engine
is driving a slow running propeller through the gearless
transmission. The only control is the lever at the top of the
converter, which enables forward, neutral and reverse to be
obtained without changing the speed of the engine. Fig. 31
shows an example of the use of a constant speed cheap A.C.
electric motor to drive machines of any kind, with the same
single lever on the converter to obtain the desired variation
of speed and load control.

![](fig35.gif)

**Fig. 31  Constant speed AC electric motor coupled
to Torque converter**

At the Paris Motor Show in 1926,
George had another convincing demonstration of the
capabilities of the Torque Converter in the shape of a starter
for heavy engines operated by a small electric motor. The
output of the starter was connected to a lever with a tractor
seat on the end. Members of the public, the heavier the
better, were invited to sit on the seat and to their
astonishment were lifted effortlessly aloft by the small
electric motor, without gears!

The Constantinesco Torque Converter
aroused intense interest in the popular and technical press in
many parts of the world. The stand at the 1924 Wembley
Exhibition alone generated over 300 enquiries from firms and
individuals and over 200 articles in magazines and newspapers.
Frequent requests came in to 7 Grosvenor Gardens from
individuals and firms wanting to be appointed as Agents for
the hundred guinea car from such diverse locations as North
and South America, Europe, India and Australia, as well as
from the British Isles. Unfortunately all these enquiries were
premature in that it had not been possible to develop the car
to the production stage due to lack of resources. Thus, the
enquirers had to be informed that the car was still in the
experimental stage, but they were placed on a priority list
for eventual delivery on a first come, first served, basis.

As in the past, with wave
transmission and the aircraft firing gear, George had the
greatest difficulty in obtaining adequate financial backing
for the development of the Torque Converter, and the reaction
of the motor manufacturers varied from lukewarm interest to
active opposition. A case in point was the refusal of the
Wembley Exhibition authorities to allow Constantinesco to
exhibit the chassis among the cars, due to objections from The
Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on the grounds that
he was not a member of the Society and manufacturing the
chassis in quantity. George sued the authorities and lost the
case with costs, but was eventually allowed to exhibit in the
Palace of Engineering. In the absence of support from the
motor industry and following the demise of the Romanian based
Company, Industria Sonica, a series of small British
Syndicates and Companies were formed to finance research and
development of the Torque Converter, the costs of the exhibits
at Wembley and Paris and ancillaries such as carburettors,
speed indicators and liquid level indicators.

One of the more long standing of
these Companies, formed in 1922, was Constantinesco Torque
Converters Ltd, with offices in 40 Grosvenor Gardens and works
in 130 Wilton Road, London. This Company, with a share capital
of GBP75,000 acquired world rights in the invention. Under the
agreement George Constantinesco was appointed the Consulting
Engineer at a fixed salary, out of which he was to bear the
cost of obtaining British Patents, continue research on behalf
of the Company, provide drawings and designs, act in a
consultative capacity and supervise development and
experimental work. By today's standards and costs for research
and development, the funds available were modest and fell far
short of requirements. Another Company, Engine Power Ltd was
formed to boost finances by disposing of a large stock of 250
hp Ricardo engines stored in the Slough premises, but sales
were disappointing.

A breakthrough appeared to be in
sight when in February 1925 the General Motors Corporation of
Detroit took an option on a licence to manufacture the Torque
Converter for use in cars under an agreement with
Constantinesco Torque Converters Ltd and George
Constantinesco. About $100,000 were advanced against future
royalties to cover further research and development costs to
meet specifications and $3,000 per month were paid in
consideration of the option. The option was to be exercised
within three years upon payment of $3 million, or $4 million
within four years and a royalty of $2 was to be paid for each
converter sold in the U.S.A.

Encouraged by this arrangement and
in anticipation of early marketing of the Converter George
committed all available funds to research and development, not
only for the car but also for new applications. The
maintenance of his life style and generosity to family and
friends was commensurate with the expected rewards for a hard
working and successful businessman, but in the event the
potential returns never materialized and the period was marked
by a series of domestic and financial difficulties which
undermined his health. His first marriage had broken down
during this difficult period and ended in divorce. At the same
time he was being hounded by the inland Revenue for tax
assessed on royalties received during the war before his
inventions were taken over by the Government, including the
Government award for the synchronizing gear, which he had
expected to be free of tax. To add to his frustrations it
appeared that General Motors were reluctant to exercise their
option within the specified dates but willing to service the
fees. This did not suit George, because it meant in effect
that the use of his Converter in cars was blocked. He was
impatient to see the invention used and personal financial
rewards were a secondary consideration, or so it seemed, as
the agreement with General Motors lapsed and he tried to make
alternative arrangements for the manufacture and marketing of
the car.

Finally, this approach failed and
towards the end of the decade George again found himself to be
in a precarious financial position and without funds to
proceed further with the motorcar project.

In the meantime George had met with
Eva Litton who was to become his second wife and constant
companion for the rest of his life. Eva, with two sons,
Richard and Michael by a previous marriage, was of independent
means through a legacy from her father, a Lancashire textile
mill owner. As well as being highly intellectual and a
proficient pianist like George, she had inherited her family's
business sense and thrift and soon advised George how to
extricate himself from his difficulties in London and
Weybridge. He wound up his affairs in London, including the
sale of his patent rights in the torque converter car, sold
his expensive house 'Carmen Sylva' in Weybridge and with his
young son Ian joined forces with Eva at Oxen House, on the
shores of Lake Coniston in the English Lake District.

The Romanians had shown interest in
the Torque Converter for use in railcars and here surely there
was new hope for the further development of the invention.
There was a need for inexpensive and cheap to run railcars on
branch lines and the use of relatively small internal
combustion engines coupled to the Constantinesco Torque
Converter appeared to meet requirements. The development work
would need George's presence in Romania for some time, so he
soon converted the outbuildings at Oxen House into offices and
a laboratory and completed plans for the locomotive Torque
Converter. Eva accompanied George on his trips to Romania on
the development of the railway project.

Testing, development and
manufacture was carried out at the former Malaxa Ironworks of
Bucharest during the 1930s. Initially, successful tests were
carried out with a 10 hp engine and converter mounted in a 10
tonne railcar. These results were very encouraging considering
that similar cars in other countries were using 100 to 140 hp
engines. The next stage was the establishment of production
lines and special machine tools for the building of 30 tonne
passenger railcars with 60 seats. These were propelled by two
engines of 20 hp each mounted under the chassis. These
railcars ran without trouble at about 40 mph, a performance
which appeared to be quite suitable for conditions in Romania
at the time. Looking to the future more power and faster
speeds would be required on main lines as well as branch lines
to meet the needs of rapidly growing industry and
infrastructure in all countries. Bearing this in mind, George
made a survey of requirements and solutions proposed in
several other countries, including Germany, Britain and the
United States.

In spite of the rapid progress in
electrification and the development of Diesel electric power
units, George maintained his confidence in his Torque
Converter system as a simple and economic power unit but
conceded that further development work was needed to cope with
higher powers and speeds. The problem was not so much with
design parameters as with lack of suitable materials and
methods of manufacture. This work was in progress at the
Malaxa Works in the testing laboratory together with the
production work, when a change in railway policy led to
withdrawal of funds. Thus George had to abandon the project in
Romania and return to England, where lack of funds and advent
of the second world war prevented any further development of
an invention meant for peacetime conditions.

George Constantinesco was not the
first inventor to have failed to bring an outstanding
invention to commercial fruition. The Torque Converter was
quite unique and introduced a new concept in mechanics, but
perhaps it was too far ahead of its time. The inertia and
scepticism of manufacturers committed to conventional
transmissions was understandable, particularly during periods
of depression between the wars, while economy in fuel
consumption was not regarded as of consequence as fuels were
plentiful and cheap. Looking to the future, there is an ever
increasing need for economy in the consumption of fossil
fuels, and for moderate speeds, safety and driver comfort on
congested roads. This inevitable situation is resulting in
research workers, inventors and manufacturers taking renewed
interest in variable gearless transmissions coupled to high
efficiency engines for motor cars. Better materials are now
available, as well as improved design and manufacturing
facilities with computer assistance.

1 -- The inertias are weights used
by the Torque Converter and its action depends on their
resistance to a change in movement --- their inertia. A
pendulum bob acts as an inertia for a clock.

---

**US Patent # 1,
542,668**

**"Method
and Means for Transmitting Power"**

**George
Constantinesco**

(June 16, 1925)

The
present invention relates to an improved method and
apparatus for transmitting power from internal combustion
engines or other prime movers adapted to develop limited
torque to driven shafts and is particularly applicable to
locomotives or other vehicles, or to machinery driven by
internal combustion engines, steam turbines, electromotors
and the like.

The
invention is of general application where the prime mover is
an internal combustion engine or other engine adapted to
develop limited torque and the torque to be overcome at the
driven shaft is variable within wide limits.

The
object of the invention is to transmit power from the engine
to the driven shaft in such a manner that increased
resistant torque at the driven shaft may result in an
increase of engine speed, so that the power developed by the
engine does not unduly decrease with increased resistance.

The
invention further consists in a method and means, of
utilizing the inertia of a suitably arranged oscillating or
reciprocating mass for transmitting power from a prime mover
to a driven shaft in such a manner that the power developed
by the engine does not unduly decrease with increased
resisting torque.

The
invention further consists in a transmission mechanism for
the purpose described comprising an oscillating or
reciprocating member or floating link connected at two
different points to a driving shaft and a unidirectional
driving mechanism, the floating link carrying or being
connected to a mass capable of oscillation or reciprocation.

The
invention also consists in a power unit comprising in
combination a prime mover adapted to develop a limited
torque whose shaft is connected to one point of a floating
link, which at another point carries or is connected to a
heavy mass, such floating link being connected to a device
converting the oscillating motion to rotary motion.

The
invention also consists in a variable resistance power unit
comprising an internal combustion engine whose driving shaft
transmits motion through a connecting rod to an oscillating
link, the link being pivoted to a mass capable of
oscillation, and also connected by two connecting rods with
two opposed oscillating ratchet devices driving a rotor,
such rotor being connected to the driven shaft.

The
invention further consists in the improved method and means
for transmitting power from prime movers hereinafter
described.

In
a simple illustration of the principle of the invention
there may be provided a floating link one end of which is
caused to move by an eccentric mounted on a rotating driving
shaft and which carries at its other end a mass. An
intermediate point of the lever is connected to two
connecting rods actuating a driven shaft through two ratchet
devices by which the oscillating movement of the floating
link is converted to a rotary movement, the ratchet devices
operating at each half revolution of the driving shaft.

With
such an arrangement it will be seen that if the resistance
to rotation of the driven shaft is small, the mass on the
lever will not move far on each side of its mean position at
each oscillation, and the length of travel of the ratchets
will be a maximum when the resistance to rotation of the
driven shaft is zero.

As
the resistance to rotation of the driven shaft increases,
the travel of the mass increases, and that of the ratchet
decreases; consequently at each revolution of the driving
shaft, owing to the smaller angular movement of the ratchets
when the resistance is high, it can be shown that the torque
required from the prime mover does not unduly increase.
Consequently with such an arrangement, if the prime mover is
an internal combustion engine, for example, a constant or
increased speed of revolution of the engine can be
maintained, although the torque on he driven shaft is
increased. In fact it can be shown mathematically that
taking into account the inertia opposed by the oscillating
mass the torque on the driven shaft is proportional to the
square of the speed of the prime mover.

Many
modifications of the arrangement are evidently possible; but
in order to effect the object of the invention, it is
essential that the driving shaft and the unidirectional
driving connection should be connected to an oscillating or
reciprocating member such as a floating link, at two
different points, the link carrying or being connected to a
mass capable of oscillation or reciprocation about a mean
position.

In
order to obtain stability without special means for
maintaining a mean position of the various parts of the gear
the forces acting on the oscillating mass should act in a
direction away from and not towards its pivot or point of
suspension.

Referring
to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings:--

**Figure
1** to **Figure 5** are diagrams showing various
possible arrangements for carrying out the invention;

![](1542ab12.gif)![](1542c3.gif)  
![](1542d4.gif)![](1542e5.gif)

**Figure 6** is a
diagram showing the forces acting in one form of the
mechanism;


![](1542f6.gif)

**Figure
7** is a diagram showing the relative values of the
speed of the prime mover, torque on the driven shaft and
speed of the driven shaft, when the torque of the prime
mover is kept constant;

![](1542g7.gif)

**Figure
8** is a diagrammatic elevation showing one form of
mechanism according to the invention;

![](1542h8.gif)

**Figure
9** is a sectional plan of the mechanism;

![](1542i9.gif)

**Figure
10** is a transverse section through the driven rotor;

![](1542j10.gif)

**Figure
11** is an axial section through the same;

![](1542k11.gif)

**Figure
12** is a section through another form of unidirectional
driving device which may be employed;

![](1542l12.gif)

**Figure
13** is a section on the line 13-13, Figure 12;

![](1542m13.gif)

**Figure
14** is an end elevation with the ball race removed;
  
    
 

![](1542n14.gif)

**Figure
15** is a section through another form of the apparatus;

![](1542o15.gif)

**Figure
16** is a side elevation partly in section on the line
16-16, Figure 15;

![](1542p16.gif)

**Figure
17** is a section on the line 17-17, Figure 15;

![](1542q17.gif)

**Figure
18** is an elevation of another example of the
invention;

![](1542r18.gif)

**Figure
19** is an axial section through the unidirectional
drive of the same;

![](1542s19.gif)

**Figure
20** is a plan of the same partly in section;

![](1542t20.gif)

**Figure
21** is a front elevation partly in section;

![](1542u21.gif)

In
the diagram Figure 1 the crank 2 of a driving shaft 1 is
directly connected to a floating link 11 carrying a mass 12;
and an intermediate point of the link is connected by
connecting rods 8, 9 to the two unidirectional driving
members actuating the rotor 10.

It
will be seen that in this case there will be a vertical
oscillating movement of the mass as well as a horizontal
movement, but this is immaterial if the amplitude of the
oscillation of the mass 12 is considerable relative to the
length of the crank 2. If desired to balance the inertia
forces, two or more systems as described may be mounted on
the same driving and driven shafts, the phase angles between
the cranks being suitably selected.

The
form shown in Figure 2 is similar but in this case the
driving crank 2 is connected to an intermediate point and
the connecting rods 8, 9 to the upper end of the floating
link 11.

In
the diagram Figure 3, the driving shaft 1 is connected by a
crank 2 and connecting rod 3 to the center of a floating
link 4 whose lower end is connected to a rod 5 carrying a
mass 6 and pivoted and suspended at 7. The other end of the
floating link 4 is connected by two connecting rods 8,9 to
two unidirectional driving devices operating alternately to
drive the rotor 10 in one direction.

In
the form shown in Figure 4 the driving crank 2 is connected
to one end of a floating link 13 which near it center is
connected to a crank 14 on an oscillating flywheel 15 acting
as a mass, the other end of the floating link being
connected through the connecting rods 8, 9 to the two
unidirectional driving devices acting on the motor,

In
the form shown at Figure 5, the driving shaft 1 is at right
angles to the driven shaft 16, the crank 2 being connected
by the rod 3 to one end of the floating link 13, which
toward its center is connected to a crank 14 on an
oscillating flywheel 15, the other end of the floating link
13 being connected by the rods 8, 9 to the two
unidirectional driving devices.

In
the diagram Figure 6 the driving crank 2 is connected by the
rod 3 to the lower end of the floating link 13 whose upper
end is connected to a crank 14 moving with an oscillating
flywheel 15. The link 13 is connected towards its center by
the connecting rods 8, 9 to the unidirectional driving
devices driving the rotor 10.

In
all the diagrams the fixed pivots are indicated at 20.

It
will be seen that in all the diagrammatic arrangements above
described, neglecting the inertia of the oscillating mass,
the motion of the driving parts is indeterminate; it is
accordingly necessary to consider the stability of the
system when in motion, as with incorrect positions of the
fixed axis and moving pivots the amplitude of the
oscillations of the flywheel or pivoted mass may tend to
increase indefinitely the whole system becoming unstable,
with the result that jamming and consequent breakage of the
linkage will occur.

To
illustrate this, the forces acting in the various parts of
the apparatus in one example of the invention, are shown in
the diagram Figure 6. Considering the equilibrium of the
oscillating flywheel 15 it can be shown that the average
resultant of the tension forces which are transmitted
through the connecting rod 8 will always be between the
dotted lines indicated by the arrows a2, a3. It should be
noted that the reverse stresses in the connecting rods 8, 9
are due to inertia of reciprocating parts in the
unidirectional drive and are very small in comparison with
the driving forces referred to. Consequently in the
arrangement shown in this figure the resultant forces acting
on the oscillating flywheel 15 will always be alternately to
left and right and always in the direction away from the
axis about which the flywheel oscillated, so that the
stability of the system is maintained.

In
the diagram Figure 7, if we consider the speed v of driven
shaft as abscissae, the torque at driven shaft will be
approximately represented by the ordinates of the curve z
and the speed of the prime mover by the ordinates of the
curve u, the torque of the driving shaft being kept
constant.

From
these curves it can be seen that as the speed of the driven
shaft gets beyond a certain speed, the torque at the driven
shaft tends towards a constant value, and the speed of the
prime mover varies in linear proportion with that of the
driven shaft very much as in ordinary gear of constant
ratio. On the other hand when the speed of the driven shaft
diminishes below a certain value, the torque at the driven
shaft increases very rapidly and similarly the speed of the
prime mover also increases.

In
carrying out the invention into effect as illustrated in
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, the prime mover drives the shaft a
which carries a flywheel b and is connected by the
connecting rod c to the center of a floating link d. The
upper end of this link is pivoted a t e to a swinging lever
f pivoted at x which carries at its lower end a mass g. The
lower end of the floating link is connected by two pairs of
connecting rods hk to two double arms lm oscillating about
the axis of the motor. On the oscillating arms at p1, q1
respectively are pivoted double circular frames pq carrying
pivoted friction pads rs, Figure 10, bearing on the rotor on
the side of its circumference remote from the pivots of the
frames. The pads rs are adapted to bear on the circumference
t of the rotor and grip the rotor in turn so as to drive it
always in the direction in which the pads tend to approach
the rotor owing to the fact that the pivot of each pad on
its frame and the pivot of each frame on its driving arm are
situated on a line which does not pass through the center of
the rotor. Further the angle between the diameters on which
these pivots are situated is less than the angle of friction
at starting with the particular materials used to form the
surfaces of the pad and rotor. The lower connecting rods k
are under tension and the upper rods h under compression.
The pads are of substantial length occupying nearly a
quarter of the circumference of the rotor. The springs u
serve merely to keep the friction pads in light contact with
the rotor on the idle stroke.

Accurately
placed pins might, however, be employed with or without
springs for the same purpose, especially where a yielding
material such as rubber is used in the pads.

It
is desirable in some cases to provide an elastic drive
between the rotor and the shaft to be driven as in the two
phase form illustrated to torque is intermittent. If
considerable inertia on the driven shaft has to be overcome
an elastic shaft of some type is of importance.

It
will be seen that with the apparatus above described,
rotation of the driving shaft causes oscillation of the
floating link d and this oscillation can be transmitted
either to the mass g through the lever f or through the
connecting rods hk to the unidirectional device on the
rotor. As the speed of the driving shaft is increased
without much load on the driven shaft, the amplitude of the
oscillation of the mass g decreases and the stroke of the
oscillating members driven by the rods h and k increases,
thus increasing the speed of the rotor relative to the speed
of the prime mover. If the apparatus is started with a heavy
resisting torque acting on the driven shaft the swinging
mass immediately starts oscillating at its maximum amplitude
producing high alternating forces in the connecting rods hk,
the forces being proportional to the square of the speed of
the prime mover; so that if the speed of the prime mover is
sufficiently increased, the torque on the driven shaft is
overcome by the unidirectional mechanism and the driven
shaft commences to rotate. Until rotation has started no
energy is taken up except the amount absorbed by internal
frictions. The driven shaft then rotates with corresponding
diminuation of the movement of the swinging lever, the
torque to overcome the resistance at the driven shaft being
proportional to the square of the speed of the prime mover
and directly produced by the forces set up in the connecting
rods hk and proportional to the speed of the prime mover.
The relative values of speeds and torque produced by the
mechanism are shown approximately in the diagram, Figure 7,
in which it will be seen that many forms of the invention
other than that above described are possible and many other
forms of mechanism may be adopted in place of the
unidirectional drive mechanism illustrated; for example,
three mechanisms as described differing in phase by 120
degrees may be provided acting on the same shaft and in this
case almost continuous rotation instead of intermittent
rotation would be obtained. The unidirectional drive
mechanism employed may be of any suitable type. Further,
instead of a swinging lever an oscillating flywheel or mass
of any shape may be employed.

It
will be seen that with a mechanism constructed as above
described, vertical movement of either of the centers, that
is either of the axis of the rotor, axis of the mass, or
axis of the prime mover, will produce very little effect on
the motion. Further, slight horizontal movement of these
centers is also permissible. Alternating movement of the
rotor center in the horizontal direction will merely serve
to slightly increase the speed of the rotor. It is possible,
therefore, with such mechanism to allow small variations of
the distances between any two of the supporting centers of
driving shaft, mass, and driven shaft. This is of extreme
convenience in motor vehicles, as parts of the apparatus may
be mounted on springs and parts directly on the road wheels
if desired.

In
the form of unidirectional driving device shown at Figures
12, 13, and 14, the connecting rods from the prime mover are
connected to the pins 21, 22 which are carried by sleeve
members 23, 24 capable of oscillating about the shaft 25 on
ball bearings 27. The friction pads 28, 29 are pivoted at
30, 31 on link members of plate form 32, 33 which are
themselves pivoted to the rotor members 34, 35m at 36 and
37, these rotor members being keyed to the rotor shaft 25.

In
this form of the unidirectional drive the upper friction pad
pivoted on the rotor is gripped and driven when the
oscillating member 23 moves in the direction of the arrow,
the lower pad on the other part of the rotor being gripped
and rotated in the same direction during the return
oscillation by the oscillating member 24.

In
the form of the invention shown in Figures 15, 16 and 17 the
prime mover is connected by a connecting rod 41 to one end
of the floating link 42 (which for assembly should be made
in two parts) pivoted at 43 to the oscillating flywheel 60,
which oscillates about the axis 40. The link is connected at
its other end 44 to two connecting rods 45, 46 which
oscillate respectively the two drum members 47, 48. The drum
members are lined with friction surfaces as shown at 49
which may be of leather, each drum drives one of the two
portions 56, 57 of the rotor situated within it; and each
rotor carries a pair of friction pads 50, 51 pivoted at the
ends of links 52, 53, these links being pivoted on the rotor
at 54, 55 and passing through a suitable central space
allowed in the rotor.

In
this form the direction of movement in which the oscillating
member 47 grips the rotor is shown by the arrow in Figure
15.

In
another form of the unidirectional driving device, Figure
18, suitable for use in the transmission, the driving of the
rotor is effected through face clutches. The connecting rods
61, 62 from the floating link are pivoted to the oscillating
members 63, 64 by pins 65, 66 and drive the rotor 67, 68
through friction plates 69, 70, which are mounted on the
spherical members 71, 72. The locking of the device for
driving the rotor in one direction is effected by pressure
exerted through the slightly inclined rods 73, 74 which
press through ball ends against the clutch members 69, 70
and he parts 67, 68 of the rotor which are keyed to the
driven shaft by stout pins 75. Springs 76, 77 are provided
adapted to keep the members 69, 70 in light contact with the
oscillating members 63, 64 during the idle stroke. The
actual friction surface may be provided by annular leather,
rubber or like pads giving a considerable gripping surface.

In
the form of the invention shown in Figures 19, 20 and 21,
the shaft 81 of the prime mover carries a flywheel 82 and is
connected by the connecting rod 83 with the floating link
84. This link 84 is connected at the other end to the almost
vertically moving connecting rods 85, 86 which actuate the
oscillating members 87, 88 which are adapted to drive the
rotor disks 89, 90 through inclined rods 91, 92, as
described above with reference to Figure 18. The lever 84 is
pivoted at 93 to a crank 94 keyed rigidly to the vertical
levers 95 pivoted at 96 in the fixed standards 97 and
carrying at their lower ends masses 98. A certain freedom is
permitted for angular movement at the various pivots at the
ends of the connecting rods by making the bearings of curved
form as illustrated in order to allow angular play.

It
will be seen that in this modification the system is in
indifferent dynamic equilibrium so that quite a small force
is able to keep the oscillating mass in the mean position.
As illustrated gravity effects this, and suitable buffers
may be provided to prevent excess shifting of the mean
position of the oscillating mass to one side or the other.

The
same object may be effected by arranging springs tending to
hold the end of the floating link connected to the
oscillating members in a predetermined mean position.

Also
with this form of the invention since all the connecting
rods are substantially parallel a unidirectional driving
force in either direction could be employed.

The
invention described above is suitable for traction purposes.
The transmission gear, however, will be seen to be
applicable to a large number of other purposes in which it
is desired to overcome a torque at the driven shaft variable
between very wide limits either with a constant torque prime
mover, or a prime mover having other characteristics, for
example, using the transmission gear for driving rolling
mills by steam turbines, IC engines or electric motors.
Also, it can be applied to machine tools such as drilling
machines, and as a mechanism for gearing down from high
speed shafts for various purposes. Many other examples of
transmission for which the gear is suitable will naturally
present themselves.

Although
in apparatus constructed as above described the movement of
the oscillating members is approximately harmonic and the
movement of the driven shaft is unidirectional, the shock
which would be expected to take place at the instant of
gripping will in many cases be sufficiently taken up by the
natural give of the system.

I
claim: -- [ Claims not included here ]

---

**US Patent #
1,582,734**   
  
**"Power
Transmission"**

**(August 27, 1926)**

**George
Constantinesco**

The
present invention is for a power unit in which the
transmission gear is used, which gear acts on the principle
of the means for transmitting power from a steadily rotating
shaft to a shaft subject to a resisting torque as claimed in
Serial # 570,986 and # 653,772.

In
these specifications a power transmission gear is described
in which oscillating motion derived from a prime mover is
communicated partly to an oscillating mass and partly to a
device which drives a rotor unidirectionally, the motion of
the prime mover being distributed between the oscillating
mass and the rotor. The proportion in which this motion is
distributed depends upon the torque on the rotor. If there
is no torque the oscillating mass receives little or none of
the motion. If, on the other hand, the torque is infinite so
that the rotor cannot move, the oscillating mass receives
the whole of the motion of the prime mover.

The
power unit in which the present invention consists comprises
an internal combustion engine, the piston of which is
connected as usual by a rod and crank to a steadily rotating
or flywheel shaft. The piston, or any other reciprocating
part of the prime mover, is connected directly and
independently of the engine connecting rod, to the common
pivot of two links which form a toggle. One link of the
toggle actuates oscillating masses, while the other link
actuates oscillators which cause a driven shaft to rotate
unidirectionally. The toggle is so disposed that it
oscillates symmetrically or substantially so about a mean
position in which the two links are in line, the effect of
which is that the oscillating mass or masses and the
oscillators perform a complete oscillation for each stroke
of the piston, or two for each revolution of the engine
shaft.

Referring
to the accompanying drawings, all of which show parts of the
same machine:--

**Figure
1** is  a section through the cylinder and crank
shaft of a prime mover.

![](1582a1.gif)

**Figure
2** is a plan showing the arrangement of the shafting
and parts connected therewith.

![](1582b2.gif)

**Figure
3** is a detail view showing the way in which the
unidirectional driving devices are driven from a rocking
shaft.   
    
 

![](1582c3.gif)

**Figure
4** is a detail view showing the way in which inertial
masses are driven from a rocking shaft.

![](15824d.gif)

In
the apparatus shown in the figures, the prime mover consists
of a single cylinder engine having a cylinder *a* in
which moves a piston *b*. The piston is connected by a
rod or rods *c* to a crank *d* on the primary
shaft *e*, which rotates continuously.  The
piston is also connected by the rod *f*, directly and
independently of the connecting rod or rods *c*, with
the knuckle *g* of a toggle hk. The link *h*
actuated an oscillating crank *l* on rocking shaft *o*.
The shaft *m* carries a crank *u* connected by
links *vw*, with heavy masses *yz*, which are
mounted on the rotor shaft *t* so as to oscillate. The
links *vw* oscillate the masses in opposite phase. The
masses are not fixed on the shaft *t*; they oscillate
freely about it. The rocking shaft *o* carries a crank
*j* which is connected by links *pq*, with
oscillating members *rs*, which, like the masses *yz*,
are actuated in opposite phase. The oscillators carry
ratchets or the like, which give unidirectional motion to a
rotor fixed on the shaft *t*.

It
will be seen that the toggle links oscillate symmetrically
or substantially so about the position in which they are in
line, and thus complete oscillations of the shaft *m*
and *o* take place for each stroke of the piston, so
that each of the driving ratchets make a complete
oscillation for each stroke of the piston. In addition to
this, it is evident that a distribution of them motion of
the piston and of the shaft *e* between the inertia
masses *yz* and the oscillators *rs*, takes
place in the way described above. Thus if the resisting
torque on the rotor is so great as to render it immovable,
the oscillators *rs*, the links *pq*, and the
shaft *o* and the crank *u*, are all stationary.
The end of the link *k* remote from the knuckle is
therefore fixed, and the whole motion of the prime mover is
absorbed in oscillating the masses *yz*, if, on the
other hand, there is no resisting torque on the rotor, the
masses *yz* remain practically stationary by reason of
their inertia. This fixes the shaft *m*, and similarly
to the above described action, the whole motion of the prime
mover is distributed between the rotor and the masses *yz*;
the greater the torque, the greater the motion of the
masses, and the less that of the rotor, and conversely. The
principle is precisely the same as that of the invention
described in my prior specifications above referred to.

With
a double frequency arrangement of this type, long strokes
are required, and the arrangement is therefore especially
useful in combination with an internal combustion engine.

It
will be seen that the combined unit may be applied to
internal combustion engines having any number of cylinders.
In such case, the different cylinders may be arranged to
operate a number of transmission gears working in different
phases on the same driven shaft.

The
invention is specially suitable for use in motor vehicles.
Obviously there need be but one oscillating mass.

What
I claim is: -- [ Claims not included here ]

---

**US Patent #
1,591,471**   
  
**"Power
Transmission Mechanism"**

**(July , 1926)**

**George
Constantinesco**

In
my prior US Patent # 1,542,668, a power transmission device
is described in which reciprocating motion derived from a
prime mover is divided between an oscillating mass and
reciprocating devices which give unidirectional motion to a
rotor, the oscillations or reciprocations of all the parts
being of the same frequency. The amplitudes, however, of
those of the oscillating mass and the unidirectional driving
device bear tone another a ration which is great or less
according as the opposing torque on the rotor is greater or
less. In my former specification aforesaid the inertial mass
was solid; according to my present invention it is liquid.

**Figure
1** illustrates my invention, and

![](1591a1.gif)

**Figure
2** is an additional detail.

![](1591b2.gif)

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 the driving
crank *b* of the prime mover, the flywheel of which is
shown in dotted lines, is connected by rods *cd* with
pistons *ef* working in cylinders *gh*. The
cylinders *gh* are interconnected by a pipe 21
containing the liquid which forms the inertial mass. They
are also provided with suction valves *k* and *l*
leading to a source of supply, but liquid enters through
these valves only sufficient to make up for leakage since no
fluid is actually pumped. The cylinders *gh* are also
connected with cylinders 31, 32, provided with pistons 33,
34, which actuate a lever 35 pivoted at 36 by means of rods.
The lever is connected to a pair of rods 37 and 38,which
actuate unidirectional driving devices operating on a rotor
39 pivoted at 40.

This
application is particularly suitable for cases in which the
prime mover is a machine giving a constant torque, but
capable of variation of speed between certain limits.
Variation of speed between these limits will produce
considerable variation of pressure at the delivery of the
cylinders. The apparatus is thus extremely suitable for
traction purposes of vehicles; for example, in a traction
engine an internal combustion engine may be provided by
driving the pistons *ef*, the two cylinder *gh*
being connected to the double opposed pistons or double
acting pistons driving a ratchet motor as above described.

The
action is in all cases the same as that described in my
prior specification above referred to. If, for instance, the
torque on the rotor is so great that it cannot move, the
pistons 33 and 34 remain stationary, and the whole motion of
the prime mover is taken up in causing liquid to surge
backwards and forwards in pipe 21. If the torque is zero
liquid in this pipe has little or no motion on account of
its inertia, and all the motion of the prime mover is
communicated to the unidirectional driving devices operating
on a rotor 39 pivoted at 40.

This
application is particularly suitable for cases in which the
prime mover is a machine giving a constant torque, but
capable of variation of speed between certain limits.
Variation of speed between these limits will produce
considerable variation of pressure at the delivery of the
cylinders. The apparatus is thus extremely suitable for
traction purposes of vehicles; for example, in a traction
engine an internal combustion engine may be provided driving
the pistons ef, the two cylinders gh being connected to the
double opposed pistons or double action piston driving a
ratchet motor as above described.

The
action is in all cases the same as that described in my
prior specification above referred to. If, for instance, the
torque on the rotor is so great that it cannot move, the
pistons 33 and 34 remain stationary, and the whole motion of
the prime mover is taken up in causing liquid to surge
backwards and forwards in the pipe 21. If the torque is zero
liquid in this pipe has little or no motion on account of
its inertia, and all the motion of the prime mover is
communicated to the unidirectional driving devices. 
Intermediate torques produce intermediate effects; the
greater the torque on the rotor, the greater the surging in
the pipe 21 and the less the movement of the driving
devices; and conversely.

A
variable inertia may be provided as shown in Figure 2. The
apparatus consists of a casting comprising two branches 62,
63, which are placed in communication by means of a slidable
U-shaped pipe 64 which is connected to the ends of the
branches 62, 63, suitable glands 65, 66, being provided to
make liquid tight joints at the junctions. The pipe 64 is
embraced by a socket 67 connected to a rod 68 which can be
raised or lowered by turning the nut 69 by means of the
handle 70. The branches 62 and 63 can be connected up to any
point of the pipe 21 by passages 60 and 61. With this device
the inertia of the liquid column can be increased or
decreased by merely turning the handle 70 to raise or lower
the U-shaped pipe 64.

A
variable inertia device of the pipe type may be obtained by
using telescopic tubes which will permit the length of
liquid column to be lengthened or shortened. By using
variable inertia devices as above described, the maximum
pressures in the system may be varied without varying the
speed of the prime mover.

What
I claim is: [Claims not included here]

---

**US Patent
#1,613,344**

**"Power
Transmission"**

**George
Constantinesco**

January 4, 1927

In
my British patent Specification # 185,022 I have shown a new
method of transmitting power from a prime mover to a shaft
which is to be rotated against a variable resisting torque
by splitting alternating or sinusoidal motion derived from a
steadily rotating shaft into component alternating motion of
the same frequency; one component motion being caused to
give alternating motion to a mass, while another is caused
to give alternating motion to a pair of unidirectional
driving devices working in opposite phase and rotating a
shaft.

The
main features of the invention are the ode in which
reciprocating motion is derived from the prime mover and the
way in which this reciprocating motion is apportioned
between the two inertial masses which take the place of the
single inertial mass as described in my prior
specifications. The uniform motion of the prime mover is
according to my invention split between the center of
gravity of these two masses and the driven shaft, according
to the torque on or the speed of, the shaft. For example,
the prime mover causes an unbalanced mass to gyrate about an
axis which is suspended by links from a fixed point. This
axis is linked to a second mass which is capable of
oscillating about another fixed point. The result, as will
be explained hereinafter, is that the motion of the prime
mover is distributed between the center of gravity of the
two masses and the driven shaft. If, for instance, the
torque opposing the motion of the driven shaft becomes
infinite so that the shaft does not rotate, the travel of eh
center of gravity of the two masses is a maximum. If there
is no torque the motion of their center of gravity is a
minimum.

Referring
to the accompanying drawings:--

**Figure
1** shows one form of the invention in which a rotating
mass is provided;

![](1613a1.gif)

**Figure
2** shows another modification utilizing a rotating
mass;   
    
 

![](1613b2.gif)

**Figure
3** shows a modified form;

![](1613c3.gif)

**Figure
4** shows another form of the invention utilizing a
rotating mass and giving quadruple frequency impulses in the
rotor.

![](1613d4.gif)

**Figure
5** shows a form in which a rotating mass is employed in
combination with a ratchet moving at double the frequency of
the prime mover;

![](1613e5.gif)

**Figure
6** shows the application of the invention to
transmission gear combined with a single cylinder combustion
engine.

![](1613f6.gif)

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 a rotating mass
21 at the end of a crank 22 is caused by a Cardan joint or
other suitable means to gyrate or revolve about a pivot 23
suspended by a link 24 from a fixed pivot 25. The pivot 23
is connected by a rod 26 to a pivot 27 on a swinging lever
28 pivoted at a fixed point 29 and carrying at its end a
mass 30. A second pivot 31 on the lever 28 is connected by a
rod 32 to a pivot 33 supported on a stabilizing link 34
pivoted at fixed point 35. The driving pivot 33 is connected
to a pair of oscillating members 36, 37 carrying ratchet
devices 38, 39 driving a rotor 40 pivoted at a fixed point
41.

The
gyrations of the mass 21 set up by the prime mover, which is
connected to the pivot 23 by the Cardan joint or other
flexible coupling, cause this pivot to oscillate. These
oscillations are communicated to the mass 30 and the motion
of the prime mover is thus split between the center of
gravity of the masses 30 and 21 and the unidirectional
driving  devices connected to the driving pivot 33, the
splitting or division taking place according to the torque
on or the speed of the rotor 40. Thus, for example, if the
torque against the rotor 40 becomes infinite so that the
rotor cannot rotate, the lever 28 and the axis 23 becomes
fixed. But the mass 21 continues to gyrate about this axis,
and the lateral motion of the center of gravity of the
masses 21 and 30 is at its maximum. If, however, this torque
vanishes, the mass 21 still gyrates, but the lever 28 now
swings. The lateral motion of the center of gravity of the
masses 21 and 30 is then zero or nearly so, and the whole
motion of the prime mover is transferred to the rotor. The
same action in principle occurs in all the succeeding
embodiments of the invention. According to my prior
specifications the motion of the prime mover was divided
between a single periodically moving mass and a rotor; in
the present case it is divided between the center of gravity
of two periodically moving masses and a rotor.

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 2 the mass 51 is
rotated about the pivot 52 on a lever 53 pivoted at a fixed
point 54 and carrying at its lower end a mass 55. The pivot
52 is directly connected by the rods 56, 57 with the
oscillating members 36, 37 driving the rotor 40.

A
further form is shown in Figure 3 where the rotating mass 51
rotates about an axis 52 at which is also situated a mass
61. The mass 61 is carried by an arm 62 pivoted at a fixed
point 63. The connecting rods 56, 57 which drive the
oscillating members 36, 37 are directly connected to the
pivot 52.

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 4, the rotating
mass 51 is rotated about the axis 52 at which is also
situated the mass 61 carried by an arm 62 pivoted at a fixed
point 63, so that the mean position of the mass 61 is
situated in the line between the pivot 63 and the driving
pivot 64. The driving pivot is connected by a link 45 with
the pivot 52 and drives the oscillating members 36, 37
through connecting rods 56, 57 giving four impulses to the
rotor for each revolution of the driving shaft.

The
dotted lines in this case show the extreme lower point of
the pivot 52.

The
form of the invention shown in Figure 5 is similar to that
shown in Figure 4 with the exception that the arm 70 carries
a single ratchet device 71 so placed that two impulses are
given to the rotor at each oscillation of the mass 61, the
pivot  52 being directly connected to the oscillating
member by the connecting rod 72.

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 6, the crankcase
140 of a single cylinder internal combustion engine is
supplied by links 141, 142 from fixed points 143, 144 and is
connected through the pivot 145 by connecting rods 146, 147
with oscillating members 148, 149 carrying ratchet devices
driving the rotor 150 which turns about the fixed axis 151.
The piston 152 of the engine is connected by the usual
connecting rod 153 with a crank 154, a balancing mass 155
being provided to balance the crank. In this case the motion
of the prime mover is split between the total mass of the
engine acting at its center of gravity and the ratchet
devices driving the rotor 150.

I
claim: --  [ Claims not included here ]

---

**US Patent #
1,617,010**   
  
**"Clutch
and Unidirectional Driving Device"**

**George
Constantinesco**

The
present invention relates to clutches and unidirectional
driving devices for various purposes, particularly to
devices for converting an oscillating motion to an
intermittent motion in a new direction.

The
invention is applicable to many types of ratchet devices
particularly to such devices as are described in my US
specification # 653,774.

In
the said specifications I have described a clutch comprising
a sliding member and a rotating member and arranged so that
relative movement of rotation between said sliding member
and said oscillating member causes a movement of said
sliding member at right angles to the movement of rotation
with consequent engagement and jamming together of the three
members, said sliding member having teeth or the equivalent
on one side and smaller teeth or a friction surface on the
other side brought into close engagement by the movement of
said sliding member at right angles to the direction of
rotation. In such device unless the clearance between the
friction surface and the slider is extremely small, in the
free position there is a certain relative movement between
the oscillating member and the slider which gives rise to
shocks when the slider overruns the oscillator at the end of
the driving stroke and if a rubber or other pad is employed
as the friction surface, this relative movement increases as
the pad becomes worn, so that the gear is apt to become
noisy owing to shocks produced when the slider overtakes the
oscillator.

The
invention is also applicable to other type of ratchet
devices and particularly to ratchets which are employed in
combinations in which it is desired to maintain a definite
mean position of the oscillating parts when there is no
torque to be overcome at the driven shaft.

The
invention consists in interconnecting the pawls, sliders or
the like in two phase or polyphase operating unidirectional
devices so that the sliders drive each other through a
suitable connection anchored to an external point so that an
external force may be applied to the interconnecting means.

The
invention further consists in providing means whereby the
mechanism can be reversed so as to produce rotation of the
driven rotor in either direction as desired.

The
invention further consists in the improved mechanism for
converting oscillating motion into intermittent rotary
motion hereinafter described.

**Figure
1** shows a diagrammatic arrangement in which the pawls
are hydraulically interconnected, the fluid pressure being
regulated by fluid pressure produced by any external means
(not shown);

![](1617a1.gif)

**Figure
2** shows a side elevation of a form of the invention in
which the sliders or pawls are mechanically interconnected;
also parts of an apparatus by which power is applied to the
oscillators;

![](1617b2.gif)

**Figure
3** is a sectional view of the same, while

![](1617c3.gif)

**Figure
4** is a side elevation partly in section;

![](1617d4.gif)

**Figure
5** is a detailed view showing part of the reversing
apparatus;

![](1617e5.gif)

**Figure
6** is a side elevation of the reversing apparatus,
while   
    
 

![](1617f6.gif)

**Figure
7** is a plan of the same.

![](1617g7.gif)

In
the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, the oscillating
driving pivot 71 is connected by rods 72, 73 to oscillating
members 74, 75 carrying ratchet devices 76, 77, these
ratchet devices being capable of acting in either direction.
The ratchet devices are connected by links 78, 79 to the
piston rods 80, 81 of pistons 82, 83 moving in cylinders 84,
85 which are interconnected by pipes 86, 86 and which are
connected through a reversing valve 88 with a source of
fluid pressure connected at 89 and an outlet for fluid at
90. The fluid pressure applied to the nozzle 89 may be
obtained by any external means desired.

Figures
2 to 7 show a form of the invention in which the grippers or
pawls are mechanically interconnected. In these figures the
invention is applied to the clutch described in my prior US
specification # 653,774. They also sow by way of
illustration the application of this clutch modified
according to my invention to a device for dividing the
motion of a prime mover into two components which operate
respectively upon an inertial mass and unidirectional
driving devices which actuate a rotor the ratio of the two
components varying as the torque opposing the motion of the
rotor. As the principle of this mechanism is fully explained
in my former US specification # 653,774 and it forms no part
of the present invention it is not necessary to describe it
in great detail. The prime mover drives a main shaft 101
having an eccentric 102 driving on to the central pivots 103
of the floating lever 104 by means of the strap 105. The
floating lever 104 is connected at its ends to a pair of
links 106, 107 which are pivoted to levers 108, 109 whose
upper ends have their movement restrained by stops 110, 111
one of these steps or the other coming into operation
according to the direction of rotation of the driven rotor
on the shaft 112.  The levers 108, 109 are pivoted in
the frame of the machine and one end of the floating lever
104 is connected by links 116, 117 with a pair of
oscillating members 18, 119 each of which acts through a
sliding member 133 having large teeth on one side and a
friction surface 134 on the other side to grip rotary
members 135 on the driven shaft 112 alternately. The
construction and operation of these gripping or sliding
members is described in my US specification 653,774 referred
to above. Fixed on each sliding member there are provided
bosses 120, 121 connected by rods 122, 123 with a bell crank
lever 124 which is pivoted on a link 125 capable of movement
about a fixed pivot 126. Threaded through the link 125 there
is provided an actuating rod 127 carrying flanges with
buffers 128, 129 between them and the link 125. The rod 127
is connected to an eccentric 130 on shaft 131 pivoted in the
frame of the machine and the handle 132 is provided on this
shaft by which either one or the other of the buffers 128,
129 may be brought in contact with the link 125. By this
means the pull in one direction or the other may be exerted
on the two sliders so that by merely moving the handle 132,
the direction of rotation may be reversed, as explained in
my prior US specification # 653,477, already referred to.

I
claim: --  [ Claims not included here ]

---

**US Patent #
1,715,816**

**"Driving
Gear
for Motor Vehicles and for Other Purposes"**

**George
Constantinesco**

The
relation relates to driving gear mainly for motor cars by
which the usual differential gear is dispensed with.

It
consists in driving each wheel of the axle of a motor
vehicle independently by two shafts each of which received
unidirectional impulses fro a single engine driving one
primary shaft. Alternating motions derived from this shaft
are split between one or more oscillating masses and
unidirectional driving mechanism which actuates the two
independent shafts by power transmission means acting on the
principle of the subject matter of my prior US Patent #
1,542,668. The invention, however, is applicable not only to
motor vehicles but to any other purpose where it is desired
to drive more than one shaft form a single engine.

The
invention provides a method by which the engine may be kept
running at a steady speed while two or more shafts
automatically drive independently variable loads. For
instance, all four wheels of a vehicle may be driven from
one engine by this method, thereby dispensing with
complicated differentials.

According
to one embodiment of my invention the rear wheels are
mounted independently and driven by reverse mitre gearing,
each wheel having a gear to itself. The middle or driving
pinion of each gear is mounted on a shaft, the two shafts
being actuated preferably in opposite directions by separate
unidirectional driving gears, each of which received a
step-by-step motion from an oscillator. The oscillators are
connected together by a rod so that they move together and
one of them is driven from a prime mover through an inertia
device on the principle explained in my prior specification
above referred to.

In
a modification, the oscillators may be stabilized for no
load conditions by resilient or other suitable links, for
example, they may be connected together by a spring link in
addition to the above mentioned connecting rod.

The
invention may be embodied in a great variety of forms of
which the above are examples, and the arrangement may be
made polyphase by multiplying the number of cranks in the
prime mover and the unidirectional driving devices.

Referring
to the accompanying drawings, which show embodiments of my
invention,

**Figure
1** shows in diagram a form in which the oscillating
members of the unidirectional driving devices are connected
by a rod.

![](1715a1.gif)

**Figure
2** shows in diagram a modification in which the
oscillating members are in addition connected by a spring
link.

![](1715b2.gif)

**Figure
3** shows in diagram a device similar to that shown in
Figure 1 with a modified form of inertial mass.   
    
 

![](1715c3.gif)

**Figure
4** and **Figure 5** are detail views of the back
axle of a motor vehicle showing means for reversing.

![](1715d4.gif)![](1715e5.gif)

Referring
to Figure 1, 1 represents in diagram a flywheel of an
engine, not shown, with a mass 4 which is thus oscillated.
The mass 4 is carried on an arm5 pivoted at 6 to a lever 7
which is loosely mounted upon it and connected to the lever
7 by a rod 11. The shafts 8 and 9 are parallel and are
mounted in fixed bearings indicated diagrammatically at 12
and 13. The lever 7 and arm 10 drive the shafts on which
they are mounted unidirectionally by any suitable means
indicated by arrows 14 and 15 which represent pawls after
the manner described in my prior specification above cited.
If, for example, the torque on either shaft becomes
excessive so that lever 7 and arm 10 cannot oscillate, the
point 6 becomes fixed and the whole motion of the engine is
absorbed by the inertial mass. If, on the contrary, there is
no torque, the point 6 can move freely and the motion of the
inertial mass is little or nothing. Intermediate torques
produce intermediate results, the motion in all cases being
split between the unidirectional devices and the inertial
mass in proportions varying with the torque as fully
described in my prior specification.

Figure
2 shows a modification in which corresponding parts are
correspondingly numbered. The modification consists in
connecting the lever corresponding to the lever 7 of Figure
1 and here shown as a bell crank lever 7 and the arm
corresponding to arm 10 of Figure 1 and here shown as a bell
crank lever 10 by a spring 18 as well as by the connecting
rod 11, the spring giving additional stability to the
motion. The straight lever 7 and the arm 10 are replaced by
bell-crank levers 7 and 10

Figure
3 is a view similar to Figure 1, in which the inertial mass
corresponding to the inertial mass 4 in Figure 1 and here
indicated as 4 is in different form and is differently
mounted.

Figures
4 and 5 show the arrangement of, for example, the rear
wheels of a car adapted for operation by the gearing above
described. 8 and 9 are the twin shafts as before. They
terminate in sleeves 19 within which are splined stub shafts
20 each of which carries a mitre-wheel 21. The sleeves are
carried by ball bearings 22 and each sleeve is surrounded by
a stuffing box 23 in the housing 24. The mitre wheel 21
gears with corresponding pinions 25 and 26 which are loose
on the axle 27, either being brought into engagement for
forward or reverse drive with the axle 27 by a sliding
clutch member 28 which is splined on the axle. Both clutch
members are actuated from the same central rod 29 by links
30 disposed toggle-wise. The mechanism for actuating the
clutch members 28 is shown more particularly in Figure 5.
Each link 30 is connected to a lever 31 which is mounted on
a shaft 32 carrying a pair of arms 33. The arms engage with
a half-collar 34 which is recessed into the clutch member
28. The axle 27 is mounted in ball bearings 35 and passes
through a stuffing box 36 and it carries at its outer end
the wheel 37 and brake drums 38 in the usual way.

It
will be understood that the above described arrangements are
illustrative only and may be modified in many ways. All four
wheels may be independently driven by an obvious
multiplication of the device,

  


---