Improvements in and relating to Combination Three-speed Hub Gears and Clutches for Motor-cycles

26,192. Alltree, A. Nov. 23. Variable-speed epicyclic gearing.-Comprises a variable-speed epicyclic hub-gear in which the gearing is driven through a multiple-disk clutch and drives the hub through clutch pins which can be disconnected so as to free the gear from the hub when it is desired to start the engine by pedalling with the wheel on the ground. In the form shown in Fig. 1, the engine-driven pulley M drives a sleeve H through the disk clutch, this sleeve being attached to the internally-toothed annulus G of the first train. The planet-carrier C of the first train forms also the annulus of the second train, the planet-carrier I of which is connected to the hub by pins R engaging with jaws S' in the hub. The pins R are carried by a plate R and slide in slots in the planetcarrier I, so that when the plate is moved to the left by an extended movement of the sun-pinion K, the pins R are disconnected from the hub, and the engine can be started by means of a pedal sprocket fixed on an extension of the carrier I. The sunpinions L, K of the two trains are normally pressed outwards away from each other by springs until the pinion L engages with clutch-teeth on the sleeve B, and the pinion K engages with clutchteeth on the carrier I, so that both trains are solid and the high gear is obtained. For the first speedreduction, the sun-pinion L is locked to an axleclutch B, thus bringing the first train into operation. The second train is brought into operation for the third speed by locking the sun-pinion K and releasing the pinion L. A fourth and still lower speed may be obtained by giving the controlrod Q a further movement to the right, whereupon its end rotates a lever U, which pushes the sunpinion L to the left and locks it, both trains being thus in operation. The control rod Q is operated positively in both directions by a crank Q . Fig. 3 shows a form in which the annulus G drives a planet-carrier I having three sets of planet-pinions in gear with separate sun-pinions L', L , L . The sun-pinions engage internally with a sliding member F having clutch-teeth F . In the position shown, the sun-pinions L , L are clutched together, and the gear is locked giving the high speed. For three lower speeds, the clutch member F is moved to the left, its left-hand teeth engaging with a fixed axle-clutch and its right-hand teeth engaging successively with the sun-pinions, thus locking them in turn to the axle and bringing their respective trains into operation. On still f