Standard Car Truck Company

Stewart Warner Corporation

Patrick L Powell

Hubodometer design

A hubodometer having a wide range of selectable gear ratios so that the same basic structure can be used to indicate distance traveled by wheels of greatly different wheel diameters in either miles or kilometers. The hubodometer has an elongated bore extending through a frame and centered on the axis of rotation of the hubodometer. An odometer helical drive gear and shaft is mounted on the frame transversely to the axis of rotation and removed from the bore in the frame. In assembly of the hubodometer, if a first gear ratio is desired, a support shaft carrying a gear is located within the bore and is fixed to rotate with the casing on its axis of rotation. This gear engages the odometer helical drive gear at a first locus so that the odometer reading is responsive to the rotation of the casing with a first gear ratio. If a second gear ratio is desired, a support shaft having no gear is located within the bore and is fixed to rotate with the hubodometer casing. The odometer helical drive gear is driven at a second locus, however, by a second gear train which includes a spur gear fixed to the hubodometer casing so as to rotate therewith. The range of gear ratios is further enhanced by a ratchet and pawl assembly which includes one compound ratchet wheel selected from a group of available compound ratchet wheels.

Hubodometer adapted for selectable gear ratios

A hubodometer having a casing supported solely by, and balanced on, its mounting bracket by a ring-like shock mount. Additionally, an odometer mechanism assembly is carried by, and balanced on, a drive-gear shaft located within the casing on the axis of rotation of the hubodometer. The casing is formed by two joined cup-like shells each having a circular flange integrally formed at a mouth of the shell and lying against the flange of the other shell to define an enclosed cavity. An elastic-like gasket is seated upon the joined flanges, and a rigid retainer ring is seated upon the gasket. The retainer ring is fitted tightly to a circular wall of the mounting bracket to nest the casing at least partially within a socket cavity defined by the mounting bracket. The elongated drive-gear shaft has its shaft extremities anchored to opposite bottoms of each casing shell. The generally balanced mounting of the casing solely on the shock mount, and the generally balanced mounting of the odometer mechanism assembly on a drive shaft that is supported at both ends, provide a durable and reliable hubodometer.

Hubodometer

A speedometer magnet shaft assembly having a plastic magnet shaft and integrally formed annular wall moldably secured to the magnet and flux collector. A helical gear is moulded on the annular wall for transmitting movement to the odometer. The molded magnet shaft also has a recess formed therein at each end and a peripheral recess formed therein intermediate the ends. The end recesses receive the speedometer pointer shaft and flexible shaft ends, respectively. The peripheral recess receives a portion of the speedometer frame bracket to prevent axial movement of the magnet shaft.

Growing community of inventors

Franklin Park, IL, United States of America

Patrick L Powell