Behind the Logo: The Origin of Citroën

Citroën is one of the most renowned French car brands. Founded in 1919, the story of its logo, a double chevron, dates back to 1905. What does it mean exactly and what does it refer to? Here are a few insights about the origin of the Citroën brand.

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The Current Logo of the Brand

The Citroën logo has consistently featured two V-shaped chevrons since Mr. André Citroën established the company in 1919. Why did he choose chevrons, and what do they represent?

The Trip to Poland

The origin of the Citroën logo dates back to 1905. During that year, while visiting family in Poland, Mr. André Citroën discovered a novel type of gear—V-shaped gears used in flour milling.

At that time, the industry mainly relied on straight spur gears and helical gears, both of which had their respective drawbacks. Spur gears were noisy, comparable to the sound of a car shifting in reverse. On the other hand, helical gears were more complex to manufacture and required a sturdier shaft structure due to their higher axial force.

In Poland, Mr. Citroën visited a small mechanical workshop that had created a machine for cutting gears with herringbone teeth. These wooden gears were molded in sand molds and primarily utilized by flour and spinning mills. Mr. Citroën realized that these gears were simpler to produce and could mitigate the disadvantages of the two previous types of gears.

What is a Herringbone Gear or Chevron Gear?

A herringbone gear, also known as a double helical gear or chevron gear, is engineered to transmit power through parallel or perpendicular shafts. It operates quietly like a helical gear and generates minimal or no axial force like a spur gear since the forces effectively cancel each other out. Chevron gears feature a distinctive V-shaped tooth design.

Mr. Citroën acquired the patent and established his first company, initiating the production of these double chevron gears. While the gears he observed in Poland were made of wood, he enhanced the manufacturing process to produce them from steel. The company thrived.

In 1925, he founded the Société d'engrenages Citroën, which manufactured the largest gears ever created. These gears had a diameter of 5.4 meters, weighed 48 tons, and were capable of transmitting power equivalent to 2,000 to 4,000 horsepower at 30 rpm.

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Entering the Automotive Industry

In 1919, with the automotive industry on the rise, Mr. Citroën decided to venture into car manufacturing.

He naturally selected the double chevron as the emblem for his new automotive brand, as it had already proven successful for his previous enterprise. This new emblem was affixed to the first car Citroën released, the 10 HP Type A, in 1919, becoming an enduring symbol of the company.

Since then, the logo has undergone various changes throughout the 20th century. While its shape and colors have evolved, the double chevron has remained constant.

Today, the logo is streamlined and features two gray chevrons, refocusing on its essential nature and reconnecting with the company's original identity.

What Are Chevron Gears Used For Today?

In technical terms, herringbone gears can be employed in variable torque gearboxes without the necessity for thrust bearings. However, they are seldom used in modern car transmissions due to their high complexity and cost of production in the automotive sector.

Nonetheless, herringbone gears continue to find applications in numerous industrial mechanical components. Many industries still utilize herringbone gears today, including the aeronautics sector, and they can also be found in movable bridges and dams.

Forrest, et al.
What is the advantage of cutting a herringbone gear with the teeth meeting at an apex?
After all, the principal advantage of the herringbone design is the use of helical gear teeth without having to make design compensations for the axial thrust associated with single helicals.
The sharp apex herringbone gears trade the thrust design problems for axial alignment problems; I imagine that one gear of the pair must have some axial float.
Come to think of it, one gear in any herringbone drive has to have axial float, doesn't it?
Man! Good gears are Such a PITA to cut and measure; seems that no one would volunteer to open up a can of worms like herringbone gears without a really good reason.
Yes, Forrest, Ship Propulsion is a Very Good Reason.
I have the catalog on the big Gould and Eberhart hobbers that cut those gears.
The machines were run in a temperature-controlled room and had backup electric generators to prevent machine stops during a cut, which could ruin a large gear due to a power failure.
I also possess an early text from the US Naval Academy on reduction gearing.
I had no idea of the magnitude of problems the development of modern reduction gear for ship propulsion caused.
We take "locked train" for granted. It was one of the most challenging issues I have encountered in mechanical engineering and machine building.
Many of the Liberty Ships of WW II were equipped with reciprocating engines, fully aware of the advantages of steam turbine drive; it's just that there weren't enough gear sets available.
Does anyone know who in the USA is currently manufacturing marine propulsion reduction drives?