Patent GB-189912670-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Automobile or Motor Vehicles.
Inventor: BROOKES ALFRED GEORGE
Filed: 1899-06-17
Granted: 1900-06-16
Abstract: 12,670. Brookes, A. G., [Upham, G. B.]. June 17. Motor road vehicles. -Relates to automobile vehicles, more especially of the kind in which steam power is employed. The motor illustrated is of the kind described in Specification No. 6947, A.D. 1898, [Abridgment Class Steam engines], but certain parts of the invention are applicable to vehicles propelled by any kind of mechanical motive power. The general arrangement of the vehicle is shown in side elevation, partly in section, in Fig. 1. The frame, composed of side tars a connected by transverse members a<1>, a<2>, a<3>, is supported on the front truss or axle C by a horizontal pivot, and on the rear driving- axle b by depending brackets a<4>. The engine M<1> and boiler M are carried on the vehicle body, and the invention hasreference mainly to the construction and support of the driving-gear between the motor and the balance gear on the divided axle b, and to the construction and action of the steering and controlling head. (1) The steering and controlling head is shown in section in Fig. 4. The lower end or fork k<x> of the steering-post is constructed sub - stantially as described in Specification No, 10,020, A.D. 1898, and is connected with arms on the short swivelling axles of the steering-wheels in a usual manner. The steering - post H is curved backwards at H<1>, and is supported in a standard h so that it can be turned about a vertical axis for steering purposes. At the free end is provided a handle H<3> by tilting which the engine throttle (or other controlling-apparatus) can be regulated. The tilting movement is transmitted through toothed bevel gear to a hollow shaft h<14>, and thence to a shaft h<16> supported in a bearing H<x> in the steering- head and furnished with an arm or crank by which the rod h<20> can be raised and lowered. Thence, through the bent lever h<21> and suitable connections shown in Fig. 1, the engine throttle valve T can be operated. In like manner, a thrusting in or out of the sliding portion H<2> of the steering-lever is, through the bent lever r<3> and suitable connections shown in Fig. 1, made to operate a reversing- valve R. It is to permit of this movement that the shaft h<14>, h<16> is made in two parts. A stop h<36> and groove h<38> are provided to prevent the movement necessary for reversing from being made except when the handle H<3> has been put into portion for closing the throttle valve. (2) Motion is communicated from the engine to a rotary crank shaft F<2> by connecting-rods 0, 0 engaging with the cranks F<3> at one end and with rocking levers N, N' at the other end by ball-joint bearings. The bent rocking levers N, N<1> are worked by direct action from the engine piston-rods. From the crank shaft F<2> motion is transmitted to balance driving-gear on the axles b by chain gear or other suitable means. The crank shaft is supported in bearings F<1> carried adjustably on spiral frame members f<x> and held by ties,f so as to keep the crank shaft and the wheel axle in rigid parallelism. In order that adjustment of the bearings F<1> shall not disturb the action of the engine, distance-rods M<5> are provided between them and the engine frame M<6>, and the engine and boiler are supported on studs at m<51> and on a bar at B<5> so as to he kept at a constant distance from the crank shaft. This arrangement of driving-gear enables the chain to be short and so to be conveniently encased, and the construction permits the vehicle body to ride on its springs without bending, twisting, or in any manner straining or disturbing the gear.