Patent GB-190902073-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Vehicles.
Inventor: WADDELL ALEXANDER
IPC: B62C5/04
Filed: 1909-01-28
Granted: 1910-01-06
Abstract: 2073. Waddell, A. Jan. 28. [Cognate Application, 18,801/09.] Balancing on axle.-The force tending to bear down or lift up the draught animal of a twowheeled vehicle when out of balance is utilized to bring into operation mechanism actuated by the wheel hubs for moving the vehicle body longitudinally until the balance is restored. As the body is moved backwards as the vehicle descends an incline, brakes mounted on the body may be applied, preferably through springs, so that the pressure on the blocks depends on the position of the body. Fig. 2 snows an arrangement in which two tubular sleeves, mounted in bearings 31 on the trams 2 of the cart and provided with dog clutches 9, are driven from the naves of the wheels in opposite directions by toothed gearing. A shaft 11, co-axial with the tubular sleeves, has two worms 13 gearing with worm-wheels on longitudinal screws 15, which engage nuts on a cross-bar 17 of the vehicle body. Two dog clutches 10 sliding on squared portions 12 of the shafts 11 are adapted to be alternately moved into engagement with the clutches 9 by forked levers 20, the levers on each side of the vehicle having extensions 22 which are connected together by a rod 23. The levers 20 have integral levers 21 connected by Bowden or other wires 25 to devices on the shafts of the vehicle. One such device is shown on Fig. 8, in which the wire 25 is secured to a bolt 61, which is connected to the back-band of the harness and is held in its normal position by a spring 28. Any downward pressure on the horse's back, sufficient to extend the spring 28, brings one of the clutches 10 into engagement with its corresponding clutch 9, and the shaft 11 and screws 15 are turned until the body is moved sufficiently to restore the balance. A similar device on the other shaft, but with its bolt connected to the belly-band, transmits to the clutches any upward movement of the shafts. In a modification, the bolt 61 passes through the shaft and is retained in midposition by springs placed above and below the shaft. In another form, a single screw 15 is used, and the levers 22 are arranged in a vertical plane and mounted upon rocking-shafts extending along the vehicle shafts to devices shown in Fig. 12, in which a sliding bolt 61 connected to the back and belly bands engages a forked lever 64 on the rocking-shaft 26. The clutches are maintained in mid - position by springs arranged about the rod 23 and abutting against brackets on the frame. Fig. 6 shows a modification in which a screw shaft 44, having a wheel provided with rhomboidal teeth 43, is adapted to be moved by a rocking-shaft and a forked lever, similar to those described above, until the teeth 43 come into gear with either right or left handed spiral teeth 41 or 42 on the nave of the wheel. The teeth 41, 42 may be formed on the same casting or separately inserted in a drum, The shaft 44 has a pivoted bearing at 45, and engages a nut pivoted in blocks 50 capable of sliding in lateral guides 51 on the vehicle body. Guide-pieces 52 on the body prevent jamming under the side thrust of the screw. The screw is normally maintained in mid-position by springs acting on the rocking-shaft.