Patent GB-191211375-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Automobile Control.
Inventor: WHITFIELD MARCY LELLAND
IPC: B60L50/15
Filed: 1912-05-13
Granted: 1913-05-13
Abstract: 11,375. Whitfield, M. L., and Cowan, C. C. May 13. Electro-mechanical apparatus, arrangement of.-Comprises a motorvehicle driving - system of the kind having a compound dynamo-electric machine in combination with an explosion engine and a battery, so connected that, in starting, the machine operates as a compound motor to drive the vehicle, and at a critical speed automatically changes to a self-regulating generator without manual or other operation to effect the change. To allow the speed to be varied or the vehicle reversed, switches in both circuits of the machine are used to convert the machine into a series or differentially compounded motor. The system also in cludes a torsion spring transmission mechanism, the control of the starting and stopping by a single lever, an electrically heated vaporizer which receives current from the batteries or from the generator, and a venting-valve to allow part of the charge to escape and enable slow driving in congested traffic. The armature of the dynamo-electric machine, the field cores of which are permanent magnets, is mounted on the shaft 6 of the explosion motor 2. The usual clutch is dispensed with and the drive is transmitted through an elastic shaft consisting of a. flat strip of steel, the parts of which are twisted through 90 degrees in regard to each other. A pinion 9 oh this shaft drives the bevelwheel 10 of the differential. Fuel passes from the tank 70 by a pipe 73 to the vaporizer 74 in which is a float 79 carrying heating-elements 80 taking current from the flat guides 78. When the float sinks so as to engage the lower insulated parts of the guides, the current is cut off from the heaters. Assuming the battery to be charged, and the parts in the positions shown, the vehicle is operated as follows:-The throttle lever 88 is moved to the left to open the valve and bring the switch 85 on to the resistance 84 when current is supplied from the battery to the vaporizer. The switch lever 3 which moves the brake rod 62 and switch 63 of the sparking circuit 66, 67 is moved to the left to release the brake and switch in the electric machine. Both windings are now energized, current passing from the battery through the reversing-switches A, C in the series and shunt circuits respectively. The shaft 6 is thus rotated and the engine started. When the engine has speeded up and the critical speed is passed, the electric machine works as a dynamo supplying current to the battery. The rod 88 is then moved in the opposite direction, the switch 85 coming on to the resistance 89 and the vaporizer now takes its current from the machine. The engine cylinders are each fitted with an outlet pipe 46, a spring-pressed valve 47, and a pipe 48 having a ball valve 50. When the rod 56 is moved so that stops 57, 59 engage, the bell-crank lever 55 holds the valve 47 closed; when stops 58, 60 engage, the bellcrank lever raises the yoke 53 and opens the valve, whereupon air is admitted during the suction stroke and little or no fuel, and some or the whole of the contents of the cylinder will be exhausted during the compression stroke. When the rod 56 is in an intermediate position, the valve 47 is controlled by its spring, and may rise a little during the compression stroke, allowing some of the explosive mixture to escape past the valve 50 without closing it. During the explosion, the valve 50 is closed before the whole of the charge has been vented, so that the engine may drive at a slow speed.