Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-05-13
INVENTOR OF AUTOMOBILE
Naive of Anderson Said to Have
Been Fret to Patent Machine.

Anderson, March 21.-The Daily
Mail says:
Patented the Differential Gear.
1t was in small machine shop, the
power for which was supplied by q
small creek near Westminster S. c.,
that an Anderson man designed and
built the first "1Iorseless Road Car
riage" ever built in America so far as
there is any record.
There is no doubt, but, that credit
for building the first automobile be-
longs to Mr. John V. Stribbling Of No.
3i4 North FAINT street, Anderson, 5. {.
1t was on January 13th,@1SS2. that
the United States government Issued
Patent No. 259600 10 Mr.. Stribling cov-
ering the principle features of his
horseless carriage. Although rather
crude in appearance this vehicle en-
bodied many of the ideas used in the
construction of the present automobile.
This first "IToTselcss Carriage" was
built before the day of the gasoline
engines and Mr.. Stribling's vehicle
was propelled by steam. 4 small! up
right boiler was used and was SO
pivoted that it would remain in an up
right position regardless Of the posi-
tion OF the car.
Mr.. Stribling was probably the first
man ever to make and use the Differ
ential Gear on read machine. Mr..
Stribling says that the idea OF this
complicated gear construction was/or-
i3inal with him, but that after he had
made his he later found that similar
construction had been used on a spin
ming frame in a cotton mill. Every
automobile user is familiar with what
the differential gears do whether or
not he knows how it operates.
The differential gear allows one OF
the driving wheels to turn at faster
rate OF speed than the other and with
out the use Of Mr.. Stribling's idea it
would be impossible for ain automobile
20 turn q corner, without turning over.
Every automobile that has ever been
built has had to use this type Of gear
in the driving wheels.
At the automobile shows. a large
crowd is always attracted to any open
chassis that shows the differential
gear in operation. When both driving
wheels are on the ground both wheels
drive forward, but if the wheels are
lacked up off the ground one will turn
forward and the other backward. If
one wheel is hcld the other will turn
forward. 1t is these gears tnat allow
the outside wheel to turn fas'cr than
the inside wheel when turning corn
er
This orc idea is 4 monument to Mr..
Stribling's inventive genius and is of
incstinable value to mankind. Moth
ing should take from Mr.. Stribling the
credit that Is duo him.
Until Mr.. Stribling made his Road
Carriage ali road vehicles had used
wheels that turned on the axle, but
his was constructed with wheels fas-
tened to the axle and driving axle ard
Differential Gears were enclosed with
in hollow shell just as is used on
modern cars Mr. Stribblin5 applied
the power to ali four Of the wheels OF
his carriage and some Of the truck
manufacturers have recently employ
ed this idea o: their construction.
Mr.. Stribiing's patent rights covered
n period OF seventeen years and it was
live years before tho expiration Of Mr..
Stribling's patent that Mr.. Sclden ap-
piled for the patent 70" use OF Il
gasoline engine in Il motor vehicle.
The cost OF building n steam propelled
rehiclc 1T that time was practically
prohbitive and rs gasoiine propelled
:ehcie Cid not become popular during
he last five years OF Mr.. Strib!inG's
patent right he allowed his patent to
expire and it then became public
property.
Although AIr. StrblnS was the orr
ginator and pioneer builder of an au-
tumobile he received no personal ben
efits from his inventions. other than
the knowledge that he has done some-
thing that has advanced civilization
and given comfort and pleasure to
millions of people and has made life
more worthwhile.
While Mr.. Stribling was showing his
"Horse'ess Carriage" to an uncle OF
his, the uncle exclaimed: Johnny, the
world is not ready for tie Horseless
Carriage, yon arc just fifty years ahead