Improvements in or connected with Motor Vehicles and other. Carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Motor Vehicles and other.
Carriages.
We, JAMES ROOTS and CUTHBERT EDWARD VENABLES, both of 100, Westminster
Bridge Road, London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The crank shaft is of such length that it extends preferably parallel with the
driving axle across the car having another bearing above the frame. The valve
shaft at half the speed of the crank shaft extends also preferably at right angles
with the axle and crank shaft and also has a similar additional bearing. A
friction clutch is fitted together with a chain wheel to both the crank and the
valve shafts. From these chain wheels the axle is driven directly by chains
running on chain wheels fixed to the axle. The axle is provided with a tube
and balance gear. One lever serves to operate both clutches. The object of this
construction is to produce an exceedingly cheap, because simple, and light car.
The placing of the clutches upon the two shafts running at different speeds in the
manner described dispenses at once with so much weight and mechanism as to
make a radical improvement. If the two clutches are put on one shaft to drive
direct on to the axle, then the slow speed chain wheel upon the axle would
require to be of about the same size as the driving wheels, with the only alter-
native of using a larger and heavier slower speed motor.
A foot lever may be used to start the motor from the seat.
This lever is pre-
ferably connected to the valve or half speed by means of a quadrant gearing into
a pinion on the half speed shaft or by means of a ratchet and pawl. The lever
disengages from the half speed shaft at extreme position, so as, with a little
further movement to operate as a brake by tightening a band on a drum or pulley
on one of the shafts or axle preferably the crank shaft. This drum when the
brake is on should run loose on the crank shaft, but be part of or be connected
with the clutch or chain.
An additional small wick lamp may be provided to ensure the ignition tube
flame being kept alight.
'
To lighten the carriage and to dispense with the weight of the ordinary axle
the springs may be of novel arrangement. Two slightly curved springs with
the concavity below are attached at their centres to the body of the vehicle
parallel with each other and at right angles with the wheels, having a block of
wood or other distance piece placed in the centre between them. The ends are
attached to short vertical arms of the same length as the distance piece having
the wheel axle arms at right angles to them.
1
1000

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Motor Vehicles and other
Carriages.
We, JAMES ROOTS and CUTHBERT EDWARD VENABLES, both of 100, Westminster
Bridge Road, London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
The crankshaft is of such length that it extends preferably parallel with the
driving axle across the car having another bearing above the frame. The valve
shaft at half the speed of the crankshaft extends also preferably parallel with
the axle and crankshaft and also has a similar additional bearing. A friction
clutch is fitted together with a chain wheel to both the crank and the valve shafts.
From these chain wheels the axle is driven directly by chains running on chain
wheels fixed to the axle. The axle is provided with a tube and balance gear.
One lever serves to operate both clutches. The object of this construction is to
produce an exceedingly cheap, because simple, and light car. The placing of
the clutches upon the two shafts running at different speeds in the manner
described dispenses at once with so much weight and mechanism as to make a
radical improvement. If the two clutches were put on one shaft to drive direct
on to the axle, then the slow speed chain wheel upon the axle would require to
be of about the same size as the driving wheel, which would be exceedingly
inconvenient with the only alternative of using a larger and heavier slow speed
motor.
A foot lever may be used to start the motor from the seat.
This lever is pre-
ferably connected to the crank-shaft by means of a quadrant gearing into a pinion
on the shaft, fitted with a ratchet and pawl. The lever may disengage from the
shaft at extreme position, so as, with a little further movement, to operate as a
brake by tightening a band on a drum or pulley on one of the shafts or axle,
preferably the crank shaft. This drum when the brake is on, should run loose
on the crank shaft, but be part of or be connected with the clutch or chain.
To lighten the carriage and to dispense with the weight of the ordinary axle
the springs may be of novel arrangement. Two slightly curved springs with
the concavity below, are attached at their centres to the body of the vehicle
parallel with each other and at right angles with the wheels, having a block of
wood or other distance piece placed in the centre between them. The ends are
attached to short vertical arnis of the same length as the distance piece having
the wheel axle arms at right angles to them.
Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the car showing the body in section.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same without the body.
Fig. 3 is a plan and Fig. 4 an elevation on a larger scale of the transmission
gear shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but with the addition, of the lever used for starting
the motor from the seat and of the necessary reversing gear.
Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8 show the new arrangement of springs for vehicles.
Fig. 9 is a larger scale view of the gear necessary for reversing.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. A is the quick speed clutch consisting of an inner and
outer cone both preferably of malleable iron, the inner cone has riveted to it a
covering of leather, which cone upon being pressed into the outer cone will drive
by frictional contact between the leather and the metal surfaces at a speed approxi-
mately in proportion to the degree of pressure. B is the slow speed clutch
placed upon the valve or countershaft C, constructed similarly to A but having a
larger frictional area or surface. The valve or countershaft C is driven by the

page_text: chain wheels and chain D at half the speed of the crankshaft. E is the motor of
my usual construction. F is the driving axle of the car; G the quick speed
chain wheel keyed to the tube F1 which surrounds the axle F and to which the
balance gear box Fa is fixed. H is the slow speed chain wheel. The small
chain wheel A¹ is fixed to the inner or leather surfaced cone of the clutch A and
drives by its chain the wheel G. The small chain wheel B' is fixed to the inner
cone of clutch B and drives the chain wheel H by its chain. I I are the driving
wheels of the car, balance-driven by means of the usual gear box Fa. J is the
clutch-operating lever, the handle of which is within reach of the hand of the
driver, who by moving the lever from or to him operates one or the other clutch,
and the degree of pressure exerted alters the speed by varying the friction.
the larger scale Figs. 3 and 4, the forked rod or link A2 is shown connecting the
clutch A to the lever J by means of pins and a ring fitting in the groove A³ cut
in a boss on the outer cone which slides on a feather on the crankshaft K. The
link B similarly connects the clutch B to the lever J. J is the lever fulcrum
bracket bolted to the car frame L.
On
The rod F3 is a distance piece to prevent the chains coming off. It is hinged at
both ends by a pin at the upper end to the frame and another pin at the lower
end to the bearing, so that when the driving pull comes on the chain it prevents
undue slackening from the drawing together of the chain wheels.
M is the foot-brake lever keyed to the rod or short shaft N which oscillates in
bearings N¹ fixed to the frame L. N has also fixed to it the quadrant O. The
quadrant O gears with the pinion P which is fitted on the crankshaft K. Inside
the pinion P are a ratchet and pawls of the well known free-wheel type to allow
free rotation in one direction but to drive in the other. Q is the band-brake
pulley preferably covered in leather, R the brake band fitted to pins on the bell-
crank lever M. If M be pushed down by the foot the band is tightened on the
pulley to stop the car, but if M be pulled upward by hand, the ratchet and pawls
rotate the crankshaft through the quadrant O and pinion P. The rotation of the
crank shaft starts the motor, the pinion P afterward remaining stationary while
the crankshaft rotates. This construction enables the motor to be started from
the seat. By placing the teeth inside the quadrant and gearing them with the
pinion P the motor may be started by pressing down the lever with the foot, the
same movement as that to operate the brake. The brake pulley Q, the chain
wheels A¹ and the inner part of the cone clutch A are all fixed to the same sleeve
which is loose on the crank shaft K until the outer portion of the clutch is pushed
into contact with the inner part by means of the lever J and the link-rod A².
The two chain wheels Z Z and the two gear wheels Z2 Z3 shown on a larger
scale at Fig. 9 are for reversing the rotation of the slow speed chain wheel. Z is
keyed to the valve shaft C. Z¹ and Z are fixed together and rotate loosely as
shewn upon the crank shaft, but they may be upon a fixed pin projecting from and
securely bolted to the motor E (or frame L), 73 is loose upon the shaft C but has
cast with it the two jaws of an ordinary jaw-clutch. The counterpart pair of
jaws to gear therewith are fixed to or cast with the chain wheel B¹. When the
wheel Z3 is kept out of engagement with the jaws on B¹, it is idle and run free,
but if the wheel Z3 be moved on the shaft sideways (by means of a lever 7* which
is preferably operated by the back wheel brake lever and a link not shown):
then Z drives 7 by means of its short chain, and 72 drives 73 which being
clutched to the chain wheel B drives the car backwards.
In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 the novel arrangement of vehicle springs is shown.
T is the vehicle body: U a wooden or like block placed between the springs
and held by clips. V, V₁ are parallel springs held at both ends by bolts respec-
tively to the top and bottom of a tee piece or forging W to which the wheel-
bearing arm W is forged. Both springs move together and parallel, so that the
wheels remain vertical. Fig. 7 shows the tee piece W on a larger scale for all
ordinary wheels not used for steering, and Fig. 8 shows the construction swivelled
for use with steering wheels. This spring arrangement does away with the axle

page_text: and its weight, and permits greater flexibility: and ease of movement of the
vehicle,, motor or other...
را
7:7
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
15
1. In a motor carriage placing a friction clutch upon the crankshaft, to one
cone of which is fixed a small chain wheel, which when the other. half or cone.is
slid into frictional contact with it drives the vehicle direct by means of a chain
and a larger chain wheel keyed to the axle tube, substantially as described...
2. In a motor vehicle the combination of the parts mentioned in the previous
claim, substantially as described and shown.
: _
3. The combination of the parts specified in Claim 1 with a similar clutch and
small chain wheel fitted to slower speed countershaft, driving by chain a larger
chain wheel fixed to the same main axle tube.
4. In a motor vehicle the combination of the countershaft and direct driven
axle tube with the reversing gear.
5. In a motor vehicle the combination of the parts claimed in Claims 1; and 3
with a distance piece or rod, substantially as described.
6. In a motor vehicle the combination of the parts claimed in Claims 1, and 3
with operating lever as described.
7. The use of a motor-starting lever, with toothed gear and free wheel substan-
tiay as described and shown.
8. In a vehicle parallel springs as described obviating the necessity for an axle.
9. In a vehicle the use of the springs with the tee arms as shown in Figs. 5, 6
and 7.
10. In a vehicle the use of the springs with a swivelled steering arm as in
Fig. 8.
Dated this Sixth day of October 1899.