IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS OR HORSE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, GAS, OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER, AND DESIGNED TO REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE ANIMALS OF DRAUGHT IN GENERAL
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS RATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and
Company, Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of ** IMPROVED
MECHANICAL APPARATUS OR HORSE TO BE WORKED BY STEAM, GAS, OR OTHER
MOTIVE POWER, AND DESIGNED TO REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE ANIMALS OF
DRAUGHT IN GENERAL."-A communication from abroad by Joseph
Chaine, of Paris, in the French Republic, Engineer.
Sealed the 12th May 1876, and dated the 16th November 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 16th November 1875.
I, ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company,
3 Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS OR HORSE TO BE WORKED BYy Steam, Gas,
OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER, AND DESIGNED TO REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE ANIMALS
OF DRAUGHT IN GENERAL," a communication from abroad by Joseph

page_text: follows:
This Invention consists in combining together mechanism so as to
produce a movement similar to the legs of a horse, and employing the
same for the purposes of traction.
The horse above referred to is composed of a suitable framing
mounted on wheels which enable it to move in any direction, but has
nothing special in its disposition. This frame moreover is provided with
four legs arranged independently one of the other and work or move
after the manner of a natural horse. Each of the legs is jointed in any
convenient way in the direction of its length so as to be capable of
ascending or descending as required. The ascending may be effected by
means of a spring suitably arranged for that purpose, and the descending
movement by means of a cam and levers suitably arranged. The lower
extremity of each leg carries by a knee joint a boot which comes into
action at the proper time and rests on the ground and produces the
requisite adhesion, whilst the upper extremity of the leg is moved either
backward or forward by a rod which receives movement from any
suitable prime mover through the medium of a special arrangement
hereafter referred to.
The apparatus is completed by brakes to moderate its descending
movement, and by a steam generator gas or otherwise according to the
motor adopted. The jointed part of each leg is fixed to a slide main-
tained in position by lower and upper springs.
The lower spring, the
tension of which is regulated by a screw, serves only to hold the leg
constantly raised when the cam and levers have ceased to act. The upper
spring which receives the action of the cam and levers through the medium
of a rod and piston transmits motion to the slide and serves not only to
press the boot on the ground at the proper time but also to produce the
necessary adhesion. The whole is lodged in a box fixed to the framing,
and which serves to transmit motion to the framed leg.
The special arrangement before alluded to is as follows: Each of the
connecting rods instead of being conducted by an ordinary crank pin
describing a circumference is conducted by a pin or pivot mounted on
two rollers which roll in two parallel grooves in a curved direction, the
use of which is to cause the leg to run over or travel through equal
spaces in equal times so that the pin or pivot always moves parallel to

page_text: itself, following the contour of the curved grooves. It is maintained
by two slides which conduct two toothed wheels geared together, each
formed with a groove in which the wheels slide whilst the pin or pivot
approaches the centre of the wheel or recedes therefrom. The aforesaid
wheels are put in motion by pinions keyed on the axle of the motor.
I would here remark that each leg is submitted to two distinct move-
ments, one a to and fro or backward and forward movement produced
by the crank pin, the other a rising and falling motion produced by the
cam and the spring. Now suppose one of the legs to have reached the
end of its course forward, and at this moment the cam acts to carry the
boot to the ground and hold it there during the whole of its backward
course or movement of the leg, it will then be seen that the whole
apparatus will advance a distance equal to that moved by the leg. Now
as there are four legs and that they can be regulated independently one
of the other, it will easily be seen that two of those legs, one front and
one hind leg, may be caused to act together diagonally, whilst the two
other legs are lifted up to take the place of the other two either before
or behind; continuous movement may thus be obtained exactly similar
to that of a natural horse.
In the second disposition to-and-fro movement is effected by rods, one
end of which is jointed at the upper part of the leg, whilst the other
end is attached to an axle fixed on a rod at a suitable point for describing
a curve which is brought nearer to that which influences the grooves
before described. The rod receives its movement from a crank or a
cranked shaft on which are keyed two toothed wheels, motion being
transmitted thereto by pinions mounted on a revolving shaft. The
other end takes an alternate rectilinear movement through the medium
of a slide and guides.
The ascending or lifting movement is effected by a spring, but the
descending or lowering movement is effected by a piston working in a
cylinder in which the steam operates, so that the slide valve of the
cylinder instead of transmitting its motion by an eccentric the motion is
transmitted by a cam and lever. The cam is conical and capable of
sliding upon its axle to enable the slide valve to be held open a longer or
shorter time, and therefore produces the adhesion of the boot for a
shorter or longer time, and utilizes all or a part of the course of the leg
and possesses this feature that the rotative movement of the apparatus

page_text: is easily obtained, either to diminish the course or distance moved over
by two of the legs placed at the side at which it is desired to turn or to
stop altogether the movement of the said legs.
The rod of the slide valve carries a piston working in a small steam
cylinder upon which the pressure of the steam is constantly acting to
hold the slide valve closed until the cam has ceased to act, or such
holding may be effected by other means.
By the foregoing means this improved mechanical horse will fulfill
the following conditions:-
First. The movement of each leg can always be regulated inde-
pendently of the other. It is very easy to bring into action but two
opposite boots (diagonally) so as to rest together on the ground, whilst
the two other boots are being lifted therefrom to take the place of the
first-mentioned boots either before or behind, and on the other hand as.
regards the knee joint of each leg and the lever which actuates the same
for raising and lowering the boots there is a spring for regulating the
tension at will. An arrangement could be made so as to have no more
weight on the wheels of the apparatus than is necessary to prevent
it from being lifted bodily from the ground at each movement of
the leg.
Second. If on the one hand the road or distance to be traversed by
the lower extremity of one leg be divided into equal parts in a straight
line, and the different positions correspond with the divisions, and on
the other hand the circumference described by the rotation of the crank
which acts on the connecting rod of the corresponding leg be divided
into the same number of equal parts, and radiating lines be drawn
corresponding to the points or divisions on the said circumference; then
with a length equal to that of the connecting rod and the different
points described by the upper extremity of the leg a series of arcs of
circles will be traced cutting the before-mentioned rays. A continuous
curve will thus be obtained, such as will compel the crank pin to follow
exactly the distance moved over by the leg of equal spaces in equal
times.
Third. If the cams are made movable which apply or force the boots
upon the ground and leave them raised, and instead of making them of
the same size throughout their entire length, so as to cause them always

page_text: to act at the same points of the course of the legs, they were placed
conically, so that in displacing them they could be made to act only
during the functions of the course, it will appear evident that it would
be easy to turn the apparatus in a radius equal to the distance of the
two wheels in suspending entirely the action of the two legs situated at
that side at which it is desired to turn the apparatus and only allowing
the two other legs to be acted upon.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said Alexander
Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th May 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of 5,
Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Browne, Her
special licence that I, the said Alexander Browne, my executors, ad-
ministrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Browne, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make,. use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVED MECHANICAL APPARATUS OR HORSE TO BE WORKED BY
STEAM, GAS, OR OTHER MOTIVE POWER, AND DESIGNED TO REPLACE OR SUBSTITUTE
ANIMALS OF DRAUGHT IN GENERAL," a communication from abroad by
Joseph Chaine, of Paris, in the French Republic, Engineer, upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Browne, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
"

page_text: or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Browne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say :-
This Invention consists in combining together mechanism so as to
produce a movement similar to the legs of a horse, and employing the
same for the purposes of traction.
And in order to explain this Invention fully I now proceed to
describe the means by which it may be carried into practical effect,
reference being had to the illustrative Sheets of Drawings accompanying
these Presents, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked thereon respectively as follows:-
At Sheet 1 Figure 1 is a side elevation of the right side of the machine,
shewing the arrangement and action of the legs, with one of the boots
thereof in section; Figure 2 is a top plan view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal and vertical section of Figure 1, shewing a
way of arranging the mechanism with the generator or motive power to
brakes and other appliances for effecting the several movements of the
mechanism forming the apparatus.
Figure 4 is a transverse and vertical section of the apparatus of the
several parts in detail and section.
Figure 5 is a detached view of the box, marked K at Figure 4, where
the springs are replaced by a piston worked by steam.
At each of the above-mentioned Figures similar letters of reference
are placed upon corresponding parts.
The machinery or steam horse is contained in a framing A mounted
òn three wheels B, which allow it to move in any direction required.

page_text: C marks four legs, working independently one of the other, after the
manner of the legs of a natural horse.
Each of the said legs is jointed
to be capable of ascending and
at any suitable point of its length, so as
descending, according as it is operated upon by the spring R for the
ascending movement, and by the cam D and levers D₁ for the descending
movement, the said springs, cams, and levers being regulated for that
purpose to effect the desired movements at the proper time. The lower
end of each leg carries a jointed boot b, which rests on the ground at
the proper time, and produces the necessary adhesion thereto or contact
therewith, whilst the upper extremity of the said leg is caused to move
backward or forward by a connecting rod E, which receives its move-
ment from any suitable prime mover (see Figure 3) through the medium
of a special arrangement herein-after described.
The apparatus is completed by brakes f for moderating its motion in
descending, and by a steam, gas, or other generator. The point of
articulation of each leg is fixed to a slide H, maintained by the lower
spring R and upper spring J. The spring R, the tension of which is
regulated by a screw d, is employed only to hold up the leg when the
cam D and levers D¹ have ceased to act. The spring J, which receives
the action of the cam D and levers D₁ through the medium of the con-
necting rod e and piston g, transmits its motion to the slide H, and
serves not only to apply the boot to the ground at the desired time, but
to ensure the necessary adhesion. The whole of the aforesaid arrange-
ment is contained in a box K fixed to the framing A, and which serves
to transmit the action of the leg to the said framing.
I reserve to myself the right to replace the spring R by a steam piston
working in the box K, and acting constantly on the slide H under the
action of the steam, conducted by a pipe from the boiler to the bottom
of the box K. The substitution of the little piston for the spring R
appears indispensable; in fact, I have ascertained that the springs R
employed to lift up the legs do not fulfil very well the office assigned to
them. I have therefore replaced each of these springs by a steam
piston p, which acts constantly upon the slide H, and holds the leg
always up. This trifling modification (see Figure 5) can easily be made,
because the box K being bored out can readily receive the piston p. I
remove the screw d, and put in its place a small pipe t, which conducts
the steam from the boiler under the said piston.

page_text: The special arrangement before referred to is as follows:-Instead of
each of the rods E being conducted by an ordinary crank pin, describing
a circumference, is conducted by a crank pin h mounted on two rollers i,
which roll in two parallel curved grooves L, for causing the aforesaid leg
to move through equal spaces in equal times. In order to ensure the
crank pin h always moving parallel to itself in the grooves L the said
pin is maintained in position by a piece 7, which conducting two toothed
gearing wheels M work together, each carrying a slot in which slides the
piece when the crank pin either approaches or recedes from the centre.
The wheels M are set in motion by pinions m wedged upon the moving
shaft. From the preceding description the movements of the apparatus
or steam horse will be readily understood.
It is to be remarked that each leg of the apparatus is submitted to
two distinct movements, one for moving the leg backward and forward
by means of the crank pin h, the other for raising and lowering by
means of the cam D and spring R. And supposing one of the aforesaid
legs to have reached the end of its course forward, and that at this
movement the cam acts to carry the boot on to the ground and keep it
there during the time the leg is performing its course backward, it will
be readily understood that the whole apparatus will be advanced a
distance equal to that moved through by the said leg. As there are
four legs, and that they can be governed independently one of the other,
it will be apparent that two opposite legs, situated diagonally, can be
made to move together, whilst the two other legs are being raised from
the ground to take their position either behind or before. In this
manner a continuous movement can be obtained, similar to that of a
natural horse.
It has previously been remarked that in certain cases it may be ad-
vantageous to impart to the legs of the so-called steam horse a double
movement by other means than those before described.
The following is an example of another mechanical arrangement for

page_text: the former arrangement the backward and forward movement of the
leg is given by a connecting rod acted upon by a crank pin guided by
two parallel grooves, effecting a particular curved line for causing the
legs to move through equal spaces in equal times; the ascending
movement is obtained by a spring, and the descending movement
by a cam and levers.
According to another or second arrangement the backward and
forward movement of the leg is given by the rod E, of which one
end is jointed to the upper end of the leg c, whilst the other end of the
said rod is attached to an axle h fixed on the rod F at a point suitable
for describing a curve, which sensibly draws near to those which affect
the grooves before described. The connecting rod F receives movement
from a crank or bent axle D upon which are keyed two toothed wheels
M gearing into the pinion m mounted on the driving shaft k. The
other head of the connecting rod F takes an alternate rectilinear move-
ment through the medium of the guide d and slide G.
The ascending movement of the leg is always given by a spring, but
the descending movement is obtained by a piston P working in a
cylinder Qin which the distribution of the steam presents this par-
ticular feature that the slide valve t instead of being worked by an
excentric is worked by a cam c and lever l. The cam c is conical and
capable of sliding on a shaft so as to enable the slide t to be held open
for a longer or shorter period of time, and consequently produce
adhesion of the boot for a longer or shorter period of time, and thus
utilize all or a portion of the course of the leg. It is due to this
that the rotatory movement of the apparatus is easily obtained, whether
for diminishing the course of the two legs situated at the side at
which it is desired to turn, or for entirely stopping the action of the
said legs.
The rod of the slide valve t carries a piston 8 working in a small
cylinder upon which the pressure of the steam is continually acting
to hold the slide valve closed as soon as the cam c has ceased to act;
but it is not intended to limit this Invention to this precise arrange-
ment for holding the slide valve closed, but to employ any other suitable
mechanical means for that purpose.
In nases where it is considered advisable I employ the arrangement

page_text: represented at Figure 3, in which the leg c' is attached directly to the
piston P¹, whilst the connecting rod E is jointed at an intermediate part
of the leg, and if desirable I dispense with the boots jointed to the tube
at the lower end of the leg.
Second. That the legs move through equal spaces in equal times.

page_text: corresponding to the points of that circumference, then that with a
length equal to the connecting rod and the different points described by
the upper end of the leg one traces a series of arcs of circles cutting the
aforesaid rays a continuous curve will thus be obtained, such as will
oblige the crank pin to follow exactly the leg passed over equal spaces
in equal times.
Thirdly. If the cams are made movable, which force the boots into
contact with the ground, leaving them raised up, and instead of putting
them of the same size throughout their entire length in such a manner
as to cause them always to act at the same points of the course of the
legs they are placed conically in such manner that in displacing them
you can if desired only make them act during fractions of the course, it
can be understood that the apparatus can be easily turned by diminishing
the course of those two legs that are on the same side. The apparatus
can also be turned in a radius equal to the distance of the two wheels
by suspending completely the action of the two wheels situated on that
side of the apparatus on which it is desired to turn, and only allowing
the two legs at the opposite side to act.
Fourthly. To move the apparatus either in a backward or forward
direction the same may be effected by fitting the motor with any known
and suitable reversing gear.
Having now described the nature of this Invention for " Improved
Mechanical Apparatus or Horse to be worked by Steam, Gas, or other
Motive Power, and designed to Replace or Substitute Animals of
Draught in general," as communicated to me by my foreign correspon-
dent, and the means by which it may be effected, I desire it to be
understood that I do not claim the exclusive use of any of the separate
parts above mentioned and referred to, except in so far as the same may
be employed in combination and for the purposes of this Invention,
neither do I intend to limit or confine myself to the use of three wheels
and four legs in the construction of the apparatus, as herein-before
described and represented by the Drawings, but reserve the right to
increase or diminish the number of those organs as may be. found
desirable in practice; and I hereby declare this Invention to consist in
and I claim, the mechanical arrangements and combinations above
referred to in the construction of an improved mechanical apparatus or
horse worked by steam, gas, or other motive power, and designed

page_text: to replace or substitute animals of draught in general, substantially as
above described with reference to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.