Improvements in Power Propelled Road Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Power Propelled Road Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to improvements in power propelled vehicles and refers
more particularly to vehicles in which the power is applied to the steering wheels
and has for its object to so arrange and construct the vehicle that the motor and
propelling mechanism shall be of easy access to the driver and the steering and
reversal shall be better under control than heretofore and that the whole of the
floor of the vehicle shall be available for passengers or goods.
In one mode of constructing a vehicle in accordance with the present invention
I arrange a pair of wheels to act as steering and driving wheels on the extremities
of an axle supporting the fore portion of the vehicle on a turn-table through the
intermediary of springs as is usual in horse vehicles, the turntable is so arranged
as to be capable of taking up any position or making a complete revolution if
required. The axis about which the turntable swivels is tubular and is carried up
through the body of the vehicle to a platform on the top and to this platform the
motor steering gear and other accessories are attached and the drivers seat may
also be fixed to the said platform, and the whole of the gear may conveniently be
enclosed in a cylindrical box or turret with suitable doors for purposes of
inspection. The turret above and turntable below are securely keyed to the
extremities of the before mentioned tubular shaft so that they rotate together and
the steering is effected by rotating the turret by suitable mechanism. The motor
shaft actuates by means of a friction clutch a driving shaft and the latter passes
down through the tubular shaft and drives by means of a worm on to the balance
gear of an intermediate shaft, the two elements of which carry at their outer
extremities a pair of pinions gearing into toothed wheels attached to the road
wheels on either side.
°
A universal joint and feathered shaft is inserted at the foot of the vertical driving
shaft to allow for the angular and sliding motion due to the inequalities of the road
and yielding of the springs. In order to reverse a vehicle constructed as herein-
before described the turret and turntable are rotated by the steering mechanism
through two right angles and the friction clutch is then engaged.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Power Propelled Road Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the County
of Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
-
This invention relates to improvements in power propelled vehicles and refers
more particularly to vehicles in which the power is applied to the steering wheels
and has for its object to so arrange and construct the vehicle that the motor and
propelling mechanism shall be of easy access to the driver and the steering and
reversal shall be better under control than heretofore and that the whole of the
floor of the vehicle shall be available for passengers or goods.
The invention consists generally in arranging an overhead structure, which
contains all the mechanism necessary to control and actuate the vehicle and trans-
mitting the power and steering by a vertical pillar and central shaft to the steering
and driving wheels underneath to be operated.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively sectional elevation and end elevation of the
improvements as applied to a trolley or lorry for carrying goods.
Figures 3 and 4 are side elevation and plan of a road car for passengers with the
improvements applied.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the complete trolley illustrated in detail on
Figures 1 and 2 illustrating its adaptability for timber carrying purposes.
The method of carrying the invention into effect is clearly shown in detail at
Figures 1 and 2 as follows. In this mode of constructing a vehicle in accordance
with the present invention a pair of wheels A A are arranged to act as steering and
driving wheels on the extremities of an axle B supporting the fore portion D of
the vehicle on a turn table E through the intermediary of springs FF as is usual
in horse vehicles, and the turntable E is so arranged as to be capable of taking up
any position or making a complete revolution if required. The axis G about
which the turn-table E swivels is tubular as shown and is carried up through the
body of the vehicle to a platform H on the top and to this platform the motor
steering gear and other accessories are attached and the drivers seat I, (see
l'igures 3, and 5) may also be fixed to the said platform H and the whole of the
gear may conveniently be enclosed in a cylindrical box or turret J
with suitable doors for purposes of inspection. The turret J and
platform H are keyed to the upper extremity of the before mentioned tubulan
shaft G, while the turntable E is integral with its lower extremity so that they
rotate together, and the steering is effected by rotating the turret by suitable
mechanism preferably arranged in the following manner. To the body of the
vehicle D a tubular socket K carrying the tubular shaft G is attached and this
socket has formed at its upper end a second table E' upon which the turret and
platform J, H, rest and run thereon by pulley wheels L L. This table E¹ has a
circular toothed periphery into which a pinion M gears, the said pinion being
carried on a shaft N which in turn is rotated by the driver through the handles Ŏ
thus steering the vehicle. The motor shaft P actuates by means of a friction
clutch Q a driving shaft R and the latter passes down through the tubular shaft G
and drives by means of a worm R on to the balance gear S of an intermediate
shaft T, the two elements of which carry at their outer extremities a pair of
pinions U, U gearing into toothed wheels V V attached to the road wheels A A
on either side.
To operate the friction clutch Q the handle W contained within the turret is
easily manipulated by the driver from his seat I. A universal joint X is inserted

page_text: at the foot of the vertical driving shaft R to allow for the angular and sliding
motion due to the inequalities of the road and yielding of the springs. In order to
reverse a vehicle constructed as herein before described the turret and turntable,
are rotated by the steering mechanism through two right angles and the friction
clutch is then engaged.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 illustrate the application of the hereinbefore described
improvements in the case of the first two figures to a passenger car, and in the last
figure to a lorry or trolley for carrying timber and the like, and in these views
similar letters indicate similar parts to those hereinbefore described with reference
to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1,-In power propelled road vehicles in which the steering and traction is
effected through the same wheels the provision of a vertical tubular shaft carrying
the axle and wheels at the lower end, and a turret and platform at the upper end
in which the steering and propelling mechanism are placed, the whole swivelling
upon a suitable socket attached to the vehicle body as a means of steering while the
propelling is arranged for by a vertical shaft placed axially in the tubular shaft
and connected by a clutch at its upper end to the motor and at its lower end by a
universal joint to the mechanism operating the driving axle all substantially as
hereinbefore described.
2, The improvements in power propelled road vehicles substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figures 1, and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3, The improvements in power propelled road vehicles substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
31
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TABE 1909
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.