Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1898
We, ALEXANDER CRAIG, Chief Engineer, and WALTER PHILLIPS, General Manager,
both of Messrs. Humber & Company, Limited, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to a three-wheeled motor carriage embodying the following
special features:
-
1. General arrangement of frame and seats.
2. Auxiliary pedal driving and starting mechanism.
3. Combined change speed and brake lever.
4. An alternative arrangement of change speed levers.
1. The arrangement of frame and seats. The frame is of tubular construction,
braced up by tie rods underneath and has a steering neck at each end of the front
member, in which the frout or steering wheels are fitted in what is well-known as
the Olympia manner. These are connected by a suitable chain or rods to the bottom
of the steering post. The motor, which is bolted to the side of the frame, is
preferably of the Bolloe type and has no special features except that the crank shaft
which is carried in bearings secured to the frame forms an axle for the back wheel
which is located centrally between the frames. The wheel is built upon a geared
bub affording preferably at least two speeds. There is a gig seat in front to
accomodate two persons and an ordinary cycle saddle may be provided for the rear
rider.
2nd. Auxiliary pedal driving and starting. The pedals are arranged between the
two longitudinal members of the frame, and the driving sprocket is on one
preferably the left hand side. This is connected by a chain to a sprocket fitted with
a clutch mounted on a sleeve fixed to the rear hub. The pedal axle is also
supported in the centre by a ball bracket and carried in a light central framework
which supports the back seat.
3rd. The change speed and brake lever. A lug is brazed on one of the
horizontal frame members and the lever is pivoted in the lower portion of this. The
lever is forked and passed down the sides of the lug and the bolt which forms the
pivot does not pass through a circular hole in the lug but is adapted to move in an
inclined slot to the lower end of which it is held by an internal eye bolt through
which it passes and which is pulled by a spring. The upper portion of the lug is
formed into a circular rack in which a catch actuated by a small lever at the top of
the handle engages. The pull rods from the two speed gear are attached to pivots
on the lever. When either of these rods is pulled by moving the lever backwards
or forwards as the case may be the corresponding band brake if such be used is
applied or other mechanism operated to give the speed required. If, however, both
rods be pulled simultaneously the band brakes would act as a brake on the machine
and motor. To accomplish this consider the lever pushed to tighten one rod and
allow the other rod to fall slack. In doing this the slot pin taking a bearing
against the lower end of the slot forms a fulcrum and the catch is dropped into
the gap in the quadrant and the rod is held tight. If without releasing the catch the
handle be pulled back the slot pin ceases to be the fulcrum of the main lever and the
catch assumes this function the pin being free to move in the slot against the spring

page_text: and the second rod can be tightened and its corresponding band brake acting as a
brake on the machine.
From this it will be seen that while acting as a change speed lever the slot pin
forms the fulcrum taking the bearing against the lower end of the slot; but for
breaking purposes, after tightening the rod the catch forms the fulcrum.
4th. Alternative change speed levers. A pair of foot levers are fixed side by side
on a branch bolted to the frame. They are pivotted on a pin and have a quadrant
portion which is toothed and adapted to engage with a catch which is held up
against it by a spring. These two toothed portions are located side by side and the
catch is broad enough to engage with both. A portion of the quadrant is higher
than the teeth and beyond it at the commencement is a portion which is lower than
the bottoms of the teeth. In their normal position when neither of the band brakes
is on, the levers would be inclined so that the lower portion is over the catch. If
one lever now be moved the high portion first passes over the catch which it
depresses and as the lever is further moved to tighten the band brake, rises into the
toothed portion and holds it. If it be required to change the speed the second lever
is operated and the high portion of it passing over the catch depresses it sufficiently to
release the first lever which is caused to return to its place by a spring. To put on
the brake both levers are operated and held by the catch which is provided with a
projection within reach of the foot by which it can be depressed to release the levers
in case it should engage with both together. It will be seen that this principle can
be extended to a considerable number of levers, the depression of one of, which
would release all the others.
Considerable modifications can be made withont departing from the spirit of the
invention.
Dated this 18th day of November 1807
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant
We, ALEXANDER CRAIG, Chief Engineer, and WALTER PHILLIPS, General Manager,
both of Messrs. Humber & Co., Ltd., of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in motor vehicles and has special reference
to the speed-changing or gear-altering mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle fitted with one construction of speed-
changing and braking mechanism according to this invention,
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, parts being removed for the sake of clearness.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation, showing part of the speed-changing gear in further
detail,
Fig. 4. is an end elevation.
Fig. 5 is a plan of the same,
Fig. 6 shows a portion of the mechanisin illustrated in Fig. 3 in a different
position,
Figs. 7 and 8 are elevations at right angles to one another, showing another
form of mechanism for changing the speed and applying the brake, also according
to this invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

page_text: With reference first to Figs. 1 and 2, the frame A is of tubular construction,
braced up by tie rods A¹ underneath, and has a steering neck A2 at each end of the
front member, in which the front or steering wheels are fitted in what is well known as
the "Olympia" manner. These are connected by a chain A³ to the bottom of the
steering post A*. The motor B which is bolted to the side of the frame, is
preferably of the Bollee type, and has no special features except that the crank
shaft B, which is carried in bearings B2 in the frame, forms the axle for the back
or driving wheel C, which is located centrally between the longitudinal members
of the frame A. The back wheel C is built upon a geared hub C₁, affording two
speeds. There is a gig seat D in the front of the vehicle, and an ordinary cycle
saddle D is provided for the rear rider.
Auxiliary pedals are provided for driving or starting. They are arranged
between the two longitudinal members of the frame A, and a sprocket wheel E¹
transmits power from the pedals E through a chain E2, to another sprocket
wheel 3 which may be engaged with the axle of the back wheel through a clutch E.
The pedal crank axle is also supported in ball bearings in a bracket E³, attached
to the central member of the frame A.
The back wheel C is provided with two drums C2 forming part of the
geared hub C¹
Upon these drums C2 band brakes C³ operate in such
a manner that if one brake is applied, a certain speed results, and if this brake is
slackened and the other brake applied, a different speed is obtained. Should both
brakes be applied at once, the motion of the vehicle is stopped. The brakes C³ are
connected by tie rods C to foot levers F. These levers F are illustrated in further
detail in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6. They are mounted side by side upon the steering
post A, by means of a clip F¹. The levers F are pivotted as at F2, and have
a quadrant portion F3, which is toothed as at F4, and adapted to engage with a catch
or detent Fs, which is pressed up against the quadrant piece F3 by the action of the
spring Fo A portion F of the quadrant piece Fs, adjacent to the teeth F, projects
slightly beyond the top of the teeth, and another portion F8 is sunk slightly below
the level of the bottom of the teeth. The levers F are controlled by springs F.
The catch or detent F is broad enough, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4, to engage the
toothed quadrant pieces of both of the levers F. In their normal position, that is
to say, when neither of the band brakes is on, the levers would be inclined so that
the sunk portion F8 would be over the detent F³. This is indicated by the dotted
liue in Fig. 6. The tie rods C connecting the levers F with the band brakes C³ are
attached to the former, as at F10.
The operation of this mechanism is as follows:-
If one lever F be depressed, the raised portion F7 first passes over the detent F5,
which it depresses, and as the lever is further moved to tighten the band brake,
the detent springs up and holds the lever in the desired position, by engaging with
one of the teeth F. If it be desired to change the speed, the second lever is
depressed and its raised portion F7 passing over the catch F5 depresses it sufficiently
to release the first lever which, under the action of the spring F, returns to its
original position.
To apply both band brakes, that is to say, to stop the motion of the vehicle, both
levers Fare depressed, and held by the catch F³, in the required position. They
may be released by depressing the catch F with the foot. For this purpose it is
provided with projections F" (Fig. 4).
It will be seen that this principle can be extended to a considerable number of
levers, the operation of any one of which would allow all the others to return to
their normal position.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate another form of mechanism for changing the speed
or applying the brake, in which all the operations are performed by means of one
lever. A lug G which is fastened to one of the members of the frame A bas
a lever H pivotted, as at H', in its lower portion. The pivot H¹ does not pass
through a circular hole in the lug, but is adapted to move in an inclined alot H².
It is held against the lower portion of the slot by the action of a spring H³, upon

page_text: an internal eye-bolt H', through which the pivot H₁ passes. The upper portion
of lug G is formed into a circular rack G' in the teeth of which a catch H engages,
the catch H' being actuated by a small lever H near the top of the lever H. The
tie rods C operating the band brakes C³ are attached to the lever H, as at H7.
If either of these rods is pulled by moving the lever H backwards or forwards, as
the case may be, the corresponding band brake will be applied, and the speed
varied accordingly. To stop the motion of the machine, it is, as stated above,
necessary to apply both the band brakes Cs, that is to say, to pull both the rods C4.
This may be accomplished in the following manner :-The lever H is first of all
moved into the position shown in Fig. 8, the upper tie rod C+ being pulled. The
catch H5 is now allowed to engage with the teeth in the rack G¹, and the lever H
moved backwards. This causes the catch H to act as the fulcrum of the lever H,
instead of the original fulcrum H¹, and the bolt H' forming the old fulcrum is now
carried in the inclined slot H2 against the action of the spring H³, and consequently
the lower rod C is pulled and the second band brake applied.
From this it will be seen that while acting as a change-speed lever, the bolt H¹
forms the fulcrum of the lever H, taking its bearing against the lower end of the
slot H2; but for braking purposes, after operating the upper tie-rod C4, the catch H
forms the fulcrum.
Although this invention is illustrated and described as applied to a three-wheeled
motor vehicle, it is obvious that mechanism of the like nature may be applied to
various forms of self-propelled vehicles and for various purposes, without departing
from the spirit of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a motor vehicle an arrangement of levers for controlling the speed or
applying the brake in which the operation of any one lever will restore all the
others to their normal position.
2. In a motor vehicle the combination with two or more levers of a single detent
common to them all.
3. In a motor vehicle the employment of one lever to operate two band brakes,
substantially as described.
4. In a motor vehicle a two-fulcrumed lever substantially as described.
5. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a control lever of a stop or detent,
which serves also as a fulcrum for the lever.
6. In a motor vehicle the combination with a lever having two rods connected to
it, and a movable fulcrum between, of a stop or detent and a rack so arranged that
the stop may be used as the fulcrum the original fulcrum travelling as the lever is
turned about the new fulcrum.
7. In a motor vehicle a lever such as For H arranged and operated substantially
as described.
8. The speed-changing or gear-altering mechanism substantially as described or
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 or Figures 7 and 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
9. The complete motor vehicle substantially as described or illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of August 1898.
ALEX. CRAIG,
WALTER PHILLIPS.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.