Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 22nd Dec., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1897.-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
GEORGES DORÉ, Miller, of 15, Grande Rue, Saint Maurice, Seine, France, and
HENRI ISIDORE BOUISSOU, Carriage-builder, of 15, Rue des Epinettes, Saint Maurice,
Seine, France, 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:-
Our invention consists of a novel driving mechanism for actuating the front
axle of an autocar, whereby means are provided for readily steering the autocar
whilst, at the same time, enabling the autocar to be run backward without re-
quiring any special arrangement of motor apparatus.
In the accompanying drawing:
Fig. 1 is a vertical central section taken through the king-bolt of the fore-
carriage of an autocar embodying my improved driving mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a top view in section on the line 2, 2.of Fig. 1, showing a portion of
the fore-carriage of an autocar.
Our invention has for its objects:
1. In an autocar, to effect the propelling action by traction of the fore-carriage,
whilst autocars, as usually constructed, are mostly impelled or pushed forward by
the rotation of the hind wheels;
2. To provide, in an autocar the front axle of which is a motor axle, a motion-
transmitting device which shall allow such axle to remain the steering axle,
whilst at the same time permitting all bending of the springs connected to the
said axle, to take place.
We accomplish these results in the hereinafter described manner.
The front axle a, Fig. 1, provided with the usual differential gear b, receives its
motion through a pinion directly engaging the said differential gear b. Both
parts b and c are held in gear by a curved piece d supported upon the bear-
ings e el to which the autocar springs are connected. The pinion is mountedl
at the end of a vertical shaft f provided with a gimbal frame or universal
joint, and capable of sliding in an annular socket y upon which is keyed the
sprocket or other wheel receiving driving motion from the motor fitted in any
convenient place of the autocar, through a sprocket wheel or by any other suitable
means.
In order that the shaft f may yield to different positions of the axle with refer-
ence to the fore-carriage under various loads of the autocar, it is capable of

page_text: sliding in the socket g, as above stated, and it is connected to the latter, as regards
rotary motion, by means of a feather i.
Should one of the springs bend more than the other, either because the load
is unequally distributed in the carriage, or because one of the wheels engages a
rut, etc., no interruption in the transmission of movement takes place, since the
gimbal frame j, j will come into play and accommodate itself to all positions
which the axle a might assume with relation to the vertical shaft f.
The stroke of the shaft f in the socket g is so calculated that in no case the
upper portion of the gimbal frame shall touch the lower end of the said socket.
The steering action is controlled by a pinion k operated by the driver and
engaging a tooth wlieel mounted upon the moveable ring m of the fore-carriage.
The train of tooth wheels is so calculated that one revolution of the operating
lever will cause the fore-carriage to make half a revolution. When the fore-
carriage has thus been caused to effect half a revolution, the motor, not having
been reversed, will cause the autocar to run backward. Retrograde action may
thus be accomplished without reversing the direction of movement of the motor
device.
The moveable ring m may be provided with two flanges, not shown, to which
two shafts may be connected so as to enable the autocar to be drawn by a horse,
if necessary. In such case, in order that the whole mechanism may not be set
in motion, it will be sufficient to disconnect. the driving wheels so as to make
them loose on the front axle a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be carried out, we declare that what
we claim is:
A mechanism for transmitting motion to a steering motor-axle of an autocar,
essentially characterized in that the king-bolt f, provided with a gimbal
frame, slides vertically in a socket g, which imparts to the said king-bolt the
motion received directly from the motor, the said king-bolt, in turn, conveying
its motion, through a pinion c, to a toothed wheel formed integral with the differ-
ential gear b mounted upon the said steering axle a of the autocar.
1
00 1 1
100%
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.