Improved Running Gear.
Year: 1893

page_text: Improved Running Gear.
A communication from HECTOR ALEXANDER BONNAR, Physician of Village of
Chesley, County of Bruce, and DAVID BONNAR, Physician of Village of
Bolton, County of Peel, both in the Province of Ontario, Canada.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I. Mech. E. and Chartered Patent Agent, 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 object of the invention is to provide a light, strong simple and easy running
gear for vehicles, and it consists, essentially, of the improved construction of the
wheels, axles, reach, bolster and springs arranged as hereinafter more particularly
explained.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle provided with the improved running
gear.
Figure 2 is an enlarged end view of the rear axle springs and body.
Figure 3 is a detail showing the arrangement of the spokes forming the wheel.
Figure 4 is an inside view of one of the discs between which the spokes are
clamped.
Figure 5 is an enlarged view showing the connection between the front axle and
reach.
Figure 6 is a plan of the reach.
Figure 7 is a perspective detail showing the method of connecting the springs to
the body and the bolsters.
In the Specification like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A is the axle on each end of which a bearing box B is formed or otherwise
attached, each bearing-box being set above the axle A so as to keep the body of
the vehicle as low as possible without decreasing the diameter of the wheels. Each
axle A is made of light material, and in order to strengthen it and at the same
time carry the weight of the body to the extremity of the axle there is provided a
brace or stay C which forms a substantial truss, as shown in Figure 2. Each
bearing-box has a spindle D fitted into it, the said spindle being held in position by
the nut and washer E. The outer end of the bearing-box B is recessed to receive
a collar F formed on the spindle D. The disc H is shrunk upon or otherwise
rigidly fastened to the spindle D.
"An annular apron I is fixed to the disc H and extends over the bearing-box B
so as to prevent the dust accumulating in the joint and finding its way into the
bearing.
An oil cup is provided as shown to lubricate the bearing.
The
On reference to Figure 3 the plan on which this wheel is built will be seen.
inner ends of the spokes J are shaped so that they will fit together, as shown in
Figure 3 the said spokes being arranged against the disc H as indicated. The
spindle D projects through the hole K and the outer disc L is placed on the said
spindle so that the bead a formed on the face of the disc L shall press against the
spokes J and when the nut G on the spindle D is screwed up, the bead a, is forced
into the spokes J so as to firmly grip and lock them together. The same effect of
course will be produced by forming the bead a on the inner disc H. A wheel
made as described will be both light and strong and can be very readily repaired
should a spoke be accidentally broken. As the spindle revolves in the bearing,
instead of the bearing revolving in the spindle, the weight in this arrangement is
Price 8d 1

page_text: carried on the top side of the bearing instead of on the bottom side as is the case when
the wheel revolves on its spindle or axle. It, therefore, follows that there is more
leverage in proportion to the size of the wheel than is secured when the weight is
carried on the bottom of the bearing.
On reference to Figures 1 and 7 the construction of the springs of this improved
running gear will be readily understood.
On each side of the bottom of the vehicle two rods marked N are fixed. On one
end of each rod N is formed a crank M and at the other end of the said rod is
provided means by which it may be rigidly held from revolving. In the drawing
suitable means for this purpose are shown, that is to say, the end O of the rod N is
bent in such a shape as shown in Figure 7 that it may be fitted into one of the
holes P, made in the plate Q which is fixed as indicated inside the corner of
the vehicle. By thus fixing the end of the rod N opposite to that on which the
crank M is made the said crank may be set and held at any desired angle.
R is a link pivotted to the bolster S or to some other suitable part of the running
gear of the vehicle and pivotally connected to the end of the crank M which is
bent outwardly as indicated, and has a key T formed on it as shown. This key
slips through a key-way U made in the link R and when set at an angle acts as a
lock to hold the said link onto the said crank.
In practice it is preferred that each rod N should be adjusted and held so that
its crank-arm M shall be at an angle of about forty-five degrees in order that when
the weight is placed in the vehicle a torsion strain is directed against each rod N
thereby furnishing the necessary elasticity to give the required easy riding motion
to the vehicle. When the weight is placed on the vehicle, the end of each crank
arm M moves outwardly carrying the link R with it and should the weight be
increased the said arm continues to move outwardly until the crank-arm M becomes
horizontal, after which point any increase of weight will cause the swinging link R
to move inwardly until it again comes in contact with the holster, thereby holding
the link from any further movement and as a consequence any further twisting
strain on the rod N is prevented.
In order that the angle of the crank-arm M may be altered as required the extra
holes Pare provided as shown and the end O is put into any one of the holes
desired.
The front bolster S rests upon the truss C. The hammer-brace c is rigidly
connected to the truss C. A lugd is formed on the truss C and a clip e encircles the
axle A. One or more lugs fare formed on the hammer-brace c and the king bolt g
passes through the hammer brace c lugs d and fand clip e.
The end of the reach is pivotted in lugs i formed on the under side of the
hammer-brace c. It will readily be seen that from this construction the axle and
brace have free movement in a horizontal plane about the king bolt g and in a
vertical plane about the end of the reach so that in going over uneven ground the
running gear is not subjected to any twisting strain.
It will be noticed that the rear bolster is made in one piece with the rear truss.
The reach h extends to the rear axle to which it is connected in a suitable
manner.
Side-braces j extend from the front end of the reach to the bearing boxes of the
rear axle.
On reference to Figure 2 it will be noticed that the rear axle and truss
are connected by a bolt k by the action of which the rear axle and truss may be
adjusted closer together or further apart, thus tipping the wheels so that their
lower edges are drawn further in or out as may be desired to make them track
perfectly with the front wheels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A running gear in which the axle has a bearing-box formed on each end and
is strengthened by the truss C substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2. A running gear in which the axle has a bearing-box formed on each end and
is strengthened by the truss C in combination with the spindle D journalled in the
bearing-box B and having a wheel rigidly fastened to it substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
3. The spindle D having a disc H rigidly fastened to it the spokes J arranged as
described on the face of the disc H in combination with the disc L having a bead a
formed on its face and secured to the spindle D by means of the nut M substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
4. The spindle D having a collar F formed on it to fit into a recess made in the
outer end of the bearing-box B in combination with the dust apron I substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
5. An improved vehicle spring gear composed of four torsion rods each rod
placed longitudinally upon the frame of the vehicle and having a crank formed on
one end of it the other end being fixed to the vehicle in combination with a swing
link arranged to connect the crank to the bolster or other part of the running gear
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. An improved vehicle spring-gear consisting of four torsion rods N each rod
placed longitudinally upon the bottom of the vehicle and having a crank M formed
on one end of it and connected by the link R to the bolster S or other part of the
running gear of the vehicle in combination with a plate Q having holes P arranged
to receive the bent end O of the rod N substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
7. The hammer-brace c fast to the bolster S and supporting in suitable bearings
the king bolt g in combination with the axle A and truss C pivotted on the king
bolt g by suitable lugs or clips substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8. The hammer-brace c fast to the bolster S and pivotted on the end of the
reach in combination with the king-bolt g and the axle A and truss C pivotted
on the said king-bolt g by suitable lugs or clips substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 21st day of July 1893
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.