Improvements in and connected with Motor Tricycles or Carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Motor Tricycles or Carriages.
I, FREDERICK RICHARD SIMMS, of Amberley House, 12, Norfolk Street, Strand,
in the County of London, Engineer, 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 and connected with motor tricycles
or carriages, the said improvements relating to the construction of the tricycle
or carriage and to its application to various uses.
According to the invention I construct ny improved motor tricycle or carriage
of a tubular framework consisting of two triangular structures secured together
in planes at right angles to one another and mounted upon three wheels, two
of which are in front and one at the rear thereof. The tricycle is designed to
be steered by the single rear wheel and the motor and driving gear are arranged
between the two front wheels, the axle of which they actuate. The framework
is provided with one or more seats which may be detachable if desired and with
foot rests also detachable, and the motor employed is preferably an electro-
motor driven by secondary or primary batteries or a high speed oil motor, supplied
with oil from à tank suitably supported by the framework, and controlled by
levers within reach of the driver's hand.
In conjunction with iny motor tricycle or carriage I provide a carrier which
is advantageously secured to cross bars of the framework in the front thereof.
Or my motor tricycle can be used in combination with an ambulance which
may be secured to the front of the tricycle and comprises a framework having
a castor wheel and adapted to be secured to the framework of the motor tricycle.
Or the ambulance may be arranged to be drawn behind the tricycle similarly
to the jinrickshaw hereinafter described.
My motor carriage can also be employed in conjunction with a Maxim gun
which is suitably mounted upon the framework, as hereinafter more fully
described.
The carriage or tricycle is also suitable for use with a jinrickshaw comprising
a tubular framework carrying a light body suspended upon wheels by means of
springs and straps and the front end of which is designed to be fitted to the
frame of the tricycle above the steering wheel thereof as hereinafter described.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a motor tricycle or carriage constructed according
to the invention:
Figure 2 is a plan thereof:
Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views of details, Figure 5 being drawn to a larger scale:
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the motor tricycle or carriage combined with
a carrier:
Figure 7 is a view of a detail :
Figure 8 is an elevation drawn to a smaller scale of the motor tricycle or
carriage shewing it in combination with an ambulance;

page_text: Figure 9 is a front view thereof :
Figures 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are views of details, Figures 11 to 14 being
drawn to a larger scale:
Figure 15 is an elevation also drawn to a smaller scale shewing the motor
tricycle employed for transporting a Maxim gun;
Figure 16 is a front view thereof:
Figures 17, 18, 19 and 20 are detail views drawn to a larger scale:
Figure 21 is a side view drawn to a smaller scale of a jinrickshaw made
according to the invention and shewing it applied to the steering wheel of the
motor tricycle:
Figure 22 is a plan thereof; and
Figures 23 and 24 are views of a detail drawn to a larger scale.
The tubular frame of the motor tricycle or carriage consists of the upper
triangle formed by the two sides a, a and the base and of the lower structure
formed of the sides c and d, the former of which is secured to the middle of the
base of the upper triangle at one end and at the other end to one end of the
other side d which is secured at its other end to an upright tube or socket e to
which the extremities of the two bars a, a of the upper triangle are also secured.
6 is an additional cross tie joining the tubes a, a. f, f are the front wheels
of the tricycle, the said wheels being mounted on an axle fl which is supported
in bearings f, f2 depending from the ends of the cross bar 6 of the framework
and g is the rear steering wheel, the said wheel being mounted upon an upright
support which pivots in the above described tube or socket e.
is the motor, which in the drawings is represented as a high speed oil engine,
and is secured to the frame by the stays or attachments . It is supplied with
oil from the tank j fitted inside the framework of the tricycle at the rear end
thereof, as clearly shewn, the oil flowing from the tank through the tube j' to the
float-feed k. The flow of oil from the tank to the float-feed is regulated by
a cock or valve controlled by means of the lever by the rider. From the
float-feed the oil is allowed to flow in the requisite quantity to the carburetter
lis
from which it passes to the cylinder of the engine in the usual manner.
the exhaust box. m is electric ignition gear and n is the contact maker and
breaker thereof, the said gear being of ordinary construction and also being
employed for regulating the speed of the motor through the medium of the rod
having a handle ? pivoted to the upright arm q fixed to the frame of the tricycle
or carriage (Figures 2 and 6). o¹ (Figure 2) is a relief cock for use in starting
and stopping the motor, the said cock being controlled by the cord or the like o
attached to the handle o pivoted to the arm q.
The motor drives the shaft f3 which carries a pinion f4 gearing with a toothed
wheel f5 on the driving axle f¹ of the front wheels f, f.
The motor is started by means of the pedal gear r, the pedals being mounted
in the lower part of the frame of the tricycle and being connected by ordinary
chain and chain wheels and clutch mechanism with the driving or front axle
of the carriage, the clutch mechanism is so constructed that the said pedal gear
and chain are not operated when the motor drives the vehicle. It is obvious
that the pedal gear can be employed to drive the carriage should the motor be
damaged.
1 is a foot brake-lever, the said lever being pivoted to the tube b¹ and
operating, through the medium of the rod 2, the brake band 3 which is fitted
on the boss f of the toothed wheel f5 as shewn in Figure 2.
The rear wheel is steered by means of the upright handle q' which is provided
at its lower end with a toothed wheels engaging with a rack upon the end
of a rod t pivoted to an arm 2 secured to the upper end of the support h for
the said steering wheel.
u is the seat for the rider, the said seat being secured to the tube a of the
framework of the tricycle by the supports u¹, u, and is a foot-rest for the
i is a
rider, the said foot-rest being secured to the tube b' of the framework.

page_text: second seat which may be provided for an additional rider, the said seat being
removably secured to the foot-rest u³, preferably by means of a pin ¹, and
being held in its proper position by springs 2.
The additional seat may also be of the kind shewn in Figures 3, 4 and 5,
Figure 3 shewing the seat in position upon the foot-rest ³, Figure 4 shewing
the seat folded up thereon and Figure 5 being a view to a larger scale of the
pivoted support. The said support comprises a tube 3 pivoted to the underside
of the seat and containing a spring which abuts against the upper end of
the said cylinder and a piston, the rod of which is supported against the foot-rest.
The motor carriage can, if desired, be provided with a suitable hood.
In Figure 6 I have shewn my motor tricycle or carriage in combination with
a carrier A. The carrier is secured to the cross bars 6 and 6' by clips b², as
clearly shewn in section in Figure 7.
Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 illustrate the combination of my motor
tricyclé or carriage with an ambulance. The ambulance frame comprises a
V-shaped structure formed of tubes w, w, which at their junction are secured
to a socket w¹ and at their extended ends to the cross-bar b of the frame of the
motor carriage, the said frame being strengthened by a cross-bar wa. The
socket at the apex of the V-shaped frame is arranged to receive the vertical pin
or pivot of a castor w, the said pin being provided with a spring so as
to prevent shocks to the wheel being transferred to the frame of the ambulance.
The ambulance stretcher B is supported upon the framework by straps x, x at
its four corners. At the front of the stretcher, the straps are secured at one end
to the socket, as shewn clearly in Figure 9 and at their other ends are provided
with eyes, (Figures 13 and 14) which hook upon the ends of outwardly
and downwardly bent brackets a³, upon the front of the ambulance frame,
the projecting ends of the stretcher passing through loops formed by the straps .r,
and being kept in position by buckles, shewn in Figures 11 and 12.
the rear, the straps hook on to upwardly and outwardly projecting brackets y, y
secured to the tubes a, a of the tricycle or carriage frame as shewn in Figure 10.
With this construction it will be obvious that the stretcher can be mounted and
dismounted quickly and with great facility. It will also be obvious that the
ambulance can be secured to the rear end of the carriage, that the stretcher
can be arranged so that the occupant travels head or feet first and that in lieu
of the stretcher other things such as baggage, ammunition, arms or provisions
can be carried. Provision may also be made for slinging a rifle or carbine on
the main frame as shewn in dotted lines Figure 8.
At
Figures 15 to 20 relate to the application of my motor tricycle or carriage for
the transport of a Maxim gun. The gun C is mounted upon the usual elevation
gear and swivelling gear z¹ and is provided with the usual telescopic trail
support having the ordinary gunner's saddle 23. The trail support 22 is fitted
into a split socket 24 fixed upon the bottom tube c of the carriage frame, as
shewn clearly in Figure 19 to a larger scale, and can be clamped in the said
socket by means of the hand screw 25, as shewn in Figure 20. The gun C
is supported at the front by the legs z, 26 which are permanently fixed to the
front cross-bar b of the tricycle frame, the said legs being, however, made with
a knuckle joint 7 so that they can be folded up when not required for use and
also for facilitating the removal of the gun, and over which joint a sleeve 28
can be passed when the legs are extended for use. The sleeves are preferably
provided with a slot in which works a pin upon the leg or support 26, as shewn
in Figures 17 and 18. The gun can be provided with the usual front supports
or legs which, when the gun is in the carriage, are not required and are strapped
against the frame.
With this construction it will be obvious that the gun can be quickly and
easily dismounted when required and to provide for cases where the gun to be
used when on the carriage, I furnish the latter with legs,hinged to the frame
of the machine and provided with means such as a cord 10 whereby they can

page_text: be easily pulled up, so as to lie against the said frame when not required for ušë,
and easily lowered to the ground when the gun is to be used on the motor
carriage and thereby form a firm support for the latter against the recoil of
the gun.
My motor tricycle can also advantageously be employed for hauling a jinrick-
shaw, the said jinrickshaw being preferably of the kind shewn in Figures 21
to 24 of the accompanying drawing. It comprises a frame formed of ent
tubes 2, which support the body D of the vehicle and which at their front
portion are hinged by means of a bolt 63 to a socket 4 adapted to be passed over
an upwardly projecting pin upon the rear end of the frame of the motor tricycle
as clearly shewn in Figures 21 and 22. The vehicle is provided with two rear
wheels which support the body thereof through the medium of the C-springs 65
and straps 66. The jinrickshaw is also provided with a support 67 designed to
be lowered when the former is disconnected from the motor carriage.
ATT!
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is —
1. A motor tricycle or carriage comprising a double triangular tubular frame-
work mounted upon two fore wheels and one rear steering wheel and provided
with a suitable motor, substantially as described and illustrated.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved motor
tricycles or carriages hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination with a motor tricycle or carriage of the kind described
in Claim 1 of a carrier, substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 6
and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a motor tricycle or carriage of the kind described
in Claim 1, of an ambulance consisting of a tubular framework having a wheel
at one end thereof and provided at its two ends with means for slinging the
ambulance stretcher, substantially as described and illustrated.
5. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the motor ambulance,
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 8 to 14 of the accompanying
drawings.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved motor gun
carriage, hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 15 to 20 of tlie accom-
panying drawings.
7. For use in combination with a motor carriage or tricycle of the kind
described in Claim 1, a jinrickshaw comprising a tubular frame carrying a light
body suitably mounted upon two rear wheels, and hinged to a socket at its front
end whereby it can be pivoted to the frame of the motor carriage above the
steering wheel thereof, substantially as described.
8. The combination with a motor tricycle of the kind described in Claim 1
of the improved jinrickshaw, hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 21
to 24 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 15th dox of Fabory 1808
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.