Year: 1898

page_text: We, HENRY JOHN LAWSON, Engineer, and THE BRITISH MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED,
both of 40, Holborn Viaduct, in the County of London, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows;-
This invention relates to improvements in self-propelled vehicles particularly
to those that are driven by steam.
The body of the vehicle containing the seats for the passengers is carried upon an
under-frame and a steam generator and motor are mounted upon the same frame or
upon an auxiliary frame together with the wheels of the vehicle. The latter may
be formed for use either upon the road or upon rails.
The generator is of the water-tube type and comprises water chambers preferably
in the form of concentric cylinders, having a space between them and communi-
cating with each other by means of tubes. The heated gases from the fire are
caused to pass around the water chambers and the connecting tubes, and from
thence to pass through a down-take to the rear of the vehicle. The generator may
be fixed to its frame by means of bolts, which may pass through a flange upon a
portion of the generator remote from the frame. The necessary gauges and safety
yalves are provided and also preferably an injector.
Water is supplied to the generator by means of feed pumps, which are preferably
operated by eccentrics upon the main shaft.
A coil or other superheater is provided in the fire-box. The steam passes through
the superheater on its way from the generator before it escapes from the motor to
the atmosphere.
The motor may conveniently comprise a two-cylinder compound engine, prefer-
ably coupled to the driving axle through reducing gear and enclosed in an oil-
tight case. A valve is placed between the superheater and the engine to control
the supply of steam. Reversing and expansion gear are also provided.
The driving axle is preferably made in three portions coupled together by means
of universal joints in order to allow for running over rough and uneven tracks.
By means of an auxiliary valve both cylinders of the engine may be supplied
with high pressure steam, when additional power is required for a short time.
The water is carried in tanks preferably placed upon the under frame and the
fuel may be carried in a space provided for it round the generator.
In one construction of self-propelled vehicle according to this invention, the
driver is placed in the front of the vehicle above the axle carrying the driving
wheels which are of large diameter. The mechanism for operating the steering
gear is in front of the driver and the generator at his back. The body of the
vehicle is separate from the generator, and is supported upon the under-frame by
means of springs.
The steering gear operates upon the rear wheels which are small. They are
coupled together and so attached to the axle that the plane in which they revolve

page_text: may be altered for the purpose of steering the vehicle. The frame is narrowed
to admit of this movement of the wheels.
We, HENRY JOHN LAWSON, Engineer, and THE BRITISH MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED,
both of 40, Holborn Viaduct, in the County of London, 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 self-propelled vehicles particularly
to those that are driven by steam.
The body of the vehicle containing the seats for the passengers is carried upon an
under-frame and a steam generator and motor are mounted upon the same frame or
upon an auxiliary frame together with the wheels of the vehicle. The latter may
be formed for use either upon the road or upon rails.
The generator is of the water-tube type and comprises water chambers preferably
in the form of concentric cylinders, having a space between them and communi-
cating with each other by means of tubes. The heated gases from the fire are
caused to pass around the water chambers and the connecting tubes, and from
thence to pass into the atmosphere by means of a flue. The generator may be
fixed to its frame by means of bolts, which may pass through a flange upon a
portion of the generator. The necessary gauges and safety valves are provided
and also preferably an injector.
Water is supplied to the generator by means of feed pumps, which are preferably
driven by steam from the generator.
One or more coils or other superheaters are provided in the fire-box. The steam
is superheated before leaving the generator and again superheated on its way from
the motor before it is permitted to escape into the atmosphere.
The motor may conveniently comprise a two cylinder compound engine, prefer-
ably coupled to the driving axle through reducing gear and enclosed in an oil-
tight case. A valve is placed between the superheater and the engine to control
the supply of steam. Reversing and expansion gear are also provided.
The driving axle is preferably made in three portions coupled together by means
of universal joints in order to allow for running over rough and uneven tracks.
By means of an auxiliary valve both cylinders of the engine may be supplied
with high pressure steam, when additional power is required for a short time.
The water is carried in tanks preferably placed upon the under frame and the
fuel may be carried in a space provided for it round the generator.
The construction of the generator, motor and driving mechanism together with
the arrangement of the same as a motor vehicle are illustrated in the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a diagram of a central vertical section through the generator;
Figure 2 is a diagram of a section through the same on the line 2-2 of
Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a part sectional diagrammatic plan of the vehicle with everything
above the under frame removed;
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the motor with part of its casing removed, and

page_text: Figure 5 is a perspective view of an omnibus constructed according to this
invention.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The generator which constitutes an important item of this invention comprises
an annular water chamber A surrounded by a second annular chamber B concentric
with the first. The outer annular chamber B is provided with an outer cylindrical
wall or plate B and an inner cylindrical wall or plate B³. The two plates are
secured together by upper and lower plates B³ held in place by the bolts B which
pass down throughout the length of the water chamber B. The inner chamber A is
similarly built up of an outer plate A' and inner plate A2 secured by top and bottom
plates A and tie bolts A+. The diameter of the plate B² is considerably greater
than that of the plate A' which it surrounds, so that a space C is formed between
the chambers A and B. In this space Care arranged a number of water-tubes C¹
which communicate with both water chambers and are secured in the plates A' B¹
respectively. The chamber A is raised slightly above the chamber B and is sus-
pended within the same, partly by the tubes C₁ and partly by a hood A5. The
hood A rests upon the top of the chamber B where it may be secured by any
convenient means and serves to cover in the space C. The upper part of the hood A³
may be provided with a flange A" so that the tie bolts A may be passed through
it and the chamber A thus secured thereto. If desired the plate A may also be
connected by stays to the plate B so that the chamber A may have still further
support. The hood A does not cover the inner plate A of the chamber A; the
space enclosed by this plate is covered above by a removable lid A the lower end
being left open.
Below the chamber A is the furnace chamber having fire-bars B. The fire
bars B are supported by an annular plate B6 which may either be secured to the
lower plate B by any convenient means or may be secured with the same by the
tie-bolts B. Two superheaters B are arranged within the furnace chamber.
A flue A8 which communicates with the hood A serves to carry off the gases from
the furnace and any convenient device may be arranged beneath the fire bars B7
to collect the asbestos.
The operation of the generator is as follows:-
Fuel is admitted to the furnace chamber by removing the lid or cover A7 and
discharging the coke-if coke is used-into the central space enclosed by the
chamber A from whence it falls freely into the furnace. The lid A7 having been
replaced the hot gases from the furnace circulate among and thus heat the tubes C
in the space C. The gases finally collect under the hood A5 which thus acts as
a smoke box and are carried off by the flue A8. The flue A8 may be arranged as
either an up or down take. The steam generated by the heat imparted to the
tubes, is before leaving the generator, passed through one of the superheaters.
The connections for this are not shown in the drawings. The second superheater
is used for heating the exhaust steam before allowing it to escape into the atmos-
phere so that it may escape as far as possible invisibly.
One great advantage of this generator is the case with which every part may be
made accessible when requiring repair. By removing the nuts from the tie-
bolts B the cylindrical plate B' may be removed and the ends of the tubes C¹ in
the plate B2 fully exposed. Also by removing the nuts from the tie-bolts A¹ the
inner plate A2 of the chamber A may be completely withdrawn so that access may
be had to the ends of the tubes Csecured in the plate A¹.
The motor illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 is provided with high and low pressure
cylinders D D', respectively and to the cylinders is bolted a metal casing E within
which is arranged the driving gear. The casing E is as far as possible made in
one piece, detachable portions being arranged where necessary in order that the
gear may be placed in position or attended to when requiring adjustment. Bearings F
carried by strengthening webs El within the casing E are provided for the driving
shaft F at each end of which is mounted a crank-disc F2. The crank discs 12
engage the piston rods D2 of the cylinders D D' by means of crank pins F3 in the

page_text: usual well known manner. On the shaft F are mounted a large and small
pinion G G respectively preferably formed in one piece and so arranged that they
are free to slide upon the shaft but must revolve with it. The endwise movement
of the pinions GG is controlled by a forked member G2 which engages the pinions
by means of a flange or collar with which they are provided. The forked
member G2 is carried by and is free to slide upon a spindle G mounted fast in the
webs E of the casing E. A bell crank lever Go pivotted at Go to any convenient
part of the casing E engages a pin G7 on the forked member G2 by one of its
arms the arm being provided with a slot Gs to receive the pin and the other arm
is arranged above the casing E and connected to an operating lever as hereinafter
described.
Parallel to the driving shaft F¹ but preferably above it as shown in Fig. 4 is
mounted a spindle or shaft H. The shaft H may be made fast at each end in the
casing E and carries a sleeve H₁ free to revolve upon it. Mounted fast on the
sleeve H¹ is a central pinion H2 and on one side of the pinion a gear wheel H³
adapted to engage with the pinion G on the shaft F. On the other side of the
pinion H is a second gear wheel H also fast on the sleeve H¹ and adapted to
engage with the pinion G₁ on the driving shaft F¹.
an end extension of the casing E is mounted a hollow shaft J which carries
the differential gear. The shaft. Jis parallel to the shafts H and F and is on
approximately the same level as the latter. Two bevel gear wheels J having
outer and inner extensions J2 are mounted on the shaft J upon which they are
free to revolve but are prevented from end displacement by nuts J. The outer
extensions J2 of the gear wheels J' pass through the bearings in the casing E and
are each provided with a fly-wheel J. On the inner extensions J2 of the gear-
wheels J and between the gear wheels is mounted the outside wheel J of the
differential gear. The wheel J is always in mesh with the pinion H2 on the
shaft H and on the spokes of the wheel are mounted bevel pinions J which engage
with both the bevel gear wheels J¹. To enable the pinions Je to be placed in
position the toothed rim of the wheel is made detachable from the hub or spokes
of the same.
The fly-wheels J* are provided with band brakes J7 and have each
a central recess J8 for the purpose hereinafter described.
On the driving shaft F mounted beside one of the crank discs 12 is a toothed
pinion K for driving the eccentric shaft K (Fig. 4) which operates the slide valves.
The shaft K is mounted in the upper part of the casing E and carries a toothed
pinion K² by which it is geared to the pinion K through the medium of-two
pinions K³. The pinions K³ are free to revolve on studs K by which they are
carried on a plate K³ and are always in engagement with one another and with
the pinions K K². The plate K5 carried by and is capable of angular movement
upon a plate K6 fixed in any convenient manner to the casing E. The plate K5
is provided with studs K7 which engage with slots K8 in the plate K in such a
manner that the plate K³ whilst retained in position is capable of limited move-
ment. To the lower end of the plate K³ is connected an operating rod K³ pivotted
to it by a link K10. The operating rod K' is carried through a bearing K" in the
casing E and is then connected by any convenient mechanism without the casing E
to a suitable operating lever not shown in the drawings.
To reverse the engine it is only necessary to move the operating lever which
imparts endwise movement to the operating rod K and thus causes angular move-
ment of the plate K³ upon the plate Ko. As the pinions K³ move with the plate K5
but are maintained in gear with the pinions K K² they are compelled during the
movement of the plate to revolve and acting upon the pinion K as a resistance
revolve the pinion K2 and thus change the position of the eccentric shaft K¹
relatively to the driving shaft F¹
The casing E of the motor is provided with side lugs E2 by which it is secured
to a frame L. The frame L is made preferably of angle steel trussed and stayed
as convenient and forms the under frame of the vehicle to be driven. A third
lug E3 secured to the upper part of the end extension of the casing E is attached

page_text: The steam
A
to a stay which may be arranged across the frame L and serves to support the
rear end of the motor. The motor is arranged at the rear end of the frame L or
vehicle and the generator at the fore end as indicated in dotted lines.
from the generator is carried to the high pressure cylinder D by a pipe D³.
pipe D is arranged to conduct the steam from the cylinder D to the lower pressure
cylinder D and the exhaust from this cylinder passes off by a pipe D. A valve D6
is arranged on the side of the cylinder D for admitting high pres-
sure steam to the cylinder D when both cylinders are required to work
at high pressure. The valve when used for this purpose closes the pipe D and
admits high pressure steam to the cylinder D₁ by a pipe D7 whilst the exhaust
from the cylinder D is conducted by a pipe 18 to the common exhaust pipe D5.
This valve forms no part of the present invention and may be of the well-known
four way type.
rear
a
The frame L is mounted by means of any convenient arrangement of springs
upon the front axle M which carries the steering wheels and upon
the
axle N
rear
which is the driving axle and carries the driving
wheels N¹. The
axle is
divided axle constructed according
to the specification of De Dion and Bouton's invention for which Letters
Patent No. 14698, dated July 31st 1894 were granted and the recesses J8 in the
fly wheels J are constructed to receive the heads N2 of the axle N as described in
that specification. The steering mechanism also is of the kind described in
De Dion and Bouton's Specification No. 9734 for which Letters Patent were granted
May 7th 1896.
Any convenient form of vehicle body may be mounted on the frame L either by
means of springs or direct from the same. Figure 5 shows the motor vehicle con-
structed according to this invention as a steam omnibus. The omnibus body O
is mounted direct upon the under frame L above the motor. Water tanks Pare
arranged in front of the body O of the vehicle and in the fore part of the vehicle is
the generator, mounted upon the frame L by means of any convenient arrange-
ment of supports and surrounded by a casing B within which may be stored the
necessary fuel. The driver stands behind the generator and has within easy reach
a steering handle S for operating the steering mechanism by means of a link St
(Fig. 3) connected to the bell crank lever G and a lever S2 which may be locked
in three different positions for controlling the speed gear. A valve operated by a
hand wheel S admits the steam from the generator to the pipe D (Fig. 3) and
thence to the cylinders of the motor. A foot pedal or other device, communicating
with any system of mechanism for operating both brakes J (Fig. 3) simultaneously,
may also be provided as well as means for operating the valve 16 (Fig. 3) and a
lever for operating the reversing gear.
The operation is as follows;-
The valve operated by the hand-wheel S³ being opened the steam passes from
one of the superheaters within the generator through the pipe D3 and after doing
work in the cylinders D D₁ it returns by the pipe D to be heated in the second
superheater before being allowed to escape into the atmosphere. The motor thus
started runs free so long as the pinions G G on the driving shaft F are retained
by the lever S2 in the position indicated in Figure 3.
To start the vehicle the lever S2 is moved in one direction so that the link S¹
is drawn forward. The bell crank lever G5 is thus caused to turn upon its pivot G6
and acting upon the pin G7 of the forked member G2 slides the member G along
its shaft G⭑ As the forked member G2 is always in engagement with the
pinions G G by means of the flange or collar G the pinions G G are made to
slide upon the driving shaft F1 until the pinion G' is brought into mesh with the
wheel H mounted fast on the sleeve H¹. The sleeve H¹ is thus made to revolve and
by means of the pinion H2 also fast upon it drive the differential gear and con-
sequently the axle N and road wheels N.
If the lever S2 is moved in the reverse direction to that just referred to the move-
ments of the link S¹ bell crank G³ and pinions G G are reversed so that the

page_text: pinion G is brought into engagement with the wheel H which is fast on the
Shatt Hand by this means drives the vehicle as before but at a higher speed.
It will of course be understood that the generator may be provided with the
necessary fittings such as water gauges pressure gauge safety valve, injector or feed
pumps and the cylinders may be provided with steam beits and any convenient
orm of expansion gear."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is;-
―
1. In a self-propelled vehicle a steam generator comprising a central annular
water chamber surrounded by an outer annular water chamber and communicating
with the same by water tubes substantially as described.
2. In a
self-propelled vehicle a steam generator having concentric annular water
chambers communicating with one another by water tubes the central water cham-
ber having a removable inner plate and the outer water chamber a removable
external plate substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a self-propelled vehicle a steam generator having two concentric annular
chambers built up of cylindrical plates connected by end plates and tie-bolts and
connected by water tubes substantially as described.
4. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination with a divided road wheel axle
of differential gear arranged and constructed as described and driven by a two
speed mechanism arranged and operating substantially as described and illus-
trated in Figures 3 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
5. In a self-propelled vehicle the combination with the cylinders of a motor of a
casing enclosing and carrying the driving shaft, change speed mechanism. revers-
ing mechanism and, differential gear and serving also to secure the motor and its
parts to the frame of the vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The complete steam vehicle arranged and constructed substantially as
described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of March 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.