An Invention for Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Invention for Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of
Vehicles.
:
HENRY O'REILLY 249 Clonliffe Road Drumcondra Dublin Foreman Cooper
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
The purpose of the invention is effected by means of a wheel operated on by
the wind and attached to the front part of a locomotive, bicycle, vehicle or the
like and acting through bevelled or other gearing & thus utilizing the wind
pressure or air resistance whether the initial motion be produced manually as in a
bicycle or by steam, electricity, water or the like and using it as a driving or
assistant driving power.
Dated this 25th day at Lannan 1007
An Invention for Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of
Vehicles.
HENRY O'REILLY 249 Clonliffe Road Dublin Ireland Foreman Cooper 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 purpose of the invention is effected by means of a vertical wheel revolving
on a horizontal axis, provided with ball bearings, and designed for the purpose of
converting the pressure of the wind; or air resistance on the front part of any
locomotive, bicycle, carriage, vehicle, or the like into a means for propelling or
assisting in the propulsion of the same.
Motion is given to the wheel by the action of the wind on a series of blades
radiating from a circle near its centre, and set at an angle with the arms or spokes
which support them.
The rotary motion thus obtained is conveyed to the driving wheel, or wheels,
by means of bevelled or other gearing.
Figure 1 represents a front view of the wheel. A is the hub from which spring
the arms or spokes, that support the blades. The other ends of the spokes are
supported by a rim placed at, or near the outer circumference of the wheel.
One edge of each blade is attached to a separate spoke, and the other edge is
raised so that the blade presents itself to the wind at such an angle as gives the
greatest velocity to the wheel by the action of the wind upon its surface.
The wheel is intended in the case of a bicycle, to shield the riders body from
the wind or air pressure and to convert that pressure from being an obstacle into a
driving power.

page_text: ▼
Figure. 2, represents a section of the wheel. B, is the rim which supports the
outer ends of the spokes from which the blades spring. A the hub with ball
bearings, on which the wheel turns.
The inventor does not limit himself to one wheel, or any number of blades, nor
smooth, ridged, indented, or perforated blades.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare what I
claim
of
1st. My invention to be a vertical wheel, or wheels, with smooth, ridged,
indented, or perforated, blades, radiating from a circle near its centre, revolving on
a horizontal axis, provided with ball bearings, designed for the purpose
converting the wind pressure, or air resistance, on any locomotive, bicycle, carriage,
vehicle, or the like, into a means of propelling or assisting in the propulsion of the
same, whether the initial motion be produced manually, as in a bicycle, or by
steam, electricity, water or the like.
2. The manufacture and use of this my invention as above described and shown
in drawing on any locomotive bicycle, carriage vehicle or the like.
Dated this the 26th day of January 1897.
HENRY O'REILLY.