Improvements in or appertaining to Auto-oars and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Auto-oars and the like.
We, THEODOR BERGMANN, of Gaggenau, Baden, and JOSEPH VOLLMER, of
Baden-Baden, both in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer and Engineer
respectively, 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 has for its object certain improvements in autocars or vehicles
driven by motors operated by means of liquid fuel, such, for instance, as petroleum-
distillate, benzine, and the like. These improvements consist essentially in an
improved carburetter to which the operating fluid is automatically supplied, and
which always contains only a small amount of liquid fuel, also in a regulated double
mixing valve for obtaining an evenly mixed quantity of air and carburetted
hydrogen gas at each opening of the valve, and in a peculiar arrangement for
conveying the mechanical power produced to one or both of the rear driving
wheels, in which latter case a differential gearing is inserted on the axle between
the driving wheels.
For long distances an air condenser may also be employed for cooling purposes,
which is arranged as a filling in the cover frames of the machine casing.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side sectional elevation and a plan view of the
autocar or vehicle fitted with the motor driving gear.
Figures 3 and 4 are two vertical sections of a carburotter having a counter-
balanced anspended gas producer or evaporator and a float carrying a cap fitting
over the air exit pipe;
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the valve for admitting the liquid hydrocarbon
iuto the carburetter.
Figures 6-8 show a carburettor baving a counterbalanced suspended gas
apparatus arranged on a spring in its lower part, the inlet valve of said
carburetter being operated by means of a spring on the valve seat formed in
the inlet cock ;
Figures 9, 10 and 11 show two different vertical sections and a horizontal
section of the double mixing valve and
Figure 12 is a vertical section of the change driving gearing for the vehiclo ;
Figure 13 is a vertical section of an improved form of construction of the change
driving gear shown in Figure 12. In this figure several gearings are employed by
means of which both the rear wheels of the vehicle may be driven;
Figures 14-16 are various views of the air condenser for condensing any of the
cooling water which, during the cooling of the cylinder, has been partially
converted into steam.
For rendering it possible to employ operating materials, such for instance as
petroleum distillate, beuzine and the like, for operating motors for travelling
purposes such as motor vehicles, for instance independently of storage, and more
especially automatically, with an always equal consumption of the various volatile
constituents, the arrangements of carburetters shown in Figures 3-8 are utilised.
As is well known when the evaporation of the operating fluid takes place directly
in the storage vessel, the more easily volatile constituents evaporate firet, and
afterwards the heavier ones. The consequence of this is that finally it becomes
very difficult to evaporate these latter.

page_text: Our improved carburetter serves essentially for removing this drawback, as in
it there is at any time only a small, nearly always constant quantity of the
operating fluid in the evaporator or gas producer, and after a certain amount is
consumed, an automatic refilling from the storage reservoir takes place, the
distance of the level of the liquid from the air inlet opening remaining, however,
almost the same.
A liquid vessel or container S (Figures 3 and 4) is suspended on arms or levers C
in the receptacle A, and is counterbalanced by means of weights C' on the said
levers or it may be arranged as a float so that a small increase or decrease of the
liquid which is to be evaporated in the vessel S causes the same to fall or rise.
A hollow valve E (Figure 4) being connected at its lower end by means of a joint
piece with a discharge pipe E and also to the arms or levers C by connecting
rods c¹. When the vessel S rises or falls a simultaneous rising or falling of the
valve E takes place so that the side openings of said valve in the guide D', open
or close according to the quantity of the operating liquid required in the gas
producer or evaporator. The liquid passes (as soon as a disc valve e, mounted on
the hollow valve, is opened) from the perforated extension d of the cover or
casing D through the openings el iuto the upper part of the hollow valvo E, and,
if the openings of the same are unclosed, through the elbow joint E' and pipe E¹
so that there remains in the carburetter or gas producer a small, nearly always
constant quantity of liquid.
The disc valve e serves only to close the valve E in case the side openings * in
its lower part do not shut closely.
To obtain a good evaporation, it is necessary that the air conveyed over the
liquid to be evaporated shall pass as closely and rapidly as possible over the level
of the liquid, and therofore the air is admitted at a certain constant elevation
above, or if preferred, also below said level.
This is preferably attained by means of a float S' firmly connected with the
tubular cap F', said float being immersed in the operating fluid. The air drawn
in by the pipe F is thus forced (through the tubular cap which is contracted at
its lower end at 1) to emerge at an increased speed at a constant elevation above
or even through the operating fluid, it being iminaterial how much operating fluid
is in the evaporator or gas producer.
The same effect is produced by firmly connecting the tubular cap F¹ with the
container S, and a pipe telescopically adjustable over or in the same, and firmly
connected with the float S. Any drops of liquid carried away with the gas are
caught and thrown back by capillary attraction by means of a sieve s' stretched
over said float.S'.
The carburetter, or evaporating vessel may be emptied by means of a tap h.
In the case of the autocar or vehicle being exposed to oscillations or joltings, a
more reliable and particularly advantageous method of regulation is afforded in
the carburetter, shown in Figures 5-8.
The inlet valve i of this carburetter is mounted on a spring and the evaporating
vessel is also mounted on a spring & arranged over the discharge pipe, by means
of which an elastic closing of the valve and descent of the evaporating or gas
producing vessel is brought about, and the periods of opening are rendered shorter.
For providing against shocks and also for allowing room for play, the valve seat J
is adjustably arranged on an extension of a hollow spindle G operated from the
vessel or container S, and is secured by means of a spring which is limited in
its expansion and is placed between said valve seat J and spindle G.
The inlet valve consists of a small valve disc g' having a square or triangular
guide piece i sliding in a hollow plug ', said guide piece being bored out internally,
so that the disc g' forming the closing piece of the extension 9 may easily slide up
and down in said plug from the valve seat J to the upper tightening put . The
spring mounted on the extension g of the valve spindle G up to the moment of
opening the valve seat J presses against the lower end of the plug 4; and carries
with it the valve seat J in the direction of opening, for the purpose of raising the

page_text: disc g and thus opening the valve. Vice versa the spring, at the moment of closing
the valve presses tight the valve seat or disc J and on any further movement of
the vessel or container S the disc o will slide freely in the hollow of the guide
piece in a closing direction, whilst the valve seat J will always be pressed down
more firmly by the greater compression of the spring 12.
The shut-off tap H is, as already mentioned, arranged in such a way that the
plug his extended cylindrically downwards, and serves as a valve seat, by which
means each time the tap Il is opened or closed the valve sent J is, by the turning
of the valve scat ', freed from any impurities which may have accumulated
there.
Instead of the air pipe F and tubular cap F, shown in Figures 3 and 4, a
simple tube F bevelled at the bottom may be used.
If there be only a small quantity of liquid in the vessel or container S, the
bottom of said vessel or container assumes a position nearer the mouth of the air
pipe F, and in the opposite case a position farther away from said pipo, thus the
slightly varying level of the liquid is always approximately maintained at a given
distance from the mouth f' of the air pipe by means of the vertical movements
of the vessel or container so that in this case the air is also forced to enter
approximately at a given distance above or eventually below the driving or
operating fluid.
If owing to unforeseen circumstances more operating liquid enters the vessel or
container S, in the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4, the valve seat J at the
end of the single or double slide will reduce the inlet, whilst in the form of
construction shown in Figures 5 and 6, the spring is compressed and the valve
thereby more firmly closed.
The carburetted air passes in both cases through a pipo a into the mixing valve,
from which it again enters into the cylinder further mixed with air.
When the outside temperature of the air is low, and also where inferior
petroleum-distillate is employed, a preliminary heating of the evaporator or gas
producer becomes necessary, for which object the discharge of the motor is
connected parallel with the lower chamber B or B' of the carburetter by means
of pipes b. More particularly from this point of view, a carburetter having ouly
a small container for the liquid possesses especial advantages.
The regulated double mixing valve M is shown more particularly in Figures 9
and 10. The ordinary manner of regulating, by adjusting the proportions of
mixture in the motors by means of a throttle valve, has the great drawback of
allowing the proper composition of the explosive mixture to vary between certain
limits, if at each diminution or increase in the inlet of gas the mixture be not
again brought to its highest effective degree by means of the nir tap.
To overcome this drawback, the following form of construction of a double
mixing valve is employed, in which a variable quantity of charge of the same
mixing proportions is used for varying the delivery of the engine. A gas valve K
and also an air valve K' are regulated to an equal extent by pressure, either by
means of a governor or by hand (as is customary in motor vehicles) on the valve
spindle ; by the suction of the cylinder piston, gas at the valve K, and air at
the valve K, by means of longitudinal slots 1 and 4, come into thorough admixture
in the central chamber, and pass through a passage M' into the cylinder of the
motor. The valve K is suitably guided in bars or stays between the slots 1, the
width of the passage increases thus in equal proportion with the movement of
the valvo K. As the width of the passage of the slots / may be regulated by
means of a revoluble slide L, which is also provided with slots 1, the actual
width of passage of the valve K may always be brought into proper proportion
to that of the gas inlet valvo K, eo that the maximum explosive power of the
mixture is always attained. In order then to make the charging quantity, that is
to say the composition of gases and air, equal for all movements of the valve, the
casing in the central chamber of which the gas valve K is enclosed is formed in
such a way that the free openings round the gas valvo formed in their projection

page_text: as circular rings increase from zero up to the full diameter of the valve opening
corresponding to the movement of the valve.
To adjust the correct proportions of mixture to correspond with the outside
temperature, the above mentioned revoluble slide L' is employed, which when
turned more or less covers the slots l, and thus assumes the function of the air tap
usually employed.
In the case of any back ignition taking place, the fire guses are destroyed by
means of a Davy sieve arranged behind the motor, and the explosive force is
counteracted by the air valve K' separated from the gas valve K, after the
adjustment of the said air valvo into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 9,
in which position the expanded gases pass out of the valve casing into the
atmosphere in the direction indicated by the dotted arrows.
The driving of vehicles by means of explosion motora requires, in order to allow
of considerable inclinations being mounted with certainty and safety, a reduction
of speed whilst running, so that whilst the motive force and the number of
revolutions of the motor remain the same an increased power on the driving chnin
corresponding to the diminished speed may be obtained. The obtaining of high
speed on level ground and slower speed on hilly ground has been hitherto accom-
plished by the use of two belt driving gears, but this form of construction has the
drawback that one belt always ruus empty, and thereby a considerable part of the
power of the motor is absorbed and wasted.
The change gearing driven by a single belt employed in the present invention
is shown in Figure 12 and has in addition to the advantage of the employment of
only one belt, the further advantage that it is only necessary to operate a haudle
to throw it into gear for rapid or slow speed. When the vehicle is stationary tho
belt is on a loose pulley U aud the handle P at p. By turning the handle P to
one side, for instance to pl, Figure 12, the belt fork T and thereby the belt to
(Figure 2) are pushed on to the pulley Us, by means of which the shaft O is
directly driven by the motor, this movement of the belt fork being effected by
elbow levers 9. A third belt pulley U also runs loosely on the shaft O, but
has a cog wheel firmly connected with its nave, said cog wheel by menus of cog
wheels on the gearing shaft Z operates indirectly in the desired proportions
of transfer a cog wheel which is also loosely mounted on the shaft O and
provided with clutch couplings, this effect being obtained on the rotation of the
belt pulley U and the engagement of an adjustable, but not revoluble, clutch
coupling p on the shaft O.
The clutch coupling P' may also be adjusted axially on the shaft O by means
of a lever P pivoted at p. The free end of this lover P is firmly connected
with the belt fork T by elbow levers u ul, or if desired the connection may be
made by means of a spring u inserted between the levers u' u. The belt fork is
thus adjusted simultaneously with the coupling P on the turning of the handle P
by means of the elbow levers u' and u. If the handle P be turned for instance
to p', the clutch coupling 1 engages in the teeth of the cog wheel and the
belt w', Figure 2, is pushed on to the pulley U. The moment the cog wheel and
clutch coupling engage one another, the belt pulley U serves as a friction disc
by means of the slowly moving belt, so that a gentle engagement, free from shock,
is rendered possible. The loose belt pulley U as well as the cog wheel are not
adjustable in their axial direction, so that the cog wheel gearing when the
pulley U is thrown into gear, remains quite stationary, and therefore at ordinary
spceds a thoroughly noiseless working is obtained.
The shaft O is revolubly mounted at o iu the framework of the vehicle, and
drives in this case by n.cans of a chain wo, a chain wheel W attached to the rear
wheel W of the vehicle.
In touring in mountainous districts with very steep elevations or inclines, it is
however impossible to utilise the vehicle with only two speeds, and if only one
rear wheel be enfployed as the driving wheel it will be found to have insufficient
grip ou the ground.

page_text: In such cases the vehicle must be provided with the differential change gearing
shown in detail in Figure 13 having a number of change gearings (four) and means
for driving onto both rear wheels. In order to allow of both rear wheels being
used as driving wheela, a differential gearing is arranged between the two
chain gearings, and the shaft O is formed in two parts in order that when
travelling round curves or turning the machine round, the two hind wheels may
both be driven and yet may move independently of each other. In order to
avoid intermediate bearings which are accossary for the exact guidance or support
of the shaft O when made in two parts, the differential gearing is enclosed in a
casing R, the naves of which are each firmly connected with a tube O' placed
over said shaft. By this means the result is obtained that a translor of
mechanical power both from the pulley U and also the pulley U constantly takes
place by means of bevel gearing on both parts of the shaft O. A band,
cast on the casing of the differential gearing has at the same time the function of
a band brake disc.
In the present case four different speeds of travelling may be utilised,
corresponding to various inclinations or elevations. The ordinary speed is
obtained, as shown in Figure 12, by means of the pulley U, the other three,
by means of three cog wheels zz and ' (Figure 13), keyed on the extended neck
of the nave of the pulley U', or adjustably mounted thereon, which cog wheels may
be brought into engagement according to the desired speed of travelling, with cog
wheels and adjustable by means of a lever X, or even keyed fast. It is
thus possible for ordinary cases, by means of the hand lever P, to always
immediately and easily bring into operation two speeds of travelling and on very
difficult ground two further reserve speed-gearings may at any time be brought
into action when desired by separately operating a lever X, Figure 1, followed by
movement of the lever P towards p. The whole gearing is supported on two
bearings o on the frame of the carriage and may thus be conveniently attached or
removed.
The cooling of the cylinder takes place by means of a natural circulation of
water from the water vessels V (Figure 2) to the cylinder casing, and from the
latter through the expansion vessel V and pipes back to the vessel V in a
heated condition. This circulation of water is however in the case of long journeys
not sufficient to effect the cooling, as the cooling water in the expansion vessel Vi
is gradually converted into steam. In order to considerably increase the effective-
ness of the cooling, a condenser Y, Figure 15, is employed which again condenses
the steam produced and returns the condensate to the vessel V, as shown in
Figures 14, 15 and 16.
In order to obtain a thorough working of the condenser Y, it is built as a filling
or packing in the cover frame Y of the machine casing, so that in addition to the
largest possible surface, a very rapid removal of heat is obtained by reason of
the air circulation produced by a rotating flywheel arranged closely underneath
the same. The steain passes from the expansion vessel V through a hinged pipe y
into the condenser Y and follows the course indicated by the arrows until its
condensation, or escapes through the opening y' to the outside. The condensate
Hows back into the water vessel V through the pipes y', which stand in hermetic
connection with the said water vessel by means of mouth pieces in order to again
follow the same course.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In auto-cars or vehiclos driven by hydrocarbon motors, a carburetter for
mixing air with carburetted gas consisting of a vessel (S) for containing the motor
liquid, said vessel being suspended on levers (C) having counterweights (C), or
arranged as a float, an inlet valve (e) for the motor liquid, an air inlet (E) and a
Hoat arrangement S' for effecting the admixture of the air aud gas at the same or

page_text: approximately the same height above or below the level of said liquid, substantially
as hereinbeforo described and showu with reference to Figures 3 to 6 of the.
accompanying drawings.
2. In a carburetter for the hydrocarbon motors of auto-cars and similar
vehicles, a liquid regulating valve E, the valve lise' (e Figure 4) of which
entirely closes the valve in case of leakage, substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown.
3. A modification of the valve described in Claim 2, consisting of the arrangement
by which the valve regulating the inflow of the motor liquid is pressed on its sent
by means of a spring mounted on an extension (g) of the valve spindle (G), said
valve spiudle being able, on the closing of the valve, to slide further independently,
whilst the valve disc is gradually pressed with an increasing pressure on its sent,
and thus effects a steady tight closing of the valve, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a valve such as described in Claim 3 the arrangement of a valve scat
formed by the lower end of the plug (h) of the shut off tap (H) in such a way
that the valve diec (J) may ho ground on its periphery and thus all impurities may
he removed, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying
drawings.
5. A modification of the carburetter for motors operated by hydrocarbons,
consisting in the vessel or container (S) being mounted on a spring (s') or other
elastic support, whereby on the descent of said vessel, in consequence of receiving au
excess of the operating liquid, its downward movement is retarded by said spring
and the valve gradually closed, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown
more particularly with referenco to Figures 5, 7 and 8 of the accompanying
drawings.
0. In auto cars and similar vehicles operated by hydrocarbou motors, a regulated
double mixing valve, the separate gas and air inlet valves (K and K¹ respectively)
of which secure the even composition of the explosive mixture at each opening of
the regulator, the gas valve casing having internally such a form that, on the
opening of the valve, the width of passage for the gas mixture is always in tho
same proportion to that of the air valve, said passages consisting of a series of
slots (or respectively) capable of being adjusted or regulated by means of a
revoluble slide (L'), substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.more
particularly with reference to Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.
7. A modification of the valve described in Claim 6, consisting in forming the
cover (L) of the spring air valve (K') with larger openings than those of the gas
valve K, so that, as soon as back pressure takes place in the pipes leading to the
cylinder, the air valve acts as a safety valve nud is pushed so far back as to allow
of the back pressure gases rapidly escaping through the slots (and ), and also
through the said openings in the cover of the valve casing, substantially as herein-
before described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
8. In auto-cars or similar vehicles driven by motore, an interchangeable gearing
driven by a single belt, consisting of the arrangement of a lever (P³) connected
with an operating handle (P) and serving for throwing into action a clutch
coupling (P) with which coupling a belt fork (T) is connected, which on turning
of the handle (P) to one side pushes the belt from a loose pulley (U) outo a fast
pulley (U) connected with the shaft (O), and on the handle being moved in the
opposite direction moves the belt from the loose pulley (U) onto the driving
pulley (U) of the transfer gearing (a), in which latter case the clutch engages,
under the friction of a belt (tol) travelling thereon, with the driving wheel of the
transfor gearing (2), substantially as herein before described and shown with reference
to Figure 12 of the accompanying drawing.
9. A modification of the interchangeable gearing described in Claim 8, in which
several transfer wheels are arranged on the tubo (01) placed over the divided
shaft (O) and firmly connected with the casing of the differential gearing, a
separate lever arrangement bringing the said transfer wheels into the desired
:

page_text: proportions of transfer with the gearing spindle (Z) substantially as hereiubofore
described and shown in the accompanying drawing.
10. In aulo-cars or similar vehicles operated by means of a motor, an air
condenser (Y) substantially as herein before described and shown in Figures 14
to 16 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of August 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicants.