Improvements in Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles and other Vehicles.
We JOHN CHARLES JOHNSON, 36 Greyfriar Gate, Grocer, and HENRY
EDWARD BOND, 41 Goldsmith Street, Silk Merchant, both of Nottingham, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Each cycle or other vehicle is provided with a platform or framing to carry a
double cylinder engine of suitable construction capable of being driven by
compressed air. The engine being connected to the cycle or other vehicle either
by chains, connecting rods and cranks or by toothed gearing.
The engine to be driven by compressed air supplied from a reduced pressure
cylinder containing air compressed at from 10 to 30 or more pounds per square
inch automatically supplied to it from a main pressure cylinder charged with air
compressed to say 2000 pounds or more per square inch.
The reduced pressure cylinder and the main pressure cylinder are both carried
by the platform or framing of the cycle or other vehicle. The main pressure
cylinder is capable of being readily connected to or disconnected from the reduced
pressure cylinder..
We propose to make the main pressure cylinders of various sizes, but with one
special gauge and connecting piece, so that they may be taken on or off any cycle
or other vehicle provided with an engine and reduced pressure cylinder to enable a
full charged cylinder to be exchanged in place of an empty one.
We propose to fill the main cylinders with compressed air at a plant laid down
for that purpose, and when the cylinders are filled to distribute them to agents all
over the country so that any person using a cycle or other vehicle adapted to
receive a main cylinder may call at any of the agents, and exchange an exhausted
cylinder for a full one.
When empty the cylinders may be collected together and recharged.
We propose to make the main cylinders of any suitable metal or material in the
following manner.
A bobbin or reel is cast, forged, or otherwise formed with a central hole its
whole length, and a flange round each end, the space between the flanges to be
covered with steel, copper, or suitable metal wire wound round it from end to end
in one or more coils. The wire at the time of being wound to be brought to a
sufficient degree of heat that after it has been wound on the bobbin or reel and as
it gets cold it will contract and strengthen the bobbin or reel to resist a great
amount of pressure to prevent bursting. The ends of the cylinder we propose to
screw in and hold together by one or more steel rods through the centre and each
end secured by screw threaded nuts.
When the main cylinders are filled with highly compressed air we propose to
use them in the following manner. A main cylinder to be placed on a cycle or
other vehicle in a suitable position to be used as a motive power and connected to a
reduced pressure cylinder, the air from the main cylinder being let out into the
reduced pressure cylinder by an automatic apparatus arranged to be worked from
the engine. Supposing the main cylinder to be charged at 2000 pounds to the
square inch the small cylinder receives the air out of the main cylinder and when
the pressure in the small cylinder registers 10, 30 or more pounds to the square inch

page_text: the main supply to be cut off automatically until the engine by working has
exhausted any given quantity out of the reduced pressure cylinder when the process
is repeated.
Dated this Seventeenth day of June 1896.
Improvements in Cycles and other Vehicles.
We JOHN CHARLES JOHNSON 36 Greyfriar Gate Grocer and HENRY
EDWARD BOND 41 Goldsmith Street Silk Merchant both of Nottingham 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:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan of our improvements as applied to a tricycle with the top
of the platform and seat removed.
Figure 2 shows a plan of the top of the platform and seat.
Figure 3 shows a right side view of the vehicle with the side of the platform
removed.
Figure 4 shows an enlarged right side view of part of the vehicle with a reduced
pressure cylinder and a main pressure cylinder connected to an automatic apparatus
each severally referred to hereafter.
Figure 5 shows an enlarged plan of the reduced pressure cylinder with the
automatic apparatus and portion of the main pressure cylinder partly seen in
section.
Figures 6 show a side view and outer end view of a screw threaded plug employed
during removal of the main pressure cylinder.
In each figure the corresponding parts are indicated by the same letters where
necessary.
Each vehicle is provided with a platform or framing 1 to carry a double cylinder
engine 2 of suitable construction to be driven by compressed air. The engine
being connected to the vehicle by connecting rods 3 operating cranks 4 formed on
an axle provided with a driving wheel 5 at each end, the axle revolving in bearings
secured to the framing.
A leading wheel 6 is carried by a forked bearing 7 turning in a bearing formed
at the front of the framing, the top of the bearing 7 is provided with a lever 8 and
a connecting rod 9 hinged to a lever not shown in the drawings secured on the
lower end of a vertical rod 10 carried by a standard 11 the upper end of the rod
carries a hand lever 12 by which the leading wheel is turned to the right or left.
Each engine cylinder is provided with a stop cock operated by a hand wheel 13
to admit compressed air to either or both cylinders, the air passing through a
pipe 14 provided with a stop valve 15 having the stem of the valve terminating in
a rod 16 carried by a bearing 17 the valve being operated by a hand lever 18.
The pipe 14 is connected to a reduced pressure cylinder 19 containing air
compressed at from 10 to 30 or more pounds per square inch automatically supplied
to it from a main pressure cylinder 20 shown at Figures 4 and 5.
Air from the cylinder 20 is admitted to the cylinder 19 in the following manner;-
A short cylinder 21 projects from the side of the cylinder 19 bored out to receive a
piston 22 the piston rod passes through a spring 23 coiled round it of sufficient
strength to resist a pressure of from 10 to 30 or more pounds per square inch, the
piston rod after passing through a stuffing box in the cover of the cylinder 21 is

page_text: connected by a swivel joint to a lever 24 secured on the outer end of a stop valve
spindle 25 screwthreaded for a portion of its length to engage with the screw-
threaded part of a stuffing box formed in the cover of the left end of a cylinder 26
the right end of the cylinder forming a seat for the valve. The cylinders 19 and 26.
are connected by pipes 27 provided with a stop valve operated by a hand wheel 28,
the cylinder 26 is connected to the main pressure cylinder 20 by a pipe 29 screwed
into the right end cover of the cylinder 26 and provided at its outer end with a
connecting piece 30 screwed into the permanent stop cock 31 at the right end of
the main cylinder, thus enabling the main cylinder to be readily connected to or
disconnected from any vehicle adapted to receive it.
We propose to make the main pressure cylinders of various sizes, but with one.
special guage and connecting piece, where a main cylinder is removed from a vehicle
the connecting piece 30 is unscrewed and a screw threaded plug 304 is inserted to-
prevent injury to the screwthread of the permanent stop cock 31, the plug being.
inserted or removed by a forked key.
We propose to fill the main cylinders with compressed air at a plant laid down,
for that purpose, and when filled to distribute them to agents all over the country
so that any person using a vehicle adapted to receive a main cylinder may call at
any of the agents and exchange an exhausted cylinder for a fully charged one..
When empty the cylinders may be collected together and recharged.
We propose to make the main cylinders of any suitable metal or material in the
following manner-
A bobbin or reel 20 is cast, forged, or otherwise formed with a central hole its
whole length with a flange round each end, the space between the flanges to be
covered with steel, copper, or other metal wire 32 wound round it from end to end
in one or more coils.
The wire at the time of being wound to be brought to a sufficient degree of heat
that after it has been wound on the reel as it gets cold it will contract and.
strengthen the reel to resist a great amount of pressure to prevent bursting.
The ends of the cylinder we propose to screw in and hold together by one or
more steel rods 33 through the centre and each end secured by screw threaded
nuts, and screws passed through the flanges of the ends and screwed into the flanges
of the reel.
When the main cylinders are filled with highly compressed air we propose to use
them in the following manner :-A main cylinder when placed on a vehicle is.
securely held in position by two bands 34 the front end of each band being hinged
to the framing, the back end engaging with a loop projecting from the framing
and secured by a cottar. The cylinder is then connected by the piece 30 to the
pipe 29, the stop valve 25 being open, upon the stop cock 31 being partly opened
the highly compressed air will pass through the pipes 27 and open stop valve into
the cylinder 19 until the pressure overcomes the pressure of the spring 23 on the.
piston 22 and places the valve in its closed position shown at Figure 5.
Then upon the valve 15 being opened by the hand lever 18 and the stop cocks
near the cylinders 2 being opened by the hand wheels 13 the compressed air will
pass into the cylinders 2 and alternately operate the pistons and cause the driving
wheels 5 to revolve, when the pressure in the cylinder 19 is reduced by working
the engine the stop valve 25 will be again opened and the cylinder 19 recharged..
The process being repeated until the stop valve 15 is closed.
The engine and the cylinders 19 and 26 are covered by a platform 35 shown at
Figure 2 holes being cut through it to admit the bearings 11 and 17, the platform
is provided with a seat 36 across its width supported by a bracket at each end, and
part of the platform at the front is cut away and closed by a sliding door to enable
the hand wheels 13 to be easily reached.
The back of the platform is hinged to the end to admit of it being lifted for
oiling the engine or other cause.
Beneath each cylinder 2 a lighted lamp is placed "not shown in the drawings"
to keep the cylinders at the required temperature in the usual way.

page_text: 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. The construction and employment on vehicles provided with two cylinder
engines of a fixed cylinder 19 containing compressed air for operating the said
engines the air being supplied from a removable main pressure cylinder 20
through an automatically operated stop valve 25 substantially as described and
illustrated in the drawings annexed.
2. The construction and employment on vehicles provided with two cylinder
eugines of a removable main pressure cylinder 20 containing highly compressed air,
said cylinder being formed of a flanged reel having coils of wire 32 wound round it,
the ends of the cylinder being screwed into it and held by a central steel rod 33
secured by screwthreaded nuts, and screws passed through the flanges of the ends
and screwed into the flanges of the reel. The said main pressure cylinders being
of one special guage and provided with a permanent stop cock 31 and connecting
piece 30 substantially as described and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
3. The construction and employment of main pressure cylinders 20 containing
highly compressed air, each cylinder being of a special guage and provided with a
permanent stop cock 31 and connecting piece 30 to enable them to be filled with
compressed air and afterwards distributed to agents where required for the purpose
specified and illustrated in the drawings annexed.
Dated this Twentieth day of August 1896.
H. W. GOUGH, C.E.,
Agent.