Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Self-propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec.. 1896-Accepted. 6th Feb.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Self-propelled Vehicles.
I, CARL TUNSTILL JOHN OPPERMANN of 2 Wynyatt Street, Clerkenwell London,
E.C. Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to, be as
follows:-
My invention relates to self-propelled vehicles, and consists of improvements in the
driving mechanism, whereby the oscillation of the driving axle and wheels connected
by springs to the body of the vehicle, is prevented from injuriously affecting the
driving connections to the motor or the motor itself, though rigidly fixed to the body
of the vehicle; and further the starting of an electrical or other motor when the
vehicle is at a stand-still is facilitated by elastic connections between the motor and
driven mechanism.
To carry my invention into effect, I may fix the motor of any typo rigidly to the
frame or body of the vehicle, and I transmit the rotary motion of the motor by a
flexible shaft through suitable gearing to the driving axle and wheels of the vehicle.
The said flexible shaft may be of any known construction, which will allow of rotary
motion being transmitted through it, whilst at the same time it is capable of bending
transversely between the motor and the ultimate geared or other power-transmitting
wheel, upon the spring driving axle of the vehicle.
I find a convenient method of making such flexible shaft is to form, first, a
longitudinal core of a bundle of steel wires, and I then cover this core by further
layers of steel wires coiled spirally about the said core, in opposite directions of
winding, until the shaft is of the necessary strength to transmit the desired power.
To facilitate the starting of the motor, which is a point of great importance if
the motor be electrically driven, I insert an elastic medium between the motor rotating
mechanism, and one of the driven or driving wheels, so that when the vehicle is at
rest, the motor may be able to effect a partial movement before the vehicle body has
actually commenced to move.
Where a clutch is used in the driving mechanism, by which the motor may be
thrown in and out of gear, a convenient form of this elastic connection is to adapt a
spiral spring to a circular groove in the disc or body of a driving wheel, and the loose
clutch engages by an arm or projection against one end of this spiral spring trans-
mitting the shock of the starting motor through the said spiral spring to a fixed
abutment on the driving wheel at the other end of the spring groove or race.
spring may be protected and kept in place by a suitable cover over the said groove
or race.
Dated this 14th day of February 1896.
The
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: .
Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Self-propelled Vehicles...
I, CARL TUNSTILL JOHN OPPERMANN of 2 Wynyatt Street Clerkenwell London
E.C. Electrical 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:-
My invention relates to self propelled vehicles and consists of improvements in
the driving mechanism whereby the oscillation of the driving axle and wheels con-
nected by springs to the body of the vehicle is prevented from injuriously affecting
the driving connections to the motor or the motor itself, though rigidly fixed to the
body of the vehicle; and further, the starting of an electrical or other motor when
the vehicle is at a standstill is facilitated by elastic connections between the motor
and driven mechanism.
To carry my invention into effect I may fix the motor of any type rigidly to the
frame or body of the vehicle and I transmit the rotary motion of the motor by a
flexible shaft through suitable gearing to the driving axle and wheels of the vehicle.
The said flexible shaft may be of any known construction which will allow of a rotary
motion being transmitted through it whilst at the same time it is capable of bending
transversely between the motor and the ultimate geared or other power-transmitting
wheel upon the spring driving axle of the vehicle.
I find a convenient method of making such flexible shaft is to form first a
longitudinal core of a bundle of steel wires and I then cover this core by further
layers of steel wires coiled spirally about the said core in opposite directions of
winding until the shaft is of the necessary strength to transmit the desired power.
To facilitate the starting of the motor which is a point of great importance if the
motor be electrically driven I insert an elastic medium between the motor rotating
mechanism and one of the driven or driving wheels so that when the vehicle is at rest,
the motor may be able to effect a partial movement before the vehicle body has
actually commenced to move.
Where a clutch is used in the driving mechanism by which the notor may be
thrown in and out of gear a convenient form of this elastic connection is to adapt
a spiral spring to a circular groove in the disk or body of a
driving wheel
and the loose clutch engages by an arm or projection against one end of this spiral
spring transmitting the shock of the starting motor through the said spiral
spring to a fixed abutment on the driving wheel at the other end of the spring
groove or race. The spring may be protected and kept in place by a suitable cover
over the said groove or race.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I annex drawing to which I
now refer.
Fig. shows the means of adapting the flexible shaft or connection to a self
propelled vehicle and a section of part of the body with an end elevation of one of
the driving wheels to either or both of which it is adaptable. a is the shaft of the
motor or gearing actuated by it, working in the bearing b c is the flexible shaft or
connection which transmits the power to the gear pinion d supported by the out
end bearing e. The pinion d drives the large gear wheel which is secured to the
road wheel g.
is an arm radiating from and being free to move on the axle k,
this arm carries the bearing e and keeps the pinion d always at the same radial
distance from the large wheel f. The radial arm is free to slide in the direction
of its length in the end of the bracket 1 which is bolted on to the side of the body
of the vehicle m; n is the spring supporting the body of the vehicle. It will be
seen that when the height of the spring n is altered by any unevenness of the road

page_text: the radial arm h slides up and down in the bracket 1 being free to do so by reason
of the flexibility of the shaft or connection c.
Referring to Fig. 2 which shows a means of adapting an elastic medium or spring
to a shaft or gear wheel in the driving mechanism of a vehicle so as to allow the
motor to attain a certain momentum or speed before actually moving the vehicle.
a is the driving wheel which is free to rotate on the shaft b being kept in position
by the boss of the arm c on one side and a collar fixed to the shaft on the other
(not shown in drawing) e is the circular groove or race in which the springs f and f¹
lie g is the abutment piece.
The springs are kept in place by a cover not shown in the drawing; the arm c
has a lug which extends into the groove and is fixed rigidly to the shaft by means
of the key d.
When such an arrangement is used in the gearing of a self propelled vehicle,
and the vehicle being at rest, when the motor is started and its power is transmitted
direct or through intermediate gearing or chains to the wheel a it will gradually
compress the spring for f' (according as to whether the motor is rotated backwards.
or forwards) and the power being thereby transmitted through the arm c to the
shaft b and this being in connection with the gearing on the main driving wheels
and as soon as the inertia of the vehicle is overcome it will move; the principle
is equally applicable if the way in which the power is transmitted is reversed riz.
transmitted through the shaft to the gear wheel.
Fig. 3 shows a coiled spring, same as those used in a clock, adapted to the same
purpose, a the gear wheel b is the shaft, f is the spring being fixed to the shaft and
the stud g.
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. In a self propelled vehicle a flexible shaft or connection so that the motor may
be fixed to the body of the vehicle and be able to transmit its power to the driving
wheels without being affected detrimentally by the motion of the springs substantially
as described.
2. In a self propelled vehicle an elastic medium interposed between a gear wheel
or other power transmitting device and its spindle or shaft so as to enable the motor
to attain a certain independent momentum before commencing to make the vehicle
move, substantially as described.
Dated this Fourteenth day of December 1896.
CARL T. J. OPPERMANN.