AN IMPROVED WHEELED VEHICLE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Russell Gubbins, of Wolverhampton, in the
County of Stafford, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED WHEELED
VEHICLE."
Sealed the 9th September 1879, and dated the 29th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Russell Gubbins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th May 1879.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED WHEELED VEHICLE."
This vehicle is an improvement upon the ordinary wheeled vehicle in use upon
common roads and railroads, and overcomes the difficulty and loss of power incurred
in changing the direction of such vehicles during their progress. The improvement
consists in attaching the wheel axles of such vehicles to their bodies in such a
manner that upon the angle or angles formed between such axle or axles and the
centre line of such bodies being altered so as to change the direction of such vehicle,
its body, together with its contained load, are together inclined towards the inside
of the curve on which the vehicle is being drawn or propelled, and by their weight
neutralize the centrifugal force which otherwise renders such a change of direction
difficult and dangerous, more especially at high speeds.
In order to attach the wheel axles to the body of the vehicle, so that the said
body may be canted or inclined as above described, I provide on the centre of each
axle another axle or pin, which may be made either in one piece with the axle itself,
at right angles to it, in the case where the wheels turn round on axle trees or arms,
or bifurcated and provided with bearings for the axle to turn in, as in the case of a
velocipede, where the wheels are fast on the axle.
The said axle or pin works in a stationary socket attached firmly to some suit-
able part of the frame work of the body of the vehicle, and is inclined at an angle
varying from 45° to 15° or thereabouts from the horizontal plane of the axle.

page_text: To the end of the pin or axle projecting through the socket is fastened the pole or
shafts when the vehicle is drawn, or the steering bar when it is propelled on a
common road, nothing is required of this nature when the vehicle runs on a rail-
road.
When four wheels are employed each pair are similarly arranged and connected
to one another by cross bars, the effect of which is to cause both axles to become
radii of the curve round which the vehicle is travelling, while at the same time the
reflex or twisting action of the inclined pins throws or cants the body of the vehicle
towards the inside of the curve in a degree proportional to its abruptness, and effec-
tually resists the centrifugal tendency to upset in going round curves cominon to all
vehicles not so arranged.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patont filed by
the said Richard Russell Gubbins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th
November 1879.
RICHARD RUSSELL GUBBINS, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Gentleman. "AN IMPROVED WHEELED VEHICLE."
This vehicle is an improvement upon the ordinary wheeled vehicle in use upon
common roads and railroads, and overcomes the difficulty and loss of power incurred
in changing the direction of such vehicles during their progress. The improvement
consists in attaching the wheel axles of such vehicles to their bodies in such a
manner that upon the angle or angles formed between such axle or axles and tho
centre line of such bodies being altered so as to change the direction of such vehicle,
its body, together with its contained load, are together inclined towards the inside
of the curve on which the vehicle is being drawn or propelled, and by their weight
neutralize the centrifugal force which otherwise renders such change of direction
difficult and dangerous, more especially at high rates of speed.
In order to attach the wheel axles to the body of the vehicle so that the said
body may be canted or inclined as above described, I provide on the centre of each
axle another axle or pin corresponding to the ordinary perch-pin of a waggon, which
may be either made in one piece with the axle itself at right angles to it, in the
case where the wheels turn round on axletrees or arms, or bifurcated and provided
with bearings for the axle to turn in, as in the case of a velocipede, where the
wheels are fast on their axles. The said axle or pin works in a socket attached
firmly to some suitable part of the framework of the body of the vehicle, and is
inclined at an angle to the vertical plane passing through the axle according to the
speed at which the vehicle will be required to travel. To the end of the pin or axle
projecting through the socket is fastened the pole or shafts when the vehicle is
drawn, or the steering bar when it is propelled, on a common road, or the draw bar
of the carriage or wagon when the vehicle is drawn on a railroad.
Where four wheels are employed each pair is similarly arranged but with the
pins and sockets inclined in opposite directions downward towards each other, and
connected to one another by cross bars, the effect of which is to cause both axles to
converge towards the centre of the curve round which the vehicle is travelling,
while at the same the reflex or twisting action of the inclined pins throws or
cants the body of the vehicle towards the inside of the curve in a degreo propor-
tional to its abruptness and effectually resists the centrifugal tendency to upset in
going round curves common to all vehicles not so arranged.
In order that the said Invention may be well understood I have hereunto annexed
a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a side view, partially in
section, of the Invention applied to the under framing of a carriage or waggon;
Fig. 2 is view of the under side of arrangement of apparatus shown in Fig. 1, both
illustrative of the cases where wheels turn upon their axles; Figs. 3 and 4 are side
and front views respectively of a tricycle constructed according to this Invention,
and illustrative of the cases where wheels are fixed to their axles and rotate there-
with in bearings or boxings formed on the framework of the vehicle.
In Figs. 1 and 2 A is the pin on the axles B, said axles B being carried in a
boss on the base of the pin A provided with a face A³, the plane of which face is at
right angles to the line of inclined pin A; C is the inclined socket attached to the
vehicle framing, and for receiving the pin A said socket C terminating with a flange
or face C¹, against which face the face A¹ of the inclined turning pin bears and
works; D is a turning block keyed to the pin A, with upper bearing face A¹, to
bear and turn against the face C³, and to this said block D is to be attached the
shafts, or pole, or steering bar of the vehicle for turning purposes, indicated at E;
F are crossed rods attached to the axles to couple them.

page_text: In Figs. 3 and 4 the pin A is bifurcated or forked at its lower part, and the ends A*
terminate in bearings in which the axle B is free to turn along with the wheels. As
shown in the Drawings, the axle B is cranked to receive the treadles B¹. The
socket C is carried on the backbone G, which in this case is the framing of the
vehicle, and the upper part of the pin A is carried through the said socket, and has
attached to the outer extremity the steering handle E. The bearing faces of the
pin A and socket C are shewn at A¹, C¹.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, I claim,—
First. The improvements in or applicable to wheeled vehicles, as and for the
purpose herein specified, and illustrated by the Drawings.
Second. The improved construction of tricycle as herein specified in reference to
Figs. 3 and 4 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Russell Gubbins, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty seventh day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
In presence of
W. H. C. JEROME,
Clerk to
Walter A. Barlow,
Patent Agent and Engineor,
6, St Paul's Chyd.,
London,
E.C.
R. R. GUBBINS. (L.8.)