Improvements in Motor or Self-propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left. 13th Jan.. 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr., 1898
Improvements in Motor or Self-propelled Vehicles.
I, THEOPHILE KLAUS, of 103, Route de Versailles, Billancourt (Seine), in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in motor or self-propelled vehicles.
According to my invention the movement of the petroleum or other motor is
transmitted to the rear wheel of the vehicle by means of a belt which passes around
two stepped pulleys and tension drums. Variations in speed are effected by causing
the driving belt to pass from one step of the pulleys to the next, it being possible
to effect this change whilst the vehicle is in motion owing to the shape of the
pulleys of which all the edges are rounded; the movement of the belt, therefore, is
effected without jerking. The belt is shifted by means of two forks which are
operated by any known suitable means such as a screw, rack, lever, etc.
The motor is, furthermore, provided with mechanism whereby the exhaust valve
is kept open when it is desired to stop the vehicle or when the attendant turns the
said vehicle sharply. To this end the steering handle or lever is pivoted to the
movable head of the steering bar and rests upon the upper end of a vertical rod in
connection with one end of a lever pivoted under the frame of the carriage and
under the constant action of a spring. The lever is provided at its opposite end
with a notch with which a stop connected to the rod of the exhaust valve can engage.
This engagement can only take place when the lever is lowered at this part and
when the valve is in its open position; with this arrangement, therefore, if the
attendant raises the steering handle the spring causes the lower lever to swing so
as to engage the valve directly it is opened. The vehicle continuing to run by
virtue of the velocity which it has acquired, the motor runs empty drawing in and
forcing out air through the exhaust valve which remains open.
The same result is obtained when the attendant moves the steering handle or
lever through too great an angle. To ensure this the head of the small vertical
rod upon which the said handle rests, is provided with a sector of a size determined
by the movement allowed to the vehicle. When the desired angle has been
exceeded the spring operates the lower longitudinal lever and the exhaust valve is
locked as in the preceding case.
To return the lower lever to the position which it is to occupy when the vehicle
is running it is only necessary to lower the handle of the steering lever so as to
raise the said handle upon the sector and overcome the antagonistic action of the
spring.
In order also to dispense with the employment of cooling water for the cylinder,
I conduct the escapement pipe into one or two metallic receivers where the gases
expand, and from which a second tube conveys them to flanges with which the
motor cylinder is provided so as to cool them by setting up a current of air around
them.
I have combined the control of the brake with that of the tension device for the

page_text: driving belt so as to release the latter at the moment that the brake enters into
action in order to quickly stop the vehicle.
In applying my improvements to a tricycle for example the main shaft operated
by the motor is provided with a stepped cone in connection by a belt with a second
stepped cone mounted upon an intermediate shaft which carries pinions either
of which can, as desired, be caused to gear with a toothed wheel which engages with
a second wheel mounted upon the rear driving axle of the vehicle.
The driving belt passes over a tension device consisting of two drums mounted
in a frame which can be moved forwards or backwards by means of a lever within
reach of the attendant's hand so as to stretch or loosen the belt. The said lever
also controls the brake, which can be of any suitable type in such a manner that
when the brake is released the belt is put in tension so as to put the motor in gear.
By operating the lever in the opposite manner the motor is put out of gear and the
brake is put into gear whereby the vehicle is quickly brought to rest.
The steering gear is controlled by a handle which can be moved to a slight
extent vertically on its pivot at the upper end of a bar by means of which the
vehicle is steered.
A rod which slides vertically is arranged below the handle near the point at
which the latter is pivoted. The said rod is in connection with one end of a lever
pivoted under the vehicle and provided with a spring. At its opposite end the said
lever is provided with a notch which can engage with a stop connected to the rod
of the exhaust valve of the motor.
.
When it is desired to stop the tricycle the handle is raised so that the lower
lever swings on its pivot under the action of its spring and brings its notch on 'to
the stop whereby when the exhaust valve is opened by a cam mounted upon the
driving shaft, the stop and the notch engage with one another and prevent the
valve from closing. The piston then alternately draws in and expels air and
the motor runs empty. To completely stop the vehicle the upper lever is manipu-
lated as hereinbefore described.
The variation in speed is effected, whilst the vehicle is running, by 'displacing
the belt through the medium of two forks which are moved simultaneously either
by a rack and pinion operated by a crank or by a lever.
The movement of the belt from one step to the other of the pulleys is facilitated
by the rounding off of all edges or corners between the adjacent pulleys on each of
the cones.
The displacement of the belt is effected without jerking by the opera-
tion of the forks.
As described above the motor ceases to operate when the attendant 'turns too
sharply to ensure this I employ the arrangement described for stopping the motor
when the steering handle is raised.
The rod is provided at its upper part with a smooth sector upon which 'the
steering handle normally presses in such a manner as to retain the lower lever in
the position in which it is out of engagement with the exhaust valve of the motor.
The steering lever can thus be moved laterally whilst resting upon the head of the
rod for the purpose of steering. If it is pulled too far, however, the sector is
released from the said handle or lever and enables the lower lever to swing around
its pivot so as to lock the exhaust valve and the motor then runs empty as herein-
before described.
.
品
The transmission gear and the shaft carrying one of the stepped pulleys are
mounted in a support pivoted upon the driving axle to permit of vertical displace-
ment.
The cooling of the cylinder is effected by means of the exhaust gases which I
conduct through a tube into one or more receivers where they expand and from
which they are then conveyed by a pipe or tube to the flanges on the cylinder.
For the purpose of especially cooling the end of the cylinder I provide the said end
with a sheet metal screen which prevents the gases from passing to the side and
forces them to pass through cooling orifices with which the motor is provided.
The motor which I employ comprises a new arrangement of carburettor and gear

page_text: 6. The arrangement for operating the injection pump of motors comprising a
bell-crank lever actuated by the mechanism which operates the exhaust valve
substantially as described and illustrated.
7. The arrangement of tubular valve for distributing air to the carburettor
and to the supplementary tube supplying pure air to the mixing chamber, sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
8. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved self-pro-
pelled or motor vehicle, herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: chamber E¹. The valve F¹ for admitting the carburetted air and the valve Gi
for the escape of the gases of combustion are placed side by side. The cam a¹ which
directly operates the exhaust valve G₁ is keyed upon a shaft 01 which is rotated
by suitable gearing at half the speed of the shaft driven by the motor. This cam
also controls the movement of the pump P¹ for injecting petroleum into the car-
burettor R¹.
To this end the pump piston is provided with a spring and is pushed to the end
of its stroke by one arm of a pivoted bell-crank lever S, the other arm of which is
formed as a fork which engages the axle of a roller 6' operated by the cam con-
trolling the rod of the exhaust valve. A lever T pivoted at U¹ is also connected
to the roller b¹ and is thereby jointed to the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever S¹.
A small tube c¹ conducts the liquid from the pump into the carburettor R¹ which
is provided with wire gauze sheets d¹ for dividing or pulverizing the liquid.
The outer air, which is drawn in by the movement of the driving piston, enters
the carburettor through a pipe or tube H which branches from the pipe J¹ pro-
vided with the tubular valve K¹ and a second tube L' also branching from the
pipe J', conveys a further portion of air to the mixing chamber M¹ which is in
communication with the admission valve and which also contains wire gauze c¹ to
effect the mixing of the material before its introduction into the end of the cylinder.
The carburetted air issues from the bottom of the carburettor and passes to the
mixing chamber M' through a tube N¹. The tubular valve K¹ is operated by the
attendant by means of a lever Q' and is provided with an orifice which can be put
into communication with one or the other of the two branch tubes H¹ and L¹
which are respectively connected with the carburettor R¹ and the mixing
chamber M.¹
By suitably operating the said valve its lateral opening can be put into communi-
cation with the two branch tubes H¹ and L¹ whereby the air sucked in is divided
into two currents the strengths of which vary according to the position of the valve.
By this means the richness of the mixture can be regulated.
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 motor or self-propelled vehicles transmitting the movement of the motor
to the rear or driving axle through the medium of two stepped pulleys and a belt,
the edges of the said steps being well rounded for the purpose of facilitating the
displacement of the belt from one to the other for varying the speed of the vehicle,
substantially as described.
2. In motor or self-propelled vehicles the employment of mechanism for con-
trolling the exhaust valve of the motor wherein a notched lever engages a stop
connected to the rod of the said exhaust valve when the lever is released from a
vertical rod upon which the steering lever presses, either when the said steering
lever is raised, or when it is moved beyond a predetermined angle in a horizontal
plane, substantially as described.
3. In motor or self-propelled vehicles the arrangement wherein the expanded
exhaust gases are conveyed by a tube to cooling flanges upon the cylinder of the
motor and over the end of the said cylinder by means of a screen substantially
as described and illustrated.
4. In motor or self-propelled vehicles the tension arrangement for the driving
belt comprising one or more cylindrical drums mounted in a frame which can
move longitudinally whereby the belt can be tightened by means of a lever
within reach of the attendant's hand, the movement of the said lever also applying
the brake when the belt is loosened or disengaging the brake when the belt is
tightened, substantially as, and for the purposes, herein before described.
5. The arrangement of carburettor with gauze partitions upon which the liquid
drops and is divided and pulverized under the action of a current of air set up by
the movement of the motor piston, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: is put out of gear and the brake is put into gear, whereby the vehicle is quickly
brought to rest.
The steering gear is controlled by a handle P which can be moved to a slight
extent vertically on its pivot a formed at the upper end of a bar b by means of
which the vehicle is steered.
A rod c, which slides vertically, is arranged below the handle P near the point
at which the latter is pivoted. The said rod c is in connection with one end of a
lever Q pivoted under the vehicle at d and provided with a spring z. At its
opposite end the said lever is provided with a notch c which can engage with a
stop f connected to the rod g of the exhaust valve of the motor.
When it is desired to stop the vehicle the handle P is raised into the position
shewn in full lines in Figure 2 so that the lower lever Q swings on its pivot d
under the action of its spring z and brings its notch e on to the stop f whereby,
when the exhaust valve is opened by a cam g¹ mounted upon the driving shaft, the
stop fand the notch e engage with one another and prevent the valve from closing.
The piston then alternately draws in and expels air and the motor runs empty.
To completely stop the vehicle the lever O is manipulated as herein before described.
The variation in speed is effected, whilst the vehicle is running, by displacing
the belt D through the medium of two forks k which are moved simultaneously
either by a rack and pinion operated by a crank or handle R as shewn in the
drawing, or by a lever.
The movement of the belt from one step to the other of the pulleys C and E is
facilitated by the rounding off of all edges or corners between the adjacent steps
on each of the cones. The displacement of the belt is effected without jerking
by the operation of the forks k.
As described above the motor ceases to operate when the attendant turns too
sharply; to ensure this I employ the arrangement described for stopping the motor
when the steering handle is raised. In this arrangement the rod c is provided at
its upper part with a smooth sector o upon which the steering handle normally
presses in such a manner as to retain the lever Q in the position in
which it is out of engagement with the exhaust valve of the motor. The steering
lever P can thus be moved laterally whilst resting upon the head of the rod for the
purpose of steering. If it is pulled too far, however, (for instance into the position
shewn in dotted lines Figure 3) the sector o is released from the said handle or lever
and enables the lever Q to swing on its pivot so as to lock the exhaust valve and the
motor then runs empty as herein before described.
The transmission gear and the shaft carrying the stepped pulley E are mounted
in supports S pivoted upon the driving axle to permit of vertical displacement of
the vehicle body.
The cooling of the cylinder is effected by means of the exhaust gases which I con-
duct through a tube T into one or more receivers U (shewn in dotted lines in
Figure 3) where they expand and from which they are then conveyed by a pipe
or tube to the flanges on the cylinder. For the purpose of especially cooling
the end of the cylinder I provide the said end with a sheet metal screen X against
which strikes the expanded gaseous stream flowing through the pipe V, the said
stream following the curve of the screen X and spreading into recesses or hollows
formed in the end of the cylinder. The latter is thereby cooled by the circulation
of the cold gases. It should also be noted that the gaseous currents, which flow
in this manner into the spaces formed at the end of the cylinder, set up an inflow
of air from the outside which assists the cooling.
The motor which I employ is shewn in Figures 4 and 5 and comprises a novel
arrangement of carburettor and gear for controlling the pump which supplies the
liquid combustible to the said carburettor. A tubular valve operated by a lever
within reach of the hand of the attendant enables the proportions of carburetted
air and air which enter the explosion chamber to form the mixture, to be modified.
The piston A¹ which is connected with the driving shaft A by means of a con-
necting rod C¹ works in a cylinder D¹ behind which is arranged the explosion

page_text: effected without jerking. The belt is shifted by means of two forks which are
operated by any known suitable means such as a screw, rack, lever, etc.
The motor is, furthermore, provided with mechanism whereby the exhaust valve
is kept open
when it is desired to stop the vehicle or when the attendant turns the
said vehicle sharply. To this end the steering handle or lever is pivoted to the
movable head of the steering bar and rests upon the upper end of a vertical rod in
connection with one end of a lever pivoted under the frame of the carriage and
under the constant action of a spring. The lever is provided at its opposite end
with a notch with which a stop connected to the rod of the exhaust valve can engage.
This engagement can only take place when the lever is lowered at this part and
when the valve is in its open position; with this arrangement, therefore, if the
attendant raises the steering handle the spring causes the lower lever to swing so
as to engage the valve directly it is opened. The vehicle continuing to run by
virtue of the velocity which it has acquired, the motor runs empty drawing in and
forcing out air through the exhaust valve which remains open.
The same result is obtained when the attendant moves the steering handle or
lever through too great an angle. To ensure this result the head of the small vertical
rod upon which the said handle rests, is provided with a sector of a size determined
by the movement allowed to the vehicle. When the desired angle has been
exceeded the spring operates the lower longitudinal lever and the exhaust valve is
locked as in the preceding case.
To return the lower lever to the position which it is to occupy when the vehicle
is running it is only necessary to lower the handle of the steering lever so as to
raise the said handle upon the sector and overcome the antagonistic action of the
spring.
In order also to dispense with the employment of cooling water for the cylinder,
I conduct the escapement pipe into one of two metallic receivers where the gases
expand, and from which a second tube conveys them to flanges with which the
motor cylinder is provided so as to cool the said flanges by setting up a current of
air around them.
I have combined the control of the brake with that of the tension device for the
driving belt so as to release the latter at the moment that the brake enters into
action in order to quickly stop the vehicle.
To enable the invention to be clearly understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, of a tricycle motor vehicle con-
structed according to the invention, and shewing the mechanism for regulating the
velocity.
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation shewing more particularly the mechanism
for controlling the exhaust or escape valve.
Figure 3 is a plan view shewing the frame of the cycle with the driving and
steering mechanism.
Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation of a motor for propelling vehicles.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan thereof.
Figures 4 and 5 are drawn to a larger scale than Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The main shaft A operated by the motor B is provided with a stepped cone C in
connection by a belt D with a second stepped cone E mounted upon an intermediate
shaft F which carries pinions G and H either of which, as desired, can, be caused to
gear with a toothed wheel J which engages with a second wheel K mounted upon
the rear or driving axle L of the vehicle.
The driving belt D passes over a tension device consisting of two drums M
mounted in a frame N which can be moved forwards or backwards by means of a
lever O, within reach of the attendant's hand, so as to stretch or loosen the belt.
The said lever O also controls the brake, which can be of any suitable type, in
such a manner that when the brake is released the belt is put in tension so as to
put the motor in gear. By operating the lever 0 in the opposite manner the motor

page_text: for controlling the pump which supplies the liquid combustible to the said car-
burettor. A tubular valve operated by a lever within reach of the hand of the
attendant enables the proportions of carburetted air and air which enter the
explosion chamber to form the mixture, to be modified.
A piston, which is connected with the driving shaft by means of a connecting rod,
moves in a cylinder behind which is arranged the explosion chamber. The valve
for admitting the carburetted air and the valve for the escape of the gases of com-
bustion are placed side by side. The cam which directly operates the exhaust
valve is keyed upon a shaft which is rotated by suitable gearing at a slower speed
than the shaft driven by the motor. This cam also controls the movement of the
pump for injecting petroleum into the carburettor.
To this end the pump piston is provided with a spring and is pushed to the end
of its stroke by one arm of a pivoted bell-crank lever, the other arm of which is
formed as a fork which engages a spindle of a roller operated by the cam and con-
trolling the rod of the exhaust valve. A pivoted lever is also connected to the
roller and is thereby jointed to the vertical arm of the bell-crank lever.
A small tube conducts the liquid from the pump into the carburettor which is
provided with wire gauze sheets for dividing or pulverizing the liquid.
The outer air which is drawn in by the movement of the driving piston enters the
carburettor through a pipe or tube which branches from the pipe provided with
the tubular valve and a second tube, also branching from the pipe, conveys a
further portion of air to the mixing chamber which is in communication with the
admission valve and which also contains wire gauze to effect the mixing of the
material before its introduction into the end of the cylinder.
The carburetted air issues from the bottom of the carburettor and passes to a
receiver through a tube. The tubular valve is operated by the attendant by means
of a lever and is provided with an orifice which can be put into communication with
one or the other of the two branch tubes which are respectively connected with the
carburettor and the receiver.
By suitably operating the said valve its lateral opening can be put into com-
munication with the two branch tubes whereby the air sucked in is divided into
two currents the strengths of which vary according to the position of the valve.
By this means the richness of the mixture can be regulated.
Dated thin 19th dow of Anmil 1907
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Motor or Self-propelled Vehicles.
I, THEOPHILE KLAUS, of 103, Route de Versailles, Billancourt (Seine), in the
Republic of France, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in motor or self-propelled vehicles.
According to my invention the movement of the petroleum or other motor is trans-
mitted to the rear wheel of the vehicle by means of a belt which passes around two
stepped or speed pulleys and tension drums. Variations in speed are effected by shifting
the driving belt from one step of the pulleys to the next, it being possible
to effect this change whilst the vehicle is in motion owing to the shape of the
steps of which all the edges are well rounded; the movement of the belt, therefore is