An Improved Explosion Motor for Cycles, Vehicles, and Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Aug. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 12th June, 1897-Accepted, 17th July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Explosion Motor for Cycles, Vehicles, and Vessels.
WILLIAM REYNOLDS King Street Coventry Warwickshire Lamp Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The actuating power is obtained from the ignition of Gunpowder or any other
explosive compound either solid or liquid which contains in itself the elements necessary
for the production of expansive gas or gases without the intervention of atmospheric
air.
When the invention is applied to a Bicycle a cylinder of a suitable bore and length
is secured to the framework on each side of the back wheel. These cylinders may be
closed at the back end but I prefer to leave both ends open for reasons stated
below.
A piston with rod is fitted to each cylinder and connecting rods with guides may
be used to transmit the power from the piston rods to the cranks, or the cylinders may
be oscillating so as to avoid the use of connecting rods and the power transmitted by
the piston rods direct to the cranks.
I prefer to retain the ordinary crank bracket of the Bicycle with axle and pedals
and to make auxilliary cranks on the same axle for the motor to operate By this
arrangement the Bicycle can be worked in the usual way and the motor used for
auxilliary power.
The power may be transmitted from the crank axle to the driving wheel in any
manner that may be in ordinary use.
Each cylinder has a hole at right angles to its bore and a plunger is arranged to
slide in the hole. This hole may be at the end of the stroke but 1 prefer placing it
some way towards the middle of the stroke and timing the action of the plunger so
that it slides down immediately in the rear of the piston and retires to allow the
piston to pass at the back stroke.
The operating and timing of the plunger may be accomplished by a can or an
eccentric connected with the crank axle or in any other convenient manner.
The object of the plunger is to bring into the cylinder the explosive charge and to
make a butt end or breach in the cylinder. A convenient way to bring the charge
in is to make a cavity in the plunger with a cutting edge and if a solid explosive is
used it may be made into a continuous cartridge and fed to the cutting edge of the
cavity in the plunger. In this case the plunger will cut off a regulated quantity of
the explosive and carry it down into the cylinder in the rear of the piston
where its explosion will supply the impetus necessary to work the motor. The explosion
may be accomplished by a spark passing across the cylinder or by a red hot wire or
plate operated by a Dynamo or galvanic or storage battery or a combustion tube may
be used similar to those in gas Engines or a detonator exploding by a blow may be
used. If the cylinder is inade open at both ends and a plunger is placed to operate
other than at the end of the stroke of the piston the objects are 1st that the piston in
passing by the point of explosion will cleanse the part from any products of combustion
2nd that the impulse will be delivered at the moment of the cranks revolution when
its effects will be most powerful and 3rd the piston will push back and throw out any

page_text: possible unexploded charge. Further safety may be provided by making a laterel
hole in the cylinder close to the ends of the forward stroke of the piston so that any
excessive explosive gas will escape.
In some cases the point of explosion may be at the end of the stroke and the
plunger may revolve or rock instead of sliding in its hole.
A variation of the above arrangement would be to place the cranks on the axis of
the driving wheel itself.
The Dynamo or battery may be placed at the rear of the saddle and motion for the
former taken off the axle of the wheel by a spindle actuated by mixed wheels, or by
any other convenient manner.
If the motor is to be used as an auxilliary power to pedal the Bicycle over a hill or
to rest the rider the crank axle may be a false axle, capable of being brought into
action by a clutch, but a more convenient plan would appear to be to make the motor
to run constantly and to control the feed of explosive so that the supply is stopped
when the service of the motor is not required. This may be accomplished in several
ways but a convenient one will be to place a grasp on the handle bar connected by
rods to the feed mechanism so arranged that it will be thrown into or out of
gear by
the pressure of the hand while guiding the machine. In using a solid explosive such
as gunpowder a continuous cartridge may be made as before mentioned and it may be
wound on a spindle and the end conducted to the plunger bar through flat tubes. The
cartridge may then be pressed forward by a toothed wheel set in a similar manner
to a lamp wick winder which may be operated by a pin on the rod of the
plunger.
The motor cranks may be placed at any suitable angle to the pedal cranks so that
the point of greatest motor power may be at the point of least pedal power and
vice versa.
To prevent overheating of the parts subject to the explosions they may be enclosed
in a water jacket connected with a water cap or reservoir so that the water may
circulate and carry off any excessive heat.
In arranging the motor for a Tricycle the working parts will be vertually the
same as the foregoing only they will be preferably placed between the driving
wheels.
When the motor is arranged as the sole motive power of a Vehicle the cylinders
may be closed at one end and have a packing for the piston rod to pass through. In
this case the charge will be fed alternately at each end of the cylinders, but I prefer
to have four cylinders and to charge and explode them as before described. The
cranks in this case would be arranged on the quarter to keep up a constant
impulse.
When the motor is applied to the propulsion of vessels, it may be used either as an
auxilliary as in small pleasure boats and skiffs or as the main motive power as in Life
boats or Torpedo boats.
In either case the arrangement of the working parts will be substantially of the
same character as before described but may be of any size required by the duty to be
done.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Explosion Motor for Cycles, Vehicles, and Vessels.
I, WILLIAM REYNOLDS, of King Street, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The actuating power is obtained from the ignition of gunpowder or any other
I, WILLIAM REYNOLDS, of King Street, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The actuating power is obtained from the ignition of gunpowder or any other

page_text: explosive compound either solid or liquid which contains in itself the elements
necessary for the production of expansive gas or gases without the intervention of
atmospheric air.
When the invention is applied to a bicycle a cylinder of a suitable bore and
length is secured to the framework on each side of the back wheel. These
cylinders may be closed at the back end, but I prefer to leave both ends open for
reasons stated below.
A piston with rod is fitted to each cylinder and connecting rods with guides may
be used to transmit the power from the piston rods to the cranks, or the cylinders
may be oscillating so as to avoid the use of connecting rods and the power transmitted
by the piston rods direct to the cranks. I prefer to retain the ordinary crank bracket
of the bicycle with axle and pedals and to make auxiliary cranks on the same axle
for the motor to operate. By this arrangement the bicycle can be worked in the
usual way and the motor used for auxiliary power. The power may be transmitted
from the crank axle to the driving wheel in any manner that may be in ordinary use.
Each cylinder has a hole at right angles to its bore and a plunger is arranged to slide
in the hole. This hole may be at the end of the stroke, but I prefer placing it some
way towards the middle of the stroke and timing the action of the plunger so that it
slides down immediately in the rear of the piston and retires to allow the piston to
pass at the back stroke.
The operating and timing of the plunger may be accomplished by a cam or
an eccentric connected with the crank axle or in any other convenient manner.
The object of the plunger is to bring into the cylinder the explosive charge and
to make a butt end or breech in the cylinder.
A convenient way to bring the charge in is to make a cavity in the plunger with a
cutting edge and if a solid explosive is used it may be made into a continuous
cartridge and fed to the entting edge of the cavity in the plunger. In this case the
plunger will cut off a regulated quantity of the explosive and carry it down into the
cylinder in the rear of the piston, when its explosion will supply the impetus necessary
to work the motor. The explosion may be accomplished by a spark passing across the
cylinder or by a red hot wire or plate operated by a dynamo or galvanic or storage
battery or a combustion tube may be used similar to those in gas engines or a detonator
exploding by a blow may be used.
If the cylinder is made open at both ends and a plunger bar is placed to operate
other than at the end of the stroke of the piston the objects are: 1st, that the piston
in passing by the point of explosion will cleanse the part from any products of com-
bustion; 2nd, that the impulse will be delivered at the moment of the crank's
revolution when its effects will be most powerful; and 3rd, the piston will push back
and throw out any possible unexploded charge. Further safety may be provided by
making a lateral hole in the cylinder close to the end of the forward stroke of the
piston so that any excessive explosive gas will escape.
In some cases the point of explosion may be at the end of the stroke and the plunger
may revolve or rock instead of sliding in its hole.
A variation of the above arrangement would be to place the cranks on the axis of
the driving wheel itself.
The dynamo or battery may be placed at the rear of the saddle and motion for the
former taken off the axle of the wheel by a spindle actuated by mitred wheels or in
any other convenient manner.
If the motor is to be used as an auxiliary power to propel the bicycle over a hill or
to rest the rider the crank axle may be a false axle capable of being brought into
action by a clutch, but a more convenient plan would appear to be to make the motor
to run constantly and to control the feed of explosive so that the supply is stopped
when the service of the motor is not required.
This may be accomplished in several ways, but a convenient one will be to
place a grasp on the handle bar connected by rods to the feed mechanism so
arranged that it will be thrown into or out of gear by the pressure of the hand while
guiding the machine.

page_text: In using a solid explosive such as gunpowder a continuous enrtridge may be made
as before mentioned and it may be wound on a spindle and the end conducted to the
plunger bar through flat tubes. The cartridge inay then be pressed forward by a
toothed wheel set in a similar manner to a lamp wick winder which may be operated
by a pin on the rod of the plunger.
The motor cranks may be placed at any suitable angle to the pedal cranks so that
the point of greatest imotor power may be at the point of least pedal power and
vice versa.
To prevent over heating of the parts subject to the explosions they may be enclosed
in a water jacket connected with a water cup or reservoir so arranged that the
water may circulate and carry off any excessive heat.
In arranging the motor for a tricycle the working parts will be virtually
the same as the foregoing, only they will be preferably placed between the driving
wheels.
When the motor is arranged as the sole inotive power of a vehicle the cylinders
may be closed at one end and have a packing box for the piston rods to pass through.
In this case the charge will be fed alternately at each end of the cylinders, but I
prefer to have four cylinders and to charge and explode them as before described.
The cranks in this ease would be arranged on the quarter to keep up a constant
impetus.
When the motor is applied to the propulsion of vessels it may be used either as an
auxiliary as in small pleasure boats and skiffs or as the main motive power as in
lifeboats or torpedo boats.
In either case the arrangement of working parts will be substantially of the same
character as before described but may be of any size required by the duty to be
done.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and easily carried into
practical effect I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings showing
the application of my improvements to a cycle.
The cylinders A which may be of any suitable bore and length are secured to the
cycle frame B on each side of the rear wheel. These cylinders may be closed at their
back ends, but I prefer to leave both ends open.
The piston rods C are fitted to each cylinder and the connecting rods D with their
guides are used to transmit the power to the cranks d. Or the cylinders may be
formed so as to oscillate and the power transmitted by the piston rods to the cranks.
I prefer to retain the ordinary bottom bracket of the cycle with the usual cranks and
pedals and sprocket wheels and driving chain. By this arrangement the cyclecan be
driven in the usual manner and the motor used as an auxiliary power. At the back
of the usual bottom bracket sprocket wheel I mount the sprocket wheel E which gears
with the sprocket wheel el mounted on the axle e² on which the cranks d are also
mounted. These cranks d' are pivotted to the connecting rods D. In each cylinder
I provide the hole al at right angles to the bore and in these holes the plunger rods a
are arranged to slide up and down which operate the toothed wheels a for feeding the
continuous explosive cartridge from the drum or magazine F down the opening f¹
where the required charge is cut off by the cutter f which then drops in front of the
feed plunger p' provided at the end of the plunger rod P. This plunger rod is operated
backwards and forwards by the stud p² as the cam p mounted on the axle revolves,
and the feed plunger pushes the charge on to the shelf which is ignited by the
electric firer p attached to the end of the plunger rod. This electric firer is charged
by a battery situated in any suitable part of the cycle or by any other means.
The action of the motor is as follows:-Motion is transmitted from the axle of the
ordinary driving cranks to the axle e and to the cain 2 thereby forcing the plunger l'
and feed plunger inwards carrying with them the charge which is ignited by the
electric firer. The explosion forces the piston rod hackwards thus imparting motion
to connecting rods and cranks d. The explosion also forces the plunger rods a
upwards thereby actuating the toothed wheel or ratchet wheels as which supply a
fresh charge into the opening. The rods J which are pivotted at and to the

page_text: plungers P and move with the plungers force the slides inwards on which the charge
rests, and the cutters 2 outwards. As the cams continue to revolve the plunger rods
are drawn backwards and with them the rods J thus forcing the cutters inwards and
cutting off the required charge which drops down ready to be fed forwards by the feed
plungers for the next explosion. The screwed stop pieces k¹ are provided so as to
regulate the amount of charge drawn off the magazine F.
The whole of the parts are connected to the frame of the cycle by suitable brackets
or in any other desired manner.
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 :-
CLAIMS.
First: The improved motor consisting essentially of the cylinders such as A, piston
rods C, connecting rods D, and cranks d' operated by means of an explosive fed automatic-
ally into the opening such as f¹ which explosive is fed forwards by the feed plunger
connected to the plunger rod such as P operated by the cam p³ or its equivalent and
then ignited in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before described
and as shown upon the accompanying drawings.
Second-Operating motors for cycles, vehicles and vessels by the ignition of gun
powder or other explosive compound either solid or liquid containing the elements
necessary for the production of explosive gas or gases without the intervention of
atmospheric air.
Dated this 11th day of June 1897
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.