Improvements in and relating to Mechanism for Regulating and Controlling the Employment of Explosive Mixtures in Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 3rd July, 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 3rd July, 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Mechanism for Regulating and
Controlling the Employment of Explosive Mixtures in Motor
Vehicles.
We, BORIS LOUTZKY, of 49, Französischestrasse, Berlin, W., German Empire,
Managing Director, and the GESELLSCHAFT FÜR AUTOMOBILWAGENBAU, at the same
place, a Company incorporated according to the laws of the Kingdom of Prussia,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
In dealing with motor carriages driven by means of "explosion" motors, great
difficulty has been experienced hitherto in providing adequate controlling or
regulating appliances. The fact is that, in order to exercise such control, quite
a number of devices have to be actuated, and it is on the proper operation of
these that the safe and reliable working of the vehicle depends. Thus, whenever
that, which is very likely to be the case, does occur, that is to say, when-given
a large number of handles arranged somewhat far apart--the wrong handle happens
to be grasped on the spur of the moment, a collision with another vehicle, not
at all improbably will be the consequence of the error.
Now the object of this invention is to afford a simple and reliable regulating
medium, in the shape of one individual apparatus adapted to be set in operation
with one hand eventually aided by one of the foots; one hand remaining free for
the control of the steering mechanism.
The several parts of the novel apparatus are supported by a pillar or stem,
within which a tube, provided with a head, is adapted to revolve; the pillar itself
being stationary. The head terminates in an arm to which the two handles are
attached, and at the same time carries a lever, which is also connected with the
said arm through the medium of the pivot whereon it is revolvable. The object
of this lever is either to arrest the operation of the motor, i.e. to throw out of gear
the train of wheels coupled with it, or to move either the gearing provided for
quick motion or the gearing employed for slow motion (as the case may be) into
the operative position. To this end the head of the lever is thrust back by hand,
whereby the arm, together with its head, is disconnected, and made revolvable.
Now according as the said arm is turned to the right or to the left, the fast
gearing or the slow gearing will be thrown in or out of connection; the parts
being locked in position by the other end of the lever catching in corresponding
notches. At the same time the piece of the contact device, provided in the said
head, when the arm is in its intermediate position, comes to rest against the
insulating piece, thereby checking the ignition of the explosive mixture of the
motor; whereas, in the right-hand and left-hand positions, the electrical contact
is formed and ignition takes place.
The arrangement employed in the preparation of the mixture, and also in
determining the amount of mixture to be supplied (or "charging") is likewise
attached to the regulating mechanism. The two handles are arranged revolvably,
and so that when once they have been turned to a given position, they retain that

page_text: position. A spiral spring gradually draws together the two head-pieces, inwardly
fitted with cones, thereby producing the necessary friction for the corresponding
conical surfaces. Thus, by turning the said handles, their position may be
altered, without their being capable of becoming displaced from the position to
which they have been so moved, of their own accord, i.e. unaided by the operator's
left hand. With each handle a double cord is connected, which is adapted to
operate of a pair of small levers. Thus, however, one of the handles is turned
out of position, the lever rises, and thereby alters the composition of the mixture;
whereas the effect of turning the other handle will be to vary the amount of
mixture, or charge. Also, the stem or pillar is provided with pedal mechanism,
the pedals projecting on each side of the said pillar, and serving, when depressed,
to correspondingly operate the brake.
It will thus be seen that the regulating mechanism just described enables the
driver, by turning the entire-head-piece with one hand, after disengaging the
arresting lever, to change the machinery from the condition of rest to that of
fast or slow motion (as the case may be); and by the same act, to control both
the preparation of the explosive mixture and the charging of the motor therewith;
while in addition to this, by actuating the mechanism with the foot, the brake
may be applied. Again, if the driver releases the coupling, he thereby neces-
sarily checks ignition and so obviates any possibility of the motor running
away." And conversely, in starting, he may, by very slight movements, first
restore the igniting current, and then, upon the motor being started, throw the
couplings finally into gear.
In arrangements of the same class, as used hitherto, three or four different
devices have been provided for controlling the vehicle in the different respects
named, and it was necessary for the driver to remove his hand from the part he
was operating at the time, to the part he had to deal with next; with the atten-
dant risk of his beginning to manipulate the wrong apparatus and thus possibly
bringing about an accident.
Dated the 21st day of December 1898
Improvements in and relating to Mechanism for Regulating and
Controlling the Employment of Explosive Mixtures in Motor
Vehicles.
We, BORIS LOUTZKY, of 49, Französischestrasse, Berlin, W., German Empire,
Managing Director, and the GESELLSCHAFT FÜR AUTOMOBILWAGENBAU, at the same
place, a Company incorporated according to the laws of the Kingdom of Prussia,
do hereby declare the nature of our invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement:-
In dealing with motor carriages driven by means of "explosion" motors, great
difficulty has been experienced hitherto in providing adequate controlling or
regulating appliances. The fact is that, in order to exercise such control, quite
a number of devices have to be actuated, and it is on the proper operation of
these that the safe and reliable working of the vehicle depends. Thus, whenever
that, which is very likely to be the case, does occur, that is to
say, when-given
a large number of handles arranged somewhat far apart-the wrong handle happens

page_text: to be grasped on the spur of the moment, a collision with another vehicle, not
at all improbably will be the consequence of the error.
Now the object of this invention is to afford a simple and reliable regulating
medium, in the shape of one individual apparatus adapted to be set in operation
with one hand eventually aided by one of the teet; one hand remaining tree, for
the control of the steering mechanism, which may be an independent device of
usual construction.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side-elevation of the improved
arrangement.
Fig. 2 being a section, and
Fig. 3 an elevation thereof, while
Fig. 4 and 5 are two sections wherein the details of construction are shown
more clearly than in the preceeding figures.
The several parts of the novel apparatus are supported by a pillar or stem a,
within which a tube b, provided with a head e, is adapted to revolve; the pillar
itself a being stationary. The manner in which the tube and its head are sup-
ported is apparent from the drawings with sufficient clearness, to render a further
explanation unnecessary. The head terminates in an arm to which the twɔ
handles e are attached, and at the same time carries a lever f which is also con-
nected with the said arm through the medium of the pivot whereon it is revo-
luble. The object of the arm is either to arrest the operation of the motor,
i.e. to throw out of gear the train of wheels coupled with it, or to move either
the gearing provided for quick motion or the gearing employed for slow motion
(as the case may be) into the operative position. To this end the head of his
thrust back by hand, whereby the arm d, together with its head, is disconnected
and made revolvable. Now according as the said arm-and with it the tube b--
are turned to the right or to the left, the fast gearing or the slow gearing will
be thrown out of connection; the parts being locked in position by the other
end of the lever f catching in corresponding notches i, i. With the tube b is
connected a double lever ending in two forks c, w. These forks are designed to
receive the usual links, not shown in the figure. The operation is to actuate a
friction coupling, or other similar device so as to engage with gearing either for
quick or slow motion. The middle position will produce stoppage no gearing being
engaged. At the same time as shown in Fig. 4 and 5 the piece K of the contact
device k-provided in the said head-when the arm is in its intermediate posi-
tion, comes to rest against the insulating piece 7, thereby checking the ignition of
the explosive mixture of the motor; whereas, in the right-hand and left-hand
positions, the electrical contact is formed and ignition takes place.
The arrangement employed in the preparation of the mixture, and also in
determining the amount of mixture to be supplied (or “charging") is likewise
attached to the regulating mechanism. As shown in Fig. 5, the two handles c
are arranged revolvably and so that when once they have been turned to a given
position, they retain that position. A spiral spring m gradually draws together
the two head-pieces, inwardly fitted with cones, thereby producing the necessary
friction for the corresponding conical surfaces of e e. Thus, by turning the said
handles e, their position may be altered, without their being capable of becoming
displaced from the position to which they have been so moved, of their own
accord, i.e. unaided by the operator's left hand. With each handle e, as shown
in Fig. 4, a double cordo is connected, which is adapted to operate one of a pair
of small levers P, respectively. Thus, whenever one of the handles e is turned
out of position, the lever prises, and thereby alters the composition of the mix-
ture; whereas the effect of turning the other handle will be to vary the amount
of mixture or charge. Also the stem or pillar a is provided with pedal
mechanism r, the pedals s and projecting on each side of the said pillar, and
serving, when depressed, to correspondingly operate the brake.
It will thus be seen that the regulating mechanism just described enables the
driver, by turning the entire head-piece with one hand, after disengaging the

page_text: arresting lever f, to change the machinery from the condition of rest to that of
fast or slow motion (as the case may be); and by the same act, to control both
the preparation of the explosive mixture and the charging of the motor therewith;
while in addition to this, by actuating the mechanism with the foot, the brake
may be applied. Again, if the driver releases the coupling, he thereby neces-
sarily checks ignition and so obviates any possibility of the motor running
away." And conversely, in starting, he may, by very slight movements, first
restore the igniting current, and then, upon the motor being started, throw the
coupling finally into gear.
In arrangements of the same class, as used hitherto, a greater or less number
of different devices have been provided for controlling the vehicle in the different
respects named, and it was necessary for the driver to remove his hand from the
part he was operating at the time to the part he had to deal with next; with
the attendant risk of his beginning to manipulate the wrong apparatus and thus
póssibly bringing about an accident.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. In mechanism for for regulating and controlling the employment of explo-
sive mixtures in motor vehicles the use of a pillar or its equivalents, whereby an
arm revolvable on a spindle by being moved either to the right or to the left
(as the case may be) throws the propelling mechanism into gear for the trans-
mission of either fast or slow motion, while in the intermediate position it cuts
off at the same time the ignition circuit through the agency of an insulating
piece attached to such arm and wherein by the operation of the two handles of
the identical arm, the preparation of the mixture and the charging of the motor
may be controlled, substantially as described.
2. As a modification of the regulating or controlling mechanism covered by the
first claim, the use of a mechanism wherein the two revolvable handles are, by
a spring which connects them, drawn and pressed against friction surfaces and are
thus protected from any accidental displacement in consequence of vibration or
concussion, substantially as described and shewn.
Dotal the bud dave of July 1890
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.