Improvements relating to the Propulsion of Auto-Cars and Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Propulsion of Auto-Cars and
Vehicles.
I, JOIN GEORGE GLOVER, of the firm Thomas Glover and Company Limited,
214 to 222, St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London, Gas Meter Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of propelling Auto-Cars, and
consists essentially in applying the power of the Motor to the front stearing axle
either direct or by means of toothed or frictional gear in such a manner that the
propulsive effort of the Motor is used to greater advantage and steerage of the
Vehicle at the same time greatly facilitated.
According to the present method of applying the motive power to the hind axle,
the progress of the Vehicle is resisted if the steering wheels are turned in a posi-
tion at right angles to the driving wheels, but if the power be applied to the front
wheels or axle, the Vehicle will under the same conditions turn upon itself as
easily as if going ahead in a straight line.
To carry the invention into practice, the Motor cylinder is mounted coaxially
with the king bolt which is made hollow for the passage through it of the connect-
ing rod from the Motor piston to the steering axle. The steering axle is cranked
reutrally and the connecting rod attached thereto has its opposite end terminating
in a ball and socket joint within the piston, so that said rol may follow the crank
when the axle is turned for steerage purposes, or the piston itself may turn, and
in some cases it may be more convenient for the cylinder to act as the king bolt
and turn with the steering axle, or the whole Engine may be so connected to the
under framing as to turn with the axle.
The Engine may also be geared to any desired ratio, and motion transmitted
to the steering axle by means of a crown wheel gearing frictionally or positively
by teeth with a wheel or wheels fixed on the axle, so that said axle while receiv-
ing the impulses of the Motor can yet travel round the crown wheel for steerage
purposes. The crown wheel may be flat, mitred, or bevelled and be rotatable
through, or by the king bolt from a Motor of any description and arranged in
any desired manner within or upon the Vehicle.
If the wheels are frictionally geared they are so arranged that the weight of the
Vehicle and riders tend to increase their grip upon each other to prevent slipping,
and the wheel on the axle may be slidable across the face of the crown wheel to
regulate the speed of the Vehicle.
In other cases the king bolt or its equivalent may be used to transfer motion
from the Engine to the steering axle by a worm gearing into a wheel, said worm
being carried in a cradle attached to the under framing in such a manner that
the worm wheel and axle may revolve around it.
The king bolt has a feather upon it for rotating the worm but is free to rise
up and down within it to allow of the employment of springs between the body
of the Vehicle and the axle should such be desired.
Differential gear such as Starley's is preferably used in all cases to compensate
for the difference of movement between the inner and outer wheels when turning

page_text: in a circle, and the power instead of being wholly imparted to the front axle may
in some cases be applied to both frout and rear axles by rope,' chain, or other
desired means.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said John George Glover.
Improvements relating to the Propulsion of Auto-Cars and
Vehicles.
I, JOHN GEORGE GLOVER, of the firm Thomas Glover and Company Limited,
214 to 222 St. John Street, Clerkenwell, London, Gas Meter Manufacturers, 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 an improved method of propelling Auto-Cars, and
consists essentially in applying the power of the Motor to the front steering axle
either direct or by means of toothed or frictional gear in such a manner that the
propulsive effort of the Motor is used to greater advantage and steerage of the
Vehicle at the same time greatly facilitated.
According to the present method of applying the motive power to the hind axle,
the progress of the Vehicle is resisted if the steering wheels are turned in a posi-
tion at right angles to the driving wheels, but if the power be applied to the front
wheels or axle, the Vehicle will under the same conditions turn upon itself as
easily as if going ahead in a straight line.
To carry the invention into practice, the Motor cylinder is mounted coaxially
with the king bolt which is made hollow for the passage through it of the connect-
ing rod from the Motor piston to the steering axle.
The steering axle is cranked centrally and the connecting rod attached thereto
has its opposite end terminating in a ball and socket joint within the piston, so that
said rod may follow the crank when the axle is turned for steerage purposes, or the
iston itself may turn, and in some cases it may be more convenient for the
Engine may be so connected to the under framing as to turn with the axle.
Engine may be so conne cted to the under framing as to turn with the axle
The Engine may also be geared to any desired ratio, and motion transmitted
to the steering axle by means of a crown wheel gearing frictionally or positively
by teeth with a wheel or wheels fixed on the axle, so that said axle while receiv-
ing the impulses of the Motor can yet travel round the crown wheel for steerage
purposes.
The crown wheel may be flat, mitred, or bevelled, and be rotatable through or
by the king bolt from a Motor of any description and arranged in any desired
manner within or upon the Vehicle.
If the wheels are frictionally geared they are so arranged that the weight of the
Vehicle and riders tend to increase their grip upon each other to prevent slipping
and the wheel on the axle may be slidable across the face of the crown wheel to
regulate the speed of the Vehicle.
In other cases, the king bolt or its equivalent may be used to transfer motion
from the Engine to the steering axle by a worm gearing into a wheel, said worm
being carried in a cradle attached to the under framing in such a manner that
the worm wheel and axle may revolve around it.
The king bolt has a feather upon it for rotating the worm but is free to rise
up and down within it to allow of the employment of springs between the body
of the Vehicle and the axle should such be desired.

page_text: Differential gear such as Starley's is preferably used in all cases to compensate
for the difference of movement between the inner and outer wheels when turning
in a circle, and the power instead of being wholly imparted to the front axle may
in some cases be applied to both front and rear axles by rope, chain, or other
desired means.
The accompanying sketches are diagrams illustrating some of the methods for
connecting the motive power to the front axle of Motor Cars or like Vehicles for
which my invention is applicable. Figure 1 is a diagram representing the Motor,
say, of a Gas Engine A connected by its rod B to the crank axle of a fore
carriage D, the wheels are not shown as they are well understood.
The king
bolt is hollow and of such shape as to allow of the vibration of the connecting
rod B through and within it, the rod being in a ball and socket joint can
accommodate itself to any turning movement of the fore carriage and yet always
be in correct position for working.
Or instead of the connecting rod B being ball and socket jointed it may be fixed
to the piston G of Engine in ordinary manner so that the piston may turn to follow
the movement of the driving crank C when turned for steering purposes.
In Figure 2 it will be seen the king bolt as such is non-existent but the enclos-
ing base H of the Engine acts in the same way to keep the under carriage D in
connection with the main body I when the under carriage D is turned, the
connecting rod B always following as explained with reference to Figure 1.1
Figure 3 is a plau of the underside of the under carriage showing Engine base
attached to transom ring D which may be turned for steering purposes in any
convenient manner.
In Figure 4, motion is communicated from any source of power to the fore
carriage driving axle C by a shaft J passing through the king balt R and by a
friction dise K as shown or by positive gearing if such be preferred, or the king
bolt itself may be rotated to communicate the motion as can be well understood.
Figure 6 represents a method of transunitting motion from any source of power
to the fore carriage axle by means of a worm and screw L, the worm wheel is
rotatable about the worm spindle for steering and is always kept in contact with
the worm by the cradle M by which it is curried, moreover the worm or worm
spindle is fitted with a feather to engage with a corresponding featherway in either
the worm or worn wheel, so that a spring N as shown may be used, the worm and
spindle by sliding up and down accommodate themselves to the vibratory
movement.
Figure 6 is a diagram showing two Engines A, A, (one only may be used if
desired) attached to underside of fore carriage ring D with which they turn when
rotated for steering.
Figure 7 is a diagram in plan showing the fore carriage turned at right angles
for a sharp turn.
In all these instances any known method for allowing differential motion to the
front wheels when turning may be adopted, or one wheel only may be fixed to the
axle, the other running loose.
In Figure 1, the hollow king holt and Engine above with a base underneath
may be connected together and turn as one piece with the under fore carriage in
which case the cylinder would act as a king bolt if so required.
Any system of steering appliances can be fitted, and the examples shown at
Figures and 7 will enable this to be understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a Motor Car, so placing the power Engine that its piston rod has direct
connection with the axle of the front travelling wheels for operating said axle at
whatever angle it may be placed by the steering gear, as set forth and substantially
aa ahown.
2. In a Motor Car, arranging the power Engine above and directly over the
vertical axis of the front carrying axle for direct operation thereon for propulsion
purposes, as described and substantially as shown.

page_text: 3. In a Motor Car, driving the front carrying axle direct or through worm
gear in the manner shown on the annexed drawings.
The 21st day of May 1897.
II. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said John George Glover.
I. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166 Fleet Street, London.
Agent for the said John George Glover.