An Improved Propelling Mechanism for Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Sept., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Propelling Mechanism for Vehicles.
I, JOHN PITT BAYLY, of 18 Fulham Place, Paddington, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Mark Libbey, of South Berwick, Maine, U.S.A.
Inventor,) to be as follows:-
or
This invention has reference to certain improved mechanism for propelling
vehicles without horse power. By this invention the wheels mounted upon the
axle are provided with inwardly extending flanges radially around the bosses
thereof. Adapted to run in bearings across the underneath of the car
vehicle is a shaft, which carries at its ends suitable friction rollers, which are
pressed against the inside or outside of the flanges on the wheels by suitable
springs. A framework, which unites the front and rear axles of the vehicle.
projects in front thereof, and carries at its forward ends suitable pulleys, over
which run
an endless band, which also runs over pulleys secured at the two
forward corners of the vehicle, and around pulleys on the shaft having the
friction rollers. The pulleys in the forward end of the frame are rotated by
gear-wheels, or the like, and a flexible shaft, which projects along the floor of
the vehicle to a convenient place, where it is provided with bevelled gear.
The shaft of one of these wheels passes upwards through the bottom of the
vehicle, and is provided with any suitable means, such as a winch handle, for
> rotating it.
D
1. 1000
J. P. BAYLY,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Propelling Mechanism for Vehicles.
I, JOHN PITT BAYLY, of 18 Fulham Place, Paddington, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Mark Libbey, of South Berwick, Maine, U.S.A.
Inventor), and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in propelling mechanism for vehicles, and
is especially adapted to road vehicles, although it may be used upon any kind of
a vehicle, if desired.
The propelling mechanism beretofore usually applied to vehicles has been heavy
and cumbersome, and has not been suited to the movement of the carriage-springs
and the varying movements of the carriage as it travels over uneven roads.
The object of my invention is to obviate this difficulty by providing a light and
simple, but strong and durable, propelling-mechanism that may be applied to any
style of vehicle, that may be easily adjusted, and that will adapt itself to all possible
movements of the vehicle to which it is attached.
To this end my invention consists in a vehicle mechanism constructed substan-
tially as hereinafter described and claimed.*
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in
all the-figures.
Figure 1 is an inverted plan of a vehicle provided with propelling mechanism
embodying my invention;

page_text: g. 4 a vertical longitudinal section of the same;
Fig. 3 a vertical cross-section of the same on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 4, an enlarged detail plan view of the main friction disc and rollers and of
the spiral driving shafts;
Fig. 5, an enlarged detail view showing the manner in which the friction-rollers
are applied to the main-driving drum or flange;
Fig. 6, a cross-section on the line 6.6 of Fig. 5, and
Fig. 7 a section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown the device applied to an ordinary
four-wheeled vehicle having a body A, supported by suitable springs B, which rest
upon the axles C and C, the axles being connected with the wheels in the usual
manner. The forward axle C and the rear axle Care connected by a light
frame D, consisting of two parallel members D', which at their rear ends terminate
in the spreading branches D'.
The frame D is long enough to enable it to be attached to various sizes of
vehicles and to extend in front of the forward axle C to support a portion of the
steering apparatus, as described below.
The frame D is pivotally attached to the forward axle by a king-bolt a, which
projects through the plate b, which is adjustably attached to the frame D, and
through the yoke d, which is attached to the centre of the axle C. The plate bis
longitudinally adjustable on the frame D, and the forward spring B of the vehicle is
attached thereto, so that the king-bolt a will form the axis of oscillation for the
vehicle body and for the frame D.
The branches D² of the frame D extend below the rear axle C¹, near each end
thereof, and are attached thereto by clips e, which enclose the branches.and.arc
suitably clamped to the axle. The frame D may be adjusted. to the width of the
carriage to which it is attached by placing the members D' nearer together or
farther apart, as the case-may-be.
I do not confine myself to the-particular form-or-arrangement.of.the.frame.D, as.
any suitable frame may be used which will adjustably connect the forward and rear
axles and which will properly support the parts, as described below.
Depending from each of the branches D a little in front of the axle C¹ is a clip
or clampy. These clamps are suitably attached to the branches and support the
hollow shaft E, which extend through-the-clamps-and-in-each-end-of-which-projects-
a rod or shaft E' to facilitate the lateral adjustinent to the vehicle, said rods.having
the clamps E' affixed to their outer ends.
-Supported in the clamps E are the upwardly-extending spindles F, which
terminate at their upper ends in the boxes or frames F. The lower portions of the
frames form bearings for the shaft H, which projects through said frames and is
provided at each end with a friction-roller J, which is fixed thereto, and the
upper portions of the frames F' are provided with recesses F in which the blocks F*
fit closely and are vertically movable.
•
Fixed to the outer sides of the blocks F, so as to project through the sides of the
frame F, are the shafts F, which carry the friction-rollers J. The rollers J and J'
are similar in size and shape, and will thus be held one above the other, and in
order that they may be pressed firmly together a stiff spring K is attached at one
end to the under side of the frame F and at the other end to the top of the block F³,
and the pressure of the spring will depress the block in the recess F and force the
roller J' down upon the roller J. This construction is very clearly shown in Figs. 5
and 6.
Fixed firmly to the inner sides of the rear wheels of the vehicle, so as to encircle
the axle C, are the inwardly projecting annular flanges L which are preferably
made of thin metal, but may be made of any suitable material, and which are
interposed between the rollers J and J', so that the rollers will press. firmly upon
opposite sides of the flanges. The flange has a flat vertical portion L', which rests
against the spokes M of the wheels and which terminates in an annular: rib L.,
The Hange is firmly attached to the spokes M of the wheels by the clamps g, which

page_text: are bolted to the spoke M by the bolts g¹ and which are provided with inwardly-
projecting hooks 9, which fit nicely upon the rib L' of the flange.
The shaft H extends across the vehicle, as described, and fixed to the shaft near
the centre is the friction-disc N, having a conical face .N¹. The shaft His
supported and steadied near the centre of the frame O, which has a depending.
spindle O', which is supported in the clamp h, said clamp being firmly attached to
the shaft E near the centre thereof; The frame O has two parallel rearwardly-
extending members O, which project upon each side of the friction-disc N, and in
which the shaft H turns; and a forwardly extending portion 03, having a recess 0
on the upper side, in which the boxes jare laterally movable.
Loosely mounted in the boxes j' and projecting through the openings. (in the
frame O are the parallel shafts, which are provided with suitable collars to hold
them in position, and which are provided at their rear ends with conical friction-
rollers k, which fit closely upon the conical face N of the friction-disc N. The
rollers are held firmly against the disc by the spring, which encircles the lower
portion of the part of the frame O, and the ends of which press against the
outer sides of the boxes; thus forcing the boxes j¹, shafts j, and rollers & inwardly
and causing the rollers to impinge firmly upon the discs N.
Fixed to the forward ends of the shafts are the spiral shafts P, which extend
forwardly and are attached to the trunnions m' of the friction-rollers m, which arc
supported by the box n, said box being, suspended' from the wagon-body Alby the.
bracket n', which should be vertically adjustable.
The shafts Pare composed of two or more strands of wire wound spirally, so as
to form a continuous shaft; which will be light and strong and which will be flexible,
so that the motion of the vehicle cannot cramp the shaft.
The shafts Pare stiffened by the collars P, which are united by a link P', as
shown; and in which turn the shafts Pthe strands of the shafts P being fixed to
each end of the shafts P³. I have shown only one of these strengthening attach-
ments; but if the vehicle is heavy and the shafts P long several may be applied.
The trunnions m¹ of the friction-rollers are mounted loosely in the box n,which.
should have suitable means for holding the rollers together, and one of thei
trunnions projects through the box and is provided with a pulley Q, which may be
connected by a suitable belt with a motor, which may be mounted on the body A
of the vehicle, and 'which will furnish power to propel the vehicle.
1
The following mechanism is employed to steer the vehicle: A hollow case Ris
mounted on the body A near the forward part thereof, so as to project above and
below the same, and mounted in a slot R' of the upwardly extending portion R" of
the case is a horizontal shaft p, having one end provided with a suitable crank p
and the other with a friction-disc p. A vertical' shaft (indicated by dotted
lines) is mounted in the case R, said shaft projecting through the upper and lower
ends of the case R, and having its upper end. provided with a friction-roller r',
which bears against the friction-disc p, and having its lower end provided with the
gear wheel which meshes with the gear-wheel or piùion S' of the horizontal
shaft S. The shaft S is constructed of spiral wire like the shafts P. described
above. One end of the shaft is supported by the angular bracket R³, which is
attached to the lower end of the case R, and the forward end' of the shaft is
supported by the bracket t, which is adjustably attached to the frame D by the.
clamp t. The rear end of the shaft is fixed to the horizontal shank of the
pinion S; and the forward' end' of" the shaft is fixed to the horizontal shank of
the gear-wheel S, said shank turning in the bracket t. The gear-wheel S' meshes
with the gear-wheel ', which is fixed" to the upper end of the vertical shaft u,
which turns in the frame T'and has a friction-roller u fixed to the lower end
thereof: The frame T extends' across the members D₁ of the frame D, and is
clamped to said frame near the forward end thereof. A similar frame T' is,
clamped to the frame D just in front of the frame T, and suspended from said
frame, so as to align with the roller ², is a similar roller v, which has an annular
dange fixed to its lower end, 'so as to extend beyond the face of the roller and

page_text: a horizontally-separable frame below the body of the vehicle for connecting the
front and rear axles, said frame consisting of two parallel members spread at their
rear ends and clamped to the rear axles and united near their forward ends by a
plate and attached to the forward axle by a king-bolt projecting through the plate,
substantially as described.
6. A vehicle-propelling mechanism consisting, essentially, of the ammular
flanges L, fixed to the vehicle-wheels, as shown, the frame D, connecting the
forward and rear axles, the shaft E, suspended from said frame, the frames F1,
supported on the shaft E and carrying the rollers J and J, the shaft H, connecting
the rollers J, and having the disc N fixed thereto, the frame O, attached to the
shaft E, and shaped and adapted to support the shaft H and shafts P, the rollers k,
to clasp the disc N, the parallel flexible shafts P, attached to said rollers,
means, as rollers m and box n, for connecting said shafts, means, as bracket n', for
supporting the shafts, and a pulley Q for driving the shafts, all substantially as
described.
7. The combination, with the spokes M of the vehicle-wheels, of the flanges L,
having flat portion L' and rib L, the clamps g, having bolts g' and hooks g² for
attaching said flanges, substantially as described.
8. The combination, with the Hanges L, fixed to the vehicle-wheels, as shown,
of the rollers J J', having means, as shown, for rotating the same, the frame
and block F3 for supporting said rollers, said frame being suitably supported,
as shown, and the spring K for holding the rollers together, substantially as
described.
9. The combination, with the shafts P, of the collars P', link P2, and shaft P
for strengthening said shaft, substantially as set forth.
10. In a vehicle-propelling mechanism having means for turning the rear wheels,
the combination, with said vehicle, of a frame extending across the forward axle, a
pair of rollers suspended from said frame, a belt attached to the forward axle near
the ends and extending between said rollers, and means for rotating said rollers so
as to move the belt and steer the vehicle, substantially as described.
11. The combination, with the axle C and frame D of the rollers u² and c,
suspended from said frame, the belt W, attached to the end portions of the axle
and extending between the rollers, and means, as shaft u, gear-wheel u', flexible
shaft S, with gear-wheel S' and pinion S¹, vertical shaft r, having gear-wheel
and roller r, shaft p, disc p², and crank p¹ for actuating said rollers, substantially
as described.
12. The combination, with the roller and belt W, of the roller v, having
flange to hold the belt in position, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of September 1891.
J. P. BAYLY,
Applicant.