An Improved Auto-car or Auto-cab.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
An Improved Auto-car or Auto-cab.
We, EDMOND DRAULLETTE, Officer, and ERNEST CATOIS, Merchant, both of
2 Rue de Clichy, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 presents a new system of vehicles, two parallel wheels running
on the same axle, and is designed to satisfy all reasonable requirements as to
stability, speed and comfort.
Our auto-cab possesses the advantage of the bicycle in having but two points
of contact with the ground, and we have endeavoured to combine with this, the
stability of a tricycle or quadricycle.
Our outo-cab will carry one or more persons side by side. It can be driven by
any kind of motor, such as oil, electricity, gas, or steam, as shewn by way of
example in Figs. 1 and 3. With any of these our arrangements for transmitting
power and varying speed, and for guiding remain the same. We also employ a
fly wheel which by the centrifugal force gained in its revolution ensures absolute
steadiness in running, whatever may be the load to be carried.
We will now describe the features of the vehicle with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 shews a vertical section, in the plane of the wheels, of the auto-cab.
Fig. 2 shews a plan view of the mechanism for guiding, and regulating the
speed.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section of the body of the vehicle, taken from wheel to
wheel.
Fig. 4 shews an exterior side view of the cab with the hood folded.
The wheels are preferably of large diameter, and are placed parallel to each
other upon the same axle.
The wheels are furnished with rubber tyres, X, X¹, either plain or pneumatic
and are furnished with ball bearings, and tangential spokes. The frame which is
of an irregular form to adapt it to the organs it has to support and rotate, such as
the water tank q, the fire-box b, d, the flywheel S, and the rest comprises the axle M
with its joints and tie-bars necessary for its various movements is formed of steel
tubing, strengthened where required to ensure absolute rigidity. The frame
connects the wheels and supports the mechanism as well as two springs N (Fig. 4).
These springs are connected to the seat O at their ends, by two jointed cranks and
ensure the entire absence of vibration. The motor, which may be of any kind, is
fed, for example, by petroleum from the reservoir a for supplying the burners b,
above the burners is placed the generator d in connection with the slide e of the
two compensating piston cylinders f of which only one is shewn in Fig. 1. The
power of the motor is applied through the crank wheel P, and the short spindle B
which carries a mitred wheel Q engaging with a pinion R, keyed on the vertical
axle A.
All the
The fly wheel or regulator S is connected to the lower part of axle A.
bearings of this mechanism are fitted with balls running in oil-boxes. The
transmission of the motive force to the intermediate axles E, E is effected by
[Price Rd

page_text: means of the disc wheel C which is in permanent contact with the smaller
wheels D, D. The disc C is so keyed loosely on the axle B. as to drive the small
wheels D, D with a pressure caused by spring c. The axles E, E drive the axle
which carries the pinions g transmitting by chains their movement to the wheels g¹
by means of the gear K₁ on one side, and on the other to ensure a corresponding
hmovement by means of the gear K and an intermediary pinion k. The enclosure
or reservoir is placed on the side of the motive organs and also in the front.
Method of guiding:-The variation of lineal speed of the wheels is obtained as
follows:
-
J is a lever with a fork T controlled by a hand wheel H" (Figs. 1 and 4) in
contact with a central throat U placed on the threaded axle I which is so connected
to the wheels D, D' by means of the screw collars and pawls V which attach them
together, that if anyone displaces, by the forked lever T, the said wheels D, D',
their respective distances from the spindle of the dise C not being the same
before, their speed is varied and thus gives to the road wheels, through the geared
wheels K, K or by their mechanical equivalents, differing speeds. Fig. 2 shows
in dotted lines the guiding mechanism in position for obtaining a straight forward
movement.
Variation of speed of the carriage:
as
Modifications of speed are obtained by a single action, without shock or inter-
ruption of motion through the handwheel H₁ placed under Hu, by the following
means. The handwheels H, H", mounted on concentric tubes, as shewn in
Fig. 4, operate G which is a striated wheel held between two collars so that it can be
set in motion by the screw H which is furnished at its end with the hand wheel H¹
(Fig. 1) placed near the driver. The transverse axle I passes freely into the
striated wheel G, and by grooves on its surface prevents it from turning. This
axle is furnished at its central part with the throat U, in which works the
guiding lever T.
On each side of the central throat the axle I is screwed both on the right
and left.
On these screwed parts the collars V, V are placed in position, with their pawls,
which together form a fork for operating the wheels D, D¹.
It will be understood from the foregoing that in operating the screw H by
means of the hand wheel H', the wheels D, D' will be distanced or drawn near
to the centre of the disc C, thus determining the speed of the axles E, E. The
proportions of speed thus gradually obtained are in the ratio of 1 to 5.
Method of starting:- A special arrangement permits anyone in the inside of the
vehicle to put the motor in action.
The starting lever,
The guiding lever,
The control of the speed,
The admission of gas,
are attached to the same apparatus and this apparatus is placed at the right of
the vehicle in reach of the right hand seat.
Brakes: The brake fitted to the drums of the wheels permits the prompt
stopping of the carriage, no matter what may be its speed or the declivity it is on.
Small safety wheels: As shown in Figs. 1 and 4 small wheels Y are provided
in front and rear to prevent a sudden shock from overturning the carriage. These
wheels are rubber tyred and mounted on suitable spindles.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. A new auto-mobile vehicle or auto-car having two parallel wheels connected
together by a single axle, which wheels carry in stable equilibrium the motor and
its apparatus and fittings, with the riders; as herein described and set forth.

page_text: 2. The gyrator or controlling fly wheel S for regulating the motor having
especially the effect of increasing the stability of the weight in motion; as herein
described and set forth.
3. The special arrangement permitting the driver by one and the same
apparatus to vary (1) the proportion of speed between the movements of the motor
and the wheels, and (2) the circumferential speeds of the respective road wheels
in order to effect the guiding of both; as herein described and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of January 1897.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicants