Year: 1899

page_text: I, ERNEST LATHAM, of 3, Berlin Road, Catford, in the County of Kent, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in motor propelled vehicles of the
kind comprising two carriage or vehicle frames articulated or jointed together by
means of a vertical pivot and provided at or near the said pivot, with a steering wheel
or wheels, one of the said frames usually carrying the motive power apparatus, which
is geared to driving wheels attached to said frame, and the other being provided with
& body of omnibus, van or other type suitable for the purpose in view. Motor pro-
pelled vehicles of this kind are described in the Specification of Patent No. 14028
of 1898 granted to William Edward Carmont.
Now, according to this invention in a motor propelled vehicle of the kind referred
to each of the frames is provided with driving wheels and with a motor geared to
said wheels, a steering wheel or wheels being located between the two sets of driving
wheels and at or near the point of connection between the said frames.
-According to one arrangement of vehicle adapted to be propelled by steam power,
one frame is provided towards one end with a pair of driving wheels geared by chaing
or otherwise to the crank shaft of a high pressure long stroke engine such as described
in the Specification of my previous Patent No. 14890 of 1898 which engine is carried
by the said frame and the cylinders of which may conveniently be arranged vertically
over the crank shaft; the steering wheel or wheels, which is or are capable of being
turned by suitable gear, for instance, that known as the Ackerman steering gear are
attached to the opposite end portion of the same frame on which is also mounted the
steam boiler. The other frame, which is fitted with a body of suitable type is pro-
vided at or near one end with a pair of driving wheels and its other end is articulated
to the other frame, which supports it, by a perch pin or 'king bolt the driving wheels
being geared by chains or otherwise to the crank shaft of a low pressure long stroke
engine of the kind hereinbefore referred to, steam being led from the high pressure
engine to the said low pressure engine by suitably arranged pipes, part of which may
be flexible, or the percli pin or king bolt may be made hollow and form part of said
steam pipes, a suitable gland or glands being provided to permit of the necessary
movement. The cylinders of the low pressure engine may conveniently be mounted
outside the vehicle body, the trunnions of the cylinders being above the perch pin or
king bolt.
The passage of steam to the low pressure cylinders is controlled by the valves of
the high pressure engine, which latter is alone provided with reversing gear, the high
pressure exhaust being diverted to the atmosphere or to the condenser, when the
engine is reversed.
The ordinary jack-in-the-box or other suitable differential gear may be provided in
connection with the driving wheels of the high pressure engine but the cylinders of

page_text: the low pressure engine may be independent, one being arranged to drive each
driving wheel of the carrier frame.
As will be understood motor propelled vehicles according to this invention may be
variously modified, thus the cylinders of the two engines inay be adapted to form a
triple expansion arrangement, the engine on one frame having high and intermediate
pressure cylinders and that on the other frame two low pressure cylinders; or both
engines may be simple or both compound. Or instead of steam engines, electrical or
other motors may be employed.
With a motor propelled vehicle provided as described with four driving wheels
and one or two intermediate steering wheels a better distribution of weight and
greater adhesion is obtained than has heretofore been usual.
Improvements in motor-propene veicies.
I, ERNEST LATHAм, of 3, Berlin Road, Catford, in the County of Kent, Engineer, 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 has reference to improvements in motor propelled vehicles of the
kind comprising two carriage or vehicle frames articulated or jointed together by
means of a vertical pivot and provided, at or near the said pivot, with a steering
wheel or wheels, one of the said frames usually carrying the motive power apparatus,
which is geared to driving wheels attached to said frame, and the other being
provided with a body of omuibus, van or other type suitable for the purpose in view.
Motor propelled vehicles of this kind are described in the Specification of Patent
No. 14028 of 1898 granted to William Edward Carmont..
Now, according to this invention, in a motor propelled vehicle of the kind referred
to, each of the frames is provided with driving wheels and with a motor geared to
said' wheels, a steering wheel or wheels being located between the two sets of driving
wheels and at or near the point of connection between the said frames.
The accompanying illustrative drawing shows in side elevation one arrangement,
according to this invention, of a vehicle adapted to be propelled by steam power.
a a is one vehicle frame provided towards one end with a pair of driving wheels b
geared by a chain wheel c, chain d, chain wheel e, shaft and gear wheels g and h to
the crank shaft of a high pressure long stroke engine m such as described in the
Specification of my previous Patent No. 14890 of 1898, which engine is carried by
the said frame a and the cylinders of which may conveniently be arranged as shown
vertically over the crank shaft; the gear wheels gand h and chain wheels c and e
and chain d may be advantageously enclosed in protecting cases n and o respectively.
In the example illustrated there are two steering wheels p mounted on a saddle
piece q capable of being turned around a vertical pivot pin by suitable gear, or the
gear known as the "Ackerman "steering gear may be employed. The steering wheels p
are attached to the opposite end portion of the said frame a, on which is also mounted
the steam boiler 8. tt is the other frame, which is fitted with a wagon body in the

page_text: I
example shown and is provided with a pair of driving wheels w and its forward end is
articulated by the perch pin or king bolt to the other frame a, which at this end
supports it. Each driving wheel w has fixed to it a crank x and is driven by a low
pressure long stroke engine y of the kind herein before referred to, steam being led
from the high pressure engine m to the said low pressure engine y by suitably
arranged pipes, parts 2 of which may be flexible, couplings 3 being provided for
connecting and disconnecting same. To enable the frame a to be turned into a
position practically at right angles to the frame b, the pipes are connected with a
bent portion ¹ capable of turning in a gland arranged on the centre line of the
vehicle above the pivot r. The exhaust pipes from the engines y lead to the smoke
box of the boiler 8, it may be through a suitable condenser. If desired, the
perch pin or king bolt might be made hollow and forin part of, or be in
communication with, said steam pipes, a suitable gland or glands being provided to
permit of the necessary movement. Instead of the driving wheels w being driven
direct from the engines y, they may geared by chains or otherwise to the engine
crank shaft in similar manner to that shown and described with reference to the
driving wheels b of the frame a. The cylinders of the low pressure engines y may
conveniently be mounted outside the vehicle body as shown, the trunnions 4 of the
cylinders being above the perch pin or king bolt .
The passage. of steam to the low pressure cylinders y is controlled by the valves of
the high pressure engine m, which latter is alone provided with reversing gear, the
high pressure exhaust being diverted to the atmosphere or to the condenser, when
the engine is reversed.
The ordinary jack-in-the-box or other suitable differential gear may be provided
in connection with the driving wheels b of the high pressure engine m, as also with
the driving wheels w of the low pressure engines y but as is preferred the cylinders
of the low pressure engines y may, as shown, be independent, one being arranged
to drive each driving wheel w of the carrier frame t.
As will be understood motor propelled vehicles according to this invention may be
variously modified, thus the cylinders of the two engines mandy may be adapted to
form a triple expansion arrangement, the engine on the frame a having high and
intermediate pressure cylinders and that on the other frame t two low pressure
cylinders; or both engines may be simple or both compound. Or instead of steam
engines, electrical or other motors may be employed. In some cases, the rear
driving wheels w may be driven from the engine'm through suitably arranged gear-
ing; for instance by means of suitably guided endless ropes, one of which passes
around a pulley on the shaft and a pulley mounted to rotate about the axis of the
perch pin r, each wheel w being fitted with a pulley connected by rope gear with
said perch pin pulley, or a shaft driven therefrom,
With a motor propelled vehicle provided as described with four driving wheels and
one or two intermediate steering wheels a better distribution of weight and greater
adhesion is obtained than has heretofore been usual.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a motor-propelled vehicle the combination with two carriage or vehicle frames
articulated or jointed together by means of a vertical pivot in the manner set forth in
the Specification of Carmont's Patent No. 14028 of 1898, of driving wheels attached
to each frame and a steering wheel or wheels located between the two sets of driving
wheels at or near the point of connection between the said frames, substantially as
described.
2. In a motor-propelled vehicle wherein two articulated frames are provided with
driving and steering wheels as specified in Claim 1, the combination of bigh and low
pressure steam cylinders respectively carried by the said frames and so connected and
4

page_text: arranged as to form a compound steam engine whereby both sets of driving wheels
are actuated substantially as described.
3. Motor-propelled vehicles constructed and arranged substantially as described
and shown.
JEANS DIE day of march 1900.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W:C., Chartered Patent Agent.