, Car, and other vehicles with Motors driven by Compressed, or
Year: 1896

page_text: I, WILLIAM HENRY DUNKLEY Cycle and Carriage Manufacturer 61 Jamaica Row
Birmingham do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Constructing Cycles, Carriages, for children, and adults, and other vehicles, with
Motors driven by Compressed Gas, oil or other power. Constructing steel weldless
Tubes galvanised Metal or Tanks of other material of any shape, to the underneath or
other parts of such vehicles for Compressing, retaining, and Conveying, Gas or oil with
Tubes or other connections to a motor, Constructed to work in Connection with the
axle or axles, or wheel, or wheels, by straps, rods, Tubes, Cogs, Chains, of Metal,
Leather, Rubber or other Material. Constructing a brake and steering handle to
govern and guide the vehicle, being connected to the front, back, or side Wheel, or
Wheels, any number of Wheels being used at either side or in the centre or at either
End. Constructing the body so that it is Convertible from a vehicle for one person
to seat Two or more, The saine being detatchable from the undergear permitting the
motor to be used for stationary purposes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DUNKLEY, of 61 Jamaica Row, Birmingham, 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:-
The object of my invention for improvements in motor carriages, applicable to
cycles, carriages for children and adults, and other vehicles, is to construct same
whereby a supply of gas can be readily compressed and carried within suitable
receptacles upon the vehicle, and supplied to a gas motor at the required pressure,
necessitating certain general construction and arrangement of parts, and fittings, for
carrying my invention into effect, so as to produce motor carriages comparatively
silent in motion, and convenient and simple to operate, all as hereafter fully set
forth.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I have illustrated in the
accompanying drawings a form of motor carriage sufficient to illustrate my invention.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1 partly in
section. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sectional olevations illustrating a regulator, and Fig. 5
is a sectional elevation of a gas storing device hereinafter more fully described.
According to my invention I mount upon a framework A an axle B, upon each
end of which is mounted a road wheel C. Upon the framework A, securely fixed
thereto, is a gas engine or motor D, the crank shaft E of which extends beyond the
framework A, and carries a toothed wheel F running loosely upon the shaft E. A
oliain F (see Fig. 2) passes over the toothed wheel F and over a toothed wheel C¹,
which is connected to the road wheel C. Upon the shaft. E is arranged a friction
clutch operated by means of a hand lever F³ whereby the toothed wheel F may be

page_text: thrown into or out of gear with the shaft E as may be desired, by forcing the conical
part 1, which slides upon a feather on the shaft E, into the correspondingly recessed
conical part of the toothed wheel F. A band of india rubbor F is placed over tho
recessed part of the wheel F whereby the ring or resonance of the inetul when the
clutch is brought into action is deadened and the contact of the two metals rendered
comparatively noiseless.
At the rear end of the gas engine D is a shaft G which is driven by means of a
chain from the crank shaft and actuates the valve gear; a crank or crank diso is
secured on one end of this shaft G and a pump H is driven from the crank pin by
means of the connecting rod H'.
A water tank J is carried upon the framework A; the pump H draws its supply
from the tank J, circulates the water through the pipe J' and around the water jacket
of the gas engine D and back again into the tank J by way of the pipe J*; in this
manner the water is circulated around the cylinder of the engine D when the same is
in operation, and by which means the cylinder is kept cool.
Carried in any suitable manner upon the frame A is a receptacle or gas storage
tank K, strongly constructed to receive and hold gas under great pressure. A tube L
connects the outlet of the receptacle K with a regulator M which latter is best seen at
Figs. 3 and 4. An outlet tube N from the regulator conveys gas to the engine, an
expansible gas reservoir N₁ of india rubber or such like material being located between
the regulator M and the engine D. Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the
regulator is composed of an outer cylinder casing M, the base of which is closed, An
extensible rubber bag M' is secured to the base of the cylinder M, the upper end
being closed by a block of weighted wood or other heavy material M; attached to
this block M' is a rack M³, which passes through and is guided in a longitudinal slot
in the casing M, in this the manner when the extensible rubber bag M rises or falls
within the casing Mit carries the rack M³ with it. A gear wheel K' is mounted upon
a spindle K² the rotation of which actuates a valve whereby the gas in the receptacle K
may flow more or less freely into the pipe L by way of the valve. The gas upon
entering the extensible rubber bag M flows into the pipo N and fills the expansible
reservoir N', aud when these various parts are full the pressure rises and the bag M' is
expanded and rises within the cylindrical casing M carrying up the block M² and with
it the rack M. The rack M³ is arranged to gear into the wheel K', so that upon the
rising of the rack M³ the wheel K' is. revolved and the supply of gas is reduced or
entirely ent off, but upon the pressure within M¹ falling, the weight of the end M*
causes the bag M to collapse and the rack is thus lowered, the wheel K' turned and
the supply of gas, (or more of it) is admitted or increased. The pressure required
may be regulated by varying the weight of the blook M² or a spring may be
substituted in place of the heavy block M. In the case where it is desired to arrange
the regulator in a horizontal position a spring is the most convenient means to operate
the regulator.
The pipe N conveys the gas to the cylinder and also to the Bunsen burner N or
ignition apparatus by which the ignition tube is heated. A stop cock N, is arranged
in the pipe N so that the supply of gas can be cut off from the cylinder as desired.
The stop cook N, is controlled by means of a lever 0,a connecting rod 0, and levers O*
and 0 Fig. 2. The lever 03 is fitted with a handle and moves over a plate 0
upon which an index may be marked and any well known means may be fitted in
order to lock the hand lever O when in any required position. I provide pumps,
such as P P mounted upon the framework A having connections from the suctions so
that they may be readily connected up with say the ordinary road gas main. The
delivery from the pumps P P is connected with the receptacle K, and upon the
pumps being operated gas is pumped into the receptacle K at a high pressure.
The pumps as shown are driven from a double crank shaft P receiving its motion
from the shaft by means of chain wheels P, chain P3, and chain wheel P
Provision is also made for a hand lever to be fitted upon the square end 15 of the
double crunk shaft P; and a clutch, not shewn in the drawings, should also be provided
so that the toothed wheel Ps may be thrown out of gear with the shaft G when the

page_text: pumps are not required to be driven by the gas engine D, or in the case when it 19
desirable to operate the pumps by the hand lever. The pumps may be arranged so
that a series of say 3 pumps could be employed, and the gas compressed by a series of
steps by being pumped from the first into the second from the second into the
third, and from the third delivered into the receptacle; the first pump would in this
case be of large diameter the second smaller and the third smallest, the stroke of the
piston in all three cases being of the same length.
Fitted below the framework A is an exhaust box R into which the exhaust pipe Di
of the engine D enters. The exhaust pipe D' extends down and into a cup shaped
metal bowl R' the mouth of which is partly closed by a cover R a sinall space being
left between the upper edge of the bowl R¹ and the lower edge of the cover R. The
exhaust box R is preferably made of papier-machè, and is formed with double
walls R R as shewn, the interior being broken up into a number of passages by the
partitions It, the gases esonping by a sinuous course as indicated by the arrows. By
such a construction of exhaust box the noise by the rush of escaping gases is deadened
or obviated.
The front end of the fmme is shewn supported by a wheel carried within a fork
which passes through a bearing connected to the framework; at the upper end of the
fork is connected a steering handle S of the shape and construction clearly illustrated
in the drawings at Figs. 1 and 2. This form of handle gives to the driver great
control over the front wheel, without having to reach out on either side to any great
extent in order to place the steering wheel at a sufficient angle so as to cause the
vehicle to turn a sharp curve.
A rod T is connected to the handle bar S in order to operate a bell T¹ as shewn, by
a vertical movement of the handle bar; or a pair of bellows might be substituted for
the bell and a whistle blown by such means. A spring T is provided in order to
sustain the handle bar in a raised position.
V V are binges secured to the framework A to which hinges a casing W is secured
which envelopes and covers the whole of the mechanism situated above and supported
by the framework A. The casing W is carried at its rear end by springs W and a
rail W is fitted, within which and upon the casing W is secured a cushion We where'
a rider sits, and from which position he has within reach the controlling mechanism,"
vix.: the clutch lever F and the lever 0 controlling the gas supply.
The casing W is constructed so as to open at the various parts by being hinged,
whereby free access to the enclosed machinery is obtained.
A brake X is carried upon the framework A, and arranged so as to be thrown into
action by means of the rider's foot.
Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawing I have illustrated a road wheel, which is con-
structed to form a reservoir to receive and store a quantity of gas under pressure. The
wheel is composed of a strong metallic outer part Y having a central part Y¹ of
cylindrical form on each side thereof, a bush Y passes through the central parts Y'
and is securely fitted therein by sweating or screwing same into position. By this
construction a hermetically closed vessel is obtained of considerable capacity and
strength, a cock Y is fitted into the part Y through which gas may be pumped or
forced. When the reservoir is sufficiently filled the cock Y is turned off. The axle B
of the vehicle passes through the bush Y the whole receptacle being free to revolve
upon the axle B, thus forming a road wheel.
When it is required to use the gas contained within the reservoir Y, the vehicle is
stopped and the cock connected by a pipe to the pumps P the cock Y³ is then
turned on, and the gas from the reservoir is pumped into the receptacle K to be used
as before described.
In some cases hollow spokes aud rims might be employed so as to form a receptacle
or reservoir to receive and store gas.
I may also form the axles of the road wheel hollow or the body or frame of a
vehicle may be constructed so as to form a strong receptacle to retain the gas under
pressure.
In order to drive a motor car constructed according to my invention, the action is

page_text: as follows: Gas is allowed to flow from the receptacle K into the regulator M, from
whence it is conducted to the Bunsen or other burner N, which after having been
lighted the motor is ready to start. The handle Q is then turned which opens the
gas supply cock N to the cylinder D, and the gas motor is then put into motion,
the pump H worked and the water from the tank J circulated around the cylinder of
the gas engine; the expansible bag N' tends to keep the supply of gas uniform.
When it is desired to propel the vehicle the hand lever is operated so that the
clutch connects the toothed wheel F to the shaft E, whereby motion is conveyed to
the road wheel C. The speed of the vehicle is regulated by the handle 0. In order
to stop the vehicle the friction clutch is thrown out of gear with the wheel F and the
brake applied.
In some cases instead of arranging the friction clutch as shewn I may employ
driving means on either side of the vehicle, and arrange the handle F so that when
in a central position the motor is out of gear with either wheel. Upon throwing the
handle F in one direction a friction clutch should couple up the wheel on one side of
the vehicle say with a high gear arranged between the driving shaft and the road
wheel, and when the handle F is thrown into an opposite direction the wheel upon
the other side of the vehicle is coupled up with say a low gear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :--
1. In motor carriages the construction and arrangement thereof whereby a supply of
coal gas is compressed and carried upon the vehicle, and supplied to the motor at the
required pressure, and substantially as herein before described.
2. In motor carriages as claimed by claim 1, the construction and arrangement of
the gas pressure regulator, and parts connected therewith, substantially as described
and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In motor carriages, the construction and arrangement thereof, whereby a supply
of coal gas is compressed stored, and carried upon the vehicle, and supplied to an
explosive motor thereon at the required pressure, in combination with the means
described for cooling the cylinder, for throwing the road wheels in and out of gear,
for regulating and cutting of gas supply to the cylinder, and for deadening the noise
caused by the exhaust gases, and for steering the vehicle, all substantially as
herein before described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of May 1897.
Dated this 20th day of May 1897.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.