Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Dec.. 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1896
I HENRY VINCENT HOLDEN, of No. 24 Coleman Street, in the City of London,
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the Specification No. 13522 of 1894 is described a construction of road
vebicles, the wheels of which, instead of turning on axles which extend across the
vehicle, run on short axles or studs projecting from blocks which slide on vertical
tubes surrounded by helical springs. The said Specification also describes the
connection of these sliding blocks by cranks and links to one another and to arms
moved by the pole or the shafts in such a way as to cause the wheels to look or
partially turo on vertical axes, so as to facilitate the turning of the vehicle round
curves of small radius.
My invention relates to improvements applicable to vehicles of this kind whereby
I render the locking action more certain and accurate and provide for transport of
the vehicle and for varying its height from the ground.
When only the front pair of wheels have to lock, I fit the blocks which carry
their stud axles so as to slide up and down on vortical rods or tubes but with keys
or feathers which prevent them from turning round on these rods or tubes, which
are themselves mounted in bearings so they can turn. To these rods or tubes
I fix crank arms projecting forwards and outwards at an inclination to the longi-
tudinal centre line of the vehicle. I link those arms to a pin ou the pole in front
of the pin on which the pole can turn, this latter pin being situated on a transverse
bar connecting the two sliding blocks, and in the line joining the centres ou which
hey can turn. When the pole is turned to right or left, it causes both the orank
rms to turn, locking or turning both the wheels on vertical axes but, owing to the
oblique direction of the crank arms, turning the one wheel, namely that towards
which the pole is turned, through a greater angle than the other wheel. Thus
the wheel which travels along the inside curve, or curve of less radius, is locked
to a greater extent than the wheel which travels along the outside curve of greater
radius, and therefore the line joining the vertical axes on which the wheels turn
is more nearly radial to the curve than if both wheels were equally locked or
turned on vertical axes. When shafts are used instead of a pole, I attach these
shafts to the two arms of a lever transverso to the vehicle, and link the crank arms
of the locking wheels to an arm of this lever standing forward so as to take the
place of the pole.
When all four wheels have to be locked for travelling freely round curves,
I provide their vertical guide bars or tubes as described with crank arms projecting
inwards, and I link the two crank arms on the one side of the vehicle to the opposite
equal arms of a horizontal lever pivotted on the vehicle, this lever having another
arm projecting obliquely backwards and inwards, which arm is linked to one arm
of an equal armned horizontal lever transverse to the pole or carrying the shafts.
I, in like manner, connect the crank arms on the other side of the vehicle to the
other arm of the pole or shaft carrying lovor. When the pole is turned towards
right or left, owing to the arrangement of the levers and the oblique direction of
the arms, to which the pole or lever is linked, the two wheels on the side towards
which the pole is turned are locked in the one direction to a greater extent than

page_text: the wheels on the other side which are locked in the opposite direction, and thus
all the wheels are approximately tangential to the curves in which they have to
travel as the vehicle turns.
It is often necessary, for convenience of transport of vehicles, to sling them so
as to transfer them to or from shipboard. In order to facilitate this, I attach to
the tops of the vertical bars or tubes, shackles by which the vehicle can be slung
from a crane or the like. Also, in order to adapt such a vehicle for travelling
over very rough ground, I provide on each of the vertical bars or tubes a move-
able collar which bears on the helical spring and can be fixed by a cross pin or
otherwise at different heights on the bar or tube. By means of a toggle lever
acting between this collar and a fixed collar, above I can push the former down
the bar or tube thus compressing the spring and raising the body of the vehicle
relatively to the wheels. I can then fix the collar at the desired place and remove
the toggle lever and apply it to another of the bars or tubes. When the vehicle
is provided with the described means of lifting its body, the lovers and links for
locking the wheels are arranged on the roof.
Dated this 1st day of March 1895.
I, HENRY VINCENT HOLDEN, of No. 24 Coleman Street, in the City of
London, Merchant, 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 :-
In the Specification No. 13522 of 1894 is described a construction of roaď
vehicles, the wheels of which, instead of turning on axles which extend across the
vehicle, run on short axles or studs projecting from blocks which slide on vertical
tubes surrounded by helical springs. The said Specification also describes the
connection of these sliding blocks by cranks and links to one another and to arms.
moved by the pole or the shafts in such a way as to cause the wheels to lock or
partially turn on vertical axes so as to facilitate the turning of the vehicle round
curves of small radius.
1
My present invention rolates to improvements applicable to vehicles of this kind
whereby I render the locking action more certain and accurate and provide fox.
transport of the vehicle and for varying its height from the ground.
When only the front pair of wheels have to lock I employ the arrangement
shewn in elevation in Figure 1 and in plan in Figure 2 for a vehicle having a pole,
and the like views in Figures 3 and 4 for a vehicle having shafts,
fit the
blocks A which carry their stud axles so as to slide up and down on vertical rods
or tubes B but with keys or feathers which prevent them from turning round on
these rods or tubes, which are themselves mounted in bearings so that they can
turn, To the rods or tubes 131 fix crank arms C C projecting forwards and
outwards at an inclination to the longitudinal centre line of the vehicle. I link
these arms to a pin D on the pole in front of the pin E on which the pole enn turn,.
this latter piu being situated ou a transverse bar F connecting the two sliding
blocks A, and in the line joining the centres on which they can turn. When the
pole is turned to right or left, it causes both the crank arms to turn, locking or
turning both the wheels on vertical axes, but owing to the oblique direction of the
crank arms C¹ C, turning the one wheel, namely that towards which the polo is
· །

page_text: turned, through a greater angle than the other wheel. Thus the wheel which
travels along the inside curve, or curve of less radius, is locked to a greater extent
than the wheel which travels along the outside curve of greater radius, and
therefore the line joining the vertical axes on which the wheels turn is more nearly
radial to the curve than if both wheels were equally locked or turned on vertical axes.
When shalts are used instead of a pole, I attach these shafts as shewn in Figures 3
and 4 to the two arms of a lever G transverse to the vehicle, and link the crank
arms of the locking wheels to an arm H of this lever which takes the place of
the pole.
↑
When all four wheels bave to be locked for travelling freely round curves, I adopt
the arrangement shown in side view in Figure 5, in end view in Figure 6, and in plan
in Figure 7. 1 provide their vertical guide rods or tubes B as described with
crank arms C C projecting obliquely inwards, and 1 link the two crank arms C
on the one side of the vehicle to the opposite equal arms of a horizontal lever L'
pivotted on the vehicle, this lever having another arm projecting obliquely back-
wards and inwards, which arm is linked to one arm K' of an equal armed horizontal
lever transverse to the pole or carrying the shafts. I, in like manner, connect the
crank arms C on the other side of the vehicle through a lever L' and arm 1 to the
other arm K of the pole or shaft carrying lever K' K'. When the pole is turned
towards right or left, owing to the arrangement of the levers L L and the
oblique direction of the arms C' C' to which the pole or lever is linked, the two
wheels on the side towards which the pole is turned are locked in the one direction
to a greater extent than the wheels on the other side which are locked in the
opposite direction, and thus all the wheels are approximately tangential to the
curves in which they have to travel as the vehicle turns. The system of arms C'C',
levers L' L' and K K are conveniently arranged above the roof of the vehicle in
which case the lever K' K' is connected to the polo by a vertical rod or tube M
turning in bearings like the rods or tubes B.
It is often necessary, for convenience of transport of vehicles, to sling them so
as to transfer them to or from shipboard. In order to facilitate this, I attach
to the tops of the vertical bars or tubes B, shackles S by which the vehicle can be
slung from a crane or the like. Also as shewn in Figures 8 and 9 in order to
adapt such a vehicle for travelling over very rough ground, I provide on each of
the vertical rods or tubes B a moveable collar N which bears on the helical
spring P aud can be fixed by a cross piu or otherwise at different heights on the
rod or tubo B. By means of a toggle lever R acting between this collar aud a
fixed collar Q above I can push the collar N down the rod or tube B thus raising
the body of the vehicle relatively to the wheels. 1 can then fix the collar N at
the desired place and remove the toggle lever R and apply it to another of the
rode or tubes B. When the vehicle is provided with the described means of
lifting its body, the levers and links for locking the wheels are arranged on the roof
as shewn.
Having now ascertained and described the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what i claim is :
1. For locking the front wheels of road vehicles having their axles projecting
from vertically sliding blocks, in combination with the front rods or tubes ou which
the blocks slide, arms standing obliquely forwards and outwards and linked to a
pin on the pole or its equivalent, in front of the pin on which the pole turns,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. For locking the four wheels of road vehicles such as are above referred
to, in combination with the four rods or tubes on which the axle blocks slide,
arms standing obliquely inwards, each pair linked to opposite arms of a lever,
a third arin of which is linked to an arm of a lever rocking with the pole,
substantially as described.
3. In a four wheeled vehicle of the kind above referred to, shackles attached to

page_text: the vertical rods or tubes on which the axle blocks slide, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
4. The herein described method of raising the body of the vehicle.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.