Improvements in and connected with Wheels for Mechanically Propelled Carriages.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Wheels for Mechanically
Propelled Carriages.
ERNEST JOHN CLUBBE, & ALFRED WILLIAM SOUTHEY, (Electrical Engineers),
both of 16, Elm Street, Gray's Inn Road, W.C., THE ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER
Co. LTD., having registered offices at 3, Salters Hall Court, Cannon Street, E.C.,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the form of centrally pivotted
steering wheels, shown diagramatically at Fig. 4 of our Letters Patent No. 14284/96.
In the ordinary horse-drawn vehicle the turning plate or pivot on which the
wheels turn for steering is protected from shock by the interposition of the
springs between the axle & the turning plate.
In separately pivotted wheels the turning point or pivot is in direct connection
with the wheels, & therefore subject to shocks producing considerable wear &
tear, and increasing the difficulty of steering.
According to our invention we interpose a spring or springs, preferably volute
steel springs or rubber pads, between the wheel journal, & the turning pivot &
also provide anti-friction bearings to the turning plate, the balls being protected
from crushing by the interposed springs.
We carry our invention into effect by constructing the hub of the steering
wheel with a suitable recess to contain a vertically pivotted box in which the
wheel journal rotates, this box is provided with the usual oil cap fitted at the
inner end.
The wheel spindle is preferably keyed into an outer extension of the hub of
the wheel, & it is evident with this form of bearing the wheel can be as readily
removed as an ordinary carriage wheel, by taking off the cap & nuts in the usual
manner.
The end of the main axle arm is provided with an eye, in which a turning
plate is fitted, or the turning plate may be made in one with the axle arm, the
upper pivot of the box is fitted concentrically in this turning plate, & is free to
move telescopically in it.
The turning plate if necessary may be provided with a ball race, in which
anti-friction balls work to reduce the friction of turning.
Below the turning plate we provide an elastic spring or cushion on which the
lower half of the turning plate is supported in order to relieve the pivotting
point from shocks by permitting the pivots of the box to play telescopically in
their bearings.
In order to hold the box & turning plate rigidly we provide a second axle
arm which is bolted to the main axle arm forming a forked end this second
axle arın is provided with an eye in which the lower pivot of the box turns.
A second spring may if required be fitted between the lower axle-arm & the
pivotted box.
It is evident that the above mentioned spring device may be used in connection

page_text: with the other wheels of the carriage, the steering pivot in this case not being
used.
Dated this 20th of T... 1007
Improvements in and connected with Wheels for Mechanically
Propelled Carriages.
ERNEST JOHN CLUBBE, (Engineer), of 53, Victoria Street, Westminster, London,
S.W., ALFRED WILLIAM SOUTHEY, (Engineer), of 10, Basinghall Street, London,
E.C., and THE ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER COMPANY LIMITED, (Motor Carriage
Builders) of 17 Tower Royal, Cannon Street, London, E.C., 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 relates to improvements in the form of centrally pivotted
steering wheels shown diagramatically at Fig. 4 of our Letters Patent No. 14284/96,
and is applicable also to other forms of separately pivotted steering wheels.
In the ordinary horse-drawn vehicle the turning plate or pivot on which the
wheels turn for steering is protected from shock by the interposition of the
springs between the axle and the turning plate.
In separately pivotted wheels the turning point or pivot is in direct connection
with the wheels, and therefore subject to shocks producing considerable wear and
tear, and increasing the difficulty of steering.
According to our invention we interpose a spring or springs preferably volute
steel springs or rubber pads, between the wheel journal and the turning pivot and
also provide anti-friction bearings to the turning plate, the balls being protected
from crushing by the interposed springs.
In carrying our invention into effect according to one method we construct
the hub of the steering wheel with a suitable recess to contain a vertically
pivotted box in which the wheel journal rotates, this box is provided with the
usual oil cap fitted at the inner end.
The wheel spindle is preferably keyed into an outer extension of the hub of
the wheel, and it is evident with this form of bearing that the wheel can be as
readily removed as an ordinary carriage wheel by taking off the cap and nuts in
the usual manner.
The end of the main axle arm is provided with an eye, in which a turning
plate is fitted, or the turning plate may be made in one with the axle arm, the
upper pivot of the box is fitted concentrically in this turning plate, and is free to
move telescopically in it.
The turning plate if necessary may be provided with a ball race, in which
anti-friction balls work to reduce the friction of turning.
Below the turning plate we provide an elastic spring or cushion on which the
lower half of the turning plate is supported in order to relieve the pivotting
point from shocks by permitting the pivots of the box to play telescopically in
their bearings.
In order to hold the box and turning plate rigidly we provide a second axle

page_text: arm which is bolted to the main axle arm, forming a forked end, this second
axle arm is provided with an eye in which the lower pivot of the box turns.
A second spring may if required be fitted between the lower axle-arm, and
the pivotted box.
It is evident, although we have particularly described our invention as applied
to separately and centrally pivotted steering wheels, that it is equally applicable
to separately pivotted steering wheels in which the pivotting point is excentric to
the pivotting circle of the wheel. The interposition of springs in this as in the
former case between the wheel journal and the pivotting point reduces the shock.
to wear at that point, and permits of the use of ball or equivalent bearings by
reducing the crushing strains.
Fig. 3 shows one method of carrying our invention into effect in the case of an
excentrically pivotted wheel.
Two methods of carrying our invention into effect are illustrated by Figs. 1
and 6 which are sections of the side elevation of so much of the steering wheels
of a mechanically driven vehicle as to enable the present invention to be under-
stood. Figs. 2 and 4 are sectional elevations of the outer end of the bearing of
the former respectively, Fig. 5 is a plan of the wheel, in both cases the hub
showing the position of the steering arm 1 which as shown is fixed to the
bearing C. In Fig. 1 A is the steering axle of the vehicle, B is the box or hub
of the steering wheel, C is the bearing mounted on or carried by the axle by
means of pivotting pieces C1 and C2, which are free to revolve and play teles-
copically in turning plates D.
These plates in turn being fitted into eyes made in the ends of the forks H
of the axle, the weight transmitted between the axle and the wheels may be
carried on anti-friction metal balls E, which are free to run in a ball race El
turned in the plates D on C 1.
On the pivot C1 and between the plate holding the anti-friction balls and
the bearings, are fitted pads F of rubber or other elastic material forming buffers
which take the whole weight between the axle fork and the wheel.
It is found desirable to provide a buffer F 1 of somewhat similar description
between the sleeve C and the plate D on C2, this merely to act as a check, there
being normally no weight or compression on F1.
An alternative method of carrying our invention into effect is shown by Fig. 6
which consists in providing volute or spiral steel springs G and G1 on the
pivots C1 and C2, in place of the buffers or pads already described.
Fig. 3 shows in manner corresponding to Figs. 1 and 6 the method of applying
our invention to excentrically pivotted steering wheels, the only difference as
compared with Fig. 6 being that the box B in Fig. is as it were reversed, so
that the bearing and the spokes carried by the box lie outside the pivotting
axis.
Our invention may also be applied to other forms of separately pivotted steering
wheels than those described, in a similar way, and for a similar purpose.
It will be easily seen that the anti-friction ball device described can be equally
well provided or fixed in this case where steel or other springs are employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In separately pivotted steering wheels the interposition of an elastic cushion
or other suitable spring between the wheel bearing and the axle-head, at the
pivotting point of the said wheel for the purpose of allowing a telescopic action
in line with the pivot, so as to reduce shocks, vibration, or wear.
2. The combination of vertical or approximately vertical pivot or pivots on
which the wheel turns to steer; bearings or turning plates carried rigidly or free
to revolve in suitable extensions of the fixed axle within which bearings the pivots

page_text: move telescopically, with or without rotation; elastic cushions or springs support-
ing the weight transmitted from the axle to the wheel bearing and controlling
the telescopic action, for the purposes described.
3. The alternative forms of a spring supported telescopic bearing for separately
pivotted steering wheels, substantially as and for the purposes described & as
shown in the drawings.
4. The combination of a vertical or approximately vertical pivot or pivots on
which the wheel turns to steer; a turning plate carried by the axle, surrounding
the said pivot; a corresponding turning plate carried by the wheel bearing;
balls or equivalent anti-friction devices interposed between the said turning
plates, and a spring interposed between the turning plate, transmitting the
weight of the vehicle and the wheel bearing, and said bearing controlling the
telescopic action of the said plate along the said pivot, all for the purposes
described.
E. J. CLUBBE.
A. W. SOUTHEY.
For THE ELECTRIC MOTIVE POWER CO. LTD.,
P. W. NORTHEY,
Managing Director.