Improvements in Motor Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application. 8th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motor Road Vehicles.
I, CHARLES HENRY BARROWS, of 41 Bank Street, in the City of Willimantic,
County of Windham, and State of Connecticut, United States of America, Label
Cutter, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained by the
following statement:-
In my present improvement in motor vehicles I have in view the provision of a
novel organization of the steering, propulsion and braking mechanism which are
so arranged that the power of the motor may be applied to propel the vehicle at
the desired speed without the provision of special speed reducing gearing, of clutch
devices or other accessory mechanism, while at the same time the steering devices
are under the easy control of the motorman for the purpose of guiding the vehicle
and for regulating its speed, and the brake device can be operated to retard
or arrest the vehicle by continuing the movement that disengages the motor from
the driving wheel.
These several mechanisms are combined in the simplest practicable manner so as
to reduce to a minimum the number of parts and yet place the propulsion and
controlling devices wholly at the control of the motorman.
With these ends in view, the leading feature of my invention consists of a
steering handle or lever carrying a motor to be engaged with or disengaged
from the driving wheel of the machine in a manner to avoid interfering with
the movement or adjustment of the steering handle or bar necessary to the guidance
of the vehicle.
The invention further consists in a steering handle or lever which is hung or
connected at an intermediate point of its length with the fork or frame of the
steering wheel, combined with a brake shoe or shoes carried on one end of the
steering handle or lever and a propelling motor carried by the handle or lever on
the opposite side of the fulcrum of said handle or lever from the brake shoe or
shoes, the parts being so organized that a movement of the steering handle in
one direction throws the motor into engagement with the driving wheel and moves
the brake shoes away from said wheel, but a reverse movement of the lever
operates to move the motor out of engagement with the driving wheel and at the
same time applies the brake shoes to the driving wheel.
The invention further consists in the novel combination of devices, and in the
construction and arrangements of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described
and claimed.
To enable others to understand my invention, I have illustrated the different
embodiments of the same in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
specification, and in which,-
Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of my motor vehicle in which an
electric motor is mounted on the steering handle or lever.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of one construction of the frame or fork
for the steering and driving wheel, the steering handle or lever, and a part of the
frame.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of another embodiment of the vehicle in
which a gas or explosive engine is mounted on the steering handle or lever in a

page_text: manner to utilize the power of the engine shaft for application to the driving and
steering wheel of the vehicle.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
Referring more particularly to the embodiment of my invention illustrated by
Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the letter A designates the front wheel which serves both
as the steering wheel and as the propelling wheel. This wheel is a duplex one,
that is to say, it has two rims or treads carried on a single axle. In practice,
I may make this wheel with two fellies a, a, two sets of spokes a', a single hub a 2
and with resilient tires a 3 seated on the fellies a, a, but the detailed construction
of this duplex wheel may be varied within wide limits without departing from my
invention. The hub a 2 of the duplex wheel is fitted in a suitable way to a
non-rotating axle & which is mounted in the lower ends of the fork or frame B,
which fork serves as the support for the front end of the main carrying frame C.
I prefer to construct the front part of the carrying frame C, and the fork or
front wheel frame B, in the manner shown more clearly by Figure 3 of the
drawing. The side bars c, c, of this carrying frame have their front ends
inclined or curved upwardly, as at e, thence inwardly to e2 and thence upwardly
to form the short arms c 3.
The front wheel frame or fork B is made with two legs and a cross head
similar to the steering forks of bicycles except that the legs are spaced some-
what further apart in order to accommodate the duplex wheel A. To this head
of the fork B is rigidly mounted a pendent d having a step bearing d' at its lower
end. Passing through the head of the fork is a long sleeve or bearing e, and in
this sleeve is fitted the vertical king bolt or spindle D, which spindle has its
lower end fitted in the step bearing d carried by the pendent d. The upper end
of the king bolt or spindle D is squared or made polygonal in form, as at el, and
said end e protrudes above the sleeve e to enable the arms c3 of the frame
bars c to be fitted against opposite sides of the polygonal end e¹ of the king bolt;
said ends e 3 of the frame bars and the king bolt being securely united tugether by
means of a clasp or coupling e 2 which is shown as fitting around the ends e3,
of said frame C and king bolt.
F is the steering handle or lever which carries a motor ur engine G and the
brake shoe or shoes H. The steering handle or lever is preferably made or
fashioned as an open frame to adapt it to straddle or embrace the pendent d,
rigid with the steering fork B, and this lever or handle F is fulcrumed at an
intermediate point of its length by a pivotal bolt which passes through the
lever or handle F and the pendent d. Said steering handle or lever passes between
the spaced rims or treads of the duplex wheel and below the head of the steering
fork, so that the front end of the lever or handle F projects beyond one side of
the wheel A and its rear end projects beyond the rear side of said wheel as
shown. This rear end of the lever is formed into, or provided with, a suitable
handle which is within convenient reach of the motorman or steersman seated
on the vehicle.
On this lever F between its handle and the fulcrum is mounted the motor
or engine G. The character of the motor illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 is an
electric motor which has its bed or foundation plate fastened in any suitable way
to the frame-like lever F. The motor shaft g extends beyond the sides of the
lever F, and on the ends of said shaft g is keyed or otherwise secured the driving
pulleys I, I which are adapted to have frictional contact with the tires a 3 of the
duplex driving wheel A.
As shown, the tires a 3 of the duplex wheel A are made with convex treads,
but the treads of the driving pulleys are concave to adapt the pulleys to have
close frictional engagement with the duplex wheel; but this is not material and
the parts may be reversed or given other forms at the option of skilled
mechanics.
The brake shoe or shoes H are fixed to the front end of the steering lever or

page_text: handle, and said shoes are arranged on the lower side of the lever or handle so as
to face towards the treads of the duplex wheel.
I prefer to balance the lever or handle F so that it will be in a substantially
horizontal position with its brake shoes and the driving pulleys I of the motor out
of engagement with the treads of the duplex wheel. This lever may be balanced
against the weight of the motor G by suspending cells of an electric storage
battery from the end of the lever F which carries the brake shoes H, as indicated
at J. Enough of these cells to counterbalance the weight of the electric motor
may be suspended from the lever F while the remaining cells of the storage battery
may be arranged on supports suspended between the rims of the wheel A. It is
to be understood that the cells are to be coupled together and to the motor in well
known ways to supply current of electrical energy sufficient to run the motor G.
If preferred, the lever F may be balanced against the weight of the motor by
suspension or pressure springs, or a system of weighted levers, or other appliances
which may be arranged compactly with relation to the vehicle.
The rear part of the main carrying frame C supports a suitable low down
axle k, on which is fitted the rear wheels K, the latter being preferably equipped
with inflatable tires. On the frame C is supported the body L, having the seat 1,
all of which parts may be of any suitable or preferred construction.
In order to secure great leverage on the front wheel and to apply the power
efficiently and economically, I make this front wheel A of much greater diameter
than the rear carrying wheels K.
To start the vehicle, the attendant presses down on the handle f¹ to move the
lever F in a direction to bring the motor-driven pulleys I into frictional contact
with the treads of the duplex wheel. The lever is depressed far enough to press
the pulleys I into such contact with the duplex wheel as to rotate the same and
propel the vehicle at a low speed, but when it is desired to increase the speed the
lever F may be still further pressed down to increase the frictional contact
between the driving pulleys and the duplex wheel and thereby decrease the extent
of "slip" between the pulleys and wheel so as to rotate the wheel A and propel
the vehicle at faster speed.
The motor may rotate continuously and the speed of the vehicle may be
governed by regulating the frictional contact between the duplex wheel A and the
motor-driven pulleys I. A suitable rheostat and switch mechanism is provided
by which the number of cells in the electric circuit may be regulated to supply a
current of more or less energy to the motors. To stop the vehicle, the operator
releases or lifts the lever F to raise the motor-driven wheels out of engagement
with the duplex wheel. If the vehicle is traveling at a fast speed, the handle fof
the lever is raised far enough to press the other end of the lever down to a point
where the brake shoes come into engagement with the duplex wheel A so as to
arrest the vehicle, but if the vehicle is traveling at a slow gait, it may not be
necessary to raise the lever F far enough to bring the brake shoes against the
wheel. To steer the vehicle the attendant simply turns the handle f' and lever F
to the right or left, and with this lever F turns the fork B and the front wheel A,
the fork B and the sleeve e turning around the fixed king bolt or spindle D.
In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated an explosive gas or hydrocarbon
motor in connection with my improved vehicle. This gas engine M which I employ
may be of any approved or preferred pattern, and this engine may be hung bottom
side up under the steering lever so as to be supported thereby, or said engine may
be arranged vertically on the lever For it may be arranged horizontally on the
top side of the lever. The engine shaft is so arranged that the driving pulleys
will engage with the treads of the duplex wheel, and the weight of this engine is
distributed on the lever or it may be wholly or partially balanced by springs,
weighted levers, or other checking appliances. In this embodiment of my vehicle,
the lever F is hung by a long hinge as at n.
I do not limit myself to the construction and arrangement of parts herein showa
and described under different embodiments of invention because I am aware that

page_text: the details can be varied by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit
or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, as for instance the steering fork
may have the lever swiveled thereto above the head of the fork, or the frame C
and fork B may be coupled together in a different way than that shown by
Figure 3, or spur gear wheels may be used on the wheel A and in lieu of the
friction pulleys I. I therefore reserve the right to make such modifications and
changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention, the gist of which consists
in a steering lever connected to a steering fork of a propelling and steering wheel,
combined with a motor which is carried by said steering lever in a manner to be
engaged with and disengaged from said wheel; also in a brake device also mounted
on the steering lever and movable therewith into and out of engagement with the
said wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be preferred, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a motor vehicle, the combination of a steering lever or handle, and a
motor carried by said handle or lever and movable therewith into and out of
engagement with a wheel, substantially as and for the purposes described.
2. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering lever, of a motor carried
by said lever on one side of its fulcrum, and a brake device also carried by said
lever but on the opposite side of its fulcrum from the motor, substantially as
described.
3. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering fork, and a steering and
driving wheel, of a steering lever fulcrumed to said steering fork, a motor carried
by said lever and movable therewith into and out of engagement with said wheel,
and a brake device also carried by the steering lever to ride upon and be free from
said wheel substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering and driving wheel, and
a steering fork, of a steering lever, a motor, and a brake mechanism; said
motor and brake mechanism carried by the lever on opposite sides of its fulcrum
and said parts movable with the steering lever to alternately ride upon said wheel,
substantially as described.
5. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering and driving wheel, and a
fork, of a steering lever hung on the fork, a motor carried by the steering lever,
and mechanism to counterbalance with the weight of the motor on said steering
lever, substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering fork, of a duplex wheel
journaled on said fork, a steering lever hung to said fork, a motor carried by said
steering lever, and wheels driven by the motor and arranged on the lever to be
thrown into and out of engagement with said duplex wheel by proper movement of
said steering lever, substantially as described.
7. In a motor vehicle, the combination with a steering fork, and a wheel, of a
spindle or king bolt passing through the head of said fork, a pendent rigid with the
lever, a steering lever on said peudent, a motor carried by the lever, and a wheeled
frame coupled to the spindle or king bolt, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of September 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.