Improvements in and relating We
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
Improvements in and relating
We, CHARLES GAUTIER and XAVIER WEHRLE, both of 31 rue Cavé in Levallois
Perret (Seine) in the Republic of France, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of automotive vehicles.
These improvements which concern the special arrangement of the motor upon
the frame of the vehicles, an engaging and disengaging device with the action of
a wedge and band gear, and a regulator for the ignition will be clearly understood
from the following description.
In order to obviate the vibrations resulting from the position occupied by the
motor in automotive vehicles as at present used, we place this motor so that its
cylinders lie horizontally in the transverse direction of the frame of the vehicle.
The driving shaft carries in the usual manner a fly wheel, in the interior of which
the engaging and disengaging device constructed according to our invention is
arranged.
The fly wheel is provided with a projecting rim of wood or metal, with the surface
of which is adapted to engage a metallic elastic band covered with leather, or other
material,
The extremity of the driving shaft turns upon a prolongation or extension upon
which a sleeve can slide which carries the cog wheels for the change of speed which
wheels are so arranged as to engage with other wheels. Upon this extension shaft
is further arranged a slide collar provided with a key sliding in a corresponding
groove of the said shaft which is thus enabled to operate the said collar.
This slide collar which is caused to advance or recede upon the extension shaft
carries two prolongations forming inclined planes upon their exterior surfaces which
act upon the lower interior portion of two branches pivotally connected to the upper
part of a bridge piece the lower branch of which is fixed to the elastic band. The
central part of this bridge piece is keyed upon the shaft, which carries the same
along when the engaging coupling is acting.
Each branch is connected by a set screw to ears fixed to the free extremities of
the elastic band which can only be opened when a disengaging pedal is acted upon.
This latter is connected to the pivoted lever carrying the fork in engagement
with the sliding collar through the medium of levers and connecting rods; during
the action the coupling is obtained by a spiral spring which forces the wedges or
inclined planes to cause the pivoted branches to recede and consequently to apply
the elastic band to the projecting rim of the fly wheel.
It is evident from the preceding that when the coupling is acting, the shaft
extension is actuated together with the driving shaft through the medium of the.
elastic band, of the branches and of the bridge piece the sliding collar as well as
the wedges or inclined planes likewise turn with the extension shaft.
In order to disengage the device, the conductor of the vehicle acts upon the pedal,
the effect of which is that the aforesaid lever is caused to turn on its pivot; the
sliding collar is then drawn outward the wedges or inclined planes, while recoiling,
enable the branches to approach each other under the action of the elastic band
which alone opens and is no longer carried along by the rim of the fly wheel.
This arrangement permits of changing the speed without the teeth of the wheels
being broken; for this purpose the disengaging pedal is acted upon, thus the speed

page_text: is changed and then the pedal is gradually released so as to again throw the device
into gear.
Another improvement consists in providing the petroleum motor with a regulator
connected to two levers; the second lever actuates a ring turning loosely upon the
driving shaft; upon this ring several metal blades are fixed which form the contacts
rubbing upon an insulated disc provided with one or several metal plates. This
arrangement in combination with the ordinary commutator allows of accelerating or
retarding the moment of ignition according to the speed of the motor; the blades
which pass in front of the contact, thus produce a spark at the required moment, so
that the explosions take place exactly when the compression has been effected, that
is to say, when the pistons are at the end of their stroke and irrespective of what
may be the speed of the motor. This regulator, acting in this manner, serves
likewise to regulate the maximum speed of the motor.
Dated this 4th day of August 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Motor Vehicles.
We, CHARLES GAUTIER and XAVIER WEHRLE, both of 31 rue Cavé, in Levallois
Perret (Seine) in the Republic of France, Engineers, 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 construction of motor vehicles.
These improvements which comprise the arrangement of the motor upon the
frame of the vehicle, an engaging and disengaging device with the action of a wedge
and band gear, and a regulator for the ignition will be clearly understood from the
following description, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a side view of a motor vehicle constructed according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a rear view of the motor.
Figure 4 is a front view of the engaging and disengaging device on a larger scale.
Figure 5 is a cross section of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a horizontal section thereof and
Figure 7 a plan of Figure 4.
In order to obviate the vibrations resulting from the position occupied by the
motor in notor vehicles as at present used, we place this motor A so that its
cylinders B B lie horizontally and in a transverse direction to the frame c of
the vehicle.
The driving shaft a carries in the usual manner a fly wheel b, in the interior of
which the engaging and disengaging device constructed according to our invention
is arranged.
As will be seen from Figures 4 to 7 the fly wheel b is provided with a projecting
rim c of wood or metal, with the surface of which is adapted to engage a metallic,
elastic band d, covered with leather or other material e.
The extremity f of the driving shaft a turns upon a prolongation or extension g
upon which a sleeve h can slide which carries the cog wheels i i¹ 2 for the change
of speed which wheels are so arranged as to engage with other wheels. Upon
this extension shaft is further arranged a slide collar provided with a key sliding
in a corresponding groove of the said shaft which is thus enabled to rotate the
said collar.
This slide collar k which is caused to advance or recede upon the extension
shaft g, carries two prolongations m forming inclined planes upon their exterior
surfaces which act upon the lower interior- portion of two branches n pivotally

page_text: connected at o to the upper part of a bridge piece p, the lower branch of which is
fixed to the elastic band d. The central part q of this bridge piece p is keyed upon
the shaft g, which carries the same along when the engaging coupling is acting.
Each branch n is connected by a set screw to ears 8 fixed to the free extremities
of the elastic band d, which can only be opened when the disengaging pedal t
is acted upon.
This latter is connected to the pivoted lever u carrying the fork vin engagement
with the sliding collar k through the medium of levers and connecting rods; during
the action the coupling is obtained by a spiral spring x which forces the wedges or
inclined planes m to cause the pivoted branches n to recede and consequently to
apply the elastic band to the projecting rim c of the fly wheel b.
It is evident from the preceding that when the coupling is acting, the shaft
extension g is actuated together with the driving shaft a through the medium of
the elastic band d, of the branches n and of the bridge piece p; the sliding collar k
as well as the wedges m or inclined planes likewise turn with the extension shaft g.
In order to disengage the device, the conductor of the vehicle acts upon the
pedal t, the effect of which is that the aforesaid lever u is caused to turn on its
pivot in the direction of the arrow y (Figure 2); the sliding collar k is then drawn
outward in the direction of the arrow t (Figure 6), the wedges or inclined planes m,
while recoiling, enable the branches n to approach each other under the action of
the elastic band d, which alone opens and is no longer carried along by the rim c
of the fly wheel b.
This arrangement permits of changing the speed without the teeth of the wheels
being broken; for this purpose the disengaging pedal is acted upon, thus the speed
is changed and then the pedal is gradually released so as to again throw the
device into gear.
Another improvement consists in providing the petroleum motor with a regulator
or governor a connected to two levers b¹ cl; the lever c¹ actuates a ring d¹ turning
loosely upon the driving shaft a; upon this ring several metal blades are fixed
which form the contacts el rubbing upon an. insulated disc provided with one or
several metal plates. This arrangement in combination with. the ordinary commu-
tator allows of accelerating or retarding the moment of ignition according to the
speed of the motor; the blades e¹ which pass in front of the contact, thus produce
a spark at the required moment, so that the explosions take place exactly when the
compression has been effected that is to say when the pistons are at the end of
their stroke and irrespective of what may be the speed of the motor. This regulator,
acting in this manner, serves likewise to regulate the maximum speed of the motor.
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:―
The hereindescribed improvements applied to the construction of motor-vehicles
and more especially :
1. The arrangement of the motor upon the frame of the vehicle in such a manner
that the cylinders are located horizontally in a transverse direction, for the purpose
of avoiding vibrations, substantially as described.
2. The improved elastic band and wedge-coupling; substantially as described
with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawing.
3. The device for increasing or reducing the ignitions by means of a regulator,
according to the speed of the motor.
4. The improvements in motor vehicles substantially as. herein described with
reference to the accompanying drawing and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 4th day of May 1907
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.