Improvements in or relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
Improvements in or relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
A Communication from LA SOCIÉTÉ NOUVELLE DES ETABLISSEMENTS DECAUVILLE
AINE, Engineering Works, of 13, Boulevard Malesherbes, Paris, in the
Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in motor-vehicles, the essential features
of which are hereinafter described and illustrated, by way of example, in the
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevation of a motor-vehicle according to this
invention.
Figure 2 is a partial back elevation,
Figure 3 a partial plan corresponding to Fig. 2,
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detail-views being respectively a longitudinal elevation,
a plan and cross sections of the construction of framing and steering gear and
method of suspension.
The body A of the carriage is carried on the frame B, the construction of which
will be hereinafter described. Under said body the frame B carries the motor C
with all its accessories, such as oil-tank D, carburetter E, exhaust silencer F,
as well as the gearing for transmitting motion from the motor to the rear-wheels,
comprising a coupling disc G driven by the shaft H of the motor, and transmitting
motion to another shaft I in line with it, carrying toothed wheels JK for trans-
mitting motion and changing speed, said wheels J and K being adapted to engage,
either one or the other according to the speed desired with a toothed wheel L carried
on a shaft M parallel to the shaft I and driving the back or driving wheels O by
means of a differential gear N.
On the outer circumference of the drum of the differential gear N are arranged
two brake bands PQ both operated by means of levers actuated by pedals R
passing through the floor of the body A and arranged so as to be capable of being
conveniently operated by means of the feet of the driver or occupant of the vehicle.
The band P can be actuated separately by means of its corresponding pedal when
it is desired only to reduce the speed. The band Q acts in combination with the
friction coupling G when it is desired to stop the vehicle suddenly. For this
purpose the pedal R by means of which it is operated is connected by means of
levers ST with the band Q and is also connected by means of levers SUV to the
operating lever W of the coupling G so that by moving the band Q the coupling G
is simultaneously thrown in or out of gear.
The driver has also within his reach the operating lever A' for throwing the
toothed wheels J K into or out of gear with the wheel L in order to obtain the
speed desired. Both wheels JK are mounted on the same sleeve 131 which parti-
cipates in the rotation of the shaft I and is capable of sliding longitudinally on

page_text: it, being operated by a lever C₁ connected to the lever A¹ by means of the hinged
levers D E. Within the reach of the driver is also the handle bar G¹ on the top
of the steering rod F¹, the lower end of which is provided with a rod H¹ operating
the front steering wheels I¹ as will be hereinafter described; also the starting hand
wheel J which when turned causes its spindle K¹ to turn, said spindle carrying at
its lower end a bevel pinion L' engaging with a corresponding pinion M¹ combined
with a pawl gear N₁ keyed on the front end of the shaft H of the motor; and
finally, a small handle for operating pressure cocks 01 of the cylinders of the
motor, and three small levers adapted to be held in variable positions on notched
and graduated segments, said levers controlling respectively the proportions of the
explosive mixture by means of the cock P₁, the admission of the charge to the
motor by means of the double cock P¹ and the retarding or accelerating of
the ignition by means of an electric device producing a spark in the explosion
chambers.
L
The motor C has two cylinders R' S¹ each comprising a valve-chest, explosion-
chamber, electric igniting device and the usual accessories. The bedplate or casing
of the motor consists of two symmetrical parts secured together and forming
box T supporting the cylinders. The box or casing completely encloses the cranks
and fly-wheels and is secured by means of lugs or projections U₁ V₁ to the fram-
ing B by means of collars U2 V2 secured to the longitudinal members of said frame.
On each side of the motor C are symmetrically arranged-also supported by the
collars U2 V8-an oil-tank D and the carburetter E, supplied from the former.
A single automatic lubricating device W lubricates all the parts through suit-
ably arranged tubes A³. A tube 12 serves to relieve any excessive pressure that
may be produced in the box T owing to the rotation of the parts within it.
The cylinders of the motor, as well as their valve-chests and explosion chambers
are provided with very thin radiating plates or ribs of such surface as to ensure
these parts being kept sufficiently cool.
The framing B made preferably of steel-tubing is constituted by two parallel
longitudinal members C connected at each end by transverse members D³ carry-
ing the axles or journals of the wheels by means of suitable bearings and sockets.
Intermediate transverse bars E2 E3 E as well as vertical uprights F2 F2 and
inclined uprights G2 G³ serve to support and fix the body of the carriage.
Ties H2 H3 with stays H4 are combined with each longitudinal member C2 for the
purpose of strengthening and increasing the rigidity of the frame B. The stays H*
are connected at their lower ends by a cross stay I³ ensuring and completing the
rigidity and strength of the whole.
The front wheels I¹ are carried by the front transverse rod D2 of the frame B,
provided for this purpose with vertical sockets I) at their ends. The axles Ja
of the wheels are held horizontally in sockets K2 provided with a vertical
spindle L passing through the sockets D with a slight amount of friction.
The lower end of these spindles forms near the sockets K³ shoulders L³, their
upper ends projecting beyond the sockets D being respectively attached to corre-
sponding ends of a laminated suspension spring L³, attached at its centre to the
fixed cross bar D2 of the frame B by means of a rod M². The guiding and support
of the spindles L is completed by means of caps N2 at their upper ends adapted
to slide over the upper portion 02 of the sockets I, which they serve as a cover.
To ensure complete stability of steering, that is to say, to render it insensible to
shocks which in motor-vehicles of the usual construction compel the driver to hold
the steering handle securely and continuously the handle operating the steering rod,
the axes På (Fig. 5) of the journals of the front wheels and the axes Q3 of the corre
sponding spindles L', are arranged in different vertical planes, as may be seen in
Figs. 1, 4 and 5 where the axis P³ is nearer the centre of the frame B than the
axis Q³.
$11
The steering is effected by means of hinged levers R² S2 T2 U3 (Fig. 5) these
Jatter levers Us being connected to the rods V³ V* secured to the sockets supporting
the axle-journals.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what claim is:-
1. A motor-vehicle comprising a carriage body A carried on a tubular metallic
frame B and secured to it by means of transverse bars, vertical uprights, as F³,
and other inclined uprights, as G2, the motor mechanism being arranged at the
back of the vehicle, below the main seat of the vehicle on which are arranged the
steering rod F¹, the lever A¹ for throwing the driving and speed changing
mechanism in or out of gear, the pedals R operating the brake, the hand wheel J₁
operating the spindle for starting the motor, and levers or handles by means of
which the working of the motor is regulated substantially as described.
2. Motor-mechanism and transmission gear comprising a motor C with casing Ti
provided with lugs U₁ V₁ for securing it to the carriage frame, the shaft of said
motor being combined with bevel pinions L' M' and a pawl device N¹ for starting
effected by means of the spindle K and also with a friction coupling disc G trans-
mitting motion to a shaft carrying a sleeve B provided with toothed wheels J K
for transmitting motion and changing the rate of speed of the vehicle the sleeve
being movable longitudinally on its shaft by means of a lever A' for the purpose
of bringing either wheel J K into engagement with a toothed wheel M transmit-
ting motion to the back wheels of the vehicle by means of differential gearing sub-
stantially as described.
3. The combination with the periphery of the drum of the differential gear N
of two brake bands one being adapted to work singly and independently of the
other for obtaining reduction of speed the second band operating to stop the vehicle
in combination with the friction coupling disc G in such manner that said disc is
thrown out of gear the motor being disconnected from the transmission gear
before the action of the brake band takes place substantially as described.
4. The arrangement of the frame B with longitudinal members C³ transverse end
members D2 intermediate transverse members E2 E3 E uprights F2 G2 and
ties H2 H3 with straps H* and cross stay 13 said frame supporting the body of the
carriage as well as the motor and its mechanism said motor and mechanism being
carried within the framing by collars on the longitudinal members of the framing
and which on the outside support the oil tank, carburetter or other accessories of
the motor substantially as described.
5. The suspension and front steering device comprising a transverse spring L³
secured at its centre to the transverse member 12 by means of a rod M and
attached at its ends to the upper ends of vertical spindles L* of sockets carrying the
axles of the road wheels said spindles passing with a slight amount of friction
through the sockets 1) formed at the ends of the transverse member D2 and being
nearer the central axis of the carriage than the axles of the road wheels substan-
tially as and for the purpose described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete motor
vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 of the accom-
panying drawings.
7. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete motor
vehicle framing substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 4, 5, 6,
and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
+300