Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Starting, Stopping, and Steering of Power-driven Vehicles and Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 27th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
ROVISIONAL
Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Starting, Stopping, and
Steering of Power-driven Vehicles and Vessels.
I ANDREW AINSLIE COMMON of 63 Eaton Rise, Ealing, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object the simplification of the usual methods of
starting, stopping, and steering power-driven vehicles and vessels, by bringing
the movements required in manipulating, more in conformity with those required
in driving horses with reins, similar movements in the one case giving similar
movements in the other.
In carrying out this invention, I use a lever arranged to move or rock preferably
in a direction lengthwise of the vehicle, for the purpose of starting and stopping,
and to which a movement of rotation round its own axis can be given, for the
purpose of steering.
In the case where it is intended that the person using this apparatus shall be
seated, I make the fulcrum of the lever at the floor level, at a convenient distance
from the seat, the lever being of a convenient length.
Above or below the floor, I have a slotted arm actuated by the lever, so as to
operate a valve switch or other regulating mechanism of the motive power. This
lever is provided with suitable springs, or other means which will return it to
its normal vertical position after it has been moved. The slot in the arm is so
arranged that the lever is free to move a portion of its whole distance backward,
without bringing back the arm with it, so that after the lever has moved the
arm over so far as to put on the full power, it will return to its normal position
free from the arm.
For the purpose of steering, I may have a cross arm at the top of the lever,
with two handles; or I may have a single lever handle, so that by moving the
lever round on its own axis, the steering will be effected either directly or through
suitable mechanical means, or by the use of the motive power available. This
steering lever may be the same lever as already mentioned, or may be a rod
running through the main lever. The amount of movement given by moving the
handle may be in proportion throughout, or it may be arranged so that a slight
movement of the handle shall give either more or less movement of the steering
wheels or rudder.
The lever may be arranged to act as a brake, either directly, or through
mechanism, or it may be arranged so that the backward movement necessary to
stop the machinery will, if continued, reverse it.
In the normal position of the lever, say on an electrically-driven motor car,
when the last movement of the lever has been to switch off the current, the lever
is then at the end of the slot in the arm working the switch, which it will at
once touch, when the movement to start is given and as the lever is moved,
more current is switched on. After each movement, the lever is free to come

page_text: to its normal position. When the whole current is acting, the lever in its normal
position is then ready at once to switch off the current, when pulled back.
Dated this 30th day of November 1896.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in the Starting, Stopping, and
Steering of Power-driven Vehicles and Vessels.
I ANDREW AINSLIE COMMON of 63 Eaton Rise, Ealing, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention has for its object the simplification of the usual methods of
starting, stopping, and steering power-driven vehicles and vessels, by bringing the
movements required in manipulating, more in conformity with those required in
driving horses with reins, similar movements in the one case giving similar
movements in the other.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a front view; and
Figs. 3, 4, and 5, are diagrams showing different positions of the parts.
In Fig. 1, I have shown in dotted lines the driver's seat, and so much of the
front of the car as is necessary to indicate the position of the new mechanism.
A is a lever which is provided at its upper end with a cross bar and handles B.
This lever is mounted so as to be capable of axial motion in a disc D, which
rocks vertically in suitable guides C attached to the body of the car, and forms
the pivot on which the lever A moves, in a direction parallel with the longitudinal
axis of the vehicle.
Below the pivot, the lever is divided, so that the upper part can move axially,
a socket E being provided at the junction. The lower part of the lever A is
pivotted at F to a rod G, on which are mounted springs H, H, having a fixed
abutment H, and acting in opposite directions to return the rod to its normal
position. The other end of this rod G is provided with a loop J, in which works
a pin I at one end of a rock lever or valve switch, having its fulcrum at K. The
other end of this lever moves across a contact plate L or its equivalent, and is
connected in any convenient manner with the generator of the power, whatever
that may be.
As this generator forms no part of the present invention, I have not thought
it necessary to show the same in the drawing.
The disc D is slotted to receive a bar N, which is mounted on the lever A. and
turns with it. This bar N I denominate the steering bar, and its ends will he
connected by chains or otherwise with the steering mechanism, which may be
of any convenient form.
M is a spring pin carried by the guide C, and arranged to take into a notch
on the edge of the disc, when the lever A is in its normal position. Thus, the
pin M serves as an indicator to inform the driver when his lever is in the proper
position.
The lever I, K, L, is of the same length as that of the lever A from its fulcrum D
te pivot F, and the fulcrum K is placed at a distance equal to one third of the
length of the lever.

page_text: In Fig. 1, the lever A is in its normal position, the pressure of the springs H, H',
Lein; equal on each side of the abutment H2, and the lever I K L in what may
be termed the stopping position.
The operation of the parts will be as follows:-Let the lever A be pushed over
to the dotted line on the left. This will move the rod G, compress the spring H,
drive the loop J to the right, up against the pin I, and finally push the lever I KL
to the dotted position, left, which may be called the starting position. The spring
will next return the lever A to its normal position, and the parts will assume the
positions indicated by the diagram Fig. 3.
To stop, the lever A will be drawn to the right, half the distance, to bring the
lever I KL centrally, and the lever A will return by the action of spring H¹
to the normal position as seen in diagram Fig. 4.
To reverse, the lever A will be drawn over to dotted position, right, and the
lever I K L will move in the same direction. The spring H¹ will be compressed
to return lever A to its normal position, when the parts will assume the position
indicated by diagram Fig. 5.
To steer, the cross bar will be turned by the handles B, which will communicate
like motion to the bar N through the lever A, which can move axially in the
disc D and socket E.
For the purpose of steering, I may have instead of the cross bar, at the top
of the lever A with two handles, a single lever handle, so that by moving the
lever round on its own axis, the steering will be effected. This steering lever may
be the lever A, as already mentioned, or it may be a red running through the
main lever. The amount of movement given by moving the handle, may be in
proportion throughout, or it may be arranged so that a slight movement of the
handle shall give either more or less movement of the steering wheels or rudder.
The lever A may be arranged to act as a brake, either directly or through
mechanism.
In the normal position of the lever A, say on an electrically-driven motor car,
when the last movement of the lever has been to switch off the current, the pin I
will be then at the end of the loop in the rod G, and it will be ready at once
to work the switch when the movement to start is given. As the lever A co-
tinues to move, more current is switched on. After each movement, the lever is
free to come to its normal position. When the whole current is acting, the lever
in its normal position is then ready at once to switch off the current when pulled
back.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would here remark
that I do not intend to confine myself to the exact details herein shown and
described, as these may be considerably varied, without departing from the nature
of my invention, but I declare that what I claim is :-
1. Operating the starting, stopping, reversing, and steering mechanisms of motor
carriages, by one and the same lever, and returning said lever to a normal position
after each movement, as herein shewn and described.
2. The means substantially as herein shown and described, for starting, stopping,
reversing, and steering motor carriages.
Datod this 27th day of August 1807