Improvements in or relating to Motor Vehicles for Traction Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1900-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Motor Vehicles for Traction Purposes.
-
We, MAXIMILIAN NEUMAN, Director of VI Bathory-utcza, 10, Budapest, and
ALBERT STRASSER, Engineer, of VIII, Jozsef-utcza, 81, Budapest, in the Empire
of Austria, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle adapted to be connected to
any kind of vehicle for the purpose of serving as a means of traction for the
latter.
Since the improvements of motors for automobile purposes the necessity has
arisen of a traction motor such as would literally be used in place of
draught animals, i.e., could be available for any kind of vehicle. No strong
proof is required to show the great advantage and utility of such a traction
motor. It would be profitable to the private individual, for the acquisition of
separate motor carriages, motor waggons, motor-vans and the like means an
enormous outlay, and in the case of large firms engaged in traction business, it
is a necessity of the greatest importance for the vehicles frequently require repairs,
and must therefore be withdrawn, and the invested capital, unproductive during
the time of such forced idleness, must necessarily be greater when each vehicle
is separately provided with its own fixed motor.
To meet this drawback several suggestions have been made.
The proposed means are of two kinds. One consists of using fully developed
motor vehicles on which there is room only for the driver, and which are connected
with the vehicles to be drawn either by ordinary traction devices (chains or
the like) or in such a manner that the front platform of the carriage, after the
front wheels have been removed is made to rest on the rear-frame of the traction
motor, or fixed to it, which for this purpose is provided with four wheels.
The other system is characterised by the employment of a pair of wheels carrying
the motor and so arranged as to form the front part of any vehicle in such a
manner that it can be connected with any vehicle. (Such as in the Prétot, Kühl-
stein, and other devices).
All these proposals have been practically carried out, but they all proved that
something was still wanting. The use of an individually separate traction
motor, i.e., a kind of locomotive, is out of the question. The coupling used in
such a case can only be used between vehicles travelling on rails, for without
the latter, the lateral oscillations of the vehicles cannot be avoided.
The so-called platform cars, and the special front frame motors, do not satis-
factorily answer the purpose, because the coupling can be effected only after
corresponding alterations have been previously carried out. Moreover, two-axle
vehicles are very clumsy, which is a great drawback while the one-axle revolvably
constructed devices require preliminary alterations in the vehicles to be drawn,
and can neither be used for heavy loads nor steered on sharp curves.
But apart from the above shortcomings, these proposals fail to give a right

page_text: solution of the problem because they do not remove the grave drawbacks from
which motor cars generally suffer.
One of the evils, for instance consists in the vibration of the motor being trans-
mitted to the drawn vehicle, causing much shaking which is unpleasant for pas-
sengers, expensive in causing the breakage of fragile articles, damaging to the
frames of the vehicle in the case of heavy loads and dangerous to life in the case
of explosive material being carried.
Another drawback, one which will prove of decided importance, in many cases,
lies in the fact that, according to these proposals, the traction motor is not
individually separable from the drawn vehicle, and that the latter cannot be
quickly detached and left standing for instance as is required in all cases where
the loading or unloading of the vehicle required time, or when required to leave
one vehicle standing in one place and to attach the motor to another, the motor
of which may have proved insufficient to move the load cn, say an incline of
the road.
In view of these special uses to which a motor may be put it is evident that
a solution of the problem will only give full satisfaction, which will allow the
motors to be used in the way of draught animals, i.e., to harness as it were
one, two or more such motors to a vehicle when required, and to just as easily
disconnect them, and to substitute them again, as occasion arises with draught
animals.
To these advantages may be added the commercially very important one that
these motors need be classified only with regard to their power, all being available
for use in combination with any vehicle of any purpose or construction.
The present invention relates therefore to a traction vehicle consisting of a two-
wheeled frame carrying the motor with all its accessories, the wheels of which
although both driven by the motor are steered independently from each other
when necessary.
This motor vehicle or frame is connected by, say a short device with a vehicle
of any kind in such a manner that the front wheel frame of the latter is securely
coupled to the motor, or in such a manner as to allow a vertical displacement
only. Owing to this arrangement the front wheel frame of the said vehicle will
turn together with the motor car the two thus combined forming a two axle
guiding frame.
Owing to the simplicity of the arrangement a satisfactory solution of the
problem is thus obtained, and there is no need for further demonstration in order
to prove that such a traction car fulfils all the conditions required.
The motor apparatus itself may be of any kind. By way of example a motor
with four cylinders will be described, of which each opposite pair acts on the
driving shaft. The latter rotates in bearings in the frame which serves at the
same time as a standard for the motor. In this frame is also mounted in bear-
ings a transmission shaft geared by means of toothed pinions with the driving
shaft. The transmission shaft is provided at both ends with bevel wheels gearing
with other bevel wheels revolvably arranged on the frame and serving to actuate
large bevel wheels fixedly connected with the road wheels of the motor vehicle.
The axle stumps on which the road wheels are keyed together with the bevel
wheels are so connected at their inner ends to vertical bolts or pins pivoted in
corresponding portions of the frame, that they coincide with the axis of the inter-
mediate bevel wheels. The axle stumps are so connected by suitably arranged
bars etc. with a lever, that by actuating the latter, the motor rod wheels together
with the bevel wheels fixed on the latter may be made to rotate around the vertical
pin as required for the purpose of steering.
It should be observed here that the arrangement described above is not of
essential importance. It may be substituted by any other construction so long
as it provides for the steering of the actuated wheels of the traction car.
The frame is provided, preferably, with a coupling device that fits easily into
the fork of any kind of vehicle to be drawn, and serving as a rule for the fixing

page_text: of the pole shaft. Or the coupling device may itself be fork shaped in which
case it is connected by a short intermediate part with the other fork on the
vehicle.
The connection is preferably secured by means of pins which may be secured
in place by nuts or the like. Such a connection which allows of a vertical
movement will be found of great advantage especially where the roads are bad,
or where there is no road at all.
In order to make use of part of the weight of the vehicle for the purpose of
increasing the adhesion-weight of the traction vehicle the front wheels of the
rear vehicle may be connected by means of an arrangement of chain and chain
wheels with the actuated wheels of the traction vehicle. The front wheels of
the vehicle may also be driven by a direct transmission from the motor, in such
a case it is not absolutely necessary to also drive the wheels of the traction
vehicle.
In all cases, where a traction device is employed it can be instantly uncoupled,
leaving the vehicle standing in place, while the traction vehicle is ready for use
elsewhere. A vehicle provided with such a traction device is much shorter than
a like vehicle with draught animals, a condition which is of very great importance
in many cases.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1899
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant
We, MAXIMILIAN NEUMAN, Director of VI Bathory-utcza, 10, Budapest, and
ALBERT STRASSER, Engineer, of VIII, Jozsef-utcza, 81, Budapest, in the Empire
of Austria, 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:-
-
The present invention relates to a motor vehicle adapted to be connected to
any kind of vehicle for the purpose of serving as a means of traction for the
latter.
Since the improvements of motors for automobile purposes the necessity has
arisen for a traction motor vehicle such as could literally be used in place of
draught animals i.e., could be available for any kind of vehicle. No strong
proof is required to show the great advantage and utility of such a traction
motor vehicle. It would be of great utility to the private individual, for the pur-
chase of separate motor carriages, motor waggons, motor vans, and the like, means
an enormous outlay, and in the case of large firms engaged in traction business,
it is a necessity of the greatest importance; for the vehicles frequently require
repairs, and must therefore be withdrawn, and the invested capital, unproductive
during the time of such forced idleness, must necessarily be greater when each
vehicle is separately provided with its own fixed motor.
To meet this drawback several suggestions have been made..
The proposed means are of two kinds. One consists of using fully developed
motor vehicles on which there is room only for the driver, and which are connected
with the vehicles to be drawn either by ordinary traction devices (chains or
the like) or in such a manner that the front platform of the carriage, after the

page_text: front wheels have been removed, is made to rest on the rear-frame of the traction
motor vehicle, or fixed to it, which for this purpose is provided with four wheels.
The other system is characterized by the employment of a pair of wheels carrying
the motor and so arranged as to form the front part of any vehicle in such a
manner that it can be connected with any vehicle (such as in the Pretot, Kuhl-
stein, and other systems).
All these proposals have been practically carried out but they all proved that
something was still wanting. The use of an individually separate traction
motor vehicle, i.e., a kind of locomotive, is out of the question. The coupling used
in such a case can only be used between vehicles travelling on rails, for without
the latter, the lateral oscillations of the vehicles cannot be avoided.
The so-called platform cars, and the special front frame motors, do not satis-
factorily answer the purpose, because the coupling can be effected only after
corresponding alterations have been previously carried out. Moreover, two-axle
vehicles are very clumsy, which is a great drawback, while the one-axle revolvably
constructed devices require preliminary alterations in the vehicles to be drawn,
and can neither be used for heavy loads nor steered on sharp curves.
But apart from the above short-comings, these proposals fail to give a right
solution of the problem, because they do not remove the grave drawbacks from
which motor cars generally suffer.
One of the evils, for instance consists in the vibration of the motor being trans-
mitted to the drawn vehicle causing much shaking which is unpleasant or pas-
senger, expensive in causing the breakage of tragile articles, damaging to the
frame of the vehicle in the case of heavy loads, and dangerous to life in the case
of explosive material being carried.
Another drawback, one which will prove of decided importance in many cases,
lies in the fact that, according to these proposals, the traction motor is not
individually separate from the drawn vehicle, and that the latter cannot be
quickly detached and left standing, for instance as is required in all cases where
the loading or unloading of the vehicle requires time, or when required to leave
one vehicle standing in one place and to attach the motor to another, the motor
of which, may have proved insufficient to move the load on say, an incline of
the road.
In view of these special uses to which a motor may be put it is evident that
a solution of the problem will only give full satisfaction, which will allow the
motors to be used in the way of draught animals, .e., to harness, as it were,
one, two or more such motors to a vehicle, when required, and to just as easily
disconnect them, and to substitute them again, as occasion arises, with draught
animals.
To these advantages may be added the commercially very important one that
these motors need be classified only with regard to their power, all being available
for use in combination with any vehicle of any purpose or construction.
The invention relates, therefore, to a traction vehicle consisting of a two-
wheeled frame carrying the motor with all its accessories, the wheels of which,
although both driven by the motor are steered independently of each other
when necessary.
of
This motor vehicle or frame is connected by, say, a short device with a vehicle
any kind in such a manner that the front wheel frame of the latter is securely
coupled to the motor frame, or in such a manner as to allow a vertical displacement
only. Owing to this arrangement the front wheel frame of the said vehicle will
turn together with the motor car the two thus combined forming a two-axle
guiding frame or vehicle.
Owing to the simplicity of the arrangement a satisfactory solution of the
problem is thus obtained and there is no need for further demonstration in order
to prove that such a traction car fulfils all the conditions required.
The invention is represented, by way of example, in the accompanying draw-
ings:

page_text: Figure 1 representing the connection of the traction vehicle with the front
frame of a drawn vehicle.
Figure 2 is a back view.
Figure 3 a side view of the traction vehicle, and
Figures 4 to 8 represent various applications of the invention.
The motor apparatus itself may be of any kind. By way of example a motor
with four cylinders a is represented, of which each opposite pair acts on the
driving shaft b. The latter rotates in bearings in the frame c, which serves at
the same time as a support for the motor. In this frame is also mounted in
bearings a transmission shaft d geared by means of toothed pinions e and f with
the driving shaft b. The transmission shaft d is provided at each end with a
bevel wheel gearing with bevel wheels h revolvably arranged on the frame
and serving to actuate large bevel wheels k fixedly connected with the road
wheels of the motor vehicle. The stump axles m on which the road wheels
are keyed, together with the bevel wheels' are so connected at their inner ends
to vertical bolts or pins n pivotted in corresponding portions of the frame c, that
they coincide with the axis of the intermediate bevel wheels g.
The stump
axles m are so connected by suitably arranged bars etc. with a lever or levers
that by actuating the latter, the motor road wheels together with the bevel
wheels fixed on the latter may be made to rotate around the vertical pins n
as required for the purpose of steering, and as represented in Figure 1 by dotted
lines.
It should be observed here that the arrangement described above and repre-
sented by way of example in the drawings, is not of essential importance. It
may be substituted by any other construction so long as it provides for the steer-
ing of the actuated wheels of the traction car.
The frame is provided, preferably, with a coupling device o that fits easily
into the fork p of any kind of vehicle, to be drawn, and serving as a rule for
the fixing of the pole shaft. Or the coupling device o may itself be fork shaped
in which case it is connected by a short intermediate part with the other fork p
on the drawn vehicle.
The connection is preferably secured by means of pins which may be secured
in place by nuts or the like. Such a connection which allows of a vertical
movement will be found of great advantage especially where the roads are bad,
or where there is no road at all.
Figure 4 represents an application of such a traction device to omnibuses.
In order to make use of part of the weight of the vehicle for the purpose of
increasing the adhesion-weight of the traction vehicle, the front wheels u of
the rear vehicle may be connected by means of an arrangement of chains and
chain wheels t, t¹, with the actuated wheels m of the traction vehicle. The front
wheels of the vehicle may be driven by a direct transmission s¹ from the motor
(Fig. 1) in such a case it is not absolutely necessary to also drive the wheels Z
of the traction vehicle.
Figure 5 represents a similar construction suitable for traction in connection
with postal ammunition- and hospital vans, here too the driving gears of the
front wheels u of the vehicle with the motor vehicle is indicated. Figure 6
represents the traction vehicle in combination with a field gun, the wheels
of the traction vehicle gearing by means of a chain device s, t, t' with the wheels u
of the limber.
Figure 7 represents a similar arrangement in connection with an ammunition
car, with the same method of connection.
Figure 8 represents the traction vehicle in combination with a protected heavy
siege gun. In this case rigid connections o are fixed to both sides of the frame c
of the traction vehicle, their other ends being attached to the gun carriage
framing.
In all these and similar cases, where a traction device is employed, it, as seen
from the corresponding representations in the drawings in which like letters

page_text: indicate like parts, can be instantly uncoupled, leaving the vehicle standing in
place, while the traction vehicle is ready for use elsewhere. A vehicle provided
with such a traction device is much shorter than a like vehicle with draught
animals, a condition which is of very great importance in many cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A traction motor vehicle comprising a frame provided with two wheels
which can be steered independently of each other, a motor carried on said frame
and with all the accessories necessary for its working, and means for connecting
the traction motor vehicle, either fixedly or so as to allow only a vertical dis-
placement, with the front of a vehicle having two or other number of wheels
substantially as described.
2. A. motor vehicle comprising a carriage and a detachable motor vehicle on
two wheels adapted to be steered together or independently and a connection
between said carriage and motor vehicle, either one or both front wheels of the
carriage being actuated by chain or other gearing either directly from the motor
or from the wheels of the traction motor vehicle for the purpose of increasing
the adhesion weight of the latter, substantially as described.
3. The complete means for attaching a two-wheeled traction motor vehicle to a
vehicle to be drawn substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1900.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicants.