An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Driving Cycles and other Road Vehicles and Machinery Generally by the aid of Liquids.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1896
10th A
4007 Accepted 22nd Dot
1807
Date of Application, 10th Nov.,:1896
1807
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1907 Accepted, 23rd Oct, 1
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Driving Cycles and other
Road Vehicles and Machinery Generally by the aid of Liquids.
We, JOSEPH POWELL, of Mark, House, Mark House Road, Walthamstow, in the
County of Middlesex, Manager, and HARREY MOORE, of Willow Lodge, West
Green Road, West Green in the County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for driving cycles and
other road vehicles and machinery generally by the aid of liquids.
In applying our invention to a road.vehicle we provide within the driving, wheel
of the vehicle a stationary. hollow ring or. annulus which constitutes a working
cylinder or chamber and which is carried by a pair of cones or discs, connected
to the non-rotating axle of the driving wheel. The closed. space. between the said
cones or discs forms the reservoir for the working liquid which is drawn from
the said space passed through the working chamber and is discharged into the
reservoir again after having performed its work. Any liquid leaking from the
working chamber also passes into the said enclosed space and so is not lost and
does not cause a nuisance. The piston is secured to the periphery of a disc which
projects through a circumferential slot in the inner periphery of the working
chamber and may be furnished with a flange of leather or other flexible material.
The said disc is attached to a central hub loosely mounted on the fixed axle and
furnished with ball bearings to reduce friction. For rotating the driving wheel
of the vehicle we provide the interior of the hub aforesaid with teeth that gear
with a pinion fixed on a shaft within the non-rotating axle, said pinion being
arranged to project through a slot in the said axle. Another pinion fixed on the
said shaft projects through another slot in the non-rotating axle and gears with
the internally toothed hub of the driving wheel of the vehicle which hub is
mounted to revolve on the non-rotating axle and is supported by ball bearings in
the usual manner. In some instances the last named pinion is external to the
non-rotating axle. The piston and disc are rotated by liquid forced into the work-
ing chamber by suitable pumps and caused to press upon the piston, the reaction
of the pressure being taken up by a diaphragm or valve extended across the
working chamber. This diaphragm or valve is withdrawable to allow the piston
to revolve and is controlled by a cam or equivalent device on the rotating hub or
other rotary part of the apparatus, which cam or device removes and replaces the
diaphragm or valve at the proper times. The inlet opening for the liquid is just
in front of the diaphragm. In practice we provide two pistons in order that the
exhaust opening and the inlet for the liquid may never both be open to the same
space at the same time. The exhaust opening is suitably placed according to the
distance between the pistons. The working liquid is supplied through pipes pass-
ingrough the hollow non-rotating axle and through,the chamber that encloses
the rotating disc and working chamber.

page_text: When applied to a velocipede for example the liquid will be forced by pumps
driven from the pedal cranks.
Heavy vehicles can be similarly driven, the pumps for forcing the liquid being
worked by manual power applied through treadles or levers either with or without
intermediate gearing. The said system can also be applied to motor cars by
arranging the engine to work the pumps. A small quantity only of liquid is
required, the same being used over and over again.
It is obvious that an invention can be used for driving machinery generally,
the rotary disc being geared up to the part to be driven and the enclosing discs or
cones of the working chamber being secured to a stationary frame.
Dated this 10th day of November 1906
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Driving Cycles and other
Road Vehicles and Machinery generally by the aid of Liquids.
We, JOSEPH POWELL, of Mark House, Mark House Road, Walthamstow, in the
County of Middlesex, Manager, and HARREY MOORE, of Willow Lodge, West
Green Road, West Green in the County of London, Engineer, 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 a method of and apparatus for driving cycles and
other road vehicles and machinery generally by the aid of liquids.
According to our said invention we provide inside the driving wheel, a hollow
ring forming a working cylinder round which a piston or pistons are caused to
travel by fluid pressure. The said piston or pistons are connected to an annular
gear wheel concentric with the axis of the driving wheel, and by suitable gearing
the motion is transmitted from this annular gear wheel to the driving wheel.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying
drawing in which
Figure 1 illustrates in transverse section, the essential parts of one form of the
apparatus applied to a bicycle wheel, and
Figure 2 is a diagrammatical view to a smaller scale showing the relative
position of the pistons in the hollow ring.
a is the driving wheel, of which the spokes only are shown, which is mounted by
its hubs 6 on a stationary axle c. d is the stationary hollow ring or annulus which
constitutes the working cylinder or chamber and which is carried by a pair of
cones or discs e connected to the stationary axle of the driving wheel. The closed
space between the said cones or discs may if desired form a reservoir for the work-
ing liquid which is drawn from the said space by pumps operated by the treadles
or by a motor and after passing through the working cylinder d is discharged into
the reservoir again after having performed its work. Any liquid leaking from
the working chamber also passes into the said enclosed space and so is not lost and
does not cause inconvenience. The pistons f of which there are preferably two,
set almost but not quite diametrically opposite each other, are secured to the peri-
phery of a disc f¹ which projects through a circumferential slot d¹ in the inner
periphery of the annular working cylinder. The said disc may be furnished with
Hanges of leather or other flexible material, and is attached to a central hub g
loosely mounted on the stationary axle and furnished with ball bearings to reduce

page_text: friction. This hub forms the annular gear wheel for rotating the driving wheel
of the vehicle, for which purpose we provide the interior of the said hub with
teeth h although instead of the said hub a rack may be used if desired. The
teeth h gear with a pinion i fixed on a shaft & mounted in an enlargement c¹ of the
non-rotating axle, that part of the said pinion which gears with the teeth h being
arranged to project through a slot or opening in the said axle. A pinion on the
end of the shaft k projects through another slot in the non-rotating axle and gears
with a toothed wheel m on one of the hubs of the driving wheel of the vehicle,
which hubs are mounted to revolve on the stationary axle and are supported by
ball bearings in the usual manner. In some instances the last named pinion m
may be arranged externally with respect to the non-rotating axle.
The pistons f and disc fi are rotated by liquid forced into the annular working
cylinder d by suitable pumps of which there is preferably one on each side of
the wheel connected with each crank of the cycle. The reaction of the liquid
pressure is taken up by diaphragm or valve n extending across the working
chamber and worked by means of a cam groove f³ or like device formed on the side
of the disc f', which can removes and replaces the diaphragm or valve at the
proper times, as will be readily understood."
a
By providing two pistons we ensure that the exhaust opening and the inlet
opening for the liquid may never both be open to the same space at the same time.
The inlet opening for the liquid is just in front of the diaphragm,
while the exhaust openrug is suitably placed according to the dis-
tance between the pistons. The working liquid is supplied through pipes o passing
through the hollow non-rotating axle and through the space inside the cones that
enclose the rotating disc and working cylinder.
When heavy vehicles are to be driven, the pumps for forcing the liquid may be
worked by foot power applied through treadles or levers either with or without
intermediate gearing. The said invention can also be applied to motor cars by
arranging the motor to work the pumps. A small quantity only of liquid is
required, the same being used over and over again
It is obvious that our invention can be used for driving machinery generally,
the rotary disc being suitably connected with the part to be driven and the enclos-
ing discs cones of the working cylinder being secured to a stationary frame.
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;--
1. A cycle or other vehicle or machine having an annular working cylinder
inside the driving wheel the motion being transmitted to the said wheel by gearing
substantially as described.
2. The combination with the aforesaid annular working cylinder and its pistons,
of a die carrying the said pistons and secured to an annular gear wheel which
actuates the driving wheel through the medium of suitable toothed gearing.
3. Car improved apparatus for driving a cycle or other vehicle or machine
substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th don of 100%
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.