Improvements in Petrocars or Motorcars, and the Connections of the Motors therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 5th May, 1897-Accepted, 26th June, 1897
Improvements in Petrocars or Motorcars, and the Connections of
the Motors therefor.
We, JAMES ROOTS and CUTHBERT EDWARD VENABLES, both of 100, West-
minster Bridge Road, London, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This relates chiefly to the construction of the frame and the connecting the.
other parts of the petrocar to it. The sides of the frame consist of two parallel
tubes, the one above the other; these continue at the back also parallel. At the .
front on each side, the tubes widen out to take the head in a similar way to that.
on a lady's bicycle. The two front wheels are fitted also to the frame in a similar
way to that on a bicycle. A lever is fitted to the top of each and the handle is
placed in the centre, a. link rod connecting the three together. Two stays are
fitted to rigidly hold the two front wheels together. Two cross tubes parallel with
the sides are fitted to the back frame tube and a right angle cross tube for the
purpose of carrying the motor. A spindle is fitted across the frame which carries..
a brake applied to each back wheel and a lever which passes through the floor of
the carriage body and is operated by the foot. A second similar spindle may be
similarly fitted in bearings to carry the jockey pulley arm or lever.
The cooling water upon leaving the water jacket passes right round the upper
tube of the frame and is delivered at the back into the lower tube, whence it passes
by the lower tube to the water tank fitted in front between the wheels, thence it.
flows to the pump by the lower tube on the other side, of the frame. The power
is conveyed by means of a chain or other gear to the valve shaft and from this as
a countershaft, power is conveyed from the motor to the wheels for one speed and..
the crank shaft to the wheels for the other speed. The valve shaft is prolonged :
and upon either or both ends a small pneumatic tyred wheel is fixed, the tyre of
which presses on the tyre of the carriage wheel driving it by friction. The motor
may be on a pivot permitting a slight oscillatory movement so that the wheel or
wheels on the valve or countershaft or the wheel or wheels on the crank shaft are
brought into contact with the tyre of the carriage wheel to drive it as desired..
The driving wheels on the crank or valve shaft may have wood, papier-maché, or
solid rubber contact surfaces instead of pneumatic tyres having a ridged surface
like shallow teeth upon a pinion. The crank shaft and its pneumatic or other
driving wheel will necessarily revolve at twice the speed of the valve shaft and its
pneumatic or other driving wheel.
1000
JAMES ROOTS.
CUTHBERT EDWARD VENABLES.

page_text: COME LEID STECIFICATION.
Improvements in Petrocars or Motorcars, and the Connections of
the Motors therefor.
We, JAMES ROOTS and CUTHBERT EDWARD VENABLES, both of 100, West-
minster Bridge Road, London, 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 relates chiefly to the construction of the frame and the connecting the
other parts of the petrocar to it. The sides of the frame consist of two parallel
tubes, the cne above the other; these continue at the back also parallel. At the
front at each side the tubes widen out to take the head in a similar way to that on
a lady's bicycle. The two front wheels are fitted also to the frame in a similar
way to that on a bicycle. A lever is fitted to the top of each and the handle is.
placed in the centre of one, a link rod connecting the two together. Two stays
are fitted to rigidly hold the two front wheels together. Two or three cross tubes
parallel with the sides are fitted to the back frame tube and a right angle cross
tube or tubes for the purpose of carrying the motor. A spindle is fitted across the
frame which carries a brake applied to each back wheel and a lever which passes
through the floor of the carriage body and is operated by the foot.
The cooling water upon leaving the motor jacket passes right round the upper
tube of the frame and is delivered at the back into the lower tube, whence it passes
by the lower tube to the water tank fitted in the front between the wheels, thence
it flows to the pump by the lower tube on the other side of the frame.
The power is conveyed by means of a chain or other gear to the valve shaft and
from this as a counter-shaft, power is conveyed from the motor to the wheels. The
valve or counter-shaft may be prolonged and upon either or both ends a small
pneumatic tyred wheel is fixed, the tyre of which presses on the tyre of the
carriage wheel, driving it by friction.
The motor may be on a pivot permitting a slight oscillating movement so that
the wheel or wheels on the valve or counter-shaft, or the wheel or wheels on the
crank shaft, are brought in contact with the tyre of the carriage wheel to drive it,
as desired.
The driving wheels on the crank and valve shafts may have wood, papier maché,
or solid rubber contact surfaces instead of pneumatic tyres, having a ridged surface -
like shallow teeth upon a pinion. The crank shaft and its pneumatic or other
driving wheel will necessarily revolve at twice the speed of the valve shaft and its
pueumatic or other driving wheels.
Fig. 1. is a plan shewing the tubular frame of a car.
Fig. 2. is an elevation shewing the same frame.
Fig. 3. is a diagram shewing the course taken by the water within the tubular
frame.
Fig. 4. shews the method of conveying the power to the car wheels.
Fig. 5. shews an alternative but similar method.
Like figures refer to like parts in all the figures.
A is the upper tube of a frame, B the lower. CC are the cross ties. D is the
head carrying the fork E of the front wheel F. The side tubes A and B widen
out at the front to take the head D. G are levers fixed to the fork spindles of the
wheels F. H is a link connecting them. I is a lever fixed to one of the forks
having at its end the handles J for steering. K is the foot brake plate, K' the
foot brake lever, the fulcrum K2 of which is fixed in the body of the carriage or
other vehicle (not shown). K³ is the link connecting the brake spindle K through
the lever K. The brakes K are keyed or otherwise fixed on the ends of the

page_text: spindle K The body (not shewn) is bolted on the ordinary elliptic springs L L.
in the ordinary manner. The back wheels M M' are the driving wheels. The
wheel M is keyed to the axle which passes through the tube M, while the other.
wheel M' is loose on the axle, the balance gear in the box M' is constructed in the: "1
usual manner. A' A' are stays or cross tie tubes to hold the frame together..
A also serves to convey the water. A is a third cross tie tube of greater
strength, it carries one end of the longitudinal tubes A A A³ upon or near the-
centres of which the motor is bolted.
Fig. 3. shows the course taken by the jacket water on its way to the tank and
back to the motor jacket. It enters the be from the jacket at 1 and traverses
the upper frame tube, (A on Figs. 1 and 2) from 2 to 3 it leaves the upper and
enters the lower tube, between 4 to 5 the water tank (N Figs. 1 and 2) is placed.
the water passing through the tank returns to the motor by the other side tube 5.
and 6. This is the same principle but an elaboration of the water tube vehicle.
frame as described in my Specification No. 23786: 24 Dec. 1892.
A spring M Fig. 1 may be attached between the ball bearings Ms and the main
tube frame, and coil springs E' and E are fitted to the steering heads to take up.
the vibration of the road. E, at the top is a reaction spring.
The motor which is bolted to the longitudinal tubes A3 A3 may drive the axle.
tube M³ in any convenient manner such as a friction clutch and chains, or it may
drive in the manner shewn in Figs. 4 and 5.
In Fig. 4. the oil motor (not shewn) is pivoted allowing a certain degree of
oscillation, the shaft O being a continuation of the motor crank shaft carries at
each end, (one end only is shewn) a roller O2, which can gear frictionally with the
surface or tread of the tyre on the wheel M. () is a continuation of the valve
countershaft which necessarily revolves at half the speed of the crank sbaft. The
roller 3 fixed to the end of the countershaft O' can also gear with the tyre of the
wheel M to drive it. The motor is attached to the tubes A3 A3 by means of
trunnions or pivots which permit the motor and shafts O & O a certain degree of
oscillation so that in oscillating the motor by hand, the roller 0 cr the roller O³.
can be brought into contact with the tyre of the wheel M to drive it at the quicker
or slower speed.
In Fig. 5. a slight modification of this arrangement is shewn. O is the valve.
countershaft upon which is fitted a frame P. The frame P consists of two flat.
plates of metal of the shape shewn, carrying pins or spindles upon which the
rollers O and are fitted loosely. A small chain or sprocket wheel is fitted upon
each of the three centres, O' the counter'shaft, and the pins carry ing the rollers O*-
and 03, and a chain fits round the three chain or sprocket wheels to drive them..
The central chain wheel upon O' is fixed thereto and being driven thereby, drives
by means of the chain surrounding the three chain wheels the two rollers O and O³-
continuously. The lever P¹ which is operated from the carriage rocks or oscillates
the frame carrying the rollers, and so puts the larger or the smaller roller into.
frictional driving gear with the tyre of the wheel M at will, to drive it at a different
speed. The rollers O and may be of the same size if desired, and the-
difference in speed be effected by the different size of the chain wheels driving
them.
It will be observed that the whole of, the lower tube B Figs. 1 and 2 may be
omitted making slight alterations to make a cheaper form of frame, the water tank
then comes in the circuit of the upper or only tube. The addition of the lower-
tube B gives a double cooling surface for the water.
I am aware that rollers have been used before to drive wheels by frictional.
contact with their tyres.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A motorcar frame consisting of a double or single tube connecting together-

page_text: the front and back wheels, the front wheels having forks and steering heads, one
steering head being provided with a hand lever, the other being connected by a
link and levers, the back part of the frame being adapted to receive a motor and
the tubes of the frame being used to convey the jacket water from the motor to the
tank and back to the motor, all as described.
2. A motorcar frame as described in Claim 1, provided with a water tank, foot
brake lever and brakes and elliptic springs to carry the vehicle body all constructed
and fitted in the manner described and shewn.
3. A motorcar frame as described in Claim 1, fitted with tubes such as A3 A3
and A to carry the motor.
4. In a motorcar frame having steering heads equivalent to those described, fitting
each head with two coil springs, the one to take the road vibration, the other a
reaction spring.
5. Conveying the power from the motor to the driving wheels by means of small
wheels or rollers pneumatic or other one of which is fixed to the crank-shaft and
the other to the valve countershaft, the one roller or the other being brought into
driving frictional contact with the car wheel by hand at will.
6. In driving by friction rollers placing the two rollers on a frame equivalent to
that shewn Fig. 5. which frame is capable of a certain degree of oscillation upon
a shaft of the motor, the oscillation is under control by lever for the purpose of
bringing the one or the other roller at will into driving contact, the two rollers
being driven by the shaft upon which they are pivoted by means of chain or
other gear.
Dated this Wifth day of Mar 1897
JAMES ROOTS.
C. E. VENABLES.