Improvements in or relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Oct., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
I, HENRY JOHN LAWSON, of 40, Holborn Viaduct, in the County of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to motor vehicles.
One construction of motor vehicle, according to this invention, comprises a
tubular frame-work mounted on three wheels, and carrying a body shaped like
the body of a hansom cab; two of the wheels are placed in front to serve as
steering wheels, one or more driven road-wheels being placed in the rear; a long
wheel-base is given for the sake of stability and easy running. The driving-
mechanism consists of one or more motors preferably of the De Dion type with
tube ignition, & sprayed petrol so secured to the vehicle as to project below it
sufficiently far to be cooled by the air-current beneath the cab body. The motor
shaft, which preferably has one motor at each end or in the middle, is provided
with two or more sets of chain or other speed-gear, operatively connected with
the driven road-wheel so as to be capable of giving it different speeds; on the
motor shaft is a sliding clutch controllable by a handle in proximity to the
driver's seat at the rear and operating to put one or other of the speed gears into
connection with the motor shaft. In proximity to the driver's seat is a pedal-shaft
geared with the motor shaft by chain gearing or otherwise, so that the driver
can start the motor with or without having to move the whole vehicle. This
starting gear may however be so arranged that it can instead, or in addition,
operate to move the vehicle. The starting gear is constructed with a ratchet and
pawl or equivalent device which will permit the parts operated to overrun the
gear as soon as they have acquired a greater speed.
The body of the vehicle may be so made that the entire side of it will open on
a hinge, in which case the customary hinged apron would not be made to open.
Or as an alternative, access may be had to the interior of the body by way of
an apron hinged to turn up or down on its heel or lower edge, so that its upper
portion can move towards or away from the seat for passengers.
With this type of hinged apron, or where the apron is immovable, a platform
or foot-board for luggage may be provided in the front of the vehicle; in many
cases the vehicle will have sufficient length to enable this platform to be adopted
even with the ordinary type of hinged apron doors.
The vehicle body may be carried on C-springs or otherwise mounted, and it can
be of any desired type; for example it might be a single brougham with curved
panels.
Another construction according to this invention, comprises a four-wheeled
vehicle of the Victoria type, with a hood preferably of a permanent character,
and with an apron of the kind hereinbefore described, turning about a hinge
at its lower edge. The motor is arranged beneath the driver's seat and operates
through clutch gear a longitudinal shaft extending to the rear of the vehicle
where it is geared down and connected by a chain or otherwise with the rear
road wheels.

page_text: Various handles for controlling the motor and for steering are placed in proxi-¯
mity to the driver's seat.
Alternatively the motor might be at the rear end of the longitudinal shaft
and the speed gear at the opposite end.
The dash-board could be dispensed with if desired.
Preferably the Victoria is modified by bringing the front seat well down so
as to make the vehicle more open-fronted.
The hood before referred to can be extended forward if desired.
A convenient screen for the occupants of the vehicle is a glazed panel pendant
from the leading edge of the hood and capable of being turned up under the roof
when not required; links can be provided to connect the lower edge of this glazed
panel with the body so as to adjust the former to any desired angle.
In a further modification according to this invention the motor vehicle has the
appearance of a single brougham, the frame being carried forward and upwardly
curved to form a dash-board. The steering spindle is arranged vertically in
front of the driver's seat, and the controlling handle for the engine turns in a
vertical plane just in front of the seat, and preferably below the level of the
cushions.
This vehicle has its driving shaft and motor disposed in the fore and aft line
of the vehicle, the motor being preferably at the leading end under the driver's
seat, and the speed gear at the trailling end of the vehicle.
1
J
1007
I, HENRY JOHN LAWSON, of 40, Holborn Viaduct, in the County of Middlesex,
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 motor vehicles, one construction of which according
to this invention comprises a tubular frame work mounted on three wheels and
carrying a body shaped like the body of a hansom cab.
It is provided with one or more motors and a clutch for varying the speed
of driving.
A second form of construction according to this invention comprises a four
wheeled vehicle of the Victoria type and a third construction according to this
invention comprises a four-wheeled vehicle having the appearance of a single-
brougham, the frame being carried forward and upwardly curved to form a dash-
board.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hansom cab type of vehicle.
Fig. 2 is a part sectional perspective view of the variable speed-clutch.
Fig. 3 shows in perspective a Victoria type of vehicle and
Fig. A is a perspective view of a brougham type of vehicle,
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an omnibus type of vehicle that part below the
body of the vehicle being shown as a central vertical section.
Fig. 6 is a similar view of a modified form of the same,

page_text: Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Fig. 1 the tubular frame comprises four longitudinal members A
two on either side of the vehicle those on the same side being placed on above.
the other and connected together by short vertical strutts A¹ the two pairs of
members thus formed being connected by two or more stays A². The front of
the frame is curved upwards and provided with forks A3 A3, carrying the steering.
wheels mounted in the known manner: the rear of the frame also curves upwards
the four longitudinal members being brought to a common focus at A* where a
seat A is mounted for the driver. A single rear driving wheel is mounted in
bearings between the two pairs of longitudinal members, a long wheel base being
given for the sake of stability and easy. running. The body B of the vehicle
is suspended upon the frame by C springs. The driving mechanism consists of.
one or more motors preferably of the De Dion type, with tube ignition and
sprayed petrol, so secured to the vehicle as to project below it sufficiently far to
be cooled by the air current beneath the cab body. The motor shaft which pre-
ferably has one motor, C, at each end, is provided with two or more sets of chain
or other speed-gear operatively connected with the driven road wheel so as to be.
capable of giving it different speeds. A clutch D is mounted on the motor shaft
(Fig. 2) being free to move in a longitudinal direction, but caused to rotate
with the shaft by means of the feather D¹; the speed gear wheels D2 D3 are
mounted loose upon the motor shaft and thrown into action by sliding the
clutch D into engagement with one or the other. The clutch is operated by
means of the lever D+ connecting rod D³ and handle D the latter being within
easy reach of the driver.
In proximity to the driver's seat is a pedal shaft D', mounted in a bracket
supported from the frame by stays A6 and gearing with the chain wheel D³ fixed
on the motor shaft, so that the driver can start the motor with or without moving
the vehicle. This starting gear may if preferred be used to move the vehicle for
reversing etc. whilst the motor is thrown out of gear. Also the starting gear.
may be provided with a ratchet and pawl or equivalent device which will permit
the parts operated to overrun the gear as soon as they have acquired a greater.
speed.
The body B of the vehicle may be so made that the entire side B₁ will open.
on a hinge in which case the customary hinged apron would not be made to open;
or, as an alternative, access may be had to the interior of the body B by way
of an apron hinged to turn up or down on its heel or lower edge, so that its upper
portion can move towards or away from the seat for passengers.
With this type of apron, or where the apron is immovable, a platform Ba or
foot board for luggage may be provided in the front of the vehicle, in many
cases the vehicle will have sufficient length to enable this platform to be adopted
even with the ordinary type of hinged apron doors.
Fig. 3 shows another construction according to this invention comprising
a four wheeled vehicle of the Victoria type with a hood B³ preferably of a per-
manent character, and with an apron B' of the kind herein before described,
turning about a hinge B5 at its lower edge.
The frame comprising the members A A¹A2 as mentioned above, is slightly
modified the part A being done away with, the driver's seat being in this case
on a box 16 in the fore part of the vehicle.
The motors C are arranged beneath the driver's seat and operate through
clutch gear a longitudinal shaft E, extending to the rear of the vehicle where
it is geared down and connected, by a chain or otherwise, with the rear road
wheels.
Various handles for controlling the motor and for steering are placed in
proximity to the driver's seat.
Alternatively the motor might be arranged at the rear end of the longitudinal
shaft E, and the speed gear at the opposite end.

page_text: The dash-board could be dispensed with if desired.
Preferably the Victoria is modified by bringing the front seat well down, so
as to make the vehicle more open fronted.
The hood B3 can be extended forward if desired.
A convenient screen for the occupants is a glazed panel B' pendant from the
leading edge B8 of the hood and capable of being turned up under the roof when
not required; links can be provided to connect the lower edge of this glazed
panel with the body so as to adjust the former to any desired angle.
Fig. 4 shows a further modification according to this invention, the motor
vehicle having the appearance of a single brougham the front of the body of
the vehicle being carried forward and upwardly curved, as at B, to form a dash-
board. The steering spindle F is arranged vertically in front of the driver's
seat, and the controlling handle F1 for starting the engine turns in a vertical
plane just in front of the seat and preferably below the level of the cushions.
The motors and the driving shaft in this case are disposed in the fore and aft
line of the vehicle, the motors C being preferably at the leading end under the
driver's seat and the speed gear at the trailing end of the vehicle.
Fig. 5 shows an omnibus type of body B applied to a similar form of frame
to that described with reference to Figs. 2 and 4. The C springs are dispensed
with and ordinary springs G used in their place being carried upon the axles G¹.
The front forks A³ are removed and the frame A is carried at each end of the
fixed axle G¹ by a hollow vertical pillar H. The steering mechanism FFFF is
of the well known pattern in which the wheels are carried on separate axles
capable of turning on vertical pivots at the ends of a fixed axlc. The vertical
pivots in this case are arranged to turn within the hollow pillars H on the fixed
axle G¹. The separate axles are made to operate together by means of the usual
connecting rod I shown in cross section.
Fig. 6 shows a similar gear slightly modified. Two horizontal motors C are
mounted on the frame A and drive by belt and pulley onto the rear road wheels.
Several speed pulleys may be mounted on the motor shaft C and a corresponding
number upon the axle of the rear road wheels of the vehicle.
It will be understood that one or any number of motors may be used to drive
either of the forms of vehicles described, two however being considered a con-
venient number.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete vehicle
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the acompanying
drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete vehicle
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete vehicle
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying
drawings.
4. The complete vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 5
of the accompanying drawings.
5. The complete vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 6
of the accompanying drawings.
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L
00 1 1
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.