Improvements in Automatic Steering Mechanism, particularly applicable to Toys,
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Steering Mechanism, particularly
applicable to Toys,
We, CHARLES ETIENNE ROUSSEL, Engineer of Arts and Manufactures, and
ALBERT LOUIS DUFRIEN, Trader, both of 15, Rue Gambey, Paris, in the Republic
of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
This invention relates to automatic steering mechanism particularly applicable
to toys such as motor carriages or the like.
The invention consists in the use of an intermediate shaft driven by the
motor and fitted with a cam adapted to act on and operate a lever connected
to the steering wheel shaft or fore carriage.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
practice we will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,
which show the invention applied to a motor carriage by way of an example only.
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, and
Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the same.
In both these figures the same reference lettors designate the same parts.
As will be seen from this drawing the intermediate shaft a, receiving motion
from the motor through the intervention of a pinion e, is provided with a cam d
adapted to act upon a roller e carried by a lever f which latter is attached to one
end of a chain y mounted on a pulley fast on the steering spindle i.
In the example shown in these drawings the steering spindle is in one with
and forms the turning pivot of the forecarriage K. The other end of the chain g
is attached to a return spring 1.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-
When the motor is in operation, the cam d, receiving rotary motion through
the intervention of the pinion c, is caused to actuate the lever f and thereby
causes the forecarriage to turn in the one or the other direction according to the
leverage of the cam being within or without the diameter of the pinion c.
The rollere attached to the lever f is always kept in contact with the cam
through the intervention of the spring 7.
The shape of the cam varies according to the direction and according to the
revolutions which it is desired to impart to the top-carriage or other toy, say a
succession of straight and curvilinear movements, or say a continuous wavy or
serpent linear movement, and so on.
The cam may be circular or disc-shaped when the motion will be in a straight
line.
Again the shape of the cam may be such as to cause the toy, after first turning
in several directions, to return to the starting point.
It may be mentioned that the invention is equally applicable, besides motor
carriages, to boats animals and many other toy-articles.
We may also vary the forms, shapes, sizes details and materials in connection

page_text: with the improved steering mechanism without departing from the nature of the
invention.
Dated this 18th day of March 1899..
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Automatic Steering Mechanism, particularly
applicable to Toys.
We, CHARLES ETIENNE ROUSSEL, Engineer of Arts and Manufactures, and
ALBERT LOUIS DUFRIEN, Trader, both of 15, Rue Gambey, Paris, in the Republic
of France 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 automatic steering mechanism particularly applicable
to toys, such as motor carriages, boats, animals or the like, and consists in the
use of an intermediate shaft driven by the motor, and fitted with a cam adapted to
act on, and operate, a lever connected to the steering wheel shaft, or fore carriage.
In order that the invention may be clearly and readily carried into practice we
will describe the same with reference to the drawings left with our Provisional
Specification which shew the invention applied to a motor carriage by way of
example only.
Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, and
Figure 2 is an inverted plan of the same.
In both these figures the same reference letters designate corresponding parts.
As will be seen, the intermediate shaft a, receives motion from the motor
through the intervention of a pinion e provided with a cam d, adapted to act upon
a roller e carried by lever, which latter is attached to one end of a chain
mounted on a pulley h fast on the steering spindle i.
In the example shown in these drawings the steering spindle is in one with,
and forms, the turning pivot of the forecarriage k. The other end of the chain g
is attached to a return spring 1.
The action of this arrangement is as follows:-
When the motor is in operation, the cam d, receiving rotary motion through
the intervention of the pinion c, is caused to actuate the lever f and thereby
cause the fore carriage to turn in one or the other direction according to the
position of the cam.
The roller e attached to the lever f is always kept in contact with the cam by
means of the spring 7.
The shape of the cam varies according to the direction and evolutions which it
is desired to impart to the toy-carriage or other toy, as for example a succession
of straight and curvilinear movements, or say a continuous wavy or separate
linear movement, and so on.
The cam may be circular or disc-shaped, when it is desired that the motion of
the vehicle or toy shall be in a straight line.
Again the shape of the cam may be such, as to cause the toy after first turning
in several directions; to return to the starting point...
It may be mentioned that the invention is equally applicable to boats animals
and many other toy-articles.
We may also vary the forms, shapes, sizes details and materials in connection

page_text: with the improved steering mechanism without departing from the nature of the
invention.
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. Automatic steering mechanism particularly applicable to toys and charac-
terized by the employment of an intermediate shaft driven by the motor in any
suitable manner, and provided with a cam, the shape of which depends upon the
action to be performed, and which actuates a lever connected to the steering
device, and thereby causes the apparatus to run in any desired direction.
2. The application of the improved automatic steering mechanism claimed in
Claim 1 to toys of any description, such as vehicles, boats, animals and the like.
3. The automatic steering mechanism constructed arranged and combined, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawing and for the
purpose specified.
Date :
TT
1
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.