Improvements in or relating to Road Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Road Vehicles.
We, JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY of No. 19 Hertford Street, Coventry in
the County of Warwick, Journalist, and HARRY JOHN LAWSON of "Coniston"
Watford in the County of Herts, Financier 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:—
Our invention relates to road vehicles and consists in the hereinafter described
improvements, some of which are applicable both to vehicles adapted to be drawn
by horses or the like and to vehicles propelled by some form of self contained
motor, which latter vehicles are now becoming generally known as
Certain of our improvements are more especially applicable to one or other of the
above mentioned kinds of vehicles.
6:
autocars.
"
And in order that our invention may be fully understood we will proceed to
describe the same making reference to the accompanying drawings which show the
best methods known to us at the time of filing our Specification but we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shown therein as modifications may obviously
be made without exceeding the limits of our invention.
Figure I is a side view in elevation of a two wheeled cab constructed according
to our invention and Figure II is a transverse section of the body of the said cab
on the line X-X in Figure I.
Figure III is a side view in elevation of a four wheeled autocar constructed
according to our invention, but with the rear driving wheel removed to expose the
parts behind it.
Figure IV is a front view in elevation of the front part of the said autocar, and
Figure V is a plan of the main framework thereof.
Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
Hansom cabs as commonly constructed are inconvenient in several respects. If
a third passenger is to be carried he can sit nowhere but upon the knees of the
other passengers. The arrangement of hinged doors makes the carriage of luggage
on the foot board very inconvenient. And the use of the folding front window is
both uncomfortable and dangerous.
By our invention we remove these objections and obtain several additional or
distinct advantages.
We construct the upper part 2 of the body of cylindrical or like form, and
ovoidal or like cross section. This enables us to extend the seatings 4 round the
sides of the body and thus provide accomodation sufficient to serve three passengers
if required. We construct the doors 5 after the manner of a revolving shop
shutter. Each door is wound on a spindle 7 fixed in an upright hollow casing 8.
The casings 8 form ornamental door posts on each side of the front of the cab and
extend to the usual height of other cab doors. We form a groove 9 to guide the
doors when drawn out and may employ a cross bar extending from one casing 8 to
the other and grooved on its underside for the same purpose.
The doors may conveniently be drawn back into the casings partly or wholly by
the action of suitable springs applied in any convenient manner to the spindle 7.
The doors are also provided with any suitable fastenings 11 to secure them
together or otherwise in position when drawn out. Thus, as the doors never swing
over the footboard 6 luggage may be carried on such footboard without interfering
vith the movement of the doors.

page_text: Instead of the usual folding front or "guillotine" window, before referred to,
we prefer to employ a window or blind 12 of a single sheet of transparent celluloid
or the like. The blind may either be adapted to roll up on a transverse bar of
suitably large diameter, mounted over the door way or it may be adapted to pass
under or into the roof of the cab which may be made hollow for the purpose. In
either case the edges of the blind are preferably made to engage in grooves 10 in
the sides of the upper part of the doorway when drawn down, so as to maintain it
in position and exclude draughts.
The body of the vehicle is preferably built up on a skeleton framework 13 of
weldless steel tube or the like such as is employed in the construction of velocipedes
and panelled inside and out with thin boards, papier maché, celluloid, or other light
material. The lower part 3 of the body is set in even or nearly even with the
front edge of the seating 4; and we employ small wheels 14 fitted with large
pneumatic tyres 15 of any suitable construction, placing them more or less under
the seating so as to reduce the total width of the vehicle.
We prefer to make the shackles 16 of the springs of blocks of indiarubber
strengthened by canvas insertion or the like.
In constructing an "autocar" according to our invention the motor is directly
mounted upon or in rigid connection with the framework to which the driving
wheel or wheels is or are attached and we mount the body, or so much thereof as
is adapted to carry a passenger or passengers, indirectly upon the framework by
interposing a suitable spring or springs between the said body or part thereof and
the said framework.
In Figures III, IV and V. the main frame 18 of the vehicle is constructed of
weldless steel tube or the like and arrange the main portion thereof in the form of
the letter H in plan as shown in Figure V. At the front part of the main frame
is attached a suitable cross bar 19 by means of a hinge or joint 20 which allows
the bar to oscillate in a vertical or approximately vertical plane about the said
joint so that the wheels of the vehicle may accommodate themselves to inequalities
of the surface over which they may travel. At each end of the bar 19 we secure
an upright socket 21 bored to receive an upright spindle 22 to the lower end of
which spindle is firmly secured at right angles thereto a short axle 23, on which
short axles revolve the front wheels 24. Projecting backward or forward but
preferably backward, from the upper or lower (but preferably the lower), end of
each spindle 22 is an arm 25 and the free ends of these two arms 25, 25 are
connected by a rod 26. To steer the vehicle the rod 26 is moved by any suitable
well known means laterally to right or left according as it is desired to turn the
vehicle towards the left or right respectively. The arms 25, 25 and the rod 26
allow the wheels to turu proportionately in the manner well known in connection
with tricycles of the "Dublin," "Crypto" and "Olympia" type. At the rear
part of the main frame is a bridge tube 27 to which are attached by suitable lugs
and bearings the two parts of the driving axle 28 which said two parts are
connected by any suitable form of gearing 29 adapted to impart a due proportion
of the power exerted by the motor to each wheel 14 whether the vehicle be
travelling in a straight line or in a curve. This form of gearing is well known in
tricycle construction under the name of a
balance gear." The two wheels 14 are
fixed to the two parts of the axle 28, each to each. The frame is preferably
.strengthened by suitable ties and stays 30. The motor 31 is fixed in any convenient
manner to the main frame and its power is applied to the balance gear and thence
to the wheels through any convenient intermediate gearing.
The front part 32 of the frame may conveniently be curled up and the front 6 of
the body be suspended therefrom by suitable and preferably elastic connections.
Bow, spiral or other suitable springs, 35 may be interposed between the front 32
of the frame and the cross bar 19 on each side of the joint 20 to control the action
of the said joint. The rear part 33 of the frame is extended upwards to carry the
drivers perch 37.
In addition to the motor gearing we provide a system of chain gearing 36 simila

page_text: to that employed on velocipedes whereby the driver may drive the vehicle
backwards or forwards as in drawing up to receive a passenger, or to assist the
motor if required, for starting and such like purposes.
In ordinary running the chain gearing would be thrown out of action, a sliding
clutch or other suitable well known device being provided for the purpose. The
various handles for steering the vehicle, controlling the motor and putting on the
brake are arranged in convenient positions within the drivers reach. The body of
the vehicle is preferably constructed after the manner hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures I and II though more space may be readily provided for the
accomodation of luggage in front.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is.
1. In a road vehicle, the combination of two or more of the following elements,
namely the cylindrical or like body of ovoidal or like cross section; the extended
seating adapted to serve three purposes; the doors constructed to wind on spindles ;
the window or blind of transparent celluloid adapted to roll up or pass up under or
into the roof of the vehicle; the skeleton framework of weldless steel tube or the
like panelled with thin boards, papier maché, celluloid or other light material; the
small wheels adapted to be placed more or less under the seating and so reduce
the total width of the vehicle; substantially as set forth.
2. In an "autocar," the use of a frame consisting of a main tube having a cross
tube pivotted to one end to carry the steering wheels and another cross tube
adapted to carry the two parts of a balance geared axle to which the driving
wheels are attached, such frame being adapted to carry the motor directly attached
thereto, whether the said frame be adapted to carry the drivers seat or not,
substantially as herein described.
3. The improvements in road vehicles substantially as herein described with
reference to Figures I and II of the accompanying drawings.
4. The improvements in road vehicles substantially as herein described with
reference to Figures III, IV and V of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 25th day of November 1895
W. BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Registered Patent Agent,
19 Bowling. Green Street, Leicester, Applicants' Agent.