Improvements in the Mechanism of Power Propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mechanism of Power Propelled Vehicles.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, Alvechurch, in the
County of Worcester, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the gearing and controlling and
steering mechanism of power propelled vehicles, and in part has for its object to
provide ready means whereby a continuously running motor may be put into and
out of gear with the driving axle of the vehicle as required, and in part to provide
a steering mechanism by which the steering wheels mounted upon independent
"heads" may receive a more truly radial motion than heretofore, and further to
provide a means of operating the said steering mechanism in an improved manner
so that the vehicle shall be better under the control of the driver.
In one mode of carrying the first portion of this invention into effect, I arrange
on one end of the motor shaft a toothed wheel gearing into four or other
convenient number of small pinions which again gear into an internally toothed
ring surrounding them, the small pinions are carried by a rotating frame borne by
and concentric to the motor shaft, and to this frame is attached the chain or
other form of gear wheel by which the power is to be transmitted to the driving
axle. The internally toothed ring is also arranged to be able to rotate con-
centrically with the motor shaft but carries on its exterior a brake drum by
means of which its motion may be controlled or arrested as required.
So long as the toothed ring is allowed to rotate freely the frame carrying the
pinions remains at rest, the pinions transmitting motion from the motor shaft
running in one direction to the toothed ring which rotates in the opposite direction;
if however, the brake be applied to prevent the toothed ring from rotating, the
frame carrying the pinions is carried round in the same direction as the motor
shaft and the vehicle is set in motion.
The internally toothed ring may if thought desirable be arranged to actuate
the chain gearing, in which case the pinions are carried off the brake drum, in
this arrangement the motion imparted to the chain wheel will be reversed.
One of each of the above arrangements may be used on the motor shaft
alternatively, the one for going forward and the other for going backward, or
when a motor is employed having two shafts revolving in reverse direction
duplicate mechanism will suffice.
The internally toothed ring may be mounted on bearings of the ordinary form
but I prefer to arrange rollers to guide it, the rollers being of the same diameters
as the pitch circles of the pinions and may be carried on the same pins.
In one mode of constructing a steering gear in accordance with the present
invention as applied to a four wheeled vehicle, I arrange one pair of wheels to
turn about independent pivots. In one arrangement the bearing of each steering
wheel is formed on one limb of an L pin the other limb of which fits into a socket
in the frame. Projecting from the elbow of each L pin and at right angles to
both limbs thereof, a guiding pin is provided which is acted on by a sliding block
swivelling on the end of a lever whose fulcrum pin is parallel to but a good bit
out of line with the steering socket. These two levers (one each side) are coupled

page_text: by linkwork to move through equal angles and the necessary inequality is intro-
duced in the motions of the steering wheels by the proper relative placing of the
pin sockets and the lever fulcrum pins.
The above described mechanism may be actuated by hand-wheel or tiller bar
in any suitable manuer but when a tiller bar is employed I prefer to arrange a
joint about one-third from the handle end and provide a slotted extension back
from the jointed portion the slot working on a fixed pin. The proportions of the
parts are so arranged that a given movement of the handle in a medial position
has vastly less effect on the position of the steering wheels than an equal movement
when the handle is considerably over on either side. This is found to improve the
steadiness without preventing rapid manoeuvring.
Dated the 13th day of March 1896
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.
improvemen
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM LANCHESTER, of Cobley Hill, near Alvechurch, in
the County of Worcester, 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 improvements in the gearing and controlling and
steering mechanism of power propelled vehicles, and in part has for its object to
provide ready means whereby a continuously running motor may be put into and
out of gear with the driving axle of the vehicle as required, and in part to provide
a steering mechanism by which the steering wheels mounted upon independent
"heads" may receive a more truly radial motion than heretofore, and further to
provide a means of operating the said steering mechanism in an improved manner
so that the vehicle shall be better under the control of the driver.
Referring to the two accompanying sheets of drawings-
Figure 1 is a section and
Figure 2 is an end elevation showing one arrangement of epicyclic train in
which the brake is applied to the internally toothed wheel, and the framing,
carrying the intermediate wheels, rotates and carries with it the chain wheel.
Figure 3 is a section in which the internally toothed wheel carries the chain and
when the brake is applied to the intermediate wheel frame.
Figure 4 is a section showing a two speed gear by which the gears are operated
by the application and release of two brakes, and
Figure 5 is an end elevation of Figure 4.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 deal with my steering devices.
Figure 6 is a plan showing the arrangement of steering wheels and links.
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan showing the effect of the linkage in producing
a greater angular movement on the wheel at tbe inside of the curve.
Figure 8 is a plan of one steering wheel showing one arrangement of linkage.
Figure 9 is an elevation and
Figure 10 a plan of a new arrangement of steering tiller.
In one mode of carrying the first portion of this invention into effect (see
Figures 1 and 2) I arrange on one end A of the motor shaft a toothed wheel B
gearing into four or other convenient number of small pinions C which again
gear into an internally toothed ring D surrounding them, the small pinions Care
carried by a rotating frame E borne by and concentric to the motor shaft, and to

page_text: this frame is attached the chain or other form of gear wheel F by which the
power is to be transmitted to the driving axle. The internally toothed ring Dis
also arranged to be able to rotate concentrically with the motor shaft bat carries.
on its exterior a brake drum G by means of which its motion may be controlled or
arrested as required.
So long as the toothed ring D is allowed to rotate freely the frame E carrying
the pinions remains at rest, the pinions transmitting motion from the motor shaft
running in one direction to the toothed ring which rotates in the opposite direction;.
if however, the brake be applied to the brake drum G of the toothed ring D to-
prevent the toothed ring from rotating, the frame E carrying the pinions is carried
round in the same direction as the motor shaft A and the vehicle is set in motion.
The internally toothed ring D may if thought desirable be arranged to actuate
the chain gearing as shown in Figure 3 in which case the pinions C are carried
by the frame E which is then attached to the brake drum, G (see Figure 3) in this
arrangement the motion imparted to the chain wheel will be reversed.
In Figure 3 it will be seen that the chain wheel F is formed as part of the ring
wheel D.
The arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5 is a two speed gear. The inter-
mediate wheels in one set are marked C and in the other C, the wheel on the
shaft is marked in one set B and in the other B'. In the B' and C' set the inter-
mediate wheels Care larger and the wheel B smaller so that the speed of the
ring D is reduced compared with the B and C set. Both sets drive on to a chain.
wheel common to them marked F and it depends upon which of the brakes G
and G' is put into gear as to which train will operate. The brakes on the drums G
and G¹ are so arranged that only one can act at once. Both cannot be put on.
together.
One of each of the above arrangements may be used on the motor shaft.
alternatively, the one for going forward and the other for going backward, or
when a motor is employed having two shafts revolving in reverse direction
duplicate mechanism will suffice.
The internally touthed ring may be mounted on bearings of the ordinary form
but I prefer to arrange rollers to guide it, the rollers being of the same diameters,..
as the pitch circles of the pinions and may be carried on the same pius.
In one mode of constructing a steering gear in accordance with the present
invention as applied to a four wheeled vehicle, I arrange one pair of wheels to
turn about independent pivots (see Figures 6, 7, and 8). In one arrangement the
bearing H of each steering wheel H is formed on one limb of an L più the other
limb of which fits into a socket I in the frame. Projecting from the elbow of
such L pin and at right angles to both limbs thereof, a guiding pin J is provided
which is acted on by a sliding block K swivelling on the end of a lever L whose-
fulerum pin L' is parallel to but a good bit out of line with the steering socket I.
These two levers L (one each side) are coupled by linkwork M to move through
equal angles and the necessary inequality is introduced in the motions of the
steering wheels by the proper relative placing of the L pin sockets I and the
lever fulcrum pins L'.
Figure 7 shows the effect of the arrangement on the relative angles of the
steering wheels H, that on the inside of the curve being turned more than that
outside.
Figure 8 shows one wheel H of a modified arrangement in which the sliding -
block K is dispensed with and a link O connects to a lever J which replaces the
pin J in Figure 6.
The above described mechanism may be actuated by hand-wheel or tiller bar in
any suitable manner but when a tiller bar Q is employed (see Figures 9 and 10)
I prefer to arrange a joint P about one third from the handle end R and provide
a slotted extension back R' from the jointed portion the slot working on a fixed
pin S.
The link T connects to the link M of Figure 6 by suitable way shafts.

page_text: The proportions of the parts are so arranged that a given movement of the
handle R in a medial position has vastly less effect on the position of the steering
wheels than an equal movement when the handle is considerably over on either
side. This is found to improve the steadiness without preventing rapid
manoeuvring.
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.) In power propelled conveyances the method of controlling the transmission
of power by means of an epicyclic train of wheelwork of which a part is acted on
by a brake or brakes, substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
(2.) In power propelled conveyances a combination of clutch and gearing
mechanism comprising an epicyclic train of wheelwork and brake mechanism
constructed and operating substantially in the manner herein before set forth
with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
(3.) The method of controlling the relative motion of steering wheels on
independent centres by means of separately centred levers arranged to actuate the
respective wheels by sliding or equivalent link connection and coupled to one
another substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8
of the drawings.
(4.) In steering mechanism two independently mounted steering wheels in
combination with separately centred actuating levers coupled to one another and
to suitable operating mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 6, 7, and 8 of the drawings.
(5.) In steering mechanism an operating gear consisting of a handle bar
pivotted to a tiller bar and having a slotted extension in sliding contact with a
fixed pin or bracket, arranged and operating substantially as described with
reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of December 1896
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.