IMPROVED SYSTEM OF STEAM TRICYCLE
Year: 1884

page_text: I ABEL PIFRE, of Paris, Republic of France do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVED SYSTEM OF STEAM TRICYCLE" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a tricycle driven by steam. Steam tricycles as hereto-
fore constructed have presented numerous defects arising from the weight of the
boiler; the necessity for carrying a considerable supply of water for feeding the
same; the employment of engines with rapid rotation entailing the use of inter-
mediate shafts and chains which rendered the machine complicated and increased
the chances of injury thereto; the disagreeable noise caused by the escape of steam;
the inconvenience caused by the size of the fire box, and the danger resulting from
the storing of. fuel which had to be carried.
The object of this invention is to obviate these defects and to this end it
comprises the novel construction and arrangement hereinafter described.
The improved machine is carried upon three wheels having metallic hubs; these
wheels may be made of any suitable material but are preferably of steel and
provided with india rubber tyres.
The two front wheels are of the same size, and the third wheel which is smaller
than the others is placed at the rear and serves for steering purposes; it has a hub
through which passes an axle rotating upon bearings capable of ascending or
descending in grooves formed in a fork. This fork is provided at each side with a
spiral spring held in position by a rod resting upon a bearing. The said fork can
rotate upon its vertical axis which is fitted into a collar fixed to the longitudinal
bar or frame of the machine. The said axis passes through a second collar, and is
terminated by a crank connected by means of a rod to a steering lever placed at the
right hand side of the seat.
The two front wheels are loose upon the crank axle and the inner sides of their
hubs are provided with perforations formed to correspond with projections upon
two sleeves which are carried by the crank axle and rotate with it.
The said sleeves are enabled to move in a longitudinal direction on the shaft by
means of a spline joint.
Each sleeve is moved longitudinally by a stirrup which stirrups are connected
together by rods suitably connected with the steering lever.
When the steering
lever is drawn in one or the other direction one of the sleeves is drawn out of
engagement with its wheel whereby the tricycle is enabled to turn easily. When

page_text: the said lever is in its normal position the three wheels are parallel and the two
side wheels are in gear with the crank shaft the mechanism being arranged for
straight travelling. Two spiral springs on one of the steering rods have for their
object to cause the steering lever to assume any angle required with its normal
position as these springs, when one of the two wheels is thrown out of gear, yield
easily they are moreover regulated in such a manner that as soon as the steering
lever is moved from its normal position, the proper disengaging takes place and
remains the same for all positions of this lever. These springs thus prevent the
friction which would be produced if, at the time of being put in gear, the pro-
jections of one sleeve and the corresponding perforations of the hub were not
opposite one another. The sleeves have only one half of the length of their
projections engaged in the perforations of the hub when the steering lever is in its
normal position and when the two wheels are in gear.
The mechanism of this tricycle is supported upon a light iron frame and is
suspended by means of two gutta percha pieces or springs.
The engine is composed of two double-acting cylinders, preferably of bronze.
These two cylinders are horizontal and fixed between the longitudinal bars of the
frame so as to provide complete stability. The pistons of these cylinders are
covered with hardened caoutchouc and act by means of two connecting rods upon
the two cranks of the axle and are placed at an angle of 90° to one another. The
crank axle is supported in the frame by four bearings having lubricators which
are placed in pairs, one lubricator being on each side of each crank The cross
heads_of_the_piston rods are guided_each_between_two_slide_bars as in locomotive
engines.
The valve of each cylinder is actuated by an excentric mounted upon the crank
axle and the reversing of the engine is effected by means of Stephenson's link
motion or in any other suitable manner.
The boiler is placed at the centre between the three wheels and between the two
cylinders in close proximity to them, which reduces to a minimum the length of
the steam pipes required and consequently any losses of heat; the said boiler is also
placed behind the seat and cannot inconvenience the riders.
This boiler which is used is that described in the specification of former Letters
Patent granted to me and dated April 4th AD 1884 N° 5943.
The said boiler is provided with all accessories such as manometer, water-gauge,
safety-valve and blow-off cock. The steam is carried through a pipe which
terminates above the base of the boiler, where a three-way cock is situated. Froid
this cock pass two pipes which descend inside the casing enclosing the boiler and
projects on both sides thereof before entering the valve-chests of the two cylinders.
A sheet iron casing encloses the said cock and the three pipes in such a manner
that these pipes are always surrounded by hot air so that no steam can be
condensed therein.
The key of the cock is terminated by a rod placed horizontally, to the extremity
of which is fixed a small hand-wheel which moves upon a dial. According to the
position of the small hand-wheel steam is introduced into the two cylinders
simultaneously, or in either cylinder separately, or is entirely shut off.
The condenser is formed of a sheet iron receptacle placed under the seat and
above the crank-axle. It has a capacity of more than 100 litres allowing for a
space of about 0m 10 between the level of the water and the underside of the
frame upon which rests the cushion of the seat This frame serves as a cover
to the condenser and may be removed' when required, for filling up or for
examination.
At the lower part of the condenser is fitted a box into which the exhaust steam
proceeding from the cylinders through pipes is conveyed. With this box are
connected a series of brass pipes some of which rise vertically and enter the recep-
tacle, whilst the others communicate with the atmosphere. All these pipes are
closed by perforated metallic stoppers, allowing the escape of air from the series
of pipes and serving to cool the steam which expands after passing through a

page_text: narrowed aperture. One of the pipes may be provided with a funnel instead of a
stopper in order to be able to pour water into the condenser, when it is required to
make up for the small losses of water from the boiler owing to leakage.
At the lower part of the condenser is a large cock which permits the heated
water to be rapidly removed therefrom and which is used whon it is intended to
replace such heated water by fresh water which may be obtained when travelling,
from ditches, ponds, wells or the like, whereas such water could not be used for
the boiler. This forms an invaluable advantage of this tricycle, as water can be
found everywhere for cooling purposes whereas such water may not be fit for the.
feeding of a thin boiler in which incrustations would be extremely injurious.
On each side of the tricycle are two boxes arranged below the seat and in which
are placed all the accessories of a roadster such as bags for filling the condenser, oil
cans, spanners and hammers.
Below the centre of the crank-axle is placed, when required, a pair of bellows
designed to promote the combustion of the coke when travelling. These bellows
are formed of two movable compartments made of plaited leather with a wooden
base and enclosed in a sheet iron casing.
The front compartment is subjected to a horizontal movement when travelling,
from an eccentric and connecting rod mounted centrally upon the crank axle and
from a bell crank lever. The air passes into the second compartment from which
it escapes through a pipe and passes under the grate. A counter weight tends to
compress the second compartment of the bellows so as to keep up a constant
current of air.
A pipe is placed laterally upon this compartment and is closed by a cock the
key of which is actuated by the small hand wheel placed at the right hand side of
the seat; this pipe permits all, or a part of, the air contained in the said com-
partment to escape without causing it to pass into the ash pan, and consequently
permits the combustion to be regulated when travelling.
The door of the ash pan is moved by means of a rod and its worm wheel and
handle for regulating the draught.
The feed pump is moved by a special eccentric and connecting rod and draws
the water formed by the condensation of the exhaust steam from the box of the
condenser. This water passes to the pump through a pipe and as the said pump
is situated at a lower level than that of the bottom of the condeuser, it is con-
stantly in readiness to commence operating. The water is forced into the boiler at
the bottom.
The brake is composed of two pulleys or drums both integral with the hub of
the front wheels and covered upon their peripheries with steel bands which can be
tightened or loosened by reason of the rotary motion of a horizontal rod. This rod
carries two pedals which are actuated directly by the foot of a rider.
The tricycle constructed according to this invention may be provided with two
independent cylinders acting each upon a separate axle and keyed upon the
corresponding wheel. Thus all disengaging mechanism is dispensed with, and for
steering it is sufficient to have cocks at the entrance of the cylinders next to the
steam admission cocks of the two cylinders, which cocks would in this case be
placed between the boiler and the bifurcation of the two pipes which enter the
cylinders. By closing one or other pipe at the same time that the steering wheel
is turned, the tricycle will turn to the right or to the left hand side.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: I, ABEL PIFRE, of Paris, France do hereby declare the nature of my invention
.for "IMPROVED SYSTEM OF STEAM TRICYCLE" 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 a tricycle driven by steam, and illustrated by way of
example in the accompanying drawing which enables its arrangement and mode of
operation to be understood.
Steam tricycles as heretofore constructed present numerous defects arising from
the weight of the boiler, the necessity of carrying a considerable supply of water
for feeding the same, and the necessity which the employment of engines with
rapid rotation entails of using intermediate shafts and gearing chains which render
the machine complicated and increase the liability to injury; the disagreeable noise
caused by the escape of steam; the inconvenience caused by the size of the fire bars,
and the danger resulting from the storing of fuel.
The object of this invention is to obviate thesè numerous defects and to this end
it comprises the novel construction-and arrangement-of-parts-hereinafter-described.-
The improved machine is carried upon three wheels A, B, C having metallic hubs;
these wheels may be made of any suitable material but are preferably of steel and
provided with india-rubber tyres.
The two front wheels A and B are of the same size and the third wheel C which
is smaller than the others is placed at the rear and serves for steering purposes; it
has a hub through which passes an axle rotating in bearings capable of ascending
or descending in grooves formed in a fork D. This fork is provided at each side
with a spiral spring held in position by a rod resting upon a bearing and serving as
a suspension piece upon the steering wheel. The fork D can rotate upon its
vertical axis E which is fitted into a collar F attached to the longitudinal bar or
frame of the machine; this said axis E passes at G through a second collar, and is
terminated by a crank H connected by means of a rod I to a steering lever J placed
at the right hand side of the seat K.
The wheels A and B are loose upon the driving axle L and the inner sides of
their hubs are provided with perforations formed to correspond with projections
upon two sleeves M which are carried by the driving axle and rotate with it. The
said sleeves are enabled to move in a longitudinal direction on the shaft by means
of a spline joint formed integrally with the said axle.
Each sleeve M is actuated by a stirrup which causes it to recede from, or presses
it against, the hub of the corresponding wheel, which stirrups are connected
together by a rod which a square piece placed at N can move longitudinally to the
right or the left hand side; the second branch of this square piece is traversed by a
rod O provided with two spiral springs and connected with the steering lever J.
When the steering lever J is drawn backward the wheel C is placed so as to
cause the tricycle to turn to the left hand side and at the same time, the rod O is
drawn upwards and the two stirrups are pushed to the right hand side in such a
manner that the left hand stirrup causes the projections of its gearing sleeve to
leave the perforations of the hub of the left hand wheel A and that the right hand
stirrup causes its sleeve to engage all the more with the hub of the wheel B. The
whee! A being thus thrown out of gear, the tricycle is enabled to turn easily to the
left hand side.
When, on the contrary, the steering lever J is pushed forward, the inverse effect
is produced and the three wheels combine so as to turn to the right hand side.

page_text: When the said lever J is in a mean position the three wheels are parallel, and the
wheels A and B are in gear with the crank-shaft the mechanism being then
arranged for straight travelling. Two spiral springs on the steering rod O have for
their object to cause the steering lever J to assume any required angle with its
mean position as these springs, when one of the two wheels is thrown out of gear
yield easily; they are moreover regulated in such a manner that as soon as the
steering lever J is moved from its mean position, the proper disengaging takes place
and remains the same for all positions of this lever. These springs thus prevent
the friction which would be produced, if at the time of being put in gear, the
projections of one sleeve and the corresponding perforations of the hub were not
opposite each other. The two sleeves have only one half of the length of their
projections engaged in the perforations of the hub when the steering lever J is in its
mean position and when the wheels A and B are in gear.
The mechanism of this tricycle is supported upon a light iron frame, the rear
part of which rests upon the wheel C by means of the two collars F and G and
upon the driving axle by means of sheet iron guard plates P and of bearings having
lubricators Q which can move up and down in the two plates. This mechanism is
suspended by means of two india-rubber springs R. The frame supports the engine,
the boiler, the condenser and the seat with all its accessories.
The engine is composed of two double acting cylinders S preferably of bronze.
These two cylinders are horizontal' and are fixed between the longitudinal bars of
the frame so as to afford complete stability. The pistons of these cylinders are
covered with hardened india rubber and act by means of two connecting rods upon
the two cranks of the driving axle. They are placed at an angle of 90° to one
another. The crank axle is supported in the frame by four bearings having
lubricators. These bearings are placed in pairs one on each side of each crank, so
that the said cranks are firmly held and there is no liability to flexion of the axle
in consequence of any strains to which the engine may be subjected. The cross
heads of the piston rods are each guided between two slide bars as in locomotive
engines.
The valve of each cylinder is actuated by an excentric T mounted upon the
driving axle and the engine is reversed by means of Stephenson's link motion or in
any other suitable manner. Each excentric T is loose upon the axle but is held
between two projections on the same so that it cannot move longitudinally. The
boss or hub of the body of the excentric projects inside of the vehicle and in this
projecting part is formed an elongated helicoidal groove of such length that its two
extremities, when projected upon a parallel of the cylinder represented by the
projecting part above mentioned, comprise an arc equal to twice the arc from which
the position of the excentric for the forward movement differs 180°.
A sleeve U capable of sliding longitudinally upon the axle and rotating with the
same engages with the groove of the boss of the eccentric and can approach or
recede from the said eccentric according as the bolt V is inclined in one direction or
the other. The helicoidal groove then compels the eccentric to change its position
relatively to the crank of the axle in consequence whereof the machine moves
either backward or forward.
The two sleeves U are actuated by two forks W which are connected by means
of a rod X to the lever V so that the two eccentrics cannot change their position
independently of each other. The lever V is placed either in the middle in front of
the seat and is moved from right to left or inversely. The boiler is placed exactly
at the centre of the triangle formed by the three wheels A B C, and between the
two cylinders in close proximity to them, which reduces to a minimum the length
of the steam pipes required and consequently any liability to loss of heat; the said
boiler is also placed behind the seat and cannot inconvenience the riders.
This boiler is composed of two concentric cylinders connected by means of tie
bars, when required for strengthening purposes and contains water up to about
Om 15 below its upper wall. At the lower part of the boiler is a serpentine pipe Y,
which is always filled with water, its two extremities communicating with the

page_text: water space of the boiler, This serpentine is formed in such a manner as to
serve as a grate for holding the coke which is the fuel used in this case. A sheet
iron cylinder Z is arranged in the boiler above the serpentine and has the coke
stored therein, closed by a cover provided with a sand joint. Air enters below the
boiler and through the door of the ash-box, passes through between the convolutions
of the serpentine Y which act like the bars of a grate, and after having assisted
the combustion of the coke contained in the grate formed by the said serpentine
pipe, escapes through the sides of the grate and through the open space between
the coke cylinder Z and the internal wall of the boiler. The said boiler is thus
completely surrounded, internally as well as externally with heated air which
escapes through the flue C¹. The outside casing D¹ may be covered when required
by a non-conductor of heat to prevent any loss of heat by radiation.
The said boiler is provided with all accessories, such as manometer, water gauge,
safety valve and blow off cock. The steam is conducted through a pipe E, which
extends above the upper wall of the boiler, as far as F1 where a three-way cock
is situated. From this cock pass two pipes which descend inside the casing
enclosing the boiler and project on both sides thereof before entering the valve
chests of the two cylinders at G¹.
A sheet iron casing H' encloses the cock F¹ and the three pipes in such a manner
that these pipes are always surrounded by hot air and no steam.can be condensed
therein.
The key of the cock F' is prolonged by a rod I placed horizontally, and to the
extremity of which is fixed a small hand wheel J¹ arranged, to move upon a dial.
According to the positions of the small-hand-wheel-J-steam is introduced into the
two cylinders simultaneously or into either cylinder separately, or is entirely
shut off.
The condenser is formed of a sheet iron receptacle L' placed under the seat and
above the driving axle. It has a capacity of more than 100 litres allowing for
a space of about 0 10 between the level of the water and the underside of the
frame M upon which rests the cushion of the seat. This frame M¹ serves as a
cover to the condenser and may be removed when required, for filling or for
examination.
At the lower part of the condenser at N1, is a box into which the exhaust steam
proceeding from the cylinders through the pipes F is conveyed. With this box
are connected a series of brass pipes O¹ some of which rise vertically and enter the
receptacle whilst the others communicate with the atmosphere. All these pipes
are closed by metallic stoppers having holes which allow the escape of air from the
series of pipes and serve to cool the steam which reaches them owing to the
expansion after, passing through narrowed apertures. One of the pipes may be
provided with a funnel instead of a stopper to permit water to be poured into the
condenser, when it is required to make up for the small losses of water from the
boiler in consequence of leakage.
At the lower part of the condenser is a large cock which permits the heated
water to be rapidly removed therefrom, and which is used when it is intended to
replace such heated water, by fresh water which may in this case be obtained when
travelling, from ditches, ponds wells or the like on the road, whereas such water
could not be used for the boiler.
This forms an invaluable advantage of this tricycle, as water can be found
every where for cooling purposes whereas such water may not be fit for the feeding
of a thin boiler in which incrustations would be extremely injurious.
On each side of the tricycle are boxes arranged below the seat and in which
are placed all the accessories of a roadster such as linen buckets for filling the
condenser, oil cans, spanners and hammers.
Below the centre of the crank axle is placed when required a pair of bellows Q¹
designed to promote the combustion of the coke when travelling. These bellows
are formed of two movable compartments made of leather with a wooden base and •
nclosed in a sheet iron casing.

page_text: The front compartment is subjected to a horizontal alternating movement, when
travelling, from an excentric and connecting rod mounted centrally upon the crank
axle and from a bell crank lever S¹. The air passes into the second compartment
from which it escapes through a pipe T' and passes under the grate. A counter-
weight U tends to compress the second compartment of the bellows so as to keep
up a constant current of air.
A pipe is placed laterally upon this compartment and is closed by a cock the key
of which is actuated by the small hand wheel V₁ placed at the right hand side of
the seat, this pipe permits all or part of the air contained in the said compartment
to escape without causing it to pass into the ash box and consequently perinits the
combustion to be regulated when travelling.
The door W of the ash box is moved by means of the rod X' and its worm and
handle for regulating the draught.
The feed pump placed at Y¹ is moved by a special excentric and connecting
rod Zand draws the water formed by the condensation of the exhaust steam from
the box N of the condenser. This water passes to the pump through the pipe A²
and as the said pump is situated at a lower level than that of the bottom of the
condenser it is constantly in readiness to commence operating. The water is forced
into the boiler at the bottom through the tube B³.
The brake is composed of two pulleys C both integral with the hub of the
wheels A and B and covered upon their peripheries with steel bands which can be
tightened or loosened by the rotary motion of the horizontal rod D². This rod
carries two pedals E2 which are actuated directly by the foot of a rider.
The tricycle constructed according to this invention may be provided with two
independent cylinders acting each upon a separate axle and keyed upon the
corresponding wheel. Thus all disengaging mechanism is dispensed with and for
steering it is sufficient to have a cock at the entrance of each cylinder next to
the common steam admission cock for both cylinders, which would in this case be
placed between the boiler and the bifurcation of the two pipes which enter the
cylinder. By closing one or other pipe at the same time that the steering wheel
is turned, the tricycle will turn to the right or to the left hand side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I.claim is
- O
The above described steam tricycle, wherein I employ an engine not necessitating
the lubrication of the cylinders, a boiler, the water in which is not wasted, bellows,
and a surface and free air condenser, provided with perforated stoppers for the
escape of air.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.