Improvements relating to Mechanically Propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Mechanically Propelled Vehicles.
I, CARL ERBEN of Raguhn, Anhalt in the Empire of Germany, Manufacturer
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:-
In mechanically propelled vehicles driven by means of chains the driving gear
has been so arranged on the carriage body that the jolting and springing of the
latter in the wheel frame leads to variation in the strain or tension on the chains, so
that the chains have sometimes been thrown from the cog wheels and the regular
action of the machine is disturbed.
In order to remedy this inconvenience, I have adopted the.construction shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, of the annexed drawing in which the ball bearings a a¹ are formed
in clamps capable of being moved along and fixed on the tubular framing of the
lower part or under frame of the carriage, the driving chains can thus be held in
constant tension without influence from the movements of the upper frame, so that
the inconveniences above mentioned are removed.
Another inconvenience is, that, until now the reservoirs for holding the cooling-
water for cooling the cylinder of the motor keep the water for only a relatively
short time at the required temperature that is to say below evaporization. To
obviate this inconvenience I have devised the construction shown in Figs. 6, 7,
and 8, in which, within a suitable cooling reservoir a corrugated air channel b is
provided so that about double as large a cooling surface is obtained and the water
will therefore remain at a suitably low temperature for about double the time when
applied to cooling the cylinders of mechanical motors, whatever may be their
nature. The existing means for steering the carriage and for disengaging the
gearing are much simplified by the arrangement shown by Figs. 1, 2, 9, 10, 11,
and 12, in which the double rods and chains hitherto used are each replaced by one
rod de respectively.
In this combined means for steering and disengaging pairs of bevelled toothed
wbeels ffff and g-g' transfer the movement of rotation of the vertical rods h
and i for steering the carriage and for disengaging, to the horizontal rods d and e;
by turning the handle h, the means for steering is operated, and by turning the
handle o the disengaging of the straps is effected.
The means for steering will be easily understood from the drawings; in order to
diminish the effect of the springing of the upper part upon the lower part, universal
joints m or "gall" links may be inserted in the rod d.
The arrangement of the means for engaging and disengaging is as follows:-
A crank n at the end of the horizontal rod e (Fig. 9) bearing an anti-friction wheel
causes on turning the handle o forward or backward a corresponding movement of
one of the disengaging rods k and I carrying the strap forks, and thus operates
the engagement or disengagement of the straps por g.
The retrograde motion of rods k-l respectively is caused by a spring r connecting
the two arms s and t of the said rods. By giving to the vertical rod i the form of
a tube, the rod / may pass axially through it, so as to have the two handles close
together, but, operating separately, affording a very simple means for steering and
for disengaging.
A further modification of this construction can be made in order to do away with
the spring and thus avoid consequences of possible breakage of the spring. This

page_text: modification is shown in Figs. 11 and 12 in which the engaging and disengaging
can be effected by means of only one lever. On an axle i is a turntable u which
-carries two pins lying to one another at an angle of 135°. These pins engage in slots
in the ends of the draw rods - connected to the ends of the belt forks w and w¹.
The draw rods have slots in their ends in order to compensate for the necessary move-
ments of the rods, so, that the rods may be differently actuated according to the
position of the turntable and direction in which it is being revolved.
Instead of a turntable u to carry the pins van angle lever fixed in a corresponding
way could also be used with the same effect.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I, declare that what I
claim is :-
In a vehicle operated by mechanical power
1. The arrangement of the clamp jaw ball bearings capable of being moved and
fixed on the under frame of the carriage by which the variation in tension of the
driving chains through spring of the body of the vehicle is avoided and such chains
are held in constant tension.
2. The reservoirs for cooling water having a corrugated air-channel whereby
the cooling surface is increased and the cooling water can be used for a longer
time.
3. The means for engaging and disengaging having a crank n fixed on the end
of a rod e to be turned by means of bevelled wheels from the hand shaft i, this
crank effecting according to its position, a movement of the disengaging rods (k and !)
while the retrograde motion of these rods is caused by a spring connecting their
arms & & t.
4. The means for engaging and disengaging comprising the turntable (u) provided
with two pins spaced from each other on which two slotted draw rods (-a) connected
with the rods of the strap forks engage.
5. The construction comprising the rod / traversing the tubular shaft i and pairs
of bevelled wheels (ff and f¹-f¹ and 9-g') for transmission of the rotation to the
rods de for steering and disengaging, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of October 1895.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant..