Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
ROBERT HYDE, Derbyshire House, Darnall, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements relate more to the arrangements for driving and controlling
the vehicle, I provide a handle in a convenient position which I make to work
one, two, three or more levers, and arranged in such a manner that one or more
levers are connected and operated by the handle at one time and other levers
can be worked by the same handle when required.
The advantage of this arrangement is to reduce complication and to place the
controling of the vehicle almost in one hand without taking the hand off the
handle which is a great advantage in driving a horseless vehicle, I make one
handle only to alter speeds, put on brake, to operate backing or reversing gear,
and start motor, after taking my place in the vehicle or not all the above
operations can be done without taking hand off driving handle.
The steering to be done by a separate arrangement and to which I make a
locking device, it can be operated by the steering. hand or by the foot its object
is to relieve the hand from pressure or jar when passing over rough roads or for
straight runs.
In carrying out my invention the handle is made to work in connection with
a spindle or shaft which works in bearings and is placed transversely (by prefer-
ence) one part has a slot cut through which can be open to end or not, in this
slot works a lever which has a square or other suitable shaped hole near one end,
the handle passes through slotted part of spindle or shaft and at right angle
to spindle and slot, the end of handle having a square or other suitable shape.
formed on it to fit the lever working in the slot, the other parts of handle passing
through the spindle or shaft are round so that by turning the handle half round
in the hand the lever in the slot can be moved to project to either side of slotted
spindle or the lever can be turned to any position in the half circle it describes,
the lever when turned from its side position through ninety degrees then stands
in line with the spindle or shaft it can be made to turn partly and work a second
spindle or act as a coupler and unite the spindle or shaft with other levers.
The spindle or shaft with lever in slot forms the fulcrum. On each side of
the handle spindle or fulcrum, I place a spindle or shaft with sleeves on or not
working in bearings, on the sleeves or shafts I fix levers which are made to
work independently or not. The levers on each side of fulcrum which works
in connection with lever in slot are made to approach each other like an ordinary
two foot rule but do not come together, there being a stop provided to limit
travel and to allow space for the lever to be inserted between them which is
worked by turning handle. Suitable spring or springs hold each pair of levers
in position and pull them back to their position after being acted upon by the
handle and moveable lever, the pairs of levers on both sides of fulcrum shaft are
same in principle the difference being the connections to be operated, the handle

page_text: has the usual movement forward and backward, and can be operated or not by
a hand wheel with toothed pinion attached, rotating on a fixed stud, the pinion
gearing in a toothed segment to which handle can be attached in such a manner
that it can be easily turned half round to work lever in slot.
A locking arrangement is provided or not in connection with handle.
To start engine a suitable wheel is keyed on a shaft which is geared to engine.
In the face of wheel is cut a V groove, and two friction tongs are made to work
in V-groove-one to check engine running back and the other tong is operated by
lever and links and causes the wheel with V groove in to rotate and start engine.
It is not necessary that the tongs in V groove should be thrown out when the
engine is working.
Dated this Third day of February 1898.
Improvements in Motor Cars and Power-driven Vehicles.
I, ROBERT HYDE, of Derbyshire House, Darnall, Sheffield, in the County of
York, 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:
My invention relates to autocars and power driven vehicles; firstly, to the
driving and controlling, and secondly, to the steering thereof. My objects
are to avoid complication, to put the control of the vehicle in one hand which.
need not be taken off its handle, to enable the vehicle to be started while the
driver is seated therein, to relieve the steering hand from pressure or jar and to
facilitate straight running. And my invention consists, first, of a single handle
adapted to work various levers the operation of which respectively start the
motor throw the driving gear into action alter the speed, apply the brake and
reverse the direction of travel, and second, of a locking device for the steering.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I will describe
with the aid of the accompanying explanatory drawings, the method and means
of carrying out the same which I consider best at the time of filing this specifi-
cation.
Figures I, II and III are a side elevation, a plan, and a front elevation respec-
tively of the controlling gear.
Figure IV is an elevation of a modified part of the controlling gear.
Figure Vis a transverse section on the line B-B in Fig. IV.
Figure VI is a plan of a further modification.
Figure VII is an elevation of the locking device for the steering gear, and
Figure VIII is a transverse section on the line A-A in Fig. VII.
Like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures where shown.
Referring to Figs. I, II and III, 51 is the motor or crank shaft, 52 is the
intermediate shaft with differential gear and 53 the driving road wheels shaft.
The handle 2 is placed in a convenient position for the driver and is made to
work forward and backward in the direction of the arrows (Fig. I) in connection
with the spindle 3 which forms a fulcrum therefor. The said spindle 3 is adapted
to oscillate in suitable bearings and is preferably placed transversely to the
length of the vehicle. The handle might be operated by a hand wheel with
toothed gearing but I prefer the construction shown. A friction plunger 10
mounted on the spindle 3 bears against the handle and prevents the said handle
turning accidentally. The spindle 3 has a slot 9 cut through at one end thereof.

page_text: In this slot 9 works a moveable arm 8 which has near one end thereof a-hole
of square or other noncircular section into which the part 12 of the handle 2 is
made to fit. The parts 13 131 of the handle 2 passing through the spindle 3
are rounded, the part 13 being at least as large in diameter as the largest (liameter
of 12 and the part 131 being at least as small in diameter as the smallest diameter
of 12. The handle is held in place by a collar 14 fixed on the lower extremity
thereof. By turning the handle 2 half round on its own axis, the arm 8 is
turned in the slot 9 so that its free end is moved from one side to the other of
the spindle 3. On each side of the spindle 3 and parallel thereto is arranged a
shaft, 15 and 16 and on these shafts are fitted sleeves 17 and 18 respectively.
From the sleeves 17 and 18 and from the spindles 15 and 16 respectively project
the levers 19, 20, 21 and 22. These levers are all directed towards the spindle 3;
the levers 19 and 21 are set so as to lie the one over the other and the levers 20
and 22 are similarly arranged. The travel of the levers towards the horizontal
plane of the spindle 3 is limited by stops 23 and 24 on the frame 57. The
stops 23, 24 are preferably thicker than the arm 8. On the levers 19 and 21
are projections 25 and 27 which are connected by a tension spring 29 and on
the levers 20 and 22 are similar projections 26, 28, connected by a similar
spring 30. These springs return the levers to their normal positions against the
stops after being operated on by the arm 8 and handle 2. "On the sleeve 17 is
secured an arm 31 shown as carrying a jockey pulley 32. On the shaft 15 is an
arm 33 also shown as carrying a jockey pulley 34. In the arrangement illus-
trated, the lever 19 and arm 31 are adapted to throw the slow speed into gear
by causing the jockey pulley 32 to bear on and tighten the driving belt 47 on
the small driving pulley 48 and the driven pulley 50 (Fig. I); the lever 22 and
arm 33 throw the high speed into gear by causing the jockey pulley 34 to bear
on and tighten the driving belt 56 on the large driving pulley 49 and the driven
pulley 50. The lever 20 operates the arm 54 on the sleeve 18 which (54) is
adapted to operate any suitable reversing movement; the lever 22 operates the
arm 55 on the shaft 16 which (55) is adapted to operate a suitable brake or
brakes, such as blocks on the driving road wheels. It will be readily understood
that the arms 31 and 33 may be adapted to operate other systems of gear.
On the spindle 3 is a depending lever 36, the lower end of which is connected
by the rods 38 and 39 to the top of the links 40 and 41 which are pivotted by
their lower ends on the motor shaft 51. The rods 38, 39 are jointed to the
links 40, 41 by the pin 42 and on this pin is hung the pawl 37 which is adapted
to engage in the V groove of the wheel 43 fixed to the shaft 51. To start the
motor, the handle 2 is first turned on its axis so as to bring the arm 8 into line
with the spindle 3 and out of engagement with all the levers 19, 20, 21, and 22.
The handle 2 is then moved backwards and forwards in the direction of the
arrows in Fig. I. This movement is transmitted through the lever 36, rods 38,
39 and links 40, 41 to the pawl 37 which grips the wheel 43 as it moves to the
right and overruns in the opposite direction. Thus the wheel 43 and the shaft 51
to which it is fixed are rotated to the right; the motion of the handle 2 is kept
up until an explosive impulse is obtained and the motor fairly started.
separate handle or lever may be used if desired to operate the pawl 37. A second
pawl, 45, may be mounted as shown on the frame to engage in the V groove
of the wheel 43 and prevent such wheel, and the motor,. reversing; it may be
actuated by gravity with or without a spring.
A
In connection with the handle 2 is a locking arrangement consisting of a
double rack 58 bolted or otherwise mounted on the frame 57; on the shaft of
the handle 2 is a sleeve 59 provided at its lower end with a casing 60, the lower
end 61 of which is parallel sided and fits between the parts of the double rack 58.
The casing has shoulders 62 resting on the edges of the rack and a collar 63 is
secured to the handle 2 near the top, so that though the handle can rotate in
the sleeve, the sleeve cannot move lengthwise or rotate on the handle. The
locking bar 91, is mounted on links 64 pivotted to the sleeve 59 at 65 and

page_text: carries a dog 66 at the lower end. The dog is adapted to rise and fall in the
casing 60, but is normally forced downwards by the spring 68 which holds it
in any of the notches 67 with which it may be engaged until lifted out by the
handle 69. By means of this rack device any one of the operations effected
through the levers 19, 20, 21 and 22 may be maintained without requiring the
driver to hold the handle in position.
Instead of forming the slot 9, in which the arm 8 is mounted, in the end of
the spindle-3, it may be formed in a block-70 as shown in Figs. IV and V. The
block 70 is mounted in a vertical slide 71 secured to the frame 57 and is adapted
to be raised and lowered therein, when the arm 8 is turned to engage with any
of the levers 19, 20, 21 and 22, by means of the bell crank 72 pivotted on a
suitable fixed stud 73. The upper part of the crank 72 forms a handle and the
lower part is jointed to the sleeve 74 on the lower end of which the block 70
is mounted. The block 70 may be held up in its intermediate position by a
spring 75 interposed between a bracket 76, projecting over the slide 71 and a
collar 77 on the sleeve, so that the block is either pressed down against the
action of the spring 75 to operate the levers 21 and 22, or raised up away from
the said spring to operate the levers 19 and 20. In Fig. VI a wheel 78 mounted
on a fixed stud 79 provided with a pinion 80 working in a rack 81 on the sleeve 74,
is employed instead of the bell crank. With these modifications a separate
handle is used for starting the motor.
In the locking device for the steering (Figs. VII and VIII) the steering
pillar 82 may be provided at the lower end with any suitable connections, such
as a lever, pinion or chain wheel, for operating the steering wheels. At the
top of the spindle 82 is fixed a hand wheel 83. On the spindle 82 is mounted
a long sleeve 84, with a feather and keyway device which allows the sleeve to
rise and fall on the spindle 82 but prevents relative rotation of the said sleeve
and spindle. The sleeve may be worked up and down on the spindle 82 by the
hand wheel 85 fixed to the top thereof or by the driver inserting the toes of
one foot under the flanged wheel 86 and prising up the said wheel 86, which
is fixed to the lower end of the said sleeve 84, and normally rests on the collar 90
secured around the spindle 82. In either case the upward movement of the
sleeve brings the clutch 89 mounted thereon into engagement with the clutch 87
secured on the bracket 88 which is fast on the car body, and locks the clutch 89
in the clutch 87. This locks the sleeve 84 and, by the feather and key way
device, prevents the rotation of the spindle 82 and so locks the steering until
the sleeve is dropped and the clutches 87, 89 disengaged.
The various parts may be made of any suitable materials, and the bearings
may be provided with rollers or other anti-friction devices. My invention may
be applied to other suitable vehicles in a similar manner, modifications being
made to meet special circumstances as may be required.
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:
1. In a motor car or power driven vehicle, the herein described single handle
apparatus adapted to work various levers the operation of which respectively
starts the motor, throws the driving gear into action, alters the speed, applies
the brake, and reverses the direction of travel.
2. In a motor car or power driven vehicle, the herein described single handle
apparatus adapted to work various levers the operation of which respectively
throws the driving gear into action, alters the speed, applies the brake, and
reverses the direction of travel..
3. Means for starting the motor of a motor car or power driven vehicle by the
driver while seated, comprising a handle and a lever mounted on a fulcrum, a
rod or rods connecting the end of the lever with a link or links pivotted on the
motor shaft, and a pawl pivotted on the joint between the rod or rods and link

page_text: or links, such pawl being adapted to grip and turn a wheel fixed to the motor
shaft when moved in one direction, and to run freely on the said wheel when
moving in the other direction relatively to the said wheel, substantially as set
forth.
4. Means for controlling a motor car or power driven vehicle, comprising an
arm adapted to be moved by a handle to which it is connected, firstly in one
plane into or out of engagement with a series of levers connected with the driving,
reversing and braking devices, and secondly in another plane so as to operate such
levers one at a time.
5. Means for controlling a motor car or power driven vehicle, comprising a
spindle having a slotted end, an arm located in such slot and fixed to one end
of a handle, which end of the handle passes transversely through and is adapted
to turn on its axis in the said slotted end of the handle; two shafts arranged
parallel to the said spindle and having levers fixed thereto and sleeves mounted
loosely thereon, which sleeves also carry levers, all such levers being directed
towards the slotted end of the spindle, being normally retained in contact with
stops, being adapted to be operated by the said arm, and being adapted to operate
through the said shafts and sleeves other arms in connection with the variable
speed driving gear, the reversing motion and a suitable brake or brakes.
6. In a motor car or power driven vehicle, the herein described means for
locking the steering.
7. Means for locking the steering gear of a motor car or power driven vehicle,
comprising a sleeve adapted to move lengthwise but not rotate on the steering
spindle, a clutch on the said sleeve, a clutch on a fixed part of the vehicle, and
a hand wheel or foot wheel or both secured to the sleeve whereby the two clutches
may be engaged with each other.
8. The pawl 45 adapted to engage with the grooved wheel 43 fixed on the
motor shaft 51, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
9. The improved devices for starting, controlling and locking the steering
gear of, motor cars or power driven vehicles substantially as herein described
and illustrated.