Improvements in Tricycles, Cars, or Vehicles Actuated by Compressed Air.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9.h June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tricycles, Cars, or Vehicles Actuated by
Compressed Air.
We, WILLIAM STILTON of No. 71, Lichfield Street Walsall, in the County of
Stafford, Engineer and ROBERT ANGUS MCLELLAN of No. 264 .St. Paul's Street,
West, Burton-on-Trent in the County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the improvements hereafter described in tricycles, cars,
or vehicles actuated by compressed air such for example as cycles, tram-cars, road
vehicles, or locomotives, and has for its object' the construction of a motor or motors
whereby compressed air may be used as the prime mover.
Our invention consists essentially of a single or double acting pump which
compresses the air in a reservoir or compression chamber by the rotary motion of
the motor and from thence it is allowed to pass to the valve chest and cylinder or
cylinders to operate the piston or pistons and propel the machine or vehicle.
The air pump is provided with a check box and valve through which the
compressed air passes to the reservoir or compression chamber which is fitted with
the necessary connections for the pipes to connect with the air pump and air cylinder
also with the pressure gauge and automatic release valve to regulate the pressure of
air in the reservoir or compression chamber. We also provide a small hand pump
or charger for creating the requisite amount of pressure for starting. Our improved
motor is also provided with a suitable brake and in large vehicles we preferably.
operate the same by the aid of compressed air, actuated by a two way cock for
admission and release. Or we may employ other suitable means of operating the
brake by compressed air. In cycles to which our improved motor is applied and
pneumatic tyres are used we arrange a valve or hand pump whereby it may be
inflated from the reservoir. We provide an admission valve from the reservoir or
compression chamber to the valve chest on the cylinder and we furnish the valve
chest or exhaust pipe with an arrangement to silence the exhaust therefrom.
We may arrange the motor or motors to work the aforesaid vehicles either by
connecting them up direct with the driving shaft and drive by suitable hand or
wheel gearing. We provide suitable levers whereby the valves may be manipulated
by hand or we may arrange them in such a manner that they can be readily worked
or manipulated by the drivers foot and we further arrange that they shall remain in
the desired position until the driver by another movement of his foot shifts them.
We employ a suitable steering arrangement worked by the driver, consisting of
shaft or rod having a screw or worm, gearing with a worm wheel or we may use
toothed or other gearing to steer the wheel or wheels.
We provide reversing gearing which may be operated in any suitable way.
Our invention may be modified in any detail as may be necessary to carry the same
into effect without departing from the nature thereof.
Dated this 8th day of June 1896.
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tricycles, Cars, or Vehicles Actuated by
Compressed Air.
We, WILLIAM STILTON of No. 71. Lichfield Street Walsall in the County of Stafford
Engineer and ROBERT ANGUS MCLELLAN of 26A Saint Paul's Street West, Burton-
on-Trent in the County of Stafford 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 the improvements hereafter described in tricycles, cars
or vehicles actuated by compressed air such for example as cycles, tram cars, road
vehicles and has for its object the construction and arrangement of a motor or
motor cars whereby compressed air may be used as the prime mover.
Our invention consists essentially of a single or double acting pump which
compresses the air into a reservoir or compression chamber by the rotary motion
of the vehicle and from thence it is allowed to pass the valve chest and cylinder
or cylinders to operate the piston or pistons and propel the machine or vehicle.
The air pump is provided with an ordinary check box and valve through which the
.compressed air passes to the reservoir or compression chamber which is fitted with
the necessary connections for the pipes to connect with. the air pump and cylinder
also with the pressure gauge and ordinary automatic release valve to regulate the
pressure of air in the reservoir or compression chamber. We also provide a small
hand pump or charger for creating the requisite amount of pressure for starting.
Our improved motor is also provided with a suitable brake and in large vehicles
, we preferably operate the same by the aid of compressed air actuated by a two way
cock for admission and release. Or we may employ other suitable means of operating
the brake by compressed air. In cycles to which our improved motor is applied
and pneumatic tyres are used we arrange a valve or hand pump whereby the tyres
may be inflated from the reservoir.
We will describe our invention by reference to the accompanying drawings the
same letters of reference indicating similar parts throughout.
Figures 1 and 2 represent in side elevation and plan respectively our improved
motor applied to a road vehicle.
Figures 3 and 4 represent the motor in section, and
Figure 5 is a plan of the cylinders.
a is a tubular frame supporting the body of the vehicle b and carrying the bearing
for the crank shaft d and cylinders c.
A, A, is a double acting air pump coupled to the crank A2, and J by means of
the connecting rods K and K¹. O and oare piston rods and P the pistons. C is
an ordinary cylinder provided with an ordinary valve chest D' and slide valve D
and the exhaust S the piston and rod R is connected to the crank L by a connecting
rod M.
B is a compression chamber in which air is compressed for supplying the motive
power. The hand pump I is for creating the requisite amount of pressure in the
compression chamber B for starting the machine. By attaching a length of tubing
to the said hand pump it may be used for inflating the pneumatic tyres when such
are used.
The connecting pipes F, F, convey the air from the air pumps AA to the com-
pression chamber B and from hence to the cylinder C the supply of air being
regulated by the automatic admission valves H, H, which are of the ordinary type.
The action of the machine is as follows:-
Air is first forced into the compression chamber B by means of the hand pump
which creates the required amount of air for starting the machine, this uid air is
I

page_text: admitted to the cylinder C by means of the valves aforesaid which give the first-
impulse to the crank shaft and hence to the air pumps A A which when once in action
keep up a constant pressure in the compression chamber B which supplies the
cylinder C.
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. The improvements in tricycles, cars or vehicles actuated by compressed air
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination in a tricycle or other road vehicle with a double or single acting
air pump and compression chamber and a check valve or valves and cylinder operating
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination in a tricycle or other road vehicle consisting of a double air
pump and compression chamber having check valve or valves and driving cylinder -
adapted to produce and store up pressure whereby motion is given to the cranks of the
driving wheels substantially as set forth.
4. The construction of a tricycle or other road vehicle with the air pumps driving
cylinder and check valves and hand pump being arranged to create the required
amount of pressure in the compression chamber for starting the driving cylinder
substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of March 1897.
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicants.