Year: 1897

page_text: I, EDOUARD ROSSEL, of 12, Rue des Sarrazins, Lille (Nord), France, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a system of auto-motor car driven by a petroleum or
other engine.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings
in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the carriage; Figure 2 a
plan, with the carriage body removed; Figure 3 on the right a half front elevation
and on the left a half rear elevation of the vehicle, the whole being drawn to a
scale of th (20 centimetres to the metre); Figures 4 and 5 represent, to a scale of
one-half (50 centimetres per metre) a diagrammatic view in elevation and plan
of the trains of epicycloidal gearing contained in the boxes B and C for changing
the speed and reversing the motion. The same letters of reference denote like parts
in all the figures.
The framing of the vehicle is constructed of a double frame of very light steel
tubing to which are fixed the engine A and the whole of the propelling mechanism
contained in boxes B and C. The carriage body, which is independent of the
framing and can be easily dismounted, is secured to the frame by means of six
bolts.
The carriage body, if used for the transport of passengers, may be in the form
of a vis-a-vis, as shewn, or of a victoria, phaeton, coupe, landau, break, omnibus,
or other required form of carriage body. If to be used for the transport of
merchandize or luggage, it may have the form of a wagon, van, or other form
suited for the purpose. The vehicle is carried upon four wheels having ball bear-
ings and which are generally made of metal having solid, hollow, or pneumatic
rubber or other kind of tyre which I deem suitable for my vehicles. The steering
wheels would have radial spokes while for the driving wheels the spokes would be
part radial and part tangential, this arrangement having for object to cause the
spokes to be subjected to tensile stress only instead of a bending stress and conse-
quently permit of reducing their sectional area while preserving the same strength
and reducing the dead weight of the vehicle. The vehicle is supported on very
flexible suspension springs intermediate of the frame and the axles, which latter
are constructed of steel tubing of sufficient diameter to resist much greater strains
than those which they have to support.
The engine A employed is of the Daimler oil engine type, although it may be
of any other kind suited to the vehicle. The engine drives, through a friction

page_text: clutch E, a central wheel F (Figures 4 and 5) which is in constant gear with four
satellite wheels G HIJ carried by, two discs concentric to F and capable of revolv-
ing about their centre or of being momentarily rendered stationary by the driver by
means of a handle D placed near the steering handle. Four other wheels K L M N
are respectively in one with the four wheels previously mentioned, the whole being
arranged in such manner that the pitch circles of these latter wheels shall touch
the inside of a circle P which is also concentric with the central wheel F. Another
wheel Q is keyed upon an intermediate shaft parallel to that of the engine whose
pitch circle touches externally the circle P and upon the same shaft is keyed
a bevel pinion R in gear with a similar wheel S keyed on the shaft of the balance
gear T (Figures 1 and 2) upon whose opposite ends are keyed sprocket pinions U.
which drive, through endless chains, sprocket wheels V fast on the rear driving
wheels.
It will be seen from Figures 4 and 5 that the circumferential speeds of the
wheels K L M N are different one from the other so that by operating handle D
to throw wheel K into gear with Q the engine will be geared with the driving
wheels at the lowest or minimum speed; by throwing wheel K into gear with L
the second speed is obtained; by throwing it into gear with M the third speed is
obtained; and by throwing it into gear with N the highest or maximum speed is
attained. Lastly by putting wheel O, which is in gear with K, into gear with Q
a backward motion at slow speed is obtained, all these effects being produced by
means of the handing lever D.
X is a hand lever for acting on brake straps passing round drums Y for braking
the driving wheels, and Z is a pedal which operates another brake strap acting on
a drum a on the balance gear shaft. On applying one or other of these brakes
the clutch E is at same time acted on for throwing the engine out of gear with
the driving mechanism. The engine may be slowed momentarily by means of a
third hand lever 6 acting on the regulator for obtaining speeds intermediate of
those afforded by the four combinations of the train of gearing before
described The hand levers b D X are all grouped around the steer-
ing handle d, as shewn, so as to be within reach of the driver who is thus
enabled to instantly and easily execute any manœuvre necessary for the proper
working of the vehicle. This combination of hand levers it will be understood
may be placed at any convenient point according to the form of vehicle body.
The steering handle d acts on the steering wheels, which swivel on independent
pivots, through connecting rods and an elbow lever, as shewn in plan Figure 2.
This arrangement of the wheels on independent pivots is adopted with the object
of having an invariable polygonal wheel base formed by the four points of contact
of the wheels with the ground so as to obtain the maximum stability. Moreover
the fore-part of the vehicle is supported upon a single cross spring i fixed to the
lower member of the framing by a horizontal axis j parallel to the longitudinal
axis of the vehicle. The two ends of the spring are connected to the axle by
straps k. The axle is connected in the horizontal plane to the framing of the
vehicle by two connecting rods having ball and socket joints so that the axle is
free to oscillate on axis j, the motion being limited by the spring i through the
straps and the axle being guided in a vertical direction by the two universal
jointed connecting rods 7. This method of suspension has for its object to prevent
the torsion of the framing by the jolting of the wheels in travelling over rough
roads.
A petroleum tank e is placed at the front of the vehicle which is in direct com-
munication with a constant level carburetter from which the engine is supplied.
f is a tank containing water for cooling the engine cylinders, for which purpose
a small centrifugal or other pump 9 driven, from clutch E, by a friction
pulley his employed for producing a circulation of water around the cylinders
and expelling the heated water into the double tubular framing of the vehicle which
serves as a cooler and whence the water is returned to the tank f and to the engine.
This cooling of the water is hastened in proportion to the speed of the vehicle owing

page_text: to the more rapid circulation of the air around the tubes. A winch handle m serves
for starting the engine through the sprocket wheels no and endless chain p. In
addition to the wheels the principal parts of the mechanism are mounted on ball
bearings, this arrangement having the double advantage of considerably reducing
the friction and avoiding the trouble of constant lubrication and especially of the
necessity of constant supervision while travelling.
Dated this 9th day of April 1897
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.
I, EDOUARD ROSSEL, of 12, Rue des Sarrazins, Lille (Nord), France, 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 follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to a system of auto-motor car driven by a petroleum or
other engine.
The invention is illustrated by way of example in the drawings accompanying my
Provisional Specification in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of
the carriage, Figure 2 a plan with the carriage body removed, Figure 3 on the
right a half front elevation and on the left a half rear elevation of the vehicle the
whole being drawn to a scale of 15th (20 centimetres to the metre). Figures 4
and 5 represent to a scale of one-half (50 centimetres per metre) a diagrammatic
view in elevation and plan of the trains of epicycloidal gearing contained in the
boxes B and C for changing the speed and reversing the motion. The same letters
of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
The framing of the vehicle is constructed of a double frame of very light steel
tubing to which are fixed the engine A and the whole of the propelling mechanism
contained in boxes B and C. The carriage body, which is independent of the
framing and can be easily dismounted, is secured to the frame by means of six
bolts.
The carriage body if used for the transport of passengers may be in the form
of a vis-a-vis, as shewn, or of a victoria, phaeton, coupe, landau break, omnibus, or
other required form of carriage body. If to be used for the transport of merchandize
or luggage it may have the form of a wagon, van, or other form suited for the
purpose. The vehicle is carried upon four wheels having ball bearings and which
are generally made of metal having solid, hollow, or pneumatic rubber or other
kind of tyre which I deem suitable for my vehicles. The steering wheels would
have radial spokes while for the driving wheels the spokes would be part radial and
part tangential, this arrangement having for object to cause the spokes to be sub-
jected to tensile stress only instead of a bending stress and consequently permit
of reducing their sectional area while preserving the same strength and reducing
the dead weight of the vehicle. The vehicle is supported on very flexible suspension
springs intermediate of the frame and the axles, which latter are constructed of
steel tubing of sufficient diameter to resist much greater strains than those which
they have to support.
The engine A employed is of the Daimler oil engine type, although it may be
of any other kind suited to the vehicle. The engine drives, through a friction
clutch E, a central wheel F (Figures 4 and 5) which is in constant gear with four
satellite wheels G H I J carried by two discs concentric to F and capable of revolv-
ing about their centre or of being rendered stationary for the time being by the

page_text: driver by means of a handle 1 placed near the steering nanare.
wheels K L M N are respectively in one with the four wheels previously mentioned,
the whole being arranged in such manner that the pitch circles of these latter wheels
shall touch the inside of a circle P which is also concentric with the central
wheel F. Another wheel Q is keyed upon an intermediate shaft parallel to that
of the engine, whose pitch circle touches externally the circle P and upon the same
shaft is keyed a bevel pinion R in gear with a similar wheel S keyed on the shaft
of the balance gear T (Figures 1 and 2) upon whose opposite ends are keyed
sprocket pinions U which drive, through endless chains, sprocket wheels V fast on
the rear driving wheels.
It will be seen from Figures 4 and 5 that the circumferential speeds of the
wheels K L M N are different one from the other so that by operating handle D
to throw wheel K into gear with Q the engine will be geared with the driving
wheels at the lowest or minimum speed; by throwing wheel L into gear with Q
the second speed is obtained; by throwing M into gear with Q the third speed
is obtained; and by throwing N into gear with Q the highest or maximum speed
is attained. Lastly by putting wheel 0, which is in gear with K, into gear with Q
a backward motion at slow speed is obtained, all these effects being produced by
means of the handing lever D.
X is a hand lever for acting on brake straps passing round drums Y for braking
the driving wheels, and Z is a pedal which operates another brake strap acting on
a drum a on the balance gear shaft. On applying one or other of these brakes
the clutch E is at same time acted on for throwing the engine out of gear with the
driving mechanism. The engine may be slowed momentarily by means of a third
hand lever b acting on the regulator for obtaining speeds intermediate of those
afforded by the four combinations of the train of gearing before described. The
hand levers D X are all grouped around the steering handle d as shewn so as to
be within reach of the driver who is thus enabled to instantly and easily execute
any manœuvre necessary for the proper working of the vehicle. This combination
of hand levers it will be understood may be placed at any convenient point accord-
ing to the form of vehicle body.
The steering handle d acts on the steering wheels, which swivel on inde-
pendent pivots, through two connecting rods and an elbow lever as shewn in plan
Figure 2. This arrangement of the wheels on independent pivots is adopted with
the object of having an invariable polygonal wheel base formed by the four points
of contact of the wheels with the ground so as to obtain the maximum stability.
Moreover the fore-part of the vehicle is supported upon a single cross spring i
fixed to the lower member of the framing by a horizontal axis j parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The two ends of the spring are connected to the
axle by straps k. The axle is connected in the horizontal plane to the framing of
the vehicle by two connecting rods I having ball and socket joints so that the axle
is free to oscillate on axis j, the motion being limited by the spring i through the
straps and the axle being guided in a vertical direction by the two universal
jointed connecting rods I. This method of suspension has for object to prevent the
torsion of the framing by the jolting of the wheels in travelling over rough roads.
A petroleum tank e is placed at the front of the vehicle which is in direct com-
munication with a constant level carburetter from which the engine is supplied.
f is a tank containing water for cooling the engine cylinders, for which purpose
a small centrifugal or other pump g driven, from clutch E, by a friction pulley h
is employed for producing a circulation of water around the cylinders and expelling
the heated water into the double tubular framing of the vehicle which serves as a
cooler and whence the water is returned to the tank f and to the engine. This
cooling of the water is hastened in proportion to the speed of the vehicle owing
to the more rapid circulation of the air around the tubes. A winch handle m serves
for starting the engine through the sprocket wheels no and endless chain p.
In addition to the wheels the principal parts of the mechanism are mounted on ball
bearings, this arrangement having the double advantage of considerably reducing

page_text: the friction and avoiding the trouble of constant lubrication and especially of the
necessity of constant supervision while travelling.
It is to be understood that I may :-
(1) Construct the wheels either wholly of metal or partly of metal and partly
of wood, celluloid, or other suitable material;
(2) Adapt to the framing any kind of carriage body suitable for the purpose for
which the vehicle is to be employed;
(3) Employ any kind of engine for driving the vehicle, operated either by steam,
petroleum, electricity, or other source of power which the progress of science or
industry may provide;
(4) Effect the rotation about their axis of the discs carrying the train of epicy-
cloidal gearing for reversing or changing the speed by any means which I may deem
it practicable to adopt as best suited to the form of the carriage body used;
(5) Employ any kind of friction clutch which I may consider preferable for
ensuring the instant disengagement and an invariably progressive engagement of
the driving mechanism.
(6) Install the whole of the driving mechanism in front of the place set apart
for the driver in the several kinds of carriage body employed;
(7) Employ any preferred kind of pump for ensuring the circulation of water
for cooling the engine cylinders;
(8) Furnish the engine with any system of carburetter or other equivalent appa-
ratus judged suitable for ensuring its proper working.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
-
1st. The driving wheels of the vehicle having spokes which are partly radial
and partly tangential in direction in order that the spokes shall be subjected to
tensile stress only and consequently enable their sectional area to be reduced while
retaining the same strength as well as reducing the dead weight of the vehicle.
2nd. The circular arrangement of the satellite variable speed and reversing
wheels around the driving wheel so as to considerably reduce the bulk and weight
of these parts of auto-motor vehicles.
3rd. Effecting a change of speed or direction by the rotation of the discs carrying
the train of gear wheels before described, about the axis of the driving wheel for
throwing any one of the wheels into gear with the wheel keyed on the stationary
intermediate shaft which drives the balance gear shaft.
4th. Grouping together within reach of the driver all the levers for effecting
the different driving movements including steering, reversing, and varying the
speed, regulating the engine, and applying the brake, whereby to reduce to a
minimum the time required for effecting any movement while enabling the driver
to still attend to the steering and thus enable any one to manage the vehicle and
ensure its operating in a perfect manner and with all the security desirable.
5th. Connecting the fore axle to the framing of the vehicle by means of two
rods having ball and socket joints whereby to permit of the wheels travelling over
rough roads without causing any distortion of the framing.
Dated this 16th day of December 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane, London.