Year: 1897

page_text: I, XAVIER DE LA CROIX, of 117, Rue Froissard, Brussels, Belgium, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus which forms the object of the present invention is a motor-
cycle which can be mounted on three or four wheels and worked at pleasure by
the cyclist, or by a motor with two cylinders supplied with vapour produced by
a mineral essence upon the vehicle; the construction of the apparatus allowing
automatic ungearing of the chain wheel.
The machine is composed of a solid frame made of steel tubes upon 3 or 4
wheels; it is supplied with an evaporating reservoir for the mineral essence and,
behind, a double cylinder motor, whose elbowed shaft has a gearing-wheel which
transmits the rotative movement to a cog-wheel wedged to a differential box.
which also has a band brake and a wheel which is worked by the chain whe
when the motor is not employed; this is an automatic gearing wheel
functions as soon as the motor is in movement.
The vapour is produced as follows:
ch
In the upper chamber of a two story reservoir, is the liquid essence; a tube
opened at the front takes the exterior air which comes in contact with the surface
of the liquid, the said surface is covered for a certain distance with a plate which
is always held at the same distance from the liquid; the vapour produced,
properly mixed with the air, is introduced into motor cylinders where the explo-
sion is produced, at every alternate turn of the crank, by the electric spark
emanating from a candle with a double wire of platinum the regular period of
the spark being obtained by a periodical contact apparatus made of a cam turned
by a driving shaft, through the intermediary of a shaft upon which is also a
cam working the escape valve; this contact apparatus is fixed in such a way as
to regulate the flame.
The gas burned in the motor goes through the escape valve into the lower
chamber of the essence evaporating reservoir, to hasten this evaporation by its
heat.
The electric current which produces this spark is formed by an ordinary pile.
A current stopper intercepts the circuit when the motor is at rest.
The automatic ungearing of the cog-wheel from the bracket is obtained in the
following way:
This cog-wheel is made with a ratchet-box in which turns a cog driven by the
bracket axle. When the motor is put into motion the ungearing takes place.
Dated this 16th day of June 1897.
L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in motor CycleD.
I, XAVIER DE LA CROIX, of 117, Rue Froissard, Brussels, Belgium, Inventor,
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:-
The apparatus which forms the object of the present invention is a motor 5
cycle or velocipede which can be mounted on three or four wheels and worked
at will either by the riders or by a motor supplied with a mixture of air and
combustible vapour.
I shall describe a four wheel motor cycle or velocipede according to my inven-
tion referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, Fig. 2 is a front elevation, Fig. 3 is a rear elevation
with the engine removed, and Fig. 4 is a plan of the whole. Figs. 1^, 2^ and 4*
are respectively, a side view, front view and plan of a light motor for carrying
goods. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section, Fig. 6 is a side view and Fig. 7
is a plan of the engine.
Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section of the vaporiser and Fig. 9 is a transverse
section of the upper part and valve of the vaporiser.
Like reference letters are used in all the figures to denote like parts.
Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the two front wheels W1 W2 are carried
as usual in pivotted forks having on their axes arms w¹ w² connected together
by a rod s which is connected through lever s¹ and links to a pivotted steering
lever S provided with two handles.
The two rear wheels W3 W4 are fixed on an axle made in two parts connected
through differential gear D the case of which carries a toothed wheel d geared
to a pinion on the crank shaft E of the engine: On the case D is also fitted
with ratchet and pawl a sprocket wheel connected by a chain with a sprocket wheel
on the pedal axle P, the ratchet and pawl allowing the pedals to drive the rear
axle but allowing them to remain stationary when the engine drives that axle.
Above the pedal and rear axle is fixed a seat R for two riders side by side,
either of whom can work the pedal on his side, and both can rest their feet on
foot rests R¹ R². In the triangular space of the framing in front of the seat R
is fixed a secondary voltaic battery A and induction coil A¹, and in the triangular
space under the seat R is fixed the vaporiser V. The volatile oil which occupies
the lower part of the vaporiser has on it a float V1 and rod, and a little above
the level of the liquid there is a deflecting plate V2 attached to an air tube V³
which can be slid through a socket at the upper part of the vaporiser.
The float rod indicates the level of the liquid, and the rider, when necessary,
pushes down the tube V³ so as to put the plate V a little above the liquid. Thus
air entering by the tube V3 is caused to sweep over the surface of the liquid
taking up vapour and the mixture ascends into the interior of the cylindrical
valve V from which a pipe is carried down inside the vaporiser nearly to the
bottom and thence to the supply valve of the engine.
The cylindrical valve V5 can be turned by hand, so as to close more or less the
mouth of the pipe at the same time closing more or less a lateral opening
by which additional air enters the valve to mix with the combustible mixture.
In the bottom of the vaporiser is a coil of pipe Ve which by means of a cock or
valve can be put in communication with the exhaust pipe of the engine so that
a portion of the hot combustion gases can be sent through V6 to heat the liquid
in the vaporiser when necessary.
1

page_text: The engine is preferably made with two cylinders E¹ E made with projecting
fins f so as to expose large surface for cooling. Both pistons are linked to one
crank-pin-connecting discs fixed on the shaft E. A pinion e on the crank shaft
drives at half speed a wheel e¹ on a countershaft & on which is a cam e³ for opening
the exhaust valve E³ once in every alternate revolution of the crank shaft. The
countershaft extends into a case E made of insulating material in which is
fixed a contact spring which as the countershaft revolves is caused to vibrate
by a notched disc e on the shaft.
This operates as a switch causing intermittent currents from the battery A to
traverse the primary winding of the induction coil A' from the secondary of
which conductors lead to the igniting match e where a spark is produced once
in every revolution of the countershaft . In order to adjust the precise moment
of this spark and-so determine the speed of the motor, the case E can while the
car is in motion and by suitable levers and rods be turned partly round the
shaft e to an extent limited by a bolt e' which passes through a slotted hole.
E is the inlet valve which when the pistons make their suction down stroke opens
admitting the charge of combustible mixture into the cylinders above the pistons.
By the return upstroke of the pistons the charge is compressed and by a spark
at eis ignited, the pistons being thus propelled downwards. By their return
up stroke the pistons expel the products of combustion, the exhaust valve E3
being then open and the cycle of operation is then repeated. At first starting
either rider by working the pedal causes the velocipede to advance and the
engine shaft to revolve thus starting the engine which thereupon continues to
work as described propelling the velocipede. The light motor car for carrying
goods partly shewn in Figs. 1^, 24, and 4 differs from the velocipede in having
the rider seated in front of the car body in a position to work the pedals R' R²
and a steering handle S, which is connected by suitable levers and rods, not
shewn to a crosshead on the fork of a single steering wheel W¹.
The tubular framing may obviously be varied to suit the form of the car body.
In other respects, the construction and operation of the vaporiser, the engine
and the means of igniting the charges in the cylinders are substantially the
same as described with reference to the velocipede.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make no general
claim to the means herein described of effecting ignition of the cylinder charge,
but what I claim is:-
1. A motor cycle constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
2. In a motor cycle such as is above referred to a vaporiser with adjustable
deflecting plate cylindrical valve and heating coil, substantially as described.
3. For varying the moment of ignition and consequently the speed of the
motor mounting the electric contact spring so that it can be turned partly round
the axis of the cam which operates it substantially as described.
D
1 1
411 Ja of A 1808
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.