Improvements in Motor Driven Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Motor Driven Velocipedes.
I, LUDWIG RUB, of Augsburg, 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:-
This invention relates to velocipedes or cycles driven by motors and is intended to
overcome the disadvantages hitherto met with in the application of motors to such
vehicles and principally to reduce the weight and render the same more easy to
manage.
The improvements are broadly as follows:-
1) In consequence of the peculiar construction of the whole and of the details, the
benzene reservoir is made to replace the upper horizontal tube and the motor replaces
the lower longitudinally running frame-tube as met with in a bicycle, or in a tandem
bicycle, therefore these two organs also form part of the framework of the machine
and thus avoid a complicated special framework as required in other motor cycles for
holding the benzene reservoir, and of a motor. It is also very important that the
crank-axle of the motor should be in the same place as the pedal crank axle in usual
bicycles.
2.) In place of the tube which supports the saddle and is used in other cycles, two
rails are arranged which carry the back end of the benzene reservoir with the saddle
and between which are fixed a magnetic inductor, or other source of electrical force,
and a lubricator.
3) The substantially horizontal position of the benzene reservoir and its construction
afford good and uniform evaporation of the benzene, whilst in upright receivers the
benzene surface is too small and after a little use is too far back from the suction
opening; in consequence, benzene gas being heavier than the air, no gas but only
air is sucked in and no explosive mixture is carried to the cylinders.
4) The motor possesses two pistons lying one bebind the other, the united
cylinders, lying one behind the other are formed at their upper and lower parts so
that the whole replaces the oblique lower frame-tube of the usual cycle-frame. By
surrounding the whole length of the cylinders with a row of cross-lying ribs, the
motor is cooled during movement by means of the air and a special water cooling
apparatus is rendered unnecessary.
5) The transinission of force from the motor to the hack wheel is effected by
toothed wheels in proportion about 1:2 and a tube shaft which is put over one of
two frame tubes which unite the crank bearings with the axle bearing of the back

page_text: wheel. The hub of the back wheel is formed of a ring of about 20 millimeters
thickness to replace or act as a fly-wheel. By this arrangement no chain is necessary,
giving the machine a more pleasing exterior and an easier movement. The motor
can work as fly and thus avoid the shocks which damage the pneumatic tyre of the
back wheel and are very disagreeable for the rider in machines where the connecting
rod is connected, in consequence of the construction and the position of the motor,
directly with the backwheel.
6) The bearing of the connecting rod on the crank is a doable cone ball bearing
with two rows which supports the great load on this place and allows of renewal after
long use.
7) The lighting of the gas mixture in the motor is performed electrically and can
only be effected in the cylinders, avoiding danger of explosion elsewhere and of fire.
By this and in connection with the contacts arranged on the brake lever and operated
by means of the latter, it is possible for the eyelist to ride off at once without special
preparations (as are necessary in other lighting methods) and to stop also
instantaneously.
In the annexed drawings the improved motor cycle is shown in two constructions,
namely, in Fig. 1 for one person and in Fig. 2 for two persons. Fig. 3 shows on an
enlarged scale the longitudinal section through the motor and gearing; Fig. 4 the
steering rod with brake lever and contact and Fig. 5 the double cone ball bearing.
The tandem motor A hereinafter more particularly described working as a four
time machine with its cylinders a, a¹ lying one behind the other and formed of a
continuing tube like piece and surrounded with cooling ribs, is fixed at its upper part
on the fork tube B and at its lower part to the crank bearing bracket b, b. By the
peculiar construction and arrangement of this motor, the lower frame tube of a cycle
and the special frame arrangement provided for the motor in other motor cycles are
dispensed with and the crank axle can be put exactly at the same place as the pedal
crank axle of the usual cycle. The cylinder a, Figs. No. 1 and 3 is closed above and
below and its piston rod is connected with the pisten of the cylinder a. This
cylinder is open on its under side and its connecting rod is united with the motor
crank by the ball bearing (Fig. 5). This is intended to support the great load at
this place which would not be possible for an ordinary ball bearing. It is so con-
structed that after long use or in special cases it may be renewed. One of the two
fly-discs c, c¹ of the crank is provided with a bevelled toothed wheel d and with this
gears the bevelled toothed wheel e fixed upon the tube shaft f. This shaft carries on
the other end also a bevelled toothed wheel g which gears with a bevelled toothed
ring on the back wheel hub and drives the back wheel. The tube shaft f encloses
one of the frame tubes i, i¹ in which the back wheel axle is fixed and this frame tube
forms an axle for the tubular shaft f. The back wheel is here provided with a hub
consisting of a strong metal ring of about 20 millimeters thickness in order to
operate as fly-wheel.
The benzene reservoir C is fixed also at the front to the tube B and behind on
rails D. It is formed also tube like and replaces the upper frame tube of the usual
cycle frame. It does not need, like other motor cycles, a special frame construction
for holding the henzene reservoir, but it has this position (more or less horizontal)
also for another reason. The level of the benzene is of larger surface and cannot
sink so far below the suction opening of the gas mixture valve. The benzene gas
being heavier than the air, this offers a great advantage for uniform vaporization;
but as the motor working as fly would suck up too quickly the benzene gases which
can be developed in the proportionally small receiver, a further enlargement of the a
vaporizing surface is effected by a small cylindrical basket of wirework being fixed
on the bottom of the mixing chamber k, over which basket a hose like wick is drawn
which reaches down to the back end of the receiver. The air entering through the
valve m in consequence of the suction of the motor is forced to pass the wick and to
quickly evaporate the benzene contained in it. From here the gases pass upwards 5
to the mixing chamber & in which the pure air entering through the valve n is
mixed with the gas. From this mixing chamber there leads through the receiver C

page_text: (but separated from it) the suction tubes o to the suction valves p, p¹ of the motor,
which operate automatically. The latter works in four time whilst the one piston
pushes the burnt gases through the escape valve, the other one compresses the
insucked gases. The escape valves q, q' with springs are operated alternately by the
fingers, upon the rod s. The movement of the rod s is effected by the connect-
ing rod s lying in an eccentric groove in the toothed wheel by the gearing of the
toothed wheel u fixed upon the motor axle with the wheel & revolving round a pin.
From the escape valves q, q' lead the exhaust tubes vv which enter at w into the
frame tube . The latter is perforated sieve-like on its underside in order to weaken
the noise of the exhaust gases. The exhaust tubes may be conducted directly to the
frame tube or, as shown, one of them (e) makes a detour under the benzene reservoir
in order to serve for warming it.
Between the two rails D which carry the back of the benzene reservoir and replace
the saddle tube, is a lubricator E and a source of electrical force, here a magnetic
inductor. F. The first provides the two cylinders by suitable conducts (not shown on
the drawing) automatically with oil; it is influenced from the motor axle. The
imagnetic inductor F effects the lighting of the gas mixture in the cylinders, to which
the electrical current passes on one side through the metal parts of the machine and
on the other side through an insulated covered conducting wire. In the circuit is a
contact device so that it may be closed or interrupted at the most suitable place by
a pressure. This is effected by arranging a contact clamp a on the brake lever y in
order that by a slight pull the current can be interrupted at once and the lighting
will cease immediately.
After having filled the benzene receiver and the lubricator which hold sufficient for
about 12 to 15 hours run, the machine, of which the more delicate parts are pro-
tected against dust and weather, is ready. To set it in action it is wheeled forward
two to three steps and the motor is in operation. By pushing the cycle along the
motor crank is moved by the gear from the back wheel and the connecting rod is
operated, to bring the pistons, from the back dead point to the front dead point.
Behind the piston z gas is thus sucked in and by the then following return of the
pistons it is compressed and lighted at the back dead point by means of an electric
spark caused to form at this moment by means of any suitable lever gear. The then
following explosion inoves the piston forwards and the piston then sucks in gas
mixture in order to compress it when returning, whilst the piston 2 drives out the
exhaust gases through the escape valve. The exhaust is effected from the crank
axle which operates alternately the escape valves q, q' whilst the two suction
valves p, pl act automatically.
The speed of the machine can be regalated in any manner by the brake lever and
also the motion can be stopped quickly. In the latter case the stopping of the light-
ing, the air compression taking place in the motor and the usual effect of the wheel
brake operate together in order to stop the machine at once.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1) In a motor driven cycle a frame comprising a benzene receiver C and a tandem
motor A replacing respectively the upper and the lower longitudinal frame tubes of
the usual cycle frame, forming themselves part of the framing equivalent to such
tubes and provided with the motor crank axle at the same place as the pedal crank
axle in analogous cycle frames.
2) In a motor cycle, constructed as claimed in the preceding claim a free-lving,
longitudinally placed benzene reservoir C with a wire sieve basket 4, provided with a
long wick before the entrance to the mixing chamber and with an exhaust tube
under it in order to obtain a larger surface for the level of the benzene to diminish
the sinking of the level and to warm the benzene in order to obtain a good and
uniform evaporation.
3)-In-a-motor eyele-a-free-lying, longitudinally placed-motor-the-connecting-rod

page_text: of which-is-connected with-the-fly disks-c-c-of-the-motor-axle-by-means-of-a-double
eone-ball-bearing-in-two-rows.
4) In a motor eyele-as-described-in-Claim-1, the-transmission-from-the-piston to
the-back-wheel-provided-with-a-heavy-hub-replacing a fly wheel by means of the
tooth-gearing-d. eg. hund the tube shaft/suppented by the frame tube in
-In-a-motor-eyele, a-brake lever-y-with-a-movable-electrical contact for the
purpose-of-closing-or interrupting-the-eurrent-of-the-electric foree used for the-light-
ing by-operation-of-the-brake lever.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.