Improvements in and relating to Automobiles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Automobiles.
I, SAMUEL YOKE HEEBNER, of Highland Avenue, in the City and County of
Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, United States of America, Banker, 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:
-
Figure 1 is a side view of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is a plan of the frame and running gear.
Figure 3 shows the front axle and one wheel.
Figures 4 to 11 show details.
A indicates the body of the vehicle as a whole, B the rear running gear and C
the front running gear. D indicates the body frame having at the top side bars
with parts at the rear, parts at the front and converging parts 2, this
frame carrying a footboard at E and seat supports at F, F. Within the body
chamber is carried the battery or accumulator. G, G are the rear wheels on
the axle G, the latter connected to the body by springs H, H1, H2. These parts
are rigid with the body, the rear wheels not being utilized for steering, as in
many vehicles.
I, I, are the front wheels on spindles of axle J. This axle is rotary and lies
in a stationary tube K secured to brackets L, the latter being carried by
springs M fastened in sockets 7. The part m of spring M is rigidly connected
to rotary frame N having cross-bar n and two side bars n¹². The body rests on
frame N and through springs M and tube K on axle J.
Side bars 2 of frame N extend to the rear of axle J and are connected by
bars n which carry the pivot O that joins frame N and the body frame. The
axis of pivot O is considerably behind the plane of axle J, which greatly assists
in steering a vehicle and in holding the rear wheels in proper alignment with
the front ones.
The bottom part of the body frame has side bars P¹ connected by a curved
front bar P. are rollers on frame N on which rests bar P, the latter
being concentric with pivot O. Q is a toothed segment and Ra pinion
engaging therewith, having a vertical shaft having an operating handle or
wheel ri
S is a motor, having its field magnet in a carrier T supported on tube K by
hinge sleeve t. Tube K is connected by screw-threads with hubs ¹ on the
boxes.L, and the motor sleeve t is adjacent to one of these boxes. Sleeve t has
arms with bearings 2, one with a cap . The armature shaft carries pinion U
which connects with wheel U¹ on axle J. Ground wheels I I are loose on
spindles but their hubs contain automatic clutches at U2, of any suitable sort.
Axle J can have end play, because of the tube K and the thrust can be taken
on balls, for instance, such as at J, between hanger or box L and wheel U₁ Ja
is a sleeve in the box or hanger L and containing anti-friction rollers J³.
Instead of gearing at U, U¹ and the clutches U in the hubs of the ground

page_text: wheels, use may be made of a compensating gear," having one part on the
axle, and one part on one of the wheel hubs with the ordinary intermediate
bevel gear driver.
A brake can be applied as desired. I show two ways, one applying it to the
front gear wheel U₁ and the other to the hubs of the rear ground wheels.
In the first case, V is a support having arm v, eye engaging sleeve J², an
arm which carries a bearing that supports a pivot for a brake shoe, the
latter (not shown) engaging with a flange V2 on wheel U¹. The brake can be
rocked on the axis at by any suitable device under the control of the driver.
In the second case, the hubs of the rear wheels are used. W is a rock-shaft
on axle G having crank arm W¹ and a crank W³ connected to brake-band W4.
W is a chain or cord extending forward from arm W₁. It is connected by crank
arm to a rock-shaft having a crank 22 accessible to the driver. He pushes
crank with his foot when he wishes to apply the brake, and the spring W
releases the latter.
The motor is partly supported from frame N by rod Y¹ and springs y, the rod
passing through lugs on the motor and having adjusting nuts y¹y to regulate
the springs. Rod Y is carried by a bar Y.
In Figure 1 housing U is shown for covering and protecting the gearing U, U¹.
Switching and controlling devices to regulate the admission and quantity of
the current of any suitable sort can be used. Their location is conventionally
indicated by dotted lines at Q', having a hand wheel at Q to operate the
controller.
Numerous ways of applying single steering caster wheels to vehicles of this
class in the place of the two front steering wheels illustrated are well known,
and I wish to be understood as including one or more steering wheels, as con-
cerns that part of the mechanism.
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 vehicle, the combination with the body and the rear running gear, of
the front running gear pivotally connected to the vehicle whereby it can be
used for steering, the electric motor below the vehicle body, and movable verti-
cally relatively to the running gear, and power transmitting devices for con-
necting the motor to the front wheels, substantially as set forth.
2. In a vehicle, the combination with the body and the rear running gear, of
the front running gear having one or more steering wheels, the electric motor.
beneath the body and adapted to yield vertically relatively to the running gear,
and power devices connecting the motor with the said steering wheel, substan-
.tially as set forth.
3. In a vehicle, the combination of the body, the rear running gear, the front
running gear having one or more horizontally adjustable wheels for steering,
and the motor suspended below the body and adapted to rise and fall indepen-
dently of said steering wheels, and connected thereto for driving them, substan-
tially as set forth.
4. In a vehicle, the combination of the body, the rear running gear, the front
running gear having one or more steering wheels, the motor supported upon.
the front running gear and hinged to permit it to vertically rise and fall and
connected to the said steering wheel to drive it and movable therewith in its
steering movements, substantially as set forth.
5. In a vehicle, the combination with the body and the rear running gear, of
a front steering and propelling, wheel, an electric motor adapted to move verti-
cally with the body and also to move with the steering wheel independently of
the body, substantially as set forth.
6. In a vehicle, the combination of the body and the rear running gear, of
the front steering and propelling wheel, the axle or spindle therefor, the

page_text: electric motor pivotally suspended independently of the axle and connected to
the steering and propelling wheel and movable therewith independently of the
body, substantially as set forth.
7. In a vehicle, the combination with the axle and wheels thereon, of the tube
around the axle, the motor supported upon the said tube independently of the
axle, and the gearing interposed between the motor and one or more of said
wheels, substantially as set forth.
8. In a vehicle, the combination of the rear running gear, the frame con-
nected therewith, the front running gear, the frame connected therewith, the
electric motor mounted upon the front running gear, and turning bodily there-
with, whereby it is adapted to apply power at all times on lines parallel to the
path of said gear, and the pivot connecting the said two frames on a vertical
line between the axes of the front axle and the rear axle, substantially as set
forth.
9. In a vehicle, the combination of the body, the rear running gear, the body
frame connected thereto, the front running gear, a supplemental frame therefor,
the electric motor mounted upon the front running gear, and turning bodily
therewith, whereby it is adapted to apply power at all times on lines parallel to
the path of said gear, and means for connecting the said front running gear
frame with the body frame on a vertical axis in rear of the front axle, substan-
tially as set forth.
10. In a vehicle, the combination of the rear running gear, the body frame
connected thereto, the front running gear having an axle and traction wheels,
the springs extending upward from the axle, the frame connected to said springs,
the electric motor suspended and supported partly from said axle and partly
from said frame, and means for connecting the said frame to the body frame on
a vertical axis behind the front axle, substantially as set forth.
11. In a vehicle, the combination with the body, of the front running gear
having a frame pivotally connected to the body on a vertical axis in rear of the
front axle, the electric motor mounted upon said frame and adapted to bodily
rotate horizontally with the front axle, and a pivoted ring concentric with said
vertical axis and means engaging with said ring for positively moving the front
axle bodily around the said vertical axis, substantially as set fortli.
12. In a vehicle, the combination with a body, a rear running gear, and a
front running gear, of a motor, means independent of both axles for supporting
the motor and adapted to allow it to vibrate about the axis of one of the axles,
and gearing connecting the motor with one of the traction wheels, substantially
as set forth.