Improvements in Motor-driven Carriages for Common Roads.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motor-driven Carriages for Common Roads.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL of Ferndale, Church Road, Moseley, in the
City of Birmingham, Managing Director of Public Company, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to horseless or motor-driven road vehicles, and
has for one of its objects, self-contained mechanism embodying means for driving,
starting, reversing, stopping, steering and differentially speeding the vehicle and
for another of its objects, the stopping and starting of the motor in a simple,
efficient and expeditious manner.
According to my improvements, the propelling mechanism is placed upon the
fore part of the vehicle, with the steering mechanism situated at the rear.
The invention consists of four principal features, viz., first, a method of speeding
and driving forwards and backwards and stopping a vehicle by the employment of
conical friction rolls; secondly, the employment of a self-contained and rigid base
as a framing for carrying the motor and other mechanism of the carriage; thirdly
means for steering and locking the vehicle; and fourthly, a simplified system of
levers for effecting handiness in operating and governing the various movements
of the carriage.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a complete rigid base or frame,
independent of the body or superstructure of the carriage and on which is fitted
the motor, and driving reversing, speeding, stopping and starting gear, and
terminating with the steering pillar, either at rear or front according to what
manner of steering be adopted. If at front the shape of the frame may be of a
T figure in plan, with the extreme front part formed into a sleeve to receive the
stalk of the steering pillar, which has a swivel or universal joint at its lower end to
allow for irregularities in the road. For this purpose I may employ a ball joint
and spiral spring.
The object of employing a solid self contained base, is to secure extreme
rigidity between the several component or working parts and thus prevent any
possibility of the same springing, straining, or getting out of gear with each
other.
The base or frame is preferably made in a solid casting which may be of iron
aluminium or other suitable metal or material or it may be built up of sheet
material and rivetted or bolted together.
When I desire to attain by so constructing a rigid base frame is immunity from
vibration acquired by having none of the parts intercepted or broken up by
substances liable to militate against rigidity, and further I am enabled to dispose
the gear in direct lines and to effect proper adjustments of the bearings.
In rear steering, I may use the same frame but instead of steering direct from
steering axle I employ two rods which are connected to a cross bar fixed on the
steering post the other ends being fastened with swivel or universal joints to
the steering axle upon either side of the centre or fore carriage, I prefer to use a
Swivel jointed fore carriage mounted on springs or I may use a pneumatic cushion
or air nad at this point.

page_text: '
The motor and general mechanism of the carriage is firmly fixed upon this base
or foundation.
I prefer to transmit motion to the ordinary wheels of the carriage by toothed
wheel gearing.
Thus, mounted upon the rigid bed or base framing, and working within suitable
bearings and situated at a distance from the driven wheel axis, is a driving wheel
or pinion, driven by the motor, and in. mesh with a large driven toothed wheel
made fast on the driven main axle of the carriage which said axle is mounted in
bearings carried or kept down by a coiled spring or springs or pneumatic cushions
or pads located between the said framing and overhanging brackets are arms which
take the thrust.
It will thus be understood that whatever movement or vibration takes place, the
gear will always remain equidistant. I may employ four or more such spring
.bearings between the base and bracket arms.
I prefer to use a differential gear with a powerful band brake which would
be controlled from the centre of the driving wheel and be actuated by foot or
hand.
'
To attain the best results the driving wheel is mounted on a part of the base or
foundation and not upon the superstructure of the carriage.
In the reversing mechanism, I employ two conical rollers with a difference of
diameters in their length to give the desired variations in speed. These are
placed in suitable bearings with the smaller diameter of one coming opposite to
the larger diameter of the other, sufficient space is left between their peripheries
to allow the working of intermediate rollers, which may be made of metal, wood,
hide or rubber or a combination of any of these materials. Three rollers are used
and are mounted in a frame fitted in a carrier or larger frame and be made..to
slide in a suitable position on the base or foundation. Assuming for purpose of
explanation that I place iny two conical rolls one above the other.
1
Thus, mounted within bearings of a fixed frame are the, necks of two reversed
conical rollers, with the part of larger diameter of the one being opposed to the
smaller conical part of the other, and with the said rollers separated by an
intervening parallel space, wherethrough a carrier frame, having at its ends
intermediate friction rollers, passes. These rollers, which are mounted in yielding
'and compensating bearings controlled by springs, are separated from each other by
a given space, and are adapted to bear in turn upon the upper and lower sides of
both cones, whereby either forward or backward rotatory motion is imparted from
the driving cone to the driven cone.
The frame of the intermediate friction rollers, besides having a sliding motion
so as to bring either the front one of them into contact with the friction rolls for
forward driving or the back pair into contact with the rolls for backward driving
or reversing, has a longitudinal transverse motion for varying the speed, which is
1 effected by bringing one or other of the intermediate wheels to bear upon parts
of the cones of greater or less diameters, as hereafter more fully described.
Thus, assuming that the driving cone has the part of greater diameter upon the..
right hand side and that the shaft is driven at a uniform rate, then by traversing
the intermediate friction rollers from left to right, the speed is increased pro-
portionally with the increase in diameter of the driving cone, whose motion. is
being transferred through the intermediate friction wheel, to the part of smaller
diameter of the driven cone, and by traversing the said intermediate rollers to the
**other side of the coues a corresponding diminution in speed occurs.
It is thus understood that the. ccnical rolls have employed in conjunction with
them a horizontal slide moving on the main frame, with a forward driving inter-
mediate roller disposed on one side of the conical rolls and reversing and..back
driving intermediate rollers. on the other side. The slide carrying these inter-
n.cdiate rollers is controlled by a lever carried at the summit of a sleeve having
2 made fast to its lower end, a bevel wheel which gears with another, bevel wheel on
the adjacent end of another bevel wheel whose other end is screwed and takes

page_text: into a screw box in the slide and by means of which the slide is propelled and
repelled for bringing either the forward driving or the reversing intermediate
rollers into operation.
One great advantage which I attain by the employment of this gear is that
I am enabled at all times to take up wear and also to increase or diminish the
driving friction to any desirable extent.
The foregoing only deals with the forward drive and reverse drive, and if the
slide be left in a midway position between the conical rollers, then the driving is
disconnected altogether from the main axle, and the carriage is stopped.
The means for effecting the speeding of the vehicle can be actuated without
interfering with the driving mechanism or without stopping the carriage and it
can also be actuated when the carriage is at a standstill. Carried with the slide
supporting the intermediate rollers are three strong shafts which revolve in
bearings solid with, or make a part of the said slide. These shafts have keyways
cut within their entire exposed lengths and the three intermediate rollers, carried
by the slide are cut with keyways in their bosses, feathers or keys fit with the
keyways in both the shafts and the rollers so that the said rollers may slide along
the shafts but are obliged to rotate with them. These three wheels or rollers are
kept together in a case which prevents their lateral movement unless at the will
of the driver a screw is connected with this frame or case upon rotating which,
the intermediate wheels are moved along the conical rolls varying the speed
according to the position in which they are placed with respect to them.
I may
traverse these intermediate rolls by levers or worm gear, but I prefer the screw
as the wheels then retain the position they are placed in, whereas with the lever
the movement would the quicker but a friction or locking device would have to be.
applied.
The steering of the carriage is effected by a lever which has fixed near its axis
and adjacent to a part of it a band brake, which engages on a drum made fast to
or a part of the base or foundation this band brake is controlled by a catch placed
in a convenient position to the handle so that in steering, the operator grasps both
lever and catch and the steering is at once free. If the catch is slightly relaxed it.
becomes less free and: if released altogether the steering is retained unless con-
siderable pressure be brought to bear. I arrange this as a medium of safety as
in case the steering handle is jerked out of the hand or the vehicle left unattended,
the steering handles on my principle are always self retained in any position. It
also enables the steering being left if on a straight road, and if a specified circle
or radius be required it can be attained without the hand being kept on the
lever..
Instead of holding or retaining the steering lever in any set or required position
by means of a band brake, I may employ a segmental plate attached to the summit
of the steering pillar adjacent to the steering lever and having teeth upon its edge
with which the teeth of a pinion carried by the said lever engage. The pinion and
lever are locked with the segment by the nose or pawl end of a sliding rod running
along the lever and operated by a handle which is grasped by the hand. Or
I may lock the pinion by a band brake operated by a handle and retained by a
catch in the same way.
It is understood that the means described for locking the steering lever in a set
position is applicable to the levers for actuating other parts of the mechanism of
the carriage before described.
It is intended that the driver shall have his right hand perfectly at liberty for
steering, and his left hand can then be used alternately for either stopping or
reversing, and by an upward movement of the left-hand which can only be made
when in a certain positiou (which position is the out-of-gear). A brake is applied
to the motor and the valves actuated, which can then be moderated or stopped by.
a further upward movement and by a downward thrust which can only be made
when in this position the motor is caused to revolve and is thus started.
According to this foregoing description I use 2 levers one hand wheel and a
1.

page_text: footbrake. I will now describe how I may use only two levers and a footbrake to
control the whole of the working parts of the carriage.
The steering lever employed is the same as in the first described arrangement.
The reversing lever I construct as follows:-
A hand wheel is fixed on a shaft running through a sleeve, which shaft has
fixed on its end a small bevel wheel which gears with a larger one on the steering
column and from thence the motion is conveyed to the frame carrying the inter-
mediate rollers and thus the variation in speed is obtained.
Above this hand wheel is arranged an independent grasp lever, which controls
the forward and reverse intermediate rolls and the means for throwing the rolls
out-of-gear. In operation the grasp lever or catch would be pressed downward
on to band wheel and be moved to the right or left or centre according as it is
desired to drive forwards or backwards or stop the carriage and when released
would leave the hand wheel free for speeding purposes only, but when a downward
pressure is applied it then becomes for the time being part of the hand wheel and
acts for reversing forward driving or throwing out-of-gear. When the grasp
lever is in the latter position it can by an upward movement be arranged to stop
the motor and by a downward thrust, to revolve it for starting.
I have now described how I make two levers and a foot brake control the vehicle.
I will now describe how I make two levers do the work and get rid of the foot
brake by employing a suitable shaped handle known as the spade or T handle and
revolving the same during the steering and thus (without undue friction to the
steering) apply the brake through bevel or worm gearing or by rack and pinion or
an arrangement of levers.
I prefer to arrange the vehicle to steer from the rear as before referred to, the
advantages being more direct and simple gearing with the driving mechanism and
the possibilities of the motor being arranged so as to be observable through a glass
cover and immediately accessible to the driver, with or without leaving his seat.
Back and
As a further form of steering, I may employ what is known as the Humber
steering gear used in bicycles, in which the steering post carries a he V-shaped lug
of another part of the carriage and is kept or drawn central by a spring. The
V shaped lugs traverse up to the inclined sides of the V gaps when the steering
handle is turned and vice versa when the handle is liberated. When such steering
gear is employed I may fix one or more hand wheels on the steering columu of
foundation plate or base and so actuate the gearing for speeding.
forward driving and stopping a foot-lever for starting the motor is also carried by
this pillar.
For brake power I would either use a lever on the handle bar or a
foot brake.
According to a further arrangement of the levers I mount the steering post,
which is terminated at top by a steering handle, upon a base or foundation plate
surrounded by a double sleeve with the outer one carrying top and bottom bevel
wheels, with the teeth of the former made radial and engaging with the teeth of a
pinion on the end of a shaft passing up a sleeve lever jointed to the inner sleeve
surrounding the post, which latter sleeve has a bevel wheel on its lower end
engaging with a pinion on the end of a shaft operating the starting, stopping, and
reversing gear, whilst a pinion on the end of another rod controlling the speeding
gear is in tooth with the bottom toothed wheel of the outer sleeve.
The joint end of the lever has a spring catch, whose end is adapted to be engaged
with a groove in the inner sleeve for rotating same with the sleeve lever when
required.
Disposed in the path of the downward movement of the sleeve lever is a means
for starting the motor consisting of a T-end or projection on a vertical rising
and falling shaft having its lower end formed into a rack for imparting a rotatory
movement to a wheel and giving a pull to a rod or chain which in turn revolves
the crank shaft of the motor.
The movements are as follows:-
First start the motor by depressing the sleeve lever against the end of the rack

page_text: Bnait and спер mit the lever LO
the same fast to the inner sleeve on the steering post and push the lever over to-
the left. This gives a rotary movement to the toothed wheel on the lower end of
said sleeve and rotates the pinion controlling the forward driving gear and the
carriage moves forward. To increase or diminish the speed rotate a hand wheel
on the upper end of the shaft within the sleeve lever by which rotatory motion
is given, through the pinion on end of said shaft to the outer sleeve on the steering.
post and the pinion gearing therewith, whereby the speeding gear is operated.
To stop the forward movement of the carriage the lever is returned to its:
central position, whilst to drive backwards the said lever is pushed over to the
right of the steering post, thus rotating the wheel on inner sleeve and pinion.
engaged therewith in the reverse direction.
If required the rod for starting the motor may be operated directly by a hand
wheel instead of being depressed by the lowering of the sleeve lever as described..
In this case I should employ bevel wheels to transmit motion for starting and an
upward or unscrewing movement would be made or a lever at top be depressed to
stop the motor.
As a modified arrangement of steering gear I mount fast to the summit of the
sleeve surrounding the steering post, a toothed edged and semi-circular quadrant.
plate, with which a pinion carried by a bracket arm attached directly to the
steering post and having a worm wheel connected to its axis, engages. This worm
wheel is operated by the wormed end of a shaft turning in bearings in the bracket.
arm and turned for operation by a hand wheel made fast on its outer end. The
pinion gearing with the quadrant is about four times the diameter of the worm.
wheel, consequently the least movement of the hand wheel is multiplied to the
steering and further, the worm serves as a lock to the steering which remains in.
whatever position it may be set.
Or I may as a further modification make the bracket arm rigid to the sleeve
and cause the quadrant plate (in this case made fast to the head of the steering
post) to rotate.
In the steering gear of heavy and slow speeded vehicles I prefer to employ a.
quicker threaded worm and worm wheel.
As a still further arrangement I concentrate the whole of the levers for steering,
speeding, and braking the carriage upon the rigid bracket arm described in the
preceding arrangement. In this modification, the steering gear is the same as last.
described, whilst disposed at the back of the steering hand wheel, is a second hand
wheel, preferably larger in diameter than the said steering wheel and mounted fast
upon a sleeve encircling the worm shaft and adapted to operate a band or other
brake through the medium of suitable bevel or screw gear. Or this said second.
wheel may be in the form of a nut adapted to slide or traverse the sleeve and
apply the brake by an arrangement of fulcrum levers disposed within or along the
steering column, by which means the brake would be self retained in position.
A third and largest hand wheel is adapted to rotate on the sleeve of the second.
wheel and has a toothed wheel on its front which transmits movement through spur
and bevel wheels to the rod which operates the speeding gear.
If desirable I may concentrate the levers for stopping and starting the motor
and controlling the back and forward drive and stopping gear at one point, the
speed gear being worked by a separately mounted hand wheel, and the steering
and locking of the steering effected by another and separate lever.
Thus, surround the upper part of the steering pillar with a sleeve or bush
having a bevel wheel made fast to its lower end, whilst jointed directly to its upper
end is a lever or arm carrying a suitable arrangement of pinions and catches for
locking the same in a buck drive or forward drive position, which locking is
effected by a pinion on the underside of the said arm or lever engaging with the
teeth of a quadrant plate carried from an adjacent part of the base framing
and having a central gap to admit of the said lever being depressed for the purpose
hereafter described. Disposed below and in the path of the inner end of the

page_text: principal arm or lever is a link or rod having a forked slotted or other end in
connection with a sliding rod, chain or similar means for controlling the motor, and
adapted, ou the principal lever being depressed from the horizontal, to be rocked
and give a forward slide to the motor rod and start the motor and on the said lever
being raised to slide the rod in the reverse direction and stop the motor.
The speeding gear is controlled from a separate hand wheel mounted on an
independent shaft and giving the necessary traverse of the intermediate rolls across
the conical rolls by bevel or other gearing.
The steering lever is directly connected to the summit of the steering pillar and
is locked in a set or required position by a band brake which may be operated by
jointing the steering handle to the steering lever and connecting the same through
a rod to the band brake, so that by downward pressure on the handle the brake is
released and by relaxing the pressure more or less so I get more or less friction of
the band on the steering pillar and proportionate locking of the steering.
If desired I may apply such a band brake device for locking the starting and
stopping lever in any position, and thus dispense with the quadrant plate lock
previously described.
The fore part of the carriage is mounted upon springs or provided on the under-
side with spring arms having rollered ends which bear upon the axle and
compensate for any sideways or vertical movement of the vehicle, or when the
steering is at the rear I may make the foundation or base with T-like projections
which take on to springs and allow for the side movement of the carriage and also
the rotating movement at same time. The T projections are constructed so as to
form a lock to prevent carriage upsetting.
The springs would rotate with the axle and run on small rollers and accommodate
themselves according to the position they were placed in at the time of concussion.
Dated this 8th day of November 1895.
I, ROBERT FREDERICK HALL. of Ferndale, Church Road, Moseley, in the City
of Birmingham, Managing Director of Public Company, 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 horseless or motor-driven road vehicles, and has for
one of its objects, self-contained mechanism embodying means for driving, starting,
reversing, stopping, steering and differentially speeding the vehicle whereby the
stopping and starting of the motor can be effected in a simple, efficient and
expeditious manner.
The invention consists of four principal features, viz., first, a method of speeding
and driving forwards and backwards and stopping a vehicle by the employment of
conical friction rolls, secondly, the employment of a self-contained and rigid base
as a framing for carrying the motor and other mechanism of the carriage, thirdly,
means for steering and locking the steering of a vehicle, and fourthly, a simplified
system of levers for effecting handiness in operating and governing the various
movements of the carriage.
In carrying out my invention, I employ a complete rigid base or frame,
independent of the body or superstructure of the carriage and on which is fitted
the motor and driving, reversing, speeding, stopping and starting gear, and the

page_text: steering mechanism which is disposed either at rear or front according to what
manner of steering adopted. If at front (which is preferable) the frame may be
of a figure in plan, with the extreme front part formed into.a vertical sleeve
to receive the steering pillar, which may have a swivel or universal joint at the
point of its connection with the front wheel axle or frame to allow for irregularities
in the road. For this purpose I may employ a ball joint and spiral spring..
The object of employing a solid self contained base, is to secure extreme
rigidity between the several component or working parts and thus prevent any
possibility of the same springing, straining, or jolting out of gear with one
another.
The base or frame is preferably made in a solid casting which may be of iron,
aluminium or other suitable metal or material or it may be built up of sheet
material and rivetted or bolted together.
:
What I desire to attain by so constructing a rigid base frame is immunity from
vibration acquired by having none of the parts intercepted or broken up by
substances liable to militate against rigidity, and further I am enabled to dispose
the gear in direct lines and to effect proper adjustments of the bearings.
I prefer to transmit motion to the ordinary wheels of the carriage by toothed
wheel gearing.
Thus, mounted upon the rigid bed or base framing, and working within suitable
bearings and situated at a suitable distance from the driven wheel axis, is a driving-
wheel or pinion, driven by the motor and in mesh with a large driven toothed wheel
made fast on the driving axle of the carriage, the driven axle of which is mounted in
bearings carried or kept down by a coiled spring or springs or pneumatic cushions.or
pads located between the said framing and overhanging brackets or arms which take
the thrust.
It will thus be understood that whatever movement or vibration takes place, thic
gear will always remain equidistant. I may employ four or more such spring
bearings between the base and bracket arms.
To attain the best results the driving wheel is mounted on a part of the base.or
foundation and not upon the superstructure of the carriage.
In the reversing mechanism, I employ two conical rollers with a difference of
diameters in their length to give the desired variations in speed. These are placed
in suitable bearings with the smaller diameter of one coming opposite to the larger
diameter of the other. Sufficient space is left between their peripheries to allow the
working of intermediate rollers, which may be made of metal, wood, hide or rubber
or a combination of any of these materials. Three rollers are used and are mounted
in a frame fitted in a carrier or larger frame and be made to slide in a suitable
position on the base or foundation.
Thus, mounted within suitable bearings are two reversed conical rollers, with the
part of larger diameter of the one being opposed to the smaller part of the other,
and with the said rollers or cones separated by an intervening parallel space, where-
through a carrrier frame, having intermediate friction rollers mounted within or upon
it, passes. These intermediate cones, are arranged with one pair in contact above the
primary cones and the other and larger one coming below the same, and with a
suitable space coming between the top (forward driving) pair and the lower
(backward driving) one, and the back forward-driving cones are adapted to hear
in turn upon the upper and lower sides of both primary cones, whereby either
forward or backward rotatory motion is imparted from the driving cone to the
driven cone.
The intermediate friction rollers, besides having a rising and falling motion so as
to bring either the top pair of them into contact with the primary friction rolls for
forward driving or the lower one into contact with the rolls for backward driving
or reversing, have a longitudinal transverse motion given to them for varying the
speed, which is effected by bringing one or other of the intermediate wheels: to
bear upon parts of the cones of greater or less diameters, as hereafter more fully
described.

page_text: Thus, assuming that the driving cone has the part of greater diameter upon the
right hand side and that the shaft is driven at a uniform rate, then by traversing
the intermediate friction rollers from left to right, the speed is increased propor-
tionally with the increase in diameter of the driving cone, whose motion is being
transferred through the intermediate friction cones to the part of smaller diameter
of the driven cone, and by traversing the said intermediate cones to the other side
of the primary cones corresponding diminution in speed occurs.
It is thus understood that the conical rolls have employed in conjunction with
them a vertical slide or main frame with the pair of forward-driving intermediate
rollers disposed above one side of the conical rolls and the reversing and back
driving intermediate roller below the conical rollers. The frame carrying these
intermediate rollers is controlled by gear carried at the summit of a sleeve
surrounding the vertical pillar cast on the front of the bed plate and having made
fast to its lower end, a bevel wheel which gears with another bevel wheel on the
adjacent end of a shaft whose other end is in connection with a screw taking into a
screw box in the slide and by means of which the slide is raised and lowered for
bringing either the forward driving or the reversing intermediate rollers into
operation.
One great advantage which I attain by the employment of this gear is that I am
enabled at all times to take up wear and also to increase or diminish the driving
friction to any desirable extent.
The foregoing only deals with the forward drive and reverse drive, and if the
frame carrying the intermediate cones be left in a midway position between the
conical rollers, then the driving is disconnected altogether from the main axle, and
the carriage is stopped.
The means for effecting the speeding of the vehicle can be actuated without inter-
fering with the driving mechanism or without stopping the carriage and it can also
be actuated when the carriage is at a standstill. Carried with the slide supporting
the intermediate rollers are guide shafts which revolve in bearings solid with, or
made a part of the said slide along which shafts the frame carrying the intermediate
cones slides.
A screw is directed from one side to the other of the slide and passes through a
screw box in the frame and upon rotating the said screw, the intermediate wheels
are moved along the conical rolls varying the speed according to the position in which
they are placed. I may traverse these intermediate rolls by levers or worm gear,
but I prefer the screw as the wheels then retain the position they are placed in,
whereas with the lever the movement would be quicker but a friction or locking
device would have to be applied.
The steering of the carriage is effected by a lever carrying a band brake, engaging
round the steering post and controlled by a grip lever placed in a convenient position
to the handle so that in steering, the operator grasps both lever and catch and the
steering is at once free. If the grip is slightly relaxed the steering becomes less
free and if released altogether the steering is retained unless considerable pressure
be brought to bear. I arrange this as a medium of safety as in case the steering
handle is jerked out of the hand or the vehicle left unattended, the said steering
handle is always self retained in any position, in which it may have been placed
It also enables the steering being left if on a straight road, and if a specified
circle or radius be required it can be attained without the hand being kept on the
lever.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents an elevation, with some of the
parts in section, of the rear part of a motor carriage provided with a rigid base or
foundation and provided with means for driving, stopping, starting, reversing and
speeding the same constructed and arranged in accordance with one form of my
invention. The said view shows the primary driving and driven cones and their
mountings or bearings, also the intermediate forward and backward driving cones
and the vertically moving slide carrying the frame in which they are mounted.
Figure 2 represents an elevation, partly in section, of the fore part of a carriage,

page_text: showing the system of levers and gearing by which the vehicle is steered, the steering
locked, the intermediate cones raised, lowered or traversed for throwing in and out
of gear and speeding the primary cones.
Figure 3 is a section upon the dotted lines x-r Figure 2, showing the means for
locking the steering.
Figure 4 is a cross section of the carriage taken through the space between primary
cones and in front of the slide of the intermediate cones.
Figure 5 is a plan of the carriage, with the intermediate cone slides in section and
the gearing on the fore carriage removed.
Figure 6 is a diagramatic section of the system of friction cones, showing the
arrangement of the intermediate cones relative to the primary driving and driven
cones.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 6 of
the drawings.
a is the rigid base framing or foundation plate, formed preferably of a single
casting, the fore part a', of which carries the steering gear and the system of
levers controlling the friction cones, which are mounted on the rear part a². bis
the primary driving cone, mounted on a shaft or axis 6', turning in bearings b³,
carried at the summits of brackets or pillars 6, made fast to the foundation plates
and having its ends directed into and through a pair of links 4, which connect the
said axis b', with the shaft c' of the primary driven cone c, and keep the said cones b,c,
always the same distance apart. The said shaft c', constitutes the main axle of the
carriage and carries the wheels c, at its ends.
The driven cone b, receives its motion from a pinion 8, on the end of a motor
shaft 60, engaging with a spur wheel 6, made fast on its axis b'.
d are brackets or thrust arms, bolted to the foundation plate and between the
ends d', of which and the ends , of the links 4, springs d, are located, which
encircle the rods d³, directed from the links and passing through holes d', in
loose spheres or blocks do, inserted in the bracket arms and through which the
rods, work when the springs are compressed by the wheels passing over
inequalities or obstructions in their path, the links 6, meanwhile keeping the primary
cones b and c equidistant.
.
e is a vertically moving slide, located in the space 6°, between the cones b and c',
having undercut-edged blocks e, working in guide grooves or channels e, formed
in plates e, bolted to and moving with the links 64, whilst directed from side to side,
of the said slide are top and bottom guide rods e, e, upon which the eyes or
sleeves, of the laterally traversing frame f, carrying the intermediate forward
driving cones g, g' and the intermediate backward driving cone g', slide. These
said intermediate cones are mounted on axes or shafts 9, 96, 97, turning in
bearings f,f,f, of the said frame and are laterally traversed for communi-
cating motion from the driving cone b, to the driven cone c, at varying rates by
a screw, mounted at its ends in bearings h¹, in the slide e, passing through a screw
box, in the frame and having at its end a bevel wheel, gearing with a
second bevel wheel, carried at the summit of a telescopic shaft, controlled
from the front of the carriage by means as hereinafter described, as also is
the screw e, which works through a screw box e', in a top cross bar es, of the
slide and gives thereto the rising and falling movement which brings either
the forward driving or backward driving intermediate cones or cone into and
out of contact with the primary cones or throws the said intermediate cones out
of gear by leaving the same in a mid-way position when the carriage is stopped
altogether.
The fore carriage a', has T-shaped side extensions as, through slots a', in which,
upright pegs or pins a, carried on the ring or frame a, on which the front-
axle a', is carried, are directed, whilst a, is an upright column or pillar, cast on
the fore part of the bed plate and down which the steering post a', formed
solid with or connected to the frame a, passes. To the summit of this post a³, a
B
•

page_text: steering handle'or lever a¹º, is bolted or otherwise secured, and encircling an upper
part a, of the pillar or column a³, is a brako i, for stiffening the steering or
locking the steering handle in any position in which they may be set. The
said brake consists of a band i, having thickened or lug ends ',, pierced with
lateral holes 3, 4, which are respectively right and left hand screwed with coarse
quick threads, and receive the correspondingly screwed ends of a double screw
pin', which has a short lever, upon its middle, to the lower end of which is
connected a rod 7, whose other end is connected to a clutch lever 1, arranged
conveniently to the drivers grasp, underneath the steering handle, so that to
release the brake off the steering pillar, the clutch is drawn towards the
handle, thereby pulling round the lever, carrying the quick threaded pin,
which forces the thickened ends of the band asunder and so relieves the grip of
the brake on the pillar a³. When the clutch is released, the brake is drawn on by
the spring.
•
The gear for controlling the screw e, which raises or lowers the slide e consists
of a shaft j, running in bearings upon a table or bed ¹, cast upon the upright
pillar a, and having at one end a hand wheel, and at the other end a worm j³,
gearing with a tangent wheel, in connection by an axis, with a pinion j³, which
transmits motion from the hand wheel to a semi-circular-toothed rack or quadrant
plate, cast upon or carried by one end of a sleeve, surrounding and rotating
around the pillar as, and having its lower part cut with bevel teeth is, gearing with
a bevel wheel, on one end of a shaft jo, whose other end carries a second bevel
wheel, which in turn gears with a bevel wheel e, on the screw eⓇ.
k is the hand wheel which operates the traversing screw for speeding the vehicle.
The same is carried on a shaft k, supported from the foundation plate by the
frame or casing, and having a bevel wheel &, at its lower end engaging with
another bevel wheel k on a shaft k, running along to the back of the carriage
and communication motion by suitable gear to the telescopic shaft *, and bevel
wheel, gearing with the bevel wheel on the screw h.
Instead of holding or retaining the steering lever in any set or required position
by means of a band brake, I may employ a segmental plate attached to the summit
of the steering pillar adjacent to the steering lever and having teeth upon its edge
with which the teeth of a pinion carried by the said lever, or upon a shaft
controlled by a hand wheel, engage. The pinion and lever may be locked with
the segment by the nose or pawl end of a sliding rod running along the lever or
shaft and operated by a handle which is grasped by the hand. Or I may lock
the pinion by a band brake operated by a handle and retained by a catch in the
same way as described in connection with the means for locking of the steering
shown in Figures 2 and 3.
It is understood that the means described for locking the steering lever in a set
position is applicable to the levers or shafts for actuating other parts of the
mechanism of the carriage before described.
As a modified arrangement of steering gear I mount fast to the summit of the
sleeve surrounding the steering post, a toothed edged and semi-circular quadrant
plate, with which a pinion carried by a bracket arm attached directly to the
steering post and having a worm wheel connected to its axis, engages. This worm
wheel is operated by the wormed end of a shaft turning in bearings in the bracket
arm and rotated by a hand wheel made fast on its outer end. The pinion gearing
with the quadrant may be much larger in diameter than the worm wheel, con-
sequently the least movement of the hand wheel would be multiplied to the steering
and further, the worm serves as a lock to the steering, which remains in whatever
position it may be set to.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation of such an arrangement of steering gear
and Figure 8 is a topside plan thereof.
a is the steering pillar, running down the inside of the pillar as, and a-is the
toothed-edged plate at its upper end, engaging with the pinion a", on one end of

page_text: the axis a", turning in bearings in the bracket arm or plate a", and having at its
mounted.
upper end the tangent wheel a", rotated by the worm a", on the shaft a¹,
in bearings on the said bracket arm and turned by a hand wheel a".
Or I may as a further modification make the bracket arm rigid to the sleeve and
rotate the quadrant plate (which in this case is made fast to the head of the steering
post) to rotate by suitable gear.
The two preceding arrangements are particularly applicable for the steering
gear of heavy and slow speeded vehicles, in which I prefer to employ quick threaded
worm and worm wheel.
As a still further arrangement I concentrate the whole of the levers for steering,.
speeding, and braking the carriage upon the rigid bracket arm described in the
preceding arrangement. In this modification, the steering gear is the same as
last described, whilst disposed at the back of the steering hand wheel, is a second
hand wheel, mounted fast upon a shaft, passing through the worm shaft (which is
hollow) and adapted to operate a band or other brake through the medium of
suitable bevel or screw gear.
A third and largest hand wheel is situated in front of the steering wheel and is
adapted to rotate upon the hollow shaft and has a toothed wheel on its front
which transmits movement through spur and bevel wheels to the rod which operates
the speeding gear.
Figure 9 represents partly in elevation and partly in section, this last
arrangement.
m is a bracket arm or table, made fast to or cast solid with a pillar m², carried
on the foundation plate of the carriage, and having running longitudinally along
the top of the same, a hollow shaft or sleeve m², fitted with and rotated by a hand
wheel m, and formed into a worm m, at its inner end, which actuates a tangent
wheel m, carried on a short vertical axis m³, fitted at its lower end with a
pinion m, gearing with a toothed plate or quadrant m', on the summit of the.
steering pillar m³.
Running through the sleeve m², is a shaft n, rotated by the hand wheel n³, and
adapted to actuate the brake by means of the bevel gear n³, n' and vertical shaft n°,
whilst running in bearings o¹, on the underside of the bracket arm m, is another
shaft o, rotated by means of the hand wheel o³, mounted and turning on the
sleeve m² and having a spur wheel o³ cast on or fitted to it engaging with a pinion o*,
on the outer end of the said shaft, whose inner end carries a bevel wheel o',.
engaging with a larger bevel wheel p¹, surmounting the sleeve p, which encircles
the pillar m', and whose lower end has another bevel wheel (not shown) which
transmits motion to the screw or equivalent means for speeding the friction cones
or starting, reversing and stopping the same, as may be required.
If desirable I may concentrate the levers for stopping and starting the motor
and controlling the back and forward drive and stopping gear at one point by
arrangements alike unto those already described, the speeding gear being worked
by a separately mounted hand wheel, and the steering and locking of the steering
effected by another and separate lever.
The fore part of the carriage may be mounted upon springs or provided on the
underside with spring arms having rollered ends which bear upon the axle and
compensate for any sideways or vertical movement of the vehicle.
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.-
First. In motor-driven carriages for common roads, driving, speeding and
reversing the same by means of running conical friction rolls, arranged with the
part of larger diameter of the one opposite to the part of smaller diameter of the
other, and with motion communicated from one to the other by intermediate running
friction cones.
Secondly. In motor-driven carriages for common roads, driving, speeding and
t

page_text: reversing the same by means of running conical friction rolls, arranged with the
part of larger diameter of the one opposite to the part of smaller diameter of the
other, and with motion communicated from the driving to the driven cone by a
series of three (or such odd number of) rising and falling or advancing and retiring
traversing smaller cones, with two of them working in a pair for forward
driving and the other single one working for back driving, substantially as
described and set forth.
Thirdly. In motor-driven carriages, driven by friction cones as referred to in
the preceding claims, the means for communicating motion to the slide and
traversing frame carrying the intermediate cones, constructed arranged and
operating substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. In motor-driven carriages driven by friction cones, the general
construction, arrangement and combination of the parts of the driving, stopping,
starting, reversing and speeding gear carried on the rear part of the foundation
plate of the vehicle, substantially as described and set forth.
Fifthly. In motor-driven carriages, carrying the whole of the mechanism
upon a single rigid base, substantially as and for the purposes described and set
forth.
Sixthly. In motor-driven carriages for common roads, the means of steering
and locking the steering handle or steering post in its set position by a self-acting
band brake, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as described and set
forth in Figures 2 and 3.
Seventhly. In motor-driven carriages for common roads, the combination and
arrangement of the levers, hand-wheels, gear and cognate parts for steering and
locking the steering the vehicle and controlling the friction cone driving gear,
substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Eighthly. In motor-driven carriages for common roads, the general construction
and arrangement of the mountings of the driving and driven cones, substantially
as described and set forth.
Ninthly. In motor-driven carriages for common road vehicles, the construction
and arrangement of self-locking steering gear, substantially as described and set
forth in Figures 7 and 8.
Tenthly. In motor-driven carriages for common road vehicles, the arrangement
and combination of the gearing and means for operating the same, for steering
and braking the vehicle and controlling the driving cone gear, or for stopping and
starting the motor or effecting other operations, substantially as described and set
forth in Figure 9.
Dated this 24th day of August 1896
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
ROBERT FREDERICK HALL,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.