Improvements in or relating to Motor Cars.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Motor Cars.
I, LORENZ POPP, of Bâle, in the Republic of Switzerland, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The present application for Letters Patent relates to a motor car driven by
means of a volatile hydrocarbon, which is illustrated by way of example in the
accompanying drawings:-
:―
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, the two wheels on the side of the carriage from
which the view is taken, being removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1, and
Figs. 3 to 11 shew details of construction.
As is seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the two axles A B of the carriage are connected
with each other by means of tubes a a, preferably of steel, and upon these axles,
on springs b, the framework of the carriage C is placed, also composed of metal
tubes. The motive power of the carriage is a benzine motor. Its two parallel
cylinders D are fixed on the cross pieces c c of the framework C and the corre-
sponding piston rods d drive a single pulley e on the crankshaft E, supported
in the bearing blocks el e² fixed on the framework C. On the front part of the
framework of the carriage are placed two benzine reservoirs FF connected by
a pipe provided with a cock f¹. The reservoir F has on its lid an aerating
valve Fo (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) which is connected by means of a pipe f³ to
the distribution box Z arranged on the two cylinders D, and encloses
two aspirating valves d d'. It is in this mixing vessel that the
intimate mingling of the air with the benzine vapours aspirated from the
reservoir takes place by the pistons of the motor automatically opening the
valves. The measure f³ of the mixing cock Fo is provided with three
apertures f f f and the hollow plug fo of the said cock has also the aper-
tures f f f The two apertures f f serve to admit the benzine gases from
the reservoir F into the interior of the hollow plug of the cock, and the open-
ings feffor admitting atmospheric air into the said hollow plug, whilst the
apertures f f communicating with the pipe f2 allow the contents of the hollow
plug to escape from the mixing cock. The apertures f f and f f are arranged
in such a manner with regard to each other that the apertures fo fo for admitting
air are fully opened if the apertures ft fr for admitting the benzine gases are
shut; that is to say, if the aperture is immediately above that of f, so that
when the plug of the cock fo is turned the aperture for admitting air opens in
proportion as the aperture for admitting benzine gases shuts, and vice-versa; the
proportions of the mixture of benzine fumes and air can consequently be regu-
lated as desired.
The aperture 8 of the plug of the cock Fo is large enough to prevent the
corresponding aperture 5 of the mixing cock ever becoming covered when the
plug of the cock is turned. A pivot f10 of the plug fº passes through an orifice

page_text: corresponding to the posterior wall of the measure f³ of the mixing cock and has
a lever with a handle f12 with which to turn the plug fo in the measure f³.
The upper part of the lever f" terminates in a pointer which when the plug of
the cock is turned indicates a degree of the measure. Two pegs 13 limit the
movement of the lever f", that is to say, the turning of the plug fo. A spiral
spring surrounding the pivot fi and resting on the one hand against the
lever fand on the other hand against the measure of the mixing cock tends
to hold the plug of the cock in its measure.
The aperture fo of the measure f³ is provided with a protecting cap f15 in-
tended to prevent rain and dirt from entering into the mixing vessel Fo; in order
to prevent air entering too suddenly into the cap f15 when the vehicle is in motion,
that part of its lateral wall directed towards the front of the vehicle is closed
whilst the other part of the said wall of the cap fl permits the entrance of air.
A valve f16 (Figure 1 and 2) allows of the admission of air necessary for the
evaporation of the benzine into the reservoir F.
The motor has four phases of operation, and when the explosion takes place
in one of the cylinders, the piston of the other cylinder moves simultaneously
in the same direction, aspirates the explosive mixture and vice versa. The two
inlet valves (Figures 1, 2, 7 and 8) work automatically, whilst the escape
valves are operated by the distributing arrangement described hereafter.
each of these valves rests the end of a jointed lever g g', the two arms g, g¹ of
the lever being arranged independently of each other on a common pivot g² placed
on a U-shaped support G fixed on the two cylinders D).
On
On the support & there is also a shaft ³ on which are fixed the two double
spokes gg and go g5, opposite to the lower part of the arm g¹ of the jointed
lever gg. On the shaft there is also a wheel which is connected by means
of an endless chain 7 with a second wheel 98 of a smaller diameter and keyed
on the motor shaft E. The wheel g has four times the number of teeth of the
wheel so that the shaft g³ executes one revolution for four revolutions of the
motor shaft E. On the shaft the projections are placed 90° apart from
those marked g³ so that after each quarter revolution of the shaft g³ or each
revolution of the motor shaft E, one or other of the projections g g will alter-
nately engage with the semi-circular projection at the end of the lever arm g¹
and displace the corresponding jointed lever g g' in the direction of the arrow
(Figure 7) causing the arm of this lever to open the corresponding valve .
The gases escaping from the motor discharge through the pipes into a
sound-reducing chamber d³ (Figures 1 and 2), from whence one portion escapes
by a pipe flowing out under the benzine reservoir with the object of heating
the contents of the latter and consequently facilitating the evaporation of the
benzine.
The ignition of the explosive mixture takes place by means of ignition tubes
heated in the ordinary manner by a lamp supplied with benzine under pressure.
The benzine is conducted to the lamp H (Figures 1 and 2) by a small pipe h
coming from the lower part of the reservoir F. This reservoir is divided by a
partition (Figure 6) into two compartments, the upper one of which com-
municates with the reservoir F by the pipe f already mentioned and also with
the lower compartment by a pipe ³ with a cock h³, so that one part of the ben-
zine contained in the upper compartment of the reservoir F1 can be conducted
into the lower compartment of this latter, and another part into the reservoir F.
In the interior of the reservoir F¹ is placed an air receiver h which is provided
at its upper end with a small pressure gauge 5 (Figure 2) and communicates
by an aperture with the upper part of the lower compartment of the reser-
voir F. A pipe h7 connects the air receiver h with the interior of a cock h³;
a tube let into this interior allows of the injection of air under pressure into
the receiver, the cock 8 having been opened the said air then passing by the
aperture into the lower compartment of F and acting on the benzine con-
tained in this compartment so as to make it pass to the lamp H. The pressure

page_text: gauge ho always indicates the pressure of air existing in the receiver h that is
to say, in the lower compartment of the reservoir F¹. 10 (Figure 6) is a screw
which can be removed when the lower compartment of the reservoir F¹ is being
filled with benzine, so as to know when the benzine has reached the desired
level.
The receiver h could obviously also be arranged outside the reservoir F¹.
The motor shaft E is provided with two fliers ³ ³ (Figure 2) and has keyed
upon it two pulley blocks ee of different diameters. Parallel to the motor
shaft E a shaft I is provided to which can be transmitted the movement of the
motor shaft E at different speeds. For this object, two pulley blocks of
different diameter are keyed on the shaft I, whilst two corresponding pulleys i 233
are moveably mounted on the said shaft. The pulley is connected to one or
other of the pulleys by a belt *, whilst a belt connects the pulley to
one or other of the pulleys. Two forks assist the displacement of the
belts from the moveable pulleys to the corresponding fixed pulleys and
vice versa.
The movement of the transmission shaft I is communicated by means
of wheels and chains to the wheels fixed on the hind wheels J of the
vehicle. In order to allow one of these hind wheels of the vehicle to move more
slowly or more quickly than the other, as is necessary in turning corners, only
one of these wheels 28 is keyed on the shaft I whilst the other is fixed on a
sleeve moveably mounted on the shaft 1; on this sleeve is also fixed the
wheel of a differential gearing, whilst the pulley block is mounted
moveably on the said sleeve. The other gear wheel k¹ opposite to the wheel k
is keyed on the transmission shaft I and the two conical wheels which
engage with the two wheels kk are moveable on pivots ³ supported in the
pulley block In this manner the wheels 8 and consequently the hind wheels
of the vehicle, when the vehicle is travelling on straight roads, have the same
speed of rotation, as the movement of the pulleys i 2, (that is, of the wheel k¹),
is transmitted without any modification by the wheels to the wheel k and the
sleeve 20; the wheels not revolving on their own axes but only on the axis of
the transmission shaft I. When turning a corner, the back wheel of the vehicle
describing the smallest arc, tends to move more slowly than the other back wheel
of the vehicle and consequently has a retarding effect upon the corresponding
wheel or ; the cog-wheels then turn on their own axes at the same time
rolling on the said wheel k or k¹; the other wheel kork and the corresponding
wheel of the vehicle J can freely retain the speed of rotation given them by the
motor.
The transmission shaft I is supported in ball bearings L (Figures 1 and 10)
each of which is provided with lugs fixed on two pins m placed in a frame M
attached to the framework of the vehicle, screws m¹ serving to hold the said lugs
in place on the pins m. If the chains become loose, their tension can be
restored by moving the screws m¹ and consequently the transmission shaft I.
The two front wheels N of the vehicle (Figures 1 and 2) are placed each on
the corresponding end of the axle A; each extremity of the axle is jointed
at a so that it can turn horizontally, and is provided with an arm n' which is
connected by a rod n² to a bar O placed parallel to the axle A in the lower
part of the framework of the vehicle and capable of being moved lengthwise.
The bar is provided with teeth o in which a cog-wheel o' engages (Figs. 2
and 11). This cog wheel o¹ is keyed on a vertical pivot 2 which rotates in two
ball bearings o³ fixed to the axle A, and bears on its forward extremity a gear
wheel o. This latter is connected by a chain o5 to a second gear wheel of fixed
to the lower extremity of a bar p which rotates in a vertical sleeve 21 placed on
the framework of the vehicle, which bar is furnished at its upper portion with a
lever with handle p³ provided with a pointer p². The vehicle can be guided by
the simple operation of the lever handle p³ as this operation allows of the turn-
ing of the wheels oo and o¹ which in rotating displace the rack and turn
the ends of the axle n as well as the front wheels N of the vehicle round the

page_text: jointed parts of the said ends of the axle. Immediately above the pointer p
is arranged a fixed disc 7+ suitably graduated.
Above and beneath the cylinders 1) are placed chambers QQ' enclosing refri-
gerating water; these two chambers communicate with each other by vertical
channels in the dividing wall of the two cylinders. On the said chamber Q,
moreover, a water reservoir R is placed which is in communication with the
same. On each side of the vehicle on the framework thereof are placed two other
water reservoirs S which on the one hand, are connected by a pipe s opening
into their lower parts, and on the other hand pipes t coming from their upper
parts form a communication between these reservoirs S and a condenser T placed
transversely on the back portion of the vehicle. Pipes r and r¹ connect the reser-
voir R to the pipes and to the condenser T, and a pipe t¹ serves to discharge
outside the steam which is not condensed in the said condenser. The arrange-
ment of these various reservoirs allows a large quantity of refrigerating water
to accumulate and the free circulation thereof, so that a very efficacious refri-
geration is obtained from the two cylinders. s¹ are the blow-off cocks of the
refrigerating water.
The automobile vehicle described. can obviously be provided with any suitable
kind of brake. It has the following special advantages.
The weight of the motor and its accessories is distributed as uniformly as pos-
sible on the back axle.
The mixture of the vapour and air in the mixing vessel Fo can be perfectly
controlled and regulated.
The distributing mechanism of the escape valves is very simply constructed
and works safely.
Owing to the arrangement of the differential
gearing of the coned
wheels, 22 on the transmission shaft I, curves, even very sharp ones,
can be taken at great speed without risk of the vehicle being upset.
In consequence of the arrangement allowing the bearings of the transmission
shaft I to be moved and fixed in the desired position the tension of the operating
chains can always be rapidly and precisely regulated.
The arrangement for guiding the vehicle is as simple as possible and conse-
quently very easy to operate.
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 an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor, with two cylinders each
with a four-phase movement, the arrangement of a mixing vessel Fo in which the
hydrocarbon vapours are mixed with air and by which the proportions of the
mixture of the said vapours and of air can always be regulated, the said vessel
having a measure f³ provided with apertures f f f and a hollow plug fo which
being contained in the said measure, is provided with apertures f, f f and
furnished with a lever handle f", f12 serving to turn the said plug between
fixed limits and shewing a pointer which when the handle is turned, moves on a
degree of the measure f³, the apertures f f f of the measure of the mixing
vessel being arranged in such a manner in relation to those f f f of the plug,
that in proportion as the apertures for admitting air f f are opened wider, by
the rotation of the plug fo the more the openings for admitting hydrocarbon.
vapour fare closed, and vice versa, whilst the openings f f serving for the
escape of the mixture of air and vapour remain constantly open with the object of
being able to vary the proportions of the mixture of air and vapour supplying
the motor.
2. In an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor having two cylinders
each with a four phase movement, an operating mechanism for the two escape
valves of the motor, each of these valves having a jointed lever g g', one
arm g of which rests on the valve, and a pair of projections g g or g³ ³ opposed

page_text: to a lower semi-circular projection of the second arm g' of the jointed lever g g¹,
the said pairs of projections gt, g³, g³ g³, crossing each other at right angles, and
being fixed on a common shaft g which is actuated by the motor shaft in such a
way that the said shaft revolves once for every four revolutions of the motor
shaft, for the purpose of rotating the projections g g¹, g5 95 and making them
act on the projection of the arm g' of the jointed levers g g', in order to open
the escape valves, substantially as described.
3. In an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor, a benzine reservoir F¹
divided by a partition h¹ into two compartments, the lower of which serves to
receive the liquid necessary for supplying the lamp serving to heat the ignition
tube or tubes for the motor, and communicating on the one hand with the upper
compartment by means of pipe with a cock h³, and on the other hand, in its
upper portion with an air receiver which can be charged with air at high pres-
sure by means of an inserted pipe so as to be able to supply the said lamp with
hydrocarbon vapour under a certain pressure.
4. In an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor, a differential cone-wheel
gearing kk, which is placed beneath the transmission shaft I actuated
by means of belts by the motor shaft E and to transmit the movement to the
back wheels of the vehicle by means of sprocket wheels and chains, of which the
wheel is fixed on a moveable sleeve 10 or the said shaft I and bears one of the
chain wheels 28, whilst the second wheel of the said gearing is keyed on the
shaft I bearing the other chain wheel 28, the two other wheels of the gearing
engaging with those and k¹, and mounted on the operating pulley ² fixed on
the shaft I, so that when the vehicle turns corners one of the back wheels of the
vehicle can turn more quickly than the other one.
5. In an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor, the bearings L of the
transmission shaft I each of which has two lugs on two pins m placed in a fixed
frame M on the framework of the vehicle, and is there held in place by screws m¹
so that by adjusting these screws the bearings L can be displaced in order to
easily and precisely regulate the tension of the actuating chains.
6. In an automobile vehicle with hydrocarbon motor, the steering mechanism
consisting, on the one hand, of the bar O which is connected by rods n² to the
levers of the extremities of the jointed axle n carrying the front wheels, and
is furnished with a rack o with which engages a small cog wheel of fixed ver-
tically on a pivot o² held in ball bearings and provided with a sprocket wheel of,
and on the other hand, a vertical bar which has at its upper end a handle p³
intended to guide the vehicle, and at its lower end a wheel which is connected
by means of an endless chain to the wheel o*.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.