Improvements in Mechanism for the Propulsion of Carriages and other Vehicles over Land or Water.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for the Propulsion of Carriages and
other Vehicles over Land or Water.
I, WILLIAM HANSON MINNIX, of 519 22nd Street, corner of F. N. W. Washington
City, District of Columbia, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
My invention consists in a novel mechanical movement for wheeled vehicles or
other apparatus designed for the transport of goods passengers or the like on land
or water and by means of which a conveniently-manipulated and easily-operated
wheeled vehicle or transport apparatus of any known form and running-gear is
produced at a very moderate expense.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheeled truck waggon or carriage constructed in
accordance with my invention.
Figure 1 is a modification of Figure 1.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same in the line x x of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an enlarged broken detail plan view of one of the stationary hangers
or supporting and guiding plates or bars with grooves and antifriction balls of the
mechanical movement.
Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of one of the toothed and grooved sliding
plates or bars of the mechanical movement.
Figure 5 is a detail cross-section of one of the stationary hangers or supporting
grooved plates or bars and one of the toothed moving parts of the mechanical
movement, showing one of the balls by full lines and one of the grooves in the same
manner, and another of the grooves and balls by dotted lines.
Figure 6 is a cross-section of a moving toothed plate or bar and an end elevation
of a hanger or stationary supporting plate or bar slightly modified.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a portion of a wheeled truck, waggon, or carriage
having four wheels, the front and rear wheels being connected by a connecting rod
operated by my mechanical movement.
Figure 8 is a plan view of a portion of the device as shown in Figure 7 and
Figure 8 is a similar view to Figure 8 showing a rack plate and sector lever
arranged inside of the traction wheels.
Figure 9 is a side elevation of a six-wheeled truck, waggon or carriage, the wheels
being connected by connecting rods operated by my mechanical movement; and
Figure 10 represents a boat adapted to be propelled at will, on water or land by
my mechanical movement.
A A in the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 7 represent two of the wheels of a four-wheel
vehicle and A' A¹ A¹ Figure 9 represent three of the wheels of a six-wheel vehicle.
The wheels have revolving axles, and said axles are fitted in bearings, in any
appropriate manner, of a frame C, of any suitable construction and style and with
or without springs, as is common in such structures. The power-wheels are preferably
fitted to revolve with the axle or axles, while the front wheels (or a single wheel
substituted therefor) may be loose on the axle and provided with a circle-plate a and
any suitable means, as, for instance such as indicated by bby which to turn the
vehicle to the right or left or around. One or more seats, as c may also be provided
for the operator and persons riding. The steering device may be arranged to be
operated by the feet of the operator of the movement.
On each side bar of the frame an angular hanger or supporting plate or bar D,
of metal or other suitable material, is applied on either the outer or inner side of
d a¹
the wheels A A; and in the bracket or horizontal ledge of the same grooves

page_text: adapted for bails or rollers, are provided and in these grooves antifriction balls ff'
(or rollers) are placed. The grooves d' d' are divided by a transverse partition e, so
that the balls or rollers shall not roll in contact with one another. The groove
d is
formed so as to extend one half its length forward of the partition e and the other
half in rear of the same, and it is also laterally outside the line of the grooves d', so
that any tendency of the moving plates or bars, which ride upon the balls or rollers,
to move laterally and diagonally shall be counteracted.
Upon each banger D a sliding metal plate or bar E, having rack-teeth El on its
top, and a connecting wrist-pin E2 on its side, and grooves Es in its bottom, is fitted
so that the balls enter the grooves E3 E³ to the same extent that they enter the
grooves d d¹, as illustrated in the cross sectional views.
To the wrist-pins E3 of the plates or bars EE are attached connecting rods F
which connect the sliding toothed plates or bars to crank-pins G of the vehicle wheels,
as shown, or to cranks of the axles of the wheels, if desired, said cranks being either
inside or outside of the wheels A A. Above the sliding rack toothed wheels or
sectors H of levers H' are pivoted to upright standards or posts I of the hangers D
by means of pivots J, or they might be loosely attached to a transverse stay shaft or
bar extended from the standards and secured fast in the same. The teeth of the lever
wheels or sectors gear with the teeth of the sliding rack plates or bars E. The
wrist-pins of the respective pairs of propelling-wheels A A (or the cranks of the axles
of the wheels) are set at right angles to one another, or the pin G of one of the
propelling-wheels of a pair (or one of the cranks of the axle) is set in advance or in
rear of the other, and the racks and lever-sectors are thus enabled to avoid dead-
centres, and the operator by moving the lever sectors to any extent necessary can
move the racks in proper directions, and thereby cause the wheels to revolve together
in the same direction, and thus propel the vehicle forward; and he can also at will
instantly reverse the movement of the wheels. The lever-sectors afford great power,
and the friction balls or rollers allow the sliding racks to slide along with very slight
resistance, while they prevent lateral movement of the racks during the operation.
In the modification shown in Figure 1* the ring and shading is intended to
represent a disce for staying the spokes around the axle or hub. The dotted lines A*
indicate the position into which the wheel A can turn under the goose-neck portion
of the frame C.
I have shown in Figure 5 a vertical extension or boss on the sliding tooth-bar E
at the point where the wrist-pin E2 is applied. This gives strength and support at
this point and serves to prevent the plates or bars moving inward laterally and in
Figure 6 I have shown a vertical flange on the bar E, which extends down loosely
in a guideway 2 of a hanger d and serves for keeping the sliding rack from moving
off said hanger in an outward direction laterally. It might be practicable to dispense
with some of the antifriction ball grooves, or not to use any grooves or balls, and this
I regard as within the scope of my invention, but the balls are very essential for
avoiding friction, and the grooves for keeping the parts together when flanges are
not provided.
In Figure 7 the invention is not changed, but is simply applied for operating four
wheels A A, connected in pairs by rods m, said rods being connected to wrist-pins
of cranks m¹.
In Figure 9 the invention is not changed but is simply applied for operating
six wheels A¹ A¹ connected in triplets by rods m² m², said rods being attached to
wrist-ins of crank-armus m³ m³ m³."
In Figure 10 the invention is not changed, but is simply applied for operating
paddle-wheels, as K, on each side of a boat, carriage, or other means of transport
as K¹ which structure is adapted by means of bearings n n for having applied to it,
at will, land propelling wheels, as A A and the described mechanical movement in
the manner indicated by the dotted lines y y y.
It is contemplated to change the position of the wrist-pins E2 to one or the other
of the sides of the centre of the length of the racks or to the ends of the same: but
it is preferable to place them at or near the middle of the same; as shown as by this

page_text: arrangement the racks when set far enough inward as in Figure 8*, can be passed
between the wheels and they are less liable to be lifted from their hangers D D.
The propelling wheels might be made loose on their axle or axles and the connecting
rods connected to cranks formed on or attached to the axle either inside or outside
the wheels A A and the wheels revolved independently of one another by means of the
racks and lever sectors, but not so advantageously as when revolved with the axles.
It might be practicable while retaining my entire invention to actuate the lever-
toothed wheels or sectors by a steam air, water, electric, gas, or any other mechanical
motor, but I have specially designed the mechanical movement for vehicles, so as to
be operated by manual power.
The upper ends of the hand-levers might be bent or curved over horizontally and
then extended downward and terminated in foot-pedals and thus the mechanical
movement adapted for being operated by the feet, and the handles thus bent might
have horizontal hand-holds extending out from their sides, so that the hands as well
as the feet might be used for operating the mechanical movement and the hand-levers
might be extended to a greater height and connected by horizontal rods to auxiliary
pendulum levers pivoted on auxiliary standards said pendulum levers being within
control of the hand or feet of the operator, but no special claim is set up here for
such special attachments. Friction-rollers of an oval form or truncated at both ends
would be the equivalents of the balls, and might be substituted for the balls without
departing from my invention.
I do not limit my invention to any one of the forms of vehicles or transport
apparatus shown, nor any one of the modes of connecting two pairs or three pairs
of wheels, nor the special mode of adapting a boat propelled by my mechanical
movement for running on land-wheels propelled by such means as my invention lies
in the mechanical movement shown and its combination with one or more power or
propelling wheels of any vehicle or transportation structure. My said invention
moreover may be applied to tricycles and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In combination with a wheeled vehicle or other wheeled transport apparatus
the within-described mechanical movement comprising the supporting plates or bars,
sliding rack plates or bars, means as described for connecting the racks to their
support and keeping them from having undue lateral movement inward or outward,
toothed lever wheels or sectors, and connecting-rods, substantially as described.
Second. In a mechanical movement, the combination of the supporting plate or
bar, sliding toothed rack plate or bar means, as described for connecting the rack to
its support and keeping it from having undue lateral movement inward or outward
lever-toothed wheel or sector, connecting-rod, and a wheel or axle to which the rod
is connected, substantially as described.
Third. The combination of the supporting plate or bar provided with grooves and
antifriction balls or rollers, sliding rack plate or bar provided with grooves to receive
the balls or rollers, the lever wheel or sector, and the connecting-rod, substantially as
described.
Fourth. In a mechanical movement the combination of the supporting plate or
bar provided with separated grooves on one line and a single groove intermediate
of and lateral to the separated grooves, balls or rollers in the grooves, sliding rack
plate or bar having two grooves, the lever-toothed wheel or sector, and the connecting-
rod substantially as described.
ايمم
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.