Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1888
Specification Accepted, 14th Sept., 1888
RESERVE
[Communicated from abroad by FRANCIS JOSEPH WEIS, Engineer, of Jersey, New
Jersey, United States of America.]
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to apparatus for the propulsion of vehicles by electricity.
The object of my invention is to provide improvements, which are applicable to cars
driven by an electric motor, irrespective of the source from which the current to
operate the motor is supplied and which relate generally to a motor-supporting
frame carried directly upon the axles of the driving wheels, a main car frame
supported upon springs which in their turn are supported upon laterally-movable
boxes in which the axles of the driving wheel are respectively journalled; a motor
for rotating a counter-shaft provided at one or both ends with a suitable spur or
friction wheel or wheels adapted to respectively engage the driving wheels;
stationary brakes arranged in the vertical planes of the driving wheels, respectively;
manually-operative starting and stopping apparatus embracing means for moving the
driving wheels at each side of the car toward each other, and thereby bringing them
into engagement with the said spur wheel or spur wheels, or for moving the driving
wheels away from each other, and thereby disengaging them from the said spur
wheel or wheels, and bringing their peripheries into contact with the said stationary
brakes.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the driving wheels of a small car, and one of the
floor-girders of the car, showing the manner of supporting the saine upon the laterally
adiustable boxes, in which the driving wheels are journalled.

page_text: Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the small car illustrated. in Figure 1,
showing in elevation the motor supporting frame, and the manually operative lever
system, for moving the driving wheels toward or away from each other.
Figure 3 is a plan, and
Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line X, X Figure 3, showing a
modification of my invention hereinafter described.
No attempt is made in the drawings to show the body of the car, it being deemed
sufficient to show the longitudinal girders upon which the body of the car is erected.
These guides A A may be taken to indicate the floor and platforins of the car. They
are provided with the usual downwardly-projecting box frames. A¹. for containing,
respectively, the hoxes B, B, in which the axles C, of the driving wheels D, and
the axle C of the car-supporting wheels D' are respectively journalled.
Springs E, E bear respectively at their upper ends against the girders A A, and at
their lower ends against the plates e e resting respectively upon the tops of the
boxes B B.
The said boxes are made sufficiently narrow, as shown in Figure 1, to give them
the required range of movement in the box frames.
The motor frame F, is carried directly upon the axles of the driving and car-
supporting wheels, by means of boxes G, G, in which the axles of the driving wheels
are journalled, and which are adapted to slide to and fro between the upper and lower
horizontal members. of the side trusses, ), ', of the motor frame.
Two stationary brakes H H project downward from the girder A upon each side of
the car, in position to impinge upon the peripheries of the driving wheels when the
latter are moved away from each other.
The driving wheels are preferably each provided with an annular flange d, and
when the driving wheels are forced toward each other, their faces, or the faces of their
flanges d as the case may be, are pressed against the peripheries of the friction
wheels II, mounted upon the opposite ends, of the transverse counter-shaft 1',
journalled in boxes affixed to the motor-supporting frame.
The counter-shaft I, is rotated by power derived from an electric motor K,
preferably transmitted through reducing gearing in order to allow of the motor being
rotated at high speed.
It is not deemed necessary to show or describe the motor in detail, as the
construction of electric motors is well understood, and because it is immaterial what
form of motor is employed, so long as its capacity is sufficient to afford the power
required for driving the car.
As electric motors ordinarily operate with greater efficiency when they are allowed
to rotate with great rapidity, the motor shaft K', is provided at one or both ends with
a small spur wheel or spur wheels k, which respectively engage with the larger pinion
or pinions i, i, affixed to the counter-shaft L'.
The driving wheels are moved toward and from each other by means of a system of
levers arranged on the outer sides of the motor frame.
As the two systems of levers on the opposite sides are alike, a description of one will
answer for both.
As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the sliding boxes G G, are connected; respectively,
by the connecting rods g, g, with pivots inserted respectively above and below the
axis of the rocker L, which is pivotally affixed to the side truss.of the motor frame.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 2. (in which the stopping and starting
mechanism is capable of operation from one end of the car only) one end of the
rocker L is connected, by means of the connecting rod I, with the crank pin m, of the
crank arm m', affixed to the transverse rocking shaft M; which is mounted in fixed
bearings in the end of the motor frame.
A crank arm N, affixed to and projecting upwardly, from the said rocking shaft M
is provided with a radial recess N, which serves as a socket for the reception of the
end of the stopping and starting bar O; which, when inserted in the recess N³ projects
upward through a suitable opening in the platform.
In the modification shown in Figures 3 and 4 means are provided forjoperating the

page_text: stopping and starting mechanism from both ends of the car. In this case, if necessary
by reason of the length of the car, two additional wheels D', are provided, the axle of
which is journaled in non-adjustable boxes carried in frames affixed to and projecting
downward from the girders in the ordinary manner; and similarly, the motor frame
may be supported near one end upon boxes G¹, which are permanently affixed to the
side trusses of the motor frame.
To operate the stopping and starting mechanism from either end of the car, both
ends are provided with rocking shafts linked to the rocker L, as illustrated in Figure 4,
in which, as will be seen, while the lower end of the rocker L is connected by means
of the connecting rod / with the rocking shaft M, at one end of the car, the upper
end of the rocker I, is connected by means of the connecting rod with the rocking
shaft M, at the opposite end of the car.
One object in thus connecting the rocking shafts M. and MI, respectively, with
opposite ends of the rocker L, is to prevent confusion in operating the starting and
stopping bar 0, at the opposite ends of the car. It will be perceived that the
arrangement is such that when the said bar O, is inserted in its socket at either end of
the car, and is pushed outwardly therefrom, the driving wheels are moved toward each
other, and cansed to engage with friction wheels I; and similarly, when the said
stopping and starting bar O, is inserted in its socket at either end of the car and is
pulled inwardly, the driving wheels are separated from each other, and thus caused
to disengage from the friction wheels, and to hear against the stationary brakes H.
It wil be perceived that the motor and the lever system, for throwing the driving
wheels of the car into or out of contact with the spur wheel or friction wheel which
delivers the power from the motor, or into or out of contact with the brakes, as the
case may be, are mounted upon a frame (the motor frame F) which is supported
directly upon the axles of the car wheels, and is thus wholly independent of the
platform or body of the car. As the platform or body of the car is carried by means
of springs in the usual manner on the outer ends of the axles of the car wheels, its
upward or downward movements are not communicated to the motor frame; lience
the system of levers is prevented from being rocked out of position by any jolting
movements of the car body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First. In an electrically propelled vehicle a motor-supporting frame mounted
directly upon the axles of the car wheels or driving wheels, and carrying a manually-
operative system of levers in combination with car wheels or driving wheels having
their axles journalled in laterally-movable boxes for the purpose of enabling the said
wheels to be moved, by means of the said manually operative system of levers into
or out of engagement with the spur wheel or friction wheel which transmits from
the motor the power to rotate the said car wheels or driving wheels, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In an electrically propelled vehicle two pairs of driving wheels, having
their axles journaled in laterally-movable boxes, stationary brakes arranged in the
vertical planes of the driving wheels, in combination with a manually-operative
system of levers for moving the said pairs of driving wheels away from or toward
each other, and thereby forcing their faces into or out of contact with said stationary
brakes, substantially as described.
Third. In an electrically propelled vehicle two pairs of driving wheels having their
axles journalled in laterally-movable boxes, an electrically-rotatable shaft, carrying at
or near its ends spur wheels or friction wheels which are respectively interposed
between the driving wheels, in combination with stationary brakes arranged in the
vertical planes of the driving wheels, as shown, and a manually-operative system of
levers for moving the said pairs of driving wheels away from or toward each other,
as and for the purposes hereinbefore specified.

page_text: Fourth. A body of a car or vehicle carried by means of springs upon driving
wheel axles journaled in laterally-movable boxes, in combination with a motor
supporting-frame independently mounted upon the driving wheel axles and having
affixed upon it a manually-operative system of levers for moving the driving wheels
toward or away from each other, as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. The combination of the driving wheel 1) provided with the laterally projecting
annular flanged with the electrically rotatable friction wheels f. substantially as
set forth.