Improvements in and relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1898-Accepted, 8th Oct., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by The Firm of MIARI GIUSTI & Co., of Padua, in the
Kingdom of Italy.]
Improvements in and relating to Motor Road Vehicles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of The Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45. 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:-
The drivers of motor vehicles of any type should be able to control the direction of
the motion of the said vehicles and at the same time start and stop the same and
increase or decrease its speed.
It is very advantageous that the driver should be able to start or to regulate the
speed of the vehicle without for a moment releasing the handle by means of which
he steers it, without turning round or being distracted even momentarily from that
which should form his principal preoccupation, that of avoiding the obstacles which
the vehicle may encounter in its progress.
This object is attained in an exceedingly simple and practical manner by means of
the arrangement which forms the subject of this invention.
In the accompanying drawings I have represented, by way of example, a motor
veliicle provided with the improved steering and speed-changing device, in which
drawings:
Figures 1 to 5 represent diagrammatically various forms of the fore-carriage of
the vehicle furnished with the device employed for steering and which is actuated
by means of the same handle which is used for actuating the starting and speed-
changing mechanism.
Figure 6 is a diagram shewing the path of the steering mechanism, which is here-
inafter explained.
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic elevation of the motor vehicle, in which are represented
the parts by means of which is effected the starting, stopping, acceleration or decrease
'of speed.
I will first of all consider the steering mechanism :
As is well known, the proper manner of effecting the steering of motor vehicles
and velocipedes having three or four wheels is by causing each of the wheels of the
fore-carriage to turn separately instead of causing the fore-carriage to turn as a whole,
as is the case with ordinary carriages, vans and the like.
The stability of the vehicle is thereby increased, the operation of steering is
rendered less fatiguing and the shocks to the wheels which are being turned are not
transmitted to the hands of the driver.
The turning movements of the wheels of the fore-carriage should be so co-
ordinated that the meeting point of the geometric axes of the wheels which are
capable of turning is invariably situated in the vertical plane containing the
geometric axis of the hind wheel, in the case of three-wheeled vehicles, or the
If this con-
geometric axis of the two hind wheels if the vehicle is four-wheeled.
'dition is satisfied only by a rough approximation and for limited turning angles, as
is the case with devices hitherto employed, one or more wheels of the vehicle slip

page_text: along the plane of the road in turning, the tyres are damaged, the wheels and
their supports wear very rapidly and the control of the steering becomes
difficult.
The subject of this invention is, in the first place, a device which rigorously
satisfies the above mentioned condition, and in which the connection between the
two steering wheels is formed by means of simple jointed rods. The principal portion
of the device consists of a jointed quadrilateral s cud (Figure 1) the apex 8 only of
which is fixed to the frame of the vehicle and in an arm vu capable of rotation
around a pivot v, also fitted upon the frame, and connecting at u with the rods cu,
du of the quadrilateral. The connection between the two other rods 8 c and s d of
. the quadrilateral and the steering wheels A and B should be effected in such a manner
as to oblige these latter to describe, in turning, angles respectively equal to those
described by the rods. This is the only condition which must be satisfied, and it is
obtained in the most simple and practical manner possible by the use of jointed
parallelograms such as those 8 q po and s q¹ p¹ o¹ represented in Figure 1.
In this arrangement the rod cs is an arm of a bent lever c 8 q, the other arm sq of
which forms with the connecting rod gp, the crank op rigidly connected with the
vertical steering axis of the wheel A, and the fixed side o s a jointed parallelo-
This connection obliges the wheel A and the rod es to describe equal
grain s q p o.
angles when they turn, and the same is the case with the rod ds and the wheel B.
In order to control the steering mechanism of the vehicle any of the parts which
compose such mechanism may be acted upon; it is usually preferable to cause the
arm vu to turn around by means of a lever A* B* provided with a handle (Figure 7)
such lever being rigidly fixed upon a vertical shaft to which the arm vu is rigidly
attached.
The position of the mechanism is that indicated in the horizontal view (Figure 1)
when the vehicle is travelling in a straight line. If the arin vu is caused to
turn either to the right or to the left hand, the quadrilateral scud becomes deformed,
the rods sc and s d turn around 8 and take with them the wheels A B which for their part
turn around the respective axes o and o¹ in such a manner as to cause the vehicle to
turn towards the right or towards the left hand at the will of the driver.
By determining the length of vu and of the members of the quadrilateral s cud
in the manner which is hereinafter explained, perfect steering is obtained, that is to
say without any slip, however small the radius of the curve described may be.
It will of course be understood that Figure 1 represents one only of the methods of
arranging the mechanisin, consisting of the quadrilateral s cud and of the arm vu,
hinged at u and turning around the fixed points 8 and v respectively. This mechanism
may be arranged at any point upon the vehicle, provided that all its parts are
displaced in the same horizontal plane and provided also that the connection between
the rods sc and s d on the one hand and the wheels A and B on the other hand is
effected in such a manner that the angles described by the said rods are respectively
equal. One or other of the steering wheels cannot however be connected indifferently
with one or other of the rods 8 c and 8 d of the quadrilateral; regard must be had to
the following:
We will term right hand wheel and left hand wheel, the wheel which is on the
right and left hand respectively of the driver of the vehicle; we will term right hand
rod and left hand rod of the quadrilateral, the rod which is situated to the right and
Now the
left hand respectively of a person standing up at 8 and looking towards u.
right hand steering wheel should be connected with a right hand rod of the
Some of
quadrilateral, and the left hand steering wheel with a left hand rod.
the different ways in which the mechanism may be arranged are represented in
Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, all of which correspond to a straight travel of the vehicle.
The arcs
Similar parts are indicated by like letters of reference to those in Figure 1.
shewn in dotted lines indicate that the two rods, in the angle between which the arc
is drawn, are rigidly connected one with the other in such a manner as to constitute
a single bent lever. It should nevertheless be noticed that, as regards Figure 4, the
right hand rod 8 d of the quadrilateral is fixed directly upon the vertical steering axis

page_text: of the right hand wheel, whilst the left hand rod sc is loose upon this same axis and
connected with the left hand wheel by means of the jointed parallelogram & cpo, of
which it forms one of the sides. Figure 5 represents the same device as that shewn
in Figure when the vehicle is turning towards the left hand.
In order to calculate the lengths of the members of the quadrilateral and the
length of the arm v, u in such a manner as to obviate any slip, whatever may
be the angle of turning, the method represented in Figure 6 is adopted, in
which o and o¹ are the horizontal projections of the axes around which turn the
steering wheels, and xx¹ is a straight line parallel with o o¹ representing the
geometric axis of the rear wheel or wheels of the vehicle.
From the middle point M of the straight line o o' the line Ms is drawn at right
angles to o o¹. Then the straight line o and the straight line sz bisecting the
angle o 8 ¹, are drawn. A lengths d is taken upon s z commencing at 8 and from d
is drawn the line dg at right angles to ¹. With centre d and radius equal to d g
is described an arc of a circle which cuts & Mat u; with the same radius and with
centre u, Ms is cut at v. s cand cu arranged syninetrically to s d and u d with
respect to Ms are then drawn, and in the quadrilateral s cud and in the straight
line vu a geometric representation, to the scale of the drawing, is obtained of the
quadrilateral and of the arm composing the articulated system in question. The
length of the rods of the quadrilateral s d = sc remains fixed; for practical reasons
this length should preferably be between 1/5th and 16th of o o¹.
But the handle A* does not only supply the means of steering in a theoretically
perfect manner, without the least slip, but also of starting, accelerating, retarding or
stopping the vehicle without the driver being obliged to turn to one side or the
other.
This object could only be attained by means of extremely complicated and
unpractical devices if tension rods levers, chains and so forth were resorted to, these
parts being intended to transmit pre-determined motions to the slide valves and other
parts for regulating the motor, independently of the movement of rotation of the
operating lever.
This result is, however, attained by means of my invention
in a very simple manner, by the employment of pneumatic or hydraulic
transmission.
There is connected with the lever or with the handle by means of which the
steering of the vehicle is controlled, a small pump the movable part of which may
consist either of the handle of the operating lever itself or of an india rubber bulb
arranged in such a manner that it may be pressed and released alternately by the
driver, without his ceasing to control the steering of the vehicle with the same
hand.
The air, or water under pressure, supplied by the pump is conducted to the slide
valve which it is desired to control by means of a small tube which may be of metal
as regards all the parts which maintain an invariable position with respect to the
operating lever or handle and to the frame of the vehicle or motor, and which should
be of india rubber or some other flexible material, at those portions which are
attached on one side to the operating lever or handle, or to the parts which partici-
pate in its movement, and on the other side to the frame. Generally speaking, the
tube conducting the compressed air or other fluid, should be flexible in all those
portions in which, when the vehicle is turning, a movement of the tubing takes
place.
The pump above mentioned acts as a transmission apparatus; the receiving
device M Figure 7 may consist of a casing or receptacle provided with a flexible
diaphragm or of a cylinder having a tight piston, substantially as described in the
Specification of former Patent No. 1361097. The receiver controls, directly or
indirectly, the slide valve which is to be actuated.
At any desired point in the air transmission tube, which is connected with the
operating lever or with its handle, is provided an orifice closed by a small valve
which the driver can open at will by pressing a button 6 or in any other suitable
Upon unclosing this orifice, the compressed air escapes and a counter
manner.

page_text: spring returns the diaphragm and the slide valve attached thereto to their position
of rest.
It should be noticed that the arrangement may be such that each stroke of the
pump gives rise only to a displacement of the slide valve to be actuated, corre-
sponding to an exact sub-multiple of the total stroke which the slide valve is capable
of effecting.
I
It follows that the driver may, without moving, graduate the movement of the
slide valve, and the effects which result therefrom, according to the number of
strokes of the pump.
By way of example only, we will describe a method of practical application of
pneumatic or hydraulic transmission to the steering mechanism of a three wheeled
motor vehicle.
In the form of motor vehicle represented in Figure 7, the driver grasps the
handle A* and by turning the crank or lever A* B* and consequently the shaft v,
may control in any desired manner the steering of the fore-carriage by means of the
quadrilateral above described. The handle A* is capable of sliding vertically and
acts as the cylinder of an air pump with fixed piston in such a manner that in
imparting to the handle a vertically reciprocating motion, the driver is able to
compress the air in the conduit of the pneumatic transmission device described.
Beneath this handle is arranged the button b, in pressing which the compressed
air contained in the conduit is allowed to escape slowly.
The motor which is preferably a benzine motor, is maintained in motion, even
when the vehicle is at rest. The main shaft of the motor transmits the motion by
ineans of engagement with a gear wheel and chain transmission, which in its turn
actuates the rear wheel of the vehicle.
The engagement must be effected by means of a friction clutch acting gradually
and operated by a lever H which is in turn actuated by a flexible diaphragm con-
tained in the casing M which receives the compressed air through the pneumatic
transmission conduit. By slowly actuating the pump, the membrane is gradually
caused to swell and the gradual engagement of the motor with the vehicle and the
easy starting of this latter without shocks is effected. If whilst the vehicle is
running the button b is compressed, which can be done by sliding the handle along
the handle A* without releasing it, the air contained in the conduit escapes
gradually; the motor is slowly thrown out of gear and the vehicle slows down or
stops entirely according to the desire of the driver.
A
We have thus far considered in what manner it is possible, whilst still continuing
to control the steering, to produce the gradual starting of the motor vehicle is its
retardation, stopping and so forth; but the motor is provided with a slide or damper,
arranged in any desired mánner, by means of which the speed of rotating may be
modified. This slide, or other equivalent part, is operated by means of a lever M. M¹
which is capable of pivotting around M¹ and which is connected with the piston of a
cylinder C, operated by the air contained in the pneumatic transmission conduit.
spring 8 prevents the piston of the cylinder C¹ from being displaced until the air
reaches a pressure sufficient for completing the engagement of the motor with the
vehicle. It follows that at the first strokes of the pump A* the motor vehicle starts
and finally attains a speed corresponding to that of the motor. If the pump is still
actuated slowly, the spring s yields to the action of the piston of the cylinder C and
the slide of the motor is displaced in its turn in such a manner that the speed is
increased; the speed of the vehicle also increases until. the maximum speed is
attained. It is obvious that by pressing the button 6 the same gradations of speed
may be produced inversely as have already been passed through from the time of
starting, in the gradual acceleration; all this taking place without its being necessary
to release the handle A* and having always in the hand the means of controlling the
steering. It should be noticed that upon 'stoppage, that is to say when the compressed
air has completely escaped, the spring s automatically returns the lever M M¹ and
the slide fixed thereto into the position corresponding to the minimum speed of the
motor, and consequently this latter consumes during the stoppage only the quantity

page_text: of benzine which is absolutely necessary to enable it to run free and to be ready for
the starting of the motor vehicle, all this taking place in a strictly automatic manner,
whilst in benzine or petroleum motors as hitherto constructed, the motor, when the
vehicle is stopped, continues to rotate at its maximum speed and the driver is obliged
to act in order to reduce the speed of the motor, and consequently the consumption
of fuel, during periods of stoppage.
It should likewise be added that the brake should not enter into action except when
the motor is entirely out of gear; this result may be obtained automatically by the
application of the pneumatic conduit. In the case of the motor vehicle represented
in Figure 7 for example, the brake is operated by means of the pedal K, the pressure
from which is transmitted to the brake shoe by means of the rod QQ. This latter is
provided with a nose v³, which, when the brake is operated, opens the valve t thereby
allowing the air to escape from the conduit. Consequently the driver, by a single
movement, reduces the speed of the motor to its minimum, effects the disengagement
of the motor from the vehicle, and brings the brake into action in order to immediately
stop the vehicle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
the
A motor vehicle such as a motor car, motor cycle or the like in which the steering
and the speed are controlled by means of a single handle which is employed.either
alternately or simultaneously; on the one hand as handle for the crank or lever
operating the actuating shaft of the steering mechanism, consisting preferably of
another crank or lever rigidly fixed upon this actuating shaft and connected with
apex of a jointed quadrilateral opposite to that which is fixed to the frame of the
vehicle, a device of any suitable kind causing the two steering wheels to describe
respectively the same angles as are described by the two rods of the quadrilateral
terminating at the fixed apex at the frame; and on the other hand as the movable
cylinder of a pump forcing a fluid (air or water) into a conduit terminating at the
motor and comprising one or more flexible portions in order that it may be able
to adapt itself to any turning of the vehicle, by means of which conduit the driver,
without turning round or releasing the handle by means of which he controls the
steering, is able to actuate the parts (such as levers, slides or their equivalents)
serving to start, regulate and stop the movement of the vehicle.
Dated this 1st day of July 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.