Improvements in Steering-gear for Motor-cars and similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Steering-gear for Motor-cars and similar Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, Engineers, of
Holderness Foundry, and THOMAS WRIGHT, Draughtsman, of Sherburn Street,
both in the Town and County of Kingston-upon-Hull, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to steering-gear adapted for use on automobiles in which
the two front wheels, each pivoting on its own vertical axis, serve to guide the
vehicle; such axis being either in the plane of the wheel, the wheel being carried
in a fork, or to one side of the wheel as in many light motor-cars. By means of
our invention, the forks or other carriers in or on which the steering wheels are
mounted are caused to turn simultaneously in such a manner that in whichever
direction the vehicle is turned, the wheel upon the inner side of the curve is
turned through a greater angle than that upon the outer side of the curve.
is necessary in order to make the two lines drawn from the turning centres of
the front wheels at right angles to their paths meet at a point which must be
in the line of the axle of the hind wheels produced towards the side to which the
vehicle is being turned. When these three lines meet in one point, all the wheels
may be said to be turning on one common centre, no wheel will be caused to skid,
and the least effort will be required to propel the vehicle.
This
In steering-gear constructed according to our improved method, the steering
handle is attached to a vertical spindle which is mounted in a light column fixed
on the footplate in front of the driver's seat. To this spindle, on the underside
of the footplate, is attached a spur-pinion which gears with a toothed quadrant.
This quadrant is secured to the lower end of a vertical spindle, to the upper end
of which is attached a pair of eccentric toothed sectors, one on either side. These
toothed sectors respectively mesh with other eccentric toothed sectors, the latter
being formed or provided with arms to which connecting rods are attached;
the opposite extremities of these connecting rods being attached to levers which
are fast upon the forks or other carriers in or on which the road steering wheels
are mounted. When the hand steering wheel is turned, the inner road-wheel is
pivoted through a greater angle than the outer road-wheel by reason of the
eccentric form of the toothed sectors.

page_text: Improvements in Steering and star
We, WILLIAM DENT PRIESTMAN and SAMUEL PRIESTMAN, Engineers, of
Holderness Foundry, and THOMAS WRIGHT, Draughtsman, of Sherburn Street,
both in the Town and County of Kingston-upon-Hull, 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 steering-gear adapted for use in automobiles in which
the two front wheels, each pivoting on its own vertical axis, serve to guide the
vehicle; such axis being in the plane of the wheel, the wheel being carried
in a fork, or to one side of the wheel, as in many light motor-cars. By means of
our invention, the forks or other carriers in or on which the steering wheels are
mounted are caused to turn simultaneously in such a manner that in whichever
direction the vehicle is turned, the wheel upon the inner side of the curve is
turned through a greater angle than that upon the outer side of the curve.
is necessary in order to make the two lines drawn from the turning centres of
the front wheels at right angles to their paths meet at a point which must be
in the line of the axle of the hind wheels produced towards the side to which the
vehicle is being turned. When these three lines meet in one point, all the wheels
may be said to be turning on one common centre, no wheel will be caused to skid
and the least effort will be required to propel the vehicle.
This
The accompanying drawings illustrate steering-gear adapted for use with
vehicles of the kind herein referred to and embodying our present improvements.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the gear; the foot-plate and part of the frame-work
being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a corresponding plan. Fig. 3 is a view in
elevation of means for securing the road-wheels against spreading.
In steering-gear constructed according to our improved method, the steering
handle A is attached to a vertical spindle B which is mounted in a light column C
fixed on the foot-plate D in front of the driver's seat. To this spindle, on the
underside of the foot-plate, is attached a spur pinion E which gears with a toothed
quadrant F. This quadrant is secured to the lower end of a vertical spindle G,
to the upper end of which is attached an eccentric toothed pinion or partial
pinion forming a pair of eccentric toothed sectors HH', one on either side.
These toothed sectors HH', respectively mesh with other eccentric toothed
sectors II', the latter being formed or provided with arms i¹ to which connecting
rods KK are attached; the opposite extremities of these connecting rods being
attached to levers LL' which are fast upon the forks M M¹ or other carriers in
or on which the road steering wheels N N₁ are mounted. When the hand steering
wheel A is turned, say, in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2), the inner road-
wheel N is pivoted through a greater angle than the outer road-wheel N¹ by reason
of the eccentric form of the toothed sectors HH', II', as shown by the dotted lines
in Fig. 2.
The centre of the pair of toothed sectors HH', as also the centres of each of
the toothed sectors II¹, are carried in a casting a bolted to the frame-work or
body of the vehicle.
The pitch-lines of the eccentric toothed sectors preferably form an elliptical
curve, that is to say, they each form a portion of a true ellipse, whereof one end
of the foci constitutes the working centre of each toothed sector. Hence the teeth
pertaining to the sectors are always in mesh and effect the differential movement
above described to the road or steering wheels. 001 are stops for limiting the
movement of the quadrant F.

page_text: Should the road-wheels have a tendency to spread, this may be prevented
by connecting their forks or axles by means of a tie-bar P, whereof each end
carries a pin p, the latter working in a curved slot p¹ formed in a guide p²
secured to the fork or axle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we claim;-
-
1. The improved steering-gear for motor-cars and similar vehicles arranged
substantially as herein described, and wherein the road-wheels are pivotally
operated by means of two eccentric toothed sectors which mesh with an eccentric
toothed pinion (or partial pinion) capable of being rotated from the steering
wheel, each toothed sector having an arm connected by means of a rod with an
arm secured to the vertical axis of the road-wheel; with the result that a
differential pivotal movement is imparted to the two road-wheels.
2. In a motor-car or similar vehicle, the combination with the forks or carriers.
of the road-wheels, of a steering handle A, spur pinion E, toothed quadrant F,
eccentric toothed pinion (or partial pinion) HH', eccentric toothed sectors II',
rods KK and levers LL', all arranged or operating substantially as herein
described.