Improvements in the Method of, and Apparatus for, Applying Motive Power to Vehicles Running on Ordinary Roads.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 18th Oct., 1837-Accepted, 20th Nov., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of, and Apparatus for, Applying Motive
Power to Vehicles Running on Ordinary Roads.
I, HOWARD LANE, of Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists in an improved method of, and apparatus for, applying
suitable power to the wheels or driving axles of vehicles of different kinds running
upon ordinary roads. In such vehicles as at present made and used, it is
necessary to use for transmitting, and increasing or diminishing or varying the
speed and power, gearing and chain wheels and chains, toothed wheels, and other
equivalent devices, in order to enable a self-propelled road vehicle to ascend
gradients of greater or less inclination. By my present invention all the com-
plication of such speed gearing and other devices, is avoided, and rendered
unnecessary, whilst I am able to have such a reserve of power as will provide
for the restarting of the vehicle without the necessity of the prime mover being
kept continuously in operation. My invention consists in the combination of :-
(1) A suitable prime mover such as a gas, oil, steam, or other engine carried
by the vehicle and driving pumps;
(2) Of an accumulator, consisting either of a strong vessel into which air or
gas is compressed, or provided with a piston and metallic spring of sufficient
strength, into which vessel the prime mover, by means of its pumps, delivers
water or other suitable fluid at a pressure increasing according to the compression
of the spring, or the air, in the vessel;
(3) Of a motor consisting of a hydraulic engine or engines into which the
fluid from the accumulator is supplied, and which is connected to and actuates
the driving wheels of the vehicle.
The prime mover and pumps are fitted with suitable compensating gear of
the well-known kind so that as the pressure in the accumulator rises the stroke
of the pumps becomes reduced, the power exerted by the prime mover remaining,
therefore, approximately constant.
The fluid after passing through the hydraulic motor returns to a tank or
reservoir where it is again passed through the pumps. The apparatus is so
adjusted that on the attainment of a maximum predetermined pressure in the
accumulator the prime mover is automatically stopped, by suitable devices of
the well-known kind.
By coupling the driving axle with the shaft of the prime mover by means of
what is well-known as "over running" gear, the vehicle starts by virtue of the
pressure remaining in the accumulator acting through the hydraulic engine, and
the prime mover is again brought into action.
The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows:-
The prime mover is started by hand, and charges the accumulator with fluid
under pressure. The hydraulic engine or engines are started when desired by

page_text: admitting the fluid under such pressure, by means of a screw-down or other valve.
On reaching a steep gradient on the road the increased resistance of the vehicle
causes an increase of pressure on the accumulator, and a corresponding reduction
in the stroke of the pumps, the power of the prime mover remaining constant.
As the resistance to the vehicle thus increases, the pressure to overcome it also
increases, but the speed of the vehicle decreases by reason of the reduced supply
of fluid under pressure. On descending an incline, the supply of fluid being cut
off by the driver of the vehicle, the hydraulic motor when desirable may be caused
to act as a pump, drawing the fluid from the storage tank and forcing it into
the accumulator.
Tutad his 10th da Dember 1900
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Method of, and Apparatus for, Applying Motive
Power to Vehicles Running on Ordinary Roads.
I, HOWARD LANE, of Corporation Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Engineer, 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, and accompanying drawings, that is to say:-
My present invention consists in an improved method of, and apparatus for, applying
suitable propelling power to the wheels or driving axles of vehicles of different
kinds running upon ordinary roads. In such vehicles as at present made and
used, it is necessary to use, for transmitting and increasing or diminishing or
varying the speed and power, gearing and chain wheels and chains, toothed wheels,
and other equivalent means in order to enable a self-propelled road vehicle to ascend
gradients of greater or less inclination. By my present invention all the com-
plication of such speed gearing and other devices, is avoided, and rendered
unnecessary, whilst I am able to have such a reserve of power as will provide
for the re-starting of the vehicle without the necessity of the prime mover being
kept continuously in operation.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of my invention, Figure 1
representing à general side view of a vehicle for running upon ordinary roads,
fitted with my improved apparatus... Figure 2 is a view shewing on a larger scale,
and in diagrammatic form, the same apparatus.
My invention consists in the combination of:-
-
(1). A suitable prime mover a such as a gas, oil, steam, or other suitable
engine, carried by the vehicle and driving a pump or pumps at b;
(2). Of an accumulator c, consisting either (as shown) of a strong vessel into
which air or gas is compressed, or of a cylinder provided with a piston and
metallic spring of sufficient strength into which vessel the prime mover a, by
means of its pumps b, delivers water or other suitable fluid at a pressure increas-
ing according to the compression of the spring, or the air, in the vessel;
(3). Of a motor d consisting of a hydraulic engine or engines into which the
fluid from the accumulator c is supplied through a pipe c', the motor being con-
nected to and actuating the driving wheel or wheels e of the vehicle.
The prime mover a and pumps bare fitted with suitable compensating gear of
the well-known kind, so that as the pressure in the accumulator c rises as water
is pumped into it, the stroke of the pumps 6 becomes reduced, the power exerted
by the prime mover a remaining, therefore, approximately constant.

page_text: In Figure 3 is shewn, by way of example, a method in which this can be
effected. The plunger & of the pump fits and works in an outer casing f to which
it is connected at g, a certain amount of longitudinal movement being allowed
betwen them. Between the plunger & and the bottom of the casng a spring his
arranged, the pressure of which is so adjusted that when the pump begins to
force water into the accumulator e, its strength is sufficient to keep the plungers b
and f in the position shown, and they work as a solid plunger. As the pressure
in the accumulator c increases, the spring becomes proportionately compressed
at the end of its stroke, which is shortened accordingly. As the plunger rises, the
power required to compress the spring is returned to the crank which drives it.
Instead of the method described, other equivalent compensating apparatus may
be used. For instance, a supplementary cylinder may be arranged, fitted with a
piston held down by an adjustable spring, the cylinder being connected with the
barrel of the pump at b, above the suction valve of the latter.
Or, a rocking beam may be used, one end of which is connected with and worked
by the motor a, whilst its other end drives the pumps at b, the fulcrum upon
which the beam turns being moveable, and its position being controlled by a
piston and spring in a cylinder connected with the delivery pipe of the pump,
in such a way that as the pressure rises the fulcrum is moved nearer to the
pump, the stroke of which is proportionately reduced, and vice versu.
The pump, fitted with compensating apparatus as just described, draws water
(or other fluid) from a tank and delivers it through the pipe e' into the loaded
accumulator e, of the kind described. This may consist of a cylinder containing
a piston, loaded with a metallic spring, or it may consist (as shewn) of a strong
vessel or cylinder, the air in the upper part of which forms an air spring. In
this latter case, the air is initially compressed to a pressure suitable for the
effective commencement of the pumping operation. A piston may be used (as
shown in dotted lines at k), to separate the fluid from the air and so prevent
absorption of the latter.
From the accumulatore the fluid under sufficient pressure is delivered through
a pipe to a hydraulic motor d which drives the axle of the vehicle, either direct
or by means of chain wheels and chains as, shewn at n. Or, it may be applied
to drive other mechanism The fluid after having done its work in the motor d
returns to the pump tank, by a pipe m. The hydraulic motor d may be reversible
in its action, so that when desired it can act as a pump For this purpose a
four-way cock or equivalent device (not shown in the drawing) is used, by
which the pipe m is made to serve as a suction pipe, and the pipe / as a delivery
pipe.
With the arrangement of the apparatus described, when extra resistance is met
with by the vehicle, as in ascending a hill for instance, the hydraulic motor d
receives less fluid but at a higher pressure (the stroke of the pumps at b being
reduced), whilst the prime mover a continues to exert approximately its normal
power. When a maximum pressure is reached a loaded relief valve (not shown
in the drawing) opens and the fluid escapes back to the pump tank i, and on its
way may be made to act upon the throttle valve of the prime mover a and stop
the latter.
By coupling the driving axle o of the carriage with the shaft of the prime
mover a by means of what is well-known as "over-running" gear, the vehicle
starts by virtue of the pressure remaining in the accumulator acting through the
hydraulic engine, and the prime mover is again brought into action.
Over-running gear for the purpose described is shown in Figure 2. A chain
wheel upon the driving axle o of the carriage is connected with a chain
wheel upon the shaft of the motor a, by a chain s. The wheel runs freely
upon the axle o of the carriage, to which it is coupled when required by the
wheelt which is keyed upon the axle o, and has inclined teeth at its circum-
ference between which and the hollow circumference of the wheel p, balls or
cylinders are arranged, in such manner that when the wheel p is driven by the

page_text: motor a at a quicker speed than the wheel t, the wheel runs freely (the balls
being in the position shown). If, however, when the motor is at rest, the
hydraulic motor d is started by means of the residual pressure in the accumulator c,
the axle o and the wheel are set in revolution and the balls become jammed
against the wheel and thereby start the motor a, which then continues to
to operate in the way already described.
The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows:
The prime mover a is first started by hand, and by means of the pumps at b
charges the accumulator c with fluid under pressure. The hydraulic engine or
engines are started when desired by admitting the fluid under such pressure
through the pipe l, by means of a screw-down or other valve. On reaching a
steep gradient on the road the increased resistance of the vehicle causes an
increase of pressure on the accumulator c, and a coresponding reduction in the
stroke of the pumps at b, the power of the prime mover a remaining constant,
and the length of stroke of the pistons of the hydraulic motor being constant and
unalterable. As the resistance to the vehicle thus increases, the pressure to over-
come it also increases, but the speed of the vehicle decreases by reason of the
reduced supply of fluid under pressure. On descending an incline, the supply
of fluid being cut off by the driver of the vehicle, the hydraulic motor d where
desirable may be caused to act as a pump, drawing the fluid from the storage
tank i and forcing it into the accumulator c, in the way already described. Cocks
or valves are arranged where necessary.
I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement,
which may be varied more or less as may be found advisable to suit different
circumstances, but, having now particularly described and ascertained the nature
of my said invention, and n what manner the same is to be performed, I declare
that what I claim is:
1. The method of, and apparatus for, applying motive power to vehicles running
on ordinary roads, consisting in the combination of a suitable prime mover (such
as a), driving a pump or pumps (such as b) an accumulator (such as c) into which
water or other fluid is forced by the pumps at b, and a motor (such as d) driven
by fluid under pressure from the accumulator c, and connected with and actuating
the driving wheel or wheels e of the vehicle, the quantity of fluid delivered by
the pump or pumps 6 being automatically varied according to the pressure in
the accumulator c, and the action of the prime mover a and delivery of fluid
into the accumulator being automatically stopped when the pressure in the
accumulator has reached a determined maximum, all, substantially as and for the
purpose described and illustrated.
2. The method of re-starting the prime mover when at rest, by means of an
"over-running" apparatus by which when the vehicle is started by means of the
pressure remaining in the accumulatore, the prime mover is also automatically
started, substantially as described and illustrated.
3. In combination with the apparatus described in Claim 1, the method of
causing the hydraulic motor to act when necessary as a pump, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
Dated this 16th day of October 1897
EDWARDS & Co..
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.