Improvements in Three-wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1893—Accepted, 17th June, 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Three-wheeled Vehicles.
I, GUSTAVE ROUY, of Redlands, in the County of San Bernardino, and State of
California, 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 relates to the class of three-wheeled vehicles adapted to be drawn
by animals or other motive power applied from in front of the vehicle.
The object of my invention is to construct a carriage of this class, which, while
being more convenient of access and easier to turn in narrow compass than four-
wheeled vehicles, will be of such strength and will present such an elegance of
appearance that it will meet with public favor.
My invention pertains specifically to the construction and combination of parts
whereby I accomplish this object.
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention.
Figure 1 represents a three-wheeled phaton embodying my invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective detail of the swivel attachment for connecting the front
wheel with the body of the vehicle. Parts are removed to contract the view.
Fig. 3 is a vertical mid-section from front to rear of the swivel attachment
including the parts now shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a detail view showing various parts in perspective separated from each
other but disposed as near as possible, consistent with clearness, in the relative
positions they occupy when the vehicle is put together. Some of the parts are
broken to contract the view and a fragment of one of the reach hounds is indicated
solely in dotted lines.
For the purpose of securing suitable rigidity and strength while yet providing a
desirable elasticity and lightness, some of the parts are constructed of a central rib
or filling of suitable hard-wood with outer metal straps.
The rear of the body A of the vehicle is supported in the ordinary manner by
springs B resting upon the axle C, which is supported by the rear wheels D and
the front of the body of the vehicle is supported by the front supporting
springs E, E', which are bolted or otherwise secured to the body A, and arranged
to project forward and rest upon the reach bar F which connects and supports the
two reaches G, G' and is pivoted upon the axle swivel or straddle brace H which is
provided at the lower ends of its arms with the axle boxes h, h, and with the hound
securing sockets i, i, by which the lower draft hounds I, I, are respectively secured
to the axle boxes. The axle swivel is provided at the top with a hollow tapering
pivot adapted to fit in a socket f, in the reach bar F which reach bar is provided
on the top with a socket j, for the upper hound socket J to which the upper hound I'
is secured.
K is the upper member of the fifth wheel secured to and projecting back from
the reach bar F, and K' is the lower member of the fifth wheel secured to the axle
swivel H by the standards k, k' provided with stays which support the middle or
rear bend of such lower member.
Lindicates the fifth wheel supporting plate provided with lateral stay arms 1, 1,
which are attached respectively to the reaches G G¹.
M is the king bolt and fifth wheel brace secured to the upper member K of the
fifth wheel and to the fifth wheel supporting plate L and arranged to rest upon
the upper front hound socket J and is provided with a king bolt hole to receive the
king bolt N the main body of which is equal in diameter to the top of the pivot h¹
and is reduced in its lower portion to extend through the king bolt hole which
extends downward through the pivot and the axle swivel H to which it is secured
1נ0...מ

page_text: by a nut which is countersunk into the swivel H or otherwise secured thereto so
that the king bolt which is screw-threaded may be secured in place by being
inserted through the eyes or king bolt holes of the fifth wheel brace, hound socket,
cross bar and axle swivel and then turned to screw into the nut.
P, P', are the reach and fifth wheel brace hounds which are fixed respectively to
the reaches G G¹ by one end and to the upper portion of the reach brace M by the
other end extending obliquely outward and backward from the brace M to the
reaches. The reaches are thus rigidly connected with the spring supporting cross
bar F, and the fifth wheel brace M.
The shafts S (or tongue) by which the vehicle is to be drawn is secured to the
reaches, the front wheel and the body supporting springs through the medium of
the draft bar Q to which the shafts are secured, the upper draft hound arranged
to extend from the middle of the draft bar to the reach bar F to which it is secured
by the king bolt N and the lower draft hounds II secured respectively by one end
to the draft bar near its ends and secured by the other end to the lower end of the
swivel brace H.
R is the axle by which the wheel is secured to the swivel brace.
r is an angular boss upon such axle to fit into an angular socket 11 in one of the
axle boxes to prevent the axle from turning in the swivel brace. The axle is
secured in place by the nutr¹.
When the parts are secured together in position as shown in Fig. 1 perfect
rigidity is secured with elegance of appearance, ease of support and security against
accident.
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
1. A three wheeled vehicle comprising the combination of the axle swivel H
provided at the lower ends of its arms with the axle boxes and with the hound
securing sockets; the reach bar F pivoted upon the axle swivel; the reaches G G¹
secured to the ends of the reach bar; the front supporting springs arranged to rest
upon the reach bar and secured thereto; the upper member of the fifth wheel
secured to and projecting back from the reach bar; the lower member of the fifth
wheel secured to the axle swivel; the fifth wheel supporting plate provided with
lateral stay arms attached respectively to the reaches; the king bolt and fifth
wheel brace secured to the upper member of the fifth wheel and to the fifth wheel
supporting plate and arranged to rest upon the upper front hound socket and
provided with the king bolt hole; the upper front hound having its socket pivoted
upon the reach bar and provided with the king bolt hole; the lower front hounds
connected with the boxes of the axle swivel; the draft bar secured to the front
hounds and the king bolt arranged to pivotally secure the upper front hound and
the axle swivel to the reach bar and- fifth wheel brace.
2. A three wheeled vehicle comprising the combination of the axle swivel
provided with the axle boxes; the reach bar pivoted upon such swivel and con-
nected with the body of the vehicle; the draft bar, the lower draft hounds I, I,
secured respectively at their lower ends to the lower ends of the axle swivel and
secured at their upper ends to the draft bar; the upper draft hound I' secured at
its front end to the draft bar and pivoted to the reach bar, and the king bolt
arranged to secure the upper hound, reach bar and axle swivel together.
Dated this 12th day of Man 1902