Improvements in and relating to Auto-cars or Mechanical Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Auto-cars or Mechanical Road
Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Firm of J. Wilkinson and Sons, of
Saltley, in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and GEORGE SELLERS, of
24, Bradfield Road, Owlerton, near Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements in and relating to auto-cars or
mechanical road vehicles, our object being to construct and arrange a safe and
convenient vehicle for propulsion by steam power upon common roads, having
simple and effective means for the condensation of the exhaust steam by the
atmosphere, and for returning such condensed steam to the generator or boiler.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct the under frame of our
improved auto-car preferably from steel plates stiffened by angle bars or in any
other convenient manner, and mount the same upon wheels having pneumatic or
other tyres. The upper portion of the vehicle is constructed in any ordinary
manner and conveniently arranged for the reception of the required number of
persons.
In a convenient position upon the under frame, preferably at the front of the
vehicle, we mount the boiler or steam generator, and adjacent thereto we fix the
engine or motor having its crank shaft connected or geared with the driving axle
of the vehicle. We arrange the controlling valves and levers of the steam
generator and the motor and also of the brake and steering gear within easy access
of the driver, or of the occupants of the car.
Beneath the under-frame, and preferably at the rear end of the vehicle, we
suspend our improved atmospheric condenser and boiler feeding apparatus. The
condenser is made up from a coil of copper or other pipes connected to the
under frame, by means of universal or like joints that will permit of an oscillatory
movement of the suspended coil. The rocking or oscillation of the coil may be
effected by the ordinary movement or vibration of the under-frame from which
the coil is suspended, but we preferably provide for a positive and regular
reciprocating movement of the coil by means of eccentrics or tappets secured to
the driving axle, and counected by rods with the lower or free end of the range of
piping. In this manner we impart a forward and return movement to the coil for
each revolution of the axle when the vehicle is in motion.
The exhaust steam from the engine or motor is conveyed to the upper end of the
condenser and in flowing through the pipes it becomes condensed by the cooling
action of the atmospheric air surrounding the same. The condensation is greatly
assisted by the oscillatory movement imparted to the condenser as hereinbefore
described, such movement creating a draught of air over the exterior surfaces of
the pipes.
The lower end of the coil is preferably connected direct with the feed pump by
means of a short length of piping jointed to the coil and fitting within the barrel of
the pump. As such connecting pipe partakes of the reciprocating motion imparted
to the coil it serves as the ram or plunger of the feed pump, creating a vacuum
or partial vacuum within the chamber on each out-stroke and forcing a quantity

page_text: of water through the delivery pipe to the generator on each in-stroke. A valve
is fitted at the lower or inner end of the hollow pump rod which opens on each
out-stroke to admit the water from the condenser, but closes on the in-stroke or
forcing stroke of the plunger.
To prevent the admission of air to the pump chamber and to ensure that the
same is filled with water on each out-stroke of the plunger, we provide a water
space above or surrounding the pump chamber, with an internally opening valve
for the admission of such water to the chamber when required. In this manner
also we are enabled to supply sufficient water to the pump to compensate for loss
due to leakage or other causes.
For the purpose of feeding the boiler with water when the vehicle is standing or
is at rest, we supply a supplementary pump plunger for operating by hand or with
a foot lever or other suitable appliance. We sometimes employ accumulator
weights or a piston arranged for the steam to act on the same when the engine is
at work, to regularly force the feed water through a sight feed glass into the
generator.
We sometimes fit the tubes of our atmospheric condenser between end plates or
circular chambers, thus forming a tubular barrel which we cause to revolve when
the vehicle is in motion preferably by means of a friction pulley or pulleys which
transmit the required circular motion from the driving axle.
To further assist in the rapid condensation of the steam we sometimes mount a
fan or air propeller to be driven by the driving axle of the vehicle, or by the
motor for the purpose of creating a blast of air over the pipes, and we employ
such a fan either with or without means for producing a reciprocating or rotating
movement of the condenser as hereinbefore described.
We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular type of
auto-car or mechanical road vehicle but adapt the same to such vehicles of varying
design, with such modifications as may be necessary to meet the requirements of
varying services.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in and relating to Auto-cars or Mechanical Road
Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM WILKINSON, of the Firm of J. Wilkinson & Sons, of Saltley,
in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturers, and GEORGE SELLERS, of
24 Bradfield Road, Owlerton, near Sheffield, in the County of York, 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 :-
This invention consists of improvements in and relating to auto-cars, motor cars,
or mechanical road vehicles, our object being to construct and arrange a safe and
convenient vehicle for propulsion by steam power upon common roads, having
simple and effective means for the condensation of the exhaust steam by the
atmosphere, and for returning such condensed steam to the generator or boiler.
In the three accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to,
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 represents in side elevation a motor-carriage constructed

page_text: and arranged in accordance with our invention, and Ligure 2 a similar view of one
form of our motor vehicle suitable for the conveyance of goods.
On Sheet 2 Figure 3 is a side elevation partially in section and Figure 4 a
sectional or front elevation of the driving and reversing mechanism.
On Sheet 3 Figure 5 is a part sectional side elevation and Figure 6 an end
elevation of one form of our condenser, whilst,Figure 7 is a sectional end elevation
and Figure 8 a side elevation of another form of our condensing apparatus.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct the underframe of our improved
auto-car preferably from steel plates stiffened by angle bars or in any other
convenient manner, and mount the same upon wheels having pneumatic or other
tyres. The upper portion of the vehicle is constructed in any ordinary manner
and conveniently arranged for the required number of persons, or for the reception
of goods. The under-frame with motor and driving mechanism as at Figure 2 can
be fitted to the upper portions of existing carts, vans, wagons and the like.
In a convenient position upon the under-frame, preferably at the front of the
vehicle, we mount the boiler or steam generator A, and adjacent thereto we fix
the engine or motor B having its crank shaft connected or geared with the driving
axle of the vehicle. We arrange the controlling valves and levers of the steam
generator and the motor and also of the brake and steering gear within easy access
of the driver, or of the occupants of the car. With the carriage shown at Figure 1
the motion is transmitted from the notor to the rear axle by means of a worm and
worm wheel in conjunction with toothed gearing, but with the goods car at Figure 2
we illustrate chain driving mechanism..
The form and arrangement of the gearing which we preferably employ with
chain driving is illustrated by Figures 3 and 4 on Sheet 2. In connection with the
ordinary compensating gear mounted upon the driving shaft such as C we employ
intermediate wheels or pinions as D and E mounted upon a bracket E, pivotted to
the first motion shaft G and movable by the lever H. When the pinion D is in
gear as shown in the illustrations the pinion E simply revolves as an idle wheel
and has no effect on the motion of the shaft C; but when, by operation of the
lever H, the pinion D is thrown out of direct gear with the compensating
mechanism and the pinion E thrown into gear with such mechanism, the motion of
the pinion G' on the shaft G will be transmitted through both the pinions D and E
and thus the motion of the shaft C will be reversed.
Beneath the under-frame, and preferably at the rear end of the vehicle, we
suspend our improved atmospheric condenser and boiler feeding apparatus,
represented at J Figure 1 and illustrated in detail in one form and to a larger
scale, at Figures 5 and 6. The condenser is made up from a coil or nest of copper
or other pipes connected to the under-frame by means of universal or like joints
that will permit of an oscillatory movement of the suspended coil or nest. The
rocking or oscillation of the coil may be effected by the ordinary movement or
vibration of the under-frame from which the coil is suspended, but we preferably
provide for a positive and regular reciprocating movement of the coil by means of
eccentric or tappets secured to the driving or rear axle, and connected by rods
with the lower or free end of the range of piping. Such a method of reciprocation
is illustrated at Figure 5. We thus impart a forward and return movement to the
coil for each revolution of the axle when the vehicle is in motion.
The exhaust steam from the engine or motor is conveyed to the upper end of the
condenser and in flowing through the pipes it becomes condensed by the cooling
action of the atmospheric air surrounding the same. The condensation is greatly
assisted by the oscillatory movement imparted to the condenser as hereinbefore
described, such movement creating a draught of air over the exterior surfaces of
the pipes.
The lower end of the coil is preferably connected direct with the feed pump K
by means of a short length of piping K' jointed to the coil and fitting within the
barrel of the pump.
As such connecting pipe partakes of the reciprocating motion

page_text: imparted to the coil it serves as the ram or plunger of the feed pump, creating a
vacuum or partial vacuum within the chamber on each out-stroke and forcing a
quantity of water through the delivery pipe to the generator on each in-stroke.
A valve is fitted at the lower or inner end of the hollow pump rod which opens on
each out-stroke to admit the water from the condenser, but closes on the in-stroke
or forcing stroke of the plunger.
To prevent the admission of air to the pump chamber and to ensure that the
same is filled with water on each out-stroke of the plunger, we provide a water
space above or surrounding the pump chamber, with an internally opening
valve K2 for the admission of such water to the chamber when required. In this
manner also we are enabled to supply sufficient water to the pump to compensate
for loss due to leakage or other causes.
For the purpose of feeding the boiler with water when the vehicle is standing or
is at rest, we provide a supplementary pump plunger L for operating by hand or
with a foot lever or other suitable appliance. We sometimes arrange a sight feed
glass upon or in connection with the delivery pipe between the pump and the
generator.
We sometimes fix the tubes of our atmospheric condenser between end plates or
circular chambers, thus forming a tubular barrel which we cause to revolve when
the vehicle is in motion preferably by means of a friction pulley or pulleys which
transmit the required circular motion from the wheel or wheels of the driving axle.
Such a condenser is illustrated in position at M Figure 2 and is shown in detail to
a larger scale at Figures 7 and 8.
•
The friction pulley M¹ is kept in contact with the wheel M² by the tension
spring M³, the complete condenser being swung or suspended by brackets or
hangers as M' from the under-frame of the vehicle. The exhaust steam is
admitted in the direction of the arrow a Figure 7 and passes through the fixed or
non-rotatable central tube and mouth-piece, and is returned through the revolving
tubes and is discharged at b.
To further assist in the rapid condensation of the steam we sometimes mount a
fan or air propeller to be driven by the driving axle of the vehicle, or by the motor
for the purpose of creating a blast of air over the pipes, and we employ such a fan
either with or without means for producing a reciprocating or rotating movement
of the condenser as herein before described.
We do not limit the application of our invention to any particular type of
auto-car or mechanical road vehicle but adapt the same to such vehicles of varying
design, with such modifications as may be necessary to meet the requirements of
varying services.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is.-
1. An auto-car, motor car, or mechanical road vehicle, having a steam generator,
a motor, condensing appliance, and propelling mechanism, arranged substantially
as described and as illustrated.
2. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles substantially as
described and as illustrated, the combination and arrangement of the driving
mechanism as set forth.
3. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, the use of an oscillatory
or rotary condenser substantially as described.
4. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, the improved means
for automatically returning the condensed steam to the generator when the vehicle
is in motion substantially as described.
5. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, the construction and
combination of the feed pump K with an oscillatory condenser and a hand plunger
as L, substantially as and for the purposes described and as illustrated at
Figure 5.

page_text: 6. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, the construction and
arrangement of a rotary condenser substantially as described and as illustrated.
7. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, the suspension of a
rotary condenser with means for actuating the same from a road wheel or wheels
of the vehicle, substantially as described and as illustrated.
8. In auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles the combination of a fan
or air propeller with a condenser substantially as described.
9.. The general combination and arrangement of parts forming the improved
auto-cars, motor cars, or mechanical road vehicles, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1897.
MARKS & CLERK,
18 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13 Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicants.