Improvements in Axles and Steering Gear for Electric and other Motor Carriages.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 28th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL DIFCIFICATION.
Improvements in Axles and Steering Gear for Electric and other
Motor Carriages.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HEADLAND and HENRY WILLIAM HEADLAND, Junior, both of
The Firs, High Boad, Leyton, Essex, Electrical Engineers, and JAMES THOMAS ROBSON,
of 5, Duff Street, Poplar, London, and CHARLES HENRY MARSDEN, of 25, Barclay Road,'
Leytonstone, Essex, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
According to this invention we construct a quick steering gear having a more rigid
axle arrangement than heretofore. For this purpose the axle, usually the front axle,
is made in two parts which are cranked and each formed with a sector in the highest
part immediately under the floor; a pinion, skew or plain, between the sectors gears
with both, having a vertical spindle with or without bevel wheel gearing to any
desired part of the carriage: or we may use worm wheel gearing or double armed
lever and links.
Each cranked part consists of two pieces, viz. the piece having the sector and the
piece passing down to the wheel carrying part of the axle%; the former
piece is squared near the end and is by screw and nut or pin and
set screw joined to the down part. On the latter we provide two bearings the upper
one being fixed to the bottom frame of the carriage and to the top part of the
spring and the lower bearing being provided with a shoe bolted to the lower part
of the spring. We may in addition to this ordinary spring employ a helical spring
on the down part of axle between the bearings for the purpose of taking the thrust
or shock. Or we may provide an additional intermediate bearing and have a spring
above and below it. This bearing may then be used for taking part of the weight of
the battery or motor or motors. Or this bearing may be made to take part of the
weight of the body of the carriage. By actuating the steering rod or spindle the
sectors are turned in opposite directions and the wheel axles and the wheels thereon
are turned as required.
The space formed under the cranked axle may conveniently be utilized for
accumulator battery or for an oil motor or electric or other motor.
The other axle may be similarly cranked up with springs and bearings arranged
as described but this axle is not made in two pieces. The space below the cranked
part may be similarly utilized as described.
parts with an intermediate
Each sector may be made forkshaped or in two
piece or plate for guiding the sectors and two pinions are then provided on one
spindle having their teeth set intermediate to each other for securing smooth
working without back lash or shocks.
Dated th: 60th dow of T.,., 1000
:

page_text: Improvements in Axles and Steering Gear for Electric and other
Motor Carriages.
We, HENRY WILLIAM HEADLAND and HENRY WILLIAM HEADLAND, Junior, both of
The Firs, High Road, Leyton, Essex, Electrical Engineers, and JAMES THOMAS ROBSON,
of 5, Duff Street, Poplar, London, and CHARLES HENRY MARSDEN, of 25, Barclay Road,
Leytonstone, Essex, Engineers, 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 :—
According to this invention we construct a quick steering gear having a more rigid
axle arrangement than heretofore. For this purpose the axle, usually the front axle
(but it may be the rear axle, or both front and rear axle) is made in two parts which
are cranked or formed each with an upright limb which is guided at the top in a bridge
piece and also guided in a bearing or bearings fixed to the springs, suitable gear being
provided for turning the axles, such as levers and rods, or tooth wheel gearing,
all constructed as hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a part sectional end view and Fig. 2 a plan of one construction. The axle,
(usually the front axle) is made in two parts which are cranked and each formed or
provided with a sector A in the highest part immediately under the floor, a wheel,
skew or plain gears with both sectors; but we prefer to use two wheels B each gearing
with its sector, and the teeth of one pinion set intermediate to that of the teeth in
the other for the purpose of smooth working without back lash or shocks. The tooth
sectors A are each mounted on the upper end of the vertical spindle G of each of the
axles. We prefer to make the tooth sectors forkshaped for guiding the sectors: for
this purpose an intermediate piece or flange B1 is provided between the pinions B B
and the tooth rims D. The upright spindle F is by bevel wheel gearing or other
suitable means connected to a steering wheel or handle in some suitable part of the
carriage and by actuating the same the sectors A are turned in opposite directions and
the wheel axles G¹ and the wheels thereon are turned as required. The wheels I are
mounted on the axles G. The upright parts & are guided at the bottom in a lower
bearing K and at top in the bridge piece T which is continued down into the sleeve T"¹
wherein the parts G are free to turn. The sleeve part T¹ works in an upper bearing K.
The springs L rest in brackets K2 K3 projecting from the bearings K and K¹ and are
fixed to the floor M or other part of the carriage body by U shaped straps N which
permit the swivelling of the parts G. There are friction balls K4 between the lower
bearing K¹ and a shoulder on the horizontal part H of the axle. Brackets ( with
flanges O¹ may be provided for attaching thereto a box containing secondary batteries
or other object. Or this space may conveniently be utilized for an oil motor or
electric or other motor. The brackets O are mounted on lower prolongation stems G²
from the axles, springs G³ being provided for giving the box an elastic support. In
addition to the springs L, we may use a helical spring on each part G. Or we may
provide an additional bearing between the bearings K and K¹ and fit a spring above
and below it. This bearing may then be used for taking part of the weight of the
battery or motor or motors. Or this bearing may be made to take part of the weight
of the body of the carriage. If the springs L are arranged between the upright
part G and the roadwheel I the springs must be arranged to swivel with the road
wheel.
Fig. 3 is plan view of another arrangement where the upright parts G of the
cranked axle are provided with worm wheels P into which gear the worms on a
spindle R which may have a worm wheel that is actuated by a worm S on a shaft U

page_text: which carries a small electric motor with reversing switch. Or instead of this worm
and wormwheel we may employ two bevel wheels on the spindle R, and a bevel wheel
between them is then by clutch gear put into engagement with one bevel wheel or
the other.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of another arrangement of gearing where the two upright
parts G of the axles are provided with levers A¹ A¹ which by connecting rods A² A²
are connected to a double armed lever F1 keyed or otherwise fixedly attached to the
spindle F which also carries a wormwheel S². This latter gears with a worm S on the
shaft R which has an electric motor thereon indicated by dotted lines with a reversing
switch or for hand steering we may turn the shaft R by bevel gear U¹ and a
shaft U.
By the aforesaid arrangement the carriage springs L being guided on the upright
part G the body of the carriage is not exposed to the usual lateral oscillations, and
the axles are of a strong construction and properly guided, the axles and the springs
mutually supporting each other.
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. The construction of cranked axle having the upright part in one with the
horizontal part which latter carries the road wheel the said upright part being guided
at the top in a bridge piece and guided below that in a bearing or bearings fixed to
the springs substantially as set forth.
2. The construction of cranked axle as firstly claimed where the upright part of the
axle is guided in two bearings fixed to the springs as described with reference to the
drawings.
3. The combination of the cranked axles as firstly and secondly claimed with the
gear for swivelling them, as described and shewn.
Dated thig Twenty-eighth day of April 1899.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.