Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Automotors or Self Moving Carriages.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Automotors or Self Moving
Carriages.
I, FRANCIS HERRERT WENHAM of The Beacon, near Woking in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:-
If oil vapour or gas engines are used for propelling carriages the speed cannot
be regulated by primarily altering the speed of such engines nor can the carriage
be brought to a standstill by stopping the engine and as engines of this class
cannot be immediately restarted or reversed they must be kept running and backing,
stopping and variations of road speed must be effected by the gear.
According to my invention I use two conical rollers preferably of the same size
and angle rotating on axes with the large and small ends together. The first or
driving cone is rotated by the engine either directly or by a belt or belts from the
main shaft. Either the first or second cone is capable of being moved to or fro in
its bearings by a lever or screw or other suitable means. Preferably surrounding
the second cone is an endless or ring belt of leather rubber or other elastic
material.
When one of the cones is forced forward by an endlong thrust it wedges the belt
at noy place between the two with any required grip causing the cones to rotate in
opposite directions. If the belt be gripped between the large end of the first or
driving cone and the small end of the second cone the speed of the second cone is
high but if the belt be shifted towards the small end while the cones are rotating
the speed is gradually reduced.
The motion of the second cone is conveyed to the running or road wheels which
may be done by securing to one or both projecting ends of the said cone a pinion
gearing with a wheel connected with the road wheel or this pinion may carry an
endless chain for driving. When the first cone is drawn back the cones separate
and the grip on the belt at any part is released and the rotation of the second cone
ceases and the carriage is stopped.
For obtaining the reversal movement a spur wheel may be affixed to one end of
each cone, these may be geared together by dropping an intermediate or idle wheel
between them which causes the second cone to run the reverse way. Or preferably
two rollers having frictional rubber tyres may be closed between the small end of
the first or driving cone and the large end of the driven coue by a screw or lever
arrangement applied when the cones are separated from the driving belt.
Dated this 19th day of March 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Mechanism for Driving Automotors or Self Moving
Carriages.
1, FRANCIS HERBERT WENHAM of The Beacon, near Woking, in the County
of Surrey, 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 :-
If oil vapour or gas engines be used for propelling carriages the speed cannot be
regulated by primarily altering the speed of such engines, nor can the carriage be
brought to a standstill by stopping the engine; and as engines of this class cannot
be immediately restarted, or reversed, they must be kept running, and backing,
stopping and variations of road-speed must be effected by the gear.
According to my invention which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in
plan in Figure 1 and in end view in Figure 2. I use two conical rollers 1 and 2,
preferably of the same. size and angle, rotating on axes, and with the large and
small ends together. The first or driving cone 1 is rotated by the engine, either
directly, or by a belt, or chain, 3, from the main shaft 4. Either the first.or
second cone is capable of being moved endways or to and fro in its bearings by a
forked lever as illustrated at, 5, acting on the clutch like piece 6, or by a screw or
by other suitable means. Preferably surrounding the second cone 2 is an endless
or ring belt 7 of leather, rubber, or other elastic, or. flexible material.
When one of the cones is forced forward by a parallel or endlong thrust from
the clutch like piece 6 it wedges the belt 7, at any place at which it may at that
time be between the two cones 1 and 2, with any required grip causing the driven
cone to rotate in a direction opposite to that of the driving cone. If the belt 7 be
gripped between the large end of the first or. driving cone 1 and the small end of
the second cone 2, the speed of the second cone is high, but if the belt 7 be shifted
towards the small end of the cone 1 while the cones are rotating the speed is
gradually reduced in accordance with the extent to which the said belt is shifted.
The motion of the second cone 2 is conveyed to the running or road wheels,
which may be done for example by securing to one projecting end or to both
projecting ends of the said cone a pinion as shown at 8 over which passes an
endless chain 9 gearing with a wheel connected with the road wheel. When the
first cone 1 is drawn back the cones separate and the grip on the belt 7 is released
and the rotation of the second cone 2 ceases and the carriage is stopped although
the motor and cone 1 continue running.
For obtaining the reversal movement a spur wheel may be affixed to one end of
each cone and these may be geared together by dropping an intermediate or idle
wheel between them which causes the second cone to run the reverse way for
obtaining the backward direction. Or preferably two rollers 10 and 11 having
frictional rubber tyres are closed between the small end of the first or driving
cone 1 and the large end of the driven cone 2, by a screw or lever arrangement as
illustrated at 12 applied when the cones are separated from the driving belt.
The belt 7 is traversed along the cone 2 for varying the speed by means of a
forked shipper 13 which slides on a guide bar 14. The traverse may be effected
by turning a screw of coarse pitch but preferably as shown by a cord 15 attached
to the shipper 13 running on pulleys 16 any one of which may be turned by a
handle convenient to the hand of the driver, thus carrying the shipper in one
direction or the other to the position requisite for any required speed.

page_text: 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 :-
A mechanism for driving autocars or self moving carriages constructed or
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Dated this 17th day of December 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.