Improvements in or relating to Self-propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Self-propelled Vehicles.
I, LEON BOLLÉE of 42 Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle 42 Paris in the Republic
of France 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:-
The autocar forming the subject of the present invention comprises the following
five principal parts:-
Each of theso main parts and their details are represented in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the autocar forming the subject of the
present invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same certain portions being shown in longitudinal
horizontal section.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views on an enlarged scale, representing chiefly the
governing gear and valves of the motor, which it was impossible to represent
with sufficient clearness in Figs. 1 and 2, owing to the smallness of the scale.
The motor is operated by explosive gases, its framework being formed by a
structure of the shape of a ladder, which structure consists of two longitudinal
tubes 7, 8, connected by three cross pieces 9, 10, 11; the cylinder 12 is fixed out-
side on the tube 8 and its piston 13 by means of the connecting rod 14 works the
crank 15 of the cross shaft 16, on which are keyed, outside the tube 7, the fly-
wheel 17 and inside, between the tubes 7 and 8, the gear wheels 18, 19 20 of
the transmission gear and of the mechanism for changing the speed, the number of
Buch gear wheels varying of course according to circumstances.
The connecting rod 14 and the crank 15 are enclosed in a case 21 secured to the
cylinder 12 and containing oil for lubricating the above parts.
Outside on the tube 7 is fixed a petroleum tank 22, supplying the carburator 23,
joined to the cylinder 12; a cylindrical casing 24, made of a piece of steel tube, is
placed outside the tube 8 and receives the exhaust gases and serves for preventing
any noise being made by these gases.
In the fly-wheel 17 and combined with it is a governor 25, which prevents the
motor from exceeding a certain speed, by shutting off the exhaust, which governor
operates transversely by means of an articulated link 26 and a rod 27, the function
of which will be hereinafter described.
The cylinder, which according to its size can be made either with "wings" or
water circulation has at its rear end a cylindrical chimney 28, in which are
arranged and work the admission valve 29 and the exhaust valve 30, the
seats 31, 32 of which are fixed in the chimney 28 by means of nuts 33, 34 which
when removed enable the said valves 29, 30 to be taken off, examined and cleaned
without having to take to pieces the tubes corresponding to the admission
aperture 35 and exhaust aperture 36, made in the wall of the chimney 28; the
ignition is effected at 37 either by an electric igniting plug or by incandescence.

page_text: -
The exhaust valve 30 is actuated by a spindle 38, the length of which can he
adjusted and which is articulated to a lever 30 which is connected to another
lever 40 at right angles and worked by a connecting rod 41 actuated by a lover 42.
fixed to the before-mentioned rod 27 (see Fig. 5).
The driving shaft 16 drives by means of its small velocity pinion 20 a gear
wheel 43 (their relation being 1 to 2), cut in the cam 44, in which rolls a roller 45,
transinitting a rocking motion to a bell crank lever 46, the lower extremity of this
lever having hinged to it at 47 a stirrup 48, on which a spring 49 acts so as to tend
to raise its end 50.
In Fig. 4, the stirrup 48 is represented as hanging behind the lever 46 for the
purpose of better understanding its shape, this stirrup in reality occupying the
position shown in Fig. 5; it bas at 51 a projection connected by an inclined
plane 52 to the plane of the whole of it; the lever 42, actuating the exhaust
valves has at its lower extremity at 53 an inclined plauc similar to that of the
stirrup 48; the rod 27 affords a support for the lever 42, through an oblong hole
in which passes the axis 54 of oscillation of the lever 46 so as to admit of sufficient
oscillation of the said lever 42.
The part 5 of the stirrup 48 serves as a hook and acts in combination with the
lower part 56 of the lever 42, which serves for the same purpose.
From such arrangement it follows that when the governor 25 opens, it pushes
the rod 27 in the position shown in Fig. 4; the stirrup 48 into its to-and-fro
movement, which it receives from the cam 44, is ench time lowered in consequence
of its inclined plane 52 meeting the inclined plane 53 of the lever 42, in consequence
of which the hook 55 of the stirrup 48 passes under the hook 56 of the lever 42
in such way that the said hooks do not meet in this position and therefore the
lover 42 is not taken in the movement of 46 and. the exhaust valve 30 remains
at rest.
On the contrary, when the governor 25 closes, it produces retraction of the
rod 27 and of the lever 42, the lower extremity of which will be brought inside
the stirrup 48 in such manner, that the inclined planes 52, 53 do not meet and the.
stirrup 48 will not therefore be lowered and the hooks 55, 56 meeting in the
position indicated in Fig. 5, the lever 42 will oscillate and therefore the exhaust
valve 30 will act.
The hooks 55, 56 either meet completely or not at all; their action takes place
without friction.and their wear is nil.
The framing of the present system of autocar is almost solely composed by the
framework of the motor, which has just been described but with the following
additions ;-
At the two extremities of the front cross bar 9 are arranged two vertical
sleeves 57, 58, which. serve to maintain the pivots of two steering wheels 59, 60,
each of which turns round its pivot sufficiently to enable its axis, produced, to cross
the rear-axle produced, in the well-known manner;.
The right sleeve 57 has at the top a horizontal tube 61, supporting the steering
hand-wheel 62 by means of which by its pinion 63, rack 64 and lover 65, the
wheel:59 is turned obliquely, whereas the same action is produced on the wheel 60
in the same direction by the rod 67, connecting the pivots of the wheels 59, 60, ns
will be seen later on.
The lower extremity of each pivot carries a steel bracket 69, on which the
bracket 71 of the axle 72 of the corresponding wheel 60 is hinged with its one end
at 70; two connected springs 73, 74; connect the free end of the bracket 71 to the
end of: 60; the same arrangement is made for the wheel 58, and the continuations
to the inside of the hinges 70 are connected by the before mentioned rod 67, which
in this way transmits to the wheel 60 the samo steering, movement as that given to
the wheel 59.
This arrangement enables the springs to be used without necessitating, the use of
an oscillating axle with the spring placed transversely to the vehicle.
The hind axlo 75 is maintained under a horizontal support 76 made of a U-shaped

page_text: piece of steel tube which is hinged at 77 by the extremities of its parallel sides on
to the corresponding part of the tubes 7 and 8 of the vehicle frame; its opposite
extremity is a cross piece, and. the cross-piece is connected to the frame by two
combined springs 78, 78', which keep the support 76 and the vehicle-frame at a
desired normal distance apart.
The axle 75 is supported and fixed at each end in the spring hangers 79, which
are attached by hinges 80 to the tubes 76 of the frame.
The result of such arrangements is that the axle 75 can move only parallel to
itself under the action of the shocks of the vehicle.
The seats 81, 82 are arranged one behind another on a small box 83 preferably
made of sheet iron; the traveller seated on the back seat 82 puts his feet on the
feel-supports 84, 85, formed at each side of the box 83; the traveller seated on
the front seat 81 puts his feet on a continuation 86 of the box 83, arranged in front
of the cross bar 9.
The transmitting gear combined with the described devices is as follows;-
Parallel to aud in front of the driving shalt 16 is placed a shalt 87, which is
supported in such a mauner as to enable it to slide laterally but not to turn; on
this shaft 87 is mounted a sleeve 88 so as to be free to rotate, but taking part in
the transverse movements of the shaft 87; on this sleeve 88 are keyed the
gears 89, 90, 91, which engage and combine two and two, according to the velocity
desired, with corresponding gears. 18, 19, 20, fixed on the driving shaft 16; the
sleeve 88 has besides keyed on it and taking part in all its movements whether of
rotation or transverse sliding, a narrow disc 92 with toothed periphery engaging
with a corresponding wide toothed portion 93 on the inner face of the rim of a
pulley 94, which is arranged so as to turn loosely on the shaft 87, and the sleeve 88,
but does not move transversely.
Under such conditions it is clear that the rotary movement of the sleeve 88 will
be transmitted to the pulley 94 by means of the disc 92 in the interior of this
pulley, which disc is always in engagement with the said pulley the pulley always
remaining fixed whereas the disc can move transversely, being moved by the
sleeve 88 and the shaft 87, carrying that sleeve, which movement of the sleeve lias
for its purpose to produce the desired engagement of the gears 89,-18, 90-19,
91-20, according to the velocity with which the vehicle ought to move.
The transverse movement of the shaft 87 and consequently of the sleeve 88,
carried by it, are effected, as will be hereinafter described, by a mechanism acting
on a rack 95, carried by the end of the shaft 87.
The rear wheel 96 of the vehicle turns loose on its axle 75 arranged as it has
been previously explained; to the side of this wheel corresponding to the pulley 94
is fixed concentrically with the wheel a pulley 97, by which and by means of a
belt 98, connecting the two pulleys 94 and 97 the movement of the pulley 94 is.
transmitted to the wheel 96; the method previously explained of fixing the rear-.
axle 75 in the hangers 79, hinged at 80 enables this axlo to advance or to retire
and this is utilised for stretching or slackening the belt 98 and thus effecting in a.
simple manner the engaging and disengaging the transmission of movement for
starting or stopping and also adjusting the normal tension of the said belt 98 to
secure proper running of the vehicle.
The capability of the axle 75 to advance and to retire is also utilised for bringing
into operation a very simple brake. This brake comprises a shoe 99 fixed in a
suitable position on the cross-bar 10 of the frame and against which shoe the tyre
of the wheel 96 rubs, when the axle 76 is sufficiently advanced in that direction;.
and also a brake arrangement, conposed simply of a steel band 101, lined with
wood or leather and encircling a pulley 100 keyed on the boss of the wheel 96, the
band being attached at its two extremities to two fixed points on the vehicle frame:
It is clear that with such arrangement when the axle 75 advances, the two points
of attachment of the band 101 being fixed, this band will be strongly stretched
and will exercise a braking action on the pulley 100 and therefore on the rear
wheel 96 of the vehicle.

page_text: As the driving in an autocar ought to be made as easy and as simple as possible
by restricting as much as possible the number and the importance of the manipula-
tions and manoeuvres to be executed during the drive, a point has been made of
simplifying these in this system of self-propelled vehicles, all the previously
described mechanisms for throwing in and out of gear, changing the velocity and
applying the brake being operated by a single lever.
This lever 102, made of a steel tube is arranged so as to be able to oscillate with
its lower extremity in the transverse direction round a shaft 103, which in its turn
cau oscillate in a longitudinal direction round the shaft 87; this point of the
double articulation of the lever 102 is fixed relatively to the vehicle frame; a
rod 103' is arranged in the interior of the lever 102 and can turn in the latter; the
extremities of the rod 1031 projecting out of the lever 102 are provided, the top
one with a closed handle 104 for general control of all the parts connected to the
lever 102, the lower one with a pinion 105 which is constantly in engagement with
the rack of the axle 97; the articulated hangers 79 supporting the rear axle 75
are moreover connected by a rod 106 to the lever 102.
In consequence of this arrangemeut, when the handle 104 is moved in one
direction or the other a transverse movement of the shaft 87 is produced and
therefore of the parts, which, as has been described, have to follow the movement
of that shaft. Whon by meaus of that handle the lever 102 is pushed forward,
the axle 75 moves backwards and the belt is stretched, thus effecting the throwing
in gear; by pulling the lever 102 back by means of said handle 104, the axle 75
advances, whereby throwing out of gear is effected and the brake arrangements
previously described are made to act.
In the intermediate vertical position of the lover 102, the handle 104 cau be
freely turned and so changes of velocity effected, that is to say, the engaging of
gears corresponding to the desired velocity without fear of the motor being left
engaged or of rupture of the teeth of the gear wheels, the resistance of the vehicle
not being exercised at that moment on the transmission gear.
The lever-102 is maintained automatically fixed in any desired position by the
combination of said lever with a toothed sector 107 along which it moves and
against which it is pressed by a spring in the well-known manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. A self-propelled vehicle having the framing of the carriage formed by the
longitudinal members of the framing of the explosion engine and having the chief
arrangements and valve gear substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. A self-propelled vehicle fitted with springs and hinged hangers substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a self-propelled vehiclo the arrangement of a steering hand wheel supported
by the sleeve of the pivot of one of the wheels to which pivot it is directly
connected by a gear or chain substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. In a self-propelled vehicle the arrangement of intermediate transmission
gears movable laterally in combination with a pulley rotatable with said gears but
not movable laterally substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
5. In a self-propelled vehicle and particularly in the case of such a vehicle with
one or more direct driven wheels the use of a belt for transmission of power this
belt acting 011 & large pulley fixed to oue or more of these driving wheels
Bubstantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
6. In a self-propelled vehicle an engaging and disengaging mechanism the
engagement or disengagement being produced by stretching or slackening of a
belt by the advance or backward movement of one of the two parallel shafts and

page_text: especially of the axle of the driving wheel or wheels substantially as described.
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a self-propelled vehicle a brake gear comprising the movement of the
driving wheel or wheels relatively to the rest of the vehicle in combination with.
brake-parts a fixed shoe and band-brake substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
8. In a self-propelled vehicle the arrangement of a single lever with an interior
axle the said lever and axle being actuated by means of one handle in order to
produce all the movements of throwing in and out of gear changing the speed and
applying the brake substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
9. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete self-
propelled vehicle substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant..