Year: 1896

page_text: I, VALENTIN LACASSE, of 76 Rue St. Jacques, Berchem near Antwerp, Belgium,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a carriage moved by a gas motor and its object is to
render this kind of vehicles more practical, by diminishing their weight and
increasing their solidity and their driving power.
The invention regards especially the following parts: 1) The Gas Motor, 2) the
Transmission Device, 3) the Driving Chain and 4) the Chain-Tightener..
The other parts of the carriage are constructed in the usual way.
The motor possesses two cylinders for obtaining an explosion with each turn.
It is worked by Benzine and provided with a speed-regulator.'
Each cylinder bears an admission and an escape-valve, the first one being
automatically worked by a spring. The escape-valve is governed by a cam-shaft
acting on a small pulley secured to one arm of a lever, the other arm of which
bears on the escape-valve. The extremity of the arm bearing the pulley is
pivotally connected with a second lever pressed with its lower swelled end, by
means of a catch-spring, against a small fixed pulley so as to make the first pulley
pressed on the cam-shaft which receives its movement from the driving shaft of
the motor by means of a suitable transmission device..>
The driving shaft and the ends of the cylinders are surrounded by a protecting
case to prevent the entrance of dust. This case contains an oil-bath in which the
head of the connecting-rod plunges at each turn, thus dispensing with any oiling
of the usual kind.
The cylinders are enveloped with a cooling casing made of red copper in which
can be made to circulate either water or cold air.
The lighting of the Benzine is effected by means of electricity with a- kindling
fuse.
This motor can be constructed without any particular alteration of design,
either as a vertical or a horizontal motor..
My improved transmission device allows a forward or backward motion,
differentially and at all speeds, by means of a single strap.
On the driving shaft of the motor is keyed a cone provided with a transmission
strap passing over a second cone loosely mounted on the transmission shaft. The
two cones are disposed in opposite directions, the base of the one being in front
of the top of the other. On this second cone is fixed a conical gearing engaging
with a second conical gearing which engages with a third one parallel to the first.
The transmission shaft near the cone, passes through a hollow shaft on which
is loosely mounted the third gearing. Between the latter and the first gearing
is mounted a coupling-box sliding on a fixed key of the hollow shaft and carrying
two lateral tenons corresponding with holes conveniently arranged on the above-
named parallel gearings.

page_text: The hollow shaft carries at one end a box which contains the differential move-
ment. On the ends of the transmission shaft are fixed gearings, on the one side,
on the shaft itself, and on the other side, on a differential hollow shaft.
In all existing horseless carriages, it is necessary when the driving chain is to
be tightened to dismount the whole transmission device in order to effect this.
Consequently, if the chain is put right, the Straps are wrong, for they become
too short; on the other hand as the chains do not both lengthen equally, it follows
that to tighten them, the transmission must be displaced to an unequal degree on
each side and the latter is no longer parallel to the driving shaft."
My tightening device does away with these inconveniences.
Instead of having the chain wheel directly on the transmission shaft, it is an
intermediate gearing which transmits the movement of the shaft to the chain
wheel. The intermediate gearing and the chain wheel are mounted on a little axle
which can be moved in a semi-circular slide concentric to the transmission shaft.
The chain wheel can therefore be displaced to the extent deemed necessary, the
transmission shaft remaining always stationary.
The little axle is provided with an ordinary chain tightening device.
My improved chain is so constructed that the strain or traction does not take
effect on the pin or pivot as in ordinary chains and consequently any or all of the
parts may be made of tempered steel which of course reduces the wear and tear
to a minimum.
The links of the chain are longitudinally divided, in two pieces U-shaped, the
lateral branches of which being sockets.
The sockets fit into the holes of a joining piece or block.
The two parts of the links are kept together by means of screws passing through
the sockets.
Dated this 30th day of July 1896.
"L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicant.
I, VALENTIN LACASSE, of 76 Rue St. Jacques, Berchem near Antwerp, Belgium,
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:-
My invention relates to a carriage moved by a gas motor and its object is to
render this kind of vehicles more practical; by diminishing their weight and
increasing their solidity and their driving power.
The invention regards especially the following ports: 1° The Gas Motor, 2° the
Transmission Device, 30 the Driving Chain and 4° the Chain-Tightener.
The other parts of the carriage are constructed in the usual way.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention:
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section through one of the two cylinders of the
motor.
Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the transmission device.
Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the chain-tightener.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 5 represents the different portions of the driving chain.

page_text: Fig. 6 shows the arrangement of the different parts on to the vehicle.
The motor, Fig. 1, is worked by benzine, it has two cylinders, and works at the
rate of one explosion per crank-rotation; the engine-frame of this motor pinned
together with the cylinders, bears hollow supports 10 provided with bearings in
which revolves the crankshaft 18. The supports 10 are hollowed so as to contain
the lubrication, thus assuring the constant greasing of the rubbing-portions of
the crankshaft. A jacket of sheet-copper 9 screwed to the frame of the motor
protects the driving-shaft against dust and other impurities.
The distribution to each cylinder is effected by valves 1 & 2, Fig. 1. The
admission valve I is automatic and opens under the pressure of the benzine admitted
through the pipe F. The escape-valve 2 is worked for its opening by a lever 11
pivoted at 14 on a support 15 secured to the cylinder and having a second bracket 16
in which the axis of a pulley 17 turns connected by a strap with a small pulley
wedged on to the crankshaft. The escape-valve communicates with the escape-
pipo 8.
On to the axis of pulley 17 a cam 3 is wedged which at each rotation of the
shaft of this pulley turns up the lever 11, by the aid of a roller 12, running. on
the cam. In order to modify the engine speed the lever 11 elbowed at its extremity
has a spring 6 the lower extremity of which is applied to a rod 4. pivoted to the
lever 11 and the bulged extremity of which presses against a small roller 13,
turning freely on the support 15, the pressure of the spring 6 being regulated by
a screw 5 which acts on its upper extremity. For decreasing the speed of the
engine one presses the spring 6 by means of the screw 5 against the rod 4, the
bulged extremity of which presses stronger against the roller 13. and makes the
roller 12 act like a brake on the cam 3 of the pulley 17. For increasing the speed
of the engine one lessens the pressure of the spring 6 by means of the said screw 5.
Spiral metallic springs bring the valves 1 and 2 back to their closed position.
The notch 30 and the detent 31 serve to hold the valve 2 open when the engine is
at'rest.
The motion of the motor is transmitted' by the crank shaft 18 to the shaft w
Figs. 2 and 6 by. means of two conical drums 19 and 20; Fig. 6, placed opposite
each other and 'reversed; and connected by a simple strap m.
On the shaft w"which transmits the movement of the motor to the driving
wheels of the vehicle, are fixed the coupling gear of the shaft, the reversing gear
and the differential device. The coupling gear is composed of the cone 20 (Fig. 2)
which turns freely upon the hollow axle to turning freely upon the shaft w.
At' its large base the cone 20 has a truncated hollow in which the coupling
gear n, is exactly adjusted. The coupling gear n which is also hollowed has at
its' middle part a box drilled longitudinally, and allowing the extremity of the
transmission shaft w to pass' through it. The coupling-box is hollowed cylind-
rically so as to receive the extremity of the hollow axle w¹; this latter is provided
with a shoulder upon which rests a spiralspring which keeps the coupling gear n
in contact with the transmission cone 20; when the cone n is in contact with
the cone 20, the extremity of the hollow axle wol presses, by means of the ring o
against the bottom of the hollow of the central box of the conen; the extremity
of this box is hollowed on the outside with a neck, p into which are introduced
the branches of a fork for disengaging the cones n and 20.
which it may be
The cone' n is fixed to the hollow shaft w by a wedge upon
displaced longitudinally. The shaft is connected at its right extremity to
a bevel wheel b. This wheel gears with another wheel c, which in its turn, gears
with the wheel d; this latter turns freely upon a cylinder f forming the appendix
of the differential'apparatus which we shall describe hereafter. The axle of the
wheel c turns in a bracket secured to the frame of the carriage but not shown
in the drawings. On the cylinder f is wedged a coupling box e; this latter can
slide upon the wedge which makes it dependent upon the cylinder f; the
coupling box e'is provided with tenons h which can be engaged in notches made
in the sides of the wheels b & d; a forked working lever, not represented in the

page_text: drawing, enables the coupling box e to be put into connection with the wheel b,
or with the wheel d.
The cone n being engaged with the cone 20 and the motor being in movement
the wheel turns in a certain direction; if the coupling box e is put into con-
nection with this wheel this coupling box as well as the cylinder upon which
it is wedged and the differential box which forms a piece with this, will turn in
the same direction as the wheel b. If, on the contrary the coupling box e is put
into connection with the wheel & the latter will cause the coupling-box e the
cylinder f, and the differential box to turn in reverse direction to the movement
of the wheel b which will be easily seen in Fig. 2. We obtain therefore by the
means just described the free reversing of movement of the differential box, which
transmits the movement to the transmission axle w, as will be seen hereafter.
The axle w terminates with a conical part ; a sheath bearing at its ex-
tremity a cog wheel, k, similar to which is wedged upon the other extremity
of the axle to and which serves to transmit the movement to the chains, is mounted
on the conical part ¹; this sheath can turn upon this conical part; at its other
extremity a free cog-wheel R³ is mounted which gears by means of two cog-
wheels R and R with a cog-wheel R¹ wedged upon the transmission axle w.
The wheels R and R' are fixed to the box by means of the spindles Z¹ and Z
and can turn around the axle in leaning with their inside face upon a ring Z.
The working of the mechanism is now easily understood. If the resistance
of the two wheels is the same as in the case of a vehicle travelling on a rectilineal
road the transmission axle wo and the sheath will turn together at the same speed.
On the contrary if the resistance becomes stronger on one side-as in the case
of a changing of direction of the vehicle, for instance on the side of k, the wheel R
with the shaft w and cog-wheel will then turn quicker than the cog-wheel k.
The transmission shaft w and the sheath a having each a cogwheel k, k' allowing
the motion to be transmitted to the trailing-axle of the vehicle which forms the
driving axle, to ensure the tension of the transmission-chain, the wheels k, l,
each catch into a cogwheel n', Fig. 3 & 4, invariably fixed to a cogwheel o¹ carrying
along the chain, the wheels n' & o' turning loosely on an axis r which can be
displaced in a groove Q concentric of the shaft w and is put in gear by, a chased
bar T by a fixed nut, so that the wheel o' may be shifted, with regard to the
driving-axle, and consequently stretch the chain at will.
The transmission-chain M is constructed in a special way, being composed of
juncture-pieces B, Fig. 5, each provided with two cylindrical holes in which fit
the cylindrical tenous of the links J composing the chain, these, tenons being
provided with a longitudinal opening, the joining of these chain elements being
completed by pins C chased at their extremities and joining, the two links corre-
sponding with the same junction piece as is shown in Fig. 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A horseless carriage characterized by its property of being put in and out
of gear at will by the transmission-shaft, by its property of reversing the move-
ment of the vehicle, whilst only using a single connecting strap as described.
2. In a horseless carriage claimed in (1). the use of a benzine motor with two
cylinders running at the rate of one explosion. .per crank-rotation characterized
by the functioning of the distribution-valves as above described.
3. In a horseless carriage claimed in (1) a transmission system of the mainshaft
to the transmission shaft by, tapered drums placed inversely, the transmission shaft
having a disconnecting conical apparatus working by the hand or foot, an organ
for reversing the movement composed of à set of bevelled-wheels and a socket with
tenons, catching into one or the other of these wheels and lastly a differential
apparatus changing the speed as specified..
.
4. In a horseless carriage claimed in (1) a chain tightener device wedged between

page_text: the transmission shaft and the driving-axle of the carriage, characterized by an
axle to be shifted at will on to a curved groove and removing this axle at will
from the driving-axle.
5. In the above horseless carriage a transmission-chain with links of cylindrical
tenous joining together in the holes of the junction-pieces and sharing the strain
for these latter pieces.
Dated this 20th day of April 1897
L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicant.