Improvements in Motor-driven Vehicles."
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Motor-driven Vehicles."
I WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON of Albert Works, Mansfield, in the County of
Nottingham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to motor-driven vehicles and consists firstly, of an
improved method of balancing the moving parts of reciprocatory motors so as to
reduce vibration, and secondly, of an improved variable speed gearing for trans-
mitting the power from the motor to the driving wheels of the vehicle, which is
more efficient than the existing forms of such gearing.
In one mode of carrying the first part of my invention into effect, I construct a
two-cylinder motor having the usual trunk pistons, & connecting rods, and with
cranks arranged at 180° with one another, but instead of the crank pins being
circular and the connecting rod ends bored to fit them, I form the said crank pins
as cams, and the connecting rod ends in such manner as to be capable of endwise
movement relative to the said cam-like crank pins, and the cams are so shaped as
to cause the pistons to move with the same rate of acceleration and retardation of
speed during the outer half of the crank's revolution as during the inner half,
thus correcting the irregularity and avoiding the vibration due to the obliquity of
the connecting rod, which at high speeds is very considerable.
This part of my invention may be carried out by other means, such as
by dispensing with the connecting rods entirely, and providing the
pistons with piston-rods and
piston-rods and crosshead's, the said cross-heads carrying
cam-rollers adapted to engage with cams upon the main shaft of the
motor in such manner as to rotate the
and their shaft by the
pressure of the cross-heads with their cam-rollers against the cams during the
working stroke, the pistons being operated by the cams during the remaining
strokes of each piston so as to complete the cycle of operations, and in the case
of a four-stroke or "Otto" cycle hydrocarbon motor the cam is so arranged as to
complete the four strokes of the said cycle in one revolution of the motor shaft.
When adopting this modification I preferably form the cams as discs having
ridges or rims of the required contour, and the crossheads each with two cam-
rollers having a space between them to receive the said ridge or rim upon the
cam. The cam-rollers are preferably upon ball bearings and relatively adjustable
so as to take up wear, and the crossheads are guided in or upon antifriction balls
or rollers.
In carrying the second part of my invention into effect I mount or arrange upon
the motor shaft two or more cams, cranks, or excentrics, engaging with a corres-
ponding number of rocking levers in such manner as to reciprocate the said levers
ly the rotation of the motor shaft. The rocking levers are connected by rods,
cords, chains, or her means to reversible friction clutches upon the driving axle
ot the vehicle, and the cams are so arranged that by alternate recipeo-
cation of the levers and their clutches the axle is rotated at a

page_text: constant or nearly constant speed in one direction, the direction of
rotation being determined by the reversible clutches, which.
are pre-
ferably of the inclined plane and roller type and have two sets of inclined planes
and gripping rollers, one set operating in one direction and the other set in the
opposite direction, the gripping rollers being controlled by suitable means so that
either set may be put in operation or both sets thrown out of gear as required.
The speed of rotation of the driving wheels relatively to the motor shaft is con-
trolled by varying the stroke of the cranks or excentrics, or by changing the
fulcrums of the rocking levers, so as to increase or reduce the angle of recipro-
cation of the clutches.
Dated this 28th day of November 1896.
WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON
Applicant.
Improvements in Motor-driven Vehicles."
I, WILLIAM EDMUND SIMPSON, of Holford Works, Perry Barr, Birmingham, in
the County of Stafford, England, 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 relates to improvements in motor driven vehicles and has
reference firstly to means for balancing the movement of the reciprocating parts of
the motors so as to reduce vibration, and secondly to an improved variable-speed
gearing for transmitting the power from the motor to the driving wheels of the
vehicle.
It is well known that the ordinary device of a connecting rod and crank does
not give a uniform action to the moving parts of the engine, that is to say by the
time the crank reaches the centre of its throw the piston has already performed
more than half its stroke, so that the two halves of the piston stroke do not
correspond to uniform turning effects on the crank and therefore there are irregular
unbalanced forces at work which produce vibration in the motor.
For
Now according to the first part of my invention I form the crank pins of a
reciprocating motor as cams so shaped as to correct the irregularities just referred
to, and to render the rate of acceleration and retardation of the parts the same in
the outer half of the throw of the cranks as in the inner half of such throw.
this purpose each crank pin has two or more cams, upon which bear friction blocks
or rollers on the connecting rods, one cam receiving the thrust in one direction and
the other that in the opposite direction and the connecting rod ends are movable
relatively to the crank pin under the action of the cams without however disturbing
the mechanical connection of the parts.
According to the second part of the invention I provide a set of rocking levers
or the like worked by cams, cranks or the like from the motor shaft and connected
to reversible clutches preferably of the roller type on the driving axle of the
vehicle. The clutches have two sets of rollers, one for either direction of rotation
and means are provided for throwing one or other set into action. The speed of
rotation of the driving wheels relatively to that of the motor shaft is controlled
by varying the throw of the cams or the like or of the levers driven by them, so
as to vary the angle of reciprocation of the clutches.
In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same by aid of the accompanying drawings
in which:-

page_text: Figure 1 is a side view partly in section, showing a vertical gas or oil engine
provided with my improved crank pin for correcting the irregularities of the
connecting rod.
Figure 2 is a section through the longitudinal axis of the crank pin, to a larger
scale.
Figures 3 and 4 shew in side elevation and plan respectively partly in section, an
apparatus hereinafter referred to for obtaining the true shape of the cams on the
crank pin.
Figure 5 is a vertical section to a larger scale of my improved crank pin and
of a connecting rod end for use therewith, provided with friction rollers."
Figure 6 is a side view of the said crank pin, the dotted lines indicating the
friction rollers carried by the connecting rod end.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a side view partly in section and an end view
of one form of my improved variable speed gear.
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section showing the reversible clutches of the said
gear and the parts immediately connected therewith.
Figure 10 is a section on the line a Figure 7 shewing a detail of construction.
Referring more particularly to Figures I and 2 the crank pin, instead of being
of the ordinary cylindrical form has formed in it a central cam A on each side of
which is a cam A¹ these cams A¹ being of different shape to the cam A but of
identical shape with one another. In addition to the cams, and outside them, are
formed two plain circular collars A2 which exceed the cams slightly in diameter.
The mode of formation of the cams A A' will be hereinafter described.
B is the connecting rod end which instead of being provided with brass blocks
in the ordinary way for tightly embracing the crank pin, is provided with two
sets of friction blocks B1, 132. One set of these viz. B are flat and embrace the
circular collars A3 on opposite sides so as to prevent lateral movement or shake of
the end B. Of the other set 132, the upper block bears on the central cam A, while
the two lower blocks bear on the cams A'. It will thus be seen that as the engine
works, the connecting rod end does not remain always central with the crank pin
but moves slightly relatively thereto under the action of the cams in the direction
of the length of the connecting rod, and this movement compensates for the
irregularities which are introduced into the movements of the parts of the engine
owing to the interposition of the connecting rod.
In order to ensure the cams A A' being of the true shape they require to bo
specially adapted for each particular length of stroke and of connecting rod and it
is a matter of difficulty to do this by ordinary plotting out methods. I have
therefore designed the simple apparatus shown in Figures 3 and 4 which enables
the shape of the cams to be obtained with great acouracy. This apparatus com-
prises a reciprocating bar C working in guides C and operated through the
medium of a crank pin C engaging in a sliding block C2 working in transverse
guides C formed with or secured to the bar C. The pin C is carried by a toothed
wheel C and imparts an equal motion to the bar both in the ascending and the
descending part of its revolution. The stroke of the bar is made equal to the
stroke of the piston of the engine for which the crank pin is intended, this being
easily effected by moving the crank pin C nearer towards or further away from the
centre of the wheel C.
The bar C is coupled to a connecting rod D which is of the same length as of
the connecting rod of the engine. E is the crank pin which is to have the cams
formed in it. This crank pin is at the commencement of the operation of cylindri-
cal form and is carried by a toothed wheel or disc E¹ which is driven from the
wheel C through the idle wheel C³, so that it rotates in the same direction and
at the same speed as the said wheel C.
F F are milling cutters adapted to act on the crank pin and bring it to the
proper shape, there being one outter F to form the central cam A and two
cutters F to form the outer cams A'. These cutters are carried by spindles F3
mounted in the connecting rod end D and geared together by toothed wheels F.

page_text: They are driven in any suitable manner, for example by a belt F working over
a belt pulley F. When the wheel C is revolved slowly in the direction of the
arrow Figure 3 the bar C travels in a corresponding direction. As the
wheel E is driven synchronously with the wheels C whereas the connecting rod D
partakes of the irregularity to which connecting rods are liable, it follows that
the crank pin E does not remain central in the connecting rod end and therefore
the milling cutters F F commence to cut into the metal of the crank pin to an
amount exactly corresponding to the extent of the irregularity, thus producing
cams A. A of the desired shape.
It should be observed that in the drawing these cams are shown fully formed for
the sake of clearness. It will be readily understood however that in the position
shown the gear wheels C C E¹ have only performed a quarter of a revolution
and therefore the cutting of the cam has actually only been commenced, and that
these cams will not be brought to the shape shown until the wheels have made a
complete revolution.
In the arrangement shewn in Figures 5 and 6 substantially the same construc-
tion of crank pin and connecting rod end is employed as in Figures 1 and 2, but
instead of the cams A A' acting on friction blocks 1, I provide friction rollers (1)
mounted on the connecting rod end, thereby greatly diminishing the friction
experienced by the cams.
Referring now to the variable speed gear, this comprises, in the example illus-
trated in Figures 7 to 10, a rocking or balance beam a and a lever arm b at one side
of the motor and worked from the crank shaft e, a similar arrangement being
provided also at the other side of the motor. The beam and lever are pivoted at a
and respectively and are connected by an adjustable pin d passing through
blocks or brasses which can be moved to and fro in slots a2 and 3 provided in
the beam a and the lever b, the movement being effected by any suitable means,
such as by means of links or levers connected with the pin d. The lever bis
worked from the shaft c with a constant throw, by means of an eccentric c¹ and
rod . The beam a is worked from the lever through the aforesaid pin d and its
throw is varied by suitably adjusting the pin. Obviously when the pin d is in
line with the pivot pin 6 of the lever b, no movement will be imparted to the
Leam a, whereas the greater the distance that the pin is moved away from the
greater the throw imparted to the beam a will be.
The reversible elutehes with which the beams a and levers b co-operate comprise
drumse driven with a reciprocating movement by cords f attached to the upper
ends of the beams a, these cords extending round the clutch drums and being
connected to them by blocks f. The said clutches also compris sleeves el
carrying inner dies, having wide angular recesses in each of which is situated
a pair of rollers having springs interposed hetween them to art as distance
pieces.
h
The reversal of the direction of movement is obtained by throwing one or other
of the rollers of each pair into action and simultaneously throwing the other
roller out of action. This is effected in the present instance through the medium
of projections or fingers g g interposed between the rollers alternately with the
springs. These projections are carried by a drum gl having an inclined slot g
in which works a pin à carried by a second drum 4 working on spline or feather
in the sleeve el. The pin h is moved to and fro by a lever i having a pin ¹
engaging a groove A in an extension of the drum 4', and when the pin A is so moved
it feets, through the medium of the inclined slot g, a partial rotation of the
drum g' and so brings one or other of each pair of rollers into engagement with one
er the other inclined side of the recess in which the said pair of balls are situated.
In this way the direction of the motion imparted to the inner dise he the
reciprocations of the outer drums c, can he reversed at will, consequently ever-ing
the direction of motion of the vehicle whereas if the rollers he caused to occupy
an intermediate position as shown the clutch drums e will reciprocate idly and no
motion will be imparted to the vehicle.

page_text: The driving wheel axle is formed in two parts jj on each of which one of the
sleeves el is mounted. The adjacent extremities of these sleeves may in some
cases be connected by a balance box arrangement, comprising a pair of crown
wheels kk enclosed by enlargements e6 formed on the sleeves e'. These entire.
ments form also a brake drum upon which a brake band is arranged to act when
the clutches are thrown out of gear as hereinafter described. The balance box is
completed by a pair of pinions m interposed between the wheels kk' and carried
by radial pivot pins m' secured in the brake drum.
The brake band is preferably connected with the lever i for controlling th
action of the clutch, the arrangement being such that the brake band is automati-
cally applied when the lever is in the position in which the clutch is out of action.
The clutch arrangement above described enables the motion to be reversed, but
does not in itself effect the variation in the ratio of the gearing.
It will be evident however, that for this latter purpose all that is necessary is
to vary the position of the pins d in the slots a², so that the stroke of the beams a
will be varied and the extent of the reciprocation of the clutch drums will be
correspondingly increased or diminished.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A motor-driven vehicle having a reciprocating motor, the crank pins of
which are formed as cams to correct the irregularities of movement introduced by
the use of connecting rods, substantially as described.
2. A motor-driven vehicle the motor of which is provided with a crank pin and
connecting rod end constructed substantially as herein before described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In a motor-driven vehicle a variable speed gear having reversible clutches of
the kind referred to substantially as described.
4. In a motor-driven vehicle the variable speed gear comprising the rocking
levers the reversible clutches and the driving wheel shaft formed in two parts,
with or without the balance box for connecting the said two parts of the driving
wheel shaft, substantially as described.
5. My improvements in motor-driven vehicles, substantially as hereinbefore
described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of September 1897.
HASELTINE LAKE & Co.
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C. Agents for the Applicant.