Improvements in and relating to Motor-cars or Self-propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 7th May, 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Motor-cars or Self-propelled
Vehicles.
I, FRITZ HENRIOD-SCHWEIZER, of Marin, Neuchatel, Switzerland, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
The invention relates to an improved motor-car which is shown by way of
example in the accompanying drawings.
I have shown in the drawings those portions only of the motor-car which are
necessary for the understanding of the invention and I will also only describe the
said portions of the car; the other parts may be of any suitable construction.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the device for putting the motor into
or out of gear with the driving wheels.
Figure 2 is a plan showing the device for steering and varying the speed of
the car.
Figure 3 is a rear-view of the engaging and disengaging device.
Figure 4 is an elevation showing the brakes.
Figures 5 and 6 show in elevation and plan respectively the device for reversing
the motion and the mechanism for varying the speed.
Figures 7 and 8 show details of construction.
In all the figures like letters of reference indicate the same parts...
The shaft 1 of the motor bears a pulley 2 acting through a belt 15, upon a pulley 3
the shaft of which is supported on a frame 4 pivotally mounted on the transmission-
shaft 5. The axis 3bis, Figure 4, of the pulley 3 bears at one end a pinion 6
and acts upon the
gearing into a toothed wheel 7 which is keyed on the shaft
axle 8 through suitable gearing to be hereinafter mentioned. The forked frame 4
is connected by means of a rod 9 to the hand-lever 10, which is keyed upon the
shaft 11. This shaft also bears the lever 12 acting, through a rod 16 and a bent
lever 17, upon the brake 18 and upon the levers 13 and 14 carrying the brake-
blocks or shoes. The latter are adapted to act upon the circumference of the
wheels somewhat above the axle, which permits a very powerful action of the shoes.
It will be seen by referring to Figures 1, 3 and 4, that by rocking the hand-
lever 10 in the direction of the arrow 19, the rod 9 will act upon the frame 4 so
as to stretch the belt 15, thus causing the rotation of the shaft 5 and axle 8, while
the lever 12 slackens the brake-band 18, and the brakes 13 and 14 are moving away
from the circumference of the wheels.
If on the contrary the hand-lever 10 is depressed in the direction of the arrow 20,
the rod 9 will bring back the frame 4 into the position shown by dotted lines in
Figure 4, in which the belt 15 not being stretched runs on the pulleys 2 and 3
if the motor be still working.
A toothed segment 21 enables the hand-lever 10 to be kept in the required

page_text: position by means of a click 22, which is combined with the said hand-lever 10
and is shown engaging into the said toothed segment 21.
As shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, the transmission-shaft 5 bears four toothed
wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 which are secured on a sleeve 36, the latter being keyed
to the shaft 5 in such a manner that it can move longitudinally thereon. The
said wheels are arranged to gear alternately with the wheels 28, 29, 30 and 31
which are secured on the sleeve 27 mounted on the axle 8; to which the said
sleeve 27 is connected by means of the differential gear contained in the box 35.
The longitudinal motion of the sleeve or tubular axis 36 on the shaft 5 is pre-
ferably effected by means of a double-armed lever 37 pivotally supported by the
frame and acted upon by means of a fixed arm 39 secured on a tubular shaft 44
and connected with the said lever 37 by means of a rod 38. The tubular shaft 44
loosely surrounds the tubular post 45 which is secured to the frame of the car.
The said tubular shaft is provided at the top with a side handle 40 the click 43
of which can engage with one of the five notches of the segment 42 secured to the
post 45. According as the click 43 of the handle 40 is engaged with one or
the other of the notches of the toothed segment 42, the one or the other of the
wheels 23, 24, 25 or 26 will gear with the corresponding wheel of the axle 8, that
is to say, that one of the four speeds for which the transmission is constructed
will be obtained:
The shaft 46, bearing the guiding-lever 41 for acting upon the steering-device,
is arranged within the tubular post 45.
When the handle 40 is in the position shown in Figure 6, corresponding to
the fifth notch of the segment 42, neither of the wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 is in gear
with the wheels of the axle 8.
If desired, however, the wheel 31 of the differential gear contained in the box 35
may be acted upon by means of the wheel 26 on the shaft 5 by setting the
wheel 32, which is broad enough for the purpose, into gear with both of
the wheels 26 and 31 at same time, as shown in Figure 5. For this purpose the
said wheel 32 is mounted on a fork 33 which may be acted upon with the foot by
pressing upon a pedal 34, and the retrogade motion of the car will thus be
obtained.
•
Figure 7 shows, on an enlarged scale, the construction of the frames connecting
the shaft 5 to the axle 8 in combination with a bearer for the brake.
The frame 47 is rigidly secured to the rod 63 which connects it with the body
of the car by means of a spiral spring and of the tubular support secured to the
trunk as shown in Figure 1.
There is provided a ring 48 pivotally mounted on the frame 47 (Fig. 7) by
means of vertical pivots 51 and 52, and there is pivoted in the said ring 48, by
means of horizontal pivots 53 and 54, an inner ring fitted on the axle 8.
The ring 50 is likewise connected with the frame 47 by means of vertical pivots 57
and 58 and contains an inner ring 49, which is supported by horizontal pivots 55
and 56 and fitted on the shaft 5.
Each of the frames 47 bears furthermore a small tube 59 surrounding one of
the pivot screws, 54, of the same. The tubes 59 of the two frames 47 are connected
with one another by means of a transverse tube 60 to which the bent arm 61,
Figure 1, is secured, which bears the pivot 62 of the brake-lever 17. The con-
struction above mentioned gives some rigidity to the U formed of the
two frames 47 and of the cross-bar 60, while enabling at same time the shafts 5
and 6 to rotate in their bearings without the liability of any grinding being
caused by the jolts of the car.
Figure 8 indicates how the frame 47 may be combined with flat springs bearing
the body of the car, instead of with spiral springs as shown in the other figures.
The frame 47 is secured to the lower plates 63ª of the flat spring and on the slide 74,
which forms a part of the frame 47 and is secured by means of two clips 72
and 73; the upper plates 64 of said spring are secured to a branch 65 of the frame

page_text: of the car which is suitably curved in order to be secured between the plates 63°
and 64 and to the trunk by means of two clips 70 and 71.
Dated this 26th day of May 1897
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in and relating to Motor-cars or Self-propelled
Vehicles.
I, FRITZ HENRIOD-SCHWEIZER, Marin, Neuchatel, Switzerland, 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 an improved motor-car or self-propelled vehicle which
is shown, by way of example, in the drawings accompanying my application for
provisional protection..
I have shown in the drawings those portions only of the motor-car which are
necessary for the understanding of the invention and I will also only describe the
said portions of the car; the other parts may be of any suitable construction.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the device for putting the motor into
or out of gear with the driving wheels.
Figure 2 is a plan showing the device for steering and varying the speed of
the car.
Figure 3 is a rear-view of the engaging and disengaging device.
Figure 4 is an elevation showing the brakes.
Figures 5 and 6 show, in elevation and plan respectively, the device for reversing
the motion and the mechanism for varying the speed.
Figures 7 and 8 show details of construction.
In all the figures like letters of reference indicate the same parts.
The motor is of any suitable construction and according as the main shaft of
the same is placed longitudinally or across the frame of the vehicle, the motion of
the same will be transmitted to the devices hereinafter described either directly or
by means of bevel gear-wheels.
In the drawings, the outlines of the motor are shown in dotted lines.
The shaft 1 of the motor bears a pulley 2 acting through a belt 15, upon a pulley 3,
the shaft of which is supported on a frame 4 pivotally mounted on the transmission-
shaft 5. The axis 3 bis, Figure 4, of the pulley 3 bears at one end a pinion 6
gearing into a toothed wheel 7 which is keyed on the shaft 5 and acts upon the
axle 8 through suitable gearing to be hereinafter described. The forked frame 4
is connected to the hand-lever 10, which is keyed upon the shaft 11, by mechanism
comprising a rod 9 coupled to the lever 12 which is also keyed upon the shaft 11
and which acts through a rod 16 and a bent lever 17, upon the brake-band 18.
The levers 13 and 14 carrying the brake-blocks or shoes are also fixed on the
shaft 11 and are adapted to act upon the circumference of the wheels somewhat
above the axle, which permits a very powerful action of the shoes. It will be seen
by referring to Figures 1, 3 and 4, that, by rocking the hand-lever 10 in the
direction of the arrow 19, the rod 9 will act upon the frame 4 so as to stretch the
belt 15, thus causing the rotation of the shaft and axle 8, while the lever 12
slackens the brake-band 18, and the brake-levers 13 and 14 are moved away from
the circumference of the wheels,

page_text: If on the contrary the hand-lever 10 is rocked in the direction of the arrow 20,
the rod 9 will bring back the frame 4 and pulley 3 into the position shown in
Figure 4, in which the belt 15 not being stretched slips on the pulley 3 if the motor
be still working.
A toothed segment 21 enables the hand-lever 10 to be kept in the required 5
position by means of a click 22 which is combined with the said hand-lever 10
and is shown engaging into the said toothed segment 21.
As shown in Figures 2, 5 and 6, the transmission-shaft 5 bears four toothed
wheels 23, 24, 25 and 26 which are secured on a sleeve 36, the latter being keyed
to the shaft 5 in such a manner that it can move longitudinally thereon. The
said wheels are arranged to gear alternately with the wheels 28, 29, 30 and 31
which are secured on the sleeve 27 mounted on the axle 8, to which the said
sleeve 27 is connected by means of the differential gear contained in the box 35.
The longitudinal motion of the sleeve or tubular axis 36 on the shaft 5 is pre-
ferably effected by means of a double-armed lever 37 pivotally supported by the
frame and acted upon by means of a fixed arm 39 secured on a tubular shaft 44
and connected with the said lever 37 by means of a rod 38. The tubular, shaft 44
loosely surrounds the tubular post 45 which is secured to the. frame of the car.
The said tubular shaft is provided at the top with a side handle 40 the click 43'
of which can engage with one of the five notches of the segment 42 secured to the
post 45. According as the click 43 of the handle 40 is engaged with one or
the other of the notches of the toothed segment 42, the one or the other of the
wheels 23, 24, 25 or 20 will gear with the corresponding wheel of the axle 8, that
is to say, that one of the four speeds for which the transmission is constructed
will be obtained.
The shaft 46, bearing the guiding lever 41 for acting upon the steering-device,
is arranged within the tubular post 45.
When the handle 40 is in the position shown in Figure 6, corresponding to
the fifth notch of the segment 42, neither of the wheels 23, 24, 25 and 20 is in gear
with the wheels of the axle 8.
If desired, however, the wheel 31 of the differential gear contained in the box 35
may be acted upon by means of the wheel 26 on the shaft 5 by putting the
wheel 32, which is broad enough for the purpose, into gear with both of
the wheels 26 and 31 at same time, as shown in Figure 5. For this purpose the
said wheel 32 is mounted on a fork, 33 which may be acted upon with the foot by
pressing upon a pedal 34, and the retrograde motion of the car will thus be
obtained,
Figure 7 shows, on an enlarged scale, the construction of the frames connecting
the shaft 5 to the axle 8 in combination with a bearer for the brake.
The frame 47 is rigidly secured to the rod 63 which connects it with the body
of the car by means of a spiral spring and of the tubular support secured to the
trunk as shown in Figure 1.
There is provided a ring 48 pivotally mounted on the frame 47 (Figure 7) by
means of vertical pivots 51 and 52, and there is pivoted in the said ring 48, by
means of horizontal pivots 53 and 54, an inner ring fitted on the axle 8.
The ring 50 is likewise connected with the frame 47 by means of vertical pivots 57
and 58 and contains an inner ring 49, which is supported by horizontal pivots 55
and 56 and fitted on the shaft 5.
Each of the frames 47 bears furthermore, a small tube 59 surrounding one of
the pivot screws, 54, of the same. The tubes 59 of the two frames 47 are connected
with one another by means of a transverse tube 60 to which the bent arm. 61
Figure 1, is secured, which bears the pivot 62 of the brake-lever 17.
The con-
struction above mentioned gives some rigidity to the U-shaped piece formed of the
two frames 47 and of the cross-bar 60, while enabling at same time the shafts 5
and 6 to rotate in their bearings without the liability of any grinding being
caused by the jolts of the car.

page_text: Figure 8 indicates how the frame 47 may be combined with flat springs bearing
the body of the car, instead of with spiral springs as shown in the other figures.
The lower plates 63" of the flat spring rest on the seat 74, which forms a part of
the frame 47, and are secured thereto by means of two clips 72 and 73; the upper
plates 64 of said spring are secured by means of two clips 70 and 71, to a branch 65
of the frame of the car, which is suitably curved in order to extend from the car
body between the plates 63 and 64.
Flat springs similar to 63 and 64 may also be used on the front axle of the car,
and if so, one end of each spring may be connected by means of suitable rods or
links to the frame 47 of the rear axle of the car in order to give more rigidity
to the whole device.
It will be readily understood that the pulley 3 as well as the wheel 32 may be
disposed so as to have their axes higher than the axis 8 instead of being below
the same.
The longitudinal tubes forming the main frame of the car may, if desired, be
made straight instead of being curved as shown in the drawings, and the connec-
tions between the said longitudinal tubes and the cross tubes may be made
adjustable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is: :―
First. In a motor-car or self-propelled vehicle, the combination, with a motor
and an intermediate transmission-shaft or driving-shaft, of a pulley the axle of
which is suspended in a pivoted frame arranged to be acted upon by means of
a rocking brake-lever so as to stretch the belt connecting the said transmission-
shaft with the driving-motor when the brake is loosened, and to relax the said
belt when the brake is tightened, the said pulley being combined with a pinion
which is constantly in gear with a wheel secured on the transmission-shaft, sub-
stantially as described.
Second. In a motor-car or self-propelled vehicle, a device for varying the speed
of the car, which device is acted upon by means of a tubular shaft surrounding a
tubular post through which extends the shaft bearing the guiding-lever, substan-
tially as described.
Third. In a motor-car or self-propelled vehicle, an intermediate movable wheel
of sufficient breadth to gear simultaneously with one of the wheels of the driving-
axle and with one of the wheels of the intermediate transmission-shaft, when the
said driving axle and shaft are not in gear with one another, in combination with
a lever adapted to be acted upon by means of a pedal so as to throw the said
broad wheel into or out of gear, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a motor-car or self-propelled vehicle, the frame 47 and the brackets
with universal joint as shown in Figure 7.
Fifth. The modification of my invention wherein the blocks or shoes 13 and 14
are disposed so as to act upon the circumference of the wheels above the axis of
the latter, as above described.
Sixth. A motor-car or self-propelled vehicle having my improvements applied
thereto substantially as described with reference to the drawings and for the
purposes above specified.
1000
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 and 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.