Improvements in Self-propelling Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1897--Accepted, 30th Oct., 1897
Improvements in Self-propelling Road Vehicles.
I, EDWARD KENWORTHY DUTTON, of Arden Cornwall Road Harrogate, in the County
of York Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention to be as
follows:-
My Invention relates to so-called-Autocars or to carriages and vehicles having
self-contained propelling apparatus.
I transmit the motive power to the front wheel or wheels which is or are also used
for steering purposes. I transmit the power through a vertical or nearly vertical
shaft which has an axis co-inciding with the axis of steering movement of the wheel
or wheels. The power is transmitted to the wheel axle by means of bevel gearing,
consisting of a comparatively small pinion gearing with a wheel upon the axle or of
a suitable combination. By preference I use worm and wheel steering gear and in
some cases, I propose to use power steering gear.
When only one steering wheel is used the wheel axle may be carried by a sleeve
which may be mounted to turn upon a hollow post or part through which the
vertical shaft would pass a worm steering wheel being fixed or formed upon the said
sleeve.
By means of my Invention the steering wheel or wheels can be brought into
position to enable the vehicle to be turned within it's own length or thereabouts.
Dated this 14th day of November 1896.
EDWARD K. DUTTON.
1 EDWARD KENWORTHY DUTTON of Arden, Cornwall Road, Harrogate, in the County
of York, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to so-called Autocars or to carriages and vehicles having
self-contained propelling apparatus.
I transmit the motive power to the front wheel or wheels which is or are also used
for steering purposes. I transmit the power through a vertical or nearly vertical
shaft which has an axis coinciding with the axis of steering movement of the wheel or
wheels. The power is transmitted to the wheel axle by means of bevel gearing.
The invention is illustrated by the accompanying sheet of drawings. In the said
drawings: Fig. 1 represents an Elevation partly in section of the front driving
wheel of a carriage and of the parts for connecting such wheel with the source of
power. Fig. 2 illustrates a modification.

page_text: The armngement illustrated by Fig 1 is adapted for application in the
construction of three-wheeled vehicles the third or single wheel being the driver and
steerer.
In Fig. 1a'is the driving and steering wheel b is a swivel frame carrying the
same c is any suitable part of the under fraine of the carriage and d is a tubular
post fixed to such under frame. Upon the post d a sleeve e is mounted to turn and
upon this sleeve the frame or bracket 6 is mounted to slide up and down but is
prevented from turning upon the sleeve by means of a feather key or by suitable
means so that both sleeve and bracket turn together. Arms b¹ upon the bracket
carry bearings in which the axle of the wheel revolves. Upon the upper end of
the sleeve a wheel y is fixed or formed. In the example this part is supposed to be
a worm-wheel which can be turned in either direction by means of a worn indicated
at & the shaft carrying the wörin being connected by suitable parts with a steering
wheel or handle which can be acted upon by the driver of the vehicle to steer the
same as is usual in the class of vehicle."
In some cases the worin may be actuated by suitable parts receiving motion from
the motor or driving engine or apparatus as for example such steering apparatus as
I have described in the Specification of my invention number 12,379 of the year. 1896
may be used but the means for effecting the turning of the sleeve d'or of the
bracket b do not constitute any part of-ny present invention: Between-the-bracket b
and the wheel g or a collar on the said sleeve-a-spring-i is interposed. A shaft & for
transmitting, motion to the wheel a passes through-the post d and is connected with
the said wheel by. means of bevel gearing. The lower end of the said shaft
revolves in a bearing ma which is attached to the bracket b: The upper end of the
said shaft is connected by any. suitable means with the motor or source of power.
As the said shaft will move up and down within the post owing to the contraction"
and expansion of the spring i provision will have to be made for such movements of
the shaft in the connections of the shaft with the motor.
The said shaft is intended to be vertical but might be a little inclined from the
vertical if preferred for any reason. When the vehicle is in motion the engine or"
source of power gives motion to the shaft k which drives the 'wheel a and so propels
the vehicle the steering being effected by turning the bracket b upon the axis of the
said shaft. If the spring would not be required in any case the bracket b might be
mounted directly upon the post. An ordinary 'sprocket wheel iniglit be used in place
of the worm wheel but I consider the latter to be preferable for the reasons that the
bracket would be more firmly held in any required position and that the tendency
for the bracket to turn would not have to be constantly resisted by the steerer.
A second wheel might be fixed upon the axle f so as to constitute a four wheel
vehicle but if the two wheels were far apart as is usual the arrangement would not be
likely to work well owing to the fact that the two wheels would not be capable of
independently yielding to irregularities in the road surface Thé "modification
illustrated by Fig. 2 is intended to provide for such independent yielding of the
wheels..
In this example tlie bevel wheel n upon the lower end of the vertical shaft does
not gear directly with the wheel upon the axle but is connected therewith by
means of intermediate bevel gearing op the wheel p gearing with a bevel wheel p¹
fixed upon the axle. The gears'o p are carried by a short shaft mounted to revolve
in a bearing in an arm 6' on the bracket which is mounted to turn as in the case of
the bracket b. The axle is mounted in a bearing q which is provided with a shank
which is free to turn in a bearing in a second arin carried by the bracket so that
the axle is kept in line with the axle of the gears o p.and is at tlie saine time free to
incline itself in eitlier direction from a line which would be at right-angles to the
axis of the vertical shaft. The axle 'might have other bearings-as for example
there might be bearings: near the two wheels and ordinary coach springs.connected"
with such bearings might transinit 'the lond to thié äxle such springs being attached
to an ordinary or modified form of locking carriage.""
By means of my invention the steering wheel or wheels such as a can be brought

page_text: into position to enable the vehicle to be turned in a space within the length of the
vehicle or thereabouts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained-the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The parts combined and acting in combination with a motor and vehicle
substantially as set forth and indicated herein before and by Fig. 1 of the attached
drawings.
2. In vehicles of the indicated class: A shaft connected by its upper end with
the motor and by its lower end with the front carriage wheel or with an axle carrying
such wheel or a pair of wheels the axis of such wheel or axle being at right-angles
with the axis of the said shaft the wheel or axle being carried by a bracket or
frame constructed and arranged to be turned upon the axis of the said shaft for
steering purposes; substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
The Fourth day of August One thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven..