Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of Road Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of Road Vehicles.
GEORGE ARMFIELD, NATIIANIEL ARMFIELD, 35, Victoria Road, Battersea Park,
S.L., Dyers, Bedding Manufacturers, &c., &c., do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows;-
A self-propelled frame, propelled solely by means of compressed air contained
in a suitable reservoir or reservoirs & used to drive an engine or engines con-
nected directly or indirectly with the driving-wheels. The frame is constructed
& adapted to receive a body of any horse-drawn van, char-a-banc, brake dray,
tank & the like with practically no alteration.
Improvements in or relating to the Propulsion of Road Vehicles.
We, GEORGE ARMFIELD and NATHANIEL ARMFIELD, both of 35, Victoria Road,
Battersea l'ark, in the County of London, Dyers, Bedding Manufacturers, &c., &c.,
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 refers to an improved vehicle provided with a motor by which
the road wheels are driven, the motor being actuated by a supply of air under
pressure contained in suitable reservoirs carried by the framework of the vehicle,
the construction and arrangement being such that a horizontal frame-work or
bed is provided upon which may be placed the body of any carriage, after the
wheels and springs, or the wheels, have been removed therefrom, thus permitting
the same vehicle to carry, or be adapted to serve, either as a van, char-a-banc,
omnibus, tank, or the like, according as the body of the particular type of
carriage required to be used, is placed upon the frame-work or bed of our
improved self propelled vehicle, and the construction of the latter is such that
the necessary changes can be readily made.
In order that our invention may be readily understood we will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawing, whereon Fig. 1, is a side elevation
of so much of a vehicle, constructed according to our invention, as will be
necessary for the purpose of this specification, and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan of
same.

page_text: According to our invention we provide a framework A, which may conveniently
be composed of metal of angle section or the like, or of wood bars, properly
connected and stayed, say by cross stays A', and diagonals A². Towards the
rear part of this framework A, springs B are mounted below the frame, to carry
a fixed axle C, and road wheels D.
At or near the front of the frame, we provide an under-carriage E, pivotted
centrally on the usual king-bolt, and carrying the two front wheels E; upon
the upper part of the under-carriage frame around the turntable, and concen-
trically with the king-bolt we provide a toothed segmental rack F, gearing with
a pinion G, mounted on a vertical shaft G, passing upwards through the plat-
form H, carried on the frame A. The shaft G₁ is carried in bearings in a
pedestal G², mounted on the platform, and provided with a steering wheel G³,
by which the position of the under-frame can be controlled and the vehicle
steered, as will be well understood. The platform H is only of sufficient size to
support a seat H¹, for the person or persons controlling the vehicle, and all the
mechanism is so arranged, that the whole control and management of the vehicle
when travelling, is effected from the platform, thereby leaving the whole rear-
ward upper surface of the flat framework A clear, and it is upon this framework
that the body of any required type of carriage can be placed and secured by
bolts or screws, and this without in any way altering or removing any of the
fittings of our improved vehicle; thus for example, if at one time luggage or
merchandise is to be conveyed, we may mount upon the frame, the body of say
an ordinary road van, and later, if the same vehicle is to be used to convey a
pleasure party, we may remove the van body and place upon the same frame-
work A the body of a pleasure carriage, and it is thus only necessary to change
the carriage body to suit the purpose to which the vehicle may at the time be
devoted.
The motive power we employ is derived from compressed air which is contained
in cylinders or reservoirs, which we construct of larger size than it has heretofore
been usual to employ, as otherwise it would be difficult if not impossible to
supply power for a sufficient time to be of practical use, without greatly increasing
the weight of the vehicle by the use of a multiplicity of air containers. Such
air compression cylinders may be located say one, J, under the seat H¹ of the
vehicle, whilo another or others may be carried under the framework A of the
vehicle as at J, Fig. 1. These cylinders are connected by suitably arranged
pipes, and a proper pressure reducing valve or valves, to an air pressure engine K
of any ordinary or known construction, which we locate on a bed plate K¹ carried
beneath the framework A towards the rearward part of the latter. This engine K
drives a crank shaft K², transmitting motion by means of gearwheels and balance
gear to a counter shaft K³ carried in bearings below the framework A.
counter shaft K³ is provided upon each end with a chain wheel L, and drives
by means of a chain L', onto a chain wheel M fixed to each road wheel D.
This
The engine K is controlled by a segment lever N in the front of the vehicle,
which operates by a rod N on the link motion of the engine, the rod N¹ passing.
below the framework A.
A brake is also provided operated from a foot lever P on the front platform
of the vehicle and connected with the brake arms P¹ by a connecting rod P².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is;-
1. An improved road vehicle, driven by a compressed air motor supplied from
large size reservoirs containing compressed air, the driving mechanism being
located below the flat framework or bed of the vehicle, both the driving and
steering mechanism, and brake devices, being controlled from the front platform
of the vehicle, the arrangement being such that the body of any required type
of carriage can be placed and secured upon the bed or framework of the vehicle,

page_text: and such body can be removed and replaced by a carriage body of another or,
any other type, accordingly as circumstances of use require, substantially as
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. A road vehicle composed of a framework, a compressed air engine mounted
below the framework, supplied with air at a regulated pressure from cylinders
or reservoirs of large size carried by the framework, a transverse shaft below
the framework, receiving motion from the motor shaft of the engine, chain and
chain wheel upon the shaft on each side of the framework to drive by chain
wheels two rear road wheels, and a pivotted under carriage beneath the front
part of the frame to carry two front road wheels, in combination with a platform
and seat upon the front part of the framework, from whence the vehicle may
be controlled by means of a steering wheel or handle to regulate the position of
the pivotted under-carriage, a reversing and controlling segment lever connected
to the engine by a rod passing under the framework of the vehicle, and a brake
lever for actuating the brake by suitable connections, all such controlling means
being located on the front platform, the arrangement being such that the body
of any required type of carriage can be placed and secured upon the framework.
of the vehicle, and such body can be replaced by a carriage body of another
type, according as circumstances of use require, all substantially as and for
the purposes described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing our improved
road vehicle driven by compressed air, contained in reservoirs of large size,
carried by the framework of the vehicle, and adapted to receive and carry the
body of any required type of carriage, all constructed substantially as and for
the purposes described and illustrated with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
Data L
100
1
BREWER & SON,
London & Leeds, Agents for the Applicants.