Improvements in and relating to Motor Cars and to the Traction of Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Motor Cars and to the Traction
of Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM BRUCE THOMPSON, of Thornbank, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
Scotland, Engineer and Shipbuilder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in motor cars and to the traction of
vehicles, the object being to improve the construction of motor cars and to apply the
tractive force by a motive power "horse" preferably actuated by steam.
In carrying out my invention, according to one modification, I employ a three
wheeled carriage on which are mounted a steam boiler and a duplex compound
engine. The boiler is vertical and its vertical axis passes through the longitudinal
centre of the carriage and the axis of the two wheels. The engines are in front and
are on each side of the single central wheel, such wheel being pivoted so that it may
be controlled by the driver and thus steer the carriage. The engines are preferably
independent of each other and are reversible, each being able to actuate one of the
rear wheels by a chain or by other known means. By being able to cause the two
wheels on the one axle to rotate in opposite directions and the front wheel to turn
about its pivot the carriage may be made to turn round about the vertical axis of the
boiler. This carriage or "steam horse " may be placed between and attached to the
trams of an ordinary cart or lorry, although it obvious it may also be used by
itself. One method of attaching the "steam horse" to the trams of the lorry is to
attach a channel iron ring to the boiler. Within such ring is another which is free
to rotate about the vertical axis of such boiler. At opposite sides of such free ring
are trunnions to each of which are attached three chains, one vertical chain to support
the tram and two horizontal chains, one for drawing the lorry forward and the other
for backing same. These chains are equivalent to those used when attaching a horse
to a cart or lorry.
It is obvious that the method of attaching the "steam horse" to the lorry may be
varied, the object to be kept in view being the turning of the carriage about the
vertical axis of the boiler without at the same time moving such lorry to any
great extent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Motor Cars and to the Traction
of Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM BRUCE THOMPSON, of Thornbank, Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
Scotland, Engineer and Shipbuilder, 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 cars and to the traction of vehicles,
the object being to improve the construction of motor cars and to apply the tractive
force by a motive power "horse" preferably actuated by steam.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference numerals are used to
indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown, that is to say:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the motive power "horse," or motor car.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of same looking in the direction of the arrow A.
Figure 3 is a part plan showing the method of attaching a vehicle to the
"horse."
Figure 4 is a detailed view of one of the brackets which support the shafts of the
vehicle.
In carrying out my invention, according to one modification, I employ a three
wheeled carriage 10, on which are mounted a steam boiler 11 and a duplex compound
engine 12. The boiler is vertical and its vertical axis preferably passes through the
longitudinal centre of the carriage and the axis of the two wheels 13. The engines
are in front and are on each side of the single central wheel 14, such wheel being
pivoted so that it may be controlled by the driver by means of the steering gear 15
and thus steer the carriage. The engines are preferably independent of each other
and are reversible, each being able to actuate one of the rear wheels by a chain, or by
other known means. In the drawings I have shown each wheel 13 independently
actuated by one engine by means of the spur wheels 16 and 17 and the double
chain drive 18 and 19. By being able to cause the two wheels on the one axle to
rotate in opposite directions and the front wheel to turn about its pivot, the carriage
may be made to turn round about the vertical axis of the boiler. This carriage or
"steam horse" may be placed between and attached to the trams 20 of an
ordinary cart or lorry, although it is obvious it may also be used by itself.
One method of attaching the "steam horse" to the trams 20 of the lorry is
to attach a channel iron ring 21 to the boiler 11. Within such ring is another 22
which is free to rotate about the vertical axis of such boiler. At opposite sides
of such free ring are trunnions 23, to each of which are attached three chains, one
vertical chain or its equivalent to support the tram-in the drawings I have
shown instead of the vertical chain a supporting bracket 24, such bracket permitting
the tram to move backwards and forwards-and two horizontal chains 25 and 26,
one, 26, for drawing the lorry forward and the other, 25, for backing same. These
chains or the supporting brackets and the chains are equivalent to those used when
attaching a horse to a cart or a lorry.
or
I have merely indicated in the drawings the general arrangement of the motor car,
"steam horse," and its relation to the vehicle to which it is attached, such
arrangement being sufficient to show how suitable known engines, boilers, and other
necessary connecting parts may be grouped together in order to attain the desired
result.
When the "steam horse" is in motion, say in a forward direction, with the two

page_text: engines moving together, its direction is controlled by the driver acting on the single
wheel 14 in which case the "horse" will not turn round except after describing a
fairly large circle. If he, besides using the steering wheel 14 causes one of the
engines to move in a direction opposite to its neighbour thus causing the wheels 13
to rotate in opposite directions, the "horse" may be made to practically turn about
the axis of the boiler. Similar results may be attained if the "horse" be made to
move backwards.
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) In motor cars, the general construction and arrangement of parts for causing
such vehicles to be made to turn in circles of greater or lesser diameters, or to turn
about a practically fixed axis, substantially as described.
(2) In "steam horses," the general construction and arrangement of parts for
actuating attached vehicles, in a manner somewhat similar to that which obtains when
animal traction is used, substantially as described.
(3) In motor cars, the combination of a three wheeled vehicle with two duplex
engines and their appurtenances, substantially as described.
(4) In "steam horses" the arrangement used for attaching the "horse" to the
vehicle, substantially as described.
hated thin 16th day of February 1898.
GEO. C. DOUGLAS & Co.,
41, Reform Street, Dundee, Agents for Applicant.