Improvements in or connected with Propelling and Brake Mechanism or Apparatus, particularly applicable for Self-propelled Carriages.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Propelling and Brake Mechanism
or Apparatus, particularly applicable for Self-propelled Carriages.
I, WALTER LATTEY, of Southam, in the County of Warwick, Doctor of
Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
The object of this invention is to provide improved mechanism or apparatus
to enable so-called motor cars, or self propelled vehicles, to ascend or descend
inclines with ease and safety, when from the ground being frozen, or from other
causes, the ordinary driving wheels would be unable to take sufficient hold or
grip.
According to my invention the necessary hold on the ground is secured by an
extra wheel, or pair of wheels, armed with strong hard spikes, and it is convenient
to arrange such spikes so that they are removable when required or desired, the
said wheel or wheels being mounted in a frame, one end of which pivots on the
axle of the main driving wheel, while the other end terminates in a lever, by
raising or depressing which, the armed wheel or wheels is or are raised from, or
brought into contact with the ground.
Motion is imparted to the armed wheel either by appropriate or suitable gearing
in connection with the main driving axle; or for example by belting, in con-
nection with the driving axle, provision may also be made that the armed wheel
and the main driving wheels may either work together, or independently.
Whatever the relative sizes of the armed wheel and the main driving wheels
may be, the arrangement and gearing is such that they shall travel an equal
distance in an equal time, the peripheral velocity being equal.
When the armed wheel and the main driving wheels work together, the brake
is applied to the main driving wheel in the usual manner, but a separate arrange-
ment is made for a brake when the armed wheel acts independently of the other.
The spikes used for the armed wheel should be self-retained, and easily
removed.
The extra or armed wheel or wheels might be roughened with any material that
would cause it to grip the ground under differing circumstances, such as for
example india rubber, or pneumatic or other suitable tyres would answer the
purpose in loose or sandy soil.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Propelling and Brake Mechanism
or Apparatus, particularly applicable for Self-propelled Carriages.
I, WALTER LATTEY, of Southam, in the County of Warwick, Doctor of
Medicine, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide improved mechanism or apparatus,
to enable so-called motor-cars, or self propelled vehicles, to ascend or descend
melines with ease and safety, when from the ground being frozen, or from other
causes, the ordinary driving wheels would be unable to take suflicient hold or
grip.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I have illustrated the
application of same to a vehicle in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1
is a side sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section of a part of
the mechanism illustrated at Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end sectional view taken about
the line X Y of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively side elevation partly in section and plan view
illustrating the construction of a spiked wheel employed in my invention. Fig. 6
shews in side elevation a similar application of my invention to a vehicle, as
illustrated in Fig. 1; in this case the mechanism employed is somewhat different
in construction.
According to my invention the necessary hold on the ground is secured by an
auxiliary wheel A, or a pair of such wheels may be employed the wheel A has
arranged around its periphery a number of teeth or spikes A2, and means are
provided whereby the wheel A may be raised away from, or brought into contact
with the ground as desired. The wheel A may be connected by suitable gearing
with the road wheels B of the vehicle, whereby a uniform peripheral speed of
rotation of the wheel A and the road wheel B is ensured.
Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings I will now describe
an arrangement of mechanism whereby my invention may be carried into effect.
Mounted upon an axle C are two of the road wheels B of the vehicle, the axle C
and with it the road wheels B, may be driven by any suitable or known motive
power and means.
Supported and carried upon the shaft is a frame-work D, having a divided
sleeve 1) at one end thereof through which the shaft C passés; the frame-work ])
, supports in bearings the shafts E and F. Mounted upon the shafts CE and F
are gear wheels C, E and F which are arranged to gear with each other and
convey motion from the shaft C to the shaft F. The auxiliary wheel A is secured
upon the shaft F, and thus motion may be conveyed from the road wheels B to the
auxiliary wheel A or rice versa.
The intermediate gear wheel E is free to revolve and move laterally upon the
shaft E the other two gear wheels C and F being keyed securely to their
respective shafts.
Connected to the boss of the gear wheel E', is a rack C, carried in slides G
gearing into the rack G is a gear wheel H carried by a shaft H, the latter being
mounted in bearings carried by the frame 1 and having a hand wheel Fig.
fited at its upper end, in such a position as to be within convenient reach of a
person seated within the vehicle.
Upon revolving the hand wheel H motion is conveyed to the gear wheel H
which moves the rack G. laterally and with it the intermediate gear wheel E,

page_text: whereby the gear wheel E' may be thrown into or out of gear with the two gear
wheels C and F; and thus the gear between the road wheels B and the auxiliary
wheel A may be connected or disconnected.
To the opposite end of the framework D away from the shaft C, there is located
within a fork Fig. 2 a swivel screw threaded nut J. Taking into the nut is a
screwed shaft K, which is supported by a bearing K, Fig. I at its upper end and
passes freely through a bearing K2 in the framework B of the vehicle. At about
equal distances above and below the bearing K2, are fitted upon the shaft K
adjustable and locking nuts K, between such nuts K and on each side of the
bearing K, are located two helical springs K, which support the shaft in a
normal position and at the same time allow a certain amount of resiliency.
To the uppermost end of the shaft K is fitted a hand wheel K Fig. 1, which
like H2 is placed within convenient reach of a person seated within the vehicle.
Upon revolving the hand wheel K, the lower screwed part of the shaft K
working through the nut J, draws the latter up or down and with it the end of the
framework D, and the auxiliary wheel A; in this manner the wheel A. may be
raised or lowered as desired.
Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5 the auxiliary wheel A is shewn drawi
to a larger scale than in the previous figures of the drawings. Within the
periphery of the wheel A, I form a number of tapered holes into which fit corre-
sponding tapered pins A having enlarged and pointed heads A2: the pins A' are
made to drive into the holes formed in the periphery of the wheel and are thus
retained in position. The arrangement as illustrated, is very effective but other
arrangements of these pins may be used to advantage. By securing the pins A'
in the aforesaid manner they may be readily removed by being driven out when
required or desired and replaced by others of the same or other suitable form
according to the work required.
An arrangement of mechanism to carry my invention into practice is shewn in
a somewhat different form, by means of a diagram view in Fig. 6. In this case
the road wheel B which is driven by any motive power and means, has mounted
upon its axle a sprocket wheel L which is connected by means of a chain L' with
a sprocket wheel M, mounted upon the shaft F upon which the auxiliary wheel
or wheels A is or are carried. The shaft is carried in sliding bearings N, the
latter being located and free to be slidden in fixed guides l'. The guides P' are
curved, the curvature of which is arrived at by striking the segments from the
centre of the shaft C. The shaft F carries blocks which latter are embraced and
free to slide laterally within looped frames R and attached to the upper part of
the frames R are springs S, to each of which is connected an arch shaped piece T
the centre of which is formed with a screwed aperture. Into the screwed aperture,
a screwed shaft T takes which is carried in bearing upon the framework B of
the vehicle and a hand wheel K is attached at its upper extremity. By revolving
the handle K the lower screwed part of the shaft T draws up or down the arched
piece T together with the spring S, the looped frames R, the bearings N and the
shaft F and thus the auxiliary wheel or wheels A may be raised or lowered as
desired. By arranging the segniental guides as before described the tension of the
chain L' is kept constant, during the raising and lowering of the wheel A.
A clutch (not shewn in the drawings) may be fitted so that the sprocket wheel L
could be thrown out of gear with the shaft C when not required to be so connected.
Whatever the relative sizes of the auxiliary wheel or wheels A and the main
driving wheels may be, the arrangement and gearing is such that they will
travel an equal distance in an equal time, the periphery velocity being equal.
The action of my propelling and brake mechanism is as follows: upon ascend-
ing or descending a hill or travelling along slippery or frozen ground, the
auxiliary wheel A is thrown into gear with the driving wheel B; the hand
wheel K is revolved so as to bring the auxiliary wheel A into contact with the
ground, the teeth A2 then gripping and taking a firm hold of same. In the case
of ascending a hill the motive means are kept in operation, but in the case of

page_text: descending a hill a brake or ordinary description is applied to the driving wheels B
and the motive power cut off.
In some cases a separate arrangement is made for a brake when the auxiliary
wheel A is not driven from the driving wheel but is driven from an independent
source.
The auxiliary wheel A might be roughened with any material that would cause
it to grip the ground under differing circumstances such as for example india
rubber or pneumatic or other suitable tyres would answer the purpose in loose and
sandy soil.
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. In or connected with propelling, and brake or controlling mechanism for
self-propelled Carriages, the employment of one or more auxiliary wheels having
the peripheries thereof fitted with studs or spikes, or otherwise adapted to have
a firm grip on the road, in combination with means whereby the said auxiliary
wheels are or may be brought into or out of contact with the road, and means
whereby the said auxiliary wheels are or may be rotated and given a peripheral
velocity equal to that of the ordinary road wheels substantially as set forth.
2. In or connected with propelling, and brake or controlling mechanism for
self-propelled Carriages, the auxiliary wheel or wheels having peripheries adapted
or fitted to have 'a firm grip on the road, a frame pivotted at one end about a
suitable axis say that of the road wheels, and carrying near the other end the
aforesaid auxiliary grip wheel or wheels, gearing connecting the road wheels or
road wheel shaft with the auxiliary grip wheel shaft to drive the said auxiliary
wheel or wheels with the same peripheral velocity as the road wheels, a discon-
necting gear to throw the auxiliary wheels out of action, means for operating the
disconnecting gear from the carriage, and means for raising and lowering the
free end of the carrying frame from the carriage to bring the auxiliary wheels
into and out of contact with the ground substantially as described.
3. In or connected with propelling, and brake cr controlling mechanism for
self-propelled carriages; the combination with the auxiliary wheel or wheels fitted
with studs or spikes or otherwise adapted to obtain a firm grip on the road, of the
general arrangement and construction of mechanism for carrying, raising, and
lowering, and driving and disconnecting the auxiliary wheels substantially as
and for the purposes described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
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