Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Automotor Carriages.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Automotor Carriages.
1, JAMES TIBURCE FELIX CONTI, Engineer, of 62, Rue de Provence, Paris, in
the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention for improvements in controlling mechanism for automotor car-
riages relates to an improved controlling mechanism adapted more especially to
automotor carriages furnished with two wheels serving at the same time for driv-
ing and guiding, and consists substantially of an oscillating balance, the axis of
which can be so displaced that the effect of such displacements is to act in the
same manner on each of the two driving wheels, and thus to modify their speed
to the same extent (so that the relative speed of the two wheels remains the same)
the oscillations of the balance being intended, on the contrary to act in a different
manner on each of the two driving wheels so as to modify their relative speed
and thus to turn the vehicle.
The principle of my controlling system lies in the employment of a balance
formed of a frame capable of oscillating around a pivot supported on a sleeve
the extremities of the balance being intended for effecting the control of each
of the two wheels through the medium of connecting rods and of an arrangement
which will be described further on. A second sleeve slides on the first or inner
The displacement
sleeve and is connected with the balance by a connecting rod.
of the inner sleeve is controlled by a lever pivoted at a suitable point in the
frame of the fore-carriage whilst that of the outer sleeve is controlled by another
pivoted lever which through the medium of a connecting rod is actuated by a
small eccentric arranged on the spindle of a hand wheel mounted at the extremity
of the first mentioned lever and within reach of the driver.
The driver in pressing on the hand wheel causes the inner sleeve to ascend and
consequently the balance the extremities of which are constantly pulled down-
wards by helical springs. On the other hand in causing the hand wheel to rotate
he will raise or lower the outer sleeve on the inner sleeve through the medium of
the eccentric on the hand wheel spindle, the connecting rod and the lever. The
effect of this movement is to oscillate the balance in one direction or the other
the balance being connected to the outer sleeve by a connecting rod. The speed of
each of the two driving and guiding wheels depending as hereinafter described
upon the position occupied at each moment by the extremities of the balance, it
will be seen that when the conductor presses on the hand wheel he displaces the
axis of the balance and consequently to the same extent the two extremities of
this balance. He will thus influence the two wheels in the same manner and
the fore-part of the carriage will move in a straight line. On the contrary when
the driver rotates the hand wheel he induces an inclination of the balance and in
consequence one of the extremities of this balance will be raised whilst the other
will be lowered. Thus the two wheels will not be influenced in the same manner
and the difference in the rate of speed of the two wheels will cause the vehicle
ten

page_text: We will now see in what way the impulsion of each of these wheels depends
upon the position occupied at each moment by the extremities of the balance.
Each of the wheels is mounted loosely on a fixed axle fixed to an outer frame
which carries the motor as also the whole of the movable part of the front of the
vehicle. A steel tube or sleeve rotates on the fixed axle being actuated through
the medium of one of the four gear wheels mounted on it and representing four
different rates of speed. The object now is to transmit the whole or a part of
the speed of the sleeve to each of the wheels and according to the position occu-
pied by the balance. For this purpose each of the wheels carries a double cone
turned inwardly and outwardly. The external part of the cone can fit into a
movable cone which cannot rotate but the displacement of which is regulated by
the balance through a connecting rod and through the medium of a bent lever.
It will thus be seen that when the driver presses on the hand wheel he raises the
inner sleeve which impels the balance that in turn by means of a connecting rod
and bent levers brings the movable cone on to the wheel cone. The movable cone
not being able to rotate will act as a brake and stop the wheel. On the other
hand when the movable cone moves out of contact with the wheel cone by being
slid towards it an interior cone keyed to the driving sleeve is brought into con-
tact with the wheel cone and impels the same and consequently the wheel..
The
When the driver causes the fly wheel to rotate in one direction or the other,
he will induce an inclination of the balance in one direction or the other.
effect of this inclination will be to throw one of the sheets out of engagement
the other remaining in engagement and with a stronger inclination of the balance
a brake will be put on one of the wheels whilst the other will continue to rotate.
To effect alterations in the speed in the example illustrated gear wheels on
the rotating sleeve driven by gearing on the driving shaft are capable of being
displaced by levers which are constantly restrained by connecting rods pressed
by springs against a suitably cut out cam. By causing this cam to rise or fall the
gear wheels are shifted to effect a change of speed. The movements of the cam
are regulated by a rod which passes through the inner of the two sleeves referred
to and is actuated by a bent lever bearing a sector furnished with notches corre-
sponding to the different rates of speed.
Dated this 104 1
0
1000
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Controlling Mechanism for Automotor Carriages.
I, JAMES TIBURCE FELIX CONTI, Engineer, of 62, Rue de Provence, Paris, in
the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention for improvements in controlling mechanism for automotor car-
riages, relates to an improved controlling mechanism, adapted more especially to
automotor carriages furnished with two wheels serving at the same time for
driving and guiding; and consists substantially of an oscillating balance, the
axis of which can be so displaced that the effect of such displacements is to act
in the same manner on each of the two driving wheels and thus to modify their
speed to the same extent (so that the relative speed of the two wheels remains
the same) the oscillations of the balance being intended on the contrary, to act
in a different manner on each of the two driving wheels so as to modify their
relative speed and thus to turn the vehicle.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the driving
and guiding axle, and Fig. 2 is a side view of the fore-part of the vehicle, serving
at the same time to drive and to guide it.
The principle of my controlling system lies in the employment of a balance 13
formed of a frame capable of oscillating around a pivot o supported on a sleeve d
the extremities e of the balance B being intended for effecting the control of
each of the two wheels through the medium of connecting rods band of an arrange-
ment which will be described further on. A second sleeve a slides on the first
or inner sleeve d and is connected with the balance by a connecting rod z. The
displacement of the sleeve d is controlled by a lever pivoted at a suitable point
in the frame of the fore-carriage (Fig. 2) whilst that of the sleeve a is controlled
by another pivoted lever y which through the medium of a connecting rods is
actuated by a small eccentric & arranged on the spindle of a hand wheel mounted
at the extremity of the lever and within reach of the driver.
It will be seen on reference to Fig. 2 that the driver in pressing on the hand
wheel causes the inner sleeve to ascend and consequently the balance B, the
extremities of which are constantly pulled downwards by helical springs r. On
the other hand in causing the hand wheel v to rotate he will raise or lower the outer
sleeve a on the inner sleeve d through the medium of the eccentric on the hand
wheel spindle, the connecting rod s and the lever y.
The effect of this movement
is to oscillate the balance B in one direction or the other, the balance being
connected to the outer sleeve by a connecting rod z. The speed of each of the two
driving and guiding wheels depending as hereinafter described upon the position
occupied at each moment by the extremities e of the balance B it will be seen
that when the conductor presses on the hand wheel he displaces the axis o of the
balance and consequently to the same extent the two extremities of this
balance. He will thus influence the two wheels in the same manner and the
fore-part of the carriage will move in a straight line. On the contrary when
the driver rotates the hand wheel he induces an inclination of the balance B
and in consequence one of the extremities of this balance will be raised whilst the
other will be lowered. Thus the two wheels will not be influenced in the same
manner, and the difference in the rate of speed of the two wheels will cause the
vehicle to turn.
We will now see in what way the impulsion of each of these wheels depends
upon the position occupied at each moment by the extremities-of the balance B.
Each of the wheels is mounted loosely on a fixed axle g fixed to an outer frame
which carries the motor m as also the whole of the movable part of the front of
the vehicle. A steel tube or sleeve t rotates on the fixed axle q being actuated
through the medium of one of the gear wheels mounted on it and representing four
different rates of speed. The object now is to transmit the whole or a part of the
speed of the sleeve t to each of the wheels and according to the position occupied
by the balance B., For this purpose each of the wheels carries a double cone e
turned inwardly and outwardly. The external part of the cone c can fit into a
movable cone which cannot rotate but the displacement of which is regulated
by the balance through the connecting rod b and through the medium of a crank
lever g. It will thus be seen that when the driver presses downwards on the hand
wheel he raises the inner sleeve d which impels the balance B that in turn, by
means of the connecting rods b and crank levers g brings the movable cone f on
to the wheel cones c. The movable cones f not being able to rotate, will act as a
brake and stop the corresponding wheels. On the other hand when the movable
cones move out of contact with the wheel cones by being slid towards them,
an interior cone keyed to the driving sleeve t is brought into contact with the
wheel cone which impels the same and consequently the wheel. According to
the pressure exercised by the cone i in the cone c there will be more or less sliding
and consequently the speed of the wheel will more or less approach that of the
tube t.
When the driver causes the hand wheel to rotate in one direction or the

page_text: other, he will induce an inclination of the balance in one direction or the other.
The effect of this inclination will be to throw one of the wheels out of engagement,
the other remaining in engagement and with a stronger inclination of the
balance B a brake will be put on one of the wheels whilst the other will continue
to rotate, thereby turning the vehicle.
To effect alterations in the speed in the example illustrated; gear wheels on the
rotating sleeve driven by gearing on the driving shaft, are capable of being dis-
placed by levers 1 and 2 which are constantly restrained by connecting rods 3 and 4
pressed by springs against a suitably cut out canı k. By causing this cam to rise
or fall the gear wheels are shifted to effect a change of speed. The movements
of the cam
are regulated by a rod 5 which passes through the inner sleeve d
and is actuated by a crank lever 6 bearing a sector 7 furnished with notches
corresponding to the different rates of speed. It will be observed that although
the lever 6 can be cisplaced, it is indispensable that the driver should release it
when pressing on the hand wheel v. Now it has been seen that in pressing on
the hand wheel, the driver throws the two wheels out of engagement. The
importance of this detail which makes it impossible to alter the rate of speed if
the disengaging is not previously effected, will be fully realised. There is thus
no fear of accidents in consequence of the driver forgetting to effect the disengage-
ment before changing the rate of speed, an oversight which may happen in most
of the known automotor systems.
It is of course understood that I do not confine myself to the practical details
above described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but that I reserve
the right of varying these details in any way without altering the nature of
my invention.
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 an automotor carriage furnished with two wheels acting at the same time
as driving and guiding wheels, controlling mechanism distinguished by the
employment of a single balance, the axis of which can be displaced by the driver,
who has at the same time, the power of causing the balance to oscillate around
the said axis whatever the relative position of the latter may be; the displace-
ment of the extremities of the said balance regulating the control of each driving
wheel in such a manner that the different displacements of the axis serve to
produce a progressive variation in the speed of the two wheels at once, and so that
the oscillations of the balance have the effect of assisting the movement of one
wheel in retarding the other, and thus causing the vehicle to turn.
2. In an automotor carriage furnished with two wheels, serving at the same
time to drive and to guide the vehicle, an arrangement consisting in impelling
each of the two wheels by means of an impulsion cone, and in establishing a
brake by means of a locking cone, the impulsion and brake cones of each wheel
being independent of the impulsion and brake cones of the other wheel.
Dated this 15th day of May 1900.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.