The object of this invention is to produce a road vehicle which shall be self-propelled, not unduly heavy, simple and easy of control and comparatively inexpensive, together with such minor objects as will become hereinafter apparent.
The invention more particularly relates to the construction and arrangement of parts for constituting the driving gearing and to the means for controlling the action thereof; to an improved manner of mounting the front, or steering, wheels upon the front axle, and of mounting the said axle relative to the running gear frame, and to the means for effecting the steering; to the appliances for the support of the motor and driving mechanism in an advantageous and efficient manner, and, generally, to improved and simplified details of construction throughout the vehicle, all as will hereinafter be rendered more apparent, and the invention consists in constructions and combinations of parts, all substantially as will hereinafter fully appear and be set forth in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which—
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation from front to rear of the improved road-vehicle. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the running and driving gear, the vehicle-body being understood as removed. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the vehicle. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the support and suspension devices for the driving mechanism. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, longitudinally, through the shiftable driving-gear, the controlling devices employed in conjunction with this mechanism being seen in side elevation. Figs. 6 and 7 show the above-mentioned controlling devices as in operative relations differing the one from the other and also from that of Fig. 5.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the views.
The parts will now be described in detail with reference to said drawings, and A represents the body which is spring supported on the frame, B, of the running gear. This frame, as shown, is rectangular, and has the body-supporting springs, B2, similar to those found in common carriages. This frame has, affixed thereto, at its rear ends, sleeves, a, a, which loosely embrace the rear wheel axle, D, which is the driven axle of the vehicle. The axle, E, for the front wheels is centrally secured to the running gear frame, B, by the horizontal king-bolt, b, whereby such axle may have a swinging movement relative to the frame in a vertical plane, but it has no swinging movement horizontally, the wheels being swivel-mounted on the ends of this axle peculiarly, as will shortly hereinafter be set forth.
The body, as shown, is in the form of an inverted box, the motor, H, and driving gear being accommodated within the downwardly opening inclosure constituted thereby, and the body also has the upwardly open box-like forward extension, or pit, A2, for the accommodation of the feet of the rider, the rider's seat being constituted by the top forward portion of the box body. Some other suitable design of body may, of course, be used in lieu of this one shown.
The front wheels, d, d, are hung to the front axle, E, so that the center of each wheel base is in a line coincident with the axis of the pivotal connection which is provided between the journals for the wheels and the axle, which arrangement practically destroys any tendency to deflection from the course that might otherwise arise from striking an obstacle, and so renders the steering easier. In order to effect this the axle is formed with yoked ends, the yoke members, f, f, being above and below the longitudinal line of the axle. The short journal, g, shown for each wheel, has at its inner end an upwardly and downwardly extended arm, h, which is return-bent to be loosely embraced by the axle yoke, f, f. The cone pointed screws, c, passed through the yoke members, f, and into sockets therefor in the arms, h, of the journals, g, constitute the means for the swivel connection between said parts. The lock-nuts, c2, manifestly, are employed with utility in this connection.
It will be perceived that inasmuch as in the arrangement shown, the pivotal connections