US1348436A - Autosled - Google Patents

Description

R. C. MENZIES.

AUTOSLED.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1919.

3 $HEETS-SHEETI 0 fig dga mom 113cm v Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

R. C. MENZIES.

AUTOSLED,

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 8, 1919- 0 1 0 w 2 m 92 1T U. ,s a w w 6 A 0 Z s Z m a D1 R. C. MENZIES.

AUTOSLED.

' APPLICATION FILED NOV- 8, I919. I 1,348 436 Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

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AUTOSLED.

Application filed November 8, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT C. MENZIES, a citizen of the United States residing at Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Autosled, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile sleds, one of its objects being to provide propelling wheels located adjacent to the front end of the machine and which are mounted to move upwardly and downwardly relative to the machine, thus to follow any irregularities in the surface over which the vehicle is traveling, thereby to insure a constant firm grip upon the ice or snow so as to insure an even forward movement of the vehicle.

A further object is to provide means for pressing the propelling wheels yieldingly into contact with the supporting surface.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means for transmitting motion to the wheels.

Another object is to providemeans under the control of the operator whereby the wheelscan be pressed with any desired force against the supporting surface to insure the proper engagement of the wheels with said surface.

Another object is to so locate the propelling wheels that they will pull the vehicle forward.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts and in the details'of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sled, a portion of the guards on. one of the propelling wheels being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan View, the guards being removed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on'line 33, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4, Fig. 2. i

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the chassis of the ve- Speeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Serial No. 336,679.

hicle, the same being provided at the rear end with a fifth wheel 2 supported by rear steering runners 3 connected as by means of cross members 4. A longitudinal shaft 5 is supported by the chassis and has a depend ing arm 6 connected by the link 7 with one of'the cross members 41 so that, when the shaft 5 is rotated the runners 3 will be swung to the right or to the left, thereby to steer the vehicle. The shaft 5 may be operor to the left as desired.

Mounted transversely of the chassis at the front end thereof is an axle 12 on which front runners 13 are pivotally mounted,

these runners being of any desired construction and being capable only of moving about the axle. They cannot turn laterally.

Secured to the chassis 1 between the front and back runners is a shaft housing 1 1 in which are journaled the shafts 15 connected by a differential such as commonly used upon the rear axles of automobiles and which differential is not shown but is situated in the housing 16. The'said differential is connected to and receives power from the shaft 17 driven by the motor 18. Secured to the outer end of each shaft 15 is a sprocket 19 and mounted to swing on each ofthe shafts 15 is the outer member 20 of a'draw frame the inner member 21 of which is pivotally mounted on theihousing 14. Both of the members 20 and 21 are forked as shown at 22 in Fig. 41- so asto straddle the shafts 15 said forks being'held on the shaft by blocks 23 engaged by bolts. 24 extending through the forks. Cross strips'25 connect the members 20 and 21 of each draw frame and the inner members 21 extend laterally and forwardly under the sides of the chassis -1 and along the other side of but spaced from the adjacent'runners 13. "Shafts 26 are journaled in the forward ends of the members 20 and 21 and each shaft has a sprocket 27 keyed or otherwise secured thereto. A propelling wheel 28 is also keyed mounted on the vehicle.

or otherwise secured to each shaft 26 and.

the rim of each of the wheels 28 is straddled by pairs of ears 29 extending inwardly radially from detachable segments 30 forming the active rim portion of the wheel. The ears are attached to the wheel 28 by transverse bolts 31 and formed 011 or secured to the segments 30 are radial blades or lugs 32 adapted to engage the supporting surface and prevent the wheels from slipping while in use.

Mounted on each of the shafts 15 is a spring 33 having forwardly extending members 34 and Each member 34 bears downwardly on the inner guide member 21 of the adjacent draw frame while the other member 35 of the spring is connected to a cable 36. This cable extends downwardly under a pulley 37 journaled on the side of the chassis and thence rearwardly to a spool 38 secured to a transverse shaft 89. A hand lever 40 is secured to this shaft and has dogs 41 extending therefrom and normally engaging a toothed segment 42 fixedly Chains 1-3 are mounted on the sprockets 27 and 19 for the purpose of transmitting motion to one from the other.

It will be understood that when the motor is in operation power will be transmitted therefrom to the shafts 15 in thesame manner as to the rear axle of an automobile. The sprockets 19 and chains 13 will thus drive the sprockets 27 and the propelling wheels and by shifting lever 40 so as to rotate the spool 38 the cable 36 can be caused to pull downwardly on the spring arms on members 85-thus to cause the spring members 34; to press downwardly on the draw frames. This will press the blades or lugs 32 of the propelling wheels against or into the supporting surface with the result that the vehicle will be drawn forwardly when the wheels are rotated. By shifting lever 40 the pressure of the propelling wheels on the supporting surface can be regulated. Importance is attached to the fact that these propelling wheels are located adjacent the outer sides of the front runners as they thereby operateto pull the vehicle along the road instead of pushing it. Consequently the vehicle can be readily controlled simply by shifting the rear runners which will operate as efficient guiding means.

It is to be understood that each of the propelling wheels and its driving mechanism can be housed in a hood or guard 44.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with a vehicle having rear runners adapted to be turned laterally to steer the vehicle and independently tiltable front runners, of independently tiltable draw frames at the sides of the vehicle and having their free ends extended forwardly,

apropelling wheel journaled in the front holding the propelling wheels end of each draw frame supported beside one of the front runners, a motor, and means for transmitting motion from the motor to the propelling wheels.

2. The combination with a vehicle structure having rear steering runners adapted to be turned laterally, and front runners, of draw frames at the sides of the vehicle and mounted to swing about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle between the front and rear runners, propelling wheels journaled within the draw frames and located beside the front runners, a motor, means for transmitting motion from the motor to the propelling wheels.

3. The combination. with atvehicle structure having rear steering runners adapted to be turned laterally, and front runners, of draw frames at the sides of the vehicle and mounted to swing about an axis extending transversely of the vehicle between the front and rear runners, propelling wheels journaled within the draw frames and located beside the front runners, a motor, means for transmitting motion from the motor tothe propelling wheels, and yielding means for holding the propelling wheels pressed against the supporting surface thereunder.

4. The combination with a vehicle structure including rear steering runners and front runners, of a transverse shaft journaled between the front and rear runners and including a differential, a motor for driving said shaft, forwardly extending draw frames pivotally mounted on the ends of the shaft and projecting to the outer sides of the front runners, propelling wheels j ournaled in the front portions of the draw frames, and means for transmitting motion to the propelling wheels from the transverse shaft.

5. The combination with a vehicle strucbeside the front runners, a motor, means for transmitting motion from the motor to the propelling wheels, and yielding means for pressed against the supporting surface thereunder, and means under control of the driver for varying the pressure of the propelling wheels upon the supporting surface.

'6. The combination with a vehicle structure including rear steering runners and front runners, of a transverse shaft journaled between the front and rear runners and including a differential, a motor for actuating said shaft, draw frames mounted to swing uponthe end portions'of the shaft and extending forwardly and lapping the outer sides of the front runners, a propelling Wheel journaled Within each of the draw frames and supported at the side of a front runner, means for transmitting motion to the propelling Wheels from the shaft, a spring mounted for rotation on each end portion of the shaft, arms extending from the spring, one of said arms bearing downwardly on the draw frames, and means under the control of the operator for shifting the other arm of the spring to Vary the pressure of the spring upon the draw frames and of the propelling wheels upon the supporting surface.

7 The combination With a vehicle structure including rear steering runners and front runners, of propelling Wheels supported at the sides of the front runners and mounted for up and down movement, relative to the structure, means for connecting said Wheels to the sides of the Vehicle, a motor, means for transmitting motion from the motor to the Wheels, yielding means for pressing the propelling Wheels into contact With the supporting surface, and means under the control of the operator for regulating said pressure.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT C. MENZIES.

.Witnesses E. J. HAND. Josnrrr B. FREDERICK.

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