US648330A - Motor-car. - Google Patents

Description

No. 648,330. Patented Apr. 24, |900. J. C. ANDERSON.

MUTR CAR.

' (Apnplicmsion filed Oct. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.) V2 Sheets-Sheet l. y

Patented Apr'. 24, moo.

- J. c. ANDERSON.

vMOTOR CAR,

(Application ld Dalt. 2,8,.1899.)

. (No Model.)

NTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES O. ANDERSON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

M OTOR-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,330, dated-April 24, 1900.

Application filed October 28,-1899. Serial No. 735.109. (No model.)

Be it known that I, JAMES C. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,-

and eract description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

, My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in street-car construceach end in the longitudinal center, and the driving-Wheels are arranged each side of said center and midway between .the steeringwheels. Hence the car is necessarily supported on four points of contact, and consequently the vertical undulation or vibration of the car-body is dependent upon the action of the supporting-springs.

My present invention has for its object to provide a-construction which will enable thel carrying capacity to be increased and at the same time to provide for vertical and transverse movements of the several sections or cars in order that they, may readily adapt themselves to any inequalities in the profile of the roadway and to readily turn corners or curves.

It has also for its object to shorten the aggregate length of two or more cars in train without decreasing the carrying capacity and to provide a vestibule connection between the adjacent cars, whereby passengers in passing from one car to another may be protected from the elements in bad weather.

With these objects in view my invention consists in the construction and arrangement hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that'those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains may know how to make and use my improved street-car, I will proceed to describe the construction and operation of the same, referring by letters to the accom pan yin g drawings,in which Figure l is a side elevation of two of my improved cars coupled together and constituting a motor and trailer. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the running-gear and means for driving and steering the cars, the dotted lines indicating the body of the cars, and cylinders 'for' containing compressed air or other motive force. Fig. 3 is a similar View but showing a modification of the steering devies. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken-at the line oc of Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a detail elevation, partlyin section, of the adjacent ends of the motor-car and the trailer and showing the vestibule connection; and Fig. 6 is a detail plan Aview of the preferred coupling used for adapted through suitable connections to be Y controlled by the motorman on the front car and geared by a sprocket-chain G with a suitable diiferential transmitter H for transmitting motion to the driving-wheels D.`

I I are reservoirs for containing compressed air or other motive agentand suitably con# nected with the motor, all substantially as described in the pending application hereinbefore referred to.

`The rear or trailing car is provided with two carrying-Wheels D', arranged under the forward end of the car, and the steering-wheel E is arranged centrally under the rear end of said car. v

The construction of the Wheels and their connection with the' cars are preferably such as described in the pending application referred to, and in lieu ot' the single steering-Wheels E and E' double steering-wheels may be used,A

as shown and described in another pending IOO ltrally to the bottom of the motor-car A and operated through the medium of a rock-shaft L and hand-lever M. These steering-rods J are pivotally connected to the opposite sides of the steering-head of the steering-wheel E Vand extend to near the rear end of the,y car,

and their rearends are pivoted to the ends of a vibrating barN, which is pivoted centrally pivoted to the bars N and O, as clearly shown.'V

. brating bar O and at theirrear ends to the to the bottom of the car. The rear orA trailing car B is provided with a pi-vot'ed bar O,

similar to N, and the two bars N and O are.

connected by bars P, which are crossed .and

Q Q are steering-rods, which are pivotally connectedat their forward ends with the visteering-head of the'steering-wheel E', all as clearly shown at Fig. 2.

From'the construction shown it will be seen `that when 'the hand-lever M is operated to roe-k the shaft L the Steering-rods J .Twin

i 'Y causethe steering-wheel Eto be turned on itsf tangential axis'an'd that through themedium of the vibrating bars N lO and rods P P and Q Q the'.rear-steering-wheel will be Vswiveled in a direction-reverseto the forward'steering.

i `wheel E, and as the front end of the motory ucar is. guided in one .direction on an are commensurate with the degree'the WheelEjis :.beguided inthe opposite direction upon -preswivele'd the rear endy of the trailer-cai'1 will ciselythefsame arc,v the paths of the'two whe'els, ifcontinued,'describingatrne circle,

the center'of which would'` be ata point mid-V waybe'tween the-axis of the two"wheelsE andE'. vAt the same time' that the two cars are beingthus steered the pivotal .connection between the steering-'rods J J andQ Q and` ythe pivotal connection of the coupling C will permit the adjacent and coupledends of the two cars tofreely articulate on the vertical'.

axis of the coupling. Having described the manner in which the two cars are coupled together and properly steered, I will now describe the platform and vestibule construction. v

The motor-car A is provided with a front platform R and a rear platform R', substantially alike and with a roof or hood S over the same. The projecting ends of the platforms are curved, and the spaces between thepla'tforms and the roofs or hoods S are closed and provided with suitable windows, and spaces U are provided for side doors V, 'which may be closed and when open permit free ingress and egress. The doors when open swing back out of the way, as clearly shown at Fig. 4. The rear platform R', as before statedis substantially like the forward one R, with the exception that in addition to side openings for ingress and egress of passengers a central passage-way or opening, as clearly shownv at Fig. 4, is left .to receive a short vestibule projecting from the front end of the rear car, as will be presently explained.

The rear or trailer car is formed with a rear platform, substantially like the rear platform of the motor-car, and may be vutilized as a smoking-compartment when not in use for receiving and delivering passengers'.

j The front endof the rear car is formed without any platform or hood, but in lieu thereof is provided with acurved sill W (see Fig.` 4) and a forwardlyprojecting short passage-way or vestibule, the side walls and top of which are curved or flared, as clearly shownin Figs. 4 and- 5, and adapted to enter within the inclosed space 'over the-rear platform R' ofthe motor-car and `sufficiently far under the projecting hood or roof S in order extension .will not only close the space at that point, but will serveas a conduit for any drippings which may fall from' the root' or hood S. The side walls X likewise close the space between them and the vertical edges of lthe space or opening'through which they pass,

and the iiare or curvature ofthe side walls X,

aswellas that of the top portion, permit the .vertical and lateral movements'of the ends of the twofcars relatively to each other.

, lThecoupling shown at Fig. 6` consists of two dra\vba'rs,lwhich are rigidlyfattached to the respective cars.vr Onegof lsaiddnaiv-bars is provided with. a knuckle a.,ipivoted horizontally between' th'exjawsyof .said draw-bar and provided with aj'vertical" circularopening'` t'o `receive 'an ordinary coupling-pin b, and the front endorpfac'e of lthis knuckle is formedwith a pocket or recess,- as. shown by dotted lines; Thexother draw-bar isvformed with 'a flat tongue orprojection c, formed vwith avertical channel near itsjend to rethat the curved or gutter-shaped top of the ceive the coupling-pin b ,and isnadapted to enter the recessin the knuckle ci, a's clearly shown. C f v From the construction it will be seen that theI coupling-pin permits the two draw-heads to oscillate laterally'upon it as a center and "that the knuckle ay permits said draw-heads to oscillate in a transverse direction. The plane of connection between the two .drawheads is the true axis of motion between the two cars, and said point will when the cars are traversing a curve under the influence of the steering devices always traverse a path concentric with that traversed by the two cars. When the motor and trailer cars are thus connected,it will be seen that two cars have three entrances on each side and that while the seating capacity is not reduced the aggregate length of the two cars is lessened by theabsence of a platform on the forward end of the trailer. l

The joint or space, between the sill W and the platform Tis closed by an overlying footboard Y.

At Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of the steering devices, and instead of extend- IIO ing the steering-rods back from the steering wheels E of the motor-car to a vibrating bar N they terminate at the steering-head of the wheel E, andl in lieu of the vibrating bar N, I

the bar O, and through the medium of thel steering-bars Q the rear steeringfwheel will be swiveled to the proper degree to cause the rear car to traverse the path of the forward car, thus relieving the motorman from `the necessity of exerting the physical force necessary to swivel both the front and rear steering-wheels, as would be the case with the construction shown at Fig. 2.

A brake A' is connected with the dilferential power transmitter I'I and is operated through the medium of a hook-rod B', a vibrating bar C', pull-rod D2, and ahand-lever F', as fully illustrated and described in the pending application for improvement in motor-cars, hereinbefore referred to.

While I have shown the motor-car with a forward inclosed platform and the rear or trailer car with a rear inclosed platform, it will be understood that these platforms may be open and of the usual construction with- Out in any manner aifecting the advantages secured from the vestibule connection described at the coupled ends of the two cars.

Likewise lateral entrances at the front end of the forward ear and the rear end of the trailercar may be dispensed with and the single lateral entrance on each side between the cars 'utilized for ingress and egress of passengers.

It will be understood that while I have shown the rear car provided with the vestibule eX- tension adapted to enter the rear inclosed platform of the forward car the construction" may be reversed-that is to say, the rear car may have a forward inclosed platform and the forward car provided with the vestibule extension at its rear end.

It will of course be understood that either made in the various details of construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, the gist of which rests in the broad idea of a motorcar provided with a central forward steering-wheel, rear driving-wheels, and means for driving the latter, and having a front and rear inclosed platform and a trailer-car provided with forward carryingwheels, rear steering-wheel, and with a rear inclosed platform and a projecting vestibule X, adapted to enter an open space within the rear inclosed platform of the motor-car, the

two cars being capable of vertical and lateral oscillation at a point constituting the true axis of vibration of each car, the forward end of the motor-car and the rear end of the trailer adapted to be steered through substantially the same path, as hereinbefore explained.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letter'sPatent, is

l. A motor-car mounted upon a forwardY steering-wheel and rear driving-wheels and provided with mechanism for steering the forward wheel, and mechanism fordriving the rear wheels, and a trailer-car mounted upon forward carrying-wheels and a rear steeringwheel and provided with mechanism for steering the rear wheel, the forward and rear cars,l coupled together, whereby the two cars are adapted to be steered through a common path, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. A motor-ear provided with a forward and a rear inclosed platform, and a trailer-car coupled to the motor-car and provided with a rear inclosed platform and a forward projecting vestibule adapted to enter a suitable distance within a space in the rear, inclosed platform of the motor car to constitute a closed passage-way between the two cars, and at the same time, permit oscillation of each car relatively, to the other, as hereinbefore set forth.

3. A forward or motor car provided with front and rear inclosed platforms and a rear or trailer car provided with a rear inclosed platform and a forward projecting vestibule adapted to enter the rear inclosed platform of the forward car, whereby a single lateral entrance on each side and an inclosed passage between the cars, are provided without decreasing the seating capacity of either car, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

4. In combination with a motor-car provided with a rear inclosed platform, a rear or trailer car provided at its front end' with a forwardly-projecting vestibule having the sides and top thereof flared outwardly and adapted to enter the rear inclosed platform of the motor-car, the adjacent ends of said cars being articulatively coupled together,

substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. Two or more cars coupled together to constitute a train,'the coupled cars at their adjacent ends provided one with an inclosedl IOO IIO

with lateral entrances at the forward endof the motor-'section' and the rear end of the trailer-section, and a single lateral entrance between the adjacent coupled ends of the two sections, substantially as and for the purpose set' forth.

'7.V A forward and a trailer car coupled together by draw-heads or equivalent devices rigidly connected to the respective cars and with an intermediate joint adapted to vertical and lateral articulation, whereby the axis of motion between the' cars in either direction is always at a fixed locality and longitudinal movement of one car with reference tov in g-wheel, and meansY intermediate of the two cars, and independent of the hand controlling mechanism for automatically controlling the steering movement of the other steering- Wheel,substantially as hereinbefore set forth. 9. In combination with the cars A and B coupled together and connected by the inclosed platform Rand extension or vestibule having flared or curved side walls X, the footboard Y having its opposite edges conforming with the side Walls Xand held in position to close thejoint or space betweenthe platform R' and sill W, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

. In testimony whereof I aix my signature 4in presence of two witnesses.

` JAMES C. ANDERSON. Witnesses: Y' Y JENNIE G. BOOTH, JNO. J. HARROWER-

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