The object of this invention is to provide an automatic mechanism by which the governor regulates the feed of gas. decreasing the supply as the speed increases and shut ing it off entirely when a predetermined speed is reached, whereby when starting up the valve is normally wide oper and is held in that position by a spring governor, and as the speed increases the outward throw of the governor balls releases said valve to be actuated by a spring behind it, to first partially close said valve and somewhat reduce the feed of gas, and as the speed increases to shut it off more and more until at a predetermined speed the gas is shut off entirely and remains so until the reduction of the speed elongates the governor and forces said valve open a distance proportional to the rate of such decrease of speed.

583.982. Gasolene and Gas Engine.--William F. Davis, Waterloo, Ia., assignor to the Davis Gasolene Engine Company, same place. Filed May 31, 1895. Serial No 551,325.

Origin of the Pivotal Steering.

In the current issue of the Automotor Rhys Jenkins, the well known English motor authority, proves quite conclusively that the pivotal steering now in common use on motor vehicles is of more ancient date than usually supposed. He says:

In the Machines Approuvées par l'Academie Royale des Sciences,' tome iii, are given descriptions of carriages propelled by windmills brought before the Academy in the year 1714 by M. Du Quet. The figure herewith is produced from one of the drawings accompanying these descriptions. It will be seen that the wheels, x, x, are mounted upon short axles, y, y, each fixed in a vertical post, h, provided at top and bottom with pivots which work on suitable bearings in the framework of the carriage. Standing out from the posts at right angles to the axles are arms to which are secured the ends of a rope wound around a capstan, g, also carried in the carriage frame. The action of the apparatus will be quite clear from the figure."

The Rucker Motor Carriage.

The frame of this carriage is forme of two lateral tubes, A A. attached in frort to a cylindrical condenser, B, which

serves both as a connection for the tubes and as a receptacle for the cooling water. At the rear the tubes are U-shaped, supporting the motor between them.

There are two front wheels and one rear wheel, power being applied to the latter. All are fitted with pneumatics, and the front wheels are built exactly like the front wheel of a bicycle. CC are the cylinders of the motor. C, C, the connecting rods, and the shaft carrying fly wheels D, D.

Motion is transmitted to the driving wheel E by means of chains regulated by pinions D, D, and two gears of different diameter corresponding to the two speeds with which the vehicle is provided.

The motor operates on the Otto cycle. The water for cooling the cylinders passes from a tube a into the water jacket through small tubes F, and returns to the reservoir B through the other tube a.

Ignition is electric.

Steering is accomplished by means of a chain Hacting upon the pinions H, fastened on the forks of the front wheels. The ends of the chain are fastened in front by means of a spring H, in order to relieve it of shocks.

The vehicle is managed by the lever H3. / is a muffler.

Ꮮ

C

D

VOL. II.

THE HORSELESS AGE.

E. P. INGERSOLL, Editor.

PUBLICATION OFFICE: 216-218 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK.

SUBSCRIPTION, FOR THE United States and CANADA, $2.00 a year, payable in advance. For all foreign countries included in the Postal Union, $2.50. ADVERTISEMENTS.-Rates will be made known on application. When change of copy is desired it should be sent in not later than the fifteenth of the month. COMMUNICATIONS.-The Editor will pleased to receive communications on trade topics from any authentic source. The correspondent's name should in all cases be given as an evidence of good faith, but will not be published if specially requested.

THE HORSELESS AGE will be sent regularly to advertisers, paid subscribers, and exchanges only.

Address all correspondence, and make all checks, drafts, and money orders payable to

THE HORSELESS AGE, 216–218 William Street, New York. Entered at the New York Post Office as second-class matter.

Sir David on Motor Traffic.

Sir David Salomon's recent address on Motor Traffic" before the Society of Arts, London, was one of the most practical and thorough papers yet presented on this subject. For several years the learned lecturer, a scientific scholar of high attainments, has devoted much time and money to the investigation of the new art. He has visited motor factories of France, studied the mechanical problems involved in the motor vehicle, owned and operated steam and petroleum vehicles, and, as president of the Self-Propelled Traffic Association, has enjoyed exceptional opportunities for keeping pace with the development of the new industry in England.

In his discourse Sir David takes up the general principles of draft, rolling friction, road resistance, etc., and discusses them in a very clear and enter

No. 8.

taining manner. His estimate of the pneumatic tire for motor vehicles falls below the common American opinion, for the reason, probably, that the roads of England are so superior to ours, and and that he refers in his data to a heavier class of motor vehicles than we have been able to experiment with here.

The advantages and disadvantages of the several systems of propelling vehicles are quite fairly stated by him, with the exception of the petroleum motor, which he regards as entirely out of place upon a road vehicle.

This extreme view seems unwarranted by the facts. Up to the present time the petroleum motor has outstripped all others for general utility, and is receiving from the inventive minds of the age a degree of attention that promises to weaken or remove altogether many of the objections he refers to. Sir David's favorite power, steam, is in need of considerable rehandling before it can become the strong factor in the propulsion of vehicles which he believes it is destined to be. But these necessary improvements in steam engineering he estimates lightly, even assuring us that they are already accomplished, while the possibility of like progress in the petroleum field he seems to overlook.

His remarks on "master patents" are sound and very opportune at the moment in England. The bullying threats of promoters should no longer block the industry there.

vehicle, as was required by the rules. Nor was the scant and tardy recognition which gasolene motors received in the prospectus calculated to swell the number of contestants, for the attitude of the Engineer toward this class of vehicle has been anything but friendly from the start. In fact, its reputation as a carping and even hostile critic of the new locomotion undoubtedly deterred many from competing. The effect of the failure is temporarily depressing in England, but a single blunder cannot long hamper the onward march of a great industrial

movement.

The Riotte Marine Motor.

C. C. Riotte & Co., 1955 Park Avenue, New York, are placing on the market a new marine oil motor made in 1⁄2, 2, 4, 6 and 8 horse power. Sizes below 4 horse power have single cylinders, while those above that have two. The motor runs at 400 turns and the 4 horse-power weighs 400 pounds complete, the fly wheel taking 180 pounds of the total.

The chief peculiarities of the Riotte motor lie in the valve mechanism, the starting device and the vaporizer. When the valve begins to lift a high leverage is exerted, but when it begins to shut the leverage changes and the valve closes slowly, avoiding the click so noticeable in most oil engines.

In starting the motor a small lever at the side is thrown out, relieving the pressure in part and back firing.

On the vaporizer is a dial which registers the exact proportion of air and gas employed.

The hot tube ignition is used.

A 27 foot launch fitted with a 4 horse power motor of this make, lies in the Harlem river, adjacent to the shop.

Mr. Pennington Returns.

HE WILL START A FACTORY HERE.

E J. Pennington, inventor of the Pennington motor, who has been in England for some time ncgotiating his patents and promoting companies for the manufacture of his motor and vehicles, paid a visit to New York recently, bringing with him two vehicles, a three-wheeler such as has already been illustrated in our columns, and a four-wheeled vehicle of bicycle construction. The three-wheeler is a decidedly novel vehicle, having a very long wheel-base, 41⁄2 inch pneumatics, foot boards at the sides for convenience in mounting and changing seats, bicycle saddle seats, one in front, one in rear, and two between, facing oppositely. To enable the riders to retain their places a curved railing extends around the two middle seats. Steering, which is very easy, can be managed Gither from the front or the rear seat. The motor, which is said to develop 12 horse-power at 850 turns, has two cylinJers 4 x 10 inches, surrounded by copper water jackets supplied from a tank containing about three gallons. On the opposite side of the front is an oil tank, from which oil is distributed to the bearings and cylinders.

The rear wheel being the driver the power is transmitted direct from the motor by means of sprockets and chains, one turn of the motor giving a revolution of the wheel.

The pneumatics are bolted on, which Mr. Pennington claims is the only way a pneumatic can be kept on a motor vehicle wheel.

The machine is built of steel tubing, rubber, steel wire and copper, and although designed to carry four passengers and make a speed of 40 miles an hour if desired, it weighs on.y 350 pounds.

Cushioned seats will be substituted for the saddle seats in the tricycles manufactured for the market.

Mr. Pennington stated to the editor of the HORSELESS AGE, that he was here to start a factory, for the purpose of manufacturing his vehicles here. He will confine himself to pleasure vehicles entirely. He further said that he had sold the right under his patents in all countries where patents are granted with the exception of Canada, and that he had cleared from these various transactions one million and a half dollars. In corroboration of this statement he exhibited upon his person diamonds of which a rajah might have been envious.

Mr. Pennington will soon return to England, but in the course of five or six weeks he will again visit America in the interest of his business.

A Half Hour with the American Motor Company.

Among the improvements which the American Motor Company have recently made on their motors are a very ingenious automatic governor by which the speed of the motor can easily be regulated from 100 to 1,500 revolutions per minute, and a new coil which produces a jump spark without a vibrator. They are very busy on gas motors of all powers from 1⁄2 up to 50 horse power, and for all purposes, including electric lighting, agricultural uses, boats, vehicles, etc. A new motor, which is having a ready sale for marine and vehicle use, is their six-hp Tandem Twin.

MINOR MENTION.

Charles B. King, Detroit, Mich., is just completing the first lot of a line of two-cylinder 6-bp marine motors. He is also building a complete launch for exhibition purposes.

Dr. C. C. Booth, Youngstown, O., has disposed of his motor carriage, and will soon build another embodying im provements that have been suggested by his experience.

The Electric Carriage & Wagon Company are so well satisfied with the performance of the hansoms which they have been operating in New York for some months past, that they are about to organize a large company to put 200 of them in service.

Col. Albert A. Pope, President of the Pope Manufacturing Company, and W. A. Redding, attorney for that company. sailed for Europe, July 22, on the Fuerst Bismarck. Among the objects of the trip a glance at the motor vehicle situation in Europe is said to be chief.

C. B. Richard & Co., bankers and importers, 65 Broadway, New York, have imported a De Dion petroleum tricycle, such as has already been illustrated in our pages. The machine has been run quite successfully in New York streets, and the company above mentioned are considering the advisability of importing them for the market,