tached to the front axle. The rear wheels are used for steering, and the steering pillar is arranged to shift the rear axle. The supply of electricity is stored in four sets of twelve chloride cells, having a capacity of 50 ampèrehours per cell. The act of pushing into place makes connection automatically with the controller, which latter is operated by a hand wheel in front of the seat, four different speeds of travel being attainable by different groupings of the batteries with the motors. The capacity of this battery is said to be sufficient for a run of twenty hours, and a speed of 20 miles per hour to be attainable on good roads. This carriage, which is adapted for the accommodation of two passengers, is mounted upon wooden wheels, the front or driving ones being 40 inches and the rear or steering ones 28 inches in diameter, and its weight is about 14 cwt. I qr. A lighter carriage of the same type of driving gear, but having a frame composed of steel tubes and cycle pattern wheels, and only weighing about 10 cwt. 3 qrs., is also made by the same builders. Sturge's Electric Road Carriage. The Sturge accumulator or storage battery electric carriage is of the three-seated sulky pattern, adapted to accommodate six passengers. It is mounted upon four wheels, the front ones being 42 inches and the rear ones 48 inches in diameter. The motor is one of 3 horse-power, single reduction gear being employed for transmitting the power to the axle. The body of the vehicle is capable of accommodating 36 storage battery cells, having a capacity of 250 ampère-hours, the power stored up therein being equal to 23 electrical horse-power. When, however, it is required to carry more batteries, so as to adapt the carriage for a lengthy run, the rearmost seat can be removed, thereby affording more storage capacity. In running order this carriage weighs about I ton 4 cwt. 2 qrs. On good roads it is calculated to be capable of attaining a speed of 10 miles per hour, and to be able to cover a distance of 70 miles without requiring recharging. Bersey's Electric Road Carriage. Figs. 75 and 76 illustrate an improved electrically propelled road vehicle or omnibus, designed by W. C. Bersey. The improvements consist essentially in the interposition, between the vehicle body and the axles, of an under frame supported on springs on the fore carriage and the rear wheel axle, upon which under frame the accumulators, motors, driving and steering gear, brakes, and all the other appliances necessary for the electric propulsion of the vehicle are carried, so that it forms in itself a vehicle complete in every respect save the body. The body is seated directly on this under frame, which is especially adapted to receive it, and is merely dropped into position and fixed in place by means of bolts. A is the horizontal under frame, which is supported through springs B on the axle C of the hind wheels D, and upon a swivelling fore carriage E. The omnibus body is merely seated, as shown, on the frame A, its sills resting on and being bolted to the side members, and its floor or bottom upon the cross members of the frame A. F is a downwardly projecting box or well carried by the frame A, in which well the motors G and ac FIGS. 75 and 76.-Bersey's Electric Omnibus (Sectional Side Elevation and Sectional Half Plan). cumulators H are carried, the former being arranged in advance, and the latter in rear, of the hind wheel axle C, and the well having a door at the rear (shown open in the sectional elevation) through which the accumulators can be introduced. The two motors G are carried upon the same base plate I, which is suspended by brackets 11 at one end from the hind wheel axle C, the other end resting, through a roller i, on the floor of the well F. Upon the same base is mounted an intermediate stationary spindle L on which rotate sleeves K, through which the motors are geared to the respective driving wheels D, by a pinion g on the motor spindle, gearing with a wheel k on the said sleeve K. The stationary spindle L is fixed in brackets, on the base plate I; each end of the spindle, and the sleeve mounted thereon, passing out through the side walls of the well F, and the sleeve being provided with a sprocket pinion m gearing through a pitch chain M with a chain rim M1 fixed to the wheel D. If a two-speed gear is required, two sets of wheels and pinions g, k, having different ratios, would be provided, the two wheels k being in that case mounted loosely on a live shaft with which one or other of said wheels is connected by an intermediate clutch. The fore carriage E is unaltered from the ordinary pattern, except that its swivelling connection with the frame A is preferably made by means of a ball-bearing turning plate and centre bolt, the swivelling under carriage being provided with a toothed ring N with which gears a pinion n on the lower end of a vertical shaft O, passing up through a tubular standard fixed on the forward end of the frame A, and rising in front of the vehicle body to a convenient height to bring the hand wheel P and worm gear, through which the shaft O is operated, within easy reach from the driver's seat. The toothed ring N and pinion n are shown in dotted lines in the drawing. Jeantaud's Electric Road Carriage. A type of carriage propelled by an electric motor, which took part in the Paris-Bordeaux race, and by the aid of numerous relays succeeded in getting over half the course, although making far worse time than any of the petroleum cars, is that known as the Jeantaud car. This vehicle is admirably designed for travelling, and had it not been so heavily handicapped by the source from which the energy was obtained, would doubtless have given very favourable results. The frame is constructed of weld steel, a box seat for two persons is placed in front, and two other seats placed back to back are located at the rear. It is mounted upon four wheels, the rear ones being 4 feet 7 inches in diameter and the front ones 3 feet 3 inches in diameter, and the load is proportionately distributed on both sets of wheels. Two straight springs connected together at their centres are supported upon the cross bearers close to their pivots, being placed on the under side transversely to the body which they support-an arrangement affording both great flexibility to the vehicle, and lessening the amount of force required for propulsion, inasmuch as when one of the wheels is raised over an obstacle, the entire weight of the said vehicle has not to be also raised. An instantaneous brake, which can be operated by a pedal placed in a position convenient to the conductor and breaks the electrical circuit, is provided, as also a graduating brake which can be operated by two hand wheels, one of which is located at each side of the driver's box. A safety device is also fitted |