Automobile Biographies: An Account of the Lives and the Work of Those Who Have Been Identified with the Invention and Development of Self-Propelled Vehicles on the Common RoadsWeeks, Lyman Horace
History
Automobile Biographies: An Account of the Lives and the Work of Those Who Have Been Identified with the Invention and Development of Self-Propelled Vehicles on the Common Roads
Weeks, Lyman Horace
Automobiles -- History
The Saturday Magazine, of October 6, 1832, gave an account of one of their
trials as follows: "I have just returned from witnessing the triumph of
science in mechanics, by traveling along a hilly and crooked road from
Oxford to Birmingham in a steam carriage. This truly wonderful machine is
the invention of Captain Ogle, of the Royal Navy, and Mr. Summers, his
partner, and is the first and only one that has accomplished so long a
journey over chance roads, and without rails. Its rate of traveling may be
called twelve miles an hour, but twenty or perhaps thirty down hill if not
checked by the brake, a contrivance which places the whole of the
machinery under complete control. Away went the splendid vehicle through
that beauteous city (Oxford) at the rate of ten miles an hour, which, when
clear of the houses, was accelerated to fourteen. Just as the steam
carriage was entering the town of Birmingham, the supply of coke being
exhausted, the steam dropped; and the good people, on learning the cause,
flew to the frame, and dragged it into the inn yard."
GIBBS
An English engineer, Gibbs made a special study of the steam carriage of
Sir Charles Dance in 1831. As a result of his investigations he built a
steam drag in 1832. This was intended to draw passenger carriages and it
had a boiler with spirally descending flue placed behind the driving
wheels. In 1832, in conjunction with his partner, Applegate, he patented a
steam carriage with a tubular boiler and oscillating engine cylinders.
The power from the axle was transmitted to the driving wheels through
friction bands, arranged in the bases of the wheels so that one or both
wheels could be coupled to the axles.
CHARLES DANCE
An enthusiastic motorist, Sir Charles Dance, of London, in the first third
of the ninteenth century did a great deal to encourage the engineers who
were inventing steam road vehicles. He was financially interested in
several of the companies that were organized to run steam coaches over the
common roads. He was the backer of Goldsworthy Gurney, and was also
engaged in building for himself. His most famous car was a coach that ran
every day from the Strand, London, to Brighton. This was an engine mounted
on four wheels with a tall rectangular funnel that narrowed toward the
top. Above the engine were seats for six or seven persons besides the
driver. Behind the engine was a vehicle like a boxcar low hung on wheels.
On the side of this box was emblazoned the coat of arms of its owner. On
the roof seat in front were places for four passengers. On a big
foot-board behind, stood the footman. This carriage was one of the
spectacular sights of London at that time and great crowds gathered in the
Strand every day to witness its departure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account