PATENTEE'S CLAIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 49, 27 February 1937, Page 28

PATENTEE'S CLAIMS

PREAMBLE TO DESCRIPTION

In his application for the patents he has been granted in connection with a rear-engined vehicle Mr. Ford set out his claims as follows:— ■ - -~

"The object of my invention is to provide a novel rear-engined and rearwheel driven automobile chassis.

."Specifically, my invention resides in what is believed to be a novel rear spring suspension'and rear radius rod construction 'wherein each axle tube and radius.rod is secured .together as a unit and is so mounted that each unit may oscillate,vertically around a horizontal centre line which" is spaced transversely from the-horizontal centre line: of .the;car. Increased rigidity results from this construction. - ,

"Still a further object Of my invention is to provide an automobile chassis wherein the axle gearing, transmission, and differential are resiliency supported as a unit in the vehicle frame. The mounting for this unit is so designed that vibration of. the motor, .tends to oscillate the, unit around a transverse centre line which coincides with the axle drive gear centre.

"Still a further object.of my invention is,to provide an automobile having an improved .-weight distribution to thus provide an-easier riding car. The motor and transmission, being disposed rearwardly of -the axle, lowers the, rate "of oscillation of the chassis around its ■centre of gravity so that it approaches that of much heavier cars. Further, by so placing the driving unit the centre of gravity of the chassis is moved rearwardly so as to lie almost at the centre of the'passenger space of the body. Vertical oscillation of the car around;.the centre.of gravity has thereby a minimum effect upon, the passengers. Improved riding qualities result from this arrangement.

The application continued with a detailed and highly-technical. description of the construction.