CATALOG OF THE AUTOMOBILE COLLECTION 11 



A 3-cylinder, air-cooled engine of the rotary type is located beneath 

 the seat. When running, the cylinders and crankcase revolved in a 

 vertical plane around the stationary crankshaft. A stub shaft, turn- 

 ing with the crankcase, carries the driving gears of a 3-step, constant- 

 mesh, change gear, which provides three forward speeds but no re- 

 verse. The driven shaft of the change gear is geared to the driving 

 side of a clutch on the divided rear axle. The car was propelled by 

 the left rear wheel. The desired gear ratio was selected by shifting 

 an internal keying arrangement (not readily examined now), which 

 keyed one or another of the driven gears of the change gear to its 

 shaft. Clutch and gear shift were both operated by a lever at the 

 right of the vehicle's seat. Brushes, wiping segments on a commu- 

 tator on the driving shaft, distributed current to the electrical make- 

 and-break ignition system of the cylinders. Two poppet valves are 

 provided for each cylinder, an inlet valve of the automatic type opened 

 by atmospheric pressure when the piston was on its suction stroke, 

 and an exhaust valve operated by a cam that revolved at the required 

 speed on the stationary crankshaft. The cam was driven by gearing 

 connected to the revolving crankcase ; it operated the make-and-break 

 linkage as well as the exhaust valve. Gasoline or vapor (it is not 

 clear which) was piped from a tank beneath the floorboard and led 

 through a fitting (now incomplete) which may have been a mixing 

 valve. The mixture was led by a hollow shaft to a connection with 

 three pipes within a chamber built on the rotating crankcase. It 

 passed by these pipes to the inlet valves. The exhaust gases left the 

 cylinders by means of three other pipes leading into the chamber on 

 the crankcase. This chamber has many small holes drilled through 

 its outer wall and could have served as a muffler as well as a stove to 

 heat the incoming mixture. 



CLARKE GASOLINE TRICYCLE, 1897 



U. S. N. M. No. 313142; original; gift of Louis S, Clarke in 1947; photograph 

 No, 37887-A; plate 6, a. 



In 1897, Louis S. Clarke founded the Pittsburg Motor Vehicle Co., 

 Pittsburg, Pa., with himself as president and engineer, and con- 

 structed this experimental motor tricycle. The next year, with the 

 experience thus gained, the company built a 4-wheeled automobile. 

 In 1899, the company name was changed to the Autocar Co., which 

 today is one of a small number of surviving pioneer automobile com- 

 panies. This tricycle is known as the first Autocar. 



The vehicle is a conventional tricycle with a gasoline engine driving 

 the rear wheels. The frame is built of standard bicycle parts, with 

 special parts designed and made by Mr. Clarke. The 1-cylinder, 



