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- Edward Butler who took out a patent "for the mechanical propulsion of cycles" in 1884 and then had made a direct drive, two cylinder petrol engined, three wheeled vehicle at the Merryweather Fire Engine works in Greenwich in 1888. The car had a lot of firsts for a petrol driven car, for it had Ackerman steering with a fixed front axle and sub axles that steered the wheels, a spray carburettor and mechanically operated inlet valves.
Wilhelm Maybach introduced an atomising spray type carburettor in 1894, five years after Edward Butler had introduced it in England
By the mid-1880s, gas powered combustion engines had become available and an Englishman named Edward Butler attached one to his son's tricycle. Four months later Butler attached a larger motor to his own custom tricycle. (Tricycles at the time were not merely for children). His innovations were publicized and copied by others.
Edward Butler builds two-stroke petrol motor tricycle with electric ignition, radiator cooling, Ackermann steering.
Butler Petrol-Cycle England, 1884 - 1896, Edward Butler patented a gasoline fueled two stroke twin tricycle and showed it at the Stanley Bicycle Show in 1884. For the next ten or twelve years he made improvements to his design, changing to a geared drive four-stroke water-cooled engine that ran at about 600 rpm. He is credited with inventing or developing the spark plug and coil ignition, magneto and the spray jet carburetor, as well as the word "petrol" His "Petrol-cycle" was broken up for scrap in 1896, the few remaining pictures of this first British motorcycle are in the Science Museum in London, England
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Butler
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The Butler Petrol Cycle is accepted by many as the very first British motor car although as it never went into production many other people class Henry Knight's 3-wheeler as the first British motor car. Although Karl Benz is recognised as the inventor of the modern motor car an Englishman named Edward Butler was said to have exhibited plans for a 3-wheeled vehicle two years earlier than Benz in 1884 at the Stanley Cycle Show, London (UK) and it was also the first design shown at the 1885 Inventions Exhibition, London (UK)
Butler however did not patent (Patent 15598 - London) his vehicle until 1887 due to British laws on experiments. On the vehicle the patent read "Butlers Petrol-Cycle Syndicate Limited Patent". It also referred to "F.B. Shuttleworth, Erith, London." as Butler built the Petrol Cycle in the works of F.B. Shuttleworth. In 1890 Butler finished his design which was a vehicle powered by an engine that used mineral hydro-carbons.
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The Butler Petrol Cycle. (This is the only known photograph - the date is unknown)
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The two-cylinder engine worked by a spray of Benzoline or petroleum product carburetted with air. The configuration saw two wheels at the front which steered the vehicle, and the single rear wheel was powered by a chain. A single saddle type seat was positioned in between the front two wheels. The braking device worked by pressing a pedal which forced two small rollers on to the ground and so lifting the drive wheel from the road!
Butler refined the vehicle further by using a four stroke water cooled engine that achieved 600 rpm. He is credited with first using the word "Petrol" and inventing the spark plug, magneto, coil ignition and spray jet carburettor. Butler found problems with his invention due to government restrictions and on the 12th December 1890 whilst referencing his vehicle wrote the following in the English Mechanic journal;
"..the authorities do not countenance its use on the roads, and I have abandoned in consequence any further development of it.
At the time the maximum speed was 2 mph in the city and 4 mph in the country side. In addition each vehicle had to be attended by 3 people of which one had to walk in front of the vehicle waving a red flag (The 1865 Red Flag Act) to warn other road users and help control horses. This act had originally appeared as a result of the growing number of "steam powered" vehicles. Butler broke his Petrol Cycle up for scrap in 1896 where upon the patent rights were sold to H.J. Lawson and the engine continued to be produced for motor boats.
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The only Englishman to make a car was Edward Butler who took out a patent "for the mechanical propulsion of cycles" in 1884 and then had made a direct drive, two cylinder petrol engined, three wheeled vehicle at the Merryweather Fire Engine works in Greenwich in 1888. The car had a lot of firsts for a petrol driven car, for it had Ackerman steering with a fixed front axle and sub axles that steered the wheels, a spray carburettor and mechanically operated inlet valves.
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Abt 1862 - Unknown
