Dustoff
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Edward Butler (1862-1940) M.I.Mech.E. was an engineer who produced an early three-wheeled automobile, the Butler Petrol Cycle, which some belive is the first British car
1884 Provisional patent taken out A petroleum motor tricycle or small automobile carriage since it is not provided with auxiliary pedalling gear and was fitted with a comfortable seat and footboard. He called it a Velocycle
1884 Butler showed plans for his three-wheeled vehicle at the 1884 Stanley Cycle Show in London, two years earlier than Karl Benz, who is generally recognized as the inventor of the modern automobile.
1885 Butler's vehicle was also the first design to be shown at the 1885 Inventions Exhibition, also in London.
1887 Patent 15598 - London. 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 their works
1888 Built by Merryweather and Sons the Butler Petrol Cycle was a three-wheeled vehicle, with the rear wheel directly driven by a 5/8hp 600 cc flat twin four stroke engine (with magneto ignition replaced by coil and battery), equipped with rotary valves and a float-fed carburettor (five years before Maybach), and Ackermann steering. Starting was by compressed air. The engine was liquid-cooled, with a radiator over the rear driving wheel. Speed was controlled by means of a throttle valve lever. No braking system was fitted; the vehicle was stopped by raising and lowering the rear driving wheel using a foot-operated lever; the weight of the machine was then borne by two small castor wheels. The driver was seated between the front wheels
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