PROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES OR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Pink at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1877.
EDWARD PINK, the younger, of Peckham Rye, in the County of Surrey.
PROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES OR VELOCIPEDES."
"IM-
My Invention relates to improvements in "bicycles" or two-wheeled velocipedes
used for the purpose of travelling upon ordinary roads or other sufficiently smooth
surfaces. It has for its object improvements in the construction of such bicycles by
which they are rendered safer and less liable to fall and injure the persons using
them.
I take a front wheel of about the same size and constructed in the same way as
that used in bicycles as ordinarily constructed. This wheel has its axle fitted to
revolve in bearings formed in the lower ends of a fork of the usual kind, the upper
end of which fork revolves in a vertical bearing or socket in the front end of a
metal bar which forms the "back bone or framework of the machine. The back
end of this bar is curved down and forked so as to embrace a back wheel, the axle
of which revolves in bearings fitted to the ends of the fork. I make this back
wheel of considerably greater diameter than the back wheel of a bicycle as heretofore
ordinarily constructed.
Upon the metal bar or "back bone" of the machine I fit and fix a spring carrying
a saddle, upon which the rider sits astride in the usual way; but instead of
arranging this saddle nearly above the large front wheel I arrange it further back
and much nearer to the ground; and by this arrangement the rider is in a much
safer position, as it is almost impossible for him to fall over laterally (his feet being
near the ground) or to be thrown forward over the front wheel in descending a hill,
or if the front wheel should meet with any obstruction. At the same time it is
easier to mount and dismount the machine.
In order to propel the bicycle I attach a crank in the usual way to each end of
the axle of the front wheel, and to the lower ends of the fork upon the main bar,
between which the back wheel revolves (or to projections attached to this fork), I
fix bearings which carry the back ends of two horizontal levers or treadles, one of
which is arranged at each side of the machine, the front ends of which are fitted
with suitable pedals or foot plates in a convenient position to be driven by the feet
of the rider.

page_text: To the side bars of the vertical fork, between which the front wheel revolves, I
form or attach horizontal bars projecting backward (one upon each side of the
wheel), the back ends of which carry handles in a suitable position to be grasped
by the hands of the rider, so that he can steer the bicycle by moving the handles
from right to left, or vice versa, and thus causing the vertical fork with the front
wheel to revolve in its bearing or socket. To each of the horizontal bars described
. I attach a bearing or stud which carries a loose pulley revolving freely in planes
parallel to that of the front wheel, and, preferably, having a flange upon each of its
sides, these pulleys being of as large diameter, but as light as possible, and arranged
in such a position that the back of their circumference is over or nearly over the
front ends of the levers or treadles already described.
Upon each side of the machine I arrange a flexible band, cord, or chain of any
suitable material, but, preferably, of leather, one end of which I connect to the crank
upon the axle, and after passing it over the flanged pulley I bring its other end
down and connect it to the front end of the lever or treadle.
Stays or supports of wire or other material may be used to connect together and
strengthen the several parts of the machine, constructed as described.
Instead of arranging handles upon the back ends of the horizontal bars described,
I sometimes fix a transverse bar upon the upper end of the vertical forked bar in
the usual way; but instead of attaching handles to it I connect or joint to its ends
the front ends of two connecting links or bars, the back ends of which are connected
to a corresponding transverse bar, turning upon a vertical pivot or axis fixed to the
frame of the machine at such a point that handles upon its outer ends are in a
convenient position to be grasped by the hands of the rider, who steers the machine
by turning this transverse bar upon its centre, as required, its movement being
transmitted to the vertical fork and the front wheel by the connecting links
described.
I sometimes use no treadles, but attach straps for the feet to the back ends of the
flexible bands or chains.
Instead of the flexible bands or chains passing over pullies, as described, levers
and connecting rods may be used for communicating the movement of the treadles
to the cranks.
In order to guide and control the movement of the treadles and of the back ends
of the flexible bands, I connect those upon the two sides of the bicycle by a flexiblo
cord or band which passes transversely under corresponding pullies fixed to supports
upon the frame of the machine, so that as one treadle is raised it draws the other
treadle down, and vice versa.
Ordinary roller bearings, cone bearings, or other kinds of bearings may be used
in the various parts of the machine, and a brake of any of the ordinary well-known
kinds may be fitted to it as well as the usual foot rests and mounting step.
The action of the machine is as follows:-The rider being seated upon the saddle
facing the large front wheel, places his feet upon the treadles, and by working them
vertically up and down alternately, he causes the cranks to revolve by transmitting
the movement of his feet to them through the leather or other bands passing over
the pullies.