Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Apr., 1891-Accepted, 23rd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
A communication to me from abroad by J. L. F. Schulze, of Seyda, in the
Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles of different kinds, but more
particularly tricycles, and the object of the invention is to provide improved means
and mechanism for driving and steering the cycle. The improved driving
mechanism allows of adjustment to different rates of speed by means of gear wheels
of different size capable of being shifted into and out of gear according to the
desired rate of speed, and the steering mechanism consists essentially of devices
for steering or turning the front or steering wheel simultaneously with the hind or
main wheels, whereby greater facility, rapidity, and security, are obtained in
steering the cycle.
The driving mechanism consists of handles to be turned by hand, and of pedals
to be worked by the foot, the handles and pedals being connected to each other by
the rods.
Upon the axle of the handles four toothed wheels are mounted of different
sizes, the said wheels being loosely fitted upon the shaft and capable of being
adjusted in a desired position by screws, for gearing with one or other of four
corresponding wheels upon a parallel shaft below. The lower shaft has also
mounted upon it a chain wheel from which an endless chain passes round a corre-
sponding chain wheel upon a horizontal shaft above the axle of the main driving
wheels. This shaft carries bevel wheels gearing with corresponding bevel wheels
upon two vertical axles upon which chain wheels are formed or secured. Chains pass
from these wheels to corresponding chain wheels having bevel wheels formed or
secured to them, the said bevel wheels being in gear with corresponding bevel
wheels, upon the separate short axles of the two hind or main wheels. Motion is
thereby imparted by the handles to the said wheels, as will be readily understood.
The short horizontal axles are firmly secured to the main wheels and are carried
in bearings provided in a strap or frame arranged to turn between vertical points or
bearings above and below. The said straps are provided with arms to which are
jointed horizontal rods the front ends of which are jointed to a cross bar or lever,
upon a vertical steering rod in front.
The said steering rod is forked at its lower end and the front steering wheel is
carried in bearings in the fork.
At the upper end of the steering rod is fixed a lever to which a handle is attached,
and a ratchet or catch is fitted upon the lever engaging with a toothed segment by
which it is held in position.
The lever on being turned in one or the other direction will turn the steering
rod, the cross bar and by nicans of the connecting rods the straps or frames, thus
causing each of the wheels of the cycle to take a position tangential to an arc
concentric with those of the other wheels.
By the steering motion being thus simultaneously imparted to the several wheels
the advantage is obtained, that while proceeding in a curve every wheel will at any
time keep the tangential position to the curve and that in consequence each of the
wheels exactly follows the whole of the curve. The main wheels, therefore, have
no longer the tendency, as in the usual construction of cycles, to proceed in a

page_text: straight direction while the steering wheel moves in a curve, which is greatly
obstructive in beginning to describe a curve. Within the frame of the cycle a box
or casing is arranged, carried in the front by the steering spindle and behind by the
straps, or frames which turn upon centres as described.
The driving mechanism is secured to a framework within the said box or casing,
and the framework also carries a seat or saddle from which the driving and steering
mechanism may both be conveniently worked and controlled.
The outer part of the handles is separate from the inner part, and is fixed upon
the pin or stud which carries the connecting rod to the handle, and by adjusting
and fixing the position of this outer part the throw of the handles may be varied,
as desired, and by changing the gear of the differently sized wheels upon their
shafts the speed in driving the cycle may also be varied as may be found
convenient.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1890
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
A. communication to me from Johann Leopold Friedrich Schulze, of Seyda, in
the Empire of Germany, Engineer.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say:
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cycles, and more
particularly in tricycles, and the object of the invention is to provide improved
means and mechanism for driving and steering the cycle. The improved driving
mechanism allows of adjustment for different rates of speed by means of gear
wheels of different sizes, capable of being shifted into gear and out of gear
according to the desired rate of speed, and the steering mechanism consists
essentially in a method of steering or turning the front or steering wheel simul-
taneously with the hind or main wheels, whereby greater facility, rapidity and
security are obtained in steering the cycle.
In the accompanying drawing which is in illustration of the invention, Figure 1
is a longitudinal section of a tricycle, Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same,
partly in section, Figure 3 is a plan of the same, Figure 4 is a plan of the steering
mechanism, Figures 5 and 6 are respectively, a side elevation and front view of the
connecting device between the treadle and handle-driving mechanism of the
cycle.
The driving mechanism consists of handles A to be turned by hand, and of
pedals B to be worked by the foot, these two driving means being connected to each
other by the rods C.
On the shaft D of the handles A four gear wheels are mounted of different
sizes, the said wheels being loosely arranged upon the shaft and capable of being
adjusted in the desired position by screws, for the purpose of gearing with one of
the four wheels on the shaft E. The said shaft E has further mounted upon it a
chain wheel K from which an endless chain G passes round a corresponding chain
wheel upon a shaft H which carries the bevel wheels K gearing with correspond-
ing bevel wheels L upon which chain wheels are formed or secured. Chains M
pass from the said wheels L to corresponding chain wheels N having bevel wheels

page_text: formed upon or secured to them, and the said bevel wheels N gear with the corre-
sponding bevel wheels P carried by the hind or main wheels O. Motion is thereby
imparted by the handles A to the said wheels O, as will be readily understood.
The horizontal shaft P' is firmly secured to the wheel 0 and bevel gear P, the
said shaft P¹ being carried in bearings provided in a strap R arranged so as to turn
between vertical points QQ'. The said strap R is provided with an arm R'
arranged to engage with the rod S, the front end of which is jointed to the cross
bar or lever T of the steering rod T.
The said rod T carries in a bifurcation at its lower end the steering wheel and at
it upper end a lever U, carrying a handle and a ratchet or pawl U₁ to engage with
the toothed segment V.
As will be clearly seen from Figure 4, the lever U, on being turned in one or the
other direction, will turn the steering rod T, the cross bar T, and (through the
rods S) the straps R, thus causing each of the wheels of the cycle to take a position
tangential to an arc concentric with those of the other wheels.
By this coincidence of steering motion simultaneously imparted to the several
wheels the advantage is obtained, that when proceeding within a curve every wheel
will keep the tangential position to the curve and that, in consequence each of the
wheels exactly follows the whole of the curve. The main wheels, therefore, do not
have the tendency, as with the usual constructions of cycles, to proceed in a straight
direction while the steering wheel enters into a curve, which is greatly obstructive in
beginning to enter a curve. Within the frame of the cycle a box or casing W is
arranged, carried in the front by the steering spindle T and behind by the straps R
and wheels O, turning on the centres Q, Q
The driving mechanism is secured to a frame-work within the said box or casing W,
and the said frame-work also carries a seat or saddle X from which the driving and
steering mechanisms may both conveniently be worked and controlled.
By changing the position of the handle A on the bolt or stud Y, Figures 5 and 6,
the throw of the said handle may be varied as desired, and by changing the gear of
the different sized wheels on the shafts D and E, the speed in driving the cycle
may also be varied as may be found convenient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A cycle having an adjustable driving mechanism to be worked by handles and
pedals the speed of which may be varied by changing the gear of wheels of different
sizes upon the shafts D and E, which transmit motion to the main wheels O by
chains G and M and bevel gearing, substantially as described and shewn.
2. A cycle having an adjustable driving mechanism to be worked by handles and
pedals, gear wheels to transmit motion to the main wheels O, straps R turning
between centre points Q, Q', to hold the said main wheels O, an arm R¹ provided
to each strap R and engaging with a rod S, for the purpose of simultaneously
steering all the wheels by turning the lever U of the steering spindle T engaging
with the toothed segment V, substantially as and for the purpose described and
shewn.
Dated this 21st day of April 1891.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.