Year: 1895

page_text: being date of first Foreign Application (in 23rd July, 1894
United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 23rd Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 23rd Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
I, JOHN GILLINGHAM, of Wilmington, in the County of New Castle, State of
Delaware, United States of America, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved bicycle; and the object of the same is to
provide an improved machine in which if so desired both the propelling and the
steering may be accomplished through the medium of the handle bars.
The invention consists in the novel features of construction hereinafter fully
described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved bicycle. Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the machine shown partly in
section.
A designates the steering head of the forward wheel which is projected vertically
through the forward end of the frame and which carries at its upper end the
T-arm A. Extended rearward from the extremities of the said T-arm are the
rods B which are connected at their opposite ends to the bar B' which is suitably
supported to turn on the upper portion C of the machine frame, and supported on
the upper side of the bar B¹ and secured thereto is the bevel pinion B
D is the main operating shaft of the machine which is extended vertically
through the frame as shown, passing through bar B₁ and gear B" the latter
however not being permanently secured to the shaft. Upon the upper end of the
shaft D are the handle bars E which are connected to said shaft by joint E which
allows the handles a vertical vibratory movement without affecting the shaft but
which when vibrated horizontally turn the shaft for the purpose presently to be
explained.
F is a platform or disc concentric with shaft D and positioned immediately
beneath handle bars E, and the same is loosely secured to the upper end of
standards F¹ in order to permit of a vertical vibrating motion in a line transverse
the length of the machine. Loose connection between the disc and standards is
effected by turning inward the upper ends of the standards and engaging them in
suitable sockets or bearings in the under side of the disc.
Journalled on portion of the bicycle frame is the short shaft G having loosely
secured to its forward end the bevel gear G' while immediately behind said bevel
gear and loose on the shaft is the sprocket wheel H. Sprocket chain 1 is secured
at its ends to the opposite sides of the under surface of disc F and depends around
said sprocket wheel as shown so that when the machine is to be guided by moving
or tilting vertically the bandle bars which gives a corresponding movement to the

page_text: disk the said movement is effected which as it will be seen operates or rotates the
sprocket wheel through the medium of said chain and rotating shaft G turns
the bevel gears G and B, transmitting the motion in this manner to rods B and
from them to the steering head as will be readily understood. Gear G¹ which is
loosely mounted on shaft G is clamped thereto by nut g while the sprocket wheel H
is similarly secured to the shaft by nut h. The shaft and both of these parts are
made rigid when the machine is to be steered in the manner just described. When
however the machine is to steered by a horizontal turning or reciprocation of the
handle bars the nuts g and h are loosened so as to loosen gear G₁ and sprocket H
and at the same time nut bon shaft. D immediately above sprocket B is
lowered thus clamping the sprocket wheel B and cross bar B₁ to the said shaft so
that when the latter is turned by the handle bars as before stated the bar B' will
be turned and the desired motion communicated to the steering head through the
rods B. When the steering is accomplished as last described the disc remains in a
fixed position with the handle bars moving concentrically over its top surface and
the said bars are provided with rubber friction rollers e on their under sides so as to
render the movement of the bars easy over said disk.
The lower portion 11 of the machine frame is bifurcated well up toward its
forward end and shaft D extends down between the arms forming the bifurcation
and loosely secured to the lower end of said shaft is the cross arm J which is adapted
to be securely held to the shaft by nut j. The extremities of arm J are connected
to the lower ends of the levers K which are suitably journaled in the forward end
of portion of the frame while the upper ends of the said bell crank levers are
connected by rods L to the crank of the sprocket carrying shaft M and from this
shaft the rear wheel of the machine is driven in the usual manner by means of a
sprocket chain. The long arms N of the levers are provided with pedals N¹ for use
when the machine is to be worked by the feet.
By means of the arrangement herein shown and described it will be understood
that with arm J made rigid with shaft D the latter by being vibrated will actuate
the levers which in turn will keep in motion the sprocket shaft. M. Thus the
drivin of the machine may be effected entirely through the medium of the handle
bars, or it may be operated by the same in conjunction with the pedals, or it may
be propelled by the pedals alone if so desired and when operated as last mentioned
the arm J at the lower end of shaft D will be loosened so that said shaft will be
entirely free for steering purposes in case it is desired to guide the machine by
moving horizontally the handle bars.
.
The steering head A. with its T-arm A' is held normally in a fixed position by
coil spring O which extends inward from a stud T on said arm A¹ the inner end of
said spring being connected to portion C of the frame. In this manner the steering
head if so held as to guide the machine normally straight ahead. Depending from
the under side of the disk is an arm Q which is connected to frame C by spring.Q¹
and in this manner the said disk is held from wabbling and maintained normally in
a horizontal position.
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. An improved bicycle comprising a propelling mechanism, handle bars adapted
to vibrate horizontally for actuating the propelling mechanism, a steering
mechanism and a disk pivotally mounted on the frame for operating the
steering mechanism, said disk being operated by the handle bars' while they
are furnishing impetus to the propelling mechanism, substantially as shown and
described.
2. An improved bicycle comprising a propelling mechanism, handle bars adapted
to vibrate horizontally for the purpose of actuating said propelling mechanisin, a
steering mechanism, a disk pivotally mounted on the frame for operating the
steering mechanism and which is arranged immediately beneath the handle bars

page_text: so as to be tilted by the latter while they are furnishing impetus to the propelling
mechanism, substantially as shown and described.
3. An improved bicycle comprising the tilting disk, the handle bars for operating
it, the chain depending from the tilting disk, the sprocket carrying shaft which is
actuated by said chain, the steering mechanism and gears interposed between the
same and the said shaft for operating it, and a driving mechanism, substantially as
shown and described.
4. An improved bicycle comprising a frame, a vertical revoluble shaft in the
frame, handle bars adapted to vibrate vertically on the upper end of the shaft,
standards on the frame, a disk having bearing on the standards and which is
adapted to be tilted by the handle bars, a steering mechanism adapted to be
operated by the disk when tilted and a driving mechanism actuated by said shaft,
substantially as shown and described.
5. An improved bicycle comprising a vertical revoluble shaft, the handle bars
for vibrating the same, the cross arm at the lower end of the shaft, levers K, long
pedal arms N projected therefrom, rods connecting the ends of the cross arms with
the said levers K, a sprocket driving shaft, and rods L connecting said levers with
the sprocket shaft, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1895.