AN IMPROVED HAND-POWER GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ERNEST HOWARD GREY of No 290, Essex Road, Islington, in the County of
Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED HAND-POWER GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES, to be as follows:-
Velocipedes of modern make aro almost entirely driven by leg power and are
devoid of any contrivance for utilising the muscular power of the arms and
shoulders.
My invention is designed to supply a simple and convenient arrangement, which
can be added to any Velocipede, by means of which the rider can at will employ
manu-motive force as a substitute for leg power or as an addition thereto, and as a
means of assisting the rider in mounting hills or to afford a rest to the legs when
fatigued.
To the end of the treadle-crank or arm or to the end of a lever projecting from
the driving axle or from the chain wheel of the driving axle of the machine,
I attach a connecting rod which works freely thereon, and projects upwards
towards the rider.
At the upper end of this rod and hinged thereto, is a horizontal lever one end of
which is hinged to a suitable clip or fastening, which is attached to a convenient
part of the frame of the machine which end forms the fulcrum of the lever, while
the other end forms the handle to which pressure is applied.
The connecting rod is so fitted as to be readily movable to different points on
the horizontal lever, according to the amount of leverage required.
By pressing down the handle of the horizontal lever above mentioned with one
hand, power is transmitted to the crank or lever on the driving axle and the
velocipede is impelled forward or backward as required.
One of these improved hand-power gears would be sufficient for a Velocipede, in
most cases, thus leaving the other arm free for steering or to act as a fulcrum for
the force of the shoulders when exerted through the arm employed in actuating
the horizontal lever, but two hand-power gears can be attached if preferred.
The handle of the horizontal lever of my hand-power gear is pleaced conveniently
under the arm of the rider, so that a direct downward thrust is communicated to
the lever or crank on the driving axle of the machine. The lever is thus set in

page_text: motion by an easy. convenient and powerful downward pressure, which does not
in anyway interfere with the force of the foot action, but is found practically to
be a great assistance thereto, especially in climbing hills.
By utilising in this manner the hitherto unemployed force of the arm and
shoulder muscles, extra power is gained and relief can be afforded to the muscles
of the legs when desired.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Hand-power Gear for Velocipedes.
I, ERNEST HOWARD GREY of 290, Essex Road, Islington in the County of
Middlesex, Surgeon Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED HAND-POWER GEAR FOR VELOCIPEDES, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention is designed to supply a simple and efficient hand-gear which
can be added to almost any pattern of modern Tricycle or Bicycle without
interference with the usual foot action, and which will enable the rider to
apply the full force of the powerful biceps and pectoral muscles, as well as the
weight of the upper part of the body, at present carried mainly by the seat, to
assist in propelling the machine, either as a substitute for leg power, or in addition
thereto, and especially for aid when mounting hills, or as a rest for the legs when
fatigued.
My improved hand-gear can be used if preferred on both sides of the machine,
as for instance in the case of double machines for two riders, or for racers, but the
ordinary rider will find it quite sufficient if placed on one side only.
It consists of a vertical, or nearly vertical, rod placed directly under the arm of
the rider, the lower end of which rod is an eye, or ball bearing, and is attached to
a, projecting pin, or nut-pin of peculiar construction, which screws on the end of
the pedal or to a similar pin on a lever projected from the driving axle, or such
lever may be fixed to the outside of the end chain wheel of the driving axle,
according to the construction of the machine.
This short lever attached to the driving axle, or to the pedal, can be made when
preferred with an elongated pear shaped aperture, toothed at one end and so formed

page_text: that when pushed backward it engages with the pin or axle and when drawi
forward it is out of gear.
At the upper or lower end of the aforesaid vertical rod is hinged a horizontal
lever the fore-end of which, when as is preferred it is placed above the connecting
rod, forms the handle, on which the hand of the rider rests, while the rear-end is
hinged to a suitable clip or fastening, which is attached to a convenient part of the
frame of the machine.
The connecting rod is fitted with a slide and rack arrangement so as to be readily
adjustable as to its length and it is also adjustable at the point of contact with the
horizontal lever above or below so that it can be lengthened or shortened, and set
forward or backward as preferred; thus giving varying powers.
When used on both sides of a machine the hand-gear can be combined on one
side with the ordinary steering gear by the addition of a pinion wheel and rack or
quadrant, and two short levers with the necessary connecting rods as shewn in the
accompanying drawings or by means of other suitable mechanism.
This combination must necessarily vary with the construction of the machine,
and the position of the steering wheel. The nut-pin before referred to (see Fig. V)
is substituted for the ordinary nut at the end of treadle, and screws on the treadle
bolt in its place. It is a nut with a cylindrical exterior and presents a smooth
circular bearing for the eye (F) of the connecting rod.
It terminates in an aperture for a key, or if preferred the outer end is screwed
so as to carry a nut, the object of the nut and key being to prevent the eye of
the aforesaid rod from slipping off the bearing.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters refer to similar parts throughout.
Fig. I. represents the most usual and recommended form of my apparatus
detached from the machine.
Fig. II. shews the hand-gear combined with an arrangement for steering pur-
poses.
Fig. III, shews the small lever for fixing to the outer side of the chain wheel at
the end of the driving axle.
Fig. IV shews the axle lever with pear-shaped aperture.
Fig. V shews a full-size section of the nut-pin which is fixed on end of treadle,
with a nut (Z) and washer (W) attached. x is the space where the eye F works.
A. denotes the horizontal lever.
B. is the fulcrum of A.
C. is a form of clip or fastening.
D. is the vertical rod.
E. is the adjustable joint.
F. is the eye or bearing.
G. is a forin of lever to be attached to the driving axle.
H. is a lever to be attached to flange of chain-wheel at end of driving
axle.
I. is the handle.
K. is the adjustable joint.
L. is the pinion and rack, and
M. M. are two short levers added for steering purposes.
N. is the front steering wheel of the machine.
O. O. are two connecting rods hinged at Q and held in place by the link S.
P. is the pear-shaped eye or aperture of G.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A hand-power gear for Velocipedes to be placed at the rider's side directly
under his arm, and consisting of two levers connected by an adjustable rod, the
first of which is an adjustable horizontal lever which actuates a second lever on the

page_text: driving axle, by means of an adjustable connecting rod, and the second may be so
constructed as to be readily set in or out of gear as required.
2. A hand-power gear so placed as to be kept in action by a direct up and down
motion of the rider's arm, and is readily applied to any form of tricycle.
3. A combined hand-power gear as herein described combined with a hand-
steering arrangement substantially as herein set-forth.