Improvements in Tricycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Tricycles.
I, THOMAS WILSON, of York Road, Edgbaston, in the City of Birmingham,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to tricycles, and has for its object, the construction of
a machine which, whilst possessing all the advantages of a bicycle, such as they
may be, shall be safer to ride, easily mounted and dismounted, suitable for
either sex and simple and strong yet cheap in cost and to provide a special
construction of seat, handies and steering gear admitting of an upright position
of the rider.
In order to carry out my invention adapt that type of tricycle in which two
wheels lead and are used for steering and one wheel trails and is driven by the
feet of the rider or by motive power or by an alternative combination. I dispense
with those parts of the machine known as the steering head and handle in front
of the rider and I arrange a fixed axle between the two front wheels at each
extremity of which a wheel is pivotedly connected, the said wheels being coupled
together for steering purposes by a transversely directed rod or link coming
between the pivoted mountings. The part of the machine known technically as
the back bone is connected to the front axle at its middle by a flexible joint and
a transverse spring so that any vertical movements of either steering wheel in
passing over the irregularities of the road are absorbed without appreciable
transmission to the rider. The "back-bone" at an intermediate part of its length
is fitted with a 3 way junction socket which also has lateral bosses. The
back-bone is continued through the socket and is at the back end bifurcated or
formed into a fork for the reception of the driving wheel. The third way of the
socket is continued in an approximately vertical direction and receives the tube
over which the seat or saddle of the rider is placed. The lateral projections of the
3 way socket are bored through for the reception of the driving spindle which
carries at its ends the crank and pedals for driving the back wheel by chain and
sprocket wheels or other gear. The seat may be adjustable both in vertical and
fore and aft direction, said saddle, or the pillar supporting the same carries the
handle bar, which laterally crosses the machine at a slightly lower plane than the
seat and supports and steadies the rider who, by having his hands straight down
when gripping to the handles, is enabled to exert a force additional to his weight
in a vertical direction in the pedals without stooping or leaning forward in an
un-natural position. The machine is alternatively steered either by a lateral
inclination of the rider whose weight causes a part turning or rotatory movement
of the back-bone or a part of the same, which on being transmitted to the rod
or link coupling the pivotted steering wheels, through any suitable connection,
causes them to move in unison to a suitable angle; or by hydraulic or fluid
transmission, the handles of the machine being made so that pressure by the hand
is transmitted, through a small tube contained in the frame work of the machine,
to collapsable bags or pistons connected with the steering rod; or by a series
of links, bell crank rods or other mechanical connections in such a way that

page_text: movement imparted to the handles or to levers carried by the handles, is conveyed
to the steering wheels.
A machine so constructed is open at the front and neat in appearance. It is
easily mounted, dismounted and ridden by persons of either sex, and the steering
wheels may be arranged at short distances apart to enable the machine to be
passed through narrow door-ways. The employment of balance gear as is
necessary in ordinary tricycles is also dispensed with.
Dated this Oth do of Ontabo 1907
I, THOMAS WILSON, of 5, York Road, Edgbaston, in the City of Birmingham,
Gentleman, 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 tricycles, and has for its object, the construction of a
machine which, whilst possessing the advantage of a bicycle, such as they may be,
shall be safer to ride, easily mounted and dismounted, suitable for either sex and
simple and strong yet cheap in cost; also to provide a special construction and
arrangement of the seat, handles and steering gear which admits of the rider sitting
and riding in an upright position.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation of a tricycle
embodying my improvements, and of that type in which two wheels lead and are
used for steering, whilst the third wheel trails and is driven by chain or other gear
operated by the rider.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical section, upon an enlarged scale, of a portion of
the front axle, showing its connections with one of the steering wheels.
Figure 4 is an elevation of Figure 2, and Figure 5 is an underside plan, partly in
section of Figure 4.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.
The said tricycle comprises a main frame member or back-bone a, the hind
portion a¹, of which constitutes the seat tube, into the top of which the seat
pillar b, sockets and is adjustable, being secured there by the seat lug 64, and
upon the horizontal member 62, of which the saddle or seat b, is clamped, whilst a
rearward extension 63, thereof forms a guide eye, wherein the upper end of a
vertical steering post c, terminated at the summit by curved handle bars c', turns
as a bearing. The said handle bars are curved or extended forwardly and come
upon the two opposite sides of and about on a level with, the saddle b. The upper
portion c², of the said steering post which has a clamping clip c³, sockets onto and
is adjustable relative to, the lower portion ct, whose lower end c³, carries a cross
end or double arm c", to which the after parts d², of a pair of connecting rods d¹,
are jointed at d³, with the fore ends d, (see particulars Figures 2 and 5) connected
by pins el, to the side arms e³, of a double bell-cranked lever è, pivoted at e², to the
underside of the front axle member f, carried by the forward part a², of the

page_text: principal frame member or back bone, and having an oscillating arm e', the free
end of which engages into an eye g¹, of a transverse coupling rod g, running
parallel with the axle, and having its ends g², pivotally connected at g³, to curved
levers h', connected to the shanks h2, of the axle arms or spindles h, upon which
the hubs , of the steering wheels i, rotate. The said shanks 2, of the axle arms,
have vertical pivot ends or bearings h³, with the he-coned lower ends h4, taking
into seatings f, in the brackets f2, terminating the cross axle f, whilst the upper
and she-coned ends ³, receive the points of set pins he, taking through screwed
holes in the top walls of the end brackets f2, and by the screwing up of which the
adjustment of these bearings is effected.
The driving wheel j, runs between chain stays a³, and back stays a*, proceeding
rearwardly from the principal member a, which carries a bottom bracket or crank
axle bearing a³, for receiving the crank axle aº, on which is mounted the driving
sprocket wheel a', and cranks a³, carrying the pedals a³, and by which motion is
transmitted to the said driving wheel j, through a drive chain a¹0, and driven
sprocket wheel al, carried by the axle a12, secured to the fork ends a¹³, in which
the chain and back stays a³, a, are connected together at their after ends.
By the steering handles being arranged adjacent to and at a slightly lower plane
than the seat, the rider is supported and steadied, and by having his hands straight
down when gripping the handles, he is enabled to exert a force additional to his
weight in a vertical direction on the pedals without stooping or leaning forward in
an unnatural position. The steering is effected by turning the handle bars about
the steering post as a centre, and their motion is communicated through the system
of connecting rods and levers to the centres carrying the axle arms, one of which is
turned inwards and the other outwards, carrying the steering wheels with them and
the said steering wheels are returned to their, normal and lignable positions by the
involuntary act of the rider.
A tricycle constructed as herein described is neat in appearance and is perfectly
open or without obstacles at the front to hinder or obstruct the mounting of a
person of either sex. The steering wheels may be arranged at a short distance
apart to enable the machine to be passed through narrow door-ways.
employment of balance gear as is necessary in ordinary tricycles is also dispensed
with.
The
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 tricycle, having two front steering wheels respectively pivoted vertically
at the opposite ends of a fixed axle, to the middle of which the backbone or
principal member of the framing of the machine is connected, substantially as and
for the purpose herein set forth.
(2) A tricycle in which the forward part of the framing carries a fixed axle, to the
opposite ends of which the steering wheels are pivotted and are turned in common
for steering the machine by a system of rods and levers actuated by handle bars
in connection with a steering pillar rearwards of the riders seat, substantially as
and for the purpose as described and set forth.
(3) An open fronted tricycle, with the handle bars, which proceed from a
steering post arranged behind the riders seat and disposed on the opposite sides of,
and somewhat in the same plane as, the said seat, substantially as and for the
purpose described and set forth.
(4) In tricycles, mounting the steering wheels upon turning arms carried by
vertical pivots, mounted in brackets on the ends of a fixed front axle, said arms
being turned by a handle, steering pillar, and system of connecting rods and levers,
substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
(5) The improved construction of open-fronted tricycle framing, having a fixed
axle, and a backbone or principal member proceeding therefrom and into a seat

page_text: tube, which is supported by angularly arranged back and chain stays, rearwardly
terminated in back jaws carrying the axle of a trailing driving wheel, substantially
as and for the purpose herein described and set forth.