IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES, INCLUDING CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WHEELS & SPANNERS BELONGING THERETO, & WHICH MAY BE USED INDEPENDENTLY."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry John Lawson at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th December 1878.
HENRY JOHN LAWSON, Engineer, of London Road Viaduct, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES,
INCLUDING CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WHEELS & SPANNERS BELONGING
THERETO, & WHICH MAY BE USED INDEPENDENTLY."
My Invention consists of certain improvements whereby advantages are obtained
as compared with the methods and arrangements usually employed in velocipedes
and their wheels and spanners. It relates to the construction of tricycles in such &
manner that the axle of the tricycle is made in two pieces, which with suitable
mechanism is constructed to lengthen or shorten so as to cause the wheels to
approach nearer or farther apart for the purpose of portability so as to permit the
machine to pass through an ordinary doorway. The wheels are made both to drive
by the use of a small spring piston sliding across nave, the point protruding into a
toothed wheel attached to axle so that the axle cannot turn without turning
the wheels although the wheels can turn without the axle. A small crank with
suitable connections is attached to the steering handle and also acts upon the spring
piston in such a manner that it can only withdraw from the teeth of the wheel and
driving axle when the steering necessitates it. When preferable this object is
attained by the use of a cone, as described in my Specification presented with
Petition on the 22 June 1878, the protection for which has not yet expired. The
seat may be a saddle if preferred, in which case the block is constructed with the
pieces mentioned in the aforesaid Specification of the 22nd June 1878.
The wheels are constructed with oval or flat spokes placed so as to cut the
wind. An outer covering of suitable material covers them on each side of the
wheel, and can be made of material strong enough to obviate the use of spokes.
The machine is propelled by the use of hands and feet; the steering being effected
by the horizontal motion of hand described in the aforesaid Specification. The
backbone or frame is constructed of two pieces, one of which is U shaped, the other
passing under the middle. A handle is attached to seat adjustably by means of a

page_text: snail piece attached to the side of a spanner, the same turning on a pivot so that
the handle when pulled closes the aperture and renders it more rigid, as described
in the aforesaid Specification. A covering is placed overhead so as to shield the
rider from the weather. The communication between levers and axle is such as to
obviate the loss of power in an ordinary crank, the chain, band, or rod from levers
passes over two loose drums turning on axle, to which are attached discs carrying
loose snails or claws which rest on or in teeth cut in the loose discs. The levers
are made to alternate in their action by a cross rod moving on an axis in the
centre.
As will be observed most if not all these improvements are applicable to bicycles 1
and other forms of velocipede, as will be shown in Final Specification.