A New or Improved Gymnastic Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Feb., 1893-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Gymnastic Apparatus.
We, CORNELIUS LATELLE and RICHARD LATELLE, both of Gosta Green, in
the City of Birmingham, Professional Gymnasts, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed new or improved gymnastic
apparatus.
We provide a bicycle or other velocipede having the rim of its wheel or the rims
of its wheels grooved to run along a wire or other rope which is stretched from
point to point some distance above the ground. Suspended from this bicycle or
other velocipede is a frame (which we call the revolving trapeze frame) of
hexagonal, square, or other regular form mounted upon a central horizontal axle or
upon a divided axle arranged to revolve in bearings formed or fixed to downwardly
projecting side prolongations of the frame of the bicycle or other velocipede. This
revolving trapeze frame consists of two sides formed of light strong tubes or rods
braced together, the two sides being fixed at a certain distance apart by horizontal
tubes or rods at two or more corners or other points of the sides. From each of
these horizontal tubes or rods between the sides depends one or more trapezes or a
ring or rings or other gymnastic contrivance for the various performers. Endless
driving chains or other gearing with or without an intermediate shaft or shafts
transmit rotary motion from the pedal axle of the bicycle or other velocipede to
the axle or divided axle of the said trapeze frame so that as the bicycle or other
velocipede is by its rider or riders propelled along the wire or other rope the said
trapeze frame and the performers thereon are caused to revolve which has a novel
and startling effect.
Dated this 6th day of May 1892
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Gymnastic Apparatus.
We, CORNELIUS LATELLE and RICHARD LATELLE, both of Gosta Green, in
the City of Birmingham, Professional Gymnasts, 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 consists of the hereindescribed new or improved gymnastic
apparatus in which a revolving trapeze frame for two or more performers is
suspended from and driven by endless chains and chain wheels from a bicycle or
other velocipede which is adapted to be propelled along a tight rope or wire, the
trapeze frame and the connections to the velocipede being so arranged that the
trapeze frame revolves in the same plane or in a plane parallel with the wheel or
wheels of the velocipede.
On the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a general view of one arrangement of this invention adapted to run
along an aerial tight rope or wire ;
Fig. 2 shews the same apparatus but arranged to be suspended for use in
buildings or places where there is not room for the apparatus to travel along a
tight rope or wire; and
Fig. 3 shews a modification of my invention.

page_text: We provide a bicycle A (or other velocipede) having the rim of its wheel or the
rims of its wheels grooved to run along a wire or other rope B which is stretched
from point to point some distance above the ground. Suspended from this bicycle A
or other velocipede is a frame 'C' C' (which we call the revolving trapeze frame)
of hexagonal (Figs. 1 and 2) square, diamond shaped (Fig. 3) or other regular
form mounted upon a central horizontal divided axle D' D' arranged parallel with
the pedal axle I of the bicycle or other velocipede and to revolve in bearings E E
formed in or fixed to downwardly projecting side prolongations F1 F2 of the
frame G of the bicycle A or other velocipede. This revolving trapeze frame
consists of two sides marked respectively CC formed of light strong tubes or rods
braced together as shewn the two sides C' C' being fixed at a certain distance
apart by horizontal tubes or rods C at two or more corners or other points of the
sides. In the arrangement shewn by Figures 1 and 2 there are three of these
cross tubes or rods C and in the arrangement shewn by Fig. 3 there are two of
them. From each of these horizontal tubes or rods C between the sides C¹ C'
depends one or more trapezes H or there may be a ring or rings or other gymnastic
contrivance for the various performers. The frame G which supports the revolving
trapeze frame C₁ C² is by preference made as shewn as a bow shaped downward
continuation of the fork which carries the bearings of the pedal axle I.
The pedal axle I of the bicycle or other velocipede is turned by one or more of
the performers and rotary motion therefrom is transmitted to the intermediate
driving shaft J by means of the endless driving chains K' K and from the shaft J
by the endless driving chains L' L' to the axle or divided axle D' D' of the said
trapeze frame CC so that as the bicycle or other velocipede A is by its rider or
riders propelled along the wire or other rope B the trapeze frame C C³ and the
performers thereon are caused to revolve in the same plane as or in a plane parallel
with the cycle wheels which has a novel and startling effect.
As it requires greater nerve and skill to perform on trapezes or other like
gymnastic contrivances when mounted upon a revolving frame as above described
such trapezes or other like gymnastic contrivances are much more useful in training
athletes than are trapezes as usually made to swing only.
When the building or other place in which the said apparatus is used is so small
as to not allow of the said apparatus travelling along the tight rope or wire B then
the bicycle or unicycle or velocipede part A of the apparatus can be suspended from
some fixed point by side ropes such as M¹ M' (see Fig. 2) which are connected to
the frame G and kept steady by guy ropes such as N N N N connected to the
frame G and some fixed point to prevent the apparatus from swaying about.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The new
or improved gymnastic apparatus herein before described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings consisting of a bicycle or other velocipede
adapted to be propelled (Figs. 1 and 3) along a tight rope or wire, or to be
suspended (Fig. 2) by a rope or wire, and carrying a trapeze frame which is
suspended from the said bicycle or other velocipede and is mounted upon a divided
axle and receives rotary motion by endless chains and chain wheels from the pedal
axle of the bicycle or other velocipede so as to revolve in the same plane as or in a
plane parallel with the velocipede wheel or wheels the said trapeze frame carrying
two or more trapezes or other like gymnastic contrivances, all substantially as
herein before set forth.
2. In a gymnastic apparatus of the kind denoted under Claim 1 the employment
of the means hereindescribed for suspending the revolving trapeze frame from the
bicycle or other velocipede and for transmitting rotary motion from the pedal axle
of the same to the said trapeze frame arranged substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In combination with a bicycle or other velocipede constructed to be propelled

page_text: along a tight rope or wire, the use of a revolving trapeze frame suspended from the
said bicycle or other velocipede and mounted upon a divided axle and arranged to
receive rotary motion from the pedal axle so that as the bicycle or other velocipede
is propelled along the tight rope or wire the trapeze frame will revolve in the same
plane as or in a plane parallel with the plane of the wheel or wheels of the
velocipede, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved
gymnastic apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 6th day of February 1893.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicants.