Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
Improvements in Cycles.
I, THILO HERSCHLEB, Manufacturer, of Alter Steinweg, 15, Hamburg, in the
Empire of Germany, 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 for improvements in cycles has for its object to impart to cycles a
greater speed of travel with a less expenditure of driving energy in comparison
therewith, and to make them changeable from a single to a double machine, this
change being effected, without any essential alteration in the construction, by means
of a few fastenings and in a few minutes.
The following are characteristic of the present construction: When used as a
tandem, double armed balance levers fitted on one axle are used, on the free ends of
which the cyclists alternately and simultaneously tread whereby the levers are set in
reciprocating movement. The transmission of this movement to a rotating one of
the crank toothed-wheel takes place on one side of the wheel by means of connecting
rods. The crank toothed wheel engages with the driving axle toothed wheel, without
the intermediation of a chain.
On the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 shows the new cycle construction arranged as a tandem.
Fig. 2 shows in side view and on a somewhat larger scale the parts transmitting the
movement from the treadle-lever axis to the driving axle toothed wheel, whilst
Fig. 3 is a top view thereof together with the axle bracket and the treadles.
Fig. 4 shows a modified form of a single seat bicycle of the present construction
whilst
Fig. 5 shows a top view of the driving gear thereof, on a somewhat enlarged
scale.
In the arrangement represented by Fig. 1 a indicates the axle rotatably inserted in
the head 6 of the back wheel forks c, on the ends of which the treadle levers dd 2 d 3d 4
are arranged in pairs. On the connecting boss of the left hand pair as seen from
the front and at about right angles thereto rises a short lever arm e and on the same
side at about right angles to the right hand pair of levers a similar lever e 2 is fixed to
the axis a. The free ends of these levers are jointedly connected by means of driving
rods ff2 with the crank g on the crank axle fitted on one side to the back wheel
fork. Rigidly fixed to this axle is the toothed wheel i which engages in the driving
axle toothed wheel 2. The connection of the driving rods with the crank g is
effected by means of a socket piece K jointedly connected with the crank and the
driving rod ends. The ratio of transmission between the toothed wheels ii 2 agrees
with the ratio between the lengths of the crank g and the lever e.
Of the pairs of treadle levers arranged on the axle a one pair dd 2 is fixed thereto
whilst the other pair d 3 d 4 can rotate independently. From this arrangement it
follows with reference to the short levers ee 2 above mentioned, that on the downward
movement of the arms d3 and d 2 oppositely arranged and on different sides, a forward
pull is exerted on the crank g, this being in the position shown by Fig. 1, whilst on
pressing down the arms d and d 4 a push backward is effected on the crank. The
treadle effort of both cyclists acts therefore on the free ends of the balance levers in
such manner that the right foot of the front cyclist, and the left foot of the hinder
cyclist and vice versa, move in the same direction.

page_text: The change of the tandem to a single machine is effected by removing the
stays 1 and
after the connection at n and at the driving axle are unfastened. The
arms d2 and d 4 are also taken off.
m,
The single bicycle as shown in Fig. 4 differs from the above mentioned one in
that the treadle levers dd 3 are fitted directly on the axle a of the driving wheel.
From this arises the shorter shape of this form of construction. The arm 3 also,
in this, is fitted, together with the short lever e, loosely on the axle whilst the arm d
with the short lever e 2 are rigidly fastened thereto. The connection of the levers e e 2
with the crank g of the toothed wheel i is made by means of shorter driving rods ff2.
The toothed wheel i is fitted in the diagonal fork stay p and engages with the
wheel 2. The ratio of transmission agrees with the lengths of the crank g and the
levers e e 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A changeable double seated bicycle characterised by a treadle mechanism
arranged for both cyclists on a common axis (a) and consisting of an equal armed
balance lever (d d 2) rigidly attached to this axis and a similar one (d3d4) but
movably fitted thereon, which are so connected, the first by means of a shorter arm (e 2)
firmly fixed to the axle (a) and the latter by means of a similar arm (e) but fitting on
the boss of the balance-lever and through driving rods (ff2) on one side, to the
movable connecting piece (9) of a crank axle (g) fitted in the fork stay (c) with
attached toothed wheel (i) in such manner that the driving axle toothed wheel (2)
engaging with the latter, and therewith the driving wheel, are set in rotation by the
cross-ways movement of the pairs of balance-levers.
2. With a bicycle characterised as above mentioned the arrangement of the fork
stay (m) and the stay (1) easily detachable from the rest of the frame and which carry
the second saddle when the machine is used as a tandem.
3. A form of construction of the described cycle as a single seated one according
to Fig. 4, in which the treadle lever (dd 3) with the shorter arms (e e 2) appertaining
thereto are fitted on the axle (o) of the driving wheel for the purpose of shortening
the machine.
Dated this 14th day of April 1897
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.