IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Michael Mary Brophy, of No. 2, South Street, South
Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 29th October 1878, and dated the 15th May 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Michael Mary Brophy at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1878.
MICHAEL MARY BROPHY, of No. 2, South Street, South Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES."
This Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and velocipedes. In
place of providing cranks upon the axle of the main wheel of a bicycle for the
purpose of driving the same, as is now usual, I mount upon the axle levers capable
of turning freely upon it, and these levers carry the treadles. The levers have
pawls mounted upon them, and there are small wheels or pulleys fixed upon
the axis of the main wheel. These parts are so arranged that when the treadle
carrying the lever with it is depressed by the foot of the rider the pawl on the
lever engages with the corresponding small wheel or pulley upon the main axle,
and all move round together, the axle carrying the main wheel with it. When
however the lever rises the pawl passes freely over the periphery of the small wheel
or pulley, and has no influence upon the rotation of the main wheel and axle. The
treadle levers on the two sides of the main wheel are connected by a cord passing
around a pulley carried upon the head of the forked frame, so that the descent of
one lever causes the rise of the other. The small wheels or pulleys with which the
pawls engage may have teeth upon their peripheries, and the pawls may drop. into
the intervals between the teeth, but I can also employ nipping pawls, acting upon
small wheels or pulleys made without teeth.
In some cases I employ brake straps in lieu of pawls. The lever then in each
case carries around with it a brake strap, so arranged as to embrace the small wheel
or pulley tightly when the lever is pressed down, but to release it when the lever
11

page_text: and treadle rise. These brake straps are available also to check the progress of the
bicycle when desired, or where pawls are employed in the driving gear separate
brake straps may be applied to the peripheries of the small wheels or pulleys with
which the pawls engage. The brakes may be brought into action by rotating the
steering handle of the bicycle, so causing it to wind up cords connected with levers,
which when moved tighten the brake straps around the small wheels or pulleys.
This Invention is also applicable to velocipedes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Michael Mary Brophy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
November 1878.
MICHAEL MARY BROPHY, of No. 2, South Street, South Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND VELOCIPEDES."
ע
This Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and velocipedes. In
place of providing cranks upon the axle of the main wheel of a bicycle for the
purpose of driving the same, as is now usual, I mount upon the axle levers capable
of turning freely upon it, and these levers carry the treadles. The levers have
what are known as silent pawls mounted upon them, and there are small wheels or
pulleys fixed upon the axis of the main wheel. These parts are so arranged that
when the treadle carrying the lever with it is depressed by the foot of the rider the
pawl on the lever engages with the corresponding small wheel or pulley upon the
inain axle, and all move round together, the axle carrying the main wheel with it.
When however the lever rises the pawl passes freely over the periphery of the small
wheel or pulley, and has no influence upon the rotation of the main wheel and axle.
The small wheels and pawls may be made either with or without teeth. Each
treadle lever after being depressed is brought back to its highest position by a
spring, or the treadle levers on the two sides of the main wheel may be connected
by a cord passing around a pulley carried upon the head of the forked frame, so
that the descent of one lever causes the rise of the other.
In some cases I employ brake straps in lieu of pawls. The lever then in each
case carries around with it a brake strap, so arranged as to embrace the small
wheels or pulley tightly when the lever is pressed down, but to release it when
the lever and treadle rise. These brake straps are available also to check the
progress of the bicycle when desired, or where pawls are employed in the driving
gear separate brake straps may be applied to the peripheries of the small wheels or
pulleys with which the pawls engage. The brakes may be brought into action by.
rotating the steering handle of the bicycle, so causing it to wind up cords connected
with levers, which when moved tighten the brake straps around the small wheels
or pulleys.
In the Drawings hereunto annexed I have shewn parts of bicycles constructed
according to my Invention.

page_text: Figure 1 shews a side view of a bicycle, constructed as herein-before described,
with nipping pawls carried by the treadle levers to act upon small wheels secured
to the axle of the main wheel.
Figure 2 shews separately the axle of the main wheel of this bicycle and the
parts in connection therewith; Figure 3 shews on a larger scalo a section of one end
of the same.
A is the axle of the main wheel; B, the fork, at the extremity of which are the
bearings for the axle ; C, the stem of the fork, upon which are the steerage handles D
as usual. Upon the axle are fixed by keys two small wheels E; these wheels, as
shewn at Figure 3, replace the ordinary crank arms by which the treadle blocks of
a bicycle are ordinarily carried, and they serve to keep the end of the fork in its
proper position. The end of the fork with friction rollers interposed between itself
and the axle is formed in the manner now for the most part usual. F are the
treadle levers, capable of turning on the boss of the wheel E, and carrying silent
pawls G to engage with the periphery of the wheels E. The pawls turn on pins
carried by the levers, and the nose or acting extremity of the pawl is pressed con-
stantly towards the periphery of the wheel by reason of the rear end of the pawl
bearing against a small block X of vulcanized india-rubber, as shewn; the acting
end of the pawl is also slightly tapered, and enters into a corresponding tapering
groove formed around the periphery of the wheel. When either of the treadle levers
is pressed downwards the pawl locks into the groove in the wheel upon which it
bears and so locks the lever to the axle, but when the treadle lever rises the pawl
disengages itself from the wheel and the wheel slips freely past the pawl. H is a
cord, attached, as shewn, to each of the treadle levers, and passing over a pulley I
upon the head of the fork; this causes one of the treadles to rise as the other
descends. In place of thus connecting the treadle levers by a cord I however prefer
to employ a spring for bringing back each treadle to its highest position after it has
been depressed. An arrangement by which this can be effected is shewn at Figure 4.
The spring is shown by dotted lines, as it is hidden by the wheel E. One end of
the spring is secured to the fork, whilst the other end is secured to a prolongation
of the treadle lever F.
At Figures 5 I have shewn another silent ratchet arrangement which may bo
used. In this arrangement the wheels E have shallow serrated teeth formed around
their peripheries, and the pawls are similarly serrated. To avoid any noise being
produced at the upward movement of the treadle by the pawl then dragging over
the serrations of the wheel I form a groove around the periphery of the wheel, and
insert into it a ring K of vulcanized india-rubber, as shewn in the cross section of
the wheel. On the backward movement of the treadles the pawl rests upon the
elastic ring K and all noise is avoided, but on the downward movement of the
treadle the pawl compresses the elastic ring and the serrations of the pawl engage
with those on the periphery of the wheel, thus a large and secure holding surface is
obtained between the pawl and the wheel.
The above-described arrangement of silent nipping pawl for locking the treadle
levers to the wheels E at the time when the treadles are depressed, and for yet
allowing the treadle levers to be disengaged from the wheels when the treadlo
levers are being lifted up, is a convenient arrangement of ratchet for the purpose;
there are however a variety of analogous well-known silent ratchet arrangements
which might be used in place of the arrangement shewn.
If an ordinary pawl and ratchet wheel were used the noise produced by the pawls
dragging over the teeth of the wheels on the upward movement of the treadles
would be very unpleasant, and would entirely prevent such an arrangement from
coming into general use. The teeth of the ratchet wheel would also have to be
extremely fine to ensure the pawl engaging with the wheel immediately at the
commencement of any downward movement of the treadle, consequently the nose of
the pawl would have but little bearing surface against the teeth of the wheel,
therefore the teeth of the wheel and the pawl would be liable to become rounded
and be rendered unserviceable.

page_text: At Figures 6 and 7 I have shewn how a brake strap may be used in lieu of a
pawl. In these Figures E is one of the small wheels on the axle; L is a brake
strap embracing the wheel. F is the treadle lever; in this case the treadle lever is
in two parts, jointed together by a pin at M. The outer portion which carries the
treadle block N upon which the foot of the rider rests has the ends of the brake
strap connected to it, one end of the brake strap being connected to it on one side
of the joint pin M, and the other end of the brake strap on the opposite side of the
pin. When tho treadle is depressed the outer end of the treadle lever turns
slightly on the pin M, and in doing so tightens up the brake strap and locks the
treadlo lever to the wheel E, but when the treadle is no longer pressed upon by the
foot of the rider the brake strap no longer grips the wheel E, and the wheel is free
to turn within the strap. His a cord, which, as in the bicycle shewn at Figure 1,
passes from the outer end of one treadle lever over a pulley carried upon the head
of the forked frame, and to the outer end of the other treadle lever, so that as one
treadle is depressed the other is lifted.
When brake straps are thus used for locking the treadle levers to the wheels E
on the axle these straps may also, as before stated, serve as a brake for arresting
the progress of the bicycle. To allow of this a cord is led from a small link which
is carried by the pin M of the treadle levers to the steerage handle. When the
steerage handle is turned the cord can be wound up upon it, and the treadle levers
so prevented from descending; the brake can then be applied by the rider pressing
with his feet upon the treadle blocks.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
First. The construction of bicycles with small wheels or pulleys fast upon the
axle of the front main wheel, whilst the treadle levers are free to turn around tho
axle and carry silent pawls or brakes to engage with the small wheels or pulleys
when the treadles are depressed, and so drive the front main wheel, but which havo
no influence upon the rotation of the main wheel when the treadles rise.
Second. The arrangements, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated
in the Drawings annexed, for driving the axle of the front main whicel of bicycles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Michael Mary Brophy, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
MICHAWT. ADV DDODITY