IMPROVEMENTS IN CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM WRIGHT of Droylsden in the County of Lancaster Soap Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
THE
This invention relates principally to improvements in a velocipede for which
Letters Patent were granted to me dated 25th June 1883, No 3138; but it is also
applicable to other velocipedes as will hereafter be shown.
Instead of driving the ratchet wheels on the axle of the machine by means of
levers carrying catches as in the velocipede above referred to I mount these catches
upon chain wheels or pulleys placed loosely on the said axle.
A long chain is connected at each end to one of the treadles of the velocipede and
(passing round guiding pulleys attached in sutable positions to the framework)
gears into the two chains wheels or pulleys.
Thus whenever one treadle is pressed down it drives its corresponding chain
pulley and ratchet wheel forwards and draws the other treadle up into working
position, its catches overrunning the ratchet teeth and vice versa. It is also evident
that by lengthening or shortening the chain the machine can be adapted to the
length of limb of any rider.
If it be desired to wheel the velocipede backwards, the chain is slackened and
thrown off the chain pulleys so that the treadles are not actuated by the backward
motion of the ratchet wheels on the axle.
Sometimes instead of the chain and pulley I use a pair of racks one attached to
each treadle, and gearing with a pair of pinions which carry the catches; and by
lengthening or shortening these racks the same effect would be produced as by
lengthening or shortening the chain.
In this case the treadles would be connected together by a cord or strap passing
over a pulley as described in the Specification of the above named Letters Patent.
I employ by preference a break of the description known as the "trailing break"
which is pivotted to a convenient part of the back framing of the machine, being
brought up behind the back of the rider so that if the latter leans back or is
thrown back by accident be puts on the break and reduces the speed at which he
may be travelling, at the same time that it prevents the velocipede from being
overturned backwards.
A slight spring may be employed to keep this trailing break away from the
ground when not in action.
It is very evident that this improved driving mechanism may be adapted to work
with other gearing equivalent in action to the ratchet motion.
Datedth L 1
CT 1004
GEORGE DAVIES,
Agent for the Applicant,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.*

page_text: COMPLE DE BUITIVATION.
86
I WILLIAM WRIGHT of Droylsden in the County of Lancaster Soap Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES 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 principally to improvements on a velocipede for which
Letters Patent were granted to me dated 25th June 1883, No 3138, but it is also
applicable to other velocipedes as will be hereinafter explained.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed will be readily understood on reference to the annexed drawings and the
following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation and
Fig. 2. a back view of so much of a front steering tricycle as is necessary to
illustrate the application of my invention thereto-a, a is the frame of the machine
b, b the driving wheels and c, c the steering wheel d, d is the main axle.
Instead of driving the ratchet wheels e, e (which are keyed fast on the axle d, d
of the machine) by means of levers carrying catches (as shown on the drawings of
the former Specification above referred to) I mount catches f,f upon chain wheels
or pulleys g, g placed loosely upon the said axle d, d.
A long chain strap or band h, h is connected at each end to one of the treadles i, i
of the velocipede and (passing round guiding pulleys k, k attached in suitable
positions to the framework a, a) gears into the two chain wheels or pulleys g, g.
Thus whenever one of the treadles i, i is pressed down it drives its corresponding
chain pulley g, g and the catches f, f thereon drive its ratchet wheel and the main
axle d, d forwards, and by means of the chain h, h draws up the other treadle i, i
into working position, its catches ff over-running the ratchet teeth and vice versa.
It is also evident that by lengthening or shortening the chain h, h the machine
can be adapted to the length of limb of any rider.
To prevent the clicking sound which would be caused by the catches falling into
the teeth of the ratchet wheels I employ small pins or stops fixed in the side of the
chain wheels or pulleys and covered with leather, wood or other suitable material
which will prevent the catches from falling against the metal and thus deaden the
Bound.
If it be desired to wheel the velocipede backwards the chain h, h may be slackened
and thrown off the chain pulleys by raising the treadles so that the latter will not
then be actuated by the backward motion of the ratchet wheels e, e on the axle d, d.
I employ (by preference) a brake of the description known as a trailing brake.
This brake 7, is pivotted to a convenient part of the back of the frame, and may
be applied by a hand lever m, m or otherwise, and it will act as a preventative from
the velocipede being overturned backwards. A slight spring may be employed to
keep this trailing brake away from the ground when not in action.
It will be evident that the improved driving mechanism above described may be
adapted to other velocipedes,

page_text: 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
-
First. The improved driving gear for velocipedes as above described and
illustrated by the drawings annexed, and
Secondly I claim the use for the purpose of driving a velocipede of a chain strap
or band attached at each end to one of the treadles so as to connect the two together
and at the same time actuating pulleys which carry the catches for driving ratchet
wheels keyed upon the main axle.