IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We WILLIAM HILLMAN, of the Premier Works in the city of Coventry and
County of Warwick, Machinist, and WARRINGTON BADEN POWELL, Esquire of
3 Paper Buildings Temple Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an Improvement in the construction of Tricycles by
means of a novel arrangement and construction of hinged Frame and connections
whereby greater stability and ease of guiding is obtained and also greater facility
in disconnecting the parts for packing. The main frame is supported by bearings
upon the driving axle upon which the two driving wheels are mounted. The main
frame is further connected with a backbone by a lateral joint or hinge formed by
two horizontal discs of special construction forming part of respectively the main
frame and the backbone. The backbone is at its rear end connected by a vertical
binge joint with a fork which carries the trail wheel. A lever arm from the crown
of this fork is in connection with a spring or buffer attached to the backbone by
means of which vibration at the disc joint and generally throughout the machine
is lessened. The main frame radiates from the sides of the lower disc which is
over the driving axle and is carried out towards each side of the machine, above,
and in a direction parallel to the driving axle, it then turns up on each side and
over towards the rear of the machine so as to form handle brackets in which the
handles for guiding are fixed.
A tube depends from the after part of the lower disc and supports at its lower
end an ordinary chain driving pulley, and pedal cranks, which is connected by
means of an endless chain with a corresponding chain pulley on the main axle, or
in lieu of this arrangement I may employ other methods of transmitting the power
from the crank axle to the driving axle, such as by the use of gear wheels or rods,
or I may use treadle levers driving clutches on the main axle.
A saddle is fitted to the backbone with the usual means of adjustment for height
and the rider sits astride thereof and between the after parts of the two driving.
wheels Steering power is obtained by the rider's hands or feet or both acting
through the main frame upon the driving axis from the riders body on the
backbone The rear frame and wheel trailing as in a bicycle.
The guiding discs are preferably made hollow for lightness and can have a web
or webs running across inside for strength they are held concentric with each other
0.71

page_text: by a stud pin which is made fast in a central boss formed in the lower disc but
working freely in a corresponding boss formed in the upper disc.
The stud has a screwed part projecting through the upper disc with screw
spanners thereon for adjustment and locking and disconnecting Various degrees of
sensitiveness can be obtained by a simple turn of the screw spanners. When the
extreme degree of sensitiveness is required two grooves are turned in the faces of
the discs and spherical rollers or balls inserted stops are provided inside the discs to
prevent them turning further than necessary.
The method of guiding may be varied by mounting the right hand handle to
turn freely in its bracket and operating the guiding discs by means of the ordinary
rack and pinion in conjunction with a lever attached to the upper disc or by other
suitable means.

page_text: We, WILLIAM HILLMAN, of the Premier Works, in the City of Coventry and
County of Warwick,, and WARINGTON BADEN POWELL, Esquire, of 3 Paper
Buildings, Temple, Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES" and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
―
Tricycles of the Humber type, in which two equally sized front wheels are
driven by balance gearing and in which the driving axle is pivotted to a backbone
carrying a trailing wheel have several disadvantages:
Firstly the machine is not open-fronted and the rider cannot dismount from
the front (unless of course by jumping over the handles) in case of emergency.
Secondly great strain is put on the arms in grasping the bicycle type of
handles to turn the front wheels and their driving axle on the pivotted backbone.
Thirdly the parts of the machine are not readily disconnected in a short space
of time for stowage or transport.
Now by our invention we seek to construct a novel form of balance geared open
fronted tricycle having all the advantages of the above type but without the
disadvantages above referred to.
And we carry this into practice by means of a novel arrangement and construction
of hinged frame and connections, whereby greater stability and ease in guiding is
obtained and also greater facility in disconnecting the parts for packing.
In carrying out our invention we provide a main frame supported by bearings
upon the balance geared axles actuating the two driving wheels.
The main frame is further connected with a backbone by a lateral joint or hinge
formed by two horizontal discs of special construction forming part of respectively
the main frame and the backbone.
The backbone may, if desired, be at its rear end connected by a vertical hinge
joint with a fork which carries the trail wheel. A lever arm from the crown of
this fork is in connection with a spring or buffer attached to the backbone by
means of which vibration at the disc joint and generally throughout the machine is
lessened.
The main frame radiates from the sides of the lower disc which is over the
driving axle and is carried out towards each side of the machine, above, and in a
direction parallel to the driving axle. It then turns up on each side, and over
towards the rear of the machine so as to form handle brackets in which the
handles for guiding are fixed. A tube depends from the after part of the lower
disc and supports at its lower end an ordinary chain driving pulley and pedal
cranks, the pulley being connected by means of an endless chain with a corre-
sponding chain pulley on the main axle, or in lieu of this arrangement we may
employ other methods of transmitting the power from the crank axle to the
driving axle, such as by the use of gear-wheels, or rods, or we may use treadle
levers driving clutches on the main axle.
A saddle is fitted to the backbone with the usual means of adjustment for
height and the rider sits astride thereof and -between the after parts of the two
driving wheels.
:
Steering power is obtained by the rider's hands or feet or both acting through
the main frame upon the driving axis from the rider's body on the backbone, the
rear frame and wheel trailing as in a bicycle.

page_text: The guiding discs are preferably made hollow for lightness and can have a web
or webs running across inside for strength.
They are held concentrically with each other by a stud pin which is made fast
in a central boss formed in the lower disc but working freely in a corresponding boss
formed in the upper disc. The stud has a screwed part projecting through the upper
disc with screw spanners thereon for adjustment and locking; various degrees of
sensitiveness can be obtained by a simple turn of the screw spanners and total
disconnection of the trail wheel by unscrewing the same. When an extreme
degree of sensitiveness is required two grooves are turned in the faces of the discs
and spherical rollers or balls inserted; stops are provided inside the discs to prevent
them turning further than necessary.
And in order that our invention may be understood and carried into practical
effect we have caused to be annexed to this specification the accompanying three
'sheets of drawings explanatory of the manner of performing the same..
.
On sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation of our tricycle, various well known details such
as the spokes, pedals, saddle, &c., not being shewn.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
On sheet 2, Fig. 3 is a plan' and Fig. 4 a full sized section of our guiding discs.
On sheet 3, Fig. 5 is an elevation of a hinge joint in the backbone.
Referring now to the said figures A A are the driving wheels of our tricycle
driving by shafts B B connected by balance gearing (that known as the
"Sparkbrook," for which said gear Wm Hillman obtained letters patent No. 1661
of 1881, being shewn) and which shafts B B run in bearings C Ċ carried by the
brackets D D on the main frame.
These brackets or other parts of the main frame project upwardly, backwardly,
and preferably diverging as shewn at E, E', the bracket E carrying the adjustable
handle F and the bracket E¹ carrying the adjustable handle G within which works
a pull up handle H pivotted to a bell crank lever operating a brake strap on the
brake drum of the axle.
This is known as the "Sparkbrook pull-up brake" and is not claimed as part of
our invention but other suitable form of brake might be used. I is the upper
chain pulley on the balance box or a gear wheel driven from the crank shaft, or a
clutch pulley worked by. lever treadles could be used, or other methods of
transmitting power to the balance gear, which also may be of any usual
construction, may be employed.
J is the tube depending from the main frame to carry the lower chain pulley K
or other transmitter of power.
LL are the treadle cranks.
On the main frame we fix a hollow disc M having a tubular extension N and
webs (hidden in the figures) running across to strengthen the same. Stops P P are
also fixed in or made part of the same and which project above the level of
the disc.
Q is the disc on the back-bone with a tubular extension R and webs V V
running across to strengthen it and to abut on the stops P P in the lower disc
when the discs are revolved to their extreme limit and prevent the wheels turning
too far. A pin or bolt S is rigidly fixed in the disc M: this pin is Screwed on its
top as shewn and the upper disc is free to turn on it, and lock nuts (one or both of
which may be fitted with' spanners) T T¹ lock the whole in position; the lower
lock nut T can have a steady-pin to fit the washer. By adjusting these nuts the
degree of sensitiveness of steering may be modified and if desired the discs may be
thickened and grooved to receive balls, or we can when adjusted fill the case with
oil or lubricant, boring holes in the tubular extension R of the upper disc-to
lubricate the pin S on which it turns.
A cap may be provided in the upper disc to insert the oil or lubricant when
adjusted.
Instead of a plain working surface for respectively the bottom and top of the
disc, grooved, rebated, or like surfaces may be used and the discs instead of forming

page_text: part of the backbone or or frame may be bolted or otherwise secured thereto. As
shewn, the pin or bolt is in the lower disc, but it is manifest that the pin can be
put in the upper disc carrying the backbone and the nuts be below the main
frame.
When the hinged joint is used with the backbone as before described, in Fig. 5
U is the backbone pivotted to the back wheel fork at V₁, the fork carrying an
arm W projecting from its crown, secured to a spring X also bolted to the
backbone. If desired a rubber spring or a spiral spring may be used instead and a
screwed spindle and nut or other suitable device may be used to adjust the mobility
of the spring or springs.
We are well aware that it has been proposed to pivot the backbone of a bicycle
to its rear wheel, springs being interposed to relieve vibration but we are unaware
of its being adapted to tricycles of the type before mentioned and in the special
manner referred to.
If the rider desires to jump out of the front of the machine he can readily do so
and can rest his feet on the main frame in running down hill.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we would have it
understood that we are well aware of a patent granted to one John Orme in 1883,
No. 4092 which shews on Fig. 11 of the drawings, referred to on page 8, lines 50-7
and page 9 line 2 of the specification a bicycle of the Otto type driven by clutches,
convertible into a tricycle by putting a Stanley head on the frame and adding a
backbone, the safety tail being in front and we do not wish to claim this, but we
declare that what we claim is:
Firstly. The tricycle constructed, arranged, and operated substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Secondly. In a tricycle with front double driving wheels and a pivotted back-
bone carrying a trailing wheel, the employment of guiding discs as hereinbefore
described, one carrying a bolt or pin fixed to it and passing through the other
to form a pivot for the other disc and its frame or backbone as described.
Thirdly. An open fronted tricycle with its main frame carrying a guiding disc
pivotted to another guiding disc carrying the backbone, the main frame supporting
balance geared driving axles and being operated by side handles, substantially as
described.
Fourthly. In tricycles of the kind herein before described the hinge joint formed
by the pivotting of the backbone and back fork, the latter carrying an arm secured
to a spring connected to the backbone, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1884.
WỲ HILLMAN & W. BADEN Powell.
By E. Gardner Colton, A.S.T.E.,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents,
of the firm of Popplewell, Colton & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, W.C.,
& Albert Street, Derby.