Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Mar., 1893—Accepted, 29th Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ARTHUR AUSTIN, of Stevenage, in the County of Herts, Carpenter, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved arrangement of mechanism, for propelling a
cycle by direct contact of such mechanism with the ground instead of by mechanism
operating to rotate the driving wheel or wheels, as usually employed. In applying
the invention to an ordinary "safety" bicycle, I dispense with the crank-shaft,
cranks, chain wheels and chain, and attach to the driving wheel spindle, or to any
convenient part of the framework, two horizontal arms, one on each side of the
machine. The inner ends of the said arms may be coiled into a spiral spring, or
they may be pivotted and suspended by an independent spring, or otherwise so
arranged that they will automatically rise after depression by the feet. At the outer
end of each arm a pedal is affixed, so that they can be alternately depressed by
the feet of the rider. The pedals can be adjusted on the arms to suit the length of
the riders legs, or to increase or diminish the power applied to the arms. Suspended
from the end of each arm is a curved piece forming an arc of a circle, which hangs
just clear of the ground; on depressing the arm with the foot the said curved
piece touches the ground and rolls ahead, the continued pressure of the foot causing
it to pull the machine forward. The curved pieces may be roughened on their
outer surfaces, or faced with rubber or other suitable material to obtain a good
grip on the ground. In place of these curved pieces, straight legs may be hung
from the ends of the arms, provided with forks or rubber ends to grip the ground,
or a gripping device constructed as follows may be employed. Two plates, or
extensions are provided at the ends of the arms and a small flanged roller is
journalled in slots in the said plates, so that it is free to rotate when in the bottom
of the slots. The flanges of the roller are serrated, or provided with teeth and on
the leg touching the ground the roller rises in the slot and rotation is prevented by
the teeth engaging with a fixed pawl or stop. When these legs are employed a
stop is provided, which causes the leg to hang back at a slight angle to prevent the
pressure of the pedal acting vertically down the leg, which would necessarily be
in that case inoperative. I prefer to use the legs in place of the curved pieces in
the case of muddy and slippery roads. My apparatus is equally applicable for
use with a tricycle, or other form of cycle, as well as a safety" bicycle, and by
pressing down both arms at once will be found to form an efficient brake.
Dated this Thirteenth day of June 1892.
66
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ARTHUR AUSTIN, of Stevenage, in the County of Herts, Carpenter, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved arrangement of mechanism for propelling a
cycle by direct contact of such mechanism with the ground, instead of by
mechanism operating to rotate the driving wheel or wheels, as usually employed.
27

page_text: In the accompanying sheet of drawings, which forms part of this Specification,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a cycle of the ordinary "safety" type shewing my
invention applied thereto.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the propelling mechanism in Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a tandem bicycle arranged in accordance with my
invention.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6, are detail views of modifications, hereinafter referred to.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the drawings.
Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, A is the steering wheel and B the rear wheel,
which latter in a "safety constructed in the ordinary way would be the driving
wheel.
وو
I dispense with the crankshaft, cranks, chain wheels and chain, and in place
thereof provide two arms CC, capable of swinging on studs DD', fixed to any
convenient part of the frame of the machine. One of the said arms is placed on
each side of the machine.
Suspended from the outer end of each arm is a leg E and E¹, provided at their
lower ends with a fork ee¹, as shewn, to grip the ground. F F¹ are pedals affixed
to the said legs E E¹.
Two coiled springs HH' are provided having one end affixed to the framing and
the other to the swinging arm, so that the legs E E' in their normal position hang
with their lower ends just clear of the ground.
Any other suitable arrangement of springs may be employed to effect the above
purpose, as for instance springs coiled round the studs D D', having one end affixed
to the stud and the other to the swinging arm.
One of the riders feet being pressed on say the pedal F, the leg E touches
the ground, and the continuance of such pressure causes the machine to be
pulled forward by the leg E and arm C, the said leg turning about the point
where it struck the ground till the said leg and arm assume the position shewn
by the dotted lines in Fig. 1.
Pressure on the pedal is now relieved and the arm and leg are returned to
their former position by means of the spring H, while at the same time the
leg E and arm C' are being depressed by the other foot of the rider, and in
this way the machine is propelled by alternate impulses on each side.
A spring connects the arm C and leg E, as shewn, so that as soon as the
stroke is finished and pressure taken off the pedal, the said spring lifts the leg
clear off the ground and prevents it dragging thereon during the return stroke.
A suitable stop is provided at the joint of the leg with the arm, so that the
said spring normally holds the said two parts at the angle with each other
shewn by the full lines. The pedals are adjustable for height on the legs E E',
in order to suit the height of the rider.
For overcoming obstacles extra power may be obtained by depressing both
legs at the same time, and by keeping both legs so depressed, the apparatus
will act as an efficient brake to the machine.
In a tandem bicycle shewn in Fig. 3, the arrangements of arms C and legs E
is duplicated, there being one set for each rider, and the legs on each side of
the machine are coupled by a connecting rod J, pivoted to them, so that they
are compelled to move together. The action is precisely the same as in the
single machine before described. If the machine be extended in length sufficiently
to take more than two riders additional pedals can be fixed on the connecting
rods J and in such case it will be necessary to stay the said rods to prevent
them deflecting under the pressure of the riders feet. More than two sets of
arms and legs can be coupled together on each side of the machine in the above
manner, if required.
In place of the coiled springs H H¹ above described for returning the arms C
and legs E to their normal positions after depression, the inner ends of the said
arms C may be coiled round to form a spiral spring K (Fig. 4) the inner end

page_text: of such spring being rigidly attached to a stud on the framing, or such spiral.
spring may be formed separately and have the arm affixed to it.
If it is not desired to have the power of depressing the legs on both sides of
the machine simultaneously springs may be dispensed with, and the arms C
and C may be connected by a set of three bevel wheels in the well known
manner or by a system of coupling links, so that the depression of an arm ou
one side causes the return of the arm on the opposite side.
Figs. 5 and 6 represent to an enlarged scale, two views of a device which may
be applied to the lower ends of the legs E. The said device consists of two
plates or extensions L L affixed to or formed on the end of the legs. M is a
Hanged roller journalled in slots in the said plates, and kept normally in the
lower ends of the said slots by the pressure of the light springs N N. In this
position the said roller is free to rotate in the slots, when merely resting on the
road. The flanges m m of the roller are serrated or provided with teeth, as
shewn, and when the leg E is pressed on the ground, the roller rises in the slot
and its rotation is prevented by the said teeth engaging with the bevelled end P
of the leg, such bevelled end forming a fixed stop.
The roller being thus locked the said teeth bite into the road surface and
form an effective means for preventing slip of the leg, while at the same time the
springs N N prevent any sudden blow or vibration being communicated to the
machine or the foot of the rider, when the leg E takes the ground.
In Fig. 3, a jointed arrangement of leg is shewn in connection with the rear
propelling apparatus. The leg E is shortened and has a lever E hinged to its
lower end. A small foot piece E' forming a socket to contain a piece of rubber or
leather to grip the ground is hinged at the end of the leg and is held in position
against a stop by a spring E' pulling on a short arm E. The upper end of the
lever E' is held to the leg E by a spring Ee. The position of the parts when the
leg is at the end of its stroke is shewn by the dotted lines.
The joints enable the rubber or leather contact piece to remain flat on the ground
during the whole stroke, while the springs lift the said piece clear of the ground
the moment the pressure is taken off the pedal.
My improved propelling apparatus is equally applicable for use with a tricycle
or other form of cycle, as well as with the forms of bicycle herein described and
shewn.
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. In a cycle, a propelling mechanism consisting of the combination of an arm
pivoted on each side of said cycle, a leg depending from each said arm and adapted
to grip the ground, and a pedal attached to each said combination of arm and leg,.
substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a cycle a propelling mechanism, consisting of the combination of arms C C',
pivoted to the cycle, legs E E' depending from said arms and adapted to grip the
ground, pedals Fi on said legs and springs H H', and to raise said arms and
legs, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In a cycle, a propelling mechanism consisting of the combination of an arm
pivoted on each side of the cycle, a leg depending from each said arm and adapted
to grip the ground, a pedal attached to each said combination of arm and leg, and.
means for connecting said arms so that when one is depressed the other rises,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In a cycle, a propelling mechanism consisting of the combination of two or
more arms pivoted on each side of the cycle, a leg depending from each said arm,
a connecting-rod coupling the legs on each side and two or more pedals attached to
each said combination, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a cycle a propelling mechanism consisting of the combination of an arm.

page_text: pivoted on each side of said cycle, a leg depending from said arms, extensions L L
on each said leg, having slots 11, a roller M with serrated flanges m m, journalled
in said slots, springs N N in said slots and a fixed stop P, and a pedal attached
to each said combination of arm and leg, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
6. In a cycle, a propelling mechanism, consisting of the combination of an arm
pivoted on each side of said cycle, a leg E depending from said arm, with lever E³,
foot piece E³, and springs E, E and h, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1893.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S. W., Agent for the Applicant.