IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES PROPELLED BY HUMAN FORCE PRO
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Truman of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, Bicycle and Tricycle Manufacturer for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES PROPELLED BY HUMAN FORCE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Truman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1882.
CHARLES TRUMAN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Bicycle and
Tricycle Manufacturer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES
PROPELLED BY HUMAN FORCE,"
The principal object of my said Invention is to so construct vehicles as to enable
the Riders to drive them without the use of the rotating crank.
For this purpose I employ clutch motions instead of the rotating cranks-each
clutch motion being principally composed of parts as herein after described.
Upon the driving shaft is the driving drum or pulley which fits loosely on the
shaft and which has a boss, on each side of its disc or spokes. Upon one boss is
keyed or otherwise secured a disc or plate having on its outer edge a series of
inclined planes, the surface of each incline diverging nearly in the direction of a
tangent.
Another disc having on one side an overhanging cylindrical rim and on the
other side a long boss is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft. The inner boss
of the said loose drum with its disc of inclines is brought close to the inner face
of the fast disc and its cylindrical rim forms a recess or box which encircles and
completely encloses the said disc of inclines. Between each of the said incline
planes and the inner surface of the said cylindrical rim is a roller or a series of
rollers situated side by side parallel to or in the same direction as the driving
shaft.
One end of a metal or other band is secured to the said loose driving drum and
the other end to the pedal or hand lever which is jointed to the frame or body of
the vehicle.
Of course two clutch motions are required for each vehicle to suit the feet or
bands of the Rider, and the two clutch motions are connected by means of three
D

page_text: mitro or bevel wheels, one secured to each driving drum, and an intermediate one
upon a stud or shaft, so that when one lever is forced in the driving direction the
other lever with its clutch is moved in the opposite direction. Or in lieu of the
mitre or bevel gearing a band passing over conducting pulleys may connect the two
loose driving drums for the same purpose. Or by preference I securely fix a small
drum to each of the loose driving drums, and opposite to them I securely fix
another small drum on cacli end of a shaft which is parallel to the driving shaft,
and the two small drums for each motion are connected by means of a steel or
other suitable band-the two ends of each band being secured to their respective
drums and so arranged as to reverse the motion alternately.
When spheres are used instead of rollers, grooved inclines and an annular groove,
or a series of annular grooves in the inner surface of the said cylindrical rim are
required, and on the outer periphery of the cylindrical, rim is a boss or a series of
hosses containing plugs which are screwed in the bosses, the ends of the plugs
being grooved when the annular grooves are turned in the inner periphery of the
cylindrical rim through the said bosses the spheres are fed into the said grooves.
The disc with inclines having a boss on its outer side may be secured to the
driving shaft instead of to the loose driving drum, and the cylindrical rim
secured to the said loose driving drum. In this case the said inclines would be
reversed.
When the Rider presses one lever the band moves the driving drum with the
inclines, and as the rollers or spheres run from the inner ends of the inclines they
become wedged between the inclines and the surface or surfaces of the inner
periphery of the cylindrical rim, and the loose drum with its disc of inclines being
locked to the fast cylindrical rim, the driving shaft and wheels revolve, and the
vehiclo is propelled. Thus by the reciprocating action of the levers the locking
and unlocking of the clutches are effected, but when descending a hill both levers
and the Rider may be at rest and the vehicle is free to run on.
The principal feature in the said clutch motion consists in having a series of
rollers in a line parallel. to the shaft on each incline, or a series of spheres in their
respective inclined grooves.
The more rollers employed upon each incline-face to face-or the more spheres
employed in their respective grooves, side by side, the smaller the disc of inclines
and fast cylindrical rim are required; and this is very important, because the lighter
the vehicle is the less weight the rider has to drive.
I am aware that a Roller clutch with "curved inclines" in combination with the
crank has been used, but the "curved inclines hold the rollers so tightly that it
requires a considerable jerk of the crank to disengage them, and this jerk checks
the movement of the vehicle.
To prevent this check I prefer the surface of each incline to form an angle of
about 90 degrees from, a line drawn across the centre of the face of the disc of
inclines, the surface of each incline being in the direction of a tangent. With this
angle of inclination there is no perceptible check to the advancement of the
vehicle, and with a very small clutél motion having a sories of rollers or spheres
in a line with the shaft-side by side-the grip is sufficient to propel the vehicle
without slipping.
Another clutch motion according to iny said Invention consists principally of
the following parts-
A ratchet wheel is, keyed or otherwise secured to the driving shaft. On one
side of this wheel is the loose driving drum which has an overhanging cylindrical
rim which forms a recess or box which encircles the ratchet wheel. On the other
side of the wheel is a disc having a long boss which also runs loosely on the shaft;
the edge of this disc loosely fits within the edge of the rim of the driving drum.
Upon the inner face of the disc is a fulcrum stud to receive a pawl lever somewhat
of the shape of the lotter L, the long or lower arm of which fits between the tooth
of the wheel, and the upper arm, which is very short, passes between two snugs or
projections which are fixed on the inside face of the driving“ drum, to which is

page_text: attached a band the bands being attached to the drums, and the two motions
reversed by the same means as those herein before described.
By this arrangement the lever being pressed the band advances the loose drum
and the back projection on the loose drum acting against the short arm of the pawl
lever puts the long arm in gear with the ratchet wheel-and thus the loose drum,
disc, and ratchet wheel being locked together the vehicle is propelled. On
reversing the motion the other projection lifts the pawl lever from the ratchet
wheel and the driving drum carries the pawl lever with its disc backwards while
the vehicle runs forward. It will be perceived that the two projections on the
loose driving drum act as carriers which alternately lock and unlock the clutch
motion.
The said rollers and spheres, and the surfaces which come in contact with them
are made as hard as possible..
Instead of the ordinary rack and pinion I prefer to steer by means of a steel
or other suitable. band, secured to two small drums, one drum fixed on the head
of the steering wheel and the other drum secured to the steering handle shaft.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Truman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th April 1883.
CHARLES TRUMAN of Birmingham in the County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VEHICLES PROPELLED BY HUMAN FORCE"
The objects of the said improvements are to so construct vehicles as to enable
the riders by the reciprocating action of their feet or hands-to propel them
without the use of rotating cranks.-To steer the vehicle without the use of the
ordinary rack and pinion-To put on the break by the handle which supports the
rider, To vary the power or speed as required by the rider; and to obtain a
double driver.
·
I attain these objects by means of the mechanism hereinafter described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawings..
Figures 1. 2-3.4 and 5 are drawn half size; and Figures 6 and 7 are one
fourth size superficial measure.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Fig 1 represents an end elevation partly in section, and Fig: 2 a sectional
elevation, through the centre of Fig: 1, of a clutch motion for propelling the vehicle
without the use of rotating cranks.
Upon the shaft N of the vehicle is situated the loose driving drum A, which has
a boss on each side of its disc-Upon one of its bosses is secured by soldering or
otherwise, the drum E for reversing the clutch motion, and upon the other boss
of A is secured by screwing or otherwise, the disc B,-having on its outer edge a
series of inclined planes; the surface of each incline diverging nearly in the
direction of a tangent or at angle of about 90 degrees from a line drawn
across the centre of the disc of incline B.
The other part of this clutch is a disc C having on one side an over-hanging
cylindrical rim, and on the other side a boss which is secured fast on the driving
shaft N by means of a taper pin with a nut on its small end-(the nut and pin not.
shown.) The inner boss of A, with its disc of inclines B, is brought close to the
inner face of the disc C, and its cylindrical rin forms a recess or box which
encircles and encloses the disc of inclines B.-Between the incline planes of B, and
the inner periphery of C, are a corresponding number of hardened steel rollers D
of such a diameter that when the loose drum A and inclines B are turned in the
direction of the arrow-the rollers D having dropped to their surface bearings
become wedged between the surfaces of the inclines B and the inner periphery of
the rim of C and thus the parts A. B. C. D. and N are locked together and the
shaft of the vehicle is caused to rotate..
This kind of clutch is applied to each lub W. (as shewn in Fig 7) to act as
a double driver-In this case the hub W with a central taper hole, is loosely fitted
on the shaft N and the disc of inclines B-with the inclines reversed-is screwed
or otherwise fastened on the boss of W and the cylindrical rim C, is screwed or
otherwise fastened on the shaft N; so that C is the driver instead of B-When
the vehicle is moved forwards in a straight line both wheels W are locked to the
shaft N, but when the steering handle V is moved for steering in a curve, the outer
wheel will be free to run over its clutch.
The same action may be effected by means of splieres in lieu of rollers. In this
case the inclines would be grooved and an annular groove or grooves would be
made in the inner periphery of the cylindrical rim of C, and a number of bosses
(corresponding to the number of grooved inclines) containing screwed plugs-on,

page_text: the outer periphery of C-Through these bosses the spheres would be fed into the
grooves and then the plugs screwed fast in the bosses.
Figures 3 and 4 represent end elevations, and Fig: 5 a side elevation, of another
clutch constructed according to the said invention.-A rachet wheel A O is keyed
fast on the shaft N-On one side of A O. is the loose drum Al which has an
overhanging cylindrical rim which forms a recess or box which encircles A O. and
on the other side of A. O. is a disc B 1 having a boss which also fits loosely on the
shaft N. The edge of the disc B1 loosely fits within the edge of the rim A.I.
Upon the inner face of the disc B 1 are two fulcrum studs or pivots H on which
the pawl levers OI move-The long arms of OI fit between the teeth of the
wheel A O and the short arms of OI loosely fit between the projections J. I and KI
which are upon AI The studs BO, on which may be India rubber rings, act as
silent stops to the pawls O.I.
By this arrangement the fast wheel A. O. being enclosed between the loose
drum AI and the loose disc BỊ, and the short arms of the pawls OI between the
projections JI and KI and the drum A I. being moved in the direction of the
arrow the projections K I. acting against the short arms of the pawl levers OI on
the pivots H upon BI will force the long arms of the pawls OI into gear with the
wheel AO and thus AI, BI, BO, and N being locked together the shaft N is
caused to rotate. On reversing the motion the projections J.I raise the pawls OI
from AO, and AI carries the pawls, with their disc BI, backwards. Thus the
projections JI and KI act as carriers, which alternately lock and unlock this
silent clutch.
Two clutch motions are required for driving each vehicle-to suit the feet or
hands of the rider-The two clutches are connected by bands, chains, or other
suitable connections for reversing them, and a clutch motion is applied to each
driving wheel to act as a double driver. The said parts hereinbefore and hereinafter
described are shewn in Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 6 represents in plan a complete vehicle, except some of the spokes and the
seat, and Fig: 7 a side elevation of the vehicle with the rim of the wheel on the
left hand side of the rider ;-some of the spokes and the seat being removed P is
the steel tubular frame or body of the vehicle resting on the ball bearings G and
the steering wheel P I. U is the seat spring fixed to the vertical shaft S I-This
spring may be solid throughout, about two inches wide, or be slit, the slot, beginning
near the nut on S I and terminating near to the other end of U to give greater
elasticity sideways
A, B and C compose the driving clutch The one end of a band K, is secured
to A (as shewn by F in Fig: 1) and the other end to the buckle M by a screw-
M is joined to the loop L which is secured to the lever 0-The lever O is jointed
to P-The loop L when moved near to the fulcrum joint on P increases the
leverage, and when moved near to the pedal Z decreases the leverage but increases
the speed of the vehicle-The movement of the loop L towards the back or front
(when O is at half stroke as shewn in Fig 7) will not elevate or depress the
pedal Z-Upon the boss of each of the driving drums A is secured by soldering or
otherwise, the drum E and opposite to them and parallel with the shaft N are
securely fixed upon a tube, by soldering or otherwise, the two drums E. I Through
this tube and through the bearings suspended from P is passed a shaft secured at
each end by a nut, and upon this shaft the tube with the drums E I semi-rotate...
The drums E I are connected to the drums E by means of a suitable bands or
chains. The two ends of each band or chain being secured to their respective
drums one open and the other crossed causes the clutch motions A B and C to
reverse alternately
Upon the lower end of the steering handle shaft V is secured a drum with a
central hole about two degrees taper, fastened by a nut, and on the head of the
steering wheel PI is secured by soldering or otherwise another drum-on these
drums is a suitable endless band X secured at each extremity by a screw to the drums.
On the left hand side of the rider is the brake handle and lever V-This lever is
.

page_text: T
..J
connected to the-lever. R by the rod S-The brake band T, passos round the drum
on W, one end is fastened to the short arm of the lever R, and the other end is
looped on the stud Y.
:
When the rider is about to mount the seat of the vehicle, the first thing to do is
to put on the brake. by the lever V He then puts either his right or left foot on
the pedal Z which affords a rigid stop for mounting. Being on the seat lie then
takes off the brake, and presses down either of the pedals say with his right
foot-this.causes the drum A to advance and the grip of the clutch advances the
shaft N and with it the wheels W and the vehicle. During the movement of the
right foot the left pedal has been raised, and the left clutch unlocked, by means of
the cross band and open band J.-and now he presses down the left pedal, and,
by the open and cross bands J and I the right pedal is raised and so on by tho
alternate reciprocating action of the pedals the two clutches are locked and
unlocked, and the vehicle is propelled.
The arrangement and, combination of parts of mechanism applied to vehicles
constructed according to the said Invention dispenses with the weighty cumbrous
cranks, crank-shafts with their bearings-chains in gear with cog wheels,
and other kinds of gearing-and as there is nothing in the way of the riders
garments vehicles constructed according to the said Invention are suitable for lady.
riders, and no less so for gentlemen-As there are only three bearings running on
spheres in this kind of vehicle (while the ordinary vehicles with cranks havo
seven bearings), it is much lighter and runs easier than those of the ordinary
construction The rider can vary the speed so as to climb hills with ease- Tho
steering is smoother in its action than those in ordinary use; the hand being always
on the break lever the brake can instantly be applied.
The discs of inclines B and cylindrical rims O, are by preference) made of
wrought iron and case bardened
I am aware that roller and incline clutches with curved inclines in combination
with cranks have been in use and are not new-but the curved inclines hold the
rollers so tightly that it requires a considerable jerk of the cranks to disengage
tliem and this jerk checks the movement of the vehicle:-therefore the curved
inclines are not suitable for the reciprocating action without cranks. Moreover the
disc of inclines was keyed fast on the shaft and the recess of the hub was part of
the clutch, but, as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings
the disc B is secured fast on the boss of the hub; and instead of the recess of the
hub being part of the clutch-there is a separate recess or cylindrical rim C which
is secured fast on the shaft.
The roller and inclined clutch per se is public property-it has long been in use
in lieu of the ratchet brace, and for other purposes-so also is the ratchet wheel
and pawl per se public property but the arrangement, combination, and application
of such mechanism for the purpose herein described and illustrated is a new and
useful application of the samo.
Having described the nature and objects of the said Invention together with the
manner in which the same is to be or may be performed, or carried into practical
effect I wish it to be understood that I claim as the said Invention:-
First The arrangement combination and application of the several parts of tho
mechanism substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated by
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings
Secondly. The arrangement combination and application of the several parts of
the mechanism substantially as and for the purposo described and illustrated by the
Figures 3. 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings
Thirdly. The arrangement combination and application of the several parts of
mechanisin substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated by W B,
&O of the accompanying drawings
Fourtlily. The clutch with spheres and grooved inclines substantially as and for
the purpose described'
wini.
amant sowskiisation and annlination of the mechanism for

page_text: steering the vehicle substantially as described and illustrated by Figures 6 and 7
of the accompanying drawings
Sixthly. The arrangement, combination and application of the parts of the
mechanism together constituting the brake apparatus substantially as described
and illustrated by Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings-and
Seventhly-The general combination of parts of mechanism substantially as and
for the purposes described and illustrated by Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying
drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Charles Truman have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifth day of April in the year of our Lord. One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.
CHARLES TRUMAN (L.S.)