Improvements in Cycle Peramulator.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 6th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Peramulator.
I, AUGUST CHRISTIAN KUSTER, residing at 598, Fifth Avenue, Brooklyn,
County of Kings, State of New York, U.S.A., Gentleman, 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:
The present invention relates to a cycle perambulator upon which an operator
can carry an infant, an invalid, or other passenger sately, and is especially
adapted for use by nurse-maids in the place of a baby-carriage or perambulator,
to take an infant or small child out to air.
The perambulator is provided with one wheel in the rear and two wheels at
the front, and the rear wheel with its frame and driving apparatus may be made
the same as any type of bicycle.
The invention differs from an ordinary bicycle in having the two wheels at
the front which are pivoted in separate forks and provided with connections
for turning them simultaneously, and in having a passenger seat over such
wheels which is attached rigidly to the front part of the frame. The passenger
seat is provided with arms and may be adapted for both adults and infants by
providing its front edge with a hinged board having a foot-rest at the bottom,
which board may be adjusted at a level with the seat when required to form a
bed for the infant. The foot-rest at the bottom of the board serves to form the
foot of the bed when the board is thus raised. When not used as a bed, the
board may be adjusted at any position for the comfort of the passenger.
To use the rear wheel for driving in the usual manner, a saddle is provided
over such wheel, and pedals with suitable gearing are mounted upon the frame,
and the front wheels are therefore used for steering. If such steering wheels
were mounted in a single pivoted frame and turned when steering the machine,
the latter would lose its stability when the wheels were turned at an angle with
the line of the frame, but I secure the desired stability and maintain the support
of the machine upon three fixed points, by mounting the steering wheels in
separated pivoted frames and connecting them with the handle-bar so as to turn
them simultaneously.
This construction is facilitated by making the frame principally of two frame-
bars which are extended by the sides of the rear wheel and upwardly and for-
wardly over the front wheels, where they are connected together by a platform.
to which the seat may be attached.
Such platform has upon its under side a race-way for balls on each side of the
center line, and the forks for the two front wheels are therefore provided with
race-ways and balls which are pivoted to the race-ways upon the platform so as
to turn each fork upon a fixed axis, which maintains the lower part of the wheel
at a fixed point beneath the seat. The seat is thus securely supported upon two
fixed points in whatever direction the wheels may be turned.
By the use of the two lower frame-bars to connect the rear wheel with the
platform for the passenger seat, I provide a drop-frame adapted for use by women
and possessed of ample strength to carry two passengers.

page_text: In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the perambulator; Fig. 2 is a
plan of the same; Fig. 3 a front elevation; Fig. 4a plan of the platform and
steering devices; and Fig. 5 a vertical section of one of the turntables with that
part of the fork which is pivoted thereon.
A designates the rear wheel, B the front wheel, and C the frame-bars sup-
porting the rear axle and the crank shaft I, from which the cranks and pedals I¹
are omitted in Fig. 1. The crank shaft I is furnished with a pinion J, and the
axle a with a pinion a, and multiplying gears are interposed between these
pinions to gear the driving wheel A at a proper speed, and to avoid the use of
a large cog-wheel or sprocket upon the crank shaft I where it would interfere
with the dress of a lady rider.
Jis an intermediate gear which does not alter the speed; J and k form the
first pair of speed-gears, and the cog-wheels form the second pair, the larger
one meshing into the pinion l¹.
E designates the seat-post, E¹ the rear braces, F the saddle, and G the rear
wheel guard. The frame-bars are secured at the forward end to the platform D,
and are also connected together by ties C³.
designates the turntable at each end of the platform D, with pin o in the
center, and designates the fork of each steering wheel, provided with head b'
upon the top, which is pivoted upon the pin o.
The heads are provided with race-ways c and with balls b, and the heads b¹
have steering arms e.
A seat L is secured upon the platform between the turntables by bolts d, and
is provided with arms L' and with a hinged board M having a foot-rest mat
the end.
The hinged board has segments n and adjusting bolts n¹ to set it at different
angles. When set at a level, as indicated by dotted lines M' in Fig. 1, it serves
to form a bed for an infant.
A steering head D is extended upward from the platform behind the seat
and provided with bearings d to receive the steering post P, which has a handle-
bar Pat the top and a crank arm 7 at the bottom."
The crank ari is connected by bolt and link f with the steering arms e and
operates, when the handle-bar is turned, to move both the steering wheels simul-
taneously upon fixed points below the centers of the turntables, as shown in
Fig. 4.
The two fixed points thus sustain the platform near its ends, and support the
seat L with perfect security when it is turned in any direction.
The connection of a platform with the front ends of two frame-bars serves to
form a rigid frame, while it furnishes a foundation to which the seat can be
attached upon the upper side, and, the steering forks upon the lower side. The
construction of the steering forks with large turntables upon the top gives them
firmness and strength; while the arrangement of the steering forks at opposite
sides of the seat gives the seat entire stability in every position of the steering
wheels.
The use of a small pinion upon the crank shaft I prevents interference with
the lady's dress and avoids any projection into the drop-frame at the bottom
which would interfere with the feet of the rider in making a pedal mount.
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:
1. A cycle perambulator having a frame provided, at the forward end, with
the platform having turntables upon the under sides of its ends, a seat secured
upon the platform between, the centers of the turntables, the steering forks
carrying the steering wheels and pivoted upon the turntables, and means for
turning the forks simultaneously to steer the perambulator, whereby the plat-

page_text: form and seat are supported upon two points at the front of the machine in all
positions of the steering wheels.
2. A tricycle having a rear driving wheel with crank shaft connected thereto,
and a saddle over the same, the two frame-bars C extended along the sides. of the
driving wheel and upwardly above the level of the steering wheels, the platform D
attached to the forward end of the bars C with the turntables upon the under
sides of its ends, the seat L secured upon the platform between the centers of the
turntables, the steering forks Q carrying the steering wheels and pivoted upon
the turntables, and provided with ball-races and balls and with the crank-arm's e,
the steering post P projected upwardly from the platform with handle-bar P upon
the top, and the crank upon the steering-post with connection to the arms e
upon the forks, substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a cycle perambulator having drop-frame, the combination, with the
driving wheel axle and pinion, of the crank shaft I having pinion J, multi-
plying gears connected with the pinion l', and the idle-wheel J connecting the
pinion with the multiplying gears.
Dated at No 10 Wall Stront A
111
THOMAS SEXTON CRANE,
Agent for Applicant.