Improvements in Human-power Appliances or Motors.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th June, 1890-Accepted, 12th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Human-power Appliances or Motors.
I, VINCENZ ARTHUR DUDA of Prague, Königl Weinberge, in the Empire of
Austria, Chemist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
The object of this invention is the making use of a see-saw motion performed
by a man for a motive power, in such a manner that the back and forward see-saw
motion is carried over and turned into a constant rotary motion which is communicated
to a shaft which may carry the driving wheels.
There are various ways of applying the see-saw motion made by a man as a motive
power. For driving small motors tools and tool machines, for pushing forward land
and water vehicles &c. The invention however will here be described as applied to a
tricycle.
The back wheels in this case are the drivers and are fixed on a driving shaft and
the front guide wheel for steering the tricycle can be turned from the seat by means
of a handle which by a connecting frame is joined to the main frame of the tricycle.
In this frame there is a seat which is laid on a horizontal shaft or pivot in such a
manner that it can be turned whilst the seat on the other side is connected by means
of a connecting rod with a crank or eccentric on the driving axle.
The manner of working this mechanism will now be easily understood.
If a person be seated on the seat and rock himself (as if in a rocking chair) round
the axis or pivot provided for the purpose the motion will by means of the connecting
rod and the crank be transported to the driving axle and consequently likewise to
the driving wheels and cause the latter to revolve.
If the forward position of the seat be a first position and the rider begin to rock
himself backward then in the next moment the crank takes the opposite position and
the driving wheels will have thereby made half a revolution; with the next forward
rocking-impulse the crank returns again to its first position and so forth.
That instead of a separate crank a crank shaft may be used, that one can indirectly
transmit the see-saw motion by means of chain-wheels and a chain, or by a cord on
the driving axles does not in the least change anything in the fundamental idea of the
invention neither will the inventor restrict himself only to use the see-saw motion
for driving tricycles as is generally applicable.
Dated this 7th day of September 1889.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Human-power Appliances or Motors.
I, VINCENZ A. DUDA, of Prague in the Empire of Austria, 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 object of this invention is to utilize rocking or swinging motion such as may
be produced by a person with the simultaneous use of two cranks or treadles for the
production of motive power such as is required for propelling vehicles, boats, vessels
and the like. In the accompanying drawing a vehicle is represented which is adapted
to be propelled by a rocking motor of this description. Fig. 1 is a side view the
right driving wheel being omitted, and Fig. 2 is a top view with the seats removed.
The propeller consists of a frame R which at one end rests upon the driving
shaft W, while at the other it is supported by the steering fork L of the front
wheel O¹.

page_text: This frame is provided on either side with an upright or support s s¹, each of
which is provided with a bearing wherein the rocking seat S is hung or pivoted by
means of journals z.
The seat S may be of the shape represented in Fig. 1. The rocking motion is
conveyed to the shaft W by means of the cross bar m arranged in the lower portion
of the rocking seat and connected by means of links a a' with the two cranks k k¹
of the shaft W.
Besides the cranks k k¹ the shaft W has two other cranks and k³ which are
connected by means of links a² and a³ with the treadles & t¹ pivotally attached to the
frame R.
The supports ss are connected together by a cross rail e which is intended to
facilitate access to the carriage seat as it is capable of being raised or lowered and on
the trunnion e provided on this cross rail the handle of the steering mechanism is
pivoted. The steering device consists of a fork L supporting the front wheel O' and
capable by means of the handle h the rods ii and the double lever d to be turned
about the point n.
The shaft W also carries the driving wheels O and may if required be fitted with
a brake.
The essential feature of the whole of this mechanism is that the point of oscillation
of the rocking chair S and the four cranks of the shaft W are so adjusted in relation
to each other that the rocking motion produced by the user of the carriage is utilized
and in connection with his action upon the treadles permits the vehicle to be propelled
with ease.
It will be understood that instead of the links a a¹ a² a³ chains may be used if
preferred and also that the rotary motion obtained from the rocking motion may,
instead of being used directly be transmitted by means of suitable chains or cords to
a shaft arranged at some convenient distance.
When the rocking propeller is applied to a boat or vessel the frame R is fixed
upon the latter while instead of the driving wheels paddle wheels are mounted upon
the shaft and of course the steering wheel O is omitted the steering device being
allowed to act upon the rudder of the vessel.
The same mechanism can also, with the proper modifications be applied to a vessel
intended to be propelled by a screw; or it may be utilized for transmission of motion
in any other form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what 1
claim is :-
The utilization of rocking motion for imparting a constant rotary motion to a
shaft such as W from a seat or chair S capable of a rocking or swinging motion
and adapted to impart rotary motion by means of links a a¹ and cranks or eccentrics
to a shaft connected therewith in which operation it is assisted by pedals or treadles t t
connected by means of links a' a³ with the cranked shaft W substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of June 1890.
W. F. THOMPSON & BOULI,
Agents for the Applicant.