IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO [ PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Riley Garrard, of Uxbridge, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO
[
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Riley Garrard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1880.
CHARLES RILEY GARRARD, of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex.
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO VELOCIPEDES, APPLICABLE IN PART
OTHER PURPOSES."
TO
My improvements consist essentially in the design or construction of those
velocipedes known as tricycles, in an improved band for driving purposes, and
also in the form of spring applicable chiefly to bicycles.
The form of construction which I prefer to adopt in tricycles has two small
leading or steering wheels in front, and one driving wheel placed centrally with
regard to the width of the machine behind. This driving wheel I generally make
of small size, and prefer to drive it by means of a suitable chain or equivalent
passing round a toothed pulley attached to the wheel or its axle, and round another
toothed pulley upon another axle which carries the driving cranks; this second pulley
is preferably larger than the one on the wheel, so that the wheel shall make more
than one revolution for one of the driving axle, and by this arrangement a smaller
driving wheel can be used than would otherwise be practicable.
The steering wheels are each attached so as to revolve on the outer side of a half
fork or bar, which latter is carried up through a vertical bearing or socket attached
to the framework, or forming part of it, and has a suitable steering handle secured
(but adjustable for height) on top of it; the bottom part is prolonged below the
centre of the wheel and carries a short horizontal lever or branch, and the ends of
these two levers or branches are united by a suitable link pivotted or jointed to
each, so that if one wheel be turned the other must turn also in the same ratio.
By this arrangement a sufficiently broad base is obtained to render the machine
safe when running, while to enable it to enter a narrow doorway, for instance, it is
only necessary to turn the front wheels right round so that they revolve inside the
half forks, and the breadth of the machine is reduced by several inches, more or less,
according to the distance from the half fork at which each wheel is placed.

page_text: The framework is constructed preferably of steel tube, as is customary, and of
convenient shape to accomodate the wheels and other portions of the machine; a
convenient seat or saddle is placed above and somewhat behind the driving,
i.e., crank axle, and a brake may be provided, the one I prefer being what is
known as a "spoon" brake, to the driving wheel, the handle or lever for actuating
it being placed so that the rider may easily reach it. Suitable splashers may be
provided, and I prefer to box part of the mechanism in, using leather, by preference,
for this purpose, so that it may not catch the dress, etcetera, and to protect it.
More than one chain may be used, if desired, but generally I find one sufficient.
Wherever practicable, I prefer to make the parts hollow.
The spring previously mentioned consists of two pieces instead of only one, as is
customary; these are arranged so that they can, if necessary, dip past the backbone,
thereby bringing the saddle lower down, a desideratum in bicycles. Two short
levers are jointed to the backbone in any convenient manner a short way behind
the "head or "neck," and in their normal position incline upwards and forwards;
one of these is at each side of the backbone, and a pin passes through them and the
two front ends of the springs, and I also generally place a rubber "cushion" round
this joint, so that it may strike the backbone without noise, and rest upon it without
unnecessary jar. The back end of the spring or springs is held to the back bone
by a suitable fastening, usually a form of collar, in which the spring ends can slide.
For ordinary riding, the spring lies forward, the saddle being close behind the
"head;" but when desired the rider can push the saddle and spring back, so that
the short levers incline upwards and backwards; by this means the weight is shifted
some way back, and extra security in descending hills or going over rough ground
is obtained by reason of the centre of gravity being removed to a greater distance
behind the front fork. A suitable spring is also provided, so that by merely raising
the body the saddle and spring at once resume their normal position.
In place of the ordinary heavy chain I prefer to use one or more simple endless
steel bands, which may be arranged one on top of the other, perforated to receive
the teeth or projections of the pulleys; these bands may also be made double with
suitable flexible packing between. It will be seen that this form of band is
applicable for other purposes, such, for instance, as driving machinery, lawn mowers,
et cetera.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Riley Garrard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th November 1880.
CHARLES RILEY GARRARD, of Uxbridge, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO VELOCIPEDES, APPLICABLE IN PART TO
OTHER PURPOSES."
My improvements consist essentially in the design or construction of those
velocipedes known as tricycles, in an improved band for driving purposes, and also
in the form of spring applicable chiefly to bicycles.
The form of construction which I prefer to adopt in tricycles has two small
leading or steering wheels in front, and one driving wheel placed centrally with
regard to the width of the machine behind. This driving wheel I generally make
of small size, and prefer to drive it by means of a suitable chain or equivalent
passing round a toothed pulley attached to the wheel or its axle, and round another
toothed pulley upon another axle which carries the driving cranks; this second
pulley is preferably larger than the one on the wheel, so that the wheel shall make
more than one revolution for one of the driving axle, and by this arrangement a
smaller driving wheel can be used than would otherwise be practicable.
The steering wheels are each attached so as to revolve on the outer side of a half
fork or bar, which latter is carried up through a vertical bearing or socket attached
to the framework, or forming part of it, and has a suitable steering handle secured
(but adjustable for height) on top of it; the bottom part is prolonged below the
the centre of the wheel, and carries a short horizontal lever or branch, and the ends
of these two levers or branches are united by a suitable link pivotted or jointed to
each, so that if one wheel be turned the other must turn also in the same ratio.
By this arrangement a sufficiently broad base is obtained to render the machine
safe when running, while to enable it to enter a narrow doorway, for instance, it is
only necessary to turn the front wheels right round so that they revolve inside the
half forks, and the breadth of the machine is reduced by several inches, more or
less, according to the distance from the half fork at which each wheel is placed.
The framework is constructed preferably of steel tube, as is customary, and of
convenient shape to accomodate the wheels and other portions of the machine; a
convenient seat or saddle is placed above and somewhat behind the driving,
i.e., crank axle, and a brake may be provided, the one I prefer being what is
known as a "spoon” brake, to the driving wheel, the handle or lever for actuating
it being placed so that the rider may easily reach it. Suitable splashers may be
provided, and I prefer to box part of the mechanism in, using leather, by preference,
for this purpose, so that it may not catch the dress, etcetera, and to protect it.
More than one chain may be used, if desired, but generally I find one sufficient.
Wherever practicable I prefer to make the parts hollow.
For steering, the half forks of the front wheels are prolonged below the centres
of the small wheels and bent into a horizontal (or nearly so) direction, and a rod is
jointed to these two ends, coupling them together, so that if one should be turned
the other may turn also; this rod can be removed altogether or uncoupled at one
end when it is desired to turn one or both of the steering wheels to the inside of
their forks to enter a narrow passage, etcetera. An alternative way of connecting
the two wheels is shown in the Drawings attached hereto, and consists in a short
lever or crank projecting horizontally from the top of each fork, and jointed at its
free end to a rack lever; a pinion attached to a vertical axis gears with this rack
and also with another one upon the end of a rod which connects the two gears.
Handles are fixed to the vertical shafts of the pinions, and by turning one or both
of these, motion is communicated to both wheels.

page_text: The spring previously mentioned consists of two pieces instead of only one, as is
customary; these are arranged so that they can, if necessary, dip past the backbone,
thereby bringing the saddle lower down, a desideratum in bicycles.
"
Two short
levers are jointed to the backbone in any convenient manner a short way behind
the "head or "neck," and in their normal position incline upwards and forwards;
one of these is at each side of the backbone, and a pin passes through them and the
two front ends of the springs, and I also generally place a rubber" cushion" round
this joint so that it may strike the backbone without noise, and rest upon it
without unnecessary jar. The back end of the spring or springs is held to the
backbone by a suitable fastening, usually a form of collar or slide, in which the
spring ends can slide. For ordinary riding the spring lies forward, the saddle
being close behind the "head;" but when desired the rider can push the saddle and
spring back so that the short levers incline upwards and backwards; by this
means the weight is shifted some way back, and extra security in descending hills
or going over rough ground is obtained, by reason of the centre of gravity being
removed to a greater distance behind the front fork. A suitable spring is also
provided, so that by merely raising the body the saddle and spring at once resume
their normal position.
In place of the ordinary heavy chain I prefer to use one or more simple endless
steel bands, which may be arranged one on top of the other, perforated to receive
the teeth or projections of the pulleys; these bands may also be made double, with
suitable flexible pucking between. It will be seen that this form of band is
applicable for other purposes, such, for instance, as driving machinery, lawn mowers,
et cetera.
Reference being now had to the accompanying Sheets of Drawings, in which
like letters represent like parts, Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of my improved
tricycle with the simpler form of steering gear, and Figs. 2 and 3, two views of the
front half forks; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the tricycle with the rack steering
gear; and Fig. 5, a plan of the rack steering gear; Figs. 6 and 7 are two views of
the spring as applied to bicycles. A, A, is the framework; B, the driving wheel;
and C, C, the two steering wheels; D, D, are the half forks bent horizontally at Di
and connected by the rod D2, as shown in Fig. 1, or terminating at the centre of
the wheels, as in Fig. 4; D³ are the steering handles adjustable for height; E is
the seat or saddle supported on the vertical post E', which is secured at the proper
height by set screw E²; F is the driving pulley having an axle with cranks F¹ and
pedals F of ordinary construction; B is the driven pulley, usually of smaller
diameter than the driving pulley F, and connected with it by the chain or band F³,
as shown. In Figs. 5 and 4, A, A, is the framing; D, the half forks with levers or
cranks D to work them; G, the rack levers; G, the pinions turned by the vertical
hand rods G2; G, the horizontal rod connecting the two sides and terminating in
the racks, G5, which also gear with pinions G¹. It will be seen that by turning
either of the handle-rods the pinion attached to it moves the rack lever, thereby
turning one wheel, and at the same time the rack with which it also gears thereby
turning the second wheel through the intermediation of the rod G, which turns
(the other pinion. H is the brake lever having a handle at its upper end and the
brake proper at its lower end. The bicycle spring is shown in side elevation in
Fig. 6 and in section on line Y, Z, in Fig. 7. I is the backbone; K, the spring,
which consists of two narrow springs, or one divided longitudinally, so as to be
capable of descending one part on each side of the backbone, and thereby bringing
the saddle nearer to the backbone and so saving space; L, L, are two side links
pivotted to the backbone at L' and to the end of the spring at L³; L³ is a rubber
or other cushion to stop noise or jar; M, M¹, are coiled springs having a
tendency to draw the spring forward into the position shown in Fig. 6, which is
the normal position when riding, but when in descending hills it is desirable for
safety to have the weight of the rider further back, he can by a little pressure and
raising his weight push the saddle and spring back till the links L occupy the
position shown by the dotted lines, the rider's weight upon the saddle preventing

page_text: the return of the spring. When he desires to return the saddle forward he has
only to lift himself a little and the coiled springs immediately bring the spring
back to its normal position. As shown in Fig. 6, there would be three of these
coiled springs, but one only would do at M, or two only (one on each side) at M',
or in fact almost any form of spring or equivalent which would bring the saddle
spring forward when the weight was released, and retain it there.
Having now described my Invention and the method of performing the same, I
wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to protect under the herein
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. In a tricycle or three wheeled velocipede, a driving wheel behind the
rider centrally placed in the width of the machine, and driven by a chain or
equivalent device from and at a higher speed than the crank shaft, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth, and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The herein described double or divided saddle spring for bicycles, so
arranged as to be capable of dipping past each side of the back bone, and hung
upon movable links lying in their normal position upwards and forwards, and
having a tendency to that position, but capable of being moved backwards at the
rider's will, substantially as and for the purposes set forth and shown.
Third. The herein described mechanical driving band composed of one or more
metal bands pierced with holes to receive the teeth or projections of the pulleys,
and separated or not by a strip of leather, indiarubber, or other pliable material,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Riley Garrard, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty sixth day of November, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
CHARLES RILEY GARRARD. (L.S.)