IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES.
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hillman, of Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Machinist, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hillman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th April 1881.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist..
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention relates chiefly to improvements in velocipedes of that class in
which there are two driving wheels and one or more steering or guiding wheels
in front of or behind the same.
In a velocipede of this class the act of turning and even the slightest deviation
from a straight line or course causes a variation or difference with regard to speed
between the two wheels, and it is very desirable to have efficient means for
regulating the power according to such variation of speed. I have by one part of
my present Invention sought to effect this object, that is to say, I provide means
for effecting automatically an equal distribution or regulation of the power
applied to the cranks or pedals, and transmitted therefrom to the two driving
wheels.
I effect this object by means of novel and peculiar apparatus, which is constructed
and arranged as follows, that is to say :-I form the main or driving wheel shaft
in two parts of equal length. These two parts when in place in the vehicle are
longitudinally in line with each other as if the shaft was made in one piece; the
outer extremities of these two parts have the driving wheels keyed or otherwise
firmly fixed thereon, and their inner ends are connected by the following devices,
viz. I provide a box or case which is preferably of elliptical form in longitudinal
section, and circular in transverse section. This box is constructed in two parts,
each of which forms one half of the length thereof, and these two parts or halves
are formed with flanges and are united by means of screws or bolts passed through
the same.
In the outer ends of this box or case are fitted light tubes (preferably
of steel) which extend to the bearings on the sides of the frame of the vehicle,
which bearings are preferably arranged close to the inner flanges of the driving
wheels.

page_text: The said two portions of the driving shaft pass through these tubes (which form
a hollow shaft) into the said box or case, and inside the latter the end of each part
of the said driving shaft is connected by a universal joint with a short diagonal
shaft. Each of these short shafts extends from the end of the box in which it is
jointed to the main shaft at an angle of about 30 degrees to the axis of the said
main shaft, and is supported with a capability of rotating freely in a bearing formed
in the opposite end or half of the said box or case. These short shafts or spindles
are arranged parallel to each other, and are geared together by two pinions of
equal diameter securely keyed or otherwise fixed on the said spindles.
The aforesaid two parts of the driving shaft are capable of turning freely within
the tubes, through which they extend. On the latter, at the outer end thereof and.
near the aforesaid bearing, I fix by brazing or otherwise a chain wheel or pulley
from which a chain extends to and passes around a similar wheel or pulley fixed
on the crank or pedal shaft. This chain-gearing serves for transmitting the power
from the treadles to the said tube or hollow shaft, and the latter (through the
medium of the aforesaid novel apparatus, by which the two parts of the driving
shaft are united), imparts motion to the driving wheels. And the said apparatus
acts in such a manner as to permit the two parts of the shaft and the two wheels
fixed thereon to work freely under all variations of speed to which they may be
subjected in the turning or steering of the velocipede.
According to another part of my Invention I provide improved means for guiding
velocipedes. The means very commonly adopted for the guiding of these vehicles
comprise a pinion fixed to a vertical spindle, on the top of which is a guiding
handle; the spindle turns in a lug or socket fixed to the side of the frame in a
convenient position near the rider's right hand. The pinion gears with a straight
rack which runs in a guide, and is on the end of a connecting rod extending from
the steering wheel fork. I use the handle, spindle, and pinion, but substitute for
the ordinary rack a toothed segment or portion of an internally toothed spur
wheel. This segment has its fulcrum or pivot on a convenient part of the frame,
and is geared with the said pinion, and it has formed or fixed on it a lever from
which the aforesaid connecting rod extends to the lever on the fork of the guiding
wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hillman in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th October
1881.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist..
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES.'
و"
My Invention relates chiefly to improvements in velocipedes of that class in
which there are two driving wheels and one or more steering or guiding wheels.
In a velocipede of this class the act of turning and even the slightest deviation
from a straight line or course causes a variation or difference in the speed of the
two wheels relatively to each other; hence it is very desirable to provide, in com-
bination with these wheels, efficient means for permitting their automatic adaptation
to any variation of the path or course of the vehicle without releasing or discon-
necting them from the driving mechanism. According to my Invention I have
sought to effect this object by the employment of the apparatus hereinafter
described for effecting automatically an equal distribution or regulation of the
power applied by the cranks or pedals to the two driving wheels.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which,―
Figure 1 is a plan of a velocipede provided with the said apparatus, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same through the axis of the driving
wheels.
Figure 3 is a vertical section drawn to an enlarged scale of the said apparatus.
a is the framework of the vehicle, which is provided with suitable bearings for
the main or driving wheel shaft b; c, c, are the driving or side wheels mounted on
the said shaft, and d is the steering or guiding wheel; e is the crank shaft or
treadle axis supported by the framework a and provided with the pedals e'; f is a
chain wheel upon this shaft e; this chain wheel imparts motion through the chain g
to the chain wheel h upon the main or driving shaft b; ¿ is the steering
handle, which is connected by means of a pinion with a rack on the rod i².
I form the shaft b in two parts, 61, 61, of equal length. These two parts when
in place in the vehicle are longitudinally in line with each other, as shown in
Figures 2 and 3, as if the shaft were made in one piece; the outer extremities of
these two parts b', 6', have the driving wheels c keyed or otherwise firmly fixed
thereon; the inner ends of these two parts of the shaft b are connected by the
following peculiar devices, that is to say, I provide a box or case j, which is
preferably of elliptical form in longitudinal section and circular in transverse
section. This box is constructed in two parts j¹, j¹, each of which forms one half"
lengthwise of the same as shewn; these two parts or halves are provided with
flanges j,, and are united by means of bolts or screws / passed through the same.
To the ends of this box or case jare secured light tubes (preferably of steel)
which extend to the bearings m on the sides of the frame of the vehicle. These
bearings are preferably arranged near the inner face of the hubs of the driving
wheels c as shown.
The two portions 61, 61, of the driving shaft b pass through the aforesaid tubes
(which form a hollow shaft or sleeve) into the box or case j, wherein they are
coupled by means of the short diagonal shafts o and wheels p; the end of each
part 6', of the shaft b, is connected by a universal joint n with one of these
diagonal shafts o, which are arranged at an angle of about thirty degrees to the
axis of the main shaft b, and each of which extends from its joint in the one half
of the box to a bearing j* formed in the shell of the opposite half of the box or
case j, in which bearing the said diagonal shaft is supported with a capability of
free rotation. These short diagonal shafts or spindles o are arranged parallel to

page_text: each other, as shown, and are geared together by the two pinions p of equal
diameter securely keyed or otherwise fixed upon the said spindles or shafts.
The aforesaid two parts b', b¹, of the driving shaft are capable of turning
freely within the tubes 7, through which they extend. On the outer end of one of
the said tubes I fix, by brazing or otherwise, the chain wheel or pulley h, from
which the chain extends to and passes around the similar chain wheel or pulley f,
on the crank or pedal shaft e, as above stated. This chain-gearing serves for
transmitting the power from the pedals to the said tube or hollow shaft l, and the
latter (through the medium of the aforesaid novel apparatus by which the two
parts of the driving shaft are united) imparts motion to the driving wheels c.
But
It will be obvious that as the said box or case is connected rigidly or immovably
with the said tubes, the latter in rotating will cause the bearings j* to rotate
around the axis of the main shaft, and as the ends of the short shafts o in these
bearings participate in this movement, and the said shafts are jointed universally
to the two halves b' of the main shaft, the latter will also be caused to rotate.
Furthermore, it is obvious that if the machine is travelling in a straight line there
will be no action by either of the driving wheels c to resist or prevent the equal
rotation of both parts b' of the main shaft, so that the entire apparatus will move
as one piece or as though the gear wheels p and jointed shafts did not exist.
the slightest deviation of the vehicle from a straight line or path will cause a
difference in the relative speed of the two driving wheels, which will then resist
or prevent the equal or uniform rotation of the two parts of the main shaft, and
in a vehicle not provided with my said apparatus there would be great friction and
a very injurious strain upon one or both of the said driving wheels, but with my
apparatus arranged as shewn the toothed wheels p and their jointed shafts permit
the two driving wheels without being disconnected to adapt themselves to the
different speeds required according to the degree or extent of the deviation of the
vehicle from a straight line or path, and the two parts 61, 61, of the shaft b, and
the two wheels c, c, fixed thereon will work freely under all variations of speed to
which they may be subjected in the turning or steering of the velocipede.
In applying my Invention to a tricycle wherein the guiding wheel is behind or
at the rear of the two driving wheels which revolve upon studs attached to the
frame of the vehicle I arrange my improved devices upon a countershaft.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination with the two parts of the driving shaft, extending through
the tubes 7, of the novel apparatus comprising the box or case enclosing the diagonal
shafts or spindles geared together and connected by universal joints with the inner
ends of the said two parts of the driving shaft, substantially as above set forth and
for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination with the two parts of the driving shaft and their
coupling devices, enclosed within the said box or case, of the tube having. fixed
thereon the chain-wheel h operated by the chain extending from the chain-wheel
on the pedal-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hillman, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one
WILLIAM HILLMAN. (L.S.)