IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Wells Quatremainė
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October, 1882.
GEORGE WELLS QUATREMAINE of Stratford on Avon in the County of Warwick
Artist "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
"
This Invention relates to Improvements in Velocipédes
The main object of this Invention is to combine in the same Machine the
advantages of driving both driving wheels at once with either foot by means of
treadles which are disconnected with each other and which may when desired be.
both depressed together
In describing this first, part of my Invention I would have it understood for the
sake of brevity that by the term "double driving" I mean the driving or actualating
both of the main carrying or driving wheel of the Velocipedes at the same time by
the depression of either or both feet and by "disconnected treadles" I mean Treado
levers applied so that the motion of each is independent of the motion of the other
as for instance either may be operated upon to drive both driving wheels while the
other remains at rest or they may be both pressed down or both brought up together
and at the same time in which former case each and both will propel both driving
wheels
Tricycles may be classified as "single drivers" in which one side wheel only
is driven "alternate drivers" in which first one wheel and then the other is
driven "central drivers" in which one centrally placed wheel is driven and
"double drivers" which latter may be subdivided into two classes one being the
class in which both wheels are driven together only while the machine is run in a
perfectly straight course and the other in which by means of deferential gear both
wheels are driven whether the course be straight or curved
The single Driver is unsatisfactory because the power being applied to one side
only much is wasted and the steering is injuriously affected The same objections
apply to the "alternate drivers" with this addition that the alternate impulses from
DO1

page_text: side to side produce an uneven or wobbling motion which is wasteful of false and
unsightly in appearance
These evils are, avoided in the central driver but it involves more serious
ones If the weight of the Rider is placed upon the central driving wheel
sufficiently to make it grip the ground when ascending hills then the machine is
unstable and it is inconvenient especially for Ladies If the weight of the Rider is
place more upon the steering or other wheels then the machine will be safer but
it will not be a good hill climber In the "double driver" therefore the greatest
enfety and the greatest grip on the road are secured and the loss of power and
impaired steering incidental to single and alternate driving are avoided
Double driving" has however hitherto only been applied in a Tricycle in
combination with imperfect means of transmitting the power of the Rider to the
double driving mechenism for instance an ordinary double throw crank fitted
with pedals for the feet of the Rider has been provided for him to rotate by alternate
thrusts of his feet and an endless chain or its equivalent has conveyed the rotation
of the shank craft to the double driving mechenisin with this arrangement the
great advantages which I will proceed to point out as resulting from disconnected
treadles such as employing the pressure of both feet at once has been impossible
and therefore the full benefits which may he attained by a Rider from double
driving have not been realized. In starting a Tricycle a much greater concentration
of effort is required to overcome the inertia and impart momentum than to
maintain it
-
This is more easily communicated by depressing both treadles with both feet and
legs at once than by performing all the work with one only this is an advantage
also appreciable in ascending hills where frequent stoppages and restartings may be
desired More important however is the fact that which disconnected treadles even
when used alternatively the return can be effected more rapidly than the acting
stroke and thus the force of the rider may be exerted during a portion of the acting
of effecting stroke by the employment of the muscles of both legs Furthermore in
connected treadles, the depression of one necessarily raises the other and unless the
Rider be very expect he wastes much power in allowing one foot to resist the other
and thus he works ngainst himself This is impossible with disconnected treadles
Again in connected Treadles of the double crank type any pressure put upon their
dead points is wholly lost whereas in disconnected treadles such as herein described
in connection with my invention there are no dead points
Both from theory and experience I place a high value upon disconnected treadles
and I am aware that their numerous merits have been referred to by many
Inventors in their specifications though none have inade known the advantages
which would accrue to a Rider by their Employment in connection with double
driving wheels as hereinbefore defined. Among these the principal is the fact that
whereas each disconnected treadle is capable of transmitting more power owing to
its freedom from impediment and dead point than could be transmitted in the
usual way by connected treades or connected cranks so it is essential to the
attainment of the full benefit of this more economical transmission of force that
the least frictional and best tractive mode of driving namely double driving should
be use and on the other hand to the same end it is essential that double driving
should be actuated by the most economical application of the. Riders force
namely disconnected treadles The combination of these merits to produce this
result constitutes the first and main part of my Invention
In carrying out this part of my Invention as applied to a Tricycle or Velocipede
having more than two wheels 1 connect the wheels to any suitable frame the
steering wheel being on a line between the driving wheels so that the three
wheels will make three tracks or it may be in a lino with one of the driving
wheels in which case the three wheels will make but two tracts The steering
wheel may be in front or at the rear of the Machine but I prefer the former
In a Trycicle with the steering wheel in front I prefer to construct the frame of
a steel tube the forward end of which I pivot to the fork of the steering wheel by

page_text: ,,
The
means of the usual "Stanley head The tube is then bent downward and rear.
ward so as to pass under the rider and upward beneath or behind him at this:
upward rear end the frame carries the seat and branches into the form of a fork
the prongs of which carry bearings in which the main driving axle runs.
axle turns freely in these bearings and the driving wheels are loose upon the axle
but are each fitted with any well known form of clutch such as will connect
them to the axle when it is rotated in a forward direction only. Thus when the
axle is driven both the wheels will be driven so long as the course is straight and
the machine is then a double driver but when it is steered so that its course is a
curve the inner wheel alone will be driven and the outer wheel will be free to over:
run it I however much prefer to use an axle consisting of two parts arranged ini
the same axial line-A driving wheel is fixed upon the outer end of each axle.
The inner end of each axle may be tubular so as to contain and form a bearing for
the inner end of the other and admit of its free revolution. Upon the inner end of
the tubular axle is fixed a bevil wheel and adjacent to it is fixed a similar wheel
upon the other axle. The teeth of the bevil wheels-face each other. A cylindrical
case or cover of metal invelopes them and runs freely upon the axles. A short
stud or axle is fixed radially to the inner side of the periphery of this case The
stud carries a third or central bevil wheel, generally smaller than the other two,―
which is free to rotate upon.it. The teeth of the central bevil wheel engage with
the teeth of the bevil wheel on each side of it, Roterary motion being given to the
case the stud and the Central Bevil wheel are carried with it and both bevelled
wheels with their respective axles and driving wheels are equally rotated so long
as the machine is steered in a straight line The central bevil wheel then remaining
without movement around its own axis and acting as a clutch Directly however
the machine is steered is a curved course the central bevil wheel moves upon its
axis sufficiently to permit the necessary deferential rotation of the two driving
wheels to allow of the curved course being followed while maintaining the double
driving of the wheels This arrangement was clearly described and shewn in the
specification and drawings of the Letters Patent No 1345 granted to Edward and
Thomas Waltham in the year 1869 for Road Engines and Letters Patent N° 3388
in the year 1877 were granted to James Starley for its application to Velocipedes
in the manner of "transmitting motion from the Treadle axle of a Velocipede" by.
means of an endless chain passing from a wheel fixed upon the double crank treadle
axle to the case before described and gearing with teeth around the peripheries of
each. I however do not desire to use the ordinary double cranked and connecting
treadle axle described by James Starley in which the action of the feet was
necessarily rotary and alternate only but I use lever treadles whose effective action.
cannot be rotary but must be reciprocatory and are so arranged that they may be
either alternate or simultaneous. With this view I attach lever treadles to extensive
parts of the frame of the tricycle either in front or behind in such a manner that:
one end of each treadle lever shall be hinged or pivotted to the frame and the
other end shall be conveniently placed to receive the pedal pressure of the rider,"
I attach to each treadle one end of a leather strap chain wire catgut or other
flexible connector the other end of which I attach to the periphery of a clutch to
be hereinafter described in such a manner that when the pedal end of the treaddle
lever is depressed the clutch is turned round. There are two clutches, one being
attached as described to each treaddle. The two clutches are arranged on the same
line of axis, one on each side of the case containing the differential driving gear in
such a manner that each clutch at its forward effective rotation grasps and rotates:
the said case with it but at its return or backward rotation it releases the case and
allows of its continued revolution.
Each clutch may be turned back and its treaddle raised by the reaction of.
a spring or other power applied in any suitable and well known manner or the :
clutch alone may be so drawn back, the raising of the treaddle being provided for,
by making the treaddle itsself wholly or partly of Spring steel and attaching the <

page_text: pliable end to the frame work instead of hinging or pivotting it. Or each treaddle
may be lifted by an independent spring.
A band brake may be applied and operated in any well known manner to the
outer periphery of the case, preferredly between the clutches-and thus both
wheels will be retarded when descending hills.
Although I prefer the use of differential gear such as described because with it
the Machine is still a double driver even when running in a curve course yet I
may use the kind described as being a double driver only when running in a
straight line in which case the clutches would be mounted and operate directly
upon the main axle and the brako might be applied as a double band or double
spoon brake in the usual manner one brake acting upon each wheel.
•
In a tricycle constructed to carry two riders side by side and fitted with either
of the classes of. double driving gear discribed it will be obvious that the seat,
treaddles, clutches, and their accessories may be duplicated so that each rider may
work. The clutches referred to may be of any well known construction but I
prefer for this intermittent action one consisting of an inner part or disc attached
to the part to be continuously rotated as, for instance, the case enveloping the beyil,
wheels before described. This disc has notches around its periphery to receive
balls or rollers. The notches are each of them deeper at one end than the other
the object being that the whole is enclosed in a cylindrical cover loose upon
the axis of the disc and intermittent rotary motion is given to the cylindrical
cover the balls or rollers will jamb between its internal periphery and the shallow
parts of the notches when the cover is moved in one direction but will release the
disc and allow its continuous rotation when the cover is reversed or stationary
The parts liable to wear should be hardened So far this cluch is a well known
mechanical contrivance and various modifications of it have heretofore been
described in various mechanical combinations for various purposes Hitherto
however no means have been shewn or constructing and applying this or any
other clutch so as that when used intermittently with reciprocating diconnected
treaddles (not being cranks) it can be thrown out of action automatically by the
machine itself and by no other act than that of wheeling it backwards. This
constitutes another part of my invention and I accomplish it by connecting the
disc to the axis of the case for instance by a key or feather upon which the disc
may slide so that when it is near to the case it is keyed to it but if it be slid a
short distance from it, it is off the key and free of the case It may be kept on
the key by the pressure of a spring and it may be slid off the koy by a small crank
lever or wedge so placed that when the treaddle is drawn up unusually high by the
act of wheeling backwards it will come in contact with the lover or wedge and so
release the clutch from its axis. This arrangement is a great convenience and it
may be applied to this and many other kinds of clutches whether used upon single,
alternative, central, or double driving tricycles or upon bicycles or other velocipides
having disconnected treaddles operating clutches intermittently to rotate the driving
wheel or wheels.
In some instances-such as a low built bront steering tricycle-it is more
convenient to so place the treaddle levers that their rear ends shall be hinged or
otherwise to the frame and their front ends be their pedals ends These would be.
a source of great danger if they met an obstruction and yet it is desirable for
stability that the feet of the Rider should go as low down as possible. If they did
not the Rider would have to sit higher, and the loss of stability would have to be
compensated by greater width of machine, tending to vibration, weight, weakness,
and unhandiness. To obveiate this I provide as another part of my invention a
suspended open U shaped stirrup preferrably of leather suspended and jointed by
its upper ends to the horizontally forked ends of each pedal so that the foot, when
placed in the open stirrup is a few inches below the treadal proper, which is thus
out of harms way and yet tho stroko of the foot is as low as desired. If the
foot and the lower part of the stirrup meet with an obstacle no serious injury

page_text: results as the stirrup is flexible and is free to swing from the open fork of the
treadle lever above it.
Another part of my invention consists in a novel diséription of differential
driving gear for driving the two driving wheels of a velicipede such as a tricycle
where the same is steered in a straight or a curved course. Instead of the
two bevil wheels fixed to the axle. I fix the two disc capable of sliding as described
These discs and their clutches are actuated in a similar manner but the cord or
otherwise is not fixed to the treaddles but is roved through a sheave in a pulley
slung to the treaddle and the other end of the cord is then fixed to the other
clutch Thus a depression of the treaddle turns both clutebes and both axles
equally and there is no motion of the sheave on its axis unless the machine be
steered in a curve in which case the outer wheel drawn round to a corresponding
greater extent There are of course two clutches a cord and a sheave to each
treaddle,
In constructing a bicycle according to that part of my invention which relates
to the automatic 'disconnection of the discs of the clutches to admit of wheeling
backwards I form the bicycle in the usual manner except that I prolong and
project the fork end so as to provide for hinging or otherwise the forward ends of
the treaddles to them which are then operated as described
In either form of velocipede I may prevent the too low depression of the
treaddle levers by a stop provided on the frame but preferably upon the clutch
to limit the extent of its rotation in either case the stopping of the treaddles
admits of their being used as motionless foot rests while the machine is running
down hills
To reduce the width of a tricycle I prefer to allow the axle and its fixed wliee!
to stand out somewhat from the bearings on one or both sides of the machine so
that that portion of the axle can be slid thro' its bearing and telescoped into
the adjacent part of the axle which is made hollow at that part at least for this
purpose When the axle is thus in either its extended or contracted form its
telescopic part may be secured to each other in the desired position by a set screw
or in any other convenient and simple manner

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Wells Quatremaine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
0th April 1883
GEORGE WELLS QUATREMAINE of Stratford-on-Avon in the County of Warwick
Artist "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
"
The main object of this invention is to combine in the same machine the
advantages of driving both driving wheels at once (in either a straight or a
curvilinear course) with either or both feet by means of treaddles which aro
disconnected with or independent of each other and which may when desired be
both depressed together.
In describing this first part of my invention I would have it understood for the
sake of brevity that by the term " Balanced double driving" I mean the driving
or actuating both of the main carrying or driving wheels of the velocipede at the
same time (whether the machine be travelling in a straight or in a curvilinear
course) and by "disconnected treaddles" I mean treaddle levers applied so that
the motion of each is independent of the motion of the other as for instance either
may be operated upon to drive both driving wheels while the other remains at
rest or they may be both pressed down or both brought up together and at the
same time in which former case each and both will propel both driving wheels.
Tricycles may be classified as "single drivers" in which one side wheel only is
driven, "alternate drivers" in which first one side wheel and then the other is
driven, central drivers" in which one centrally placed wheel is driven, and
"double drivers" which latter are sub-divided into two very distinct classes, one
being the inferior class in which both wheels are driven together only while the
imachine is run in a perfectly straight course and as this is very rarely the case
the machine is at all other times little better than a "single" or "alternate
driver. The other or very superior class is that in which by means of differential
gear (commonly called "balance" gear) both wheels are driven whether the course
be straight or curved.
"
The single driver is unsatisfactory because the power being applied to one side
only much is wasted and the steering is injuriously affected. The same objections
apply to the alternate drivers" with this addition that the alternate impulses
from side to side produce an uneven or wobbling motion which is wasteful of force
and unsightly in appearance.
These evils are avoided in the "Central driver" but it involves more serious
ones. If the weight of the rider is placed upon the central driving wheel
sufficiently to make it grip the ground when ascending hills then the machine is
unstable and it is inconvenient especially for ladies. If the weight of the rider is
placed more upon the steering or other wheels then the machine will be safer but
it will not be a good hill climber. In the "Balanced double driver" therefore the.
greatest safety and the greatest grip on the road are at all times secured and the
loss of power and impaired steering incidental to "single" and "alternate" driving
are avoided.
"Balanced double driving" has however hitherto only been applied in a tricyclo
in combination with imperfect means of transmitting the power of the rider to the
balanced double driving mechanism. For instance an ordinary double throw
crank fitted with pedals for the feet of the rider has been provided for him to
rotate by alternate thrusts of his feet and an endless chain or its equivalent-such
as toothed wheels or jointed levers-has conveyed the rotation of the crank shaft
to the double driving mechanism. With this arrangement the great advantages.

page_text: which I will proceed to point out as resulting from disconnected treaddles such as
employing the pressure of both feet at once have been impossible and therefore
the full benefits which may be obtained by a rider from balanced double driving
have not been realized. In starting a tricycle a much greater concentration of
effort is required to overcome the inertia and impart momentum than to maintain
it. This is more easily communicated by depressing both treaddles with both feet
and legs at once than by performing all the work with one only. This is an
advantage also appreciable in ascending hills where frequent stoppages and
re-startings may be desired. More important however is the fact that with dis-
connected treadles even when used alternately the return can be effected more
rapidly than the acting stroke and thus the force of the rider may be exerted
during a portion of the acting or effective stroke by the employment of the muscles
of both legs. Furthermore in connected treaddles the depression of one necessarily.
raises the other and the rider wastes much power in allowing one foot to resist the
other and thus he works against himself. This is impossible with disconnected
treaddles. Again, in connected treaddles of the double crank type any pressure put
upon their dead points is wholly lost whereas in disconnected treaddles-such as
herein described in connection with my invention-there are no dead points and
the power throughout the whole stroke is utilized
Both from theory and experience I place a high value upon disconnected.
treaddles and. I am aware that their numerous merits have been referred to by
many inventors in their Specifications though none appear to have made known
the advantages which would accrue to a rider by their employment in connection
with balanced double driving wheels as hereinbefore defined. Amongst these the
principal is the fact that whereas each disconnected treaddle is capable of trans-.
mitting more power owing to its freedom from impediment and dead points than
could be transmitted in the usual way by connected treaddles or connected cranks
so it is essential to the attainment of the full benefit of this more economical
transmission of force that the least frictional and best tractive mode, of driving.
namely Balanced double driving should be used and on the other hand to the
same end it is essential that balanced double driving should be actuated by the.
most economical application of the rider's force, namely, disconnected treaddles.
The combination of these merits to produce this result constitutes the first and
main part of my invention.
In carrying out this part of iny invention as applied to a tricycle or velocipede
having more than two wheels I connect the wheels to any suitable frame the
steering wheel being on a line between the driving wheels so that the three wheels
will make three tracks or it may be in a line with one of the driving wheels in
which case the-three wheels will make but two tracks. The steering wheel may be
in front or at the rear of the machine but I prefer the former.
In a tricycle with the steering wheel in front I prefer to construct the frame of
a steel tube the forward end of which I pivot to the fork of the steering wheel by..
means of the usual "Stanley head" or in other suitable manner.
The tube is then,
bent downwards and rearwards so as to pass under the rider and upward beneath
or behind him. At this upward rear end the frame carries the seat and branches
into the form of a fork the prongs of which carry bearings in which the main axle
runs.
I prefer to use an axle consisting of two parts arranged in the same axial line.
A driving wheel is fixed upon the outer end of each axle. The inner end of one'
axle may be tubular so as to contain and forin a bearing for the inner end of the
öther and admit of its free revolution. Upon the inner end of the tubular axle is
fixed a bevil wheel and adjacent to it is fixed a similar wheel upon the other axle.
The teeth of the bevil wheels face each other. A cylindrical case or covering of
metal envelopes them and runs freely upon the axles. A short stud or axle is.
fixed radially to the inner side of the periphery of this case. The stud carries a
third or central bevil wheel (generally smaller than the other two) which is free to
rotate upon it. The teeth of the central bevil wheel engage with the teeth of the

page_text: bevil wheel on each side of it. Rotary motion being given to the case the stud
and the central bevil wheel are carried with it and both the other bevilled whools
with their respective axles and driving wheels are equally rotated so.long as the
machine is steered in a straight line, the central bevil, wheel then remaining
without movement around its own axis and acting as a clutch. Directly however
the machine is steered in a curved course the central bevil wheel moves upon its
axis sufficiently to permit the necessary differential rotation of the two driving
wheels to allow of the curved course being followed while maintaining the double
driving of the wheels. This arrangement was clearly described and shown in the
Specification and Drawings of the Letters Patent No 1684 in the year 1857 granted
to John Fowler Junior and others and in the Specification and Drawings of the
Letters Patent No 1345 granted to Edward and Thomas Waltham in the year 1869
for Road engines and Letters Patent N° 3388 in the year 1877 were granted to
James Starley for its application to velocipedes in the manner of "transmitting
motion from the treadle axle of a velocipede" by means of an endless chain passing
from a wheel fixed upon the double cranked treadle axle to the case beforo
described and gearing with teeth around the peripheries of each. I however. do
not desire to use the ordinary double cranked and connected treadle axle described
by James Starley in which the action of the feet was necessarily rotary and
alternate only but I use lever treadles whose effective action cannot be rotary but
must be reciprocatory or rather oscillating and are so arranged that they may be
either alternate or simultaneous.
With this view I attach lever treadles to extended parts of the frame of the
tricycle either in front or behind in such a manner that one end of each treadle
lever shall be hinged or pivotted to the frame and the other end shall be con-
veniently placed to receive the pedal pressure of the rider. I attach to each
treadle one end of a leather strap chain, wire, catgut or other flexible connector
the other end of which I attach to the periphery of a clutch to be hereinafter
described in such a manner that when the podal end of the treadle lever is
depressed the clutch is turned round. There are two clutches, one being attached
as described to each treadle.
The two clutches are arranged on the same axial line one on each side of the
case containing the differential driving gear in such a manner that each clutch at
its forward effective rotation grasps, and rotates the said case with it but at its
return or backward rotation it releases the case and allows of its continued
revolution. Each clutch may be turned back and its treddle raised by the
reaction of a spring or other power applied in any suitable and well known
manner or the clutch alone may be so drawn back, the raising of the treddles
being provided for by making the treddle itself wholly or partly of spring steel
and attaching the pliable end to the framework instead of hinging or pivoting it.
Or each treadlo may be lifted by an independent spring. A band brake may bo
applied and operated in any well known manner to the outer periphery of the case
(preferably between the clutches) and thus both wheels will bo retarded when
descending hills:
In a tricycle or other volocipede constructed to carry two or more riders it will
be obvious that the seat, treadles clutches, and their accessories may be duplicated
or multiplied so that each rider may work. And the clutches may engage with
Keys fixed to the tubes E. E. between each pair of clutches.
The clutches referred to may be of any well known construction but I prefer for
this intermittent action one consisting of an inner part or disc attached to or i
connected with tlie part to be continuously rotated as for instance the case
enveloping the bevil wheels before described. This disc has notches around its
periphery to receive balls or rollers."
The notchies are each of them deeper at one end than the other the object being
that when the whole is enclosed in a cylindrical cover loose upon the axis of the t
disc and intermittent rotary motion is given to the cylindrical cover the balls or

page_text: rollers will jamb between its internal periphery and the shallow parts of the
notches when the cover is moved in one direction but will release the disc, and>
allow its continuous rotation when the cover is reversed or stationary.
The parts liable to wear should be hardened.
So far this clutch is a well known mechanical contrivance and various mechanical,
modifications of it have heretofore been described in various mechanical.com-
binations for various purposes.
Hitherto however no means have been shown of constructing and applying this
or any other clutch so as that when used intermittently with reciprocating, or,
rather oscillating treadles (not being cranks) it can be thrown out of action
automatically by the machine itself and by no other act than that of wheeling it
backwards.. This constitutes another part of my invention and I accomplish it by
connecting the disc to the axis of the case (for instance) by a key or feather upon.
which the disc may slide so that when it is near to the case it is keyed to it but if
it be slid a short distance from it it is off the key and free of the case.
It may be kept on the key by the pressure of a spring and it may be slid off the
key by a small cranked lever or wedge so placed that when the treadle is drawn
up unusually high (or the clutch traversed backward and outward) by the act of
wheeling backwards it will come in contact with the lever or wedge and so release
the clutch from its axis. This arrangement is a great convenience and it may be.
applied to this and many other kinds of clutches whether used upon single,.
alternate, central, or double driving tricycles, or upon bicycles or other velocipedes
having treadle levers operating clutches intermittently to rotate the driving wheel
or wheels.
•
+
In some instances (such as a low built, front steering tricycle) it is more.
convenient to so place the treddle levers that their rear ends shall be hinged or
otherwise to the frame and their front ends be their pedal ends. These would be
a source of great danger if they met an obstruction, and yet it is desirable for;
stability that the feet of the rider should go as low down as possible. If they did.
not the rider would have to sit higher, and the loss of stability would have to be:
compensated by greater width of machine, tending to vibration, weight weakness,
and unhandiness.
To obviate this I may provide as an auxiliary but do not claim as part of my:
invention, a suspended open U shaped stirrup preferably of leather suspended and
jointed by its upper ends to the horizontally forked ends of each pedal, so that the
foot when placed in the open stirrup, is a few inches below the treddle proper,
which is thus out of harms way and yet the stroke of the foot is as low as desired.
If the foot and the lower part of the stirrup meet with an obstacle no serious
injury results as the stirrup is flexible and is free to swing from the open fork of
the treadle lever above it.
In constructing a bicycle according to that part of my invention which relates
to the automatic disconnection of the discs of the clutches to admit of wheeling
backwards I form the bicycle in the usual manner except that I prolong and
project the fork ends so as to provide for hinging or otherwise the forward ends of
the treadles to them which are then operated as described.
In either form of velocipede 1 may prevent the too low depression of the treddle
levers by a stop provided on the frame but preferably upon the clutch to limit the
extent of its rotation. In either case the stopping of the treadles admits of their
being used as motionless foot rests while the machine is running down hills.
Since filing my Provisional Specification I have discovered that one or two minor
matters were not of such practical utility as I at first thought so I therefore omit,
them from this Specification and make no claim for them.
And in order that the nature and extent of my said Invention may be more
clearly defined and understood and so carried into practical effect, I have caused
to be annexed to this Specification the accompanying sheet of Drawings and to the
figures and letters of reference thereon indicated I now refer,
!

page_text: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my invention as applied to part of a tricycle
(the treadles not being shown for the sake of space).
Figure 2a side view showing the pedal at upstroke.
Figure 3 an enlarged vertical section of the differential or balanced double
driving gear and clutches actuating it.
Figure 4 end view of the differential gear box.
Figure 5 end view of the clutches which face it.
Figure 6 sido elevation showing the clutch in the act of being automatically
disengaged from the differential gear box.
Figure 7 front elevation of same.
Figure 8 diagram (plan) of the engaging surfaces in the above.
Referring to the above views and now more particularly to Figure 2. A shows the
gear box fitted with what is known as the modified" Salvo" or "Humber"
gearing. Two bevil wheels B B are mounted on shafts D D' to which the driving
wheels are fixed. Pinions C O₁ carried by pins in the box A serve to connect the
bevil wheels B B. The box A is rigidly fixed to tubes E E' enclosing the
shafts D D and projecting into bearings T T as hereafter described. So far the
arrangement is well known as applied to balanced double driving velocipedes. The
ends of the box A are according to my invention provided with recesses G G¹
shown clearly in Figure 4. H, H' are the clutch boxes, drums, or pulleys before
described loose on tubes E El.
These were described in the application for Letters Patent for." Improvements
in velocipedes parts of which improvements are applicable to machinery generally "
by Alfred Milnes Hobson and Edward Cozes Smith N° 979 of 1870 and
subsequently their application for driving velocipedes was described in Letters
Patent granted to William Robert Lake (as a communication from abroad) N° 299.
of 1880 and to Nils Knut Husberg N° 3478, 1880 and to Joseph White and
George Davies N° 512 of 1881 and which type of clutches have I believe been and
are used for other mechanical purposes. I, 1', are the notched discs which with
the entire clutch slide on the tubes E E', and.J, J, the rollers (or balls can bo
used) which are jammed in the shallow part of the notches on the forward rotation
of the clutch boxes pulleys or drums and released on their backward motion..
Balls are shown interposed between the clutch pulleys and the tubes E E¹ to reduce
friction.
The grooves L L are for gut bands or straps, chains, or other flexible connectors
actuating the pulleys. According to my invention I provide projections or
lugs K K on the notched discs I 1 so that when the entire clutches slide inwards
on the tubes E'E' the lugs enter the recesses G G on the gear box A and become
locked to it as shown in figure 2, and when slid outward as shown in Figure 7 (as
hereinafter described) the entire clutches are released from it. To (1) force the
clutches H H towards the box A. and at the same, time (2) roll the clutches H, HI'
back when the treadles are raised; and (3) to raise the treadles independently of
each other I prefer to place coiled springs M M over the tubes E El, one end of tho
springs being secured in studs a a secured to the clutch pulleys HH' as shown in
Figure 2, the other end of these springs being attached in any suitable manner to the
framowork of the machine, such as in Figure 1, or I may use independent springs to
effect any two or either of these operations.
To the clutch boxes drums or pulleys H.H' I provide wedges N¹ Ñ¹, which play
a very important part in my invention.
On brackets OO carried by the cross tube of the main frame or in other
convenient manner I form or attach wedge-surfaces clearly seen in plan diagrams
Figure 8.
The front parts of OO' as shown in Figure 6 may be cushioned with leather or
other material. The clutch boxes, drums, or pulleys H H also carry stops N N.
These, when the clutches are pulled forward fully round by the treadles, strike
against tho front part of 0 0" and so prevent the treadles desconding too low and.

page_text: .
so act as limit-stops dispensing with the necessity of extensions on the frame to
carry stops.
When it is desired to wheel the velocipede backward it is run back or the wheels
are backwardly revolved till the, wedges NN¹ come against the wedge surfaces 00¹
(See Figure 6) and begin to descend the same as shown in Figure 8, thus sliding the
clutches H H with their projections. K K out of the recesses G G in the driving
gear box A as shown in Figure 7 and so allowing the velocipede to be wheeled
backwards.
I may apply this principle to the class of bicycle and tricycle for which Augustus
Lea Bricknell obtained Letters Patent N° 2613 of 1881 or to such type of
velocipede.
1
1
Instead of wedges operated by the clutches coming against them, short cranked
levers or other devices may be used to be struck by the treadle levers when rising
to their utmost limit and thus automatically shifting the clutches as hereinbefore
described when the velocipede is wheeled back, but these two plans are the
mechanical equivalents of each other as the clutches and treadles are connected
parts.
I may if desired use other forms of clutches. with my disconnected treadles and
double driving by balanced gear such for instance as those described in Letters
Patent N° 2613 of 1881 granted to A. L. Bricknell. I do not confine myself to
the use of any special form of "balance gear" so understood or of clutch for the
purpose of deriving the advantages obtained by the combination of balanced double
driving with disconnected treadles.
The bearings T T¹ carrying tubes E E¹ I prefer to secure by means of rods or
tubes bolted or otherwise secured to the main cross tube of the velocipede. Elbow
pieces as shown in Figure 3 are brazed to this to carry tubes for the purchase and
steering handles.
Brackets R are secured to the cross tube and the treadles Q are pivotted at their
rearward ends thereto. S is the upright tube carrying at its upper end the seat
rod which tube curves and goes to carry the steering wheel. It is brazed to a
bracket U carrying also the cross tube V.
P, are the flexible connectors connecting the clutch pulleys H H' (by passing over
their grooves L L') to the treadles Q. I usually employ gut bands and as a
handy means of connection make a gap W in the side of the pulleys H H¹ of the
shape of a piece of metal X secured to the end of the band P, with sufficient play
to allow the piece of metal X to rock slightly therein when it is slid in edgeways
in order to get the band over the groove L of the pulley. When the metal piece ✗
is slid in it cannot be withdrawn except edgeways and this cannot be effected till
the band P is taken out of the groove of the pulley. Y shows a band-brake drum.
I do not bind myself to the framing of the velocipede shown or to the exact
shape of treadles, etcetera used therewith.
Instead of stops N on, the drums to limit the play of the treadles I may use
stops placed on extensions of the framing.
I am well aware of a patent granted to Thomas Edward Heath Junior N° 4121
of 1881 and which patent specification shows an arrangement for double driving by
treadles connected with each other and balance gear but one treadle cannot be
depressed without raising the other (thus the rider works against himself as before
described) and both treadles cannot be depressed together. Should the rocking
beam or connecting band therein shown break, the tricycle would be useless till
the broken parts were repaired or renewed.
I do not therefore broadly claim the use of double driving (i.e.-driving both
wheels of a tricycle or like velocipede when running either in a straight or
curvilinear path-) by treadles actuating clutches, nor do I claim the mere use of
treadles operating clutch mechanism, but having now particularly described and
ascertained the nature of my said invention and the manner of performing the same

page_text: best known to me, I would have it understood that I claim as iny invention of
Improvements in velocipedes.-
1
First, The combination with "Balance gear" (or mechanism for driving both
wheels of a velocipede whether in a straight or curvilinear path) of treadles (that
is to say pedal levers) disconnected the one from the other, operating such mechanism
by or through similarly independent or disconnected clutches as and for the
purposes.described.
Second. Fitting or connecting clutch mechanism (for driving velocipedes) with
wedges, cranked levers, or their equivalents as hereinbeforo described which, when
the driving wheel or whicels are revolved to their extreme limit in a backward
direction shall cause by such action the clutches automatically to slide. away and
become disconnected from the driving mechanism or wheels and so permit the
backward travel of the velocipede to any desired extent:
In witness whereof I the said George Wells Quatremaine have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
GEORGE WELLS QUAI NEMAINE
(IS.)