IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO DRIVING BICYCLES AND TO OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Harvie, of Bingfield Street, Caledonian Road, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO DRIVING BICYCLES AND
TO OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Harvie at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th June 1876.
ALFRED HARVIE, of Bingfield Street, Caledonian Road, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO DRIVING BICYCLES AND TO OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
The Invention consists, firstly, in a novel method of mounting the two hind
wheels of a tricycle and of operating the same to cause the tricycle to run in a curved
direction to the right or left, as may be desired. For this purpose I mount the
front wheel in bearings formed in a frame carrying the rider's seat at its upper end,
and being formed at its lower end at the rear of the front wheel in a somewhat
similar manner to the under carriage of an ordinary four-wheeled vehicle, that is to
say, I form the frame with a cross bar at the rear of the front wheel, and with
bearing pieces fixed thereto, and in the centre of such cross bar I form a vertical
bearing to receive a pin or bolt carried by the axle of the hind wheels, to act as a
perch bolt" to permit the swivelling of the hind wheels thereon. The axle of the
hind wheels has also fixed thereon bearing pieces similar to those fixed on the cross
bar and to act therewith. By removing the pin or bolt the hind wheels can be
removed from the tricycle, to enable it to enter a narrow passage. A lever
mounted on an axis of motion carried by the frame, and connected at its lower end
to the axle of the hind wheels, is employed to cause the "locking" or turning of
the hind wheels upon the vertical "perch bolt." A break lever mounted on the
seat or on the upper part of the frame is, when required, pressed down on to the.
front or driving wheel to stop the same or to lessen its speed.
"
The Invention also consists in an improvement in the mode of driving the front
wheel. For this purpose, instead of causing the feet of the rider to follow the
cranks, as heretofore, entirely around the circle, I mount on the frame spring levers
formed by preference of round steel rod. These spring levers rest in a concave or

page_text: hollow formed in the cranks, or in pulleys mounted thereon, and are formed at their
outer ends with suitable bearings for the feet of the rider. Guards are fixed to
such spring levers to prevent the same jumping out of contact with the cranks.
Thus by simply working such levers up and down the cranks are rotated. This
mode of acting upon the cranks is also applicable to driving bicycles and lathes, and
to obtaining rotary motion for other purposes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Alfred Harvie in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th December
1876.
ALFRED HARVIE, of Bingfield Street, Caledonian Road, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS ALSO
APPLICABLE TO DRIVING BICYCLES AND TO OBTAINING ROTARY MOTION FOR OTHER
PURPOSES."
The Invention consists, firstly, in a novel method of mounting the two hind
wheels of a tricycle, and of operating the same, to cause the tricycle to run in a
curved direction to the right or left, as may be desired. For this purpose I mount
the frout wheel in bearings formed in a frame carrying the rider's seat at its upper
end, and being formed at its lower end at the rear of the front wheel in a somewhat
similar manner to the under carriage of an ordinary four-wheeled vehicle, that is to
say, I form the frame with a cross bar at the rear of the front wheel, and with
bearing pieces fixed thereto, and in the centre of such cross bar I form a vertical
bearing to receive a pin or bolt carried by the axle of the hind wheels, to act as a
"perch bolt" to permit the swivelling of the hind wheels thereon. The axle of the
hind wheels may have fixed thereon bearing pieces similar to those fixed on the
cross bar and to act therewith. By removing the pin or bolt the hind wheels can
be removed from the tricycle, to enable it to enter a narrow passage. A lever
mounted on an axis of motion carried by the frame, and connected at its lower end
to the axle of the hind wheels, is employed to cause the "locking" or turning of the
hind wheels upon the vertical "perch bolt."
The Invention also consists in an improvement in the mode of driving the front
wheel. For this purpose, instead of causing the feet of the rider to follow the
cranks, as heretofore, entirely around the circle, I mount on the frame spring levers
formed by preference of round steel rod. These spring levers rest in a concave or
hollow formed in the cranks, or in pulleys mounted thereon, and are formed at their
outer ends with suitable bearings for the feet of the rider. Guards are fixed to
such spring levers to prevent the same jumping out of contact with the cranks.
Thus by simply working such levers up and down the cranks are rotated.
mode of acting upon the cranks is also applicable to driving bicycles and lathes, and
to obtaining rotary motion for other purposes.
This
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, Figure 2 is a back elevation, and Figure 3 is a plan
of a trievale bovine my improvements ennliad thaunte

page_text: at the rear of the front wheel a, and with bearing pieces 62 fixed thereto, and in
the centre of such cross bar I form a vertical bearing 63 to receive a pin or bolt d
carried by the axle d of the hind wheels e, to act as a "perch bolt" to permit the
swivelling of the hind wheels e thereon. The axle d of the hind wheels e may
have fixed thereon bearing pieces similar to those fixed on the cross bar 61, to act
therewith, or such pieces may be dispensed with and, as shown in the Drawings,
the axle d may bear directly against the bearing pieces 62. The pin or bolt dis
retained in position by a nut d screwing thereon. A leverf mounted on an axis of
motion at g carried by the frame b, and connected by a link h at its lower end to
the axle d, is employed to cause the "locking" or turning of the hind wheels e upon
the vertical "perch bolt" d. The ends of the link h are formed and pin jointed to
the axle d and to the lever f, as shown, or in other convenient manner, to permit of
the free motion of the parts, whilst by unscrewing a nut f¹ working on a screw
formed on the lower end of the lever fit may be readily connected with or
disconnected from the lever f, as may be required. Thus by unscrewing the nuts d²
and f¹ and removing the pin or bolt d¹ from the bearing in the cross bar 6 the hind
wheels can be removed from the tricycle to enable it to enter a narrow passage or
doorway.
The Invention also consists in an improvement in the mode of driving the front
wheel. For this purpose, instead of causing the feet of the rider to bear directly
upon and follow the cranks i entirely around the circle, as heretofore, I mount on
the frame b spring levers j formed by preference of round steel rod. These spring
levers j rest in a concave or hollow formed in the cranks i or in pulleys mounted
thereon, and are provided at their outer ends with suitable bearings for the feet
of the rider. Guards ja are fixed to such spring levers j, to prevent the same
jumping out of contact with the cranks . Thus by simply working such levers j
up and down the cranks i are rotated. This mode of acting upon the cranks i is
also applicable to driving bicycles, as shown at Figures 4 and 5, where k represents
one limb of the fork in bearings formed, in the lower ends of which the axis of the
front wheel is mounted. To each of these limbs a rod or bar is fixed, and the
levers j are pin-jointed to the lower ends of such rods or bars l.
In a somewhat similar manner, as will be readily understood, this mode of
obtaining rotary motion is applicable for lathes, and for other purposes.
I would here remark that the mode described in my Provisional Specification of
applying a break to tricycles or bicycles does not possess such an amount of novelty
as to render it advisable to make a claim thereto, and for this reason I am desirous
to and I do hereby disclaim such arrangement.
Having thus described the nature of iny said Invention, and the mode in which I
carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I do claim is,-
First. The mode of mounting the two hind wheels of a tricycle and of operating
the same, to cause the tricycle to run in a curved direction to the right or left, as
may be desired, substantially as herein shown and described.
Secondly. I claim mounting the hind wheels of a tricycle so that they can be
readily removed therefrom, as may be desired, in manner and for the purpose
substantially as herein shown and described.
And Thirdly. I claim the employment of spring levers h to obtain rotary motion
for bicycles, tricycles, and for other purposes, substantially as herein shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Harvie, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
ALFRED HARVIE. (LS.)