Improvements in Bicycles with Front Driving and Rear Steering Arrangements.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Bicycles with Front Driving and Rear Steering
Arrangements.
I, MAN WITTMANN, of 18, Roonstrasse, Halberstadt, in the Empire of Germany,
Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved bicycle in which the rear wheel forms'
the steering-wheel while the rider is seated above the front wheel.
The steering arrangement is such as to oblige the cyclist to always preserve
an upright position. Thus the unhealthy stooping position now so often adopted
by cyclists is rendered impossible by the improved construction.
My invention will be readily understood by referring to the accompanying
drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved bicycle.
Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same.
Figure 3 shows a portion of the divided handle bar.
Figure 4 is a plan of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a front elevation indicating the manner of adjusting the steering-
bar.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5.
Figure 7 shews in section the driving mechanism.
The cycle frame consists of the main portions a b and c and stays d e and f.
The front fork & carries the front wheel g and its driving gear_h.
The cranks are of the usual kind and size adopted for ordinary bicycles.
The upper part of the tube a is arranged to receive the seat pillar for the
saddle, which latter can be adjusted therein in the usual manner and by the
ordinary means.
Below the saddle upon the frame tube is mounted the steering gear. This
latter consists of the handle bark which operates the bevelled wheel in gear
with the bevelled pinion m. The shaft of this latter extends downwards and
is fitted with a double armed lever n. Connecting-links o and o¹ form a coupling
with the steering tube p of the rear wheel a through the intervention of a double-
armed lever p¹.
The steering tube p is carried in ball bearings provided in the middle frame-
tube c and when the handle bar, k, which moves vertically, performs a movement
in the one or other direction it so effects the relative positions of the two
wheels I and q one to another, as to cause the cycle to deviate from its straight
course.
In designing the improved arrangement of cycle special care has been taken to
ensure the upright position of the body of the cyclist.
Not only does the handle bar, owing to its position below the saddle, cause the
cyclist to hold his arms straight downward and so oblige him to sit upright,
but the arrangement is such that in order to turn round to the left for example,
the left end of the handle-bar is depressed and the right end of it is raised. The

page_text: body of the cyclist is thereby naturally inclined towards the left and the move-
ment of the arms follows quite naturally.
The correct adjustment of the steering bar is effected by adjusting a ring r,
upon a screw spindle s furnished with nuts, in such a manner as to actuate
lever-arms and there with also levers u u¹ of the handle bar and arms k.
The divided handle bar is pivotally mounted upon the hub of the bevelled wheel
while the spindle s is rigidly connected to the shaft of this wheel which thus
participates in the movement of the handle bar.
The rider mounts and descends from or towards the front of the cycle.
The driving mechanism is shewn in section in Figure 7, in which a¹, 61 are
the fork tubes in which the driving wheel is mounted. The hub c of the driving
wheel runs on ball rings which rings run on the hollow axle el. This axle is
rigidly secured to the two forked tubes a¹ and by screwing, and the screw
nuts f g are themselves arranged to serve as races for the ball rings h which
constitute the bearings for the pedal cranks i i. The cranks are rigidly con-
nected together by the bolt which passes through the hollow axle.
On one crank there is fixed a toothed wheel with a toothed wheel m
secured to the fork a'. This wheel m' is connected by its shaft with the toothed
wheel m³, and this latter gears with the toothed wheel ¹ on the hub c¹ so driving
the cycle wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is-
A bicycle with front driving wheel having the saddle disposed above the front
wheel and the rear wheel arranged as a steering wheel which is operated through
the medium of a handle bar situated below the saddle and adapted to move
vertically in such a manner that when riding round a curve the handle bar and
the body incline towards the same side.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.