Improvements in or relating to Tricycles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd June, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tricycles.
I ROBERT HARVEY CHARSLEY M.A. Clerk in Orders, Mathematical Lecturer
at Oriel College and S. Mary Hall Oxford residing at S. John's Lodge,
Woodstock Road Oxford do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This machine is the outcome of two patents taken out by me in the years 1869
(No 2451) and 1880 (No. 4088) the latter of which is still in force.
Parts of these patents are retained and an improvement introduced.
The parts retained are as follows. From the patent of 1869 (No. 2451) the steering
is retained by the back. From the patent of 1880 (No. 4088) the simultaneous
action of the hand-levers is retained pivoted on radius rods.
The improvement is the following-Whereas in the patent of 1880 the before-
named radius rods are extended and form a treadle for one foot while the other foot
rests upon a stretcher fixed to the framework-this part of the action is removed
and the following substituted.
A central piece of steel tubing is extended from the framework of the machine in
front and carries at its extremity an ordinary lower chain bracket with pedals
attached. The chain from the gear wheel of this bracket drives the machine in the
ordinary way but is so arranged that the pedals supply the place of the before-
mentioned stretcher which has been removed that is to say--when the hand levers
are being pulled by the hands, one or other of the pedals is being pushed by
the foot.
I have therefore a machine where the sculling action of the hands is supplemented
by the pedal action of the feet or vice versa.
551 1
1000
R. H. CHARSLEY, M.A.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Tricycles.
I ROBERT HARVEY CHARSLEY M.A. Clerk in Orders Mathematical Lecturer
at Oriel College and Saint Mary Hall Oxford residing at S. John's Lodge
Woodstock Road Oxford 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 has for its object a combination of the applied power of the four
limbs by an improved method in driving tricycles.
The machine is the outcome of two patents taken out by me in the year 1869
(No. 2451) and in the year 1880 (No. 4088) the latter of which is still in force.
Parts of these patents are retained and an improvement introduced.
The parts retained are as follows-From the patent of 1869 the steering by the
back of the rider is retained.
From the patent of 1880 the parallel action of the hand-levers pivoted on radius
rods is retained
The improvement is the following-Whereas in my patent of 1880 the before-
named radius-rods are extended and form a treadle for one foot while the other foot
rests upon a stretcher fixed to the frame-work, this part of the action is removed
and the following substituted-

page_text: A central piece of steel tubing is extended from the frame-work of the machine
in front and carries at its extremity an ordinary lower chain-bracket, with pedals
attached. The chain from the gear-wheel of this bracket drives the machine in
the ordinary way but is so arranged that one or other of the pedals supplies the
place of the before-named stretcher which has been removed-that
to say—when
the hand-levers are being pulled by the hands one or other of the pedals is being
pushed by the foot.
In order that the method of carrying out my present invention may be fully
understood I would refer to the sheet of drawings accompanying my Letters
Patent of Oct. 8 1880 (No. 4088).
It will be seen on that sheet that the axle S of the driving wheels is doubly
cranked, the cranks being in the same plane and having their throw the same way.
One wheel is fixed at the extremity of this axle while at the other extremity a
similar wheel runs loose on the before-named axle. In my new machine these two
wheels are provided with that form of axle A¹ known as double-driving in which
both wheels are driven together when travelling straight and at different speeds
when turning curves having at or near the centre between them two similar chain-
wheels B¹ B³
A subsidiary axle C¹ running on bearings D¹ D' attached to the frame-work like
those M M of the main axle, similarly cranked to the axle S, but having the
cranks at its extremities and a chain-wheel E¹ at or near its centre gears with one
of the chain wheels on the main axle. Attached to these cranks are the two
hand-levers F, F' exactly similar to D D in the above-named drawing with their
extremities G₁ pivoted on to the free extremities of radius rods as before. The
hands of the driver operate these levers as before, that is to say like a rower pulling
a pair of sculls.
Thus far the action of the machine is precisely similar to that of my former
patent the position of the rider is the same and the method of steering by the back
is the same.
Again referring to the sheet of drawings accompanying my patent of 1880, the
treadle L, which was introduced especially for those who have power in one leg
only, and the stretcher M with its accompanying supports are removed and in their
place as before-mentioned a central steel tube H¹ is extended from the frame-work
in front carrying above it a foot rest I¹ which acts as a stretcher when the hands
alone are employed and at or near its extremity as has been already stated an
ordinary lower chain-bracket-the gear wheel K of this bracket gears with the
other chain wheel on the main axle.
Now the gearing of the chain-wheel on the axle of the handlevers and that of the
chain wheel in the lower chain bracket with the chain-wheels on the main axle is
the same so that the hand-levers and the pedals have always relatively the same
position in each revolution and the chains can be so arranged that when the levers
are pulled by the hands there is always a receding pedal to act as a stretcher for
one foot.
It will be seen therefore that in this new form as in the form of my patent of
Oct. 8-1880 (No. 4088) all the four limbs may be applied at the same time for the
purpose of propulsion that is to say once or more than once in each revolution but
whereas in my former patent when the two feet are applied they can only act in
unison which is unnatural and diminishes the power of the hands, in the present
invention the motion of the feet is alternate-when the hands are pulled the
receding pedal giving the required purchase--when the hand-levers are pushed and
the alternate pedal operated the pressure of the back on the guiding pad giving
the purchase.
In its new form the tricycle is intimately adapted for those who have the full
power in all their limbs, the work of propulsion being evenly distributed between
them without any liability of strain.
The letters marked A₁ B¹--- refer to the accompanying drawings.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed (without limiting myself
to any precise form of frame or detail of mechanical appliances) I declare that what
I claim is
1st. A combination between the rowing motion of my former patent of Oct 8-
1880 (No. 4088) and the ordinary rotary pedal motion of foot tricycles.
2nd. The arrangement of these two motions whereby each foot may do its work,
one acting on the pedal-stretcher when the hand-levers are being pulled and the
other operating the alternate pedal when the hand levers are being pushed.
Dated this 30th day of May 1891.
R. H. CHARSLEY, M.A.