Improvements in the Method and Means of Driving Velocipedes or Similar Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method and Means of Driving Velocipedes or
Similar Vehicles.
I, ALBERT HANSEL, of Zeitz, in the Empire of Germany, Merchant, 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 construction of cycles, the arrangement
and manner of action of which is widely different from velocipedes of the usual
types.
The essential feature of this invention is, that the weight of the body of the
cyclist is used, in order to produce driving force, for which purpose the cycle is
provided with two seats, of which one sinking downwards when charged, transfers
its movement to the driving wheel, whilst in the mean time the other empty seat
is lifted upwards.
In order to effect this the cycle is provided with an arrangement, the construc-
tion and effect of which can be seen by means of the drawing and the following
description.
In the annexed drawings, Fig. 1 is a view of the cycle, the front seat being in
the low, and the back seat in the high position. Fig. 2 shows this cycle, the
position of the seats being reversed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1. Figs. 4
to 6 are detail views on a larger scale.
The cycle, the framing of which is a little longer than usually, is provided with
the two seats S & H, the rods a &b of which are guided up and down movably
in the tubular supports d and f.
The seat carrying rods a and b are provided with toothed racks g and g¹ and are
besides connected with one another by means of the swinging lever w pivoted
at c.
The toothed racks and g¹ are movable so that always only one of them gears
with the toothed wheels hor k when the charge sinks down, whilst the other one
is brought out of gear when it is simultaneously lifted.
The toothed rods are connected with the sliding saddle pillars by the connecting
levers and m having their turned points at n n² and n².
The lever m has a prolonged arm o, which serves for effecting the engaging of
the toothed rack at the highest position of the seat and its disengagement at the
lowest position.
This engagement is effected by the lever arm, which abuts on the upper one of
two projections and consequently the levers mi and i¹ are turned and the toothed
rod enters into gear with the wheel hor k, whilst by the effect of the lower projec-
tion r the toothed rack arrived in the lowest position is pulled back from engage-
ment with the wheel. It is kept in that position as well as in the highest
position by means of a spring p, so arranged as to pull the lever in both these
positions.

page_text: The toothed rack of the back seat works with the toothed wheel k and the axle
of the latter is provided with the large toothed wheel R, the teeth of which gear
with the pinion t.
The pinion t is on the same axle with a large chain wheel K and transfers its
movement by means of the same to the back wheel axle.
The front seat S, which shows the same arrangement as the back seat gears with
the wheel by means of the toothed wheel 9 and this wheel operates on the
wheel so that also here, by means of the large driving wheel R, the movement
is transferred to the pinion and back wheel axle in the same direction.
The operation of this arrangement is as follows.-
As soon as the higher seat is loaded by the weight of the cyclist, the toothed
rack is pressed down by the weight of the cyclist and brought into gear with the
wheel or whereupon the latter is turned by the slowly sinking seat and this
revolution is transferred in a corresponding manner to the back wheel of the
cycle.
When the seat comes into the deepest position, the engagement is released and
by ceasing the working pressure in the teeth the toothed rack is pressed back by
the now operating lower projection and kept by the spring p in this position and
thus brought out of reach of the wheel k or h.
The cyclist can then instead of using a sinking seat, employ the seat in the usual
way in the lowest position, in order to use the pedals P and to drive the wheel
in the usual manner.
But when the bodily weight has to be further used as driving power, the cyclist
has to exchange the low seat for the higher standing seat, which was lifted by the
lever w when the charged seat was pressed down.
The sinking of the seat is also here effected in the before described manner and also
the respective toothed rack is brought into effect and disengaged in the same
manner.
The arrangement of the seats to be alternately pressed down by the bodily weight
of the rider and their combination with toothed racks mechanically engageable and
disengageable with driving wheels, need not only be provided on bicycles but also
on tricycles or similar vehicles.
The manner of arrangement of the single parts, the seat and manner of engage-
ment of the wheels, as well as the connection of the toothed racks with the seat
carrying rods and their guiding socket can be varied as may seem necessary
according to the construction, system and arrangement of the cycle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
An improved cycle, which is provided for the purpose of using the bodily weight
of the cyclist as driving force, with two seats movable alternately up and down,
the carrying rods of which are connected with one another by the lever w and are
guided in sockets up and down, the movable toothed racks g and g beng fixed
on the carrying rods in such a manner, that by means of the levers m and projec-
tions arranged on the frame they are engaged with and disengaged from the
wheels hk, so that when the seats rise, the toothed racks are disengaged, but when
the seats sink they are in gear with the wheels k or h, so that the sinking body
weight can be used for driving the cycle.
01
1
1334
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicant.