IMPROVE- MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward James Castle, of King's Bench Walk, Temple,
in the County of Middlesex, Barrister-at-Law, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward James Castle at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th November 1881.
EDWARD JAMES CASTLE, of King's Bench Walk, Temple, in the County of
Middlesex, Barrister at Law. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention relates to that class of velocipedes known as tricycles, and its
chief object is to so construct a machine of this description that the driving or
main wheel thereof may be directly operated by the feet of the rider, as in the case
of a bicycle, that is to say, without the interposition or agency of the chains,
wheels, or other devices which are used in tricycles of ordinary construction to
transmit to the driving wheel the power exerted by the rider upon an axle or
pedal distinct from the said driving wheel.
In a tricycle constructed according to my said Invention the rider sits nearly
over the centre of the main or driving wheel, and is thus enabled to exert his full
power directly upon the cranks attached to the wheel itself, as is the case when a
person is driving a bicycle, and this advantage is combined in my machine with
the stability of the tricycle; I therefore obviate one serious objection to the use of
tricycles as ordinarily constructed, viz., that in such tricycles only a portion of the
actual force exerted by the rider is utilized to propel the machine, for the reason
that there is a loss of power caused by the necessity for transmitting the same
through the medium of chains, wheels, pedals; or the like.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a large driving wheel
whose axle has its bearing within the arms of a fork in the same manner as is
adopted with respect to bicycles, and the said axle is cranked in the usual way.
Moreover, the upper end of the said fork is connected with the forward end of the
frame or backbone in the usual manner, but the said frame or backbone, instead of
being carried down nearly to the ground in a vertical plane as in a bicycle, extends
for a short distance only over the periphery of the wheel, and is then made to
divide into two branches or arms, both of which are curved round toward the front

page_text: of the machine, one arm being on one side of the main wheel and the other arm
on the other side thereof; or if desired the backbone may extend first forward and
then rearward. The ends of these arms are designed to serve as bearings for the
two rear or trailing wheels, and the said ends are brought sufficiently forward for
these two wheels to overlap the main or driving wheel, so that the three points of
contact of the wheels with the ground will form the points or apices of an obtuse
triangle, or in other words, a line drawn from one rear wheel to the other through
the centre of their hubs or naves would be very near to the axis of the driving
wheel. The aforesaid arms of the frame are carried far enough outward, that is to
say, away from the main wheel, to cause these rear wheels to extend sufficiently
on each side to ensure firmness and stability to the machine. The rear or trailing
wheels are made preferably of larger diameter than is the case with the corre
sponding wheels in ordinary tricycles, and as will be understood from the above
description, instead of being situated altogether behind the driving or main wheel,
only a portion thereof is in the rear of this wheel, the other portion being at the
side of or parallel with the driving wheel. It will be readily understood that this
arrangement of the wheels will permit the machine to be turned with very great
fucility.
I wish it to be understood that I am aware of the fact that tricycles have been
heretofore constructed with a front driving wheel to be operated directly by the
rider, and with two rear or trailing wheels; but in all cases, so far as I am aware,
the latter wheels have been placed entirely behind the main wheel, and in such a
position that if the rider sits over the same he obtains little or no support from the
rear wheels; and on the other hand, if he sits farther back he cannot exert his
power upon the main wheel to the best advantage; moreover, machines so
constructed are difficult to turn, and frequently fall over when being turned.
As is well known, bicycles are steered by turning the main or driving wheel by
means of handles extending to the right and left hand above the fork with which
they are connected, and the tricycle above described, made according to my Inven-
tion, is designed to be steered in this manner, but this method of steering is dis-
advantageous in some respects, that is to say, it causes the machine to wobble or
oscillate, and in some cases, when a sudden turn is made, the rider's foot becomes
disengaged from the pedal or crank. To obviate these disadvantages I propose, in
some cases, to construct my improved tricycle in such a manner that the driving
wheel, as well as the two rear wheels, will be rigidly attached to the frame; and to
permit the machine to be steered or turned I provide two brakes, one for cach of
the rear wheels, so that by applying the brake on one side or the other and con-
tinuing to drive the main wheel, the machine may be turned in any desired
direction.
•
This arrangement would afford greatly increased brake-power, and allow of the
machine being built at a smaller cost, as the construction would be more simple
than is the case when provision has to be made for turning the main wheel. In
this construction the fork and handles are dispensed with, and I provide two
curved pieces somewhat in the shape of the letter C to form the frame; the
driving wheel has its bearings in the forward ends of these pieces, one end being
on each side of this wheel, and the said C pieces extend upward, rearward, and
outward in such a manner that one of the rear wheels has its bearing in the rear
end of one of the said pieces, and the other rear wheel in the rear end of the other
piece. The saddle is placed at the upper part of these C-pieces. It is not
absolutely necessary that the parts of the frame should be in the form of the
letter C, any other form suitable for the result to be obtained may be employed.
The brakes are arranged to operate upon the front part of the rear wheels, and
handles extend upward from the said brakes so as to be grasped by the hands of
the rider, who is thus enabled to have complete control over the machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward James Castle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
15th May 1882.
EDWARD JAMES CASTLE, of King's Bench Walk, Temple, in the County of
Middlesex, Barrister-at-Law. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES,"
My Invention relates to improvements in that class of velocipedes known as
tricycles, and its chief object is to so construct a machine of this description that
the driving or main wheel thereof may be directly operated by the feet of the
rider, in a similar manner to the driving wheel of a bicycle, that is to say, without
the interposition or agency of the chains, wheels, or other devices which are used
in tricycles of ordinary construction to transmit to the driving wheel the power
exerted by the rider upon an axle or pedals independent of the said driving
wheel.
In operating a tricycle constructed according to my said Invention, the rider sits
nearly over the centre of the main or driving wheel, and is thus enabled to exert
his full power directly upon the cranks attached thereto as in a bicycle; in
addition to this advantage my improved machine possesses a further advantago
by reason of its stability, I therefore obviate one serious objection to the use of
tricycles as ordinarily constructed, viz., that in such tricycles only a portion of the
actual force exerted by the rider is utilized to propel the machine, for the reason
that there is a loss of power caused by the necessity for transmitting the same
through the medium of chains, wheels, drums, or the like.
My Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2, a rear elevation of one form of velocipede constructed according to my
Invention, and
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views shewing a modified form of the same.
Like letters indicate the same parts in all of these Figures.
In carrying my Invention into practice, as illustrated in Figure 1 and 2 of the
Drawing, I provide a large wheel a, whose axle b has its bearing within the arms
of a fork c in a similar manner to the driving wheel of bicycles, the said axle being
provided with cranks d in the usual way; the upper end of the said fork c is
moreover connected with the forward end of the frame or backbone e in the usual
manner, but the said frame or backbone, instead of being carried over the periphery
of the wheel a nearly to the ground in a vertical or approximately vertical plane, as
in a bicycle, extends for a short distance only over the periphery of the said wheel,
and is then formed with two branches or arms e', one of which extends downwardly
on one side of the main wheel a, and the other on the other side thereof. Tho
ends of these arms are provided with bearings for the two trailing wheels f, these
bearings occupying such a position that when the wheels fare supported therein
the centres of the said wheels will, instead of being in rear of the driving wheel,
occupy such a position as to overlap or be at the side of the main or driving
wheel, as shewn, so that the three points of contact of the wheels with the ground
will constitute the three points of an obtuse triangle, or in other words if two lines
are drawn from the centre of the wheels f to the centre of the axle b they will
form at their meeting point an obtuse angle. The aforesaid arms e¹ of the frame
are carried outward, that is to say, away from the main wheel a at their lower
ends to such an extent as to ensure firmness and stability to the machine, as will be
understood by reference to Figure 2 of the Drawing, whilst the width of tho
machine is kept reduced so that a maximum of stability with a minimum width of
the machine is obtained. The rear of trailing wheels fare preferably of larger

page_text: diameter than such wheels as used in ordinary bicycles, and as will be understood
from the above description, instead of their centres being situated entirely
behind the driving or main wheel, they occupy the position above mentioned,
so that a straight line joining their centres would pass within the circumference
of the driving wheel. It will be readily understood that this arrangement of the
wheels will permit the machine to be turned with very great facility, the width
between the side wheels allowing sufficient play of the driving wheel for this
purpose.
As is well known bicycles are steered by turning the main or driving wheel by
means of handles extending to the right and left hand of the rider above the fork
with which they are connected. My improved tricycle, as illustrated in Figures 1
and 2, is arranged to be steered in this manner. This method of steering however
is disadvantageous in some respects, that is to say, it causes the machino to
oscillate, and in some cases, when a sudden turn is made, the rider's foot becomes
disengaged from the pedal or crank. To obviate these disadvantages I, in some
cases, construct my improved tricycle, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4 of the Drawing,
that is to say, in such a manner that the driving wheel a as well as the two rear
wheels fare rigidly attached to the frame e which forins part of the fork c; and to
permit the machine to be steered or turned I provide two brakes g, g, one for each
of the rear wheels f, which brakes are preferably supported upon a cross bar / con-
necting the lower ends of the arms e, e'; by applying one of these brakes to one wheel
and continuing to drive the driving wheel, the machine may be caused to turn in
one direction, and by applying the brake to the other wheel the said machine may
be caused to turn in the opposite direction. By applying both of the said brakes
to the trailing wheels f simultaneously the machine may be very readily stopped,
as the arrangement above described affords greatly increased brake power. It also
allows of the machine being built at a smaller cost, as the construction would be
more simple than is the case when provision has to be made for turning the
driving wheel. In this construction of the machine the parts e', c¹, do not meet in
the back bone, as described with reference to Figure 1, but are connected directly
with the parts of the fork c on each side of the driving wheel a. The saddle h is
placed above the upper portion of the parts e', e¹.
In order to provide for the operation of the brakes, I in some cases connect the
same by cords, bands, or chains with the handle j, which in the machine shewn
in Figures 3 and 4 is adapted not only to turn upon its axis in order to tighten up
the said cords, bands, or chains i so as to apply the two brakes simultaneously to
the rear wheels f to stop the machine, but is also adapted to be turned upon a
vertical axis, so that one of the cords, bands, or chains may be tightened and the
other slackened, and vice versa, for the steering of the machine. I do not however
confine myself to the application of the brakes to the rims of the wheels for either
stopping or steering the machine, as I may apply brake power to the axles of the
said wheels or to drums thereon in any suitable manner.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I am aware that tricycles have been heretofore
constructed with a front driving wheel to be operated directly by the rider, and
with two rear or trailing wheels, but in all cases, as far as I am aware, the said
trailing wheels have been connected with the driving wheel by means of a single
back bone attached to the axis passing through the trailing wheels, which axis
must necessarily be in rear of the driving wheel. This arrangement necessitates
the placing of the trailing wheels in such a position that if the rider sits over the
driving wheel he obtains little or no support from the said trailing wheel; and on
the other hand if he sits farther back he cannot exert his power upon the said
driving wheel to the best advantage; moreover, machines so constructed are
difficult to turn, and frequently fall over during such turning. I am also aware
that it has been proposed to place small wheels at the sides of the main or driving
wheel of a bicycle in addition to the trailing wheel behind the said main wheel, so
as to support the said bicycle when the rider is mounting or dismounting from the

page_text: vehicle, the said small wheels being made adjustable so that they may be raised
from contact with the ground when the rider is properly mounted or has started
the machine. I therefore make no claim to such constructions of the machines, but
I claim,
First. A velocipede having a main or driving wheel placed between two side
trailing wheels, and connected with them by a forked or divided back-bone or by
double backbones, in such a manner that the said trailing wheels are so placed
that if a straight line be drawn through their centres it will be within the
circumference of the main or driving wheel, for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination with such a velocipede of the devices herein set forth,
or substantially similar devices for effecting the steering and stoppage of the
vehicle.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward James Castle, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
EDWARD JAMES CASTLE. (L.S.)