Improvements in or relating to Propelling Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: .
We, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, of 66, Waddon Old Road, Croydon, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, and AUGUSTA FARRER, of Bridgewater Lodge, Maidenhead, in the
County of Berks., Widow, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as
follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the hands and arms of
the rider may be utilized as an auxiliary power for ascending hills and generally for
helping the progress of the cycle.
According to our invention, we propel the steering wheel of the cycle by means of
handles, levers connecting rods, and epicyclic or analogous gear operating upon the
hub of the wheel. This we effect by mounting the hub rigidly on a spindle mounted
in ball bearings fitted to the ends of the fork.
The spindle projects outward from the fork on both sides of the cycle and is
provided with pinions fixed thereon. These pinions are operated by internal toothed
rings or wheels mounted on the fork eccentrically to the pinions, the rings or wheels
being fitted with studs or cranks. Connecting rods are pivoted on the cranks and to
a pair of levers suitably pivoted to the fork blades, the upper ends of which levers
carry handles pivoted thereto and provided with stops or blocks to limit their
motion.
The various parts are so arranged that one or more of them may be readily
detached when not required, and means are provided whereby the gear may be
thrown out of action if desired. This may be effected by centralizing the rings or
wheels relatively to the pinions or by other suitable means.
GEORGE DOWNING & SONS,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in or relating to Propelling Cycles.
We, JAMES GEORGE STIDDER, of 66, Waddon Old Road, Croydon, in the County of
Surrey, Engineer, and AUGUSTA FARRER, of Bridgewater Lodge, Maidenhead, in the
County of Berks, Widow, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
The object of our invention is to provide means whereby the hands and arins of
the rider may be utilised as an auxiliary power for ascending hills and generally for
helping the progress of the cycle.

page_text: According to our invention, we propel the steering wheel of the cycle by means of
handles, levers, connecting rods, and epicyclic or analogous gear operating upon the
hub of the wheel. This we effect by mounting the hub rigidly on a spindle mounted
in ball bearings fitted to the ends of the fork. The spindle projects outward from
the fork.on both sides of the cycle and is provided with pinions fixed thereon. These
pinions are operated by internal toothed rings or wheels mounted on the fork
eccentrically to the pinions, the rings or wheels being fitted with studs or cranks.
Connecting rods are pivoted on the cranks and to a pair of levers suitably pivoted to
the fork blades, the upper ends of which levers carry handles pivoted thereto and
provided with stops or blocks to limit their motion.
The various parts are so arranged that one or more of them may be readily
detached when not required, and means are provided whereby the gear may be
thrown out of action if desired. This may be effected by centralizing the rings or
wheels relatively to the pinions or by other suitable means.
And in order that our said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar figures of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating the parts of a cycle to which our invention
applies; Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail, partly
in section.
3 is the steering fork. 4 is a portion of the spindle of the steering wheel, mounted
in ball bearings, as shown. The spindle projects outward from the fork on both sides
of the wheel, each end being fitted with a pinion 5, fast thereon.
6 is a ring formed with internal teeth gearing with the pinion 5, and constructed
as shown. The toothed ring is fast on a short crank axle 7, the spindle 7 being
mounted in an eccentric position relatively to that of the spindle 4. The crank arm 8
is fast on the spindle 7, and is fitted with a crank pin 9. 10 is a bridge attached to
the fork as shown in Fig. 2. 12 is a lever pivoted to the fork at 13. The upper end
of this lever is fitted with a handle 14 for actuating the same by hand.
15 is a
connecting rod pivoted to the crank 8 at 16 and to the lever 12 at 17.
Both sides of the steering wheel are similarly fitted except that the cranks 8 are
arranged at opposite angles, or 180° apart, or other suitable angles as desired.
Ball bearings are fitted wherever necessary.
The relative diameters of the toothed pinion 5 and toothed ring 6 are arranged to
suit the required relative speeds of revolution of the crank 8 and the wheel 18.
The handle 14 is fitted to a tubular connection 19 by means of a knuckle-joint 20.
The knuckle joint holds the handle 14 fast by the locking arrangement shown
in Fig. 3, secured by a coiled spring 21, and can be released by the rider by pressing
back the handle 22. The handle 14 can then be turned out of the way of the
rider.
The bridge piece 10 is sometimes pivoted at 23 to the lower end of the fork, and
the upper end 24 of the bridge is capable of receiving a certain amount of angular
motion in connection with the slotted bar 25. 26 is a handle attached to a rod, wire
or chain, 27, the lower end of which is connected to another lever 28 pivoted to the
fork 3, and a rod 29 connects the lever 28 with the bridge 10, the stud of which
works in the slot 25. The upper end of the rod 26 is serrated, and is normally held
up by the spring pawl 30. On drawing the pawl 30 backward the rod 26 is released,
and falls downwards. This operation causes the end 24 of the bridge 10 and ring 6
to fall also, whereby the pinion 5 and toothed ring 6 are thrown out of gear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The improved means for the propulsion of cycles, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
2. The combination with cycles, of auxiliary means of propulsion, consisting of
hand-levers pivoted to the fork, the lower ends of the levers being linked to cranks

page_text: fitted to epicycle or analogous gear, whereby the steering wheel is driven by hand
power, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawings."
3. The improved method of and means for disengaging the toothed ring from the
pinion, substantially as described and illustrated on Fig. 1 of the drawings.
Dated 24th December 1897