An Improved Foot-power Driving Apparatus.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Foot-power Driving Apparatus.
WILLIAM WELLENS No. 17 Coppice Street Oldham Lift Maker, and General
Dealer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An endless ladder, chain or belt, revolving or oscillating over suitable pulleys
on top and bottom shafts, pulleys made of three or more bars with side
flanges or sprocket wheels arranged to suit, ladder chain or belt, the
spokes of ladder (chain or belt) form the pedal for the foot to push down,
to drive cycle, road carriage, or other turning, in applying the push between
the drums, instead of on crank pedals, I have no dead centre to overcome,
thus enabling the person using this apparatus to start his machine at will, going up
hill or on level, or with load on as he may desire. It can be used for driving a boat
propeller or paddle wheels, for boating purposes, or as a starter for machines using
ordinary pedals, (as used on cycles) and to be used in combination with pedals or
cranks, also with a suitable escape device, to enable the machine (driven) to run
forward without the ladder moving in going down hill or when the speed is up.
Dated this 4th day of August 1893.
WILLIAM WELLENS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Foot-power Driving Apparatus.
WILLIAM WELLENS 17 Coppice Street, Oldham, Lift Maker and General'
Dealer, 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 arrangement of mechanism which is applied for the
purpose of driving cycles, boat propellors or any class of machinery where foot
power can be used, without having a dead centre to overcome.
When this apparatus is used the machine can be started at will by pushing down
at the pedal or pedals.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation shewing endless ladder, passing around drums or
pulleys.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of cycle, shewing this invention adapted to it.
Fig. 4 is a front elevation of same.
Fig. 5 is a plan.
Fig. 6 is a side elevation, shewing a ball or roller friction clutch.
Fig. 7 is a front sectional elevation of same through X. Y.
The invention as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of an endless ladder, chain, band,
or belt, A passing around drums, pulleys or sprocket wheels B. B'. By stepping on
to the bars or spokes C of the ladder, one after another, motion is given to the
driving shaft. The top pulley B' being the driver. Gear wheels D may be added
to give direction and speed. This may be reversed viz. by putting the driver and
gear wheels at the bottom and the carrier at the top.
If used as a road machine for a number of persons to ride, the bars or spokes C
of the ladder can be of any desired width to suit one or more persons to work it

page_text: side by side, and can be connected to any number of driving shafts or can be used
as a starter, in combination with cranks or pedals, as used on other machines.
Another adaptation is when used with band or chain over pulleys as shewn in
Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The top pulley or wheel B' being the driver, the carrier pulley
or wheel being at B. The foot stirrup or pedal Ġ is connected with the endless
band or chain A, which is bolted or fastened to pulley B', so that when the foot
pushes down, the driving power is applied. A suitable escape motion, such as a
ratchet wheel H and pall h, or an escape clutch, such as is shewn in Figs. 6 and 7,
keyed or screwed on the driving shaft, which enables the foot to lift back to the
-starting point.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew two views of a ball or roller escape clutch which is used
instead of a ratchet wheel and pall. N is a spring in the form of a clock spring,
() are balls, or a roller may be used, P is a plate which keeps the balls or rollers in
their places. This plate is not shewn in Fig. 6 so that the balls may be seen more
clearly. When the driving power is applied in the direction as shewn by the arrow,
the balls are forced forward against the flats on plate R and plate R being keyed or
-otherwise fastened on the shaft F, motion is given to the shaft. When the driving
power is spent the spring N pulls the wheel B back to the starting point.
This arrangement can be used single or double (one foot or two) to suit machine
or work to be done. Gear wheels D may be added as shewn to give direction and
-speed.
Suitable brakes and other appliances may be used for any or all the foregoing
arrangements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The arrangement of pulleys or drums with endless ladder as and for the
purposes shewn and described.
2nd. The arrangement of sprocket wheels in combination with levers, escape
-clutch, ratchet wheel and pall, springs, chain, band, foot pedals and connections to
same, all as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 20th day of March 1894.
WILLIAM WELLENS.