Year: 1895

page_text: Trance),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 23rd Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 24th May, 1895
We, JAMES VALÈRE and JULES THOMASSIN, constituting the Firm of Valère
et Cie., of 72 Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris, France, Manufacturers, 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:-
The invention has for its object a new combination applicable to all kinds and
systems of velocipedes which has for its result the increasing of the force of
propulsion of the machine, by utilizing the steering bar as a propelling organ or
part, while still retaining its use for guiding the apparatus.
This combination is shown in the annexed drawing in which:
Figure 1 is a view in elevation taken from the left hand side of a safety bicycle
fitted with the system.
Figure 2 is a detail view showing a front view of the steering bar and the
regulating slides.
Figure 3 is another detail view on a larger scale of the steering bar alone, and
of its attachment to the body of the machine, showing its interior mechanism as a
propelling agent.
The steering bar a is made in two distinct independent parts, formed of tubes
bent in the usual way and provided at its extremities with the handles b; these
handles may be fixed or movable as shown and articulated in any desired manner,
with a view to render the work of the hands easier.
Each of the tubes a forming the steering bar covers and envelopes a fixed tube c
which is common to both. This tube c is fixed to the large ring c which is itself
fixed to the sleeve by the tube c". At the end of tube a a ring d is screwed and
held in place by a binding nut di The ring dis partly covered by a ring d¹
soldered and screw threaded solidly to the large ring c¹. Between the ring d and
the ring da circular free space is left forming the box in which are placed the
balls on which bears the ring d screwed to tube a.
At the end of the fixed tube c a washer e is soldered to the interior, in which a
pointed pivot el is screwed, which bears in a kind of toe-step e" itself screwed in
another washer e soldered at a given point in the interior of the tube of the
steering bar a.
The ring d' which serves to adjust the roller box, as well as the pivot e¹ may be
held either by a nut, or by a binding screw d
The result of the different arrangements described is that each of the parts a of
the steering bar is independent of the other part, and can turn freely on its own
axis, by means of the pivot e¹ and of the play of the balls enclosed in the ball box,

page_text: while these two same parts remain fixed and dependent, by their re-union in the
interior of the tube c¹, with regard to their usual action on the fork of the steering
wheel A.
To the outside of each part of the steering bar a is fitted a metallic clamp or
part which is rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner, and which is
interchangeable at will, and to such part is articulated or hinged a lever f¹
terminating at its opposite end in the form of a nearly complete sphere f"; the
play of the hinge is in a vertical direction. This sphere f is confined, but with
power of turning freely, by a ring screwed in the open end of a ball and socket
joint formed at the top of a connecting rod f" arranged in an oblique position, and
at any desired inclination, which at its lower end is attached to the pedal hereinafter
described. This connecting rod fill may be lengthened or shortened by any suitable
means; it is formed with a longitudinal slot in its upper end, in which is introduced
a flat rod g, forming part of a frame gl rigidly fixed to the tube which encloses and
covers the steering fork of the machine. By means of this longitudinal slot, the
connecting rod slides freely on the said rod g both in its up and down movement
controlled both in the pivotting movement of each of the arms of the steering bar a,.
and in the to and fro movement which is imparted to it by the steering bar as a
whole in effecting the steering of the machine in any direction; the latter movement
being only possible by reason of the vertical hinge joint which connects the lever f¹
to the clamp or part fand of the combination of the ball and socket joint with the
sphere. These two movements above described may operate together without
interfering with the relative position of the different parts, by reason of the
action of the sliding frame g¹ which so to speak performs the office of guide and
regulator.
The lower end of the connecting rod f111 is connected to the pedal mechanism by
being articulated by a roller bearing to a crank arm h fixed at right angles to the
end of a lever ', the opposite end of which is keyed to the axis of the toothed
wheel B, which carries the driving and speed increasing chain of the driving
mechanism, which connects it with the pinion of the driving wheel C.
The crank arm itself carries at its extremity a lever
forming with the lever ¹
a very wide angle, and to the end of this lever the ordinary pedal is fixed in
the usual manner.
The wide angle formed between the levers and ¹, and which nearly approaches
a right angle, has for its object to overcome the dead centre, by always keeping one
of the propelling parts outside this dead centre, so that the machine may be readily
placed in motion by the cyclist.
It is to be pointed out with regard to the pedal mechanism above described that
if on the right hand side of the machine this apparatus is keyed directly to the axis
of the toothed or chain wheel, this is not the case with the left hand side, and that on
this side the crank arm his fixed to one of the arms of the said toothed wheel, the
other parts remaining similarly arranged.
The operation of the apparatus as well as the effects resulting from this system
will be understood from the above description.
The parts being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the right foot of the cyclist will
actuate the right pedal which it forces forward, then presses with all his power to
cause same to descend, at the same time that with the right hand the cyclist
raises the right hand side of the steering bar a; the right hand side of the steering
bar in rising causes the lever f' to turn downwards, which through the intermediary
of the connecting rod f1 also forces the crank arm downwards, and at the same
time the cyclist bears on the left hand side of the said steering bar, which thus
returns the left pedal to its dead centre, and by these different efforts the first half
of the movement is accomplished. The other half is then accomplished by the
same movements effected on the left hand side of the machine by the left limbs of
the cyclist and the movement thus proceeds without interruption. It thus follows
that the arm and leg on the same side mutually assist each other, each of them in
such movement finding a bearing point aiding that of the other, seeing that at the

page_text: same time that the right arm raises the right lever of the steering bar, the right leg
also presses on the right pedal.
As the propulsion of the machine is effected by the use of the feet by means of
the pedals, and of the hands by means of the steering bar, acting simultaneously on
the single axis of the toothed wheel, such propulsion, can be considerably increased
at the will of the cyclist, without necessitating any excessive exertion of effective
force, and on the other hand, the expenditure of force being distributed at the same
time, and about equally, between both arms and both legs, such expenditure will
be in conformity with the natural employment of the muscular action of the human
body.
Finally, by reason of the arrangement employed, the steering bar produces part
of the propelling power, while at the same time effecting the steering of the machine
which it is necessary for it to perform.
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 :-
In any kind of velocipede, which may be either an ordinary or safety bicycle, a
tricycle, quadricycle, or other machine of this kind, a new combination by means
of which the steering bar, which is made in two distinct and independent parts,
while retaining its normal and ordinary function is utilized as a propelling agent,
by being provided with a system of articulated connecting rods which are adjustable
at will, which rods are attached to and turn round crank arms forming part of the
pedal mechanism, the propelling movement of the machine being in this manner
imparted both by aid of the feet by means of the pedals and by aid of the hands by
means of the two parts of the steering bar, the whole acting simultaneously by the
intermediary of a common pedal mechanism, on a single axis, which is the axis of
the toothed wheel or the large chain wheel, all as hereinbefore described and shown
as an example in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1895.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicants.