Improvements in or relating to Pedals for Bicycles, Tricycles, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1897-Accepted, 3rd July, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pedals for Bicycles, Tricycles, and
the like.
I, RICHARD VIOLET of No. 20, Cuvrystrasse, Berlin, Prussia in the Empire of
Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved pedal for bicycles, tricycles and the 'like, and
the object of my invention is to provide a pedal which may be used for racing as well
as for ordinary sport.
For racing, the pedal should be reduced in weight as far as possible, while it is of
little or no avail if the foot of the cyclist has a convenient rest on the pedal or not
the racing time being but a short one. From this point of view, the pedal of this
invention is so constructed that the sides of its frame, the edges of which serve as a
bearing surface for the foot of the cyclist, are made each of two parallel sheet metal
or other plates, one of which is removably secured to the other by screws, pins or any
other suitable means. If the pedal is to be used in racing, the removable plates are
taken from the sides of the frame, and the fixed plates alone, of very slight weight,
support the foot. For ordinary use, the removable plates are mounted to the fixed
plates, and between the two plates on each side a solid block, or a block composed of
any suitable number of superimposed plates, of rubber, leather, wood, felt or other
soft material, is placed and secured by the screws or pins which serve to attach the
removable plate to the fixed plate, said screws passing through holes of the block, the
ends of said screws or pins being locked against falling out of the transverse holes by
nuts, cross-pins or other means.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Pedals for Bicycles, Tricycles, and
the like.
I, RICHARD VIOLET of No. 20, Cuvrystrasse, Berlin, Prussia in the Empire of
Gerinany, Manufacturer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved pedal for bicycles, tricycles and the like and
the object of my invention is to provide a pedal, which may be used for racing as
well as for ordinary sport.
For racing, the pedal should be reduced in weight as far as possible, since it is of
little account whether the foot of the cyclist has a convenient rest on the pedal or not,

page_text: the racing time, generally, being but a short one. In general use, however, the foot
requires a soft support to avoid fatigue. The improved pedal of my invention may,
in the shortest possible time, be converted from a racing pedal into an ordinary cycling
pedal, and vice-versa.
In the accompanying drawings, a pedal constructed according to the improvement
of my invention is represented in Figure 1 in horizontal section, and in Figure 2 in
front elevation.
To obtain the purpose of this invention, the pedal is so constructed, that the sides
of its frame B are made each of two parallel plates A and A¹ preferably of sheet
metal, one of said plates A being permanently fixed to the frame B, and the other
plate A secured to the plate A, by means which allow of a ready and convenient
removing and replacing of the said plate A. The said ineans of securing the plates
A, and A to each other may preferably consist of threaded pins a and nuts b. The said
pins a may be permanently fixed to the removable plate A or they may be secured to
the same by screws and nuts, rivets or any other means, allowing the said pins a to
be removed from the said plates A¹. The stationary plates A are provided with holes
to correspond to the said pins a which latter can be readily passed through said holes.
Between the two plates A and A' a solid block C or a block composed of any number
of superposed plates of rubber, leather, wood, felt or any other suitable, soft material is
placed, and secured by the said pins a passing through corresponding holes provided
in the said block C. The said blocks C, may be placed inside or outside of the pedal
side-plates A, the removable plates A', of course, being accordingly secured at the
inside or outside, the former arrangement being represented in the drawings as being
more convenient,
If the pedal is to be used for racing, the removable plates A' are taken from the
sides of the pedal, and also the soft supporting blocks Cheld in place by the said
renovable plates. The side plates A then serve alone to support the foot and as the
said side plates are of very slight weight, the weight of the pedals is reduced as much
as possible.
For ordinary use, the blocks C are affixed to the pedal by means of the pins a and
plates A', as shown and described. In some cases it will be found sufficient to mount
the blocks C without the aid of the removable plates A', the pins a being simply
passed through the corresponding holes of the blocks C and the nuts b screwed against
the surface of the block preferably with washers put between the nuts and the said
surface.
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 :-
1. A cycle pedal having side plates consisting each of a stationary plate fixed to
the frame, a removable plate and means for securing the removable plate to the fixed
plate with a soft supporting block placed between the two plates and held in place by
the said securing means.
2. A cycle pedal having side plates permanently fixed to the frame and provided
with holes or other suitable means for securing the blocks for supporting the foot in
a manner to allow of a ready removal and re-placing of the said blocks.
3. A removable block for cycle pedals having holes corresponding with the pin
holes of the stationary side plate of the cycle for securing the said block to the said
plate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated 1