Improvements in Cycles and Driving Mechanism therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1899
Complete Specification Inft
021FL 4000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles and Driving Mechanism therefor.
I, VENCESLAS GOURNY-WYSOCKI, of 17, Rue Berckmans, Brussels, in the King-
dom of Belgium, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a novel vehicle for propulsion by one or more
persons by means of pedals. The mechanism is extremely simple and of great
strength and renders the vehicle to which it is applied light and convenient
and capable of mounting inclines with ease and with a minimum of effort on
the part of the riders.
The vehicle is essentially characterised by pedals suitably pivoted to the
frame and connected one with the other by means of the cable of chain which
is passed round a wheel attached to a stirrup which is itself fixed to the upper
horizontal branch of the frame, in such a manner that when one of the pedals
is depressed the other rises, thus producing a vertical reciprocating movement,
one pedal always again bringing the other into position.
Upon the lever of each pedal is fixed a second lever which may be either
lengthened or shortened for the purpose of altering the length of the stroke of
the pedal this lever is connected with a ratchet device consisting of two
plates between which is arranged the toothed wheel provided with a movable
pawl and with a spring.
When the lever being acted upon by the pedal, presses the ratchet device
upwards, the pawl will slide upon the teeth, whilst during the simultaneous
but inverse movement of the other pedal the said pawl will engage with the
toothed wheel which will impart the movement to a pin wheel since it is
rigidly connected with this latter; this pin wheel will in its turn gear with
the pinion rigidly fixed upon the axle of the driving wheels and will thus
cause the vehicle to advance.
The pin wheel consists of three discs fixed upon the same axis as the ratchet
engaging device; these discs are connected one with the other by means of
suitable bolts and nuts. Around the entire circumference of these three discs
are provided small cylindrical pins upon which rotate freely on either side of
the central disc, small hollow cylinders which gear with the pinions.
Within the pinion is arranged a second toothed wheel; the pinion is also
provided upon its internal wall with notches in which are placed small cylinders.
The teeth of the inner wheel, are so fashioned that upon rotating in one
direction they force the aforesaid cylinders into the abovementioned notches
and consequently enable the wheel to rotate freely, whilst upon rotating in
the opposite direction, the small cylinders fall between the teeth of the inner
wheel lock it and thus cause the pinion which is rigidly fixed upon the axle of
the driving wheels, to rotate also.
This part is of the greatest utility in mounting hills, as it prevents the
vehicle from running back, whilst in rounding curves and during steering it
enables one of the wheels to travel more slowly than the other or even to stop
entirely.

page_text: The axle of the driving wheel is made in two parts, and to each internal
extremity is fixed a pinion, but the large pin wheel although divided into two
parts, forms only a single wheel each half of which gears with one of the two
pinions.
The manner in which the mechanism operates will readily be understood from
this description. As soon as the pedal is drawn upwards, it depresses by means
of its lever the point of the ratchet-device and operates the pawl; immediately
the pedal is forced downwards, the pawl gears with the toothed wheel which
is rigidly connected with the pin wheel which in its turn gears with the
pinions rigidly connected with the axle and with the driving wheels and thus
forces the vehicle to advance.
Whilst one of the two pedals is depressed, the other rises and effects the
same movements as those already described with reference to the first pedal,
with the same results; that is to say, the two pedals correspond to two identical
but distinct mechanisms which have in common only the pin wheel.
The advantage of this arrangement is to entirely obviate the occurrence of
any dead point.
It will of course be understood that the vehicle for one person which has
been described might equally well be constructed for two or a larger number
of persons; it is only necessary to repeat the same mechanism as many times
as there are riders. There is no reason why a vehicle having 3, 4, 5, 6 or
an even greater number of wheels should not be constructed.
The vehicle thus consists as regards each pedal of the mechanism which has
been described excepting the pin wheel, of which there is one only and which
serves to engage the two toothed wheels whether the left or right hand pedal
is operative.
It will further be understood that the invention is capable of all modifications
which do not alter the nature of the same; thus, for example the steering gear
or the steering wheel or wheels may equally well be placed behind as in front.
This would be the case in a tricycle for three persons, two of whom were not
intended to take part in the driving of the vehicle, one person only acting upon
the pedals.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles and Driving Mechanism therefor.
I, VENCESLAS GOURNY-WYSOCKI, of 17, Rue Berckmans, Brussels, in the King-
dom of Belgium, Mechanician, 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 cycles and like vehicles adapted to be propelled
by one or more persons by means of pedals.
The mechanism being extremely simple and of great strength enables the
vehicle, to which it is applied and which is therefor light and convenient, to
mount inclines with ease and with a minimum effort on the part of the rider
or riders.
The invention is illustrated in the acompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the general arrangement of a tricycle
adapted for a single person.

page_text: Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views illustrating the pin wheel, and
Figure 6 is a detail view of a clutch hereinafter described.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a vehicle adapted for three persons.
Figure 8 is a plan of the same.
Figure 9 shows a vehicle adapted for one person but provided with a movable
back intended to serve as a seat for a second person and
Figure 10 is a special arrangement intended to produce the reciprocating
motion of the pedals.
The improved vehicle is essentially characterised by pedals a suitably pivoted
at d to the frame and connected one with the other by means of a cable or
chain which is passed round a wheel b attached to a stirrup 1 which is
secured to the upper horizontal branch m of the frame, in such a manner that
when one of the pedals a is depressed the other is raised, thus producing a
vertical reciprocating movement, one pedal always acting to bring the other
into position.
To the lever of each pedal a is fixed a second lever c which may be either
lengthened or shortened for the purpose of varying the length of stroke of the
pedal a.
The opposite end of each lever e is pivoted to a ratchet device which consists
of two plates f, of the special form shown in the drawings. These plates are
connected by means of bolts and nuts and are provided with a movable pawl g
and a spring k. Each pawl g is pivoted to a connecting bolt of one of the
ratchet devices and is caused to engage with a ratchet wheel i by means of
the spring k. The ratchet wheels are arranged between the two plates ff but
independent thereof and are rigidly fixed to the axis of the pin wheel j so that
both wheels i and j are rigidly connected, whilst the plates ff may turn freely
upon the axis of the said wheels. It is obvious that when the lever c, on being
acted upon by the pedal a moves the ratchet device f upward the pawl g will
slide over the teeth whilst during the movement of the pedal in the opposite
direction the said pawl will engage with the ratchet wheel i and will cause the
latter to turn so that movement will be imparted to the pin wheel j. The pin
wheel, which in turn gears with the pinion h mounted as hereinafter explained
on the axle of the driving wheels, will rotate the said pinion and so move the
vehicle.
As shown in Figures 4 and 5 the pin wheel ; consists of three discs rrr
fixed to the same axis as the ratchet device; these discs are connected one with
the other by suitable bolts and nuts and around the entire circumference of
the said discs are arranged small cylindrical pins s upon which hollow cylinders
or rollers t arranged on each side of the central disc are adapted to freely rotate,
the said cylinders or rollers being designed to gear with the teeth of the
pinions h.
Within each of the aforesaid pinions is arranged a notched disc o the
latter being rigidly fixed to the axle of the driving wheel and the said pinions h
are also provided upon their internal circumference with a number of notches
or grooves pin which are placed small cylinders or rollers 7, nine such notches
being shown in the drawing. The notches or grooves of the disc o are formed
as shown in Figure 6 so that when the pinion is rotated in one direction
the aforesaid cylinders 9 are forced into the above-mentioned notches p and
consequently enable the disc to rotate freely, whilst upon rotating the pinion h
in the opposite direction, the small cylinders or rollers fall into the notches
of the disc o lock it and thus cause the disc o, which is rigidly fixed upon the
axle of the driving wheels to rotate also.
This mechanism is of great utility in mounting hills, as it prevents the
vehicle from running back, whilst in rounding curves and during steering it

page_text: enables one of the wheels to travel more slowly than the other or even to stop
entirely.
The axle of the driving wheel is made in two parts as shown in Figure 2,
and to each internal extremity is fixed a disc o but the large pin wheel j
although divided into two parts as represented in Figures 2 and 3, forms only
a single wheel each half of which gears with one of the two pinions h.
The manner in which the mechanism operates will be readily understood from
this description: as soon as the pedal a is drawn upwards, it moves the point e
of the ratchet device upwards by means of the lever c and consequently causes
the said ratchet device f and the pawl g to rotate the latter sliding over the
ratchet wheel i: immediately the pedal is forced downwards, the pawl
with the ratchet wheel which is rigidly connected with the pin wheel j which
in its turn gears with the pinions h mounted as aforesaid upon the axle of the
driving wheels and thus causes the vehicle to advance.
gears
Whilst one of the two pedals a is being depressed, the other rises and effects
the same movements as those already described with reference to the first pedal.
with the same result; that is to say, the two pedals correspond to two identical
but distinct mechanisms which have a common pin wheel, j.
The advantage of this arrangement is that it entirely obviates dead centres.
It will of course be understood that the vehicle which has been described
is adapted for one person, but that it can also be constructed for the use of
two or more persons; it is only necessary to duplicate the mechanism according
to the number of riders. There is no reason why a vehicle having 3, 4, 5, 6
or even a greater number of wheels should not be constructed.
The vehicle thus consists as regards each pedal, of the mechanism which has
been described, excepting the pin wheel j, of which there is only one and which
serves to engage the two pinions h whether the left or right hand pedal is
operative.
It will further be understood that the system is capable of any modification
which does not alter the nature of the invention, thus, for example the steering
gear or the steering wheel or wheels may be placed behind instead of in front.
This would be the case in a tricycle for three persons, two of whom were not
intended to take part in the driving of the vehicle.
persons.
Figures 7 and 8 represent by way of example a tricycle adapted for 3
From an examination of the drawings it will be seen that all the parts herein-
before described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 are also embodied in this
arrangement under nearly the same conditions with the exception of the levers e
which are omitted. This tricycle is intended to be driven by one person only
at the rear whose seat is at S whilst the two persons at the front normally
remain inactive.
In this modification the operation of the pedals aa will be the intervention
of the pawls gg cause the rotation of the ratchet wheels ii and thereby also
the pin-wheel which latter operates the pinions hh. The two persons seated
at the front normally remain inactive as above stated, but when it is desired
to ascend a hill they may assist in the operation of the vehicle. With this 4
object two auxiliary pedals a¹a¹ are provided adapted to act upon pawls g'g'
conveniently arranged so as to operate ratchet wheels fixed upon the same
spindles as the wheels ii and pin-wheel j, thus assisting to propel the machine
in a similar manner to that herein before described.
A further modified arrangement of a tricycle adapted for one person is shown 5
in Figure 9 and consists of a seat back, pivoted to the rear of the saddle and held
in position by means of two rods suitably attached to either side of the saddle
and pivoted at their upper end to the said seat back.
back upon its pivots and fixing the free extremities of the rods to suitable
By rotating this seat
sockets fitted on the driving axle, there will be provided a seat for a second 5
person.
Figure 9 also shows a special arrangement of step capable of being rotated

page_text: so that it may serve as a support for the person sitting on the rear of the
vehicle.
It should be understood however that the modified arrangements shown in
connection with Figure 9 do not form part of my invention.
Figure 10 shows a special device consisting of a lever b attached to the
stirrup and intended to replace the toothed wheel b Figure 1.
This enables
a greater space to be provided between the pedals a; whilst serving the same
purpose as the toothed wheel, that is to say to produce the reciprocating
movement of the pedals.
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 vehicle having three or more wheels driven by means of pedals which
alternately transmit their movement to a pin wheel which in its turn communi-
cates such motion to two pinions (A) arranged upon the driving axles, substan-
tially as described and represented by way of example in the accompanying
drawing.
2. The combination of a single pin wheel communicating its movement to
two pinions (h) arranged upon with the axles of the driving wheels, these latter
being in the same axis but independent one of the other, substantially as
described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
3. The internal construction of the pinion (h), which is capable of rotating
freely in one direction whilst engaging when rotating in the other, the result
of which is to enable one of the wheels to travel more or less rapidly then
the other or even to stop entirely in turning, and also to prevent backward
travel of the vehicle when ascending hills, substantially as described above
and represented in the accompanying drawing.
4. The special arrangement of the pin-wheel in gear with two pinions hh
and formed of three discs connected together by bolts and nuts and having
around their periphery small pins with loosely mounted hollow sleeves or
cylinders which latter are arranged to gear with the teeth of the pinions h,
substantially as herein before described and shown in the annexed drawings.
5. The general arrangement of the vehicle comprising the parts claimed in
Claims 1 to 4 for one or several persons, one or more of whom actuate the
machine, substantially as herein before described and specified and as shown in
Figures 1 to 3 and 7 to 8 of the annexed drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of Fahiny 1000.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.