An Improved Combined Pedal and Toe-clip for Velocipedes and other Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: An Improved Combined Pedal and Toe-clip for Velocipedes and
other Apparatus.
Communicated by HENRY GEORGE BEDELL, of Wellington, in the Colony of New
Zealand, Plumber.
I, EMILY MIALL, of 8, Poplar Grove, West Kensington, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentlewoman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A great evil is experienced in the ordinary use of toe-clips in conjunction with.
pedals for velocipedes and other apparatus such as sewing machines and the like
which are driven by the feet in that so frequently the toe-clips are not brought into
their necessary positions wherein the toes can be engaged therein while when they
are so engaged they can very easily slip thereout whereupon the toe-clips may quite
possibly again fall out of their desired positions. The object of this invention is to
remedy this evil by so constructing and combining the parts as to ensure that when
the foot is placed on the pedal and immediately pressure is applied thereto the toe-
clip shall and must assume such position that the toe can be engaged therein
and shall be retained in this position so long as pressure is applied to the
pedal.
To carry out this object a toe-clip is made of any suitable material and the front
part thereof wherein the toe is to be engaged is formed of any customary or other
style and shape but the rear part thereof is made with wide horizontal jaws which
are broad enough to embrace and partly surround the pedal. This toe-clip is mounted
by its jaws and near the ends thereof in any ordinary manner whether by ball
bearings or otherwise on the crank pin or other appliance in the same manner as and
at or near the same position as the pedal is now commonly mounted and thus this
toe-clip forms and is a rocking lever on such crank pin or other appliance. A pedal
is made of any customary or other style and shape and this pedal is mounted in any
ordinary manner by its side plates between and on the extreme ends of the jaws of
the toe-clip which side plates may generally be formed with projections or lugs on
their lower edges wherein the pivots of the pedal are placed and the extremities
whereof will form or carry stops.
All the parts of this apparatus are so arranged and balanced that in its normal
position when no weight or pressure is placed on the pedal the toe-clip will be
depending downwards below the crank pin or other appliance wherefore the pedal on
the other arm of this rocking lever will be above the crank pin or other appliance
and to ensure that the toe-clip shall not be vertically so depending downwards but
shall be somewhat inclined forwards as also it may be that the pedal shall be hori-
zontal the stops on the lugs of the side plates of the pedal can be arranged to come

page_text: in contact with the edges of the jaws of the toe-clip or with stops fitted thereon in
the proper relative positions. Then when weight or pressure by the foot or otherwise
is placed on the pedal the toe-clip lever is rocked and caused to assume a somewhat
horizontal position whereby the front part thereof which is customarily bent or
curved upwards and backwards will be in its proper position to fulfil its functions and
the toe can be engaged therein while the toe-clip will be retained in this position so
long as weight or pressure is placed on the pedal and to ensure that the parts shall
not pass unduly beyond this aforesaid position suitable stops may if desired be pro-
vided on the front parts of the side plates of or elsewhere on the pedal and on the
jaws of or elsewhere on the lever toe-clip or the edges of such side plates and jaws
may come in contact or other ordinary devices may be provided.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Pedal and Toe-clip for Velocipedes and
other Apparatus.
Communicated by HENRY GEORGE BEDELL, of Wellington, in the Colony of New
Zealand, Plumber.
I, EMILY MIALL, of 8, Poplar Grove, West Kensington, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentlewoman, 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 :-
A great evil is experienced in the ordinary use of toe-clips in conjunction with
pedals and similar appliances for the feet especially in and with velocipedes
and also in and with other apparatus such for example as sewing machines -
and the like which are driven by the feet and even in and with ordinary
stirrups and other like rests for the feet in that so very frequently the
toe-clips are not found in or brought into their necessary positions to allow the toes
to be engaged therein while when they are so engaged the toes can very easily slip
thereout whereupon the toe-clips may quite possibly again fall away from and out of
their desired positions.
Now the object of this invention is to remedy this evil by so constructing and
combining the several parts of this appliance as to ensure that when the foot is
placed on the pedal or the like and immediately any pressure is applied thereon and
thereto the toe-clip will and must assume such position that the toes can properly
be engaged therein and shall be retained in this position while and so long as any
pressure is applied on and to the pedal or the like.
In order the more clearly to explain this invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein I have shewn this
invention as applied to and with the crank of a velocipede.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the appliance when and while no pressure is applied
on and to the pedal.
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof after such pressure has been so applied
and
Figure 3 is a plan of the same in this latter condition as shewn in Figure 2.
A toe-clip A is made in any ordinary manner of any suitable material and of any

page_text: customary style and shape so far at least as regards the front and operative part
thereof wherein the toes are to be engaged but the rear part thereof is made with or
to the rear part thereof are attached wide horizontal jaws B which are broad enough
to embrace and partly surround the pedal. This toe-clip is mounted by its jaws B
and a little distance from the extreme rear ends C of the same in any ordinary and
convenient manner whether by ball bearings or otherwise on the crank pin D secured
as is usual in the crank lever E. A pedal F is also made in any ordinary manner of
any suitable material or materials and of any customary style and shape and this
pedal F is mounted by its side plates G in any ordinary and convenient manner
between and on the extreme rear ends C of the jaws B by the pivot pins K. By this
arrangement it is evident the jaws B form and constitute a rocking lever mounted on
the crank pin D on one arm-the rear arm-of which rocking lever is mounted the
pedal F while the other arm--the front arm-of this rocking lever forms or to the
same is attached the toe-clip A. In many cases it may be advisable as is shewn in
Figures 1 and 2 to enlarge or lengthen the lower edges of the side plates G as shewn
at H through which enlargements H the pivot pins K would be passed and thus the
pedal F would be supported at the necessary elevation above the jaws B.
All the parts of this appliance herein before described are so arranged and balanced
that in its normal position and when and while no pressure is applied on and to the
pedal the appliance assumes the position shewn in Figure 1 with the toe-clip depend-
ing downwards and to ensure that this toe-clip A shall not be so depending downwards
quite vertically but that the pivot pins K shall be behind the vertical line of the
crank pin D and that the several parts of this appliance shall be retained in and will
not be allowed to pass beyond their proper relative positions as shewn in this Figure 1
but will always be in such position that when pressure is applied on and to the pedal F
the toe-clip A will immediately be brought up into its proper position for use as shewn
in Figure 2 the downward prolongations L of the side plates G may be formed to
come in contact with the lower or rear edges of the jaws B and act as stops thereto or
studs M or the like may be fitted on such side plates G in the necessary positions for
the same purpose or other appropriate and usual devices may be provided therefor.
When pressure has been applied on and to the pedal F and the jaws B have thus
been rocked the toe-clip A is brought up into its proper position for use as shewn in
Figure 2 and to ensure that the several parts of this appliance shall in this position
also likewise be retained in and will not be allowed to pass beyond their proper relative
positions as shewn in this Figure 2 the side plates G of the pedal F may be formed
to rest on the crank pin D or on the sleeve if any that may cover the same as is very
commonly the case or studs N or the like may be fitted on such side plates G in the
necessary positions to come in contact with the upper or front edges of the jaws B
and act as stops thereto or other appropriate and usual devices may be provided for
the same purpose.
In a similar manner as is indeed very obvious this invention would he applied to
and with other apparatus wheresoever it may be desiderated and needed and in all
cases the pedal or the like would be similarly mounted on one arm of a rocking lever
the rocking lever would be similarly mounted on the required and necessary part of
the apparatus and the other arm of the rocking lever would similarly form or carry
the toe-clip.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In velocipedes and other apparatus a rocking lever formed by jaws B and
mounted on the crank pin D or other part of the apparatus in combination with a
pedal F or the like mounted between and on the extreme rear ends C of such jaws B
and forming one arm of such rocking lever and a toe-clip A formed by or attached to
the front end of the jaws B and forming the other arm of such rocking lever sub-
stantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and declared,

page_text: 2. The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
improved combined pedal and toe-clip for velocipedes and other apparatus substanti-
ally as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
HART & Co.
Agents, 168, Fleet Street, London, E.C.