IMPROVEMENTS IN PEDO-MOTIVE APPARATUS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN PEDO-MOTIVE APPARATUS" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide a motor or vehicle which can be
attached to the feet and operated by gravity.
According to this Invention two driving wheels are mounted on the ends of an
axle journalled in the front part of a platform or frame which is provided at its
rear end with a projecting spring arm in the end of which a fork is pivoted in such
a manner that it can swing laterally, a third wheel being journailed in the said
fork. A brake plate projects from the rear part of the platform over the spring
arm and over part of the rim of the rear wheel. A pinion is rigidly mounted on
the axle and engages with a cog-wheel pivoted in the downwardly projecting part
of the frame. On said cog-wheel a clutch disc is formed and a like clutch disc is
formed on a cog-wheel, which is loosely mounted on the shaft on which the first
cog-wheel is rigidly mounted.
A spring is coiled around the shaft and has one end connected with the loosely
mounted cog-wheel and the other end connected with the frame.
The latter cog-wheel engages through an intermediate gear wheel with a
vertically movable rack which passes up through the frame and supports a platform
or foot-rest.
If the foot rest or platform plate be depressed, the clutch discs engage, and the
wheels are revolved and when the pressure is removed the spring uncoils and turns
the cog-wheels in such a manner as to throw the rack and the foot rest upward,
the clutch discs sliding over each other and thus permitting the wheel to revolve
without interfering with the upward movement of the rack and the foot rest.
The vehicle can thus be propelled forward by pressing the plate down by means
of one foot and then permitting it to rise, and so on alternately, as a similar
apparatus is fastened to each foot and it is only necessary to bring the weight of
the body on each foot alternately. If the weight of the body is brought on the

page_text: rear end of the foot plate the spring arm on the frame is bent slightly and the
end of the brake or plate is brought in contact with the rear wheel.
In a modification two or four wheels can be provided, all of which are driving
wheels. In place of the rack a rod or bar is provided to the lower end of which a
belt or strap is secured, the other end of which strap is secured on a pulley
mounted on the same shaft with the cog-wheel from which the motion is
transmitted by suitable gearing to the shafts of the driving wheels. This machine
is also provided with a clutch device in the same manner as before and is operated
in the same manner; the weight of the body is brought on the foot rest or plate
which descends whereby the strap or rope is wound over the pulley and thus
revolves the driving wheels.
In another modification the wheels are loosely mounted on the outer ends of
short axles journalled in the prongs of a U shaped upright frame and on each axle
a pinion is mounted between the frame and the wheels which pinions engage with
cog-wheels pivoted to the sides of the frame. The pinions are combined with
clutches for clutching them on the wheels when the vehicle moves forward. Two
racks project upward from the sides of the foot plate and are united by a curved
cross bar from which a guide rod extends upward, and through an apertured arm
on the top of the frame. Anti-friction rollers bold the racks in place in relation to
the cog-wheels.
A brake is attached to the rear end of a horizontal frame to which the U shaped
frame is secured, and is held directly above the rear wheel. This wheel is pivoted
in arms pivoted to the sides of the horizontal frame, and the arms are united by
a transverso bar having a screw which is also screwed through the brake, and
enables the brake to be adjusted.
The foot is placed on the plate and by pressing the said plate downward, the
cog-wheels are revolved and in turn revolve the pinions. When the foot is raised,
the wheels and pinions are revolved in the inverse direction by suitable springs
contained in the clutches and raise the racks and the foot plates. If the weight of
the body is brought on the rear part of the foot plate the brake is pressed on the
rear wheel.
In another modification the brake projects from the rear end of the frame and
through the said brake a screw passes into a spring uniting two pivoted arms
between which the rear wheel is pivoted. The foot plate is held on its standard
guided to move vertically in the frame, and to the lower end of the standard a belt
or strap is secured, which passes over a pulley journalled in the frame and is
secured to a pulley on the axle. The wheels are also provided with clutches for
locking them on the shaft. If the frame is depressed the strap or rope revolves the
pulley, and the pulleys clutch on the wheels and revolve the same.
Dated this 22nd day of April 1884.

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN PEDO-MOTIVE APPARATUS and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this Invention is to provide a new and improved motor or vehicle
which can be attached to the feet and operated by gravity.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying Drawings forming part of this
Specification in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all
the figures.
Figure 1 is a side view of the improved gravimotor, Figure 2 is a plan view of .
the same, Figure 3 is a side view of a modification of the same. Figure 4 is a side
view of another modification, parts being shown in section. Figure 5 is an end
view of the same; Figure 6 is a plan view of the same; Figure 7 is a side view of
another modification; Figure 8 is a plan view of the same.
Two driving wheels A are mounted on the ends of a shaft or axle B journalled
in the front part of a platform or frame C which is provided at its rear end with a
projecting spring arin D in the end of which a fork E is pivoted in such a manner
that it can swing laterally, a third wheel F being journalled in the said fork.
A brake plate G projects from the rear part of the platform Cover the spring
arm D and over part of the rim of the rear wheel F. A pinion H is rigidly
mounted on the axle B and engages with a cog-wheel J, pivoted in the downwardly
projecting part of the frame C. On the wheel J a clutch disc L is formed and a
like clutch disc is formed on a cog-wheel M, loosely mounted on a shaft N, on
which shaft the wheel J is mounted rigidly. A spring O is coiled around the
shaft N and has one end connected with the cog wheel M and the other end
connected with the frame C. The cog-wheel M engages with the cog-wheel P,
which in turn engages with a vertically movable rack supporting a platform R
or foot rest, the said platform being shown in Figure 1 but being removed in
Figure 2. The rack Q passes through a suitable opening in the platform C.
If the plate R is depressed, the clutch discs engage, and the wheels are revolved
in the direction of the arrow a' by the intermediate gearing. When the pressure
is removed from the plate R the spring O uncoils and expands and turns the
cog-wheels M and P in such a manner as to throw the rack Q and the plato R
upward, the clutch discs sliding over each other and thus permitting the wheel A to
revolve in the direction of the arrow a¹ without interfering with the upward
movement of the rack Q and the plate R. The vehicle can thus be propelled
forward by pressing the plate R down by means of one foot and then permitting it
to rise, and so on, alternately, as a motor is fastened to cach foot, and it is only
necessary to bring the weight of the body on cach foot alternately. If the weight
of the body is brought on the rear end of the foot plate R, the spring arm D is bent
slightly and the end of the tongue or plate G is brought in contact with the wheel F
and thus serves as a brake. The vehicle can be operated very easily, and very
great speed is obtained.
In the modification shown in Figure 3, two or four wheels A can be provided, all
of which are driving wheels. In place of the rack, Q a rod or bar Q¹ is provided,
to the lower end of which a belt or strap S is secured, the other end of which strap
s secured on a pulley T mounted on the same shaft with the cog-wheel W from
which the motion is transmitted by suitable gearing to the shafts of the driving

page_text: wheels. This machine is also provided with a clutch device in the same manner as
the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2. The machine is operated in the same
manner; the weight of the body is brought on the plate R which descends whereby
the strap or rope S is wound over the pulley Tand thus revolves the driving
wheels in such a manner as to propel the vehicle forward.
In the modification shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the wheels A are loosely
mounted on the outer ends of short axles B₁ journalled in the prongs of a U shaped,
upright frame C, and on each axle B' & pinion a is mounted between the frame Ci
and the wheel A, which pinions engage with cog-wheels b pivoted to the sides of
the frame C'. The pinions a are combined with clutches c¹ for clutching them on
the wheels when the vehicle moves forward. Two racks d project upward from
the sides of a foot plate f, which racks are united by a curved cross bar g from
which a guide rod h extends upward, which guide rod passes through an apertured
arm on the top of the frame C'. Anti-friction rollers k hold the racks in place in
relation to the cog-wheels b. The prongs of the frame C¹ are held by suitable
rivets to the sides of the horizontal framo. A brake m is secured to, or formed
on, the rear end of the frame l, and is held directly above the rear wheel F. The
wheel Fis pivoted in arms n pivoted to the sides of the frame and the arms are
united by a transverse bar o into which a screw p is screwed, which is also screwed
through the brake m.
The foot is placed on the plate fand by pressing the said plate downward, the
cog-wheels bare revolved and in turn revolve the pinions a. When the foot is
raised, the wheel b and pinion a are revolved in the inverse direction by suitable
springs contained in the clutches c and raise the racks d and the foot plates f.
If the weight of the body is brought on the rear part of the fuot plate of the
brake tongue m is pressed on the wheel F. By means of the scrow p the bar o
can be adjusted so that a greater or less pressure on the foot plato f is required to
press the brake tongue m op the wheel with sufficient force to chock the speed.
In the modification shown in Figures 7 and 8 the brake tongue m projects from
the rear end of the frame wand through the said tongue a screw passes, which
also passos into a spring a uniting two pivoted arms t between which the wheel F
is pivoted. The foot plate v, is held on the standard guided to move vertically
in the frame w, and to the lower end of the standard a belt or strap 8' is secured,
which passes over a pulley t journalled in the frame w and is secured to a
pulley w³, secured on the axle. The wheels are also provided with clutches
whereby they will be locked on the shaft when the pulley revolves in the direction
of the arrow a³. If the foot plate v is depressed, the strap or rope 8* revolves the
pulley w² in the direction of the arrow a³ and the pulleys clutch on the wheels A
and revolve the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
"
1 A foot power vehicle, wheeled skate or gravimotor having a foot rest or foot
plate adapted to be moved downward by the gravity of the operator and upward
by springs, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd The combination with a gravimotor having two front wheels and a rear
steering wheel, of a brake plate resting above the rear wheel and secured to the
frame of the machine, and a vertically reciprocating foot-rest, whereby the brake
may be applied by throwing the weight on the heel or rear part of the foot-rest,
substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd A gravimotor having front wheels A, a frame C, a single rear wheel and a
fork E in which the rear wheel is journalled, which fork is pivoted to the frame of
the machine, substantially as herein shown and described.
4th A gravimotor constructed with a vertically reciprocating foot rest, means for
transmitting the motion from the foot rest and converting the motion from
reciprocating motion to rotary motion, means for automatically throwing the
wheels in gear with a mechanism operated by the foot rest when the foot rest

page_text: is pressed downward, and means for automatically throwing the wheels out of
gear with the mechanism operated by the foot rest, when the foot-rest moves
upward, substantially as herein shown and described.
5th In a gravimotor, the combination with the platform C of a vertically
reciprocating foot-rest R, the shaft B, the driving wheels A, the pinions H, the
cog-wheels P, M and J, the clutch L, the spring Ö, and the rack Q, substantially
as herein shown and described.
6th In a gravimotor, the combination with the driving wheels of a reciprocating
foot rest and a belt or ropes and pulleys for converting the reciprocating motion of
the foot rest to a rotary notion and transmitting the motion from the foot rest to
the shaft carrying the driving wheels, substantially as herein shown and described.
7th In a gravimotor, the combination with a frame of two front wheels and a
rear wheel, a break tongue projecting from the frame over the rear wheel, arms
between which the rear wheel is pivoted, which arins are pivoted to the sides of
the frame, a spring connecting the said arms, and a screw passed through the brake
tongue and into the said spring substantially as herein shown and described.
•
8th In a gravimotor, the combination with the frame of the U shaped or forked
frame C held on the same, the foot rest fhaving upwardly projecting racks d
united by a cross piece g, the rod h projecting upwardly from the cross piece g, and
guided in an arm of the frame C', cog-wheels engaged with the racks d and
pinions mounted on the axle carrying driving-wheels A, which pinions engage with
the cog-wheels b substantially as herein shown and described.