IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF BODILY WEIGHT AND MUSCULAR POWER TO PROPELLING OR DRIVING POWER PURPOSES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick James Bell, of the Pensylvania Hospital, West
Philadelphia, in the State of Pensylvania, United States of America, but at
present temporarily of the Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION OF BODILY WEIGHT
AND MUSCULAR POWER TO PROPELLING OR DRIVING POWER PURPOSES AND IN
APPARATUS THEREFOR."
Sealed the 21st October 1876, and dated the 5th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick James Bell at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th August 1876.
FREDERICK JAMES BELL, of the Pensylvania Hospital, West Philadelphia, in the
State of Pensylvania, United States of America, but at present temporarily of the
Caledonian Road, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION
OF BODILY WEIGHT AND MUSCULAR POWER TO PROPELLING OR DRIVING POWER
PURPOSES AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR."
The object of this Invention is to enable a person with minimum bodily exertion
to apply his weight and muscular power to propelling or driving power purposes,
in such a way that the movement of the body somewhat resembles that of a rider on
horseback. This my Invention is especially applicable to propelling purposes either by
road, rail, or water, and more particularly to velocipedes; but it also may be applied
to the driving wheel of any machine for stationary purposes.
As applied to a bicycle I attach or suspend to the frame of the bicycle or to a
spring attached thereto one or a pair of balance levers pivoted or hung about
horizontally at or near their centre. The hind part of said lever or levers I call
the saddle arm, as it carries the saddle or a backed chair, the bent up part of the
saddle or the back of the chair forming an abutment for the back or shoulder of the
rider during part of the movement or action. The other front arm or end of said
lever or levers I call the stirrup arm as it carries the stirrups. The stirrup arm is
also by connecting rod or rods connected to the crank pins of the bicycle front wheel.
Foot boards or stirrup irons are attached to the lower ends of the stirrups. The

page_text: stirrups are not attached directly to the stirrup arm, but to a block attached to an
endless chain and capable of running along the stirrup arm, which at its outer or
forward part is fitted with a pulley over which the endless chain passes; the said
endless chain at the other end nearest the rider coils two or more complete turns
round a spindle or pulley just in front of the fulcrum of the balance lever, by
turning a spoke wheel on this spindle the stirrups are brought nearer to or further
from the lever fulcrum, and the leverage altered relatively to the leverage of the
bicycle cranks; this may be done while in motion, and as the exigencies of the road
or work require it.
To the upper ends of a pair of levers which have their lower fulcrums in some
front part of the frame, I attach the two ends of a bridle which is held by the rider.
To some intermediate part of these levers I adjustably attach the ends of a pair
of chains which pass each round a pulley attached to a part of the frame in front of
the lever; the other ends of the chains are attached to a cross bar or steering lever
at the back or steering wheel, or the bridle ends may be attached each to one end
of a double armed lever, the other end of said levers being connected to the
steering lever. Or the connection of bridle to frame and to the steering lever may
be done in any other suitable mechanical way so long as the rider thereby can raise
himself in the saddle, and if required also (by pulling one end of the bridle more
than the other) actuate the steering gear of the bicycle or other carriage. For
stationary driving power purposes the chains are attached to some fixed part of the
machine or building.
For carriages with less than three wheels I preferably provide props abuting
against the ground for facilitating, mounting, and dismounting, and for stopping,
standing, and starting at will without dismounting. These props are by preference
jointed to the frame by means of links, and are by means of gearing at the rider's
option made to lift or drop as required.
The connecting rods may be prolonged above the balance lever, and provided with
a weight at the top, which weight partakes of a movement similar to the lower or
crank end, and thus acts as a fly wheel.
To overcome the dead points I sometimes append two tubes to the upper part of
the frame of the machine, but by preference a short distance inside of the centre
of the driving wheel, said tubes enclosing spiral springs which are alternately the
one under compression, and the other expanding and worked by rods running loose
on the crank pins.
A brake is by preference applied to the driving wheel and worked by screw and
handles placed conveniently to the rider.
3