IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Crompton Fletcher, of Tarleton Rectory, near
Preston, in the County of Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Crompton Fletcher
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th March 1881.
ROBERT CROMPTON FLETCHER, of Tarleton Rectory, near Preston, in the County
of Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders. " IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention relates more particularly to tricycles, and consists, first, in an
improved method of steering the machine; second, in a device for changing at will
the rate of motion transmitted from the treadles to the driving wheel; thirdly, in
a device for applying a brake with greater certainty of its action, especially upon
steering wheels; fourthly, in an arrangement for folding the machine for passing
through narrow doorways and the like; and, fifthly, in a gearing wheel of peculiar
construction for the lessening of noise and friction.
In my improved tricycle I employ two steering wheels, one in advance of the
rider and to one side of him (preferably to his right), the other, on the same side
but behind him. Each of these wheels is mounted in a fork, to the upper part of
which I attach a toothed segment actuated by a rack rod which is moved by a
toothed pinion, which gears right and left into the two rack rods, which thus move
the two steering forks simultaneously in opposite directions. Upon the shaft of
the pinion or otherwise connected with it I place a steering handle in a convenient
position for the rider's hand.
By this means I not only secure better control over the machine than is possible
with one steering wheel, but further secure that the machine shall only make
one track with both steering wheels either in straight running or in even curves.
By the toothed segments I secure equal power over my steering forks at all
times, whereas when cross heads are used for steering, the rider's power over them
is much reduced when the fork is turned to any considerable angle.
My second improvement for changing rate of transmission of speed is accom-
plished by mounting upon the treadle shaft two spur wheels of the same or

page_text: *
different diameters, and upon the driving wheel shaft two other spur wheels, the
motion being transmitted from the former to the latter by means of a pair of
intermediate wheels which can be turned in or out of gear in such a manner that
either of the two spur wheels upon the treadle shaft may be made to drive the
shaft of the driving wheel according to the rate of transmission required, a high 5
speed for a good road, and a slow speed with more power for a bad road, uphill
-work, or against a head wind.
I prefer to mount the two change wheels upon two axles set at an angle to one
another, these axles being fixed to a shaft which the rider can so rotate as to throw
either change wheel into gear or both out of gear as he may choose, by means of a 1
handle and suitable connections.
My third improvement consists in perforating the fork in the centre of its upper
part and introducing through the hole a short spindle, the lower end of which
comes in contact with a brake block supported in its normal position by a spring
or other means. The upper end of the said spindle is attached to a strap, cord, or
wire, or other suitable connection which passes down under a small roller or pulley,
and thence in a horizontal direction to a winch which the rider can tighten at will,
when by drawing in the cord the spindle is forced down upon the brake, which is
thus applied to the wheel. I apply a brake of this construction by preference to
both my steering wheels, running the same cord from the one through the winch
to the other, thus insuring equal pressure upon both brakes. The chief advantage
that I claim for this brake is that being applied from the centre of the fork upon
the top of the wheel the turning of the fork in process of steering has no effect
whatever upon the action of the brake.
My fourth improvement consists in an arrangement for folding the tricycle or
other velocipede into a narrow space for passing through doorways, &c., without
the objectionable necessity of taking off a wheel as in most tricycles made
heretofore.
For this purpose to the beam which rests upon and connects the two steering
forks I attach, by means of strong hinge joints suitably placed, two bars of equal
length between their extremities, which in their normal position will be hori-
zontal, and set at or about right angles to the said beam; upon one of these bars
the rider's seat will be carried; at the other extremity of each of these bars is a
second strong hinge joint, between which second hinge joints is placed a third bar
of such a form and size that the distance between the two second or outer hinges
is exactly equal to the distance between the first or inner hinges. I prefer that of
the first pair of hinges the one nearer the front of the machine be set closer home
to the beam than the one behind it, though this may be reversed, or both may be
set equally near the beam.
I prefer to make the third bar above mentioned of a somewhat shape, placing
it parallel with the beam that connects the forks as regards one of its sides, and
connecting the extremity of that side of the L with the hinge of the furthest
projecting of the two bars, and the extremity of the other side of the L with the
hinge of the least projecting bar. To this third bar or elbow piece I connect the
axle of the wheel or wheels on that side of the machine, so that the wheels shall
stand in a vertical plane parallel with the direction of the beam that rests on the
two steering forks. A bolt or other device connecting rigidly together any parts
which are forced asunder by bending the hinges serves to keep the machine in its
proper shape for running, and upon the withdrawal of this check the elbow piece
with the wheel or wheels attached to it may be carried forward or backward until
the two hinged bars have been moved through an angle of ninety degrees more or less,
so that the width of the machine is actually reduced by the length between the
first and second pairs of hinges or thereabouts. Note that the two bars may be
straight, curved, or any convenient shape, like or unlike to one another, and when
it was stated above that they must be of the same length between their extremities
it was not meant that the bars themselves must of necessity be of equal length,

page_text: but merely that a straight line joining the extremities of one of them must be
equal to a straight line joining the extremities of the other of them...
It will be readily perceived that by this means the wheel or wheels attached or
connected to the elbow piece will at all stages of the folding point in a direction
parallel to that which it or they occupied before the folding commenced, while
the breadth of the machine may almost instantly be reduced by two feet or i
more.
My fifth improvement is for the reduction of noise and friction in the gearing
wheels, and consists in making one or more of them thus:-The place of teeth or
cogs is supplied (as has been already done) by a number of bars or pins set.
transversely across the face of the wheel between two parallel rings of metal which
form the felloes of the wheel; so that the wheel has somewhat the appearance of a
ladder bent backwards into a circle:
In addition to this in my improved wheel I take care that every pin is so set as
to be quite free to involve upon its two extremities, to which the sides of the
wheel serve as bearings, thus lessening the friction from the teeth of opposing
wheels, and I also see that each pin has sufficient play.or looseness to deaden the
sound of the teeth which act upon it.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Crompton Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th September 1881.
ROBERT CROMPTON FLETCHER, of Tarleton Rectory, near Preston, in the County
of Lancaster, Clerk in Holy Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."..
My Invention relates more particularly to tricycles, and consists, first, in an
improved method of steering the machine; second, in a device for changing at will
the rate of motion transmitted from the treadles to the driving wheel; thirdly,
in a device for applying a brake with greater certainty of its action, especially upon
steering wheels; fourthly, in an arrangement for folding the machine for passing.
through narrow doorways and the like.
In my improved tricycle (which I call "the traveller") I employ two steering
wheels, one in advance of the rider and to one side of him (preferably to his right),
the other on the same side but behind him. Each of these wheels is mounted in a
fork, to the upper part of which I attach a toothed segment or a wheel actuated
by a steering rod, which is moved by a toothed pinion which gears right and left.
into the two steering rods, which thus move the two steering forks simultaneously.
in opposite directions. Upon the shaft of the pinion or otherwise connected with it
I place a steering handle in a convenient position for the rider's hand.
By this means I not only secure better control over the machine than is possible
with one steering wheel, but further secure that the machine shall only make one
track with both steering wheels either in straight running or in even curves.
By the toothed segments or wheels I secure equal power over my steering forks
at all times, whereas when crossheads are used for steering, the rider's power over
them is much reduced when the fork is turned to any considerable angle.
My second improvement for changing rate of transmission of speed is accom-
plished by mounting upon the treadle shaft two spur wheels of the same or
different diameter, and upon the driving wheel shaft two other spur wheels, the
motion being transmitted from the former to the latter by means of a pair of
intermediate wheels, which can be turned in or out of gear in such a manner that
either of the two spur wheels upon the treadle shaft may be made to drive the
shaft of the driving wheels according to the rate of transmission required, a high
speed for a good road, and a slow speed with more power for a bad road, uphill
work, or against a head wind.
I prefer to mount the two change wheels upon two axles set at an angle to one
another, these axles being fixed to a shaft.which the rider can so turn as to throw
either change wheel into gear or both out of gear, as he may choose, by means of a
handle and suitable connections.
My third improvement consists in perforating the fork in the centre of its upper
part and introducing through the hole a short spindle, the lower end of which
comes in contact with a brake block supported in its normal position by a spring
or other means. The upper end of the said spindle is attached to a strap, cord, or
wire, or other suitable connection which passes down under a small roller or pulley,
and thence in a horizontal direction to a winch which the rider can tighten at will,
when by drawing in the cord the spindle is forced down upon the brake, which is
thus applied to the wheel. I apply a brake of this construction by preference to
both my steering wheels, running the same cord from the one through the winch
to the other, thus insuring equal pressure upon both brakes. The chief advantage
that I claim for this brake is that being applied from the centre of the fork upon
the top of the wheel, the turning of the fork in the process of steering has no effect
whatever upon the action of the brake.

page_text: My fourth improvement consists in an arrangement for folding the tricycle or
other velocipede into a narrow space for passing through doorways or narrow
passages without the objectionable necessity of taking off a wheel, as in most
tricycles made heretofore.
For this purpose to the beam which rests upon and connects the two steering
forks I attach; by means of strong hinge-joints suitably placed, two bars of equal
length between their extemities, which in their normal position will be horizontal,
and set at or about right angles to the said beam; upon one of these bars the
rider's seat will be carried; at the other extremity of each of these bars is a second
strong hinge-joint, between which second hinge-joints is placed a third bar of such
a form and size that the distance between the two second or outer hinges is exactly
equal to the distance between the first or inner hinges. I prefer that of the first
pair of hinges the one nearer the front of the machine be set closer home to the
beam than the one behind it, though this may be reversed, or both may be set
equally near the beam.
"I prefer to make the third bar above mentioned of a somewhat L shape, placing
it parallel with the beam that connects the forks, as regards one of its sides, and
connecting the extremity of that side of the L with the hinge of the furthest
projecting of the two bars, and the extremity of the other side of the L with the
hinge of the least projecting bar. To this third bar or elbow piece I connect the
axle of the wheel or wheels on that side of the machine, so that the wheels shall
stand in a vertical plain parallel with the direction of the beam that rests on the
two steering forks. A bolt or other device connecting rigidly together any parts
which are forced asunder by bending the hinges serves to keep the machine in its
proper shape for running, and upon the withdrawal of this check the elbow piece
with the wheel or wheels attached to it may be carried forward or backward until
the two hinged bars have been moved through an angle of ninety degrees, more
or less, so that the width of the machine is actually reduced by the length between
the first and second pairs of hinges or thereabout. Note that the two bars may
be straight, curved, or any convenient shape, like or unlike to one another, and
when it was stated above that they must be of the same length between their
extremities it was not meant that the bars themselves must of necessity be of equal
length, but merely that a straight line joining the extremities of one of them must
be equal to a straight line joining the extremities of the other of them.
It will be readily perceived that by this means the wheel or wheels attached or
connected to the elbow piece will at all stages of the folding point in a direction
parallel to that which it or they occupied before the folding commenced, while the
breadth of the machine may almost instantly be reduced by two feet or more.
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect, I will describe the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, reference being
had to the Figures and letters marked thereon.
.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tricycle constructed according to my Invention ;
Fig 2 is a plan of the same ready for use; and Fig. 3 is a plan of the same when
partly folded to pass through a narrow passage or doorway; Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are
detail views of parts of the same. a is the driving wheel; a¹, a², are the two
steering wheels; the shaft of the driving wheel is fitted in a bearing connected to
the side beam b; 6' and 62 are two cross bars pivoted at each end, connecting the
beam 6 with the beam 63, on which are fitted the forks 64, 65, in which the steering
wheels are mounted; fitted in bearings on the beam 63 is the vertical shaft c; on
one end of this shaft c (see Fig. 5) is a steering handle c', at the other end of c is
fitted a bevel wheel c³ gearing into two bevel pinions c³, c, keyed on the steering
rods and c; on each of these rods is a worm gearing respectively into a worm
wheel on the fork b, and into a worm wheel on the fork 60; by this means I obtain
a deadlock steering gear, as the worm will not allow the position of the steering
wheels to alter except when the rider moves the handle c'. Fitted in bearings
connected to the cross bar 62 is the treadle shaft d, on which are fixed two spur
wheels d', d²; the spur wheel d² is larger than ; these spur wheels are opposite

page_text: "
two spur wheels e, e¹, fixed on the shaft of the driving wheel a; the spur wheel e is
larger than the wheel e¹; on studs fixed to the shaft f (which is fitted in bearings
connected to the beam b) are two carrier wheels f¹, f, one of which will (when
placed in gear by moving the spring handle f³) communicate motion from the
spur wheel d¹ to the spur wheel e, and the other will communicate motion from the
spur wheel d³ to the spur wheel e¹ when a quicker speed is desired, or the carrier
wheels may be adjusted so as not to gear with any of the wheels. The spring
handle is retained in the desired position by notches in a segment f4; h is a
hand wheel on the shaft h' for actuating my improved brake; on the shaft h¹ is the
worm h² gearing into a worm wheel h³ fixed on a shaft on which is fixed the
winch h, to which is connected the brake cord h³; each end of this cord passes
under a pulley ho to a brake spindle i resting on a brake block; on each brake
block is fitted a spiral spring to raise it when the cord is slack; the brake blocks
bear on the wheels when the cord is tightened. The spindle i and the shank of
the brake block work in the upper part of the fork which is perforated to receive
them, as shown on Fig. 6; the worm and worm wheel make this a deadlock brake
and cause the brake to act continuously when applied until released by the rider ;
k is the seat for the rider, beneath which is fixed a rod which passes through a hole
in a projection formed on the cross bar b², and also through a hole in a piece fixed
to the cross bar 61, thus holding these bars, and the beams marked b and b³ rigidly
in the position shown on Fig. 2. In order to reduce the width of the machine the
seat must be removed, withdrawing the rod from the bars 6' and 62, when the
machine may be folded as shown on Fig. 3. To this system of folding I apply
the explanatory title of "parallelogram folding."
Having stated the nature of my Invention, and described the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that although I have, only
shown my improvements applied to a velocipede having one driving wheel and two
steering wheels, they may be applied to machines with only one steering wheel,
and to machines of various shapes, including those commonly known as double
driving machines, and
I declare that I claim,-
1. The deadlock steering gear formed by a worm on the steering rod, gearing
into a worm wheel on the fork of the steering wheel, substantially as shown and
described.
2. The carrier wheels f¹, f2, mounted on the shaft f, to communicate motion
from the spur wheel d to the spur wheel e, or from the spur wheel d² to the spur
wheel e¹, to drive the wheel a quickly or slowly as required, substantially as shown
and described.
3. The spindle i and the brake block fitted in the upper part of the fork of the
guide wheel, as shown on Fig. 6. The deadlock application of the worm h² to
apply the break, substantially as shown and described.
4. The cross bars 6¹ and b hinged to the beams b and b³ for keeping the wheels
of velocipedes parallel with each other when the machine is folded, substantially as
shown and described. .
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Crompton Fletcher, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty-one.
ROBERT C. FLETCHER. (L.S.)