IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OPERATING BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER LIKE VEHICLES OPERATED BY MAN POWER AND TO FACILITATE THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OR GUIDING OF SUCH VEHICLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. Edward Nunan of 166 Fleet Street in the City of
London for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OPERATING
BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER LIKE VEHICLES OPERATED BY MAN POWER
AND TO FACILITATE THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OR GUIDING OF SUCH
VEHICLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Nunan at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1883.
EDWARD NUNAN, of 166 Fleet Street in the City of London IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF OPERATING BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER LIKE VEHICLES OPERATED
BY MAN POWER AND TO FACILITATE THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OR GUIDING
OF SUCH VEHICLES
The object of my Invention is to facilitate the propulsion and steering of
bicycles, tricycles and other like vehicles.
For the purpose of my Invention I connect the lower end of the back bone or
its equivalent (near its connection with the small wheel) with the axle or journal
of the large wheel that is to say from any point in or above or below said axle etc
of said large wheel.
I carry a rod or rods or connection to the backbone thereby taking all spring
out of the same, and at the same time preventing the large or or front wheel from
assuming or taking any direction except such as is given to it by the operation of
the back or small wheel and also preventing said large wheel wriggling when being
propelled.
To operate said back wheel for the purpose of steering such vehicle I make it.
swivel in its connection with said backbone I carry connections either from the
seat or handles of such machine back to the said small wheel or to the fork holding
the same so that by the motion of one or of the other I turn said small wheel and
thereby give direction to such vehicle. Or I set the axle or journal of said small
wheel back from the plumb or perpendicular of its swivelling connection with the
back bone so that the motion of the body of the rider alone can be made to steer
the vehicle.

page_text: In order to propel or assist in propelling such vehicles I find centres on either
sides for levers to connect with the driving crank of large wheel at one end and
either direct or by combination carry the other end up to a convenient position to
be operated by the hands of the rider, but the mode I prefer is to carry out bearings
in front of the rider for an axle or journal which when rotated by the hands
conveys the power or motion to the axle or journal of the large wheel by means of
crank rods or gearing or a chain fitted in wheels
The chain I use for said purpose is formed or constructed of stamped links fitted
in such manner as to be put together and taken apart by being accurately held in
one position and when not so held said chain cannot be taken apart but when so
held one or more links can be taken from or added to said chain without any other
operation than bringing them accurately in position for that purpose. Said chain
is made to fit wheels attached to the axle or journal of main wheel and to the axle
or journal in front of rider so that the motion given by the hands is conveyed from
one to the other and in such proportion by varying the size of wheels in comparison
to each other as the option of the rider may require.
In order to more thoroughly accommodate the riders of vehicles constructed after
the herein described mode when the hand propelling power is not used or required.
I detach the handles from the hand power and attach them to stubs prepared for
that purpose to form handles similar to ordinary handles and vice versa if desired
when the hands alone are used to propel I rest the feet in stirrups independent of
the pedals, When the handles are used for steering I make them swivel

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Nunan in the Patent Office on the 6th June 1884.
EDWARD NUNAN of 166 Fleet Street in the city of London. IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF OPERATING BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER LIKE VEHICLES OPERATED
BY MAN POWER AND TO FACILITATE THE PROPULSION AND STEERING OR GUIDING
OF SUCH VEHICLES
The object of my invention is to facilitate the propulsion and steering of bicycles,
tricycles and other like vehicles.
For the purpose of my invention I connect the lower end of the back bone or its
equivalent (near its connection with the small wheel) with the axle or journal of
the large wheel that is to say from any point in or above or below said axle etc
of said large wheel.
I carry a rod or rods or connection to the backbone thereby taking all spring
out of the same, and at the same time preventing the large or front wheel from
assuming or taking any direction except such as is given to it by the operation of
the back or small wheel, and also preventing said large wheel wriggling when
being propelled.
To operate said back wheel for the purpose of steering such vehicle I make.it
swivel in its connection with said back bone. I carry connections either from the
seat or handles of such machine back to the said small wheel or to the fork holding
the same so that by the motion of one or of the other I turn said small wheel and
thereby give direction to such vehicle. Or I set the axle or journal of said small
wheel back from the plumb or perpendicular of its swivelling connection with the
backbone so that the motion of the body of the rider alone can be made to steer
the vehicle.
In order to propel or assist in propelling such vehicles I find centres on either
side for levers to connect with the driving crank of large wheel at one end and
either direct or by combination carry the other end up to a convenient position to
be operated by the hands of the rider, but the mode I prefer is to form bearings in
front of the rider for an axle or journal which when rotated by the hands conveys
the power or motion to the axle or journal of the large wheel by means of crank
rods or gearing or a chain fitted in wheels. In case of using chains they are marle
to fit wheels attached to the axle or journal of main wheel and to the axle or
journal in front of rider so that the motion given by the hands is conveyed from
one to the other and in such proportion by varying the size of wheels in comparison
to each other as the option of the rider may require.
In order to more thoroughly accomodate the riders of vehicles constructed after
the herein described mode when the hand propelling power is not used or required..
I detach the handles from the hand power and attach others to stubs prepared for
that purpose to form handles similar to ordinary handles and vice versa. If desired
when the hands alone are used to prope! I rest the feet in stirrups independent of
the pedals, and when the handles are used for steering I make them swivel.
The manner of carrying my invention into practice is shown by two examples
of bicycles on the annexed sheet of drawings Figure 1 is an end view partly in
section and Figure 2 a side view. A is the big wheel supporting the frame B in
the usual way. The fork C of the frame is hollowed on the inner sides and these
have within each hollow a spindle D loosely connected by lugs or eyes E E. The
upper ends of the spindles have bevilled pinions F, F of different diameters on them
to gear into bevil wheels G G also of different diameters for variation of speed:

page_text: according to which of the wheels G G that may be put into gear by the end on
motion of the sleeve H by which they can be shifted and locked by the hand lever I
the sleeve H being upon the double cranked arm or handle bar J, or the cranked
handle may be so fitted and moved.
The lower ends of the spindles D D have each a bevil pinion K, K, in gear with
teeth on the two outer faces of the hub L which can receive rotation therefrom
when the cranked arm J is turned, The hub axle is provided with pedals M. M. so
that the machine may be propelled by the feet of the rider alone as in ordinary
bicycles or in conjunction with the motion derived from the rotation of the cranked
arm or from the cranked arm alone at the will of the rider.
The backbone or frame B is in a piece with the fork C and their lower ends
have a rod N on each side of the big wheel to connect them rigidly. The bottom
of the back bone B has a vertical socket P for the pivot pin of the hind or small
wheel frame to move, in said wheel (Q) being in this case the steering wheel.
The pivot pin carries at its upper part a quadrant or cross bar R to which the
steering cords S S whose opposite ends are attached to the frame (after being rove
through pullies), so that any motion of the saddle by a swinging or swaying action
of the riders body will cause the rear wheel to be set at an angle to the front
wheel and consequently to steer the machine.
The hand lever I is adjustable and can be set in either of three notches of the
sleeve H. The two outer notches serve to determine the speed gear the middle
notch being for the hand lever I when the gears are not required the cranked bar
being then held by the handles U U and the pedals worked by the feet as in an
ordinary bicycle.
Thus the rider has the advantage of an ordinary, a speed gearing, and a hill
climber bicycle, in one machine without any appreciable increase in the weight of
the machine because the back bone is so reduced in substance and also the legs
of the fork that the addition of the rods (which give extra rigidity to the structure)
and the gearing but slightly, if at all, adds to the weight of that of an ordinary
bicycle.
Figures 3 and 4 are a sid and plan view respectively of a similarly constructed
bicycle but modified in the handle portion. In this arrangement I form a stem on
the upper part of the back bone and swivel a handle bar V thereon between the
double cranked bar J (which I set a little more forward) and the seat or saddle.
The handle bar has pullies over which the steering cords are rove the ends being
fixed to the lug to which the seat is hinged as shown. In this example either
handle can be temporarily removed at the wish of the rider
In using gear or cog wheels I operate the hands and feet alike on one side of said
gearing; in order that they shall work one against the other, that is, the up pull of
one hand shall take place at the same time of the down pressure of one foot but
when greater speed is required than is convenient for the feet they can be removed
from the pedals to rests provided for them, and the machine driven by the hands
alone with increased speed motion without increasing the motion of the hands, to
do so, I slide my crank axle to which my driving gear is fast, disengaging one set
and engaging the other, or when the feet alone are required to operate the machine
I slide my axle to a centre position and disengage both sets of gearing; the said
axle is held in either position by a paul or spring dropping into interstices prepared
in the axle for that purpose and when deemed preferable to dispense with the hand
power in driving, the crank handle can be removed and a plain handle substituted
working on a swivel centre, when, instead of steering by the action of the body on
the seat of the machine as I do when using gear I have friction pullies on the
handle same as on saddle, over which the steering wire or cord passes; one end
of said cord or wire being made fast to the frame of the machine and the other
end to the tiller of the small wheel I use the friction pullies so that any motion
of the seat or handle is doubled at the tiller or I can omit said friction pullies and
attach the wires or cords to seat or handle as preferred.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim
First The construction and mode of operating bicycles, tricycles and other like
vehicles operated by man power and the method of propulsion steering
and guiding such vehicles all as herein described and substantially as
shown in the annexed drawings
с
Secondly I claim The particular arrangement of gearing and method of operating
the front wheel from a cranked handle bar as set forth and substantially
as shown.
Thirdly The construction or arrangement of rigid frame for a bicycle within which
the front wheel has none but a rotary motion (as described and shown)
and by which the irregular or springy travelling of the back wheel is
obviated
In witness whereof I the said Edward Nunan have hereunto set my hand and
seal this sixth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.