A NEW AND IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED BY MANUAL POWER
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the.
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd January 1870.-A communication from. abroad by Jean Louis
Charton-Joanot, of 37, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, France,
Statuary.
.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son,
of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW AND IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED BY MANUAL POWER," a
communication to me from abroad by Jean Louis Charton-Joanot, of
37, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, France, Statuary, to be as
follows:-
The object of this Invention is the construction of a mechanical
vehicle by which persons may travel rapidly, conveniently, and agreably,
the locomotion resulting from the application of their own power or
weight. This vehicle may be termed a neat family calash.
This Invention is comprised,-
1°. In the combination and mechanical action of the various parts

page_text: Sheet III.), on the side and inside of which is fixed a pin for hooking
on the treadle strap, which may be shifted from pulley to pulley at will.
This bobbin pulley also carries a grooved pulley having at the bottom a
little hook or ring to which is attached the end of the cord of the spring
that is to cause the treadle to rise again by the rolling up of its strap.
The spiral spring K, Fig. 2 (Sheet II) or K', Fig. 3 (Sheet III.) which
has a constant tendency to relax causes the unrolling of the cord which
it carries from its bobbin, and this unwinding produces the rolling up
in a contrary direction of the strap of the treadle, thereby uplifting this
latter, and if the treadle is then pressed upon it is its strap which
unwinds, causing the.cord of the spring to wind up again and so on.
But this bobbin pulley not being keyed on the axle cannot transmit to
this latter the impulsion it has itself received except by the aid of a
ratchet herein-after described, which works in an inclined toothed. ring
placed on the inner side of the largest pulley. The other end of the
bobbin pulley rests against a shoulder of the axle which prevents its

page_text: · obliquely a small piece of metal tubing, each tube being intended to
receive the upper end of a vertical rod. The obliquity of the tubes
serves to lift the centre of the umbrella. The spaces between the
vertical rods are, if desired, each furnished with a curtain having rings
at the side through which pass the vertical rods. Four of tliese curtains,"
those of the angles or slanted sides, will be arranged obliquely to the
direction of the calash, and two and two, the back one on the windward
side, and the front one on the opposite side so as to receive the action
of a side or of an aft wind to relieve the manual labour.

page_text: ти апу way
changing the arrangement of the. apparatus cach would act upon a
single one of the two treadles. But to usefully employ the whole power
of each person it is preferable that they should act by the two legs
alternately; in this case, instead of a single bobbin pulley to each half
axle two are provided and also two treadles. The treadles might also
be cut in two at the middle and each end act on the wheel.
SECOND MODE OF ACTION.
The driver being half or completely seated has his heels firmly
resting on a block fixed to the bottom of the vehicle on each side of the
steering rod, the ends of the feet being on each of the ends of the cross
piece N. (Fig. 3, Sheet II.) of the steering rod, which he thus works by
the feet; in each of his hands he holds a handle fixed to the end of a
strap replacing that of each treadle. In this arrangement the rider
works by pulling first with one hand and then with the other, or with
both together, as if he had to lift a weight in each hand, and if there
are two or four persons they place themselves back to back.
THIRD MODE OF ACTION.
The treadles are replaced by a single one termed the "cavalier
treadle." Fig. 11 (Sheet IV.) is a side view, and Fig. 12 a top plan
view of this treadle. It is a treadle with four ends which may act upon
the four bobbin pulleys at once. This treadle carries in the middle. a
saddle for one or two persons; in this case the persons are seated astrido
on the saddle with their feet on the bottom of the carriage, and it is
the weight of their bodies resting on the saddle which sets the wheels
in motion; as the occupants rise the treadle moves up again aided by
its springs, the operation recommences, and so on, as in riding on horse-
back. The person in front steers with his hands.
FOURTH MODE OF ACTION (FOR TWO OR THREE PERSONS.)
The treadles being in their place a "cavalier" board, with one or
several saddles is placed along the carriage, one end on the front, the
other on the back scat, or simply on the springs; the persons place
themselves astride upon it, their feet being on the treadles, and they act

page_text: together, both feet at once. When they stand upright on the treadles
these lower, and when they are seated on the cavalier board their
legs are lifted to come down on to the treadles on their rising again,
and so on.
The direction is given by the hands.
FIFTH MODE OF ACTION.
'
In difficult places or where the incline is very great a stick or bar
is provided to govern each bobbin pulley; one end of the stick will be
pushed into a hole in the large bobbin pulley, and an alternate circular
movement will be given to it. The dimensions of this carriage or
calash vary in length and breadth to suit the number of persons to be
carried, and the manner in which they are to be placed. This method
of construction and of locomotion applies equally to vehicles with three
wheels, only two of which will however be driven and governed by
the system above described.