IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd February 1869.-A communication from abroad by Lucien
Bonaparte Flanders, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
of America.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES," a communication to me from
abroad by Lucien Bonaparte Flanders, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a velocipede in which are combined the
following elements, namely, an annular wheel bearing with its periphery
on the ground, a seat or saddle contained partly within the opening of
the said annular wheel and arranged below the centre of rotation of the
same, and a driving wheel carried by the said seat or saddle and arranged
for acting on the said annular wheel, all substantially as described
hereafter, so that the velocipede may be operated with less friction and
may be more easily balanced than those in common use.

page_text: In carrying out this Invention a wheel is employed in which is a
circular opening concentric with the periphery of the said wheel, and
in the said opening is an annular rib, on each side of which rib fits
snugly, but so as to move freely, a flange of a driving wheel, the peri-
pheries only of the two flanges of the driving wheel bearing against the
inside of the annular opening in the main wheel. The driving wheel is
secured to a spindle which passes through and has its bearing in the
opposite sides of a seat or saddle at one end of the same, the opposite
end of the saddle having a spring carrying a flanged roller adapted to
the circular rib of the main wheel. The seat is made somewhat in the
form of a saddle and has on each side an elastic strap, and on the end of
each strap is a stirrup carrying a small roller, the periphery of which
may be of gum-elastic. The central opening of the main wheel is so
large in diameter that its edge shall be free from contact with the head
of the operator, who seats himself on the saddle within the central
opening of the wheel, grasps one of a pair of handles on the axis of the
driving wheel in one hand, and the other handle in the other, and turns
the driver in the direction required, the consequence of which is the
turning of the large annular wheel in the same direction and the rapid
progress of the velocipede over the ground, while the saddle retains its
position: As the weight of the operator is exerted on the main wheel
at a point below the centre of rotation of the same there will be less
difficulty in balancing it than the ordinary velocipedes. When however
the large wheel departs from a perpendicular position to an extent which
cannot be readily overcome by a counter lateral movement of the body
of the operator the latter can straighten one of his legs and stretch one
of the elastic straps to such an extent that the roller of its stirrup will be
brought into contact with the ground at the side on which the wheel
leans over, the wheel being thereby restored to its vertical position. The
steering of the velocipede may be readily effected by the movement of
the body or by bringing one or other of the stirrups in contact with the
ground. Owing to the roller on the stirrup its contact with the ground
will not interfere with the convenience of the operator. The spring has
a twofold purpose, while it adds to the ease of the operator it renders the
pressure of the driving wheel against the flanges of the main wheel
uniform.

page_text: annular opening in place of the rib before mentioned. The driving wheel
may be operated either by hand or by the ordinary treadle devices used
in connection with common velocipedes so as to impart the desired
movement to the wheel by the legs and feet of the operator. If desired
a multiplying system of gearing may be so adapted to the saddle and to
the driver that the latter will revolve faster than when the spindle is
operated by the hands or feet.