IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES
Year: 1885

page_text: ROBERT ACTON BURNELL of N° 101, Bishopsgate Street, in the. City of London
County of Middlesex Merchant do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to Improvements in Tricycles whereby they are made
more convenient being protected by a casing or boxing of wood metal or other
convenient material in such manner that the motion of the feet on the pedals
is less perceptible from the outside and furthermore this motion is preferably
reciprocating instead of rotary.
For this purpose I affix to the framing of the machine such stays standards and
other fastenings as may be necessary to provide a platform in convenient proximity
to the ground in the vicinity of the pedals where such platform would form a
convenient step or rest for getting on the machine. Upon this platform I erect
sides of any convenient material so as to form a protection from mud or dirt and
having a splash board over the wheel acting also as a splash board to prevent mud
or dirt.
To gain the necessary reciprocating motion of the feet I place two levers having
pedals on their foremost extremities so as to oscilate the bearings arranged about
their centres the back extremities having connecting rods attatched to cranks on
the axles or other convenient means of conveying the occillation of the foot levers
to produce the rotation of the wheels. The addition of any convenient brake or
stearing apparatus completes the machine that may be ridden by the most
fastidious lady the feet being obscured from view and the motion being simply up
and down instead of the inelegant rotary pedalling.
At all points requiring oiling self acting lubricators will be fixed thus rendering
constant supervision unnecessary.

page_text: I, ROBERT ACTON BURNELL of N° 101 Bishopsgate Street in the City of London,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being made to the annexed sheet of drawings which
illustrate a Tricycle, Figure 1 being a side elevation Figure 2 a plan, and Figure 3
a front view:-
In carrying out the said Improvements I provide hinges on the frame of the
machine to carry a light frame B to which is attached by preference a flexible
cover screen or hood made of india-rubber American cloth or other suitable
substance, so that when the hood is raised the feet of the rider are obscured from
outside observation from the front or sides and protected from mud or rain whilst
the dress of the rider, be it a lady, is kept neat and clean within the hood the back
is similarly guarded by a permanent covering K stretched between the frames.
The hood may be kept up by rods having a rule joint as used in the
perambulator coverings or it may and preferably would be fitted with a ring and
hooked upon a projection as shown at C Fig. 1 on the machine frame.
For mounting and dismounting the hood can be unhooked and lowered and a
platform consisting of one or more bars D enables timid or nervous persons to
mount or dismount with increased facility.
1 preferably employ a reciprocating vertical motion in the driving gear instead
of rotary, and this may be effected by two oscillating levers E turning cranks in
the axle by means of the connecting rods F but be it understood that I do not
confine myself to this form of driving gear as it is obvious that the hood would be
equally effective with any other form and its presence even more necessary.
The other ordinary parts of the machine need no description and will be readily
recognised also for clearness the spokes in the wheels are left out in Figure 1.
Automatic lubricators can be affixed to the bearings when long distance riding
is indulged in and the dress protected from the mud thrown from the driving
wheels by the splash board G.
In constructing a Tricycle fitted with my improvements I would have it
understood that it is not essential that some of the details should be made exactly
as above described. The hood H for instance may be varied in height to suit the
wishes of the rider,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1
The protection on a Tricycle of the riders feet from mud rain or observation
hy a hood or covering substantielly os shout

page_text: 2nd A splash board or guard to protect a rider from mud thrown from the
driving wheels,
3rd A platform or rest for the riders feet.
4th The combination of parts forming the hood, platform and splash board as
herein before described,
Dated this Second day of April 1886.
Signed, sealed & delivered
in the presence of
FRANK COTTIN, Sol.,
27, Southampton Buildings,
London,
R. A. BURNELL.