Improvements in and relating to Driving Mechanism for Bicycles, Tricycles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1900-Accepted, 3rd Nov.,
1900
PROVISIONAL DITUIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Driving Mechanism for Bicycles,
Tricycles and the like.
I, DOWNES ELLAND NORTON, of "Laurel Dene," Hampton Hill, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to means for assisting the driving and increasing the
speed of bicycles, tricycles, and the like by using the hand for this purpose in
addition to the ordinary driving by the foot of the rider. I will describe my
present invention in connection with the invention for which Letters Patent were
granted to me No. 28687 of A.D. 1897 although it is equally applicable in con-
nection with other devices of a similar nature.
The way in which I carry out my invention is as follows:-
In lieu of providing the handle bar on the ordinary handle bar pillar in the
head of the front fork of the machine, I attach it to an additional pillar (pre-
ferably formed in two parts so as to be adjustable longitudinally) pivoted to the
rear end of a pair of arms or links connected to and extending rearwardly from
the pillar on the front fork of the machine. On the handle bar itself, or on a
connection thereto, I mount the spring drum referred to in my said Specification
No. 28687 of A.D. 1897.
Normally the handle bar rests on a pad of rubber or the like on the pillar in
the front fork of the machine but when it is desired to assist the foot pedalling
the handle bar can be moved vertically by hand so as to operate the connection
between the above mentioned spring drum and the pedal.
The arms or links above referred to are in some cases so connected to the pillar
on the front fork of the machine that they can be moved down so as to lie
vertically alongside the front fork; this arrangement is specially applicable
to ladies machines.
Dated this 19th dow of Donombor 1800

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improved means for assisting in driving an increasing
the speed of bicycles, tricycles and the like by using the hands for driving in
addition to the ordinary driving by the feet of the rider.
The way in which I carry out my invention is as follows, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a part side view of a bicycle comprising my invention.
Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a part side view of a bicycle showing the handle-bar in the normal
position in dotted lines, and in full lines in a position of part of the movement
for driving the machine as hereinafter described.
Figure 4 is a front view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a side view of the special form of crank (hereinafter referred to)
with extension beyond the pedal centre to which extension the flexible connection
for driving by hand may be connected.
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.
Instead of providing the handle-bar on the ordinary handle-bar pillar in the
head of the front fork or steering head of the machine, I attach it to an entirely
separate piece or pillar a hinged or pivoted to the rear end of a link b connected
by a hinged or pivotal joint (preferably fitted with a ball bearing) to the steering
head c of the machine. On the handle-bar itself, or, as shown, on a connection
thereon is mounted a spring drum or pulley e¹ (such as that described in my
prior Specification of Letters Patent No. 28687 of A.D. 1897) to which one end
of the flexible connection or pull for driving by hand is connected. Normally
the handle-bar rests on the top of the front pillar or steering head c,-in the
same position as the ordinary handle-bars on bicycles. not provided with hand-
driving mechanism,-and is preferable locking in this position in the following
manner, referring to Figures 3 and 4. The handle-bar is divided transversely
in the centre, that is to say it is formed of two separate parts d. d; which are
mounted so as to be capable of sliding in a sleeve or socket f which is provided
with a slot or hole a¹ adapted to engage a bored lug or eyeley g on the top of the
front fork or steering head c when in the normal position of rest; a pin or pro-
jection on the end of one part of the handle-bar passes through the lug and
enters a corresponding recess h¹ in the end of the other part of said handle-bar
thus locking the two parts dd of the handle-bar together and locking said
handle-bar to the front fork or steering head c; pins on the parts d and d'
respectively of said handle-bar engage in slots in the sleeve f and tend to
prevent lateral movement of the parts d d when in the position shown in
Figures 3 and 4 that is when driving the machine by hand. m is a guide pulley,
-carried by a bracket m¹ on the steering head c,-for a flexible connection n
the lower end of which is attached to a V-shaped clip or hook n¹ which engages
or hooks on to the pedal o (see Figures 1 and 2) or to the driving crank o¹ of the
machine.
The working is as follows:-
9
Assuming the handle-bar (d d) to be locked in the normal position on top of
the front fork or steering head c (in which position the machine can be driven
by the feet alone in the ordinary way), the pins ¹, Fig. 2, will be in the
horizontal parts of the slots in sleeve f: when it is desired to drive the
machine by hand the parts d d of the handle-bar are moved laterally (in opposite
directions) so as to withdraw the pin or bolt h from the lug g on the steering head c
thereby freeing the handle bar from said steering head and allowing the rider
to give a reciprocating or to and fro movement to said handle-bar which, through
the flexible connection n attached to the spring drum or pulley el on said bandle-
bar and to the V-shaped hook n¹ on the driving pedal o, or on the crank o¹ (or
said V-shaped hook or its equivalent might be attached to a prolongation o-

page_text: shown in Figures 5 and 6,-of the crank o' beyond the centre of the pedal so as
to get increased leverage), enables him to drive the machine by manual power
alone or to assist the driving by the feet. The spring drum or pulley el always
keeps the flexible connection n taut, winding up any slack, when the connection
is not pulled by moving the handle-bar as above described.
As a modification the connection (n) from the handle-bar may be to a spring
drum working in connection with ratchet gear on the front or rear wheel-hub
so that the driving by hand will be on the front or rear wheel of the machine as
the case may be, instead of as above described through the ordinary crank and
chain gear for foot driving.
Although I have described a particular method of locking the handle-bar in
the normal position on the steering-head or front pillar c, yet I do not confine
myself to this arrangement as it is obvious the handle-bar can be held thereon in
any other convenient manner and that it need not be formed of two parts as
herein before described.
The herein before mentioned hinged links form a convenient method of con-
necting the handle-bar with the steering head for the purpose of steering the
machine.
I wish it to be distinctly understood that I am aware that various hand driving
arrangements for bicycles have been patented before, including an arrangement in
which the handle-bar is connected to a crank shaft mounted to rotate in the
steering head of the machine.
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. In a bicycle, tricycle or the like, the combination of a handle-bar pivotally
connected to the steering head by a hinged link or links, a flexible driving
connection such as n direct from the handle-bar to the driving pedal or crank,
and a spring drum or the like for taking up the slack of said connection, operat-
ing substantially as set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. In bicycles, tricycles or the like, the combination substantially as illus-
trated of hand driving mechanism.
Dated this 12th day of September 1900
JOHN P. O'DONNELL, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A.
Agent for Applicant,
70 & 71, Palace Chambers, Westminster, S.W.