IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Price and William Dale Overton, of
Hampton Wick, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO
OTHER VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Price and
William Dale at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
22nd November 1881.
WILLIAM EDWARD PRICE and WILLIAM DALE OVERTON, of Hampton Wick, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF
WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER VEHICLES."
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in velocipedes whereby, first,
each velocipede is made convertible so as to carry one rider or more, and, secondly,
the construction of the wheels is simplified and improved.
We construct the body of the machine with a telescoping arrangement by which
it can be contracted or expanded in width so as to suit one or more riders, and for
this purpose we make the cross bars connecting the framework of the two sides of
the velocipede in two parts, those connected with one side we make tubular, while
those on the other side are smaller so as to slide into those first named, and may
be either tubular or solid as may be required.
We use either three or four wheels, viz., two large driving wheels, over the axle
of which the seat or seats are placed, and one or two small wheels in front.
The crank shaft is placed slightly in front of and below the seat at a convenient
height for the feet of the rider or riders to operate the cranks, and carries at each
end a wheel over which a chain works, connecting it with and driving similar
wheels on the axle of the large driving wheels.
In constructing machines with two small wheels in front, we make the frame by
preference with three rails, viz., one on either side, connecting the axle of the
driving wheels with the foot rail, and with the forks to which the small wheels are
attached, and one centre rail connecting the main axle with the foot rail, and
Prion GT

page_text: supporting one end of each of the tubular cross bars forming part of the telescoping
arrangement, and also providing a central bearing for the crank shaft.
Each of the cross bars connecting the above described rails we make in two
parts, the larger and tubular part having one end fixed in one of the sido rails, and
the other end in the central rail. The other and smaller portion of ench cross rail
is fixed at one end to the opposite side rail, and has the other end slipped into the
tubular portion, so that the two sides may be made to approach or recede from
each other; and when the machine is either extended or closed the slides may be
secured by suitable clamps or keys.
One of the seats is fixed over the tubular portion of the cross bars, and the other
seat when the machine is extended is secured over the smaller portion of the cross
bars, but when the machine is to be closed for use by one person only, the second
seat is lifted out of its attachments and slipped into the other seat which is slightly
larger, and into which it is made to fit.
The crank shaft we make in two portions, one corresponding with the tubular
portion of the cross bars and remaining permanently attached, the other portion
being moveable, and is to be taken out of its bearings when the machine is wanted
for one person only.
The steering is accomplished by having a lever attached to the fork of cach
small wheel; these levers are connected by two rods, one sliding on the other, to
allow the machine to be opened or closed, they being then secured in that position.
· These rods are connected with a steering handle by a second rod secured to the
., central or side rail, and connected by a rack and pinion or other device.
•
We construct the hubs of cach wheel of two discs, on the outside of which
grooves or holes are made; cach spoke is then put into its respective groove or
hole, and is knuckled over a wire ring. A piece of tubing is then inserted
between these discs, the length of which piece of tubing determines the tension
given to the spokes. A cap is secured on the outside of each disc covering the
knuckling, and giving a finished appearance to the hub.
We apply substantially the same telescoping arrangement to perambulators, and
wheels constructed as above described may be applied to all vehicles fitted with
'spider wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Edward Price and William Dale Overton in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 22nd May 1882.
WILLIAM EDWARD PRICE and WILLIAM DALE OVERTON, of Hampton Wick, in
the County of Middlesex, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF
WHICH ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES."
Our Invention relates to certain improvements in velocipedes, whereby
Firstly. Each velocipede is made convertable, so as to carry one rider or two;
and
Secondly. The construction of the wheels is simplified and improved.
We construct the body of the machine with a telescoping arrangement, by which
it can be contracted or expanded in width, so as to suit one or two riders, and for
this purpose we make the cross bars connecting the framework of the two sides of
the velocipede in two parts; those connected with one side we make tubular, while
those on the other side are smaller, so as to slide into those first named, and may
be either tubular or solid.
We use four wheels, videlicet, two large driving wheels and two smaller wheels
in front.
The crank shaft is placed slightly in front of and below the seat at a convenient
height for the feet of the rider or riders to operate the cranks, and carries near each
end a wheel, over which a chain works, connecting it with and driving similar
wheels attached to the large driving wheels.
In constructing such machines we make the frame with three rails, videlicit, one
on either side, connecting the upper cross bars of the frame with the foot bar and
with the forks to which the small wheels are attached, and one centre rnil connecting
the upper cross bars of the frame with the foot bar, being fixed to and supporting
one end of each of the tubular cross bars forming part of the telescoping arrange-
ment, and also providing a central bearing for the crank shaft.
Each of the cross bars connecting. the above described rails we make in two parts,
the larger and tubular part having one end fixed in one of the side rails, and the
other end in the central rail. The other and smaller portion of each cross rail is
fixed at one end to the opposite rail, and has its other end slipped into and made
to slide in the tubular portion, so that the two sides may be made to approach or
recede from each other within certain limits.
One of the sents is fixed over the tubular portion of the cross bars by means of
lugs fixed on the rails, and the other seat when the machine is extended is sup-
ported in the same manner over the smaller portion of the cross bars, but when the
machine is to be closed for use by one person only the second seat is to be lifted
out of its attachments and slipped into or under the other seat, which is slightly
larger, and into or under which it is made to fit, and a bolt is to be passed through
the lugs, which when the machine is close overlap each other, thus preventing any
further movement of the telescope slides.
The crank shaft we make in two portions, one corresponding with the tubular
portion of the cross bars, and remaining permanently attached in its place, the
other portion being made either detachable, so that it may be taken out of its
bearings when the machine is wanted for one person only, or made to turn upwards
on ahinged joint at one end, so as to lie between the centre rail and one of the side
rails.
The steering is accomplished by means of a series of connections, by which the
two small front wheels are kept parallel, and a steering handle with a rack and
pinion arrangement acting on one of the connecting rods. The connection between
the gear on the two sides is effected by means of a pair of rods sliding one on the

page_text: other when the machine is being opened or closed, and fixed together when the
machine is in use.
Wo construct our wheels as follows:-The hub of each wheel consists of two
dises, in the outer rim of which are a series of radiatory grooves for the reception
of the spokes.
The latter are knuckled over two wire rings, half of the spokes on each ring, and
then inserted into their respective grooves, the rings being just within the rims of
the discs. A cap is secured on the outside of each disc, covering the knuckling and
giving a finished appearance to the hub.
We apply substantially the same telescoping arrangement to perambulators, and
wheels constructed as above described may be applied to all vehicles for which
spider wheels are used.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood we shall now proceed to
refer to the Sheets of Drawings annexed hereto, in which Fig. 1 represents one of
our machines, and is a side elevation partly in section taken on the line X, X,
Fig. 4; Fig. 2, a front elevation of one opened out to hold two persons; Fig. 3,
the saine closed for use by one person; Fig. 4, a plan; Fig. 5, a sectional drawing,
shewing the construction of the driving wheels; Fig. 6, a similar section, shewing
the construction of one of the small wheels, which is also the construction for the
driving wheels of bicyles; Fig. 7 is a front and a back view of one of the discs;
Fig. 8, part of the crank shaft; and Fig. 9, that part of the steering apparatus
connecting the gear on one side of the machine with that on the other. A, A',
indicate the driving wheels; B, B, the small steering wheels; C, C1, C*, respectively
indicate the three rails; D, D, the tubular portion of the cross bars; D1, D¹, the
smaller portion which slides into the tubular portion; & indicates the tubular
portion of the foot bar, and d¹ the other portion of it; E, E, is the crank shaft and
cranks, E indicating that portion which is permanently attached in the position
shewn, and E' that portion which is removeable, and which is attached by
hinged joint c; the opposite end of E' is shown more in detail in Fig. 8, in which
E represents part of the crank shaft; f, a smaller cylindrical portion fitting into a
suitable axle box f, the outside of which is square to fit into the bracket a; fa
collar fixed on to f, and which projects beyond the axle box f, and prevents the
crank shaft being drawn out end wise, and thus makes the crank instrumental in
holding the two sides of the machine at the proper distance apart; F is a wheel on
the end of the crank shaft E, and carries an endless chain which passes over the
wheel F' fixed to the driving wheel A; F2 is a similar wheel on the opposite side
of the machine, and the corresponding wheel on the axle of the wheel A¹; G,G,
are the seats, G being supported on springs fixed on rods passing through lugs 9, 9,
fixed to the rails C, C', the seat G' being removeable by lifting its supports out of
the lugs g, g, which are fixed on the rails C', C², when it may be stowed away by
placing it under the scat G, its supporting rods respectively passing through a
second eye forming part of each of the lugs g, g, in which position it is shewn in
Fig. 3.
The steering is accomplished by means of the apparatus following:-H, H', are
two short horizontal levers on the heads of the forks of the small wheels; these are
jointed each to a rod I, 1, each of which has near its other extremity a rack
marked J, J, respectively gearing into the pinions K, K', which are connected by
vertical shafts with the pinions K, K³, which work into racks on the bars L, L',
which are held together by an elastic band and a pin fixed to the bar L, and
passing through a hole at in the bar L' when the machine is closed, and through
a hole at when the machine is open, as shewn more distinctly in Fig. 9, or any
equivalent arrangement may be adopted for holding these bars in these positions.
A handle M by which a pinion Al is turned, and which gears into the fore part
of the rack J on the rod I enables the rider to control the position of the front
wheels and thus to guide the machine.
The steering gear and handle M are omitted from Fig. 3 and the handlo M from
Fig. 2 in order to shew the remaining parts more clearly.

page_text: When the machine is closed for the use of one person only, it is necessary that
the part of the crank shaft E' should be disconnected from the wheel A¹, and this
is accomplished by means of the handle N, which when placed in the position
shewn in Fig. 3 draws back the wheel F and disengages it from the wheel A'
which can then revolve without it. When the machine is opened for the use of
two persons, the handle N is placed as shewn in Fig. 2, and two studds k, k, on the
wheel F, shewn in Fig. 3 are pressed against the hub of the wheel A¹ and as the
Intter revolves they drop into two corresponding recesses in the hub, and thus
connect the two wheels so that they must revolve together.
When the machine is open, as shewn in Figs. 2 and 4, and it is desired to close
it, the seat G' should he lifted, and its supports drawn out of the lugs g³, g²; the
seat G is then slightly lifted and the supporting rods of the seat GI slipped into
the second eyes of the lugs g, g, as shewn in Fig. 3. The pin must be lifted out
of the hole and part of the crank shaft E' revolved until the joint e is in the
position to allow the opposite end of E¹ to be lifted out of its bracket a. The
portion of the crank shaft E' is then to be turned up into the position shown in
Fig. 3, and the two sides of the machine may now be pressed inwards towards each
other, the smaller portion of the cross bars telescoping with the larger and
tubular portion. The lugs g, g, are thus brought immediatoly under the lugs g', g',
and the bolt h which has been stowed under the seat G' is thrust through the lugs
by which the machine is held together firmly.
The handle N must be put into the position shewn in Fig. 3; some one of the
well known contrivances is used to prevent this changing its position accidentally,
and the pin is passed into the hole and the machine is ready to be used by one
rider only..
In constructing the wheels for our velocipedos we employ certain methods, more
especially for fixing the spokes in the hub, by which a saving in cost is effected, and
the necessity for screwing the spokes into the hub is avoided. Such improved wheels
are applicable to any vehicle for which spider wheels are employed. The hubs we
are about to describe are those for the driving wheels of our herein before described
machines, but the arrangement of the hubs must vary with the requirements of
the machine to which the wheel is to be adapted, the arrangement for fixing the
spokes being the same in any case..
In Figs. 5 & 6, of which Fig. 5 is a section of the wheel A', and shews part of
the disconnecting arrangement, O, O¹, indicate discs each having a raised rim c
near its circumference through which are cut a number of grooves t, t, for the
reception of the spokes. The spokes 7, 7, having been inserted in the felloe in the
usual manner are one by one brought over a gauge and knuckled over a wire
which is afterwards withdrawn; when all the spokes in one wheel are completed
a ring & is passed through the knuckled end of every alternate spoke, and another
ring is similarly passed through the remaining alternate spokes. The two
discs O, O', aro then brought between the two sets of spokes, and the wire
rings brought within the rim c, and each spoke into one of the grooves t, t. The
tube i is next inserted through the disc O and is screwed into the disc O' at j.
The two discs are then drawn apart and the screw collar m is engaged on a
thread cut on the tube i, and is screwed outwards until the tension of the spokes
is sufficient. The bar P is then inserted and the ball bearings and the caps Q, Q',
attached by screws o, the bosses for the reception of which are shewn at p, Fig. 7.
The wheel F is shewn in section together with the studs k, k; q indicates the
sliding tube which is controlled by the handle N, and which carries the wheel F³,
In Fig. 6 is represented in section one of the sinall wheels of our machine, the
construction of which is the same as that we employ for the large wheels of
bicycles.
Here also 0, 0¹, represent the discs; q, the cap; r, the spokes; 8, the wire
rings; and m, the screw collar by which the discs are screwed apart.
R is a solid bar having a flange or collar R', and is inserted through O' and
screwed into O, over the cap of which a collar R³ is screwed, the two dises being
"

page_text: drawn apart the screw collar m is caught on the thread on R, and the discs
thereby screwed apart until the tension of the spokes is sufficient; the bar R
extends on each side of the wheel to run on ball or other bearings in the case
of a small wheel, and to carry the treadles in the case of the large wheel of a
bicycle.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of our said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be carried into practical effect, wo
wish it to be understood that what we claim as the Invention secured to us by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Constructing convertable velocipedes for carrying either ono or two persons
with a telescoping arrangement of the cross bars, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
2nd. The arrangement in such convertable velocipedes of the seats capable of
fitting one within or under the other, and the arrangement for disconnecting the
second part of the crank shaft and cranks and putting it out of the way.
3rd. The method of constructing spider wheels by knuckling the spokes over a
wire ring in the hub, substantially as and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Edward Price and William Dale
Overton, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this 20th day of May, in
tho year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Signed and sealed by the above
named William Edward Price
and William Dale Overton in
the presence of
STEPHEN H. HARRISON,
Clerk to Mr. Browne,
Patent Agent,
91, Queen Street,
Cheapside,
WILLIAM EDWARD NICE (4.8.)
WILLIAM DALE OVERTON. (L.S.)
London, E.C.