Improved Combined Maṇumotive and Pedomotive Driving Gear for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improved Combined Maṇumotive and Pedomotive Driving Gear
for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other similar Vehicles. .
I DAVID GUY BIGGS of West Madison Street Louisville in the State of
Kentucky United States of America Tailor, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In
My Invention relates more particularly to a peculiar and novel arrangement of
the crank shaft and connections employed for the purpose of driving bicycles,
tricycles, and other similar vehicles by manual as well as by foot power.
constructing a bicycle, I provide return crank arms on the ends of the pedals
coupled by connecting rods to sliding rods provided with handles, the rods being
fitted to slide in guides in the cross-bar. These rods are made tubular, and the
stems of the handles and of the forks to which the connecting rods are jointed
slide telescopically therein to enable the parts which are keyed or pinned together
to be adjusted as to length. With such an arrangement all of the force exerted
by the rider is utilized in the driving of the machine for, when power is applied to
the right foot crank or pedal as it descends, power will also be applied to the right
band handle, and this power so applied to the handle will act to raise the right
hand crank, and this movement has been found to materially decrease the so called
wahbling" of this class of machines.
"
When my improved form of crank shaft is applied to tricycles it is extremely
desirable that one of the crank handles should be utilized as the steering handle of
the machine and to this end I employ such a construction as is presently described,
it being understood that any form of crank shaft having four points at which
power is applied could be employed without departing from the spirit of my
Invention. The crank shaft is mounted and is connected to the driving wheel
shaft in any suitable manner so as to have the two points at which power is
applied upon each side of the centre of the shaft arranged so that they will always
move as it were in opposite directions that is to say when the pedal is moving
down the manual power crank upon the same side of the machine will always be
moving up. In order that one of the handles may be used to control the steering
wheel (and I of course prefer that the right hand handle should be employed) the
tubular sliding rod to which said handle is connected is made of square or angular
section and slides through a bush of corresponding internal form but cylindrical

page_text: externally the bush being mounted in suitable bearings. The lower telescopically
adjustable extension of the sliding rod is made in two parts connected by an anti
friction connection of novel construction. On the one part of the sliding rod is a
box or cage having at its underside an inwardly projecting flange formed with an
annular groove in which there are a number of anti friction balls and upon these
balls there is arranged a circular disc carried by the other part of said rod to
which the connecting rod leading to the crank is connected the under face of this
disc being grooved in order to form a way for the balls. A second groove is
formed upon the top of the disc and in this groove there are arranged other anti-
friction balls, and still above that there is a disc that is keyed within the cage.
By turning the handle, the bush may be rotated without interfering with the
connection between the handle and the connecting rod, and in order that this
rotation of the bush may be utilized for the purpose of steering the machine, said
bush is provided with a pinion which meshes with a properly guided rack upon the
rod leading to the steering bar of the steering wheel, so that the said wheel may
be turned in the direction desired by simply turning the handle, this construction
enabling the operator to steer the machine without moving his hand from the
crank handle.

page_text: for Bicycles, Tricycles, and other similar Vehicles.
I, DAVID GUY BIGGS of Louisville, in the County of Jefferson and State of
Kentucky United States of America 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 :-
My Invention relates more particularly to a peculiar and novel arrangement of
the crank shaft and connections employed for the purpose of driving bicycles,
tricycles, and other similar vehicles; and the Invention consists in the construction,
combination and arrangement of parts and details as hereinafter fully described
and then specifically pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification in which figure 1 is a front elevation of a bicycle provided with my
improved crank shaft and connections, parts being in section to disclose their
construction. Figure 2 is a side elevation of a tricycle to which my Invention has
been applied. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate modifications in the construction of the
crank shaft. Figure 5 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the steering
handle, parts being broken away. Figure 6 is a central vertical sectional view of
the cylinder and connections shewn in figure 5. Figure 7 is a sectional plan view
on the line xx, figure 6. Figure 8 is a front elevation of a bicycle having my
Invention applied, but provided with improved roller bearings for the sliding tubes
on the crank and bandle connecting rods. Figure 9 is a side elevation of the
improved roller bearing in detail. Figure 10 is a plan view of the same, the cap
being removed and the sliding tube being in section. Figure 11 is a detail plan
view of the cap. Figure 12 is a side elevation of a bicycle having my Invention
applied in a modified form. Figure 13 is a detail view illustrating the connection
of the connecting rods to the cross-bar shewn in figure 12. Similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Referring to figure 1, the crank shaft A of the driving wheel is provided with
the usual pedals a a' beyond and directly opposite to which extend the crank
arms N N₁ to which are pivoted the lower ends of the connecting rods b b¹. The
upper ends of the rods b b¹ are pivoted to the forked ends of the short rods E by
bolts or pins g, the shanks f. of the forked rods E being inserted and keyed in the
lower ends of the tubes D sliding vertically in the sleeve bearings c c³ attached to
or formed integrally with the cross-bar C which is provided instead of the usual
form of cross bar. In the upper ends of the vertically sliding tubes D are inserted'
the shanks d.of the stirrup handles B B¹ each of which is adjustable with relation
to the tube D by means of a pin or key passed through the upper aperture i in the
tube, and through one of a series of apertures in the shank d

page_text: With this construction, all the force exerted by the rider is utilized in driving
the machine, as the tendency of his body to rise when pressing down upon the
pedals a a¹ is resisted by his drawing upon the stirrup handles B B¹ which greatly
assists in propelling the machine by the connection of the handles. with the
auxiliary cranks N N¹. Further when one pedal a is being pressed outward and
downward, the driving wheel tends to turn laterally but the corresponding
auxiliary crank N being at that time ascending acts through its connection with
the cross-bar C to turn the same together with the driving wheel in the reverse
direction, so that the so-called "wabbling” is greatly decreased by the balancing
action thus caused.
When my improved form of crank shaft is applied to tricycles it is extremely
desirable that one of the crank handles should be utilized as the steering handle
of the machine, and to this end I employ the construction, best illustrated in
figures 5 and 6, to be presently described.
In figure 2, I have shewn the multiple crank shaft supported in bearings o
carried by the frame of the machine, and upon this shaft there is arranged a
sprocket wheel p which is connected by an endless chain with a sprocket wheel
carried by the main axle of the machine.
If prefeited, the crank shaft may be constructed and mounted as in figures 3
and 4, the action being the same in all cases, as in the bicycle first described.
In order that one of the handles may be used to control the steering wheel,
I arrange, preferably at the right hand side of the machine; a cylinder O upon
- bracket arms oo which project from the frame of the machine, the connection
between the cylinder and said bracket arms being such that the cylinder is free to
turn within the sockets plp formed at the ends of the arms.
The opening through the centre of the cylinder O is square, and fitted within
this square opening 'there is a sliding tubular bar P with which the right handle B
is adjustably connected in the same manner as described in connection with the
sliding tube.D figure 1. But to the lower end of the tubular bar P is attached the
slank r of a cage R in which there is arranged an antifriction connection of
novel construction. At the lower side of the cage R is formed an inwardly pro-
jecting flange s formed with an annular groove in which are placed a number of
antifriction balls t t, and upon.these balls there is arranged a circular disc u carried
by a forked bar E to which is pivoted the connecting rod b leading to the auxiliary
crank N. The under face of the disc u is grooved to form a seat for the balls t and
a second groove is formed upon its upper face to receive other anti friction balls t
above which a disc'v is keyed within the cage as indicated.
With this arrangement it will be seen that by turning the handle B the
cylinder O may be rotated without interfering with the connection between the
handles and the connecting rod b, and in order that the steering wheel may be
turned by rotating said cylinder the latter is provided with a gear or pinion L
which meshes with a properly guided rack M formed upon one end of the rod S
leading to the steering bar T of the steering wheel V, so that the operator can
guide the machine without removing his hand from the handle B.
In figure 8 the construction is 'the same as in figure 1, except that in place of the
plain sleeve bearings.c c' for the sliding tubes D, I have provided a novel form of
anti-friction bearing especially adapted for high speed machines. This anti-friction
bearing (which is shewn in detail in figures 9. 10. and 11) consists primarily of the
sleeve or cylinder provided with the intermediate flanges between which
the cross-bar Cis preferably held for supporting the bearing firmly, as indicated 'in
figure 8. The cylinder is also provided with the end 'flanges'c' forming annular
places in each of which are cut the four radial slots c³ and in the slots are 'arranged
'the transversely bored leads of the screw bolt ², the end of each bolt d² being
passed transversely through the head 'of 'the succeeding bolt thus forming 'a'square.
'On each bolt'd is held loosely between 'its own head and that head through which
it is passed, a friction'roller'd³'the'four of which at each end of the sleeve c² closely

page_text: embrace the tube D moving freely in the enlarged bore of the sleeve, and can he
adjusted to take up near by screwing up the nuts d' on the outer ends of the
bolts d' against the respective heads d. The friction rollers and their holders are
held in place by caps D' clamped firmly against the bolt-heads d by means of
bolts D' passed through apertures D³ in the caps into the ends of the sleeve c².
The tubes D are prevented from turning in the sleeve bearings by pins f' passed
through the side of the sleeves c², and riding in corresponding longitudinal slots f
in the tubes.
With this construction of bearings the increased friction of the sliding tubes
resulting from high speed is greatly diminished, and the full benefits of my
improved crank connections, are obtained.
In figure 12 I have shown the connecting rods 61 pivoted to the auxiliary
crank N¹, as in figure 1, but pivoted at its upper end to a link C connected
pivotally at its forward end to the cross-bar C. The vertical movement of the
handles B B obtained by the guide bearings c c shewn in figure 1, is thus
approximately obtained, but by a much simpler construction.
For cheap machines, the latter construction is preferred.
The chief advantage of this Invention results from the fact that the stirrup-
handles are operated vertically, thus directly opposing the downward force exerted
upon the pedals.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is ;-
1. The combination with the main cranks carrying pedals, of auxiliary cranks
connected with vertically moving handles, substantially as specified.
2. The combination with the main crank shaft carrying pedals, and auxiliary
cranks arranged oppositely thereto, of vertically movable handles connected with
the auxiliary cranks, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with the main crank shaft and auxiliary cranks for operating
the same, of bearings on the cross-bar of the machine, rods connected with the
auxiliary cranks and guided in said bearings and handles on said rods, substantially
as specified.
4. The combination with the main cranks carrying pedals a a' and the auxiliary
cranks N N¹ of connecting rods pivoted to the cranks N N₁ guide bearings for the
connecting rods on the cross-bar C and adjustable handles B B' on the connecting
rods, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with the main cranks carrying pedals and the auxiliary
cranks N N of the connecting rods 6 6¹ the tubes D connected therewith, and the
handles B B having their shanks adjustable in the tubes D, substantially as
specified.
6. The combination with the main cranks and the auxiliary cranks N of the
connecting rod b and the vertically moving rotary handle B connected therewith
and with the steering wheel of the machine, substantially as specified.
7. The combination with the main cranks and the auxiliary crank N of the
guide bearing O mounted to turn on the frame of the machine, the bar P mounted
to turn with but slide vertically in said. bearing and connected with the auxiliary
crank N and mechanism for turning the steering wheel of the machine from the
rotary bearing O substantially as specified.
8. The combination with the auxiliary crank N, the connecting rod b and the
rotary handle B of the cage R connected with said handle, the bar E¹ pivoted to
the rod b and provided with the disc u turning in said-cage, and of friction balls
or rollers in said cage bearing against the disc u, substantially as specified.
9. The combination with the sliding tubes or bars D connected with the
crank N of the guide-bearing consisting of the cylinder c², the series of bolts d
arranged to embrace the bar D and having the shank of one bolt passed through

page_text: the head of sanother, the friction rollers don said bolts, and the caps D¹, sub,
stantially as specified.
10. The combination with the main crank shaft A carrying the pedals a al and
the auxiliary cranks N N and the steering cross-bar C of the links C¹ pivoted to
said cross-bar, and of the rods.b b' connecting the link C with the auxiliary
cranks N N and provided with the vertically moving handles B B₁ substantially
a's specified.