Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb. 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
I, ELLEN THIRZA PIKE, of 132, Wood Vale, Honor Oak, in the County of
Surrey, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to means for facilitating the propulsion of bicycles and other
velocipedes.
It is well known that when the wheels of a velocipede impinge against stones or
lumps in the road a certain amount of movement takes place between the wheels
and framing of the machine and the rider's seat which is supported upon a
spring.
Now the object of my invention is to utilize this movement for storing energy
which may be subsequently employed for assisting in propelling the machine.
In carrying out my invention I advantageously fix the axles of the travelling
wheels at the two ends of a divided elliptical bearing spring, the adjacent ends of
which are connected together by a pin which allows of the movement of the two
parts relatively with each other. To one part I fix the steering handle and to the
other the bearing for the saddle. Each part of the spring is preferably composed
of two or more flat plates which as the spring operates under the rider, will slide
more or less one upon the other. Through the plates I pass a lever in such a
manner that as the two parts move one upon the other the lever will be caused to
oscillate and the free end of the said lever is connected to a ratchet and pawl
mechanism; in combination with this ratchet and pawl mechanism I arrange a
coiled or other spring, one end of which is attached to a collar upon the axle, the
axle being capable of rotating within the said collar and the roller when rotated by
the spring of imparting motion to the axle.
With this arrangement when owing to the movements of the spring the lever is
moved, the motion of the lever will be transmitted to the ratchet mechanism to coil
the spring which in uncoiling will impart movement to the axle.
The pawls are preferably so arranged that the movement of the lever in either
direction will cause the coiling of the spring.
It is to be understood that my invention may be applied in various ways for
instance the movements of the usual sent supporting spring may be utilized for
operating the spring hereinbefore referred to.
Dated the 24th day of July 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
I, ELLEN THIRZA PIKE, of 132, Wood Vale, Honor Oak, in the County of
Surrey, Spinster, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
O manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to means for facilitating the propulsion of bicycles and other

page_text: It is well known that when the wheels of a velocipede impinge against stones or
lumps in the road a certain amount of movement takes place between the wheels
and framing of the machine and the rider's seat which is supported upon a
spring.
Now the object of my invention is to utilize this movement for storing energy
which may be subsequently employed for assisting in propelling the machine.
In carrying out my invention 1 advantageously fix the axles of the travelling
wheels at the two ends of a divided elliptical bearing spring, the adjacent ends of
which are connected together by a pin which allows of the movement of the two
parts relatively with each other. To one part I fix the steering handle and to the
other the bearing for the saddle. Each part of the spring is preferably composed
of two or more flat plates, which, as the spring operates under the rider, will slide
more or less one upon the other. In connection with the plates I arrange a lever
in such a manner that as the two parts move one upon the other the lever will be
caused to oscillate. The free end of the said lever is connected to ratchet mechanism,
in combination with which I arrange a coiled or other spring or springs, one end of
which or each of which is attached to a collar upon one of the axles, the axle being
capable of rotating within the said collar, and the collar, when rotated by the spring
or springs, of imparting motion to the axle.
With this arrangement when, owing to the movements of the elliptical spring, the
lever is moved, the motion of the said lever will be transmitted to the ratchet
mechanism to coil the spring or springs attached to the collar, which spring or
springs in uncoiling will impart or assist to impart movement to the axle.
The ratchet mechanism is preferably so arranged that the movement of the lever
in either direction will cause the coiling of the said coiled spring or springs.
It is to be understood that my invention may be applied in various ways; for
instance, the movements of the usual seat supporting spring or its equivalent can be
utilized for operating the coiled spring or springs hereinbefore referred to.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle constructed according to my invention :
Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a sectional plan and a sectional elevation, drawn
to an enlarged scale, of a portion of the mechanism :
Figure 4 is a side elevation also drawn to an enlarged scale of a portion of a
bicycle illustrating a modification.
Similar reference letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
Referring to Figure 1 a is my elliptical bearing spring to the ends of which the
axles of the travelling wheels b and c are fixed. The said spring which is made of
two (or more) plates d, e is divided about midway between its ends as shewn at f
the two sections having the steering post and handles 9 and the saddle post h
connected thereto, each to each. i is the pin for jointing the sections of the spring
together, whereby the front wheel can be moved by the steering handles y relatively
with the back wheel for the purpose of steering.
is the lever for transmitting the movement of the plate d upon the plate e of
the rear part of the spring a due to the up and down movements of the said spring,
to the driving wheel c, the said lever being fulcrummed to the said plate e through
the medium of the bracket e' and jointed at k to the end of the said plate d which
is bent down as shewn. When more than two plates are employed to form the
spring the lever is connected to the two outside ones.
1, Figures 2 and 3, is the ratchet wheel which is operated by the oscillations of
the lever j through the medium of two spring racks m, m having ratchet teeth and
acting as pawls, a rod n to which the said racks are jointed and which slides in a
guide n', and a rod o connecting the said rod n to the free end of the lever j. By
the use of the two racks m, m engaging the ratchet wheel the latter will be revolved
in both the to-and-fro movements of the rod n, one of the racks sliding over the
ratchet teeth while the other is operating the said wheel.
p,p are the coiled springs in connection with the ratchet mechanism, and q is the

page_text: collar for imparting motion by means of the said springs to the axler of the driving
wheel C₂ each of the said springs being at one end attached to the collar while at
the other it is attached to a gear-wheels engaging with another gear-wheel s¹
connected to the ratchet wheel 1.
In order that the collar q can impart motion to the axler of the driving wheel c
and yet allow of the free rotation in one direction of the said axle it is advan-
tageously provided internally with an odd number of teeth t of the shape shewn,
that is to say, each tooth is formed by two surfaces, one t¹ perpendicular to the
peripheral surface of the axle and the other at an acute angle thereto. The axle r
is also provided with a pin forming a pawl adapted to slide in a hole therein and
of a length greater than the diameter of the axle so as to project from either side
thereof to engage with any of the surfaces t' of the teeth t in the collar in order to
revolve or assist to revolve the axle. By forming an odd number of teeth t in
the collar q as described there is always a space t³ between two teeth diametrically
opposed to one of the teeth so that in the intervals between the movements of
the collar the rotation of the axle r will not be impeded by the pin or pawl u,
the said pin being free to enter the space t³ when pressed upon by the opposing
surface t¹.
By the construction herein before described it will be seen that the
up and down
movements of the spring a due mainly to inequalities in the road when the machine
is running will cause a slight movement of the plate d upon the plate e, which
movement will, through the medium of the rods o, n and racks m, m rotate the
ratchet wheel and gear-wheels s' and s and coil up the springs p, p, the uncoiling of
which will impart or assist to impart movement to the axle r in the direction in
which it is revolving.
Although I have described the deflections of the rear portion of the spring a
as being utilized to assist in driving the rear wheel it will he obvious that the front
portion can be equally utilized to assist in driving the front wheel b.
Figure 4 illustrates the arrangement in which the usual seat supporting spring or
its equivalent can be utilized for operating the coiled springs p, p and thus assist
the propulsion of the machine, the said springs being arranged in connection with
the pedal axle v instead of the axler as herein before described.
In this arrangement the seat supporting spring is advantageously helical and
placed around the saddle post i, a rod w, supporting the saddle, sliding within the
said post and bearing upon the spring through the medium of the transverse pin w¹,
slots x, being formed in the post to guide the projecting ends of the said pin.
The lower end of the rod w serves as the equivalent of the rod n hereinbefore
described the racks m, m being connected thereto.
y is a spring which I advantageously interpose between the pin w¹ and the upper
part of the frame joining the post i to act as a kind of buffer when the saddle is
jerked upwards by the movements of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a velocipede the utilization of the vibratory movements of the framing of
the machine relatively with the rider's seat for storing energy subsequently
employed for assisting in propelling the machine, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a velocipede of a spring and mechanism, substan-
tially as hereinhefore described, serving to impart the movements or deflections
of the said spring caused by inequalities in the road to one of the axles as set
forth.
3. In a velocipede the combination with a divided elliptical spring connected to
the travelling wheels the two parts or sections of which spring are jointed together
and composed of two or more flat plates adapted to slide one upon the other when
the spring is deflected, of mechanism for communicating the said deflecting move-
ments to one of the driving axles, the said mechanism comprising a lever fulcrummed

page_text: to one plate of the spring and jointed to another plate of the same, ratchet mechanism
connected by rods to the lever, a coiled spring or springs and an internally toothed
collar connected by suitable gearing to the ratchet wheel, and a pin in the driving
axle adapted to engage with the teeth of the said collar, all substantially as herein-
before described and operating as set forth.
4. In a velocipede the combination with a helical spring surrounding the saddle
post, of a rod carrying the saddle and sliding within the said post and supported on
the said spring, and mechanisın for causing the movements of the said spring due to
the inequalities of the road to rotate or assist to rotate one of the axles, substan-
tially as described.
5. The improvements in velocipedes herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2 and 3 and Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.