Improvements in and applicable to Velocipedes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1596
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and applicable to Velocipedes.
I, MATHILDE PICHEREAU, of Doullens (Somme) in the Republic of France,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction, and application to velocipedes, of
apparatus for assisting the propulsion of velocipedes by utilizing the action of the
wind or the resistance of the air to the movement of the same.
The action of the wind or the resistance of the air is a very great obstacle to
the movement of velocipedes, and the various attempts which have been made to
provide against the same have been hitherto without beneficial result.
According to my invention I provide a suitable propeller adapted to be actuated
by the force of the wind or the resistance of the air and connected to the front
wheel of the velocipede by a cord, chain or the like.
In applying my invention to a bicycle for example, the front part of the frame
of the same is provided with an arm which carries a horizontal shaft in a ball or
other suitable bearing. The said shaft carries a single or double vane-propeller
and is connected to the axle of the front wheel by any suitable means, for instance,
the shaft carries a grooved pulley over which a cord passes, the said cord being
crossed and passing over a second grooved pulley which has the same diameter as
the first pulley and is mounted on an intermediate shaft. The said intermediate
shaft is connected to the axle of the front wheel by a chain passing round a wheel
on the intermediate shaft and a wheel on the axle, the latter wheel being of larger
diameter than the former whereby the wheel can rotate at a less speed than the
propeller.
The vanes of the propeller are formed so that the air is enabled to escape easily.
at the back. They can be made of any suitable material but are made preferably
of a light metal such as aluminium, or of mica or celluloid, or of a suitable material
supported in a metal framework.
It will be obvious that when the air strikes against the vanes they will be caused
to rotate thereby assisting the propulsion of the machine.
If the wind comes from behind it will strike the said vanes underneath the same
thereby causing the propeller to rotate in the same direction as when the wind
strikes the blades in front.
The propeller can be made detachable so that it can be removed in calm weather
and it can also be arranged with its shaft vertical, the said shaft being connected
to the axle of the front wheel by suitable gearing. Or it can be so arranged that
its position can be altered to correspond with the change of direction of the wind,
in which case the movement would be transmitted to the bicycle by means of a
flexible coupling.
I prefer to employ the double vane-propeller herein before described but I can
employ screw-propellers in lieu of the same.
Dated this 0th day of Anost 1895
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: или цурисало
1, MATHILDE PICHEREAU, of Doullens (Somme) in the Republic of France,.
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 :-
This invention relates to the construction and application to velocipedes, of
apparatus for assisting the propulsion of velocipedes by utilizing the action of the
wind or the resistance of the air to the movement of the same.
The action of the wind or the resistance of the air is a very great obstacle to the
movement of velocipedes, and the various attempts which have been made to
provide against the same have been hitherto without beneficial result.
According to my invention I provide a suitable propeller adapted to be actuated
by the force of the wind or the resistance of the air and connected to the front
wheel of the velocipede by a cord, chain or the like.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which :--
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle having my improvements applied
thereto :
.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same :
Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are views of details.
The front part A of the frame of the bicycle is provided with an arm B which
carries a horizontal shaft b in a ball or other suitable bearing a. The said shaft
carries a single or double vane-propeller P and is connected to the axle c of the
front wheel by any suitable means, for instance, the shaft 6 carries a grooved
pulley cover which a cord d passes, the said cord being crossed and passing over
a second grooved pulley e which has the same diameter as the pulley c¹ and is
mounted on an intermediate shaft f. The said intermediate shaft is connected to
the axle c of the front wheel by a chain g passing round a wheel h on the intermediate
shaft and a wheel i on the axle c the wheel being of larger diameter than the
wheel whereby the wheel of the bicycle can rotate at a less speed than the
propeller.
The vanes of the propeller are formed so that the air is enabled to escape easily
at the back. They can be made of any suitable material but preferably of a light
metal such as aluminium, or of mica or celluloid, or of a suitable material supported
in a metal framework.
It will be obvious that when the air strikes against the vanes they will be caused
to rotate thereby assisting the propulsion of the machine.
If the wind comes from behind it will strike the said vanes underneath the same
thereby causing the propeller to rotate in the same direction as when the wind
strikes the blades in front.
The propeller can be made detachable so that it can be removed in calm weather
and it can also be arranged with its shaft vertical, the said shaft being connected
to the axle of the front wheel by suitable gearing. Or it can be so arranged that
its position can be altered to correspond with the change of direction of the wind,
in which case the movement would be transmitted to the bicycle by means of a
flexible coupling.
I prefer to employ the double vane-propeller herein before described but I can
employ screw-propellers in lieu of the same.
The vanes P, instead of following a curve the generatrix of which is parallel to
the axis, may have the form shewn in Figures 3 and 4. In this case the propeller
is composed of a number of cups or funnels P, one of which is shewn separately in
Figures 5 and 6. The said cups or funnels P, of which the bottoms or apices are

page_text: open, are arranged obliquely, fixed between rings Q, Q and secured to the central
axle by means of rods r. A current of air or wind acting on these cups causes
the propeller to rotate at a high speed.
It will be obvious that my invention can be carried out in practice in other forms
besides those described and I therefore do not limit myself to the above described
constructions.
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. The combination with a velocipede of a propeller such as a vane-propeller, a
screw-propeller or a propeller having obliquely arranged cups or funnels, the said
propeller being connected with a wheel of the velocipede and being adapted to
be rotated by the movement or resistance of the air, substantially as, and for the
purpose, herein before described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved bicycle hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
DL 10LL 1 A1806
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.