New or Improved Means of Converting Reciprocating into Rotary Motion, and the Application of the said Means to Velocipedes and the like for the purpose of Propelling the same.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1891-Accepted, 18'h July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means of Converting Reciprocating into Rotary
Motion, and the Application of the said Means to Velocipedes
and the like for the purpose of Propelling the same.
I, LEON SOUCHEIRE, of Rabastens, in the Department of Tarn, in the Republic
of France, Clock-maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
My invention has for its object the conversion of reciprocating into rotary
motion. My apparatus is particularly applicable to the propulsion of velocipedes
but it may also be used for many other purposes.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference apply to similar or
equivalent parts.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my movement for converting reciprocating into
rotary motion. Figure 2 is a plan of the same. Figure 3 is a side elevation with
the parts in a different position from that shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is an end
elevation of the movement. Figure 5 shows the application of my invention to a
bicycle of what is known as the rear-driving safety type.
In the following description I shall, to facilitate comprehension, describe my
converting movement with reference to its application to the said bicycle. A is
the fixed part to which the converting movement is attached, in the application
illustrated a part of the frame (backbone) of the bicycle. H is a bridge-piece in
this case also the axle-bearing for the hind wheel. X is the axle of the wheel and
on it is mounted a pinion P. Upon A is pivotted at B the curved lever L bearing
the pedal C at the end of its longer arm. At the other end D is rigidly fixed a
spring of steel strip upon which is mounted a rack N.
in
In the position shown in Figure 1 the pedal is slightly depressed and the rack is
gear with the pinion P. The further depression of the pedal will therefore turn
this pinion. The attachment at D being rigid the depression of the pedal will
cause the spring E to arch upwards so that the rack would be disengaged from the
pinion were the spring not retained in position by the two pins d d fixed on the
two sides of the bridge-piece H. The said pins d d might be replaced by small
wheels to diminish friction. When the pedal has reached the lowest point of its
course the spring E will have been moved to the left and the two openings bin
the spring E will have arrived under the pins d d so that E will rise above the
said pins and the rack will no longer gear with the pinion.
During the ascending movement which the pedal will now make spring E will
move towards the right and will press upon its upper surface against the pin e of
the bridge-piece H whilst the rack being narrower than the spring E will pass
between the pins d d and the said spring during this movement will retain the rack
out of gear with the pinion. At the moment when the pedal arrives at the highest
point of its course spring E tends to drop and as the narrowed part a will now have
arrived over the pins d d spring E will drop and the rack will again gear with the
pinion. Figure 3 represents my converting movement at the moment when this
gearing of the rack with the pinion has taken place and the pedal has already
commenced to descend.
It will be readily understood that by having two similar converting movements
on each side of A the two pedals can be alternately actuated so as to give the
pinions mounted on the axle XX a continuous rotary movement. Counter-
springs R are attached to each pedal for the purpose of raising the same after
depression. The said pedals might also be raised by joining them by a chain

page_text: passing over a pulley so that the depression of one pedal would raise the other as
will be readily understood.
In Figure 5 the application of my converting movement for the purpose of
propelling a bicycle is clearly shown. In this figure I distinguish parts of the
left movement from those of the right movement by placing a tick over the
reference letters of the latter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The new or improved means of converting reciprocating into rotary motion
substantially as set forth.
2. The application of the new or improved means of converting reciprocating
into rotary motion hereinbefore set forth to the propulsion of velocipedes and the
like.
3. The converting movement set forth with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Dated this 5th day of June 1891.
LÉON SOUCHEIRE,
Per J. G. L.