Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Unicycle.
JOHN PLEDGER, 8 Short Road, Walthamstow, Essex, Carpenter, do hereby.
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A wheel without spokes, to be riddeu from the outside in the ordinary manner.
The rim is in the form of a girder, to which a forked frame is suspended to the
centre of the inside of rim, by a bearing, through which the rim revolves. The
seat and handle bar being attached to forked frame. A bar across the centre is
fixed to the outer edge of rim on either side, in the centre of said bar is a hole,
through which the bearing rod is cranked, and attached to forked frame at the
lower part of wheel. To be propelled by chain, or other gear by the feet, in the
ordinary manner.
Dated this 17th day of April 1896.
JOHN PLEDGER.
JOHN PLEDGER, 8 Short Road, Walthamstow, Essex, Carpenter, 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:-
A wheel without spokes, to be ridden in the ordinary manner. The rim being
in the form of a girder, is in three sections, and is rolled or stamped from one piece
of sheet steel to the required pattern, as shewn in end section of Fig. 1. The
outer section is the cup A to receive the tyre. The middle section is a flat edged
ring C, which is to give the required rigidity in the place of spokes. The lower
or bottom section, is a flat oval flange B, on which bearings run. A frame M as
shewn in Fig. 5 is suspended parallel with the rim as shewn in Fig. 6, by bearings N
which are bolted to each end of the frame and clasping the flange B at either
side. Each bearing consists of two steel plates, cut to shape as shewn in Fig. 5,
at each top corner of plate a small spindle is fixed, which passes through the
centre of a small steel ball, or roller which revolves on the flange B. A steel rod
is bolted borizontally to the frame M, a spindle L is bolted across the lower part
of the frame, a rod is connected to each end of the spindle forming a fork K, to
which the driving chains and wheels are adjusted, and which is bolted to another
fork at the lower ends. This outer fork H Fig. 4 having rings I through which the
spindle L passes freely, is fixed to the bar P that carries the handles and saddle,
and the forks K and H being connected at the lower ends receive the weight of the
frame and saddle. The power is applied to cogs in the centre of cross standards
which communicates motion to the rim causing it to revolve through the bearings.
The cross standards D, Fig. 2, are two pieces of steel tube, with eyes in the centre,

page_text: attached to the cup part of rim .at the ends across the rim on either side, to which
the cogs E are fixed in the centre, through which the spindle L freely passes.
The spindle L is a tube which passes through the cogs E the eyes of the cross
standards D and the rings I, and to which the frame M is bolted in the centre and
the forks K fixed to the ends. Fig. 3 is a gaurd brake which consists of two
rods F, which are bolted to forks H at the top, and the lower ends being attached
to a small roller G which revolves on the lower quarter of tyre, and thereby
keeping the frame, and forks in perpendicular position. It is driven by double
chain or other gear, by the feet in the ordinary manner. Fig. 6 shews one side of
the machine complete.
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,
The manner of constructing
.1. The girder rim.
2. The frame.
3. The gaurd brake.
4. The forks.
Dated this 15th day of March 1897.
JOHN PLEDGER.