IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES
Year: 1879

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Isaac Thomas Townsend at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st February 1879.
ISAAC THOMAS TOWNSEND, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Bicycle
Manufacturer. ." IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES."
The first part of my Invention relates to tricycles, which I make much lighter
and stronger than before, with the parts more accessible. This is accomplished by
making the backbone of the tricycle from a steel or other metal tube, which is
carried from the steering wheel back under the driving axle, where it is turned up
and over the driving axle towards the front wheel into a suitable position for
attaching the seat, which is adjustable in height. To the after part of this back-
bone I weld or otherwise attach two arms, generally tubular in section, but some-
times formed into a girder section by pressing the two sides into inverted arches,
the two crowns of which meet or nearly meet as a web; indeed the backbone itself
The
would in some cases be constructed wholly or in part of such girder section.
handle for steering the machine is placed on the right side, and is easily adjusted
to height. The brake handle is placed on the left side, and is also adjustable to
height. The cross bar for carrying the pedal levers is steadied by two rods, which
are easily adjusted to length, being supplied with screwed ends which enter suitable
tapped sockets attached or formed on the arms of the backbone.
The pedal levers are constructed in such a manner that the foot leverage can be
varied almost instantaneously and at pleasure by making the part to which the
connecting rod is fastened to slide backwards and forwards along the pedal lever
by means of a rack and pinion, worm wheel and screw, or any other known
mechanism.
I also alter the leverage by placing a link between the bottom end of the con-
necting rod and the pedal lever, or the sliding part on the pedal lever; this link
lies either forward or backward under it, and can be reversed instantaneously at the
pleasure of the rider.
One way of regulating the sliding part is through the cross bar carrying the
pedal levers, which is made to revolve at the driver's pleasure by means of a rod
attached to the end of this cross bar and a ball joint, the pinion to gear into the
rack, or the worm for transmitting the motion to the screw and sliding piece; or
the hand bar might have a rack at its lower end geared into one of the pinions or
into a third pinion so that a thrust or a pull would move the sliding piece along
the pedal lever.

page_text: The brake spindle is provided with an eccentric, which when turned partly round
comes in contact with a disc on the driving shaft, thus effectively braking the
machine with very little exertion-by-the-rider..
The next part of my Invention relates to the foot step of bicycles, which I make
adjustable so as to be adaptable to any machine, or to any rider. This is effected
-by-forming-the-bracket which is-attached-to-the backbone of the bicycle.with..a
socket, in which the stem of the foot rest slides; the rest can be secured at any
elevation-by-a-set pin. In other cases I cut a thread on the stem of the rest, and
a corresponding one in the bracket socket, and secure it in position with a lock nut
or nuts.