IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morton, of 24, Bath Street, Portobello, Edinburgh,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morton at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th June 1878.
WILLIAM MORTON, of 24, Bath Street, Portobello, Edinburgh.
IN BICYCLES."
" IMPROVEMENTS
The objects of this Invention, which relates to improvements in the driving or
propelling mechanism of bicycles, are to allow of bicycles being mounted and
dismounted with ease, to obviate the danger of falling, to enable the rider to stop
the bicycle should any obstruction be in his path, and sit on it while at rest till the
obstruction is removed, or to enable him to converse with anyone, to attain a high
rate of speed at times when required, and a comparatively slower rate when
ascending billy ground, or when required with the same motion of the feet, and to
put the driving mechanism out of gear when descending hilly ground, so that the
bicycle may descend the same by its previously attained momentum, enabling the
feet of the rider to be at rest.
In carrying this Invention into practice I make fast on or to the axle or hub of
the driving, front, or large wheel of the bicycle two chain wheels of the same
diameter, and formed separate or in one casting, but with distinct ranges of teeth,
and by means of the fork or stays of the said front wheel I also secure two supports,
one on each side of the wheel, which are connected together at the hinder lower
part of the wheel, and are centred or secured by nuts to the said fork or stay rods,
and are adjusted in position by screwed rods and nuts thereon. In bearings at the
upper part of these supports is held a driving spindle, which is actuated or rotated
by means of cranks fixed or made fast on its ends, and which derive their motion
from treadles or pedals centred to the lower part of the said supports, and connected
at their front ends by rods to the said cranks.

page_text: On the driving spindle are fixed or made fast two clutches or discs with pins in
their faces, which pins face two chain wheels of different diameters, and which are
arranged or placed loosely on the driving spindle. These chain wheels are connected
to those on the hub of the bicycle fore wheel by chains, so that the motion which is
imparted by the treadles, connecting rods, and cranks to the driving spindle is thus
transmitted by the clutch discs, chain wheels, chains, and chain wheels to the fore
or driving wheel of the bicycle. Now the chain wheels, which are placed loosely
on the driving spindle, are moved thereon and placed in gear with their respective
clutch discs, from which they derive their motion by a gear-shifting lever formed of
two parallel working and centred arms connected at one end by a rod, and at their
other ends forked or provided with pins which enter grooves in the bosses of the
said loose chain wheels, and cause either of the wheels to gear with its disc and be
rotated thereby, or to cause them both to take such an intermediate position as
that neither of them shall gear with their clutch discs, and thus a rapid or slow
motion may be imparted to the bicycle with the same motion of the feet, or there
may be a cessation of its driving motion depending upon the position to which the
shifting lever is set; and in any of these positions it can be easily maintained by
means of a notched bar, in which a continuation of one of the arms works.
There are also provided shields which are disposed or arranged in such a way as
to protect the knees from being knocked by the revolving of the cranks on the
driving spindle.
The chains can be slackened or tightened up as required by means of the above-
referred-to adjusting nuts.
It is well worthy of remark that with the above-described arrangement of driving
mechanism the rider of the bicycle is enabled to sit well over the front wheel, so
that he can exert the maximum of his power with the minimum expenditure of
labour, and attain such rates of speed as are not attainable with bicycles as at
present constructed, in addition to the advantages above enumerated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th December
1878.
WILLIAM MORTON, of 24, Bath Street, Portobello, Edinburgh.
IN BICYCLES."
"IMPROVEMENTS
The objects of this Invention, which relates to improvements in the driving or
propelling mechanism of bicycles, are:-To allow of bicycles being mounted and
dismounted with ease, to obviate the danger of falling, to enable the rider to stop
the bicycle should any obstruction lie in his path, and sit on it while at rest till the
obstruction is removed, or to enable him to converse with anyone, and to attain a
high rate of speed or a comparatively slower rate at times when required with the
same motion of the feet.
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings illustrate respectively a side and
a front view of a bicycle adapted with my above-referred-to improvements, which I
will now proceed to more particularly describe.
1 represents the usual hind or trailing wheel, and 2 the usual front or driving
wheel, on or to the axle or hub 3 of which I make fast or secure two chain wheels 4,
preferably of different diameters, and formed separate or in one casting, but with
distinct ranges of teeth; and by means of the fork or stays 5 of the wheel 2 I also
secure two supports 6 (one on each side of the wheel 2), which I connect together
at 19 behind the wheel, and centre or secure them to the fork 5 by nuts at 7, and
render them adjustable in position by means of screwed rods 8 and nuts 9 thereon.
In bearings 10 at the upper part of these supports 6 is held a driving spindle 11,
which is worked by means of cranks 12 fixed or made fast on its ends, and which
derive their motion from treadles or pedals 13 centred on the rod 19, and connected
at their front ends by rods 14 to the cranks 12.
On the spindle 11 are fixed or made fast two chain wheels 15 of different
diameters, and opposite the wheels 4 on the axle or hub 3. The opposite pairs of
wheels 4-15 are made of such diameters as that they may be connected by the
same chain 16, that is, the chain 16 is interchangeable to either opposite pair of
wheels. By these means the motion imparted by the treadles 13, connecting rods 14,
and cranks 12 to the driving spindle 11 is transmitted by the chain wheel 15,
chain 16, and chain wheel 4 to the fore or driving wheel 2 of the bicycle. The
chain is provided with a screwed pin 17 uniting the terminal links, so that it is
capable of being readily removed from the one opposite pair of wheels 4-15 to the
other opposite pair thereof, allowing of the desired change of speed (either fast or
slow) being easily attained. It can also be slackened or tightened up as required
by means of the nuts 9 on the rods 8.
It will be observed that with the above-described arrangement of driving
mechanism the rider of the bicycle is enabled to sit well over the front wheel, so
that he can exert the maximum of his power with the minimum expenditure of
labor.
I also provide shields or guards 18, which I dispose and arrange in such a way as
to protect the knees from being knocked by the cranks 12.
I would here remark that in my Provisional Specification I described the chain
wheels on the driving spindle as being placed loosely thereon, and geared therewith
when desired to drive the bicycle at either speed by means of clutch discs actuated
by a gear-shifting lever, and each opposito pair of chain wheels being connected by
a separate chain; but since filing the said Specification I have found that such
driving mechanism is too complicated for its intended purpose, and therefore I
prefer the modified arrangement I have herein-above described, and illustrated on
the accompanying Drawings, wherein the clutch discs and gear-shifting lever are
dispensed with, and the chain wheels on the driving spindle are made fast thereon,
the opposite pairs of wheels being connected by an interchangeable chain.

page_text: Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention, together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the application
to bicycles of the above-described arrangement of driving or propelling mechanism,
the special utility of which consists in being able to obtain quick speeds with small
machines, and to sit so low down as to render a fall impossible, being at all times
able to put both feet to the ground while seated; and in having two speeds, one for
ordinary use, and the other for hilly ground, head winds, and rough roads; and in
enabling one to exert one's power in propelling or driving the bicycle to the best
advantage, substantially as described, and as illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morton, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM MORTON. (L.S.)
Witness,
JOHN KENDRICK,