IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, SUCH IM- PROVEMENTS BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Davies, of Devonshire Street, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, SUCH IM-
PROVEMENTS BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd January 1878, and dated the 23rd July 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Davies at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd July 1877.
SAMUEL DAVIES, of Devonshire Street, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVE
MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of velocipede
whereby such vehicles are rendered capable of carrying two, three, or more persons
with ease and celerity, or of conveying luggage or merchandize to and fro from
place to place, thus considerably increasing their utility and economy.
To carry out such improved construction and arrangement I proceed as follows:-
The vehicle consists of a rectangular or other conveniently shaped flooring, at the
front of which I place the driver's seat mounted on suitable springs, so as to afford
ease and comfort to the driver; but this arrangement, if preferred, may be reversed,
and such seat may be placed in the rear of the vehicle. At the back of such seat
I fit an adjustable back-board or other suitable support, so as to afford support and
ease to the driver when exerting his muscular power upon the levers. Beneath
this flooring and towards the front part thereof, I fit in any suitable manner a
double crank shaft, the laterally projecting ends of which carry the driving wheels
outside the frame of the floor.
These wheels I by preference make of large diameter and as light as possible,
consonant with the purposes for which the vehicle is intended to be used.
The crank shaft is connected by links or other equivalent means to a pair of
suitable treadles arranged within a convenient distance of the feet of the driver,
and by means of other links the crank shaft is connected to two oscillating vertical
hand levers arranged one on each side of the driver.

page_text: The treadles are supported upon a light transverse rocking shaft which is carried
in V shaped brackets bolted to the under side of the framing.
The hand levers are pivotted on transverse pins which are carried in the open
frame, and both the levers and treadles are provided with slots or other suitable
equivalents so as to admit of their ready adjustment.
The front part of the seat of the driver is curved to a convenient figure so as
not to interfere with the legs when his feet are resting on or working the
treadles.
The treadles are made with a golosh-like foot-piece, so as to afford a convenient
hold for the feet of the driver and oscillate to and fro freely, being fitted on any
suitable binges or other mechanical equivalent to allow of their so doing.
At the rear of the vehicle and beneath the floor are fitted two guiding wheels,
on the axle of which are springs connected by curved rods to a wheel plate, which
is fitted on a pivot carried in the flooring. This wheel plate is caused to turn upon
its axis by means of two tie rods or other suitable equivalents, which extend
towards the front part of the vehicle where they are connected to the ends of a
curved cross bar carried upon a pivot stud fixed to the under side of the floor, and
extending through it.
The upper end of the pivot is squared to receive the recessed end of a T shaped
guiding bar, similar to those now used in bicycles, and by turning the handles of
this bar the wheels are caused to turn the vehicle either to the left or right as may
be desired.
The guiding wheels may be arranged either at the rear or in front of the driving
wheels, as may be most convenient, and the vehicle may be driven either by the
joint action of the driver's hands and feet, or separately, according to the speed and
power required for the load, but in either case it is intended that one action,
whether manual or pedal, shall assist the other with a view of obtaining speed
combined with ease of propulsion.
A suitable break is fitted to the lower part of the framing which is brought into
action, either by a coiled spring or other suitable mechanical equivalent.
The body of the carriage is arranged according to the particular purpose to which
the vehicle is to be applied.
In order to diminish the expenditure of muscular power necessary to propel the
vehicle, a suitable fly-wheel or its equivalent may be fitted thereto in any con-
venient position, so as to assist in the propulsion thereof.
When considered desirable, two seats instead of one may be provided so as to
allow of the vehicle being propelled by two drivers, thus increasing the capacity
and power of travel of the vehicle, such double arrangement necessarily involving
duplicate hand and foot levers, suitably connected to the same crank of the machine.
My improved system of leverage may also be advantageously employed for
imparting rapid and easy motion to the moving parts of machinery in general.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Davies in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd January
1878.
SAMUEL DAVIES, of Devonshire Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS BEING PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to an improved construction and arrangement of velocipede,
whereby such vehicles are rendered capable of carrying two, three, or more persons
with ease and celerity.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood and more readily
carried into effect, I will now proceed with the aid of the accompanying Drawings
(whereon similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts) to more par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the same.
Figure 1 of such Drawings shews one of my improved velocipedes in side eleveva-
tion, and Figure 2 a plan view thereof with the scats removed so as to afford a
clearer view of the mechanical arrangement thereof; and Figure 3, the adjustable
rack.
To carry out such improved construction and arrangement I proceed as follows:-
The vehicle consists of a rectangular or other conveniently shaped framing A, at
the rear of which and midway between the driving wheels B I place the driver's
seat C mounted on curved supports or springs D and stay bars E, so as to afford
ease and comfort to the driver. In the front of such seat C is a second adjustable
seat F, which may either be dispensed with altogether or used as convenience
requires.
The axle G of the driving wheels B is made with a double crank, and to each
crank a suitable link or connecting rod G¹ is attached so as to give motion to the
levers H.
These levers may be either formed in one piece, having their fore ends H¹ curved
so as to form an adjustable support for the treadles I, or such ends may be formed
separate, and afterwards bolted or otherwise conveniently secured thereto.
The treadles I are the parts upon which the feet of the driver rest when pro-
pelling the vehicle with a pedal motion. Such pedals are formed of a triangular
shape in the body with disc ends I', and are carried upon a spindle which drops
into adjustable racks (shewn in Figure 3) formed on the upper edges of the curved
treadle H¹, before described.
In addition to this treadle arrangement provision is made for propelling the
vehicle with the hands by means of two hand levers K placed one on either side of
the vehicle, and which are connected by means of link pieces K' to the double
cranked axle G, before mentioned.
By this arrangement the vehicle may be propelled either with the feet or hands
separately, or with both combined, so as to obtain a higher rate of speed and travel
as when ascending inclines, and if desired, the driver may thus alternately rest
either his feet or his hands as most convenient, without totally arresting the
progress of the vehicle.
The treadles H are supported upon a light transverse rocking shaft K², which is
carried in shaped brackets K³ bolted to the under side of the framing A.
The hand levers K are pivotted on transverse pins, which are carried in the open
frame, and both the levers and treadles are provided with slots or other suitable
equivalents, so as to admit of their ready adjustment.
All the other adjustable portions of the machine are fitted in a similar way so as
to admit of their exact adjustment to the driver's requirements.
The front part of the driver's seat is so formed as not to interfere with the legs
when his feet are resting on the treadles.
In the front of the vehicle, and beneath the framework, are fitted two guiding
wheels L, on the axle of which are C springs L', connected by curved rods to a

page_text: movable wheel plate M, which is fitted on a pivot carried in the framework. This
wheel plate is caused to turn upon its axis by means of a curved hand lever N,
which terminates in a suitable handle N', to admit of its being readily controlled
by the driver, and turned either to the right or left, as may be desired.
A suitable break is fitted to the vehicle and actuated in any convenient manner,
or if preferred such break may be dispensed with altogether.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood
that what I claim is,―
1. The improved construction of velocipede and combination of parts herein-
before described and illustrated.
2. I also claim the mechanical arrangement of the treadles H and H', and their
combination with the hand levers K in order to admit of the propulsion of the
vehicle, either by manual or pedal motion, or with both combined, substantially as
herein-before described, and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Davies, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
British and Foreign Patent Office,
33, Southampton Buildings,
Holborn,
London,
W.C.
SAMUEL DAVIES. (L.S.)