IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY
Year: 1881

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Cousins Garrood at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April 1881.
JOHN COUSINS GARROOD, Engineer,. Fakenham, in the County of Norfolk.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES, PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER MACHINERY:"
My improvements relate,―
Firstly, to
Velocipedes with two or more wheels, and consists in attaching hand levers or
suitable contrivances in such a position that the power of the hands and arms is
utilized to assist the propulsion of the velocipede; these levers are connected by
suitable means to the handle bar, head, cranks, levers, or gearing connected with
or direct upon those used by the feet for propulsion, thus dividing and distributing
the work between more muscles than heretofore.
.
These levers are also particularly adapted to be simply and easily and quickly
attached to any existing machine, thereby increasing the efficiency and utility of
the velocipede.
Secondly, to
Velocipedes known as safty velocipedes, and consists in constructing simply and
efficiently a velocipede safer for elderly or nervous riders, also particularly adapted
to be simply and easily applied to existing machines. The hand-levers may also be
applied to these machines.
That my Invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe
them with the assistance of the annexed Drawings.
Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate my improved "safty" bicycle and hand-lever
connections.
Figs. 13, 14, and 15, are enlarged Drawings of the hand-levers and connections,
but the handle bar is shown in front of the fork with the near handle off.
The front fork of Fig. 3 has the maximum rake, that is, about three inches
behind the vertical line, and the handle bar is fixed behind the fork head, and also
cranked further back, if required; the saddle is also put further back than usual,
so that the rider sits some six or nine inches further behind the centre of the front
wheel than usual.

page_text: To the handle bar f I fix securely the small brackets a, a, a, a, by screws; these
brackets support the handled levers 6 and e, cranked spindle c and d, and the
levers d and c.
The levers c and d are connected to the cranks k, k, by the rods or tubes j, j.
The pedal levers h, h, work upon the pins or bolts fixed to the cranks k, k, and are
supported at the other ends by the rods I, I, at which end the pedal pin is fixed,
and the pedal allowed to turn only sufficient to suit the movement of the foot.
The rod I and the lever h may be all in one piece, and if so made the rods or
tubes j, j, will not be required.
The handled-lever b is securely fixed to the cranked spindle d, which is also
securely fixed to the sleeve / which passes over the straight end of the cranked
spindle c; the lever d is also securely fixed to the sleeve, so that the handled-lever b
actuates the lever d.
The handled-lever e is secured to the cranked spindle c which passes through the
sleeve, and the lever c is fixed upon the end of the cranked spindle c; thus it will
be seen that the handled lever e actuates the lever c.
The rider pressing the pedal with the left foot downwards pull upwards at one
and the same time with the left hand by the left handled-lever b, which actuating
the lever d (which is connected to the crank for the right foot) pulls that crank
upwards, thus assisting the legs with the hands and arms in the best possible
manner.
Fig. 1 illustrates an ordinary bicycle with the same hand-levers attached thereto,
the same as described for and illustrated by Figs. 2, 3, 13, 14, and 15.
Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate front views or elevations of different methods of applying
hand-levers to the ordinary bicycle.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Figs. 7 and 8. Figs. 8 and 9 shows the handled-
levers band e each in one piece, and the connecting rods run downwards direct
. from the handled-levers b and c to the outside of the treadles; these levers are
attached to the handle bar f by a clamp bracket bearing a, a.
The above hereindescribed method of applying these hand-levers to existing
machines is the most simple and cheapest method.
Fig. 7 shows the right handled lever e, and the right hand connecting rod lever b
are connected by and secured to the cranked spindle c, thus when pressing the
right foot crank k down the right handled-lever e is pulled upwards by the right
hand, and the lever b presses the right foot crank downwards at one and the
same time the right foot does, and the other side of the machine the left hand is
pushing the lever downwards, thus pulling the left foot upwards and assisting the
revolution of the wheel.
Figs. 4, 5, and 6, are two side views or elevations and front elevation of Messrs.
Singer & Co. "Xtraordinary" challenge bicycle, showing two methods of applying
hand-levers to them, which I think now need no description, as they are obvious..
Fig. 10 illustrates one method only (by side elevation) of applying hand levers
to tricycles.
The levers are pivotted upon the frame of the tricycle in any suitable position
and manner, and connected at one end by the connecting rods I, I, to the crank
shaft below by a split coupling and bolts.
Figs. 11 and 12, side and front elevations of the hand lever steering arrangement
enlarged.
The other end of the right hand lever k has a slot in it to receive a small block
and joint, which joint allows the square spindle c to revolve freely; at the top end
of this square spindle the steering handle is fixed. The square spindle c fits easily
the pinion g that actuates the steering rack which guides the machine by the rear
wheel, and slides through up and down as actuated by the lever k.
The "extra" handle b, spindle e, and pinion f, are all fast secured to each other,
but revolve in a bearing on the bracket d. This handle b is to steer with when the
rider does not require to use the lever.
The other end of the left hand lever is made in a similar manner, and for the

page_text: purpose that the right hand one is, but has not a pinion and rack, as the machine
steers from one side only.
It will be seen that when the right foot presses down the right pedal m, the
handle a is pulled upwards by the right hand (which also steers at the same time)
at one and the same time, which pushes the other end of the lever downwards,
while the left hand is pushing the handle down which pulls upwards the opposite
crank, and so on.
Figs. 16, 17, and 18, plan, side, and front elevation of the handles for hand-levers
enlarged. The handle B is allowed to move as required by the hands upon the
coned bolt c and cone a, as shown by dotted lines. The handle is slotted out,
as also shown by dotted lines, to suit the hand-lever d, shown broken off, to allow
of the required movement, so that it may be grasped tightly, otherwise, if the
handle is fixed immovably upon the lever, it cannot be comfortably grasped tight
on account of the varying angle and position of the handle.
Fig. 19 is another method of applying a handle that revolves upon a pin
projecting from the outside of the lever, but not quite so convenient as the other,
as it requires more room which makes the handle bar so wide, but some will no
doubt prefer it.
Figs. 20 and 21 represent a plain pin "grip treadle," showing how the connection
with the connecting rod from the hand-lever is made.
The connecting rod from the band-lever screws into the bearing 6 at 1; the
bearing bush m passing through the bearing b is screwed upon the end of the
treadle pin a, where the ordinary nut had been previously, to keep the treadle
upon the pin, the bearing b revolves freely upon the pin a.
When the lever and connecting rod require the connection inside, the bearing b
is made to fit the pin a at a, and the pedal and nut is put on the pin afterwards.
Figs. 22 and 23 illustrate a ball "grip treadle" by side elevations. The slotte
shanked eye or bearing g fitted upon the boss I containing the balls; the
screws j, j, pass through the slots k in g, and keep g in its proper place, and also
prevent the pedal from turning more than sufficient for the foot. The connecting
rod from the lever screws into g at 1; of course, if it is required or when required,
the bearing g may be fitted upon i to be in a position to receive the connecting
rods that are fitted inside near the fork of the bicycle.