AN IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED BY THE HANDS OF THE RIDER, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN'S USE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED BY THE HANDS OF THE RIDER,
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN'S USE." A communication from abroad
Alfred Viol of Mount Carmel Connecticut and Theodore Jones Harbach,
1...
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th June 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED
BY THE HANDS OF THE RIDER, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN'S USE."
[A communication from abroad by Alfred Vick, of Mount Carmel, Connecticut,
and Theodore Jones Harbach, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, both in the United
States of America.]
and
This Invention relates to a vehicle chiefly designed for children's use,
arranged to be driven by the hands of the rider, and steered by his feet or hands.
The said vehicle has a vertically adjustable tiller or steering pedal, and a wheel
adapted to serve as a pilot or post wheel and castor wheel.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, the body of the vehicle may be in
The body
the form of a horse or other animal, a carriage-body, chair, or the like.
is connected to the backbone, and is thus supported on the wheels.
The two rear or driving wheels are mounted independently of each other on
bearings, and the axle of each of the wheels has secured to it a spur wheel, around
which passes a chain which also passes around another spur wheel mounted at or
near the upper end of the body, which, when in the form of an animal, is hollowed
out to permit the passage of the two chains and receive the two said spur wheels, the
shafts of the latter being supported on the inner wall of the body, and each provided
with a crank, which is located at the side of the head of the animal, so that the
two cranks may be readily grasped and operated by the rider, who occupies the
saddle or seat of the body. Secured to the front end of the backbone is a boss or

page_text: tubular bearing, in which is fitted a turning post of the front wheel, the standards
or side arms whereof are pivotted to the lower end of said post, and have at their
upper ends enlarged segmental or spreading pieces, which are perforated for the
passage of a bolt which rigidly connects the wheel and post. Projecting from the
said post is a horizontal bar (or bars), and depending from the backbone or from
the body is a post on which is fitted a pedal, which is connected by chains or cords
with the horizontal bar, said chains or cords being also adapted to be detached from
the pedal and attached to eyes on the backbone, said pedal sliding on the post so
as to be vertically adjustable relatively to the requirements of the rider, a set screw
passing through the pedal and tightening against the post for holding the pedal in
its adjusted position.
The body will be provided with foot rests or stirrups, and the backbone is
preferably formed of spring metal, to render the riding easy and comfortable.
The operation is as follows, that is to say:-
The rider occupies the seat, and rotates by his hands the cranks situated at the
upper part of the body, whereby, by means of the chain, power is communicated to
the rear wheels which thus propel the vehicle. When it is desired to steer by the
feet, the aforesaid pedal is connected to the horizontal bar or bars by means of the
cords or chains, and thus by moving said bar or bars the front wheel may be
turned to the right or left. The axle of said wheel occupies a position in a right
line with the vertical direction of the post.
Should it be desired to steer by the hands, through the medium of the rear
wheels, the bolt is withdrawn, the front wheel turned on the pivot until it is out
of centre with the post, and the bolt is inserted in the respective openings in the
spreading pieces and post, the front wheel thus becoming a castor wheel. The
connecting chains or cords are then detached from the bar or bars, and attached to
the eyes.
As the two rear wheels are independent of each other, each may be
rotated as desired, and thus provide means both for propelling and steering, the
castor wheel swinging around with the steering motions of the rear wheels, and
permitting the feet to be free to rest on the pedal as a rest in the stirrups.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
December 1880.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED VEHICLE TO BE PROPELLED BY
THE HANDS OF THE RIDER, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CHILDREN'S USE." A com-
munication from abroad by Alfred Vick, of Mount Carmel, Connecticut, and
Theodore Jones Harbach, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, both in the United States
of America.
This Invention relates to a vehicle chiefly designed for children's use, which
vehicle is arranged to be driven or propelled by the hands of the rider and steered
by his feet or hands. For the sake of convenience I term this vehicle a velocipede.
The said vehicle has a vertically adjustable tiller or steering pedal, and a wheel
adapted to serve as a pilot or post wheel and castor wheel.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly sectional, of a velocipede embodying my
Invention.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the running gear of the same.
Figure 3 is a front view partly in section of the said pilot or castor wheel.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
A represents the body of the vehicle or velocipede, which may be in the form of
a horse or other animal, or of a carriage body, chair, or the like; B is the running
gear, to the backbone or reach C of which the body is connected, being thereby
supported on said gear B.
The rear or driving wheels D are mounted independently of each other on
bearings a, a, and the axle of each of the wheels has secured to it a spur wheel D',
around which passes a chain E; this chain also passes around a spur wheel F,
mounted at or near the upper end of the body A, which in the present case is in
the form of an animal, and is made hollow to permit the passage of the two chains E
and to receive the two spur wheels F; the shafts of the latter are supported on
the inner wall of the body, and each is provided with a crank b, which is located
at the side of the head of the animal, so that the two cranks may be readily grasped
and operated by the rider, who occupies the saddle or seat a² on the body A.
Secured to the front end of the backbone or reach C is a boss or tubular bearing G,
in which is fitted the turning post H of the front wheel J, the standards or side
arms c whereof are pivotted as at d to the lower end of said post, and have at their
upper ends enlarged segmental or spreading pieces e, which are perforated for the
passage of a bolt e', which rigidly connects the wheel and post. Projecting from
the post H is a horizontal bar (or bars) f, and depending from the reach C or body A
is a post K, on which is fitted a pedal L, which is connected by chains or cords L'
with the bar f, said chains or cords being also adapted to be detached from the
said bar f, and attached to eyes g on the backbone or reach C. The said pedal L
slides on the post K, so as to be vertically adjustable, in accordance with the
requirements of the rider, by means of a set screw passing through the pedal, and
adapted to be tightened against the post for holding the pedal in its adjusted
position.
The body A is provided with foot rests or stirrups h, and the backbone or reach C
is preferably formed of spring metal to render the riding easy and comfortable.
The operation is as follows, that is to say :-The rider occupies the seat a', and
rotates by his hands the cranks b, whereby, by means of the chains E, power is
communicated to the rear wheels D which thus propel the vehicle. When it is
desired to steer by the feet, the pedal L is connected to the bar or bars ƒ by means
of the cords or chains L', and thus by moving the said bar or bars the wheel J may

page_text: be turned to the right or left, the axle of said wheel occupying a position in a
right line with the vertical direction of the post H (see dotted lines Figure 1).
Should it be desired to steer by the hands, through the medium of the rear
wheels, the bolt e¹ is withdrawn, the wheel J turned on the pivot d until it is out
of centre with the post H, and the bolt e¹ is inserted in the respective openings in
the spreading pieces e and post H, the wheel J thus becoming a castor wheel. The
connecting chains or cords L' are then detached from the bar or bars f attached
to the eyes g.
As the two rear wheels D are independent of each other, each may
be rotated as desired, and thus provide means both for propelling and steering,
the castor wheel swinging around with the steering motions of the rear wheels,
and permitting the feet to be free to rest on the pedal L, or to be placed in the
stirrups h.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim, -
First. A vehicle, to be operated by the rider, so constructed that it may be
steered by the feet or hands, as hereinbefore set forth.
Second. In a vehicle to be operated by the rider, the body A, with the backbone
or reach connected to the running gear, the hind wheels whereof are mounted
independently of each other; the operating chain or belt passing through the body;
the spur or belt wheels mounted on the body independently of each other, and
provided with cranks; and a front wheel, all combined and operating substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. In a vehicle to be operated by the rider, the body in combination with
the front wheel, the depending post and the pedal adjustably fitted to said post, all
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In a vehicle to be operated by the rider, the body in combination with
the wheel J, convertible into a post or pilot and castor wheel, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. In a vehicle to be operated by the rider, the body in combination with
the wheel J having the turning post or axis, the side standards with spreading
pieces, and the bolt, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)