Improvements in Propelling and Guiding Mechanism for Velocipedes and other similar Machinery.
Year: 1894

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Propelling and Guiding Mechanism for Velocipedes
and other similar Machinery.
I, THOMAS CRAWFORD DENNISON, of Oamaru, in the Colony of New Zealand,
Civil Engineer and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to velocipedes and other similar machines, and has for its
objects providing mechanism for propelling and guiding the same so that a rider
may employ the weight and muscles of his body to the best advantage, and thus
be enabled to attain a higher speed or propel himself with greater ease than
with the velocipedes at present in use.
Further objects are to make provision for raising the rider's legs to such a
height as to reduce liability of splashing with mud; at the same time the seat
is so placed as to be in the most convenient position for mounting and dismounting
with ease; to obviate the necessity for a brake; and should the rider fall the
consequences shall not tend to serious results.
It is well known that most of the present forms of velocipedes are so designed
that riding the same has a great tendency to contract the chest of the rider.
It is one of the objects of my invention to make the propelling mechanism of
such a design as to have an opposite tendency, that is, to expand the chest of
the rider.
I carry the objects of my invention into effect by providing a lever to be
worked by the hands, and pedals to be worked by the feet. The lever and
pedals are connected by sun and planet or other suitable gear with the driving
wheel of the velocipede in such a manner that whilst force is being exerted by
pulling the lever the feet are employed in pushing the pedals. In this manner
the weight and muscles of the body are used to greater advantage and better
results obtained, than where the legs only are used for propulsion and the arms
are employed for guiding the machine only. The said lever receives the handle
bar and rod for guiding the machine and by my invention I provide suitable
mechanism for guiding velocipedes with reciprocating guiding rod and handle bar.
The pedals are. raised and have a nearly horizontal reciprocating.movement
and are thus in such a position as to reduce liability of the rider's legs being
splashed by mud.
This raised position of the legs results in affording ready means of dismounting
and tends to reduce the serious consequences of a fall to a minimum, as in nearly
all such cases a rider would alight upon his feet.
The action of pulling with the hands and pushing with the feet is similar to that
of rowing a boat, where the shoulders are thrown back and the chest expanded at
every stroke.
I am aware that reciprocating levers and pedals have been used in connection
with epicyclic trains for propelling velocipedes, especially upon railways, where
the machine is guided by the rails; but with my invention I am able to propel and
guide velocipedes upon ordinary roads when the propelling lever and guiding rod
are reciprocating together.
In order that my invention may be most easily understood by one skilled in the
art to which it appertains I will now proceed to describe the same in detail and

page_text: cua purpose small refer to the accompanying drawing whereon similar letters
and figures indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Fig. 1, is an isometrical view of my mechanism applied to an ordinary bicycle.
Fig. 2, is a view shewing another arrangement of lever and pedals, partly in
section.
Fig. 3, is an end view of the same, partly in section.
The driving mechanism is as follows:-
(a) is the lever, which may be reciprocated upon its fulcrums the bearings (a¹),
and provided at its upper end with handle bar (a2). The bearings (a) are
supported from the back bone (6) by bracket (6¹). Lever (a) is extended below
bearings (a) to meet coupling rods (c & c¹), rods (c) coupling lever (a) to
cranks (d), and rods (c') coupling lever (a) to pedal arms (e). Box (f) encloses
sun and planet or other suitable epicyclic gear for driving wheel (9).
Pedal arms (e) are fulcrumed upon bearings (e¹) frame (b) being extended
downwards to form support (6) for same. Pedals (6) are raised as shewn. It
will be seen that lever (a) and pedals (63) work together and assist one another in
giving motion to cranks (d).
The guiding mechanism is as follows:-
Centre pillar (a) of lever (a) receives rod (a*) which at its upper end carries
handle bar (a). Rod (a³) is free to revolve within pillar (a), and at its lower end
has jaw (a) securely attached for the purpose of receiving rocker (a) as in an
ordinary universal joint. The other ends of rocker (a) are coupled to one end of
each of connecting rods (a). Immediately above the fork (9) and attached to
same are furnished pins (g) upon which the other ends of connecting rods (a) fit.
It will thus be seen that when the handle (a3) is turned such movement is
reproduced upon wheel (9) by means of rod (a2), rocker (a), rods (a) and
pins (9).
It will also be seen that by means of one and the same mechanism I am able to
reciprocate lever (a) and pedals (6) for driving velocipedes and at the same time
guide the machine.
Figs. 2 & 3 shew a compact form of mechanism which may be used where
moderate speeds only are required. By reference to the drawing it will be seen
that rocker (a) is fixed immediately to the extension of fork (9), and connecting.
rods such as (a) Fig. 1 are dispeused with. Pedal arms are in this case (Figs. 2 & 3)
carried upwards as shewn and thus clear of front wheel (g').
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details
herein before specified as these may be modified in several ways without departing
from the principle of my invention, as for example a modification of the ordinary
chain wheel or a ratchet wheel and connections may be used as driving gear, or a
combination of levers with a modification of the ordinary chain wheel may be
employed. With a ratchet wheel I am enabled to vary the length of stroke of the
lever (a) at will or throw the same out of gear and use the said lever for guiding
the machine and the feet for propelling the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. In improvements in propelling and guiding mechanism for velocipedes and
other similar machinery, the combination of a reciprocating driving fever with
guiding mechanism with or without rods (a) and pins (9) substantially as and for
the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
2. In improvements in propelling and guiding mechanism for velocipedes and
other similar machinery, the combination of a reciprocating driving lever baving
guiding mechanism, with pedal arms, pedals, and connecting gear to a driving
wheel substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
3. In improvements in propelling and guiding mechanism for velocipedes and

page_text: other similar machinery, the combination of a reciprocating driving lever having
guiding mechanism with connecting gear to a driving wheel, substantially as and
for the purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
Dated this 17th day of October 1894.
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 & 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.