Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Sept.. 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
Improvements in Bicycles.
I, PERCY JAMES DEACON, of 214 Wellesley Street, Toronto, in the County of
York in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Butcher, do hereby declare the nature
of my 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 improvements in bicycles and the object of the invention
is to devise such a drive for a bicycle that the rider may exercise practically every
muscle of the body instead of as at present, merely using the legs, and it consists
essentially of supporting the seat upon a pair of vertical standards which are
suitably journalled in the frame, and pivotally connected by a pitman to a crank
gear wheel which meshes with the gear pinion on the end of the shaft of the drive
wheel, device being arranged so that by the forward and backward swinging
movement of the seat standard a rotary movement will be communicated to the
drive wheel, the parts being otherwise arranged and constructed in detail as
hereinafter more particularly explained.
Figure 1. is a perspective view of a bicycle constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Figure 2. is a perspective detail showing the journalling of the upright standards
and the form of springs designed to normally press them forward.
Figure 3. is a perspective detail of a portion of the front forked standard
showing the foot rests secured thereto.
Figure 4. is a perspective detail of the seat and means for adjusting the same.
In the drawings like letters or reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A, is the front, and, B, the rear wheel of the bicycle
C, is the front forked standard, and, D, the handles.
E, is the upper reach which is forked or made in two parallel rearwardly
extending pieces, e, through which the axle, F, of the wheel, B, passes.
G, is the lower reach which is suitably secured at the front standard and extends
rearwardly and downwardly to the spindle, g, which passes through the end of the
reach, G, as shown.
e, are two parallel tubes through which the spindle y, also passes, and situated
one on each side of the reach, G. The parallel tubes, el extend upwardly and
rearwardly to the axle, F, and preferably form part of the parallel tubes or bars, e,
the angle being flattened out so as to form a bearing for the axle, F.
h, are the two seat standards, each of which is journalled upon the spindle, g, to
the outside of the parallel tubes or bars, e¹.
Nuts, gl, at each end of the spindle, g, secure the vertical standards, h, in position.
The vertical standards, h, are suitably connected together at the top to the single
standard, A¹.
2, is a curved end attached to or forming part of the standard, h¹.
H, is the seat which is secured to the flat spring H', which is slotted at H³, as
shown.
h³, is a screwed spindle which is attached to, or forms part of the spindle, h' and
extends through the slot H2, made in the spring, H¹.
, is a nut which is screwed on to the top of the screw spindle h³, so as to secure
the spring, and consequently the seat in any desired position or desired angle to
which it may be changed.
1, are flat springs which are suitably secured at the rear to the tubes, e¹, and
extend in O-G shape to points within the vertical standards, h, where their ends

page_text: press against the pin, i. The normal tendencies of the springs, 1, is to force the
vertical standard h¹, forward.
is the gear pinion secured on the end of the shaft F.
J, is a gear wheel suitably journalled in bearings secured to one of the tubes, el.
K, is a pitman pivotally connected to the crank gear wheel, J, at one end, and to
one of the standards h, at the other.
L, are the foot rests which are preferably provided with front straps, 1, and heel
stops, , and in bearings, 12, upon which they are pivoted upon the studs, m, secured
at one end of the curved bars M. The bars, M, are provided with a series of holes, m³,
by which they are secured by bolts, and nuts m², to the forked standard C, and
which also serve as means of adjusting the position of the foot rests.
Having now described the principal parts involved in my invention, I shall briefly
describe the position the rider assumes on the bicycle, and the manner in which it
is driven.
The rider sits upon the seat H, and places his foot on the foot rests, l, and with
his hands as usual grasping the handles, D. In starting the wheel he first presses
back upon the seat, H, and then forward so that the pitman, K, will communicate a
rotary movement to the crank wheel, J, in the direction indicated by arrow, and
thereby drive the pinion, f, and consequently the wheel, B, in the proper direction
as indicated by arrow.
When he moves the seat forward again the motion of the
crank wheel will be continued. This constant moving the seat backwards and
forwards and thereby causing a swinging movement to the vertical standard, h,
which of course, extends at both sides of the wheel as will be seen, gives a forward
movement to the bicycle.
In operating the drive such as described above it will readily be understood that
the rider will undergo a very exhilarating movement in which he will practically
exercise every muscle of the body, and consequently a bicycle constructed in
accordance with my invention will be much more healthful than those now commonly
in use in which the drive is communicated through the legs alone.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a bicycle the combination with the handles and the swinging vertical
standard having the seat supported at the top and suitably journalled at the bottom
in the frame of means whereby the swinging movement is converted into a rotary
movement so as to drive the rear wheel, as and for the purpose specified.
2. In a bicycle the combination with the handles and the swinging vertical
standard having the seat supported at the top and suitably journalled at the bottom
in the frame of the gear pinion, f, secured to the axle of the rear wheel, the
crank wheel J, suitably journalled in the frame and meshing with the gear pinion f,
and the pitman, K, pivotally connnected at one end to the crank and at the other to
one of the vertical standards, h.
3. The combination with the vertical standards, h, h, located one on each side of
the drive wheel, having a seat, H, secured to the top, suitably journalled at the
bottom and communicating motion to the drive wheel as specified, of the springs, I,
secured to the tubes, e', e', and having their forward ends pressing against the
pins, i, i, on the standards h, h, as and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with the vertical standards, h, h, and seat, H, the vertical
standards being journalled in the frame and communicating motion to the drive
wheel as specified, of the front standard, C, and the foot rests, L, adjustably
secured by arms to the front standard upon which they are pivoted, and the
handles, D, secured to the top of the forked standard, C, as and for the purpose
specified.
5. The vertical standards, h, h, journalled as specified in the frame, and having
an enlarged top, h², forming a continuation of the standard, ¹, of the seat, H, and

page_text: springs H¹, having a slot and securing the spring, H', in position by means of the
nut, H, as and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination with the handles, forked front standard, and foot rests and
upper reach, E, having a forked rear end e, journalled on the axle, F, and the
lower reach G, and the tubes, e', e, in the lower ends of which is secured the
spindle, g, of the vertical seat standard, h, h, provided with a seat, H, and means
whereby forward motion is communicated to the drive wheel by the seat being
caused to swing or move rearwardly and forwardly continuously as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 8th of September 1894.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.