IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Samuel Spiller Watkin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th November 1882.
HENRY SAMUEL SPILLER WATKIN of the Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham
Abbey, in the County of Essex, Captain in the Royal Artillery "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
"
The Invention has for its object improvements in tricycles and other velocipedes
and relates to means whereby, when required, increased power can be obtained for
hill climbing.
My Invention is applicable to various classes of tricycles and other velocipedes
but I will first describe it as applied to a Choylesmore and other similar class of
Tricycle the peculiarity of which in its ordinary form is that back pedalling has no
effect upon it as the driving gear has operative effect only when pedalling forward.
In applying my Invention to the above class of machines I make use of the back
action of the pedals when it is required to use increased power driving gear.
In carrying my Invention into effect I form on or fix to the chain wheel on the
crank axle a box wheel provided with internal teeth around its inner periphery; in
the centre of this box wheel is mounted a pinion provided on its outer side with
clutch teeth, and one side of the box is closed by a disc or plate provided on its
outer face with clutch teeth and mounted in a circular chase or bearing formed in
the said box wheel. This disc or plate is also provided with bearings in which are
mounted two or more pinions which when in action receive motion from the
central pinion and communicate motion through the internal teeth to the box wheel
and consequently to the chain wheel but which pinions and internal teeth when
out of action simply run round with the crank shaft and have no effect.
On the crank axle I also mount a disc or wheel provided with clutch teeth on
one face thereof which are capable of gearing with the clutch teeth on the outer
face of the box wheel and in the centre of such disc or wheel is mounted in a
suitable bearing a clutch which is capable of gearing with the clutch teeth formed
on the face of the central pinion of the box wheel.
The last mentioned disc or wheel is mounted with capability of being moved to
and from the box wheel, but the clutch is arranged so as always to revolve with
the crank axle.

page_text: Means are provided for throwing the extra gear into action when required and
for keeping it out of action when the ordinary running gear is in use.
A stop is employed to prevent the rotation about the crank axle of the disc
or wheel.
By these means I can when required bring into play the extra power driving 5
gear by the simple movement of a handle-When thus arranged the machine is
still capable of being run forward in the usual way by forward pedalling but by
back pedalling it can also be propelled forward but with diminished speed, and
proportional power for hill climbing.
I would remark that by slight modifications as will be readily understood my
Invention is applicable to other classes of tricycles and other velocipedes and if
desired the extra power gearing can be applied to the axle of the driving wheels in
lieu of the crank axle whilst the details of construction above described may be
otherwise modified without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention.