Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Converting Alternating into Continuous Rotary Motion, applicable for Propelling Vehicles, Boats, Aërostats, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1896-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving Mechanism for Converting Alternating
into Continuous Rotary Motion, applicable for Propelling
Vehicles, Boats, Aërostats, and the like.
J, FÉLIX BORDESSOUL of 53ter Rue des Bois de Colombes à la Garenne,
Colombes in the Republic of France, Gentleman, 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:-
The driving mechanism which forms the object of the present invention has for
its object by a novel arrangement to transform an alternating reciprocating move-
ment into a continuous rotary motion. It is capable of numerous applicatious,
more particularly to the traction of vehicles on roads or rails, the propulsion of
vessels, flying machines and the like.
I will now describe this mechanism with reference to the accompanying drawings,
which show it employed with a quadricycle, that is to say, a vehicle with four
wheels, actuated by manual power.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a quadricycle;
Figure 2 is a corresponding plan view showing only half the vehicle.
This vehicle is provided with three seats. The first placed on the front in the
axis of the quadricycle, the two others on the rear are situated symmetrically as
regards this axis. From each rear seat the double system of mechanism is
operated, each system having an identical action, which are both combined for
producing the rotation of the driving shaft.
A description of a single one of the mechanisms will be sufficient, the four
mechanisms forming the two symmetrical systems for each seat being absolutely
the same.
The essential feature of the system is a toothed segment A fixed on a steel frame
or sector B C. One of the arms B of the frame carries at its extremity a spindle,
on which is mounted a pedal. In an opposite direction to the arm carrying the
pedal and also fixed to the frame there is a small lever D, the end of which carries
a stud or pivot.
In order to assist the movement of the foot on the pedal, a hand lever E E¹ is
fixed on a rock shaft F in a support G connected with the frame. A link H
connects the end E' of this lever to the end of the little lever D fixed on the
frame, of the sector.
An endless chain I fixed on the pedal carrying arm B of the sector intended to
travel over the latter is prolonged by a steel spring band J fixed on the other end
to a loose pulley K placed on the rear axle L of the machine. This steel spring
band J may be wound on this pulley.
A second spring band M, also operating or acting on the sleeve but winding
itself in an opposite direction to the first, is fixed on the one hand, at the end of
a steel arm forming a prolongation of the small lever D of the sector frame, and,
on the other hand, to the pulley K. I call this steel arm a reversing lever.
It is seen therefore that the extremities of the pedal lever B and of the
reversing lever D have inverse movements on a simple displacement of the
sector.
The loose pulley K has a pawl capable of acting on a ratchet wheel N keyed on
the room ale L

page_text: A. special arrangement has been adopted to enable the person pedalling from the
front seat to assist in operating the sectors. This arrangement has been applied
to the two mechanisms placed in the interior of the apparatus.
It comprises an elbow lever P moving on the axis O which supports the sector.
The front end of the lever P has a pedal, the other end is connected with a steel
spring Qfixed on the other hand at the same point of the loose pulley as the
spring prolonging the endless chain of the sector. Its movement is guided by a
little roller mounted loosely on the axis of the lever E. The axes of these two
steel bands are in the same vertical plane.
It
A brake operated by the pedaller is arranged in the axis of the machine.
is composed essentially of two levers R R', the displacement of which produce the
. tightening of a steel band S on a pulley T keyed on the rear axle. It is mounted
in such a way that friction is produced on more than three quarters of the external
surface of the pulley.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
For each double system the complete movement is obtained by the successive
movement of the two mechanisnis at the right and left. It is therefore only
necessary to describe a single system, that of the right, and the movement of this
right side will be described.
The first step comprises the simultaneous displacement of the lever P, the pedal
of the sector, the lever arm E, and the reversing lever D. The endless chain I
is wound up on the sector, the spring J connected therewith consequently unwinds,
and causes the movement of the rear shaft L. At the same time the reversing
spring band M is wound up on the loose pulley K. When the sector has
described an angle of 90°, the spring J is completely unwound and the reversing
spring M completely wound up. The first step is terminated, and the sector A
occupies the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. The second step comprises
a similar displacement of the mechanism on the left hand side, which produces the
continuation of the movement of the shaft. During the second step, the mechanism
of the right hand side moves backwards, the hand lever motor E is returned,
and the action is transmitted to the sector and the returning lever D.
The returning spring M unwinds, causing the movement of the loose pulley K,
on which the motor spring J fixed to the sector is then wound, and the motor
spring fixed to the bent lever P of the frout pedaller is also wound.
When the rearward movement is terminated, the second step is completed
and the first one is recommenced. A continuous movement is thus produced.
Each front pedal acts respectively on the sector situated at its side. The move-
ments of the mechanisms situated in the interior of the system must therefore be
an inverse one to the other.
To sum up, when working normally and considering the two double systems,
the movements of the external mechanisms of the left and the interior of the right
are similar, and the movements of the internal mechanism of the left and the
external of the right are also similar. In the arrangement adopted, the occupant
of the front seat pedals and steers the quadricycle, the two occupants of the rear
seat pedal and operate the levers situated to right and left of their persons.
This apparatus allows of there being obtained by a combined action of the
arms and legs a very complete utilization of manual power. In fact the travel
of the machine is independent of the driving mechanism, that is to say, that
after having received an impulsion it continues to move although the driving
mechanism be no longer acted upon, whilst maintaining the feet resting on the
pedals and the hands on the levers.
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 driving mechanism for producing by alternating movement a continuous
rotation of a shaft (vehicle axle, screw shaft, driving shaft of flying machine or

page_text: the like), the use of a double mechanism formed of sectors (A) oscillating on a
common axis, and having continuous chains (1) prolonged by flexible bands J
which are adapted to be wound up on pulleys (K) actuating the axle L by means
of pawls and ratchet wheels N, in combination with levers (D) and flexible
bands (M) which return the sectors to their first position, substantially as described
and shown in the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination with the driving mechanism hereinbefore described of elbow
levers E E' and links or connecting rods H adapted to produce simultaneously the
winding up of the bands J, and the unwinding of the strips M on pulleys K, in
order to utilise the work of the arms as well as the legs of the operator, substantially
as described.
3. The combination with the driving mechanisms as applied to quadricycles
herein before described; of elbow levers P.and flexible hands Q winding up on
sleeves K, with the object of enabling the front cyclist to add his motive action to
that of the rear cyclists, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of December 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.