IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Thomas Eades at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd July 1883.
WILLIAM THOMAS EADES of Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
My invention has reference principally to tricycles, and consists of the
construction and arrangements hereinafter described, of the parts connected with
the main driving gear, or propelling mechanism whereby ordinary toothed wheels
or drums and their driving chains for transferring the motion generated from the
pedals to the driving wheels are dispensed with.
And my said invention relates primarily, to front steering machines where
pendent pedal levers are employed in combination with Balance gear.
I will now proceed to describe my new or improved balance driving gear, which
is so arranged and combined, that the driving wheels of the machine are capable
of moving at different speeds; or changing their rates of motion automatically,
consequent upon one or other of the wheels having to take a greater or less radius,
on the tricycle changing its course, from a rectilinear to a curvilinear path.
The
The Balance gear or driving mechanism described is situated between the main
driving axles of the wheels; and consists of, an inclined or slanting axis, with
crank arms disposed at its terminal ends and at right angles to each other.
axes of the crank arms are supported, and turn inside the main axles, which are
hollow or tubular and lie in the same plane and in the same axial line as the axes
of the crank arms.
On the end of each main hollow axle or sleeve, a bevel wheel is keyed, and
gears with a pinion, or spur wheel affixed, to a spindle passing through the
inclined axis described.
The main hollow axles carrying the respective bevel wheels and main driving
wheels are capable of freely rotating or moving independently of each other, and
independent of the inclined axis and parts carried by it.
The frame of the machine is supported by the main hollow axles, which turn
within sockets or tubular parts of the said frame.
The Balance gear described is driven by communicating motion to the inclined
axis, through swivelling joints on the upper end of the depending peral levers
turning on ball or spherical bearings. situated on the inclined axis within and
next to the crank arms of the said axis; so that, by vertical pressure applied by
the feet of the rider, in the usual way to the pedals of the machine, the inclined

page_text: axis is lowered on one end and raised on the other, that is to say; gyrates or
wobbles about the crank arm shafts as centres. The centre of gyration being
at a point midway between, and in the same axial line of the driving wheels.
The spur wheels or pinions on the inclined axis engages with the bevel wheels
at opposite points of their peripheries, when on the spur wheels gyrating, the spur
and bevel wheels travel together
It will be evident, that when the spur wheel or pinion on one side of the
inclined axis, is at its highest position, the pinion at the other end is at its lowest,
and as the pinions gyrate or travel, the resultant of their combined motion is to
drive forward the bevel wheels on the main axis, and thereby impart velocity to
the driving wheels of the machine, so long as the vehicle travels within a straight
line or path, but on the vehicle-changing-its-course, from a straight to a curvilinear
one; as in the change of direction of motion in turning a corner, consequently the
outer wheel taking a longer radius voluntary dissociates itself more or less from,
the influence of the pedal motion, and rotates with its axis and bevel wheel
independent of, and unaffected by the motion of its driving or carrying pinion,
that is to say; the outside wheel in making a larger radius and consequently
taking a longer path, accelerates the velocity of the driving wheel, and by such
acceleration, the motion of the bevel wheel on its axle, is made to anticipate or
travel voluntary at a greater rate, or faster than its driving pinion, consequently
the force or power expended is proportional to the speed at which each wheel is
travelling.
The wheel on the inside of the tricycle taking a shorter radius, rotates with
and takes the same motion as the Balance gear and pedals.
The same results are attained as herein-before described, when the machine is
driven backward, instead of forward.
The brake drum is situated on, and midway between the ends of the inclined
axis described.
By the arrangements described, the tricycle is capable of accommodating itself to
the varying conditions or disturbing forces, which are called into existance by the
varying paths over which tricycles travel.
My invention consists further in altering the change of figure of the "rake" of
tricycles or velocipedes, in order that the centro of gravity of the rider shall bo
brought immediately over the pedals, for the proper working thereof, whether the
said rider be hill climbing, or descending inclines, The object is effected by
jointing the 'rake' next or near to the fork or frame of the machine, and is so
arranged, that the rider at his will, can by an upward or downward movement of
a lever or handle, change the inclination or figure of the 'rake' (and retaining it
in its respective positions by engaging with notches) and consequently altering
the centre of gravity of the rider to the desired position on the machine for the
proper working of the pedals.
My invention consists lastly in folding or expanding pedals or pedal levers or
arms for effecting increase of leverage incidental in producing greater power in
ascending hills, this is accompolished by making the levers at, or near the pedals
jointed, and capable of folding, one on the other; thus for ordinary level driving,
the jointed pedals or levers are folded upon itself, and retained in its folded
position, by the feet of the rider, but when the rider requires greater leverage, for
ascending steep gradients, he turns the pedals over on its butt joints, and thereby
produces a lever of greater radius, in order to modify the speed of the machine
and so producing different or differential speeds as the nature of the travelling
requires.