Improvements in Driving and Steering Mechanism for Cycles, and Frame for such Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 20th May, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Driving and Steering Mechanism for Cycles, and
Frame for such Machines.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD BROCK, residing at the City of Plainfield, County of
Somerset, State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
The present improvements relate partly to the means for turning the steering
wheel of a cycle by connection with a vertically pivoted seat, partly to the means
for pivoting the steering wheel upon the end of a fixed axle, partly to a toggle
connection between the pedal and the driving crank, partly to a double-fulcrumed
hand-lever connected to the driving crank, and partly to a frame built upon a
single horizontal frame-bar, for supporting the said mechanism effectively.
The single frame-bar is provided with a crank shaft bearing at the rear end,
and a scat-post tube is extended vertically upward from such bearing, and the
seat has a spindle which is fitted within such tube and provided with an adjust-
able collar which supports it upon the top of the tube while permitting it to
turn by the movements of the rider.
A so-called steering shaft is pivoted vertically in front of the seat-post tube
and connected with the seat spindle by a crank and link, and a double crank upon
the bottom of the steering shaft is connected with wires which are extended
inside of the horizontal frame-bar to connect with the steering wheel or wheels.
The improvements are applicable to any cycle, whether made with two, three
or more wheels upon the same line, as in a bicycle or quadruplex machine.
The improvements are also applicable to a tricycle, in which case a cross-bar
is secured rigidly to the front part of the horizontal frame-bar, and the axles of
the steering wheels are jointed to the ends of such cross-bar. The joint is formed
inside the hub of the steering wheel, by slotting the inner ball-cone and extending
an arm from the cone within the hub to which arm a head upon the cross-bar is
pivoted. The head extends within the hub through the slot, and the slot per-
mits the cone to oscillate laterally, while the ball-hub turns thereon.
An extension is formed upon the arm to support the outer ball-cone and
adjusting nuts. The crank-shaft is connected with a driving wheel by a chain as
usual, and is rotated by toggle links which are provided at their junction with
a pedal, and pressed upon by the foot of the rider.
One end of the toggle is pivoted to the driving crank, and the other end is
pivoted to a fulcrum at the outer end of the horizontal frame-bar.
To reinforce the power of the feet, a hand-lever is provided and is formed with
two fulcra at the lower end. These fulcra are pivoted to suspension rods, one
of which is hung from the frame-bar adjacent to the crank shaft bearing, and
the other is connected by a joint with a lever-arm upon one of the toggle-links.
One of the cranks upon the crank shaft is provided with a reverse crank
having a crank pin at its opposite end, which is connected by a link with a pin
upon the hand-lever above its double fulera.
The hand-lever projects upwardly in front of the rider's seat from the lower

page_text: ends of the suspension rods, and maintains an approximately vertical position
through the movement which is induced by the rotation of the attached crank
pin.
The pressure of the feet upon the joint of the toggle links produces a powerful
tension upon the driving crank pin to which it is attached, and the coincident
pressure of the hand-lever produces a very concentrated application of power to
the cranks, so that the driving wheel may be geared much higher than is
common, and a speed approximately one mile per minute be easily attained.
As the frame has only one horizontal bar at the level of the crank shaft, it
may be mounted and propelled with equal case by riders of either sex.
The hand-lever is provided near the upper end with a vertically adjustable
handle to suit the height of the rider, and the seat is provided with a vertical
adjustment by means of a series of holes through the seat spindle, and a collar
having a bolt adapted to fit any of such holes; the collar resting upon the iop
of the seat-post tube, while it is readily turned by the rider's limbs to effect the
steering.
Improvements in Driving and Steering Mechanism for Cycles, and
Frame for such Machines.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD BROCK, residing at the City of Plainfield, County of
Somerset, State of New Jersey, U.S.A., Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present improvements relate partly, to the means for turning the steering
wheel of a bicycle by connection with a vertically pivoted seat, partly to the means
for pivoting the steering wheel upon the end of a fixed axle, partly to a toggle
connection between the pedal and the driving crank, partly to a double-fulcrumed
hand-lever connected to the driving crank, and partly to a frame built upon a
single horizontal frame-bar, for supporting the said mechanism effectively.
These improvements are applicable to any cycle whether made with two or
more wheels, and their nature will be understood by reference to the annexed
drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tricycle embodying the inven-
tion, with a part of the sprocket wheel broken away; Fig. 2 is an elevation of
the seat and part of the steering and driving gear, including a section through
the main frame-bar A on line 2, 2, in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the, seat with its spindle and attachments; Fig. 4
is an edge view of the hand-lever, at the top, with the handle attached; Fig. 4*
is a cross section of the handle taken on line 4, 4, in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detailed
view of the tightener for one of the steering wires; and Fig. 6 is a front elevation
of the lever frame with the ends of the lower arms broken off for want of room
upon the drawing. Fig. 7 is a plan of the tricycle with the seat indicated by
dotted lines only, and its spindle C shown in section in the seat-post tube;
Fig. S shows the under side of the seat with its spindle; Fig. 9 is an elevation of
the frame with the driving mechanism only, which it represented in the extreme
opposite position from that shown in Fig. 1, and the machine viewed from the
opposite side, with the rear driving wheel partly broken away for want of space
upon the drawing.
Fig. 10 shows the inner or slotted cone upon one of the steering wheel hubs,

page_text: with the head upon the supporting cross-bar in section adjacent to the hub.
Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the hub with its steering arm and the adjacent end
of the supporting cross-bar. Fig. 12 is a plan of the supporting end of the
cross-bar with a horizontal section of the hub. Fig. 13 is an elevation of the
dust guard detached from the slotted conc.
The frame of the machine is represented with a central horizontal bar A
having crank-shaft bearing B at its rear end with a seat-post tube C projected
upwardly therefrom. Rear braces D and D1 extend backwardly from such bear-
ing and tube to support the rear wheel axle d. The crank-shaft G has sprocket-
wheel G connected by chain G2 with sprocket-wheel upon the hub of the driv-
ing wheel A2, and is provided upon its opposite ends with reverse eranks g having
crank pins m, m³, and one of such crank pins is provided with a return crank gi
having a crank pin m.
A transverse frame-bar A¹ is attached rigidly to the front part of the bar A.
below the same, and the steering wheels A are pivoted thereon. The cross-bar
is stiffened by braces A, shown in Fig. 7 only.
་
A transverse fulcrum bolt f is supported upon the front end of the bar A,
and links, are pivoted to swing downwardly from its opposite ends. Links /
are jointed to the free ends of the links and pivoted to the pins m upon the
cranks g.
Pedals are pivoted at the junction of the links 7, 11. A seat is provided
with a vertical spindle C to fit within the said post-tube C, and a collar upon
the top of the tube is provided with a forwardly projecting bearing for a vertical
steering shaft, the lower end of which is journaled in the bar A.
The spindle C is formed, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with an adjustable
collar having arms C upon opposite sides, which are coupled by links, with
the cross-head upon the top of the steering shaft c.
Fig. 7 shows spiral springs C connecting the ends of the arms with a
bracket C3 sustained upon the tube C, and such springs serve to hold the seat
normally in a central position, as indicated by the dotted lines Fin Fig. 7.
It is obvious that the rider, when sitting upon the seat, may place both feet
upon the pedals, and rotate the crank shaft by moving the feet together up and
down alternately, the lowest position of the pedals being shown in Fig. 9, while
Fig. 1 shows them in almost their highest position. The links operate as a
toggle in which the pressure is applied to the middle to produce a tension at
the ends, and such construction conveys to the crank pin ma much greater pres-
sure than that exerted directly by the foot.
The power of the rider is thus increased and the rear or driving wheel A² may
be geared much higher than is common.
To reinforce the power of the feet, a hand-lever E is provided and is formed
with two fulcra o and e' at the lower end. These fulcra are pivoted to suspension
Tods and o, the latter being hung from the frame-bar A adjacent to the bear-
ing B, and the rod o being connected by a joint o² with a lever-arm a upon the
link 7.
To make a light and strong construction, the link and lever-arm a are made
integral with a third bar, (like a bell crank), but such third bar serves only to
strengthen the construction. A link is connected with the crank pin m² and
with a pin fixed upon the hand-lever E, and the suspension rods o and o¹ serve
to hold the hand-lever in an approximately vertical position through the move-
ment induced by the rotation of the crank pin m¹.
In Fig. 1, the hand-lever is shown remote from the tube C, and would be drawn
forcibly toward the seat F by the hands of the operator during the depression of
the treadle, to the position shown in Fig. 9. The lever E is provided with a
cross handle which is adjustable upon its upper end to suit the convenience of
the rider, and the lever is so proportioned as to produce upon the pin a pres-
sure very much greater than that exerted by the hands of the operator. Arrows k
are shown near the front and rear wheels, to represent the direction of their

page_text: motion as the cycle moves forwardly, and with the high geared connection to the
driving wheel the cycle may, with the use of the hand and foot power combined,
be driven upon a suitable road at a velocity near one mile per minute.
As the steering wheels are designed to be turned upon the ends of a rigid
cross-bar, it is desirable that each of them should turn upon its own point of
support, directly beneath the center of the wheel, so as to offer the least possible
resistance to their control by the seat of the rider. To make the steering wheels A³
turn upon their points of support, I form the inner ball cone 6 of the steering
wheel, as shown in Figs. 10 to 12, with a slot a², and extend an arm 62 within the
hub at the side of the slot, and provide the end of the cross-bar A¹ with a head a¹
pivoted upon such arm within the hub. The pivot is preferably formed as a
tapered pin with a nut upon the end, as shown in Fig. 11, and with such con-
nection the head a plays laterally within the slot, as shown in Fig. 12, when
the head or wheel is turned.
The wheel hub is shown formed of tube B3 with ball-races B2 and B₁ upon its
opposite ends, the outer cone 6 and the nuts for adjusting the same being secured
upon an extension 63 which is formed integral with the armın 62. The balls s are
shown in the ball-races, and as the two cones are mounted upon the same pivot a,
the hub of the wheel is held firmly by the arm 2. To prevent dust from reach-
ing the ball-races through slot a², a slide a³ is placed over the slot and notched, as
shown in Fig. 13, to embrace the head a', and such slide is held in place by
lugs I upon the foot I of a lever-arm i which is bolted to the cone for turning
the wheel. A lever frame J (Fig. 6) is pivoted beneath the forward end of the
frame bar A, with its lower end carried by a bracket t, and consists of a spindle
with lever-arms projected upon opposite sides at the top and bottom. The lower
arms are connected by links I to the lever-arms i. The upper arms are con-
nected by wires d with a cross-head upon the lower end of the steering shaft c
(Fig. 2) and the wires are extended, through holes inside the frame bar A,
where they are crossed (see Fig. 7), to make them clear the inner sides of the
bar.
P
The upper lever-arms J are provided with swivel bearings (see Figs. 5 and 6)
with perforated set screws 1 fitted through the same, and the wire d extended
through the screw and wrapped about a block 23, and coiled upon the neck of
the wire to form a shoulder against the screw-head. Such screw serves to hold
the wires taut.
The steering wheels turn with so little resistance when pivoted above their
points of support, that the rider is able to control the movements of the wheels
with absolute certainty, and is thus able, as experience has demonstrated, to guide.
the wheel under all conditions when moving at a high velocity.
To assist the rider in mounting the seat, a step S is attached to the cross-bar A',
and is projected over the steering arm i, which moves normally in the position
where the rider's foot will be placed in order to mount. It is obvious that the
driving and steering appliances are adapted for use upon a two-wheeled cycle,
as the fork of the front wheel would bear the same relation to the frame as the
spindle of the lever-frame j, and the fork would therefore be turned (in steering
the machine) by connection with the seat in the same manner as the lever-frame j.
Such fork would take the place of the pivoting devices for the wheel hub, shown
in Figs. 11 and 12, and would be turned by arms projected from opposite sides
of the fork like the arms at the upper part of the lever-frame j.
It will be noticed in Figs. 1 and 9, that the frame-bar A is on a level with
the crank shaft bearing, and offers therefore no more obstacle to the mounting
and using of the machine than the drop frame of an ordinary bicycle. When
the hand-lever E is in its forward position, as shown in Fig. 1, the machine may
therefore be mounted and afterward propelled with equal case by riders of either
sex.
To permit the vertical adjustment of the cross-handle upon the lever E with
facility, so that it may be varied if necessary, while in use by the rider, I divide

page_text: the handle at the middle and form the two shanks R and R' with a socket and
set-screw connection adapted to firmly clamp the lever while uniting the two
parts of the handle together.
Fig. 4 shows such jointed handle in elevation, while Fig 4 shows it in sec-
tional plan, with the set-screw slackened and the lever in the middle of the
socket so that the handle may be moved freely up and down upon the lever.
To stiffen the junction of the two parts of the handle and avoid the lateral strain
upon the set-screw, which is involved in working the lever, a cylindrical nozzle 11
is formed upon the socket to receive the threaded hole for the set-screw, and a
recess is formed upon the end of the shank R¹ around the set-screw, so as to
closely embrace such nozzle. When the set-screw is screwed firmly against the
side of the hand-lever, such recess surrounds the nozzle rt, and effectively resists
the lateral pressure upon the shank R¹. The handle is readily released by turn-
ing the shank R¹ to slacken the set-screw, and the handle may thus be adjusted,
to suit the rider, upon the hand-lever, without employing any tools or necessi-
tating the stopping of the machine if in motion.
The seat is also made adjustable by providing a series of transverse holes v in
the spindle C, and fitting a collar movably upon the spindle with a bolt 1 to
intersect the holes . The collar rests upon the top of the seat-post tube which,
as shown in Fig. 9, is also provided with a collar to support the load, and the
bolt serves to hold the collar at any desired height upon the spindle. The
arms are attached rigidly to the collar, and are thus turned by the movements
of the seat when actuated by the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is;-
1. In a cycle, the frame consisting of the horizontal frame-bar A with crank
shaft bearing at its rear end, and seat-post tube C projected upwardly therefrom,
braces D and D extended backwardly from such bearing and tube to support
the rear wheel axle, the transverse frame-bar A¹ attached rigidly to the front
of the frame-bar A, and a vertical pivot upon each end of such frame-bar to sus-
tain a steering wheel, substantially as herein set forth.
2. In a cycle, the combination, with the horizontal frame-bar A having crank
shaft bearing at its rear end, and seat-post tube C projected upwardly therefrom,
braces D and D' extended backwardly from such bearing and tube to support
the rear wheel axle, the transverse frame-bar A attached rigidly to the front
of the frame-bar A, a steering wheel connected to each end of such frame-bar
by a vertical pivot, a seat having spindle pivoted in the seat-post tube C and con-
nections from such spindle to the steering wheels to move the wheels in unison
with the seat, when turned by the rider, substantially as herein set forth.
3. In a cycle having a driving wheel and a steering wheel, the combination,
with the driving wheel, a frame supported by the same, and the steering wheel
pivoted upon such frame, of a seat pivoted upon an upright spindle and adapted
to be turned by the voluntary movements of the rider, connections from such
spindle to the steering wheel to turn such wheel in unison with the seat, oppo-
site crank arms connected with the seat spindle, and springs operating with equal
tension upon such arms to hold the seat and steering wheel normally in their
central position, substantially as herein set forth.
4. In a cycle, the combination, with a frame having the driving wheel at the
rear end and a vertical seat-post tube adjacent thereto, of a steering wheel
mounted movably upon the frame, a seat having spindle pivoted in the seat-
post tube, a steering shaft mounted in bearings parallel with the said spindle,
cranks and links for coupling such spindle and shaft, crank arms attached to
such shaft, and connections from the ends of such arms to the steering wheel
to turn the same in opposite directions in unison with the seat, substantially as
herein set forth.-
5. In a cycle, the combination, with the horizontal frame-bar A having crank

page_text: shaft bearing at its rear end and seat-post tube carrying seat thereon, braces D
and D extended backwardly from such bearing and tube to support the rear
wheel axle, the transverse frame-bar A' attached rigidly to the front part of
the frame-bar A. a steering wheel connected to each end of such frame-bar by
a vertical pivot, a seat having spindle pivoted in the seat-post tube, connections
extended over the transverse frame-bar A' from the steering wheels to such
spindle to move the wheels in unison with the seat, and a step attached to such
frame-bar and projected over such connections, substantially as herein set forth.
6. In a cycle having the commections for actuating the steering wheel formed
of wire, the means for tightening the said wire connections, consisting of the
set-screw bearing, the set-screw ', perforated upon its center, the block 2
and the wire extended through the screw, wrapped about such block, and
coiled upon the neck of the wire to form a shoulder against the screw-head, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
7. In a cycle having a cross-bar upon the frame with steering wheels pivoted
upon its ends, the combination, with the wheel hub, of a ball cone provided with
a slot, an arm extended within the hub at the side of the slot with a pivot through
the same, and a head upon the axle fitted to the slot and jointed upon the said
pivot, substantially as herein set forth.
8. In a cycle having a pivot within the hub to support the wheel movably,
the combination with the hub having ball-races in its opposite ends, of a cone
fitted to the inner ball-race and provided with a slot as set forth, the cone having
an arm extended within the hub and the side of the slot and provided with a
pivot and with a threaded extension, and the outer cone and adjusting nuts
being secured upon such extension, and the balls supplied to the race-ways, sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
9. In a cycle having a cross-bar upon the frame with steering wheels' pivoted
upon its ends, the combination, with the wheel hub, of the ball cone provided
with a slot, an arm extended within the hub at the side of the slot with a pivot
through the same, a head upon the axle fitted to the slot and jointed upon the
said pivot a sliding dust guard applied to the head upon the outer side of the
cone over the slot, and a lever arm secured upon the cone, for turning the wheel,
and fitted to hold the slide movably over the slot substantially as herein set
forth
10. In a cycle, the combination, with a suitable frame provided with crank
shaft bearing and seat above the same, of a crank shaft with driving wheel con-
nected thereto, and the shaft provided with crank having crank pan, as set forth,
the fulcrum f upon the forward end of the frame near the level of the crank
shaft, the links 7, jointed together and connected at their ends respectively
with the said fulcrum and the crank pin, and a pedal pivoted to the junction of
the links, as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In a cycle, the combination, with a suitable frame provided with crank
shaft bearing and seat above the same, of a crank shaft with driving wheel con-
nected thereto and the shaft provided with double crank having pins m, m', the
fulcrum f upon the forward end of the frame, toggle links 7, 1, provided at their
junction with a pedal and connected with the fulcrum and the crank pin m, sus-
pension rods having a nearly horizontal movement at their free ends, a double
fulcrum lever having its fulera pivoted respectively upon the rods o and o, and
the link connecting the crank pin with the hand-lever, above the said
fulcra, substantially as herein set forth.
12. In a cycle, the combination, with a horizontal frame-bar A with crank
shaft bearing B at its rear end, and seat-post tube C with seat sustained upon
the same, of a crank shaft with driving wheel connected thereto and the shaft
having upon one end the single crank with pin m and upon the opposite end
the double crank with pins m and m³, of the fulcrum fupon the forward end of
the frame-bar A, pairs of links and jointed together and connected at their
ends respectively with the opposite ends of the fulcrum bolt f and with the two

page_text: crank pins m, pedals pivoted to the junctions of the links, 1, and a hand-lever
having a suitable fulcrum and movable at one side of the frame-bar A, and con-
nected by link n' with the crank pin m', the whole arranged and operated sub-
stantially as herein set forth.
13. In a cycle having a vertical hand-lever with transverse handle adjustable
vertically, the handle construction comprising the shank R provided with socket r
having nozzle upon the side with threaded hole for a set-screw, and the
shank R having the recess in the end to admit the nozzle, and set-screws s
projected from the bottom of the recess, substantially as herein set forth.
14. In a cycle having a frame with driving wheel and steering wheel, and a
vertical seat-post tube upon the frame, the combination, with the seat-post tube,
of a seat having spindle rotatable within such tube, a series of transverse holes
in the spindle, a collar fitted movably upon the spindle with a bolt to intersect
such holes, and cranks projected from the opposite sides of such collar to operate
connections to the steering wheel, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this 5th day of November 1898.
THOMAS SEXTON CRANE,
Agent for Applicant.