Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar.. 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1896-Accepted, 25th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
A communication by Max LIMAN, of No. 1 Thurmstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Retired Captain.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S. M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool aud 6, Bank Street,
Manchester both in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles and has for its object to
provide a construction of greatest simplicity and solidity for uniting in a cycle the
driving mechanism to be workel by foot and the driving mechanism to be worked
by hand, thus enabling the cyclist to use either of the two driving means separately
or both together.
Cycles embodying driving gear to be worked by pedals and also driving gear to
be worked by hand, have been known and used before, and the simultaneous
application of the two kinds of driving mechanism is not in general claimed under
this application, but only the improved means of realising the said simultaneous
application, allowing either of them to be used independently, or both of them
jointly.
The improved mechanism of the invention may, without difficulty, be applied to
cycles of any construction and system, and it may equally be applied to existing
cycles, requiring but slight alterations and additions to the actual main
construction.
The pedal driving mechanism of a cycle, of any suitable kind, requires no
alteration to enable it to be combined with a driving apparatus to be worked by
hand. It is the latter which forms the essential part of the invention, and it may
be constructed in a variety of modifications, which, however, may be classed under
two principal forms, one of which is based upon a movement of the arms similar to
that in moving the oars in canoeing, the other one being based upon a movement of
the arms parallel to that of the feet.
The former of the two principal forms consists in constructing the upright
steering-bar of two separate parts, the upper part being pivoted to the lower part
and capable of being drawn towards the body of the cyclist and returned to its
normal position. The said upper pivoted or swinging part of the steering bar has
formed or secured to it an extension projecting beyond the pivot and forming a
lever-arm, the throw of which is opposite to that of the upper lever-arm. From
the said extension or lower lever-arin which receives a to and fro motion by the
hands of the cyclist by a movement similar to that in rowing, motion is transmitted
to the driving gear of the rear wheel or wheels of the cycle, and to facilitate the
application of the improved mechanism to any existing cycle, a suitable sprocket
or chain-wheel may be mounted on the pedal-shaft, from which motion is trans-
mitted to the rear-wheel in the usual manner by an endless chain passing over
chain-wheels. A driving chain having one end attached to the lower lever-arın or
extension-piece of the pivoted part of the steering har passes over the said
additional chain-wheel on the pedal-shaft, the other end of said chain being
attached to a strap or belt or metal-band, the free end of which latter is fixed to a

page_text: spring barrel fixed to the cycle-frame. When the pivoted upper part of the
steering-har is being pulled by the cyclist, the driving chain attached to the lower
extension of said swinging part of the steering rod, will impart a partial turn to
the chain-wheel over which the said chain passes, and as soon as the arms of the
cyclist release their backward or pulling motion, the spring in the spring-barrel
will draw the chain back and return the upper pivoted part of the steering rod to
its normal position. The chain wheel, over which the said driving chain passes, is
prevented from turning in the opposite direction, when the chain is being drawn
back by the spring, by means of a ratchet wheel and spring-pawl or a suitable
brake, and by this means the driving chain connected to the pivoted part of the
steering bar, though sliding backward and forward, transmits motion to the rear
wheel or wheels only in one (the forward) direction.
It will be understood, that the driving chain connected to the upper part of the
steering bar must not interfere with the turning of the said bar round its vertical
axis for the purpose of steering the cycle. The free play of the steering bar to
the right and left is not prevented by the chain attached to it, if the said chain be
of sufficient length, and to prevent the said chain from being thrown off the
respective chain wheel, it may be guided over a roller interposed between the said
chain-wheel and the lever to which the end of said chain is fastened.
Instead of connecting the driving chain to a lever forming an extension of the
upper, pivoted part of the steering-bar, as described, the said driving lever may he
mounted independent of the steering-bar and be connected to the swinging part of
the same by means of a rud jointed or pivoted to the said swinging part.
The other principal form of construction hereinbefore referred to, by which the
bands of the cyclist, in driving the cycle, describe a movement parallel to that of
the feet, consists in arranging the cross or handle-bars of the steering bar in such
a mauner as to be adapted to be turned in bearings carried by the inain or upright
part of the steering bar. In this case the up and down motion of the cross or
handle-bar is transmitted to the pedal-shaft by means of an open driving chain, as
in the modification before described, the said driving chain being connected to a
parallelogram of levers jointed to the cross or handle-bar in such a manner, that
the said parallelogram performs an upward and downward throw, as the handle-bar
is being turned upward or downward and the driving chain, connected to the said
parallelogram, and passed over a chain-wheel on the shaft of the pedals, is pulled
alternately in one and the other direction, special provision being made to maintain
the said parallelogram of levers in the longitudinal vertical plane of the cycle-
frame, while the said cross or handle bar is independent and free to turn to the
right and left for steering the cycle in either direction. To keep the said driving
parallelogram in a stationary plane, the driving rod connected to the turning cross
or handle-bar is so pivotally connected to the latter, that the side or steering
motions of the said handle bars have no influence whatever on the parallelogram,
while the motion of the said handle bar, being turned in its bearings draws along
the said connecting bar and parallelogram and reciprocates the same to transmit
motion to the pedal-shaft and rear-wheel or wheels.
The transmission of motion from the said parallelogram of levers to the driving
gear of the cycle, instead of being operated by means of an open reciprocated
chain, may be performed by a pitman connected to the driving bar secured to and
pivoted within the cross- or handle-bar, the said pitman with its lower end being
connected to the pedal of the cycle. In this case the parallelogram of levers, as
described, is equally necessary, as, without the use of such parallelogram, the
pitman would be thrown to one or the other side when the cycle is being steered,
and no constaut motion could be obtained..
A further modification of this invention consists in constructing the steering bar
in a manner to allow its upper part to slide within the tubular lower part, and the
cyclist in such case reciprocates the said upper part by pulling the same in a
straight line, the return motion being automatically operated by the spring-barrel
and chain, the latter being secured at one end to the sliding part of the steering

page_text: bar and at the other end to the spring-barrel. The sliding part of the steering-
bar, in this case, may be freely turned within its tubular guide-way to steer the
cycle.
In the modifications before described. motion is transmitted from the swinging,
turning or sliding handle part of the steering bar to the pelal-shaft by means of a
pitman or an open chain. The said open chain, however, may be replaced by an
endless chain of that kind usually employed for transmitting motion. from the
pedal-shaft to the hind-wheel-shaft, and to impart inotion to the said endless chain,
one of the two chain wheels over which it passes may be turned by a crank or rack
or any other suitable means operated by the swinging, turning or sliding part of
the steering-bar.
1 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.
A communication by MAX LIMAN, of No. 1 Thurmstrasse, Berlin, in the Empire
of Germany, Retired Captain.
I, WILLIAM. PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,.
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118. New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, and 322. High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in cycles, and has for its object to
provide a construction of greatest simplicity and solidity. for uniting in a cycle
the driving mechanism to be worked by foot and the driving mechanism. to be
worked by hand, thus enabling the cyclist to use either of the two driving means.
separately or both together.
Cycles embodying driving gear to be worked by pedals and also driving gear
to be worked by hand, have been known and used before, and the simultaneous
application of the two kinds of driving mechanism is not in general claimed und er
this application but only the improved means of realizing the said simultaneous.
application, allowing either of them to be used separately, or both of them
jointly.
The improved mechanism of this invention may, without difficulty, be applied
to cycles of any construction and system, and it may equally be applied to existing
cycles, requiring but slight alterations. of and additions to the actual- main
construction.
The pedal driving mechanism of a cycle of any suitable kind, requires no..
alteration to enable it to be combined with the driving apparatus to be worked by.
hand; it is the latter apparatus which forms the essential part of this invention;.
and it may be constructed in a variety of modifications, which, however, may be
classed under two principal forms, one of which is based upon a movement of the
arms similar to that in moving the oars in canoeing, the other one being based
upon a movement of the arms parallel to that of the feet.
The former one of the two principal forms of construction is illustrated in
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 being a side view of a bicycle embodying the invention,
Figure 2 a front view of the hand driving mechanism, as illustrated in Figure 1,.
and Figure 3 a side elevation of a modification of the saine..

page_text: In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the steering-rod is constructed of two separate parts
the upper part a, being pivoted to the lower part, as at b, and capable of being
drawn towards the body of the cyclist and returned to its normal position. The
pivoted or swinging part a, of the steering rod has formed or secured to it an
extension c, projecting beyond the pivot and forming a lever-arm, the throw of
which is opposite to that of the upper lever-arm a. The said upper lever arm
receives a to-and-fro motion by the hands of the cyclist pulling and pushing the
steering rod alternately forward and backward, as if in handling the oars of a
boat. The said to-and-fro motion of the pivoted part of the steering rol a, is
transmitted by the lever-arm c, and an open chain or strap-e; to a sprocket- or
chain-wheel mounted on the pedal-shaft, another chain wheel on the same shaft
transmitting the motion further to the rear-wheel or wheels by an endless chain,
as usual.
One end of the said open chain, strap or band e, is attached to the lever c, the
other end to a spring-barrel f, secured to the cycle-frame. When the cyclist has
pulled the handle of the steering-rod, the chain or strap e will impart a partial
turn to the wheel g, and as soon as the cyclist ceases to pull, the spring of barrel f
will draw the chain e, and lever c, into their normal position. The wheel g however,
does not follow the said return motion of the chain or strap e, a spring-pawl or
ratchet-wheel, or a suitable brake preventing the wheel 9 from turning in the
opposite direction.
Instead of connecting the driving levere to the upper pivoted part of the
steering-rod, a separate driving-lever t, may be provided, as shown in Figure 3,
and said lever t, pivoted as at k being connected to the swinging part of the
steering rod by means of a link s, jointed to the swinging part a.
Instead of arranging the upper part of the steering-rod a, to be swung to and
fro, as described, a straight up and down motion may be imparted to the said
upper end of the steering rod, as illustrated by Figure 4. In this case the upper,
moving part a, of the steering rod is guided in a tube or shell D, capable of
turning within the tube d, the rod a, itself being prevented from turning within
the shell D, by a groove and web, or other suitable means. The open chain or
strap e, is attached to the sliding rod a, as at F, and guided over a roller 4, to the
wheel g, as in Figures 1 and 7. It will be seen, that by pulling the rod a, the
chain or strap e will turn the wheel g in one direction, while the return-motion,
caused by the spring barrel, is inoperative as regards the wheel g.
The other principal form of construction above referred to, by which the hands
of the cyclist, in driving the cycle, describe a movement parallel to that of the
feet, is illustrated by Figures 5, 6, 8, 9 10; it consists in so arranging the cross-
or handle bar of the steering rod u, as to be turned in bearings n n carried by the
upright part of the steering rod a.
In this case the oscillating motion of the cross- or handle bar within its
bearings is transmitted to an open chain e, as shown in Figure 6, or to connecting
rods u, leading to the pedal-cranks w, Figure 8, or to an endless chain passing over
a chain-wheel G provided with cranks W, as shown in Figure 9.
Referring to Figures 5, 6 and 8, the cross-bar ii, swinging in its bearings n, n',
engages a lever & passing through a slot in said cross-bar, or having its end forked
as shown in Figure 9, a pivot o passing through said levers and cross-bar i i
allowing the latter to turn, for steering the wheel, without carrying the lever s
along in said motion; the swinging motion of the cross-bar ii, however is
transmitted to the said lever s, forcing the same to describe a rising and descending
motion in a vertical plane. The said lever 8, is connected to a parallelogram of
levers t t', and p p', as clearly shown in perspective view in Figure 5. The open
chain band or strap e is connected to the said parallelogram as at q, from whence it
passes over the chain-wheel y, as described with reference to Figures 1 and 7. Or
the said driving lever s, may be connected by, a pitman u, to the crank w, of the
pedals as shown in Figure 8.
The parallelogram of levers serves to keep the working lever in a constant

page_text: plane, the vertical plane of the cycle-frame, independent of the variable position
of the steering rod a, and cross-bar i i.
The modification illustrated by Figures 9 and 10 consists in connecting the
driving levers, by means of connecting-rods t t', to cranks W, of a chain-wheel G,
provided with an endless chain e¹, passing over the other chain-wheel g, on the
pedal-sbaft. The chain-wheel G, in this case receives a rotary motion through the
connecting rods t t and the endless chain e transmits said motion to the pedal-
shaft from which another endless chain further transmits motion to the rear wheel
shaft. An essential feature of this invention consists in providing means for
preventing the sidewari or steering motions of the cross-bar from acting an undue
strain upon the connecting-rods t t and cranks W. When the cross-bar i keeps
its normal position, at right angles to the vertical plane of the cycle, as shown in
the plan-view, Figure 10, drawn in full, the driving levers rising and descending,
as the cross-bar is being oscillated in its bearings does not strain the connecting-
rods t t. But when the cross or handle bar i in steering the wheel, is swung
to either side, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 10 the said lever s, while
being lifted and lowered for driving the cycle, will describe a partial turn to the
right or left, as indicated in Figure 10, in which indicates the central or normal
position of lever s, while its throw to the right and left is indicated by dotted
fines as at into which positions the lever s, will be turned, if the cross-bar i
is being swung to the right or left, for steering.
It will be seen, that, if the connection between the lever s, and connecting-
rods tt', be a rigid one, the said throw of levers, to either side would exert a
strong strain on the connecting rods, and, consequently on the cranks W of chain-
wheel G. Said strain would not only be a great obstacle to an easy and convenient
play of the driving mechanism, and cause an undue waste of power to the cyclist,
but would also be a source of rapid wear and tear of the working parts of the
hand-driving mechanism. To overcome such difficulties, the said driving-lever s
is connected to the rods t t by means of a shell or sleeve S, the trunnions T, of
which engage the connecting-rods t t, and within which shell the lever has
sufficient play to turn to either direction, as indicated by the positions 1, 1, "in
Figure 10. Of course, the construction might, with the same effect, be so changed
as to arrange a hollow levers, turning over a solid or hollow piece S, carrying
the trunnions T. Or the two parts s, and S, may be solid and coupled in any suitable
manner, allowing one part to perform a partial turn relative to the other. It has
been found by practice, that the construction of the driving lever s, of two parts,
with play to turn, as described, is of the greatest importance for a smooth and
easy operation, and such construction may with advantage be employed in all
modifications, where a driving-lever s, is pivotally connected to the cross-bar of the
steering rod, as in those illustrated by Figures 3, 5, 6 and 8.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In cycles, a driving-mechanism to be worked by hand, consisting of a steering-
5 rod, the upper part of which is pivoted to the lower part and adapted to be swung
backwards and forwards, a lever or levers connected to said swinging part, an an
open chain, strap or band connected at one end to the driving lever, at the other
end to a return-spring, to transmit motion substantially as and for the purpose
described.
D
2. In cycles, a driving mechanism to be worked by hand, consisting of a steering-
rod, the upper part of which has a straight up and down sliding motion within
the lower part, and means for transmitting notion from the said sliding part to
the pedal shaft or hind-wheel, substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In cycles, a driving mechanism to be worked by hand, consisting of a
5 steering-rod, the cross-bar of which is arranged to turn in bearings, a driving-
lever pivotally connected to the centre of said cross-bar, a parallelogram of

page_text: levers connected to the driving lever, and means for transmitting motion from the
said parallelogram to the pedal-shaft or rear wheel or wheels, substantially as
and for the purpose described.
4. In cycles, a dŕiving mechanism to be worked by hand, consisting of a
steering-rod, the cross-bar of which is arranged to turn in bearings, a driving
lever pivotally connected to the centre of said cross-bar for transmitting motion,
said driving lever being constructed of two parts having a play to turn ou or
within each other, substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a cycle, a driving mechanism to be worked by hand, consisting of a
steering-rod, the cross-bar of which is arranged to turn in bearings, a driving
lever pivotally connected to said cross-bar, said lever being constructed of two
parts arranged to turn on or within each other, connecting-rods driven by said
driving lever and transmitting a rotary motion to a chain-wheel, an endless chain
passing over said chain wheel, and another chain-wheel driven by said chain,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 18th day of, June 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.