Improvements in Pedals of Velocipedes for Reducing Vibration.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th May, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pedals of Velocipedes for Reducing Vibration.
We, WILLIAM MORTON of 44 Tetlow Street, Kirkdale, near Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Traveller, and JOSEPH MARSHALL of Elston Road, Formby,
near Liverpool aforesaid, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the pedals of bicycles and other velocipedes and has for
object to prevent or lessen the vibration usually imparted to the rider's feet when
passing over uneven roads.
For this purpose instead of making the pedals with the ordinary rubber bars or
toothed plates we use pliable pads or pneumatic or inflated bags secured to the side
plates and inflated in the usual way, a suitable opening being formed in the middle
for the pedal spindle to revolve in, the said opening being if desired cased or bushed
to prevent the bag or pad coming in contact with the pin.
Instead of employing a single pad, covering the full treading surface we may use
an annular tube or tubes against which the rider's foot bears instead of against the
ordinary serrated bar or solid rubber bar.
To prevent the foot slipping when the flexible pad bag or cushion is wet or
greasy the surface may be roughened or be provided with projections thereon.
Instead of employing compressed air as the cushioning medium a spring or
springs of rubber or other suitable material may in some cases be used for giving
the required resilience.
The pads or bags may be of any suitable material; it should by preference be
light and pliable.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pedals of Velocipedes for Reducing Vibration.
We, WILLIAM MORTON, of 44 Tetlow Street, Kirkdale, near Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Traveller, and JOSEPH MARSHALL, of Elston Road, Formby,
near Liverpool, aforesaid, 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 :-
This invention relates to the pedals of bicycles and other velocipedes and has for
its object to prevent or lessen the vibration usually imparted to the rider's feet when
passing over uneven roads.
For this purpose instead of making the pedals with the ordinary rubber bars or
toothed plates we use pneumatic or inflated pads bags or cushions secured to the
side plates and inflated in the usual way, a suitable opening being formed in the
middle for the pedal spindle to revolve in, the said opening being if desired cased
or bushed to prevent the bag, pad or cushion coming in contact with the spindle.
Instead of employing a single pad bag or cushion covering the full treading
surface, we may use an annular inflated tube or tubes against which the rider's foot
bears instead of against the ordinary serrated bar or solid rubber bar.

page_text: To prevent the foot slipping when the flexible pad, bag or cushion is wet or
greasy, the outer surface thereof may be roughened or be provided with projections.
The pads bags or cushions may be of any suitable material, which should by
preference be light and pliable.
In the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations at right angles to one another, showing an
ordinary form of pedal frame provided with a pneumatic tread according to this
invention, the ordinary rubber bars being removed;
Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 6, 7 of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 a similar view to Fig. 3 showing a modified construction.
Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the pedal.
The pedal frame shown comprises two plates A A formed with bosses in which
are encased the usual ball bearings which run on suitable paths formed on the pedal
spindle or crank pin B, on which the pedal is mounted and which is secured to the
crank C. The side plates A A are kept at fixed distances apart by the tube B'
which surrounds the crank pin B and by the stay bolts DD or their equivalent as
well understood.
In applying our invention to existing pedals we provide the pedal frame with
additional plates EE which are of larger area than the plates A usually employed,
these additional plates being placed between and against the said plates AA as
shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 and their ends extending sufficiently beyond the stay
bolts DD to allow of the passage therethrough of one or more (in the illustration
four are shewn) retaining pins FF for holding an outer casing G (bereinafter more
particularly referred to) firmly around the pedal and within the side plates E E.
H is an inflatable air pad or bag of suitable material such as india rubber and
having its ends moulded or cemented to the peripheral portion and of such shape
as to enable the bag, when inflated, to assume the form shewn in Figs. 2, 3 and 4.
The air bag shown is of such a form and size that when it is deflated it can be bent
or folded over one of the bolts D and so as to extend along on opposite sides of the
tube B' and the other bolt D in such a manner that if it be then inflated, the innero
side portions A' A3 of the folded bag will enclose the tube B' and bolts D, and
come together at the parts A³ between the said tube and bolts as shown in Fig. 3;
or the bag may be first bent around the tube B' so that when it is inflated it will
encircle the tube B' and rods D in the manner shewn in Fig. 4. In this way the
air bag is automatically and effectually connected to the pedal frame upon being
inflated.
It will thus be understood that when the air bag is arranged between the side
plates E E and within the encircling outer casing & and is inflated, a complete air
cushion or pad will be formed around the pedal. The bag is provided with an air
valve by means of which it can be inflated with air under pressure. This valve is
arranged preferably at J (Fig. 5) and may be of any well known form, but we
prefer to employ a self closing valve passing through one of the plates E.
The outer casing G shewn in the illustrations is made in two pieces joined
together near the bolts D by wires FF which pass through the tubular selvedge
edges of the outer casing and into the plates EE and are capable of removal from
the plates to admit of the outer casing being detached. Midway between the
plates E, one or more stiffening links F is or are or may be provided through
which the corresponding pair of wires F are passed to prevent them from bending
and the joints between the two halves of the outer casing opening when the bag is
inflated, a suitable space or spaces being left in the tubular edges of the outer casing
to accommodate the links F as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer detachable
casing can be made in one piece, the ends being joined together at one side of the
pedal. In this construction the canvas lining inside the outer casing, and at the
middle of its length, is or may be formed with a fold or bead through which takes
a rod or wire arranged between the said outer casing and the canvas lining and the
ends of which are secured to the plates E E to prevent the casing being displaced.
The two ends or edges of the casing are each folded over to form a hollow selvedge

page_text: which is or may be cut so as to form alternate projections and recesses adapted to.
interlock with the recess and projections on the opposite end or edge in a similar
manner to the two halves of an ordinary joint or hinge, the two ends or edges being
connected together by another rod or wire also secured at its ends to the plates E E..
In applying our invention to new pedals the plates EE are dispensed with, the
side plates A A being then made sufficiently large to admit of the rounded tread.
By the construction described it will be understood that the air bag can when:
desired be quickly taken out for repairs or other purpose without disturbing the
fixed metal sides of the pedal frame by withdrawing one or both of the wires and
removing the outer casing.
We do not confine ourselves to a pneumatic cycle tread in which the two inflated
portions at opposite sides of a plane passing through the axis of the tube B¹ and
bolts D are formed by one air bag, as it is evident they may be made in two or
more separate parts which may be connected together by one or more air passages..
By making the air bag of non-elastic material impervious to air such as canvas
coated or lined with india rubber, the outer detachable casing G may be dispensed
with.
Ribs or corrugations may be formed on or attached to the tread portion of the
outer casing when necessary, to prevent the foot from slipping thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A cycle pedal constructed with a pneumatic or inflatable pad bag or cushion.
substantially as herein described for the purpose set forth.
2. A cycle pedal provided with a pneumatic or inflated bag or vessel secured to
or between the side plates of the pedal frame and having a tubular passage or
opening for the pedal spindle to revolve in substantially as herein described.
3. A pneumatic cycle pedal constructed substantially as described and shown,.
and whether with or without the detachable outer casing.
1 1
1004
L
day
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.