Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Sept., 1886.
Complete Left, 6th June, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 8th July, 1887.
I, ALEXANDER DUNCKER of Liepsic, in the Kingdom of Saxony, and German
Empire, Publisher, do hereby the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
This invention relates to velocipedes, and its main object is to so construct tricycles
that the full and entire weight of the body of the rider is brought to hear upon the
propelling mechanism. According to my invention the cranked driving shaft is
connected rigidly with one of the two running or driving wheels, while its opposite
end is connected loosely with the other wheel so as to turn in a vertical plane within
the hub of the latter, and is provided with an upright frame affording a support for
the rider's back. This frame is fastened partly to the cranked driving shaft, and partly
to the steering, or guiding device of novel construction, said arrangement of the
frame allowing the (preferably standing) rider to lean and rest his back against the
upper rear part of the frame, and his elbows upon the upper side parts of the latter,
and to act with the entire power of his body upon the driving shaft and yet to easily
steer or guide the tricycle.
The driving shaft has two webs or crank-levers each provided with a loosely
mounted foot-board, the square end of the said shaft being rigidly connected with the
hub of one driving or running wheel while its opposite cylindrical end turns loosely
within the hub of the other driving wheel. The cranked shaft carries an upright
frame consisting of metal bars arranged vertically upon the said shaft and connected
at their upper and lower ends by means of curved bars or bows which are fastened to
the steering device. The upper bow serves as support for the back and the elbows of
the rider.
The said steering device consists essentially of a boss or tube held, by means of a
spiral spring, upon the bifurcated part of the steering or guiding rod connected with
the shaft of the steering or guide-wheel. The said boss or tube encloses another boss
or tube sliding upon the said rod and supported upon the latter by means of another

page_text: spiral spring so that an elastic connection is provided and there will always be the
same distance between the back of the rider and the upper end of the steering
device, no matter how far the rider may choose to lean back and compress the said
springs. The upper end of the inner boss or tube is connected with a handle which
is turned by the rider (preferably with the elbows) in steering the machine while
running.
The machine allows of attaining very great speed, since the diameters of the
driving wheels can be made very great and the wheels put closely together by reason
of the standing position of the rider, who, for the same reason and having his
back-bone thoroughly supported by the said frame, can work with the full power of
his extensors which, as is well known, are muscles of the human body not easily
fatigued.
Dated this 6th day of Santamber 1886
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Velocipedes.
I ALEXANDER DUNCKER of Leipsic in the Kingdom of Saxony and German
Empire Publisher 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 tricycles or velocipedes having three wheels and has for its
object to construct the same in such a manner that the entire weight of the body of
the rider is brought to bear upon the propelling mechanism.
According to my invention the cranked driving shaft is rigidly connected with one
of the two running or driving wheels, while its opposite end is loosly connected with
the other wheel so as to turn in a vertical plane within the hub of the latter, and is
provided with an upright frame affording a support for the rider to lean against with
his back or chest the said frame being fastened partly to the cranked driving shafts,
and partly to the steering, or guiding device. This arrangement of the frame allows
the rider who is preferably in a standing position to lean or rest his back or chest
against the upper part of the frame, and his elbows upon the side parts of the said
frame, and to act with the entire power of his body upon the driving shaft and yet to
be able to easily steer or guide the machine.
In the accompanying drawings which show some forms of velocipedes constructed
in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 1 is a side view and
Figure 2 an end view of one form of the machine.
Figure
3 is a sectional view of the steering device used in connection therewith.
Figure 4 is a side view partly in section of a modified form of the machine.
Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section of another modification with a frame
forming a breast support.
Figure 6 is an end view and
Figure 7 is a top view of the frame used with the said form of machine.
Figure 8 is a detached end view of the frame forming a breast support.
Like letters of reference designate similar parts throughout the drawings.
In the form of machine shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the driving
shaft a has two webs or crank-levers each provided with a loosely mounted foot-
board a¹, the square end of said shaft is rigidly connected with the hub of one of
the driving or running wheels B, while its opposite cylindrical end turns loosly within
the hub of the other driving wheel A. The cranked shaft carries an upright frame
preferably consisting of metal bars arranged vertically upon the shaft a and
connected at their upper and lower ends by means of curved bars or bows c and d
which are fastened to the steering device e. The upper bow c serves as a support for
the back and the elbows of the rider.
The said steering device e consists essentially of a tube, held by means of a spiral
spring i, upon the bifurcated part k of the steering or guiding rod 9 connected with

page_text: h
the shaft of the steering or guide-wheel C. The said tube encloses another tube e¹
sliding likewise upon the said rod g and supported upon the latter by means of
another spiral spring / so that an elastic connection is provided and there will always
be the same distance between the back of the rider and the upper end of the steering
device, no matter how far the rider may choose to lean back and compress the said
springs. The upper end of the inner tube is connected with a handle f which is
turned by the rider (preferably with the elbows) in steering the machine while
running.
The machine allows of attaining very great speed since the diameters of the driving
wheels can be made very great and the said wheels put closely together by reason of
the standing position of the rider who, for the same reason and having his back-bone
thoroughly supported by the said frame, can work with the full power of his extensors
which, as is well known, are muscles of the human body not easily fatigued.
The modified form of the machine illustrated in Figure 4 differs from the one just
described essentially, only in that the rider-supporting frame shown detached in Figure 6
and 7, consists of metal rods & bent into the proper shape through which the steering
device passes at 6' while the connection with the shaft a is made by the intermediate
spring d¹.
In the modification shown in Figure 5 the form and connection of the rider-
supporting frame is similar to that shown in Figure 4. The arrangement shown in
Figure 4 enables the rider to use his back as well as his breast for bearing upon the
handle and the steering device connected therewith, in order to work with the full
power of his extensors, while the arrangement illustrated in Figure 5 is intended for
serving as a brest support only, the handle f being grasped by the rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First. In tricycles, the driving shaft (a) provided with a double web, and foot
boards (a) one end of said shaft being mounted rigidly in the hub of one of the
driving wheels (B) while the other end is arranged to rotate in the hub of the other
driving or running wheel (A) in combination with a frame forming a back or breast
rest for the rider, said frame being supported partly by the driving shaft and partly
by the shaft of the guiding wheel (C).
Second. In tricycles of the kind characterized in the first claiming clause the
employment of a compressible steering device, substantially as shown in Figure 3,
consisting of tubes (~ and e¹) telescoping one within the other and held upon a
bifurcated guiding rod (9) by means of spiral springs (i and h), one of said tubes
being provided with a handle (f) and, on being turned, transmitting its own motion
to the guiding rod (9) and the guiding wheel (C).
Third. A tricycle having a frame forming a support for the back, or breast and
serving as a support for the standing rider and constituting a connection between the
driving shaft of the machine and the steering device for the guide wheel, for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of June 1887