Improvements in Manually Propelled Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Manually Propelled Vehicles.
I, JAMES SANFORD LAMAR, of Grovetown, in the County of Columbia and State
of Georgia, United States of America, Clergyman, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for improvements in manually propelled vehicles, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention has relation to manually propelled vehicles in the nature
of tricycles, and is designed to provide a vehicle of this character which is strong
and durable in its construction, which is easily and safely operated, and is adapted
for use by persons who cannot or do not care to ride a bicycle, and which affords
a pleasurable and healthful exercise for the rider, its propelling devices being of
such character as not only to permit a more effective application of power than is
possible in a bicycle, but are designed to bring into play those muscles and portions
of the body which most require exercise and which are brought into action but
little if at all in riding a bicycle.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.
With these objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction
and combination of parts, all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the
appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my im-
proved vehicle, a portion of one of the front wheels being broken away.
Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line X-X of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the device for raising one of the front wheels.
from the ground;
Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the frame. In these drawings
the letters a, a designate the main frame of the vehicle, which is composed of two
angular bars having transversely extending portions which support a floor or
platform secured thereto, and vertical lateral arms which provide support for
certain parts of the vehicle hereinafter described. C is an upwardly and rear-
wardly extending arm which is securely bolted at its forward end to the central
rear portion of the floor b, and which is provided with an aperture at its rear portion
to receive the stem or spindle of the fork E¹ of a castor wheel E.
F, F designate the two front wheels which are similar in construction to
bicycle wheels. These wheels are loosely mounted on short axles f which are
supported by and project laterally from the vertical arms of the frame piece a.
Secured to the hub of each of said wheels to turn therewith is a small sprocket
wheel G having a guard flange g, and which is connected by a chain H with a
larger sprocket wheel I rigidly mounted on a short shaft I. The shafts I¹ (there
being one at each side) are journaled in bearings in the upper portion of the
vertical arms of the frame piece a', and in brackets a bolted to said arms, and are
fitted at their outer ends with hand cranks J. The inner end of each shaft I¹
has a short crank i, which is connected by a pitman J¹ with a treadle J². These

page_text: pitmen are made detachable so that they can be removed when not required.
For ordinary riding, the hand crank will afford ample power to propel the machine,
but in riding for a considerable distance it will be found restful to the rider to
change occasionally from hand to foot power or to use both at the same time.
L designates a roller, which is situated underneath the floor or platform h,
near one of the wheels F, and is journaled to a pivoted arm L' which has a pro-
jection extending above the platform in position where it may be readily pressed
by the foot.
M designates a suitably arranged spring which acts on the said arm L¹ to
normally hold said roller out of contact with the ground. This spring may be
omitted and the roller be allowed to run on the ground at all times, but I prefer to
use the spring.
P designates the seat, which is supported between the upright portions of the
frame piece a¹, and upon the arm C. This seat may be of any suitable character.
The castor wheel E is of the same general character as the front wheels, care
being taken that its axle P¹ shall operate at a short distance only, say about one
inch, from the vertical center line passing through the fork stem or spindle, in
order that said spindle may turn easily in any position of the wheel, the latter
being almost directly under the point of pressure. The upward curve or arch
of the frame arm C permits said wheel to turn back thereunder, as indicated in
Figure 1, so that the vehicle may be readily backed. The arm C also forms a mud
guard or shield for the wheel E, and the wheels F may also be provided with
guards.
Arranged and put together as above described it will be seen that the entire
framework is perfectly rigid, while at the same time, it is quite light, and capable
of a neat and attractive appearance.
The rider when sitting on the seat P has ample foot room upon the floor or
platform b, and can grasp the handles of the cranks J without stretch or strain.
To make a turn the rider simply retards the movement of that wheel F which is
on the side of the shorter curve (the side towards which he is turning) and when
the turn has been made, he again moves straight forward. In retarding one of
the wheels F however, the handles of the two cranks have likely lost their
coincidence, and the two hands of the rider are no longer rhythmic in their action
and their movement will be more or less awkward and unsatisfactory.
The coincidence cannot be restored by revolving the other wheel faster, for the
effect of that would be to turn the carriage in the opposite direction. The difficulty
is, however, completely overcome by the use of the roller L since by pressing the
foot upon the projection 7 of the arm L', said roller is thrust forward and down-
ward, raising the adjacent wheel F from the ground, and the two hands are almost
without conscious effort, brought into concurrent movement. As soon as the
pressure of the foot is relieved, the parts assume their normal positions.
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:―
1. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination with the two loosely
mounted traction driving wheels, and with independent driving mechanism there-
for, of a foot-operated roller device mounted adjacent to one of said wheels, and
adapted to be brought into contact with the ground to raise the said wheel off the
ground, substantially as specified.
2. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination of the two loosely and
independently mounted traction wheels, the rear driving wheel, independent
driving means for the driving wheels, and means carried by the vehicle and
operated by foot pressure of the rider for raising one of said wheels from the
ground, substantially as specified.
3. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination with the two front
traction wheels, separate devices for driving each of said wheels, and the rear castor

page_text: wheel of the roller adjacent to one of the traction wheels, the pivoted arm which
carries the same, and which has a foot projection, and a spring acting upon said
arm, substantially as specified.
Dated this 6th day of June 1899
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.