IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILIZING THE WEIGH TOF THE HUMAN BODY AS A MOTIVE POWER, AND IN APPARATUS OR MACHINERY THEREFOR."
Year: 1876

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Martin Westmacott at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th August 1870.
CHARLES MARTIN WESTMACOTT, of No. 161, Euston Road, in the Parish of St.
Pancras, London, in the County of Middlesex. " IMPROVEMENTS IN UTILIZING THE
WEIGH TOF THE HUMAN BODY AS A MOTIVE POWER, AND IN APPARATUS OR
MACHINERY THEREFOR."
Having for its object' the working of machines for the purpose of travelling by
land or by water, or a stationary machine for turning any mill or machinery, for
which the weight of the human body can be suitably applied.
I now proceed to describe the principle and mode of action of my Invention,
which can be used by one or many persons working upon the same machine, and
applied to machines constructed of more or less number of wheels.
"
For purposes of brevity I will illustrate the principle as applied to a machine,
which I call a "pedê car constructed of five wheels for land travelling and capable
of being worked by several workers, but as the description of one worker is the
description of any number all working simultaneously, and upon the same principle,
the nature and action of the motive power is as fully shewn by one worker as by
multiplying the number.
And first I construct the said machine, having four wheels of equal diameter, and
a small one, which I call the "pony," as a guiding wheel, each pair of the large
wheels connected as usual by an axle, and held in their position by being attached
and fixed to a rigid frame, to the front part of which frame is placed (but moving
freely) the guiding wheel or "pony." Upon each axle are two cranks placed at
opposite points, which cranks I connect by two rods which I call “connecting rods,"
the said rods when attached being horizontal, one at the highest vertical position of
two of the cranks, and the other at the lowest vertical position of the other two
cranks, the said rods being at a suitable distance apart and rotating in a circle, the
diameter of which can be varied as is found most convenient for the rotary motion
of the feet of the worker.
I now proceed to describe the form of these connecting rods and their principle of.
action. On cach rod I have an opening about the size of a person's foot, the parts.
of the rod round the opening having a rim on the outer edge to prevent the foot:
slipping, the said part round the opening being sufficiently wide to receive a "clog"
D
71

page_text: or shoe, having a sole of some unyielding substance capable of bearing the weight
of the human body over the openings
And next I proceed to describe the construction of two shallow boxes open at the
top, in which boxes I'place "rests" for the feet which are made to slide or run upon
the bottom of the boxes with rollers; these boxes with their rests I fix at the bottom
or floor of the car under the rods, and in such a position that when the connecting
rods are at their lowest vertical point, the rests are slightly above the level of the
upper part of the connecting rods, the openings in which are made sufficiently large
to admit the rests to pass through them in their downward course.
I now proceed to describe the action of the machine thus constructed (remarking
firstly, that in the case of more than one person working the machine, two extra
openings in the rods and two more boxes and rests must be added for each person,
or additional rods and cranks on the axles if needed) the worker having placed Ins
feet in the clogs and taken his position, standing over the openings in the rods, he
takes hold of the handle of the guider which is placed at a suitable height, tho rods
for starting haying just passed their respective vertical points, the weight of the
body being upon the left rest, the worker presses his weight with his right foot
upon the rod connected with the cranks which have just passed their highest
vertical point, which weight revolves the axles and wheels until the cranks on the.
axles have nearly attained their respectively reversed lowest and highest points, at
which position the right rod is relieved of the weight of the body and is sustained
by the right rest, the rod having at its lowest vertical point attained a lower level
than the rest; at this point the rest is held at its most forward position in the box
by a spring of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material, but at the same
instant that the foot touches the rest a pin in the rod acts upon another pin or small
roller upon the rest, and rolls or slides it during the period that it sustains the
weight of the body at the same rate of progress as the motion of the rod, this
continues while the right rod is passing its lowest vertical point, aud until it has
risen and again received the foot in its upward course, when the pin on, tho, rod
leaves the pin or roller on the rest, which rest is drawn back by the spring to its
forward position ready again to receive the weight of the body at the next down-
ward movement of the rod.
Having described the motion of the right cranks and rod in its downward course
with the weight of the body on the right foot pressing upon it, I now come to the
left cranks and rod on which the left foot is placed, and as the right and left cranks
are placed at opposite points on the axles it is obvious that at the moment the
right foot leaves the rest, and as the right rod is moving in its upward course the
left cranks and rod with the left foot on it has passed its highest vertical point and
receives the weight of the body in its downward course, and as the weight on the
right rod and cranks has turned the wheels one half of a revolution, so the weight
of the body on the left rod and cranks will have turned the wheels the other half.'
Having now fully described one revolution, it follows that as long as the worker
continues his position and allows the weight of his body to rest upon the rod that
has passed over its highest vertical point and is on its downward course, and lifting
up the foot that is on the rod in its ascending course leaving no weight upon it
(unless he wishes to slacken speed or stop) that a succession of revolutions will
necessarily follow.
Having described the action of the rotary principle of working my Invention, I
now proceed to describe the variations required when I use the vertical or as it is
commonly called the treadle action, and as in this case one end of the treadle rod is
attached to an immovable base and fixed support, and the other to the cranks on the
axle, the first variation consists in making the "rests "fixtures instead of sliding or
rolling in boxes as in the rotary motion; the second variation consists in having the
projections round the openings in the rods, and on which the clogs or shoes are
supported when not on the rests detached from the rod, but working on pins or
pivots fastened to its outer edges, thus allowing the fect to keep in a more hori-
zontal position, and the heels and toes more freely to rise or fall.

page_text: I now proceed to describe another mode of moving the rest, which can be applied
instead of using the spring as before described, which mode consists in placing a
small rod and attaching it at its centre, so that it can rotate to a pin or bolt fixed
to the floor or bottom of the machine at a point equi-distant from the right and
left rest, and which equi-rod is so constructed that each end is placed in a position
to work upon the pins or rollers of the rest, while the corresponding pins of the
rods, instead of as before described working upon the pins on the rest, work upon
the ends of the equi-rod, the action being that while one rest is being moved
forward by one end of the equi-rod, the other end acts at the same time in moving
the other rest backward, and vice versa.
The principle of the Invention may be applied for working the paddle wheels
or screw of a boat, or if required a fly wheel with band or cog wheel suited to
work mills or machinery.
Having now fully described my Invention as adapted for one worker, it is evident
that by increasing the number of cranks and rods, and also adding a corresponding
number of openings and rests, a machine can be constructed to allow several persons
to work simultaneously upon it with a relative increase of force, and a motive
power be obtained more perfect and economical than any previously gained by the
agency of the weight of the human body.