Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, JOHN MCCAMMON, of 198 Albert Street, East Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to velocipedes of the kind or class wherein motion is com-
municated to the driving wheel or wheels from a separate crank-shaft or pedal-shaft
through the medium of multiplying or other gear.
My said invention is chiefly designed to improve the steering qualities and general
efficiency of such machines. By my improvements 1 secure lightness combined with
increased strength and safety and I am enabled to so arrange the parts of the machine
that the position of the rider's body is more natural and admits of power being more
economically applied than in velocipedes as heretofore constructed.
My said improvements are applicable to velocipedes having two or more wheels.
An important feature of my said invention consists in mounting the crank-shaft or
pedal-shaft in suitable hearings in or attached to the fork or the like of the driving
wheel or wheels in such a position that the said shaft is clear of the periphery of the
said wheel or wheels. This shaft is suitably connected by chain or other gearing with
the axle of the driving wheel or wheels.
Another important feature of my said invention consists in so constructing machines
of the kind or class above mentioned that the driving wheel or wheels will also serve
as the steering wheel or wheels, the said wheel or wheels being preferably placed in
the front or leading position. In some instances, however, I make the steering
wheel or wheels separately from the driving wheel or wheels and connect them
therewith by means of a backbone or frame or other suitable connection.
In one form of my improved velocipede the driving and steering wheel is carried by
a fork of suitable shape united to the backbone or framing by any suitable means so
that it can be freely turned by a cross bar or handle provided for the purpose in any
direction for the purpose of steering. On this fork or on a projection or extension
thereof is carried in a suitable sleeve or bearing a shaft provided with a crank at
each end. This crank-shaft is placed parallel to the axle of the driving and steering
wheel at any convenient point outside the circumference of the said wheel.
On the said crank shaft is fixed a toothed or other suitable wheel which com-
municates motion through a driving chain or band to a corresponding wheel secured
to the axle or to one end of the hub of the driving wheel. These gear wheels are of
suitable relative sizes.
The crank shaft may be driven by means of levers and connecting rods actuated by
the feet of the rider; or by pedals attached to the cranks according to the position in
which the said shaft is placed.
To provide for imparting rotary motion to the crank shaft when it is placed a
considerable distance above the ground, I attach two treadle levers, one to each prong
of the fork the steering and driving wheel or to an extension of such fork. These
treadle levers are pivoted at one end, the foot pedals being at the other end. These
treadle levers communicate motion to the cranks of the crank shaft by means of
suitable connecting rods. By this means an oscillating motion of the treadle levers
will produce a rotary motion of the crank shaft and so drive or propel the machine.
The position of fulcrums, the pins for connecting rods, and the treadles or any of
them may be made adjustable along the treadle levers, so that the stroke of the
treadles, or the length of the arcs of circles described by them may be varied to suit
the rider.
Although I prefer the above construction I do not confine myself to this particular
arrangement of parts for transmitting motion from the foot pedals or treadles to the
cranks as any convenient devices may be employed for the purpose.

page_text: In some cases the crank shaft outside the driving and steering wheel is placed near
the ground and carried by a prolongation or extension of the fork of the said wheel.
In these cases it may be driven direct by pedals attached to the cranks in the usual
manner.
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The saddle is mounted on the "backbone or other suitable part of the frame in
any convenient manner and the handle may be forged in one piece with the fork, or
attached to it by any suitable means.
A stop or stops are provided if required to prevent the turning of the steering fork
so far as to bring the toothed wheel secured to the crank shaft or the driving chain or
band in contact with the "backbone" or other part of the framing.
In another form or modification of my improved velocipede I employ the rear wheel
or wheels for steering, the said wheel or wheels being connected by suitable rods and
levers with the steering handle in front of the saddle.
In some cases I place the driving wheel in the rear instead of in the leading position
and in such cases I sometimes employ the front wheel or wheels for the purpose of
steering the machine.
In other cases I arrange the saddle on an arm or bracket of suitable shape formed
on or firmly attached to the fork or front portion of the frame, and I secure the
steering handle to the back-bone and use the trailing wheel for steering.
I sometimes provide parallel motion apparatus in combination with the treadle
levers for driving crank-shaft.
If desired, the crank-shaft is made adjustable so that the driving chain or band can
be tightened when necessary.
Suitable brake-apparatus is provided. For instance a strap extending around a
pulley attached to the chain-wheel or fixed on the crank-shaft or on the axle of the
driving-wheel, and a lever for applying the said strap to the pulley.
By the improvements above described I am enabled to so construct a bicycle or
tricycle that the centre of gravity of the rider will be very low and comparatively far
behind the centre of the driving wheel, and directly above the pedals, thus ensuring
great safety whilst permitting the rider to fully utilize his weight for driving the
machine.
The improved velocipede can be made very light and may, if desired, be provided
with any suitable multiplying gear to adapt it for racing or other purposes.
Dated this 16th day of September 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
1, JOHN MOCAMMON of 198 Albert Street East Melbourne Victoria, Australia, 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:
My invention relates to velocipedes of the kind or class wherein motion is com-
municated to the driving wheel or wheels from a separate crank shaft or pedal shaft
through the medium of multiplying or other gear.
By my invention I secure lightness combined with increased strength and safety
and I am enabled to so arrange the parts of the machine that the position of the rider's
body is more natural and admits of power being more economically applied than in
velocipedes as heretofore constructed. Moreover the steering qualities and general
efficiency of the velocipedes are greatly improved. My said improvements are
applicable to velocipedes having two or more wheels.
An important feature of my said invention consists in mounting the crank-shaft in
suitable bearings in or attached to the fork or the like of the driving wheel or wheels
in such a position that the said shaft is clear of the periphery of the said wheel or

page_text: wheels. This shaft is suitably connected by chain or other gearing with the axle of
the driving wheel or wheels.
Another important feature of my said invention consists in so constructing
velocipedes of the kind or class above mentioned that the driving wheel or wheels will
also serve as the steering wheel or wheels, the said wheel or wheels being preferably
placed in the front or leading position.
In some instances, however, I construct the said machine with a separate steering
wheel or wheels connected with the driving wheel or wheels by means of a backbone
or frame or other suitable connection.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown how my said invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation, and
Figure 2 a front elevation showing one forin of my improved velocipede.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views showing another form or modification thereof.
Figures 5 and 6 are side elevations showing further modifications of my improved
velocipede, and
Figure 7 is a plan showing my improvements applied to a tricycle.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
B is
A, A are the road or travelling wheels which are secured upon axles A², A³.
the backbone or frame ; C is the seat or saddle; D is the steering handle, lever or
cross-bar.
In the form of my velocipede shown in Figures 1 and 2, the axle A2 of the driving
and steering wheel A has mounted thereon a fork a of suitable shape united to the
backbone or framing B by any suitable means, so that it can be freely turned
relatively to the said backbone or framing, by the cross-bar or steering handle D, in
either direction, for the purpose of steering. is a shaft or spindle supported in
suitable bearings in the fork a or in projections or extensions thereof. The shaft or
spindle 6 is placed parallel to the axle of the driving and steering wheel at any con-
venient point outside the circumference of the said wheel, and is provided at each
extremity with a crank c. d is a chain-wheel which is firmly secured upon the crank-
shaft band is connected by means of a driving chain or band e with a corresponding
chain-wheel secured to the axle A2 or to one of the hubs of the driving-wheel A.
The chain-wheels d and fare of any suitable relative sizes.
9, 9 are levers each of which is provided at one extremity with a treadle h and is
pivotted at the other extremity to an extension a¹ of one of the prongs of the fork a.
i, i are connecting rods by means of which the levers 9 are coupled or connected to
the cranks c. By this means, it will be seen that an oscillating motion of the treadle
levers g will produce a rotary motion of the crank-shaft b and so drive or propel the
machine. The pins for-connecting the rods i with the treadle-levers g are some-
times made adjustable along the said treadle-levers, so that the stroke of the treadles,
or the length of the arcs of circles described by them may be varied to suit different
riders, or the treadles h may be made adjustable along the treadle levers for the same
purpose.
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The saddle C is mounted on a suitable part of the frame or backbone B in any
convenient inanner,
and the handle or steering lever ) may be forged in one piece
with the fork a or firmly attached to it by any suitable means.
A stop or stops are provided, if required, to prevent the turning of the steering-
fork a too far and the bringing of the chain-wheel d or the driving chain or band e in
contact with the backbone or frame B.
jis a drum or pulley attached to the chain-wheel d or fixed on the crank-shaft b. A
brake-strap is passed around the said drum or pulley and a suitable lever, so placed
as to be within convenient reach of the rider, is provided for applying the said strap
to the drum or pulley. The brake-strap and operating lever are omitted from the
drawing for the sake of clearness. Any other suitable brake-apparatus may be
employed if desired.
Figures 3 and 4 illustrate another modification of my invention wherein the shaft
or spindle is supported in suitable bearings in arms or projections a² firmly attached

page_text: to, or formed in one with the fork a. This arrangement admits of the said fork a
being so constructed as to approach more closely in shape to that of the steering-forks
usually employed.
a³ is a guard for obviating any chance of injury to the treadle levers should the
machine be accidentally overturned. a', a are foot-rests formed on the said guard.
Figure 5 shows a further modification in which the pedal levers g are pivoted at g*
to the fork a above the axle of the driving wheel A. The pedals are in this case
secured upon the lower extremities of rods 'the upper extremities of which rods are
jointed at 2 to the said pedal levers g. g', g¹ are connecting rods coupled at ³ to the
rods h¹ and at g² to the fork a or to extensions thereof, thus forming parallel motion
apparatus.
Figure 6. illustrates a modification wherein the shaft or spindle & carrying the
chain wheel d is supported in suitable bearings in the backbone or frame B or in suit-
able brackets secured thereto and the chain wheel is secured upon the axle A³ of the
rear wheel A¹ which in this instance forms the driving wheel. The levers g are
pivoted to an extension B¹ of the said backbone or frame.
Figure 7 shows an application of my improvements to a tricycle, or velocipede
having three wheels. The general arrangement is, in this case, substantially similar
to that herein before described with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
By the improvements above described, I am enabled to so construct a bicycle or
tricycle or other velocipede that the centre of gravity of the rider will be very low and
comparatively far behind the centre of the driving-wheel, and will, moreover, be
directly above the pedals, thus ensuring great safety, whilst permitting the rider to
fully utilize his weight for driving the machine.
The improved velocipede can be made very light and may, if desired, be provided
with any suitable multiplying gear to adapt it for racing or other purposes.
Although I prefer the forms of construction herein before described, I do not confine
myself to the particular arrangements of parts for transmitting motion from the foot
pedals or treadles to the cranks, as any convenient devices may be employed for this
purpose.
Moreover it is obvious that I can somewhat further modify the construction of my
improved velocipede without departing from the nature of my said invention. For
instance, in some cases, the crank-shaft is placed near the ground and carried by a
prolongation or extension of the fork a. In these cases, the said crank-shaft may be
driven directly by pedals attached to the cranks in the usual manner.
In another form or modification of my improved velocipede, I employ the rear
wheel or wheels for steering, the said wheel or wheels being connected by suitable
rods and levers with the steering handle, lever or cross bar in front of the saddle.
I sometimes place the driving-wheel in the rear instead of in the leading position,
and, in such cases, I sometimes employ the front wheel or wheels for the purpose of
steering the machine. In other cases, I arrange the saddle on an armi or bracket of
suitable shape formed on, or firmly attached to the fork or front portion of the frame,
and I secure the steering-handle to the back-bone and use the trailing wheel for
steering.
If desired, the crank-shaft is made adjustable so that the driving chain or band can
be tightened when necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it understood that I
claim :-
First. A velocipede having the crank-shaft or pedal-shaft mounted in suitable
bearings in or attached to the fork of the driving wheel at any convenient position
outside the rim or periphery of the said wheel and connected with the driving-axle of
the said wheel by means of chain or other suitable gearing, for the purposes above
specified.
Second. The combination, with a crank-shaft mounted in suitable bearings in or
attached to the fork or other convenient part of the frame of a velocipede, and con-

page_text: nected with the driving-axle by means of chain or other suitable gearing, of treadle-
levers pivoted to extensions of the fork of the driving-wheel or other suitable part of
the frame of a velocipede and coupled to the said crank-shaft by means of links or
connecting rods, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination, with a crank-shaft mounted in suitable bearings in or
attached to the frame of a velocipede and connected with the driving-axle by means of
chain or other suitable gearing, of parallel motion apparatus comprising levers pivoted
to the fork of the driving-wheel and coupled to the said crank-shaft, and provided with
suitable treadles, substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The improved velocipede constructed substantially as described with
reference to either of the forms or modifications illustrated in the accompanying
drawings and operating in the manner above specified.
Dated this 31st day of May 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.