IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Amos Kirby, of Harpur Place, Bedford, for an Invention.
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES AND APPARATUS
CONNECTED THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Amos Kirby at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th December 1880.
AMOS KIRBY, of Harpur Place, Bedford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VELOCIPEDES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
.
My said Improvements consist,-
First. In certain novel arrangements of epicyclic wheel gearing for driving pairs
of wheels of velocipedes having three or more wheels.
Secondly. In fitting a spring or springs to certain tricycles for the purpose of
adjusting the centre of gravity in turning or travelling in a curved path or
direction.
Thirdly. In certain novel arrangements of connecting-rods, links, or chains, to-
bicycles, tricycles, and other vehicles.
Fourthly. In a certain improvement in the lamps of velocipedes.
In carrying out the first part of my improvements, I so arrange the driving gear
to the driving wheels of velocipedes having more than two wheels that provision is
made for the necessary varying of the speed of revolution of the several wheels,
when turning corners or travelling in curves.
One mode of carrying out this part of my Invention consists in arranging and
fitting the cranks upon a countershaft, which is fitted with a chain (or belt) driving
wheel. Upon the main axle is fitted a sleeve which carries a similar chain or belt
wheel, and which latter wheel is driven by the former. This driven wheel carries
on one side thereof, upon a stud at a suitable distance from the centre, a double
toothed pinion, or, in other words, a pinion of. two diameters. The axle which
passes through the sleeve is attached to one driving wheel, and has a suitable
toothed wheel keyed thereto, and the smaller portion of the aforesaid pinion gears
into such toothed wheel. The axle of the opposite driving wheel has fitted thereto
a cylindrical toothed wheel with internal teeth, which gear into and work with
the larger portion of the said pinion. By this arrangement the driving wheel on

page_text: either side may be retarded and the other accelerated, and when the velocipede is
travelling in a straight line the pinion and wheels revolve simultaneously together
as if in one solid block.
Another arrangement by which I effect this part of my Invention consists in
placing similar wheels and pinion upon the crank axle, the parallel toothed pinion
being carried round by an arm keyed to the crank shaft and revolving with it
and gearing into internal and external toothed wheels working on sleeves upon the
same axle, which two wheels carry and drive by chains or bands, similar wheels
upon the main axles attached to the respective road driving wheels.
A variation in the two foregoing arrangements consists in making the respective
toothed wheels of equal diametrical pitch, and the two pinions also of one diameter,
the pinions being placed at a suitable angle, and the respective teeth of the wheels
and pinions at a similar angle; each wheel in this case being conical and the
pinions travelling in a conical path.
Another arrangement by which I effect this part of my Invention consists in
placing the treadles between the two driving wheels, the axle thus forming a cranked
axle, the outer arms of which cranked axle carry the respective driving wheels upon
Bleeves or boxes. These sleeves are-fitted with suitable toothed wheels. Two short
axles with pinions pass through the two cranks or treadles, the pinions gearing
into the last mentioned toothed wheels; another short axle passes through and is
supported by the mid-crank arms; this latter axle connects by bevel pinions the
whole of these wheels in an epicyclic train, thus forming a novel and effective mode
of actuating and driving a pair of wheels in the manner described.
}
Another arrangement by which I effect this part of my Invention consists of a
variation of that last described, in which I substitute chain wheels or band wheels
for the last mentioned toothed wheels and pinions, and omit the intermediate axle
and bevel pinions.
The second part of my said Invention relates to such tricycles as are propelled by
means of a large driving wheel in front, and have two small trailing wheels behind.
I so arrange the junction of the back bone to the axle of the small wheels with a
suitable spring, giving a limited lateral play to such back bone that the rider can
incline his body inwards towards the centre of any curved course in which
he may be travelling, without lifting either of the wheels of the ground. This
arrangement obviates the danger arising from the operation of unbalanced
centrifugal force, and also the danger arising from the lifting of the outer hind
wheel.
I carry out the third part of my said Invention by arranging "lever"
velocipedes, or such velocipedes (whether having two or more wheels) as have
levers with connecting rods therefrom to the cranks, in such a manner that a
downward stroke of the lever gives motion to the crank during a greater portion
than half of a revolution, and thereby avoid the inconvenience arising from
dead points."
One mode of carrying out this part of my said Invention consists in making the
connecting rod in two parts with a joint at or near the middle. The lower joint is
secured to the lever by a pin. This end of the jointed rod is so arranged that it
cannot move towards the fulcrum of the lever any nearer than to form a right
angle therewith (or thereabouts), while it is free to move away from or to increase
such angle to any required extent. The effect of this is that when the crank bas
passed through a considerable portion of its downward semi-revolution, the
direction of the force is changed, and the "stroke" is not completed until con-
siderably more than 180° have been passed through by the crank, and the lever on
the opposite side bas already begun to revolve its crank. The same or nearly the
same effect may be produced by having two links to the lower part of the
connecting rod with slots therein, working on pins fitted at suitable points of
the lever; or chains or straps may be substituted for these lower links.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Amos Kirby in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 4th June
1881.
AMOS KIRBY, of Harpur Place, Bedford. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF VELOCIPEDES AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
My improvements are chiefly applicable to velocipedes which have a wheel on each
side of the rider, with the addition of one or more steering or supporting wheels.
They consist in the use of certain novel arrangements of epicyclic gearing for
distributing the driving power to the said side wheels. The object of this arrange-
ment is to provide for the necessary variation in the speed of their revolution when:
turning corners or travelling in curved lines, under which circumstances the wheel
on one side has to travel over a larger space of ground than is traversed by the
other in the same period of time. One method of accomplishing this object consists
in arranging the carriage with a long axle which extends from one side of it to
the other, and gives support by suitable bearings to the framework and seat.
Upon opposite ends of this axle the aforesaid road wheels are carried, one of them
being fixed to it by a key or other device; this for convenience of description may
be called the fixed wheel. The other road wheel (which is not keyed to the axle)
is capable of rotating upon it, and this wheel may be called the loose wheel. Upon
the fixed wheel, or upon some convenient portion of the axle to which it is fixed,
a suitable spur wheel is keyed, and upon the hub of the loose wheel, or upon a
sleeve attached thereto, a wheel of larger diameter than the last named, but con-
structed with internal teeth, is also made fast. If preferred this arrangement may
be reversed, and the spur wheel may be fixed to the loose wheel, and the wheel
with inside teeth fitted to the fixed wheel. Upon the portion of the axle which
lies between or within the above named toothed wheels, and free to rotate round
it, is carried a sleeve which is provided with radial arms and rim or a disc, and the
outside or periphery of either of which is formed into suitable teeth for receiving
or transmitting power or motion from the treadle or crank axle, by means of a
chain, strap, belt, or other intermediate gearing. Upon one of the arms of this
disc and at a suitable distance from its centre, is carried on a short axle supported
by a frame or upon a pin or stud, a double ended pinion, or, in other words, a
parallel toothed pinion, the ends of which are of different diameters. . When
this apparatus is fitted into its place the larger end of the pinion engages with the
inside teeth of the larger toothed wheel, whilst its smaller end engages with the
small spur wheel. When power or motion is communicated to the sleeve carrying
this distributing mechanism it is transmitted in equal proportions to the two side
or road driving wheels as long as the machine is travelling in a straight line, but
the parts of which it is composed do not move upon or in relation to one another;
when, however, by the use of the steering wheel, one of these is necessarily required
to travel faster than the other, the pinion on the retarded side will move or roll
over the toothed wheel with which it engages, and in so doing will cause increased
power and speed to be conveyed to the wheel which is not so retarded. It is
essential to the proper working of the carriage with the smallest amount of friction,
that the larger end of the pinion should bear as nearly as possible the same pro-
portion to the size of the toothed wheel with which it gears as the smaller end
bears to the toothed wheel it engages with, for otherwise a larger share of power
would be conveyed to the one than to the other, and some friction would be
produced; for example, if the two ends of the pinion are nearly of a size a larger
amount of power will be conveyed to the inside toothed wheel than is communi->
cated to the smaller spur wheel, and although the vehicle would be kept in a
straight course by the action of the steering wheel, it is evident that a waste of

page_text: power would be caused similar in character but different in degree to that which
takes place in machines which drive with one side wheel only.
A variation in this plan is effected by replacing the gear teeth on the inside
toothed wheel of the distributing gearing and those on the part of the pinion which
engages with it by outside teeth or notches, or arrangements suitable for carrying
a chain or band, and connecting them together by one of those devices. In this
case, as in the other, each end of the pinion should bear as nearly as possible the
same proportion to the wheel it drives or is connected with as the other end bears
to its wheel. Another arrangement by which I effect the same object consists
in placing the distributing gearing upon the crank axle or upon a counter-shaft or
intermediate axle; in which cases the double ended pinion is carried on a radial
arm keyed on to the crank axle or counter-shaft, and the inside and outside
toothed or chain wheels with which they communicate are carried on loose sleeves
upon the axle or counter-shaft, and these have other chain or gear toothed wheels
fixed to each of them for transmitting the motion to the respective road driving
wheels.
Another modification consists in dividing the long axle into two parts, to each of
which one of the road wheels and one of the toothed or chain wheels are fixed, as
before described, and the double ended distributing pinion is carried by means of a
sleeve upon one of the portions of the shaft or upon a separate short shaft
concentrically with the other two.
In another modification each end of the divided portion of the shaft might have
a spur or chain wheel keyed to it, which could receive motion by means of chains
or toothed wheels from distributing gearing placed on the crank axle or upon a
countershaft.
In the accompanying Drawings similar letters relate to similar parts in the
several Figures.
In Fig. 1 a is a portion of the axle of the fixed wheel; a¹ is the spur wheel fixed
or keyed to or otherwise forming part of the fixed axle. b is a portion of the hub
of the loose wheel, to which the wheel b' with internal teeth is fitted, and
turns therewith. c is the driving disc or drum working upon the sleeve d, which
is capable of rotating upon the axle a. This driving disc is fitted for chain, strap,
or other gear as desired. A stud c² is fitted to the driving disc, as shewn, upon
which the pinion c¹ of two diameters is fitted and revolves. The working diameter
of the small end of the pinion c¹ bears to the working diameter of the spur wheel a¹
the same proportion that the working diameter of the larger end of c¹ bears to the
working diameter of 6. Thus, if the diameter of a¹ is four times that of the small
end of c', then the diameter of 6' is four times the diameter of the larger end
of a¹.
The above arrangement may be reversed as herein before mentioned, that is to
say, the wheel b' may be fitted to the axle of the road wheel a, and the spur wheel a¹
fitted to b.
Fig. 2 is intended to further illustrate Fig. 1 (drawn to a smaller scale), in which
Figure 2 the position of the crank axle d is shewn with the chain wheel or other
driving wheel d¹
Fig. 3 shews another form of the arrangement. Instead of using a wheel with
internal teeth as before, c¹ is composed of a small spur pinion united to a chain
pinion, both having the same relative diameter, or they may be of different
diameters provided that the diameter of bears to that of 6¹ the same proportion
as the diameter of c¹ is to that of a'.
In Fig. 4 d is the crank axle; d¹, d², the two driving drums; c' is the double
ended pinion carried round by the arm e. The large end of c¹ gears into and
actuates by means of its internal teeth, and the smaller end of c¹ gears into and
actuates the spur wheel a¹ which is fixed to and rotates with d². Corresponding
drums are fitted to the respective road driving wheels of the carriage in such a
manner that the drum d drives one road wheel and the drum d the other road
wheel.

page_text: Fig. 5 represents another modification of the foregoing. d is the crank axle to
which is fitted the arm e.
This arm carries the double ended pinion c¹, c³, upon a
stud, being a chain pinion. d, d², are the two driving drums running loosely
upon the axle d. a¹ is a spur wheel which is fixed to and turns with d², and is
actuated by the pinion c¹, as shewn. a² is a chain wheel fixed to and turning
with d¹, and is actuated by the chain pinion c³. The driving drums d', d', actuate
corresponding drums fitted to the respective road driving wheels, as lastly herein
before described.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, and the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
claim any special form of carriage, and I do not confine the application of my said
Invention to carriages or velocipedes constructed with any particular number of
wheels, or to carriages driven by pedomotive, manumotive, or any other power;
but what I do claim and desire to be secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
The several combinations and arrangements of apparatus for transmitting power
to the two road driving wheels of velocipedes by means of self-acting, equalising,
and distributing gear composed of toothed wheels and double ended pinions,
substantially as herein before described and severally shewn in the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Amos Kirby, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Second day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
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