Improvements in Treadle-lever Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes or the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1888
Specification Accepted, 31st Aug., 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treadle-lever Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes
or the like.
A communication from CARL HEINRICH SCHÜRER, of Blasewitz, near Dresden, in
the Empire of Germany.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. 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 :-
The present invention has for its object to provide velocipedes and the like with
reciprocating pedal levers mounted loosely on the crank axle which they turn by a
peculiar biting action and which levers may be lengthened at will when inclines have
to be ascended.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figs. 1 and 2 represent in side elevation and plan respectively a treadle-lever with
slide.
Fig. 3 represents a treadle-lever shortened or with the pedal arm turned in.
Figs. 4 and 5 represent in side elevation and plan respectively a treadle-lever
lengthened or with the pedal arm turned out.
The levers K are mounted loosely on the axle A but embrace the grooved discs M
which are mounted rigidly on the axle A. The levers K are formed with corresponding
inner grooves and into or between these grooves are introduced balls k playing in the
widened part E of the inner groove of the lever. The crank axle is moved by means
of these balls k engaging between the two grooves when the pedal is depressed. The
pedal is lifted again either by means of a strap surrounding the foot of the rider or
by a suitable spring F or otherwise, and the ball k is always free in the widened part E
when the treadle-lever is being lifted but bites at once between the grooves when the
lever is depressed. A plate D fastened to the face of the treadle-lever covers the
grooved disc M and the widened part E and prevents the escape of the ball k and
the entrance of dust or dirt.

page_text: To enable the rider to exert a greater or lesser pressure on the treadle-lever the
latter is constructed in such a manner that the effective length can be adjusted at will
during the travelling.
The adjusting mechanism represented in Figs. 1 and 2 consists of an adjustable
slide S arranged on the treadle-lever to which slide is fastened the pedal P the slide
is provided with a spring actuated latch or pawl T which is depressed by the foot of
the rider when the slide is to be moved by his foot and the pawl engages in notches
formed in the treadle-lever for the different positions of the slide and pedal.
Another method of lengthening the treadle-lever is represented in Figs. 3 to 5.
Here an arm S¹ is pivotted to the treadle-lever to which arm is fastened the pedal P.
Usually and in the normal state this arm S¹ is turned inwards as in Fig. 3 but when
an incline has to be ascended this arm is turned outwards by means of the foot of the
rider and the treadle-lever is thus lengthened as represented in Figs. 4 and 5. A
spring actuated pin 6 engaging in conical recesses in the rigid pivot pin B keeps the
arm S¹ in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In velocipedes or the like a reciprocating treadle-lever such as K mounted
loosely on its axle but capable of engaging therewith by means of a ball k and the
effective length of which is rendered adjustable substantially as herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In velocipedes or the like a reciprocating treadle-lever such as K the effective
length of which is capable of being adjusted by a slide such as S by which the pedal
is carried and which may be locked in any desired position on the crank substantially
as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In velocipedes or the like a reciprocating treadle-lever such as K the effective
length of which is capable of being adjusted by an arm such as S¹ pivotted thereto and
carrying the pedal substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.