IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TRICYCLES ALSO APPLICABLE FOR DRIVING OTHER VEHICLES OR THE SHAFTS OF PRIME MOTORS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the Liverpool and London
Agency for foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TRICYCLES
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR DRIVING OTHER VEHICLES OR THE SHAFTS OF PRIME
MOTORS & communication from Nelson Merrill Lawyer of the city, County and
State of New York United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th October 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO
APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TRICYCLES; ALSO APPLICABLE FOR DRIVING OTHER
VEHICLES OR THE SHAFTS OF PRIME MOTORS."-A communication from Nelson
Merrill, Lawyer, of the City, county and State of New York, United States of
America.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of tricycles or bicycles,
or to rotating shafts serving as motors and adapted to be driven by foot power, in
which the two pedal-cranks are disposed at an angle with each other of about
120 degrees and are combined with a third shorter crank, or pair of cranks
formed to project from the axle or shaft at an angle with the pedal-cranks of
about 120 degrees, the short double crank or cranks being coupled by suitable
connecting rods with a vibrating lever or levers carrying a saddle upon which the
person operating the machine is seated, as is described in Letters Patent N° 5514
of 1881.
It consists mainly in the combination of the pitman rods which uphold the free
end of the pivoted lever carrying the oscillating seat or saddle with short cranks
upon an auxiliary idle shaft, which is also formed or fitted with cranks corre-
sponding to the foot cranks upon the driving axle so as to be in fact a duplicate
Pri Q77

page_text: thereof, and which is journalled in suitable bearings upon the frame in front of
said axle to rotate freely in line parallel therewith; and it consists also in the
combination with the wrists of the corresponding cranks on the shaft and axle, of
coupling bars carrying the pedale or serving as treadles for the machine and which
are made to connect said cranks, these coupling bars being so bent or constructed
and arranged as to bring the weight of the rider in front of the axle and to
support his feet at a distance above the wrists of the cranks during their entire
revolution.
It consists furthermore in the combination of the steering handle, or wheel for
operating the steering wheel of the tricycle or other vehicle propelled by the
combined foot and seat cranks as described, with the pivoted lever upon which the
seat is mounted so as to rise and fall therewith, said lever being itself pivoted at
its forward end immediately to the tubular standard in which the post or fork
supporting the steering wheel is journalled.
The object of these improvements is to obtain an effective forward thrust against
the cranks as the oscillating seat descends under the weight of the rider; to obtain
also an increase of leverage upon each pedal-crank without increasing the travel of
the foot up and down in operating the crank; and to allow the rider to be seated
over or in front of the axle with his feet thrown further forward and in a more
natural and easy position when at work than in other styles of machines; and
finally to improve and facilitate the operation of the steering gear.
As a further improvement this invention relates to the combination with the
seat or saddle of shoulder-straps attached thereto or to the oscillating lever
supporting it, and which are adapted to pass over the shoulders of the rider when
seated in the saddle so that he may, by slightly straightening his body as well
as his legs in bearing down upon the pedal-cranks, increase his effective force
upon said cranks by the muscular effort involved in thus straightening the body.
The parallel idle shaft formed with two cranks the counterpart of the cranks
upon the axle, is especially useful in machines adapted to carry two persons and
constructed with three cranks on the driving axle placed at angles of 120 degrees
with each other, and in which the middle crank is operated by the right and left
foot respectively of each rider bearing jointly thereon, and the other two cranks
separately by their remaining feet.
It is evident that the power applied by devices substantially as herein described
to produce the rotation of the axle of a tricycle or other form of velocipede may be
employed by means of substantially the same devices to drive a shaft journalled in
stationary bearings for use as a prime motor and such an applicatian of the
invention is herein contemplated.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Patent Office on the
17th April 1884.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, of the Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents, "IMPROVEMENTS IN OR APPERTAINING TO
APPARATUS FOR DRIVING TRICYCLES: ALSO APPLICABLE FOR DRIVING OTHER
VEHICLES OR THE SHAFTS OF PRIME MOTORS." A communication from Nelson
Merrill, Lawyer, of the city, county and state of New York, United States of
America.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of tricycles or bicycles, or
to rotating shafts serving as motors and adapted to be driven by foot power, in
which the two pedal-cranks are disposed at an angle with each other of about
120 degrees, and are combined with a third shorter crank or pair of cranks formed
to project from the axle or shaft at an angle with the pedal cranks of about
120 degrees, the short double crank or cranks being coupled by suitable connecting
rods with a vibrating lever or levers carrying a saddle upon which the person
operating the machine is seated, as is described in Letters Patent N° 5514 of 1881.
The additional improvements consist in fitting an auxiliary idle-shaft in suitable
bearings upon the frame of the machine in front of its driving axle or main shaft
to revolve freely in line parallel therewith, said shaft being formed or fitted with
cranks corresponding with the cranks upon the driving axle so as to constitute in
fact substantially a duplicate thereof; and in connecting the wrists of the corre
sponding cranks on the shaft and axle by means of coupling bars which in the case
of the pedal-cranks will serve to support the pedals at a distance above the cranks,
and in case of the short cranks will serve as a point of attachment for the pitman-
rods which actuate the saddle lever or levers.
By the use of the auxiliary idle crank shaft as described the rider's feet may be
brought further forward into a more natural and easy position when at work; the
seat of the rider may also be brought well in front of the axle ; an effective forward
thrust is obtained against the cranks supporting the seat as it descends under the
weight of the rider; the steering wheel may be advantageously placed in front of
the machine; and the whole construction of the machine improved, as hereinafter
fully described and illustrated.
It consists furthermore in the combination of the steering handle or wheel for
operating the steering wheel of the tricycle or other vehicle propelled by the
combined foot and seat cranks as described, with the pivoted lever upon which
the seat is mounted so as to rise and fall therewith, said lever being itself pivoted
at its forward end immediately to the tubular standard in which the post or fork
supporting the steering wheel is journalled.
As a further improvement, this invention relates to the combination with the
Beat or saddle of shoulder straps attached thereto, or to the oscillating lever
supporting it, and which are adapted to pass over the shoulders of the rider when
Beated in the saddle so that he may, by slightly straightening his body as well as
his legs in bearing down upon the pedal-cranks increase his effective force upon
said cranks by the muscular effort involved in thus straightening the body.
The parallel idle-shaft formed with two cranks the counter-part of the cranks
upon the axle is especially useful in machines adapted to carry two persons, and
constructed with three cranks on the driving axle placed at right angles of
120 degrees with each other, and in which the middle crank is operated by the

page_text: right and left foot respectively of each rider bearing jointly thereon, and the other
two cranks separately by their remaining feet.
It is evident that the power applied by devices substantially as herein described
to produce the rotation of the axle of a tricycle or other form of velocipede may be
employed by means of substantially the same devices to drive a shaft journalled
in stationary bearings for use as a prime-motor, and such an application of the
invention as herein contemplated.
In the accompanying drawings;-
Fig 1 is a view in perspective of the machine constructed with the additional
improvements.
Fig 2 a side elevation of the saine.
Fig 3 a top view thereof and
Fig 4 a diagram illustrating by dotted lines, and on an enlarged scale, the
movement of one of the pedals supported above the cranks.
A represents a light strong forked frame whose two parallel horizontal arms
furnish or support bearings for the axle B and for a parallel shaft C placed in front
thereof.
The forward end or reach W of the frame A is firmly secured to a vertical
tubular standard D, through which as a pivotal bearing the upper end of the
fork E carrying the front steering wheel is carried.
The axle B is formed with two pedal-cranks a a disposed at an angle of
120 degrees with each other, and outside of these with two shorter seat-cranks e e
one at each end (see Fig 3) projecting both in the same plane at an angle of
120 degrees with the pedal-cranks in manner as set forth in Letters Patent of
December 16th 1881. The parallel shaft C is mounted in front of the cranked
axle B at a distance therefrom somewhat exceeding the length of the pedal-cranks
to rotate freely in suitable bearings upon the frame. It is constructed with a series
of cranks corresponding in all respects with the cranks on the axle B. Pedals G G
are supported immediately over the wrists of the pedal-cranks a¹ on the idle-shaft C
each upon a bent connecting rod d pivoted at its front end to the wrist of the front
crank a¹, and at its rear end to the corresponding pedal-crank a on the axle. By
means of this connecting rod the two cranks a a¹ are not only coupled together so
that they shall revolve in unison, but the pedals. are constantly upheld thereby
above the cranks in the entire circle of their movement, and if desired in such
manner as that the foot shall project forward of, and overhang, the end of the
crank.
This over hanging of the pedal beyond, and in front of the wrist of the front
crank, operates virtually as an extension of the length of the crank, as it approaches
a horizontal plane in front of its shaft furnishing additional leverage at the moment
the crank is brought into effective action without however increasing the length
of the stroke or up and down movement of the foot in operating it (see diagram
Fig 4.)
The seat-cranks ee on the axle may likewise be coupled with the counterpart
seat-cranks e¹ e¹ on the idle-shaft by straight connecting bars H H (see Fig 3).
The seat or saddle K of the machine is fitted directly over or somewhat in front
of the axle B upon the rear end of a long lever L, which is pivoted at its front end
to the reach W of the frame (see Fig 2).
The saddle K is connected to the seat-cranks e e¹ by means of two telescopic
rods J J pivoted to the saddle or its lever L and whose lower ends are secured
each to one of the bars H H or pivoted directly to one of the cranks e e¹. The
upward movement of the reciprocating rods J J actuated by the cranks e e¹ produce
an upward movement of the seat lever and seat; whilst the downward movement
of the seat under the weight of the rider actuates the cranks and is thereby
utilized in the propulsion of the machine. A handle P is pivoted upon the seat-
lever L within easy reach of a person seated on the saddle K.
Its ends are connected directly by means of intermediate cords or rods QQ with
the two ends of a cross-bar R upon the upper end of the fork E carrying the front

page_text: wheel F, so that the movement of the handle P will actuate the cross-bar R and
with it the front wheel F to turn it in either direction.
A brake S upon one arm of a bell-crank lever T pivoted under the cross-bar is
made to bear at will upon the rim of the wheel F by tension upon a cord T" led
from the other end of the lever T to within reach of the rider (see Fig 2).
In the use of the improved tricycle constructed as described the weight of the
rider mounted upon the saddle K is brought into constant and effective operation
for the propulsion of the machine. In working the machine, the rider, seated in
the saddle immediately over or somewhat in front of the axle, places his feet upon
the pedals, which are in front of the axle and of the rider's body and within easy
and natural reach of the feet at all points of their revolution. As the weight of
the uppermost foot is brought to bear upon its pedal, the two connected cranks are
thereby made to revolve, and as the foot is carried forward or downward a leverage
is exerted upon the cranks which increases as the crank-arm approaches the
horizontal. The throw of the foot is not increased by this movement as the sweep
of the pedal vertically and horizontally is determined by the length of the crank
alone, irrespective of the form or length of the coupling bars as is illustrated by
the dotted lines in Fig 4.
So soon as the pressure of one foot has brought the crank upon which it bears
beyond the line of most effective leverage, the crank under the second foot has
attained a point in the revolution where it becomes most effective under the
application of weight and power thereto to produce a rotation of the shaft, and
when in its movement it has passed beyond the point of effective leverage and the
crank under the first foot is still rising and hence is inoperative, the seat-cranks
reach their point of effective leverage and the weight of the rider being thereupon
transferred from the pedal wholly to the seat, operates effectively upon said cranks
until the first foot can be again brought effectively into play.
The location of the pedals upon coupling bars & which connect the crank upon
the axle with cranks upon an idle-shaft whereby the weight of the driver is thrown
in front of the axle, and the connection of the seat placed over the axle with the
cranks on the idle-shaft in front of the axle which operates as a driving shaft,
whereby the weight of the driver when not used effectively upon the pedals is
applied with a forward thrust against the seat-cranks, serves to increase largely the
efficiency of the machine and to ensure simply and practically a direct and positive
application of the weight and muscular power of the rider to the cranks and wheels
without any increase in the movement of the foot and legs over that required in
the most approved forms of bicycles and tricycles. Moreover by reason of the
position of the pedals with relation to the saddle and steering handle on the saddle-
bar, when the weight of the rider is thrown upon the pedals, he may grasp the
handle and by pulling thereon as he rises from the saddle to bear upon the pedals,
may lift the seat lever and thus exert an upward pull upon the seat cranks which
will greatly assist in effecting a revolution of the wheels. At the same time by
straightening out his flexed arms and knees, he is enabled to exert with ease a
powerful muscular force which will be brought to bear in addition to his mere
weight force directly upon the pedal-cranks in propelling the machine.
This up-pull with the hands in rising may be made more effective by means of
shoulder straps led over the shoulders of the rider and secured at either end to the
saddle or its pitman-rods, so that by slightly straightening the body as well as the
legs in making the rise in the saddle, the up-pull on the seat lever as well as
the down-push on the cranks will be increased or enforced whilst the shoulder straps
will also afford a certain support to the rider when thus working the machine.
The down-push of the seat in descending may also be increased by a simultaneous
counter up-pull upon the cranks with the toes of the feet against straps secured
for the purpose over the ends of the pedals.
The pedal cranks on the axle and idle-shaft may be coupled by straight bars
connected to the one and the other instead of by the bent bars d as shown, although
the latter are preferred in order to throw the feet more to the front and to permit

page_text: a higher adjustment of the seat and a better alignment of the pitman-rods extending
diagonally thereto from the seat cranks.
Having now described the invention as communicated to me, I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect under Letters Patent is :
1st. In a velocipede or motor the combination with its axle or driving shaft, a
seat mounted to vibrate vertically over the same, and an idle-shaft rotating in line
parallel with the axle or driving shaft, of one or more cranks formed on said idle-
shaft and coupled by pitman-rods with the vibrating seat or seat lever, pedal-cranks
also formed on said shaft at an angle of about 120 degrees with each other and
with the seat-cranks and counter part pedal-cranks formed on the axle or driving
shaft and coupled by connecting bars with the pedal-cranks on the idle-shaft,
substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
2nd. The combination with the rotating fork or spindle carrying the steering
wheel of a velocipede, a vibrating lever pivoted to the standard supporting said
fork and actuated by cranks upon the axle or a counterpart idle-shaft driven
thereby, and a seat fitted upon the lever to partake of its movement, of a steering
wheel or handle mounted upon said lever within reach of the rider upon the seat
and geared to the fork or spindle of the driving wheel, substantially in the manner
and for the purpose herein set forth.
3rd. The combination in a velocipede or motor with the counterpart pedal-cranks
upon its driving axle and auxiliary idle-shaft, of a pedal-bar or bars adapted to
uphold the foot of the operator above the crank of the idle-shaft during its entire
revolution, and to couple said crank with the corresponding crank upon the driving
axle, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 16th day of April in the year of our Lord on thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
V
WP.
F. THOMPSON
(145.