IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE APPARATUS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1863.
I, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE APPARATUS, WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus suitable for the trans-
port and traction of passengers and goods. This apparatus is worked by
a combination of double acting levers which are set in motion by the dis-
placement of the load, weight, or passenger..
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 of which
shows a longitudinal elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan; Fig. 3, an end
view, and Fig. 4 a modification herein-after described. a, four wheels coupled
together, two and two, by two parallelaxles b, c, forming a front and rear carriage,
[Price 8d.]

page_text: these axles, as seen in the Drawing, are not fixed at the centres of the wheels,
but at about three or four inches from them; d, e, outside connecting rods
jointed to the bosses of the wheels at about three or four inches from their
centres and seven inches from the points of attachment of the axles;
these two rods are connected together by the treadle f; g, frame of the
the apparatus, to which the body of the vehicle is fixed, indicated in the Draw-
ing by the bar h, on which the operator strides, for instance, in order to work
the apparatus. The driving rods d, e, are applicable to vehicles with one, two,
three, or four wheels, and are actuated by the sole effect of the removal of the
weight on bar h. I will, in this description, confine myself to one application
of the apparatus, which may be used for drawing and carrying on common
roads or on railways. The apparatus is composed, as above mentioned, of four
or other number of wheels, which in this case are from two to three feet in
diameter, coupled together at the ends of two axles b,c, forming rotating shafts,
that is, said wheels are solidly fixed to the axles, and are further dependent on
each other, so as to form a front and rear carriage in one; the point of con-
nection of the axles to the wheels is also about three or four inches from their
centres, which distance may be varied according to the purpose to which the
apparatus is to be applied and the diameter of the wheels. A longitudinal
jointed rod (not seen) is also connected at the centres of the axles to two
projections thereon, said rod serving to keep the wheels in proper position.
Two other or driving rods d, e, are jointed on the outside of the wheelsa about
seven inches from the point, at which the axles are fitted to said wheels. The
body or frame of the apparatus, represented by letters g, h, is fixed to the
axles which turn with the wheels, and the fixed frame runs across, said axles
being carried in bearings between the guard plates. This frame serves to carry
the weight, the alternate removal of which from the one side of the centre of
the wheels to the other creates the motion and consequent progression
of the whole apparatus and weight with which it is charged.
This displacement and action of the weight which produces the motion con-
stitutes the essential feature of this improved apparatus. The arrangement
shown in the Drawing is intended for a person's use, as a means of locomotion,
for which purpose he bestrides or sits in other position on the bar h, causing
"the rods d, e, to overcome the equilibrium by his weight, and so move either
backwards or forwards. An inert weight may be substituted for that of the
person, and arranged so as to be capable of displacement, so as to act in like
manner by any mechanical means for the purpose of overcoming the equili-
brium necessary in order to produce motion in the apparatus. With regard to

page_text: the axles fixed to the wheels, I have stated that they, as well as the driving rods,
are jointed at the same point of their diameter, instead of which I may form
cranks on the ends of the axles, and joint the driving rods thereto, in which
case the axles would be placed at the centres of the running wheels. This
arrangement is represented in end view at Fig. 4, which shows the double
cranked axles; also, instead of the axles b, c, being fixed to the wheels, the
latter may be mounted so as to turn on the axles, which are in this case fixed.
This apparatus may also be used in any mechanical operation, such as for
purposes of navigation and for driving mills or other machinery.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
December 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN LOCOMOTIVE APPARATUS WHICH IS ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER PUR
POSES," a communication to me from abroad by Casimir Noël, of 29, Boulevart
St. Martin, Paris, Merchant, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Clark, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheets of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates to an improved apparatus suitable for the transport
and traction of passengers and goods; this apparatus is worked by a com-
bination of double-acting levers, which are set in motion by the displacement
of the load weight.
This Invention is illustrated in the accompanying, Drawings, Fig. 1 of
which shows a longitudinal elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a plan;
Fig. 3, an end view; and Fig. 4, a modification herein-after described.
a, four wheels coupled together two and two by two parallel axles b, c, forming
a front and rear carriage; these axles as is seen are not fixed to the centres
of the wheels, but at about three or four inches from then; d, e, outside rods
jointed to the bosses of the wheels at about three or four inches from their
centres, and seven inches from the point of attachment of the axles, these two
rods are connected together by the treadle f; g, frame of the apparatus to
which the body of the vehicle is fixed, here indicated by a simple bar h, on
which the operator strides for instance in ordinary, to work the apparatus.
The driving rods d, e, are applicable to vehicles with one, two, three, or four
wheels, and are actuated by the effect of the removal of the weight on bar h.
.I will in this description confine myself to one application of the apparatus
which may be used for drawing and carrying on common roads and on railways.
The apparatus is composed as above mentioned of four or other number of
wheels, which in this case are from two to three feet in diameter, in pairs, on
two axlesb, c, forming rotating shafts, that is, said wheels are solidly fixed to the
axles, and are further dependent on each other, so as to form a front and rear
carriage in one, the point of connection of the axles to the wheels is also about
- three or four inches from their centres, which distance may be varied according
to the purpose to which the apparatus is to be applied and the diameter of
the wheels. A longitudinal jointed rod, not seen, is also connected at the
centres of the axles to two projections thereon, said rods serving to keep the
wheels in proper position. Two other or driving rods d, e, are jointed to the
outside of the wheels at a, about seven inches from the point at which the
axles are fitted to said wheels. The body or frame of the vehicle, represented
by letters gand h, is fixed to the rotating axles, and the fixed frame runs across
.said axles being carried in bearings between the guard plates; this frame

page_text: serves to carry the weight, the alternate removal of which from the one side
of the centre of the wheels to the other creates the motion, and consequent
progression of the whole apparatus and weight with which it is. loaded.
This displacement and action of the weight which produces the motion
constitutes the essential feature of this improved apparatus. The arrange-
ment shown in the Drawing is intended for a person using it as a means
of locomotion, for which purpose he bestrides or sits in other position on the
bar h, causing the jointed rod d, e, by his weight to overcome the equilibrium,
and so move either backwards or forwards. An inert weight may be
substituted for that of the person, and arranged so as to be capable of
displacement, and act in like manner by any mechanical means for the
purpose of overcoming the equilibrium necessary in order to produce motion
in the apparatus.
With regard to the axles I have stated that they, as well as the driving
rods, were fixed at the same point of the diameter of the wheels, instead of
which I may form cranks on the ends of the axles, and joint the driving rods
thereto, in which case the axles would be placed at the centres of the
running wheels; this arrangement is represented in end view at Fig. 4,
which shows the double-cranked axles. Also instead of the axles b and c
being fixed to the wheels, the latter may be fitted so as to turn on the axles,
which are in this case fixed. This arrangement of apparatus may also be
used in any mechanical operation, such as for purposes. of navigation and
driving mills or other machinery.
The several parts of this apparatus may be further modified, although
remaining the same in principle, thus I may, 1st, joint the driving rods at
the one end to one of the axles inside the wheels, and joint the opposite
ends of rods to the other axle outside the wheels of the vehicle; 2ndly, I
may vary the distance at which the wheels of the vehicle are mounted
apart, so that the wheels will not run in the same plane; rdly, I may
apply hinge joints to the driving rods so as to turn the vehicle in any
desired direction; 4thly, I may impart a certain amount of flexibility to
the tie bar connecting the two axles by the application of a flexible strip of
steel. By these improvements the apparatus will be much simplified and
may be constructed with greater economy and rapidity.
Fig. 5 of the Drawings represents a plan of the vehicle modified as
described.
a are the wheels, coupled together two and two by axles b, c, which axles
are cranked and fixed about four inches from the centres of the wheels a;

page_text: d, e, driving rods jointed to the cranks of the axles, which cranks are about
four inches from the centres of the wheels and about eight inches from
the point of attachment of the axles; the two rods d and e serve to drive
the vehicle, and are jointed at f, so that the fore or rear carriage may be
turned in any direction; the foot boards g are also mounted on these rods;
h, fixed bar connecting the two axles b, c, at points corresponding to the
centres of wheels a. This bar is furnished at its centre with a flexible steel
strip i, whereby it may be folded together.
Vehicles may also be constructed on this system with one straight axle,
the other being cranked, as described.
According to further improvements in this Invention I may also apply it
to barrows and other vehicles in which the axle connecting the driving
wheels and carrying the weight is formed with a double crank, and is in a
line with the centres of the wheels in such manner that the load always
remains horizontal, the cranks on the axles are also furnished with driving
rods or shafts.
A fore carriage may be applied independent of the driving apparatus, by
means of which it may be turned in any required direction. These improve-
ments are represented in Sheet 2 of the Drawings, Fig. 1 of which shows a
plan of a hand barrow furnished with the improved system of driving levers,
while Fig. represents a sectional elevation of same; Fig. 3 represents an
elevation of a vehicle with driving levers and a double cranked axle, also
furnished with driving and running gear, while Fig. 4 shows plan of same.
The same letters apply to each of the Figures.
a, double cranked axle fitted in wheels b, b, about four inches from their
centres; c, straight part of said axles which are always in a line with the
centres of said wheels. This part carries the body or frame d containing
the load, in such manner that the latter always remains at the same height
in a horizontal plane; e, shafts for pushing or drawing the barrow; f, Figs. 3
and 4, fore carriage connected to the rear or driving apparatus by the
This fore carriage may be mounted at a lower level than the driving
carriage, which facilitates its travelling motion; h, driving rods jointed to
bar g, and actuated by the feet of the person riding thereon.
bar g.
Having described the nature of this Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the arrange-
ment and construction of vehicles herein described and represented,furnished
i with the double action driving levers in the manner and for the purposes

page_text: described, as also the various applications of the same, all as herein indicated
and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
W. G. E. SwINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
W. CLAKA.
(L.B.)