IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND QUADRICYCLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nils Knut Husberg, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of
Sweden, and of 64, Cowcross Street, in the City of London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND QUADRICYCLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by tho said Nils Knut Husberg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1881.
NILS KNUT HUSBERG, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, and of
64, Cow Cross Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND
QUADRICYCLES."
The principal objects of this Invention, which relates to improvements in
tricycles and quadrocycles (both hereinafter merely called velocipedes) aro to reduce
the power required for the propulsion of the velocipedo and to make it compressible
both in length and width.
•
Rotary motion has in tricycles sometimes been imparted to their driving-wheels
by means of pedal levers, each one pivoted at one extremity to the frame, and at
the other connected by means of a strap or chain or other flexible piece to a pulley
or segment mounted upon and by means of clutches or ratchets and pawls (the
combination of which with pullies or segments will hereinafter be named clutch
pullies) connected with the axle of the driving-wheel, the pedal being attached to
the lever somewhere between the latter's two extremities.
For my improved velocipede I reverse the above described position of the pedal pin
and the flexible connecting-piece (hereinafter called chain),attaching thus the latter
nearer to the fulcrum of the lever than is the pedal pin. By such an arrangement
I am enabled to reduce considerably the diameter of the clutch pulley, and this
causes a corresponding reduction in the work that is inevitably lost at each return
movement of said pulley. The chain may be attached to the lever upon, above, or
below a straight line drawn between the pedal pin and the fulcrum of the lever,
and in such a manner that the rider can easily alter its position whenever change
of leverage is required. The above mentioned clutch pulley, instead of being

page_text: mounted upon the axle of the driving wheel, may be mounted upon some other
axle, from which latter the power is transmitted to the driving-wheel by suitable
gearing.
.
When levers are used for the propulsion of the velocipede, and said levers are
connected to the axle upon which they are mounted, or to some other axle, by means
of ratchets and pawls or clutches, and besides supported by springs effecting the
return movements of the levers, I apply a strap or its equivalent just over or near
to the pedal pin, either to the pedal, or to the lever, or to the pedal pin itself, so
that the rider can with his foot effect tho return movement of the pedal lever.
The spring or springs used for the same purpose may thus be made very pliant,
which also causes a reduction of the power required for the propulsion of the
velocipede.
The length and width of a velocipede constructed with two steering front wheels
I reduce whenever required, as, for instanco, when the velocipede has to be passed
through a narrow entry, by pivoting each one of the steering-wheels to a separate
arm or piece, the whole being so constructed and the aforesaid arms so connected
to the frame that each one of the steering-wheels with its corresponding supporting
arm can when necessary be moved nearer to the centre-line of the vehicle, and at
the same time even backwards.
Each one of the guide-wheels when mounted upon stud-axles I so construct that
the hub flange of the free end of the axle comes farther from the centre plane of
the wheel than does the hub flange at the fixed end of the stud-axle, the strain
upon which by the said construction of the wheel will be reduced.
The bar to which the stud-axle is secured is connected to its wheel in the usual
manner for steering purposes, but it will be easier to guide the velocipede if the
centre line of the pivoted part of the bar is perpendicular, not going however, as
usual when prolonged through the centre of the axis of the guide-wheel, but
somewhat nearer towards the seat or saddle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Nils Knut Husberg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd June
1882.
NILS KNOT HUSBERG, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden, and of
64, Cow Cross Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND
QUADRICYCLES."
The principal object of this Invention is to reduce the power required for the
propulsion of tricycles and quadricycles in which levers are used to impart rotary
motion to the driving wheels.
Rotary motion has sometimes been imparted to the driving wheels of tricycles
by means of pedal levers, each pivoted at one extremity to the frame and connected
at the other by means of a strap, or chain, or some other flexible piece to a pulley
or segment mounted upon and connected with the axle of the driving wheel by
means of ratchets and pawls, or clutches, the pedal being situated somewhere
between the two extremities of the pedal lever. For convenience I shall hereinafter
rafer to the combination of ratchets and pawls, or clutches, with pullies or segments
by the term "clutch pullies."
In my improved velocipede I reverse the above described position of the pedal
and the flexible connecting piece (hereinafter called "chain") thus attaching the
latter to the lever at a point between the falcrum of the lever and the pedal.
By such an arrangement I am enabled to considerably roduce the diameter of
the clutch pulley employed, and this causes a corresponding reduction in the work
that is inevitably lost at each return movement of the said pulley. The chain may
be attached to the lever upon, above, or below a straight line drawn between the
pedal and the fulcrum of the lever, and in such a manner as that the rider can
easily alter its position whenever change of leverage is required.
The above mentioned clutch pullies, instead of being mounted upon the axle
of the driving wheel, inay be mounted upon some other axle, from which latter tho
power is transmitted to the driving wheel by suitable gearing.
When the levers used for the propulsion of the velocipede are connected to the
axle upon which they are mounted, or as above described, to some other axles by
means of ratchets and pawls, or other clutches, and are besides supported by springs
or elastic cords, effecting the return movements of the clutches, I apply a strap or
its equivalent above, or near to the pedal, either to the pedal or to the lever, or to
the pedal pin itself, so that the rider can with his foot effect the return movement
of the pedal. The springs or elastic cords supporting the levers may thus be inade
very pliant, which also causes a reduction of the power required for the propulsion
of the velocipede.
Before further describing my Invention I would remark that since the filing of
my Provisional Specification two Specifications of Patents describing and showing
certain manners of using levers in combination with chains and clutches for the
propulsion of velocipedes (vis., 2013 of 16 June 1881, granted to. A. L. Bricknell,
and 4121 of 24 Septr. 1881, granted to T. E. Heath) have been published, but the
only manner in which a lever having the chain attached to it between its fulcrqia
and the pedal can be advantageously used in tricycles and quadricycles consists in
effecting the return stroke of the lever, or rather the return stroke of the clutch
pulley by means of a spring or elastic cord, and in pivoting the said lever to the
frame of the velocipede in such a position ns that the pedal comes at the foreward
end of the lever. By having the return strokes of the said puliies effected by

page_text: springs or their equivalents the levers can be worked independently of each other,
and the rider thus apply power to the pedal in a more varied and convenient
manner than when the levers are connected, in which latter case the speed of both
the connected levers must be instantaneously checked, and this when the foot is in
its highest or least favourable position to apply power, at which moment too the
friction and resistance in the gearing connecting the levers is at its maximum.
The advantages of having the lever pivoted to the frame of the velocipede at its
(the lever's) rear or inner end, are that the " single drivers" to which it thus may be
applied can be constructed with an open or unobstructed front, that the mechanisın
can be advantageously applied to "front steering" tricycles and quadricycles, that
the weight of the rider comes nearer to the driving wheel or driving wheels than
when the levers are pivoted with their foreward end to the frame, and that the
pedal lever can be composed of two side bars, between which the pedal and chain
are fitted, and this I consider to be the only practicable manner of applying the
lever, as it prevents all bending and undue friction in its bearings. I am aware
that experiments have been made with levers pivoted at their inner ends to tho
frame of a tricycle constructed with two driving front wheels of equal sizo, each
. wheel being driven by its corresponding lever independently of the other. Tho
disadvantages, however, of such an arrangement are not merely that the wheels
are driven alternately, and that the lever cannot be composed of two side bars,
between which both the pedal and the chain would bo secured, but also that the
clutch pulley cannot then be small enough to obtain the most favourable result.
Moreover the pedals would come too much in front of the axles of the driving
wheels were the clutch pullies very small, and the velocipede would thus be liable
to tip over when propelled; therefore, if it be desired to use levers for the
propulsion of velocipedes constructed with one or two rear steering wheels and two
front wheels of equal size (of which either one or both may be drivers) it becomes
necessary to mount the clutch pullies on some other axle than that of the driving
wheel or driving wheels, and to connect the said wheels by means of suitable
gearing with the axle upon which the clutch pullies are mounted, when of course
the levers can be constructed and arranged in the manner most convenient.
The chain is so connected to the lever that the rider can alter the leverage
whenever required, the use of more than two different speeds, however, is not
desirable.
"
33 <
23 64
The mechanism is shown on the accompanying Drawings as applied to tricycles.
The tricycle illustrated in side view at Figure 1, and in corresponding plan view
at Figure 2, is a "single driver." Figures 3 and 4 represent respectively side and
plan views of a rear steering' double driver," and Figures 5 and 6 side and
plan views of a "front steering"
double driver." In all these Figures A repre-
sents the driving wheels; B, the guide wheels; and C, tho frame with its prongs or
arms C¹ carrying at their lower extremities the bolts or axles D, to which the
pedal levers E are pivoted; F represents the seat or saddle, which, however, I have
not shown in the plan views of any of the Figures for the sake of clearness; G
represents a handle for giving a purchase to the rider, and H a steering handle, the
pitch lines of the rack and pinion of the steering gear being indicated by dotted lines.
The brake has not been shown, but it may be of any aproved pattern, and applied
either by hand or foot; K represents the pedals attached each to the forward portion
of its lever E; and L represents the chains attached each to its corresponding lever
between the fulcrum or bolt D and the pedal K, as shown, the upper portion of the
chain L being attached to its corresponding clutch pulley M, which in Figures 1 and 2,
5 and 6, is shown mounted upon the axle N of the driving wheels A, and in Figures 3
and 4 upon a separate axlo N', from which the power is transmitted to the driving
wheels by chain gearing, as indicated by the dotted lines, the return movements of
the clutch pulley and chain being effected by a spring enclosed in the box V, one
part of which is fixed to the frame C, the other being pivoted to the first
meutioned part and connected to the clutch pulley M by the flexible band P.

page_text: Otherwise constructed springs or elastic cords may be used for the same purposes,
and gearing of any aproved construction may be used in the above described com-
binations, independent of the arrangement of the wheels of the velocipede.
Figure 7 on Sheet II. of the Drawings represents a cross section of the spring box
and "clutch pulley," and a longitudinal section of the lever on the line a-. -a
of Figure 8, which latter represents a plan view of the lever, Figure 9 being a cross
section of the pedal on the line b-b of Figure 7. The connection between
the chain and the lever is such that the rider can alter the leverage without dis-
mounting. A stirrup U is for this purpose pivoted to two pieces R, which are
secured opposite each other to the side bars of the lever, the said bars being of thin
flexible steel which permits of the stirrup being sprung or pressed into its
bearings r after the pieces R have been braced or otherwise firmnly secured to the
side bars. Both the ends u of the stirrup U ought to be of a conical
shape, as shown, or provided each with a collar which fits in a corresponding
recess in each one of the pieces R, this construction preventing the stirrup
from becoming disengaged from the lever. For the lower portion of the
chain which is never wound arround the pulley T, by preference, substitute
a bar and prolong the same to a convenient height above the centre of the
clutch pulley, as shown in Figures 1, 5, and 7, so as to be grasped by the rider
for the purpose of changing the leverage or altering the position of the pivotted
stirrup, which he will be best able to do when the pedal has been depressed.
Instead of prolonging the bar in the manner described, a bar W, carried loosely and
of the shape shown in Figure 10 may be used to change the position of the pivotted
stirrup or other piece connecting the "chain" to the lever. The position of the
stirrup or piece to which the chain is attached may also be altered by the foot of
the rider, a stop being in that case provided to keep the pedal clear of the ground.
A bolt or cross piece sliding in slots or recesses formed in pieces secured opposite
each other to the bars of the lever may be used in lieu of a stirrup, as indicated
in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings; or the bar to which the chain is attached
may be formed with a hook which can be made to engage with bolts secured in
the required positions between. the side bars of the pedal lever as shown in Figures
5 and 6. In this latter case the leverage cannot be altered by the foot.
The strap S shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, as applied to the lever over the pedal,
is a tube of india-rubber, the ends of which are tightly drawn over the pieco T
which is firmly secured between the side bars of the lever. By the use of this
strap the rider with his foot effects the return stroke of the pedal, the spring
supporting the lever or bar carrying the pedal thus requiring to be made merely
strong enough to keep the said lever suspended in a convenient position. Any
strap, band, cord, or other piece or pieces applied to the pedal, or to the bar or
bars supporting the pedal, or to the pedal pin, and so constructed as to cause the
pedal to follow the motion of the foot may be used, but I greatly prefer to use ono
of india-rubber.
Having thus fully described my Invention and the manner in which the same is
to be or may be carried in practical effect, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The adaptation to tricycles and quadricycles of pedal levers pivotted at
one extremity to the frame and fitted with pedals at their other extremity, in
combination with spring actuated "clutch pullies" and "chains" and means for
varying the point of attachment to the said lever of the chain or its equivalent,
without dismounting, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein shown
and described.
Secondly. The adaptation to tricycles and quadricycles of pedal levers pivotted
at their rear ends to the frame, in combination with spring actuated "clutch
pullies," "chains," and gearing, substantially as shown and described.
Thirdly. In a velocipede constructed with three or four carrying wheels, and
propelled by levers in combination with "clutch pullies," the return movements of

page_text: which are caused by springs or elastic cords, the use of a strap or its equivalent
applied above or near to the pedal, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nils Knut Husberg, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord 1882.
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