Year: 1885

page_text: I ARTHUR SYDNEY BOWLEY of The Chestnuts Streatham in the county of
Surrey Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
The object of my invention is to provide a means or apparatus for driving
velocipedes which shall be very simple in construction and yet extremely powerful as
there are in this apparatus no dead centres. This my invention is applicable to all
kinds of velocipedes that are driven through gearing or that is to say through an
apparatus that does not involve the direct action of the cranks of the treadles or
the pedal levers on the axle of the driving wheel or wheels but it is especially
applicable to bicycles of the type known as safety bicycles.
I will describe my invention as applied to a safety bicycle.
In the lower part of the fork on each side are mounted two wheels which gear
into each other in any usual or convenient manner. One of these two wheels is
fixed on the axle of the driving wheel of the bicycle while the other wheel below
is preferably mounted loosely on a short stud or axle fixed in or mounted in the
lower end of the fork and on this stud or axle is also mounted the treadle lever
preferably on the other side of the fork. This lower wheel is actuated by the
treadle lever through any suitable clutch action which preferably consists of one
two or more irregularly shaped somewhat radial segments of a circle the outer
edges whereof either exactly or nearly fit the inner surface of the periphery of this
said wheel and the radial sides of these segments may be of any desired shape.
These segments are pivotted or hung by their apices on the lever aforesaid
preferably in recesses made or formed therein and also eccentrically or not in the
direct radial line. The consequence of this eccentric pivotting aforesaid is that
when the treadle lever is being depressed the segments press hard upon and against
the periphery of the wheel and revolve the same but when the said lever is being
raised the wheel can still revolve freely in the same direction the said segments
being clear or free of the said periphery and thus as alternate motion is given to
the two levers one being on each side of the bicycle continual progression is being
made as is desired.
The lever on each side must obviously be raised after it has been depressed
and to accomplish this action I proceed as follows. The driving wheel of the
bicycle and its attached gearing wheel as aforesaid are mounted on an hollow axle

page_text: instead of the usual solid one and through this hollow axle passes the apparatus
that connects the two levers so that when one is being depressed the other is
being raised and vice versa. According to one form a metal tape or rope passes
through the hollow axle engaging over rollers formed on the ends thereof and the
ends of this tape or rope are attached to the levers but preferably I pass a spindle
through the hollow axle aforesaid and the ends of this spindle are connected with
the said levers in any convenient manner. One plan consists in mounting a diso
on the axle or centre on which the lever is pivotted which disc is connected to and
with the said lever and another disc is fixed on the end of the spindle and a cord
tape or rope is passed round and connects these two discs in a contrary direction
on each side of the bicycle so that as is required the depression of the one lever
raises the other. Another method consists in fitting a crank at each end of the
spindle which crank is connected to its corresponding lever either directly through
a rod or otherwise or to a disc secured thereon. Another method consists in
fitting a bevel wheel on each end of the spindle and a bevel wheel on the centre of
the lever and connecting these, bevel wheels by vertical rods on the ends of which
are corresponding bevel wheels.
The apparatus is fitted in the same manner to tricycles or other velocipedes the
several parts being mounted on or attached to the frames thereof in such positions
as may be convenient or suitable in each case.

page_text: Improvements in Driving Velocipedes..
I ARTHUR SYDNEY BOWLEY of The Chestnuts Streatham in the county of
Surrey Merchant 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 object of my invention is to provide a means or apparatus for driving
velocipedes that shall be very simple in construction and yet extremely powerful
in action as in this apparatus there are no dead centres. This my invention is
applicable to all kinds of velocipedes that are driven through gearing or that is to
say through an apparatus that does not involve the direct action of the cranks of
the treadles or the pedal levers on the axle of the driving wheel or wheels but at
the same time it is more especially applicable to bicycles of the type or kind
known as safety or dwarf bicycles.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing in which I have
shewn so much of a safety or dwarf bicycle fitted with my apparatus as is necessary
for the clear comprehension thereof.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus and Figure 2 is an horizontal
transverse section thereof taken at a. b. in Figure 1.
In and on the lower part of the fork A of the bicycle on each side are mounted
two wheels B and C which gear into each other in any usual or convenient manner.
The wheel C is tightly fixed on the axle D of the driving wheel which axle D can
revolve in any usual ball or other bearings E secured to or supported from the
fork A as is usual. The wheel B which is below the wheel C is preferably mounted
loosely on a short stud F fixed in the lower part of the fork A on which stud F is
also mounted the treadle lever H or the said stud F may be fixed in and to either
the said wheel B or the said treadle lever H and may revolve in the said fork A
and the said treadle lever H or oscillate in the said fork A and the said wheel B as
may be desired. The wheel B as is most usual is preferably mounted on the inner
side of the fork A and the treadle lever H may be mounted on either side of the
said fork A as may be desired but preferably is mounted on the inner side thereof
being bent for that purpose as is shown in the drawing.
This lower wheel B is driven by and actuated from the treadle lever H through
a suitable clutch action preferably formed and arranged as follows. A suitable
bearing surface K is formed on the inner side of the periphery of the wheel B with
a flange L on one or both sides thereof to which flange L the radii B of the said
wheel B if any can be attached. I then form of any suitable metal or other
material a clutching piece M in shape a somewhat irregular radial segment of a
circle the outer edge whereof either exactly or nearly fits the inner surface K on
the periphery of the wheel B and the apex of this segment M is rounded off or
made nearly circular as shewn wherefor a corresponding recess N is formed in the
treadle lever H. When only one clutching segment M is used as is shown in the

page_text: drawing and as is generally preferable the recess N is made for the circular apex
of the said segment M in the end of the treadle lever H prolonged before the
fork A but when as may occasionally be desirable two or more similar clutching
segments are used the same can be fitted in a similar manner in corresponding
recesses formed in the required positions in the said treadle lever enlarged or 5
shaped as is necessary therefor. I consider this method as described and shewn to
be the best and strongest but any other method of pivotting or hanging these
clutching segments by their apices may also be used. One of the radial sides of
the segment M is longer than the other the consequence of which formation is that
when this segment M is placed in position in the recess N with its outer edge
bearing against the surface K on the periphery of the wheel B the said segment M
is so pivotted as aforesaid eccentrically or not in the direct radial line as is shewn
in the drawing. When there is only one flange LI can very conveniently secure
a small strap P across the jaws of the recess N to prevent the possibility of the
segment M falling thereout. A spring R also is preferably fitted on the treadle 1
lever H to bear against the longer radial side of the segment M and ensure the
proper working of the said segment M.
The action of this apparatus is as follows. When the rear end H of the treadle
lever is being depressed the consequence of the eccentric pivotting aforesaid of the
segment M obviously is that the outer edge of the said segment M at or near the
longer radial side thereof must press hard against the surface K on the periphery
of the wheel B whereby this whcol B is revolved and through the wheel C the
bicycle is caused to progress but when the said rear end H¹ of the treadle lever is
being raised the said segment M obviously is free of or touches very lightly and
loosely on the said surface K on the periphery of the wheel B whereby this
wheel B is not checked in its revolution and thus as alternate motion is given to
the two treadle levers H one being on each side of the bicycle continual progression
is being made as is desired. The spring R prevents the segment M falling so far
away from the surface K on the periphery of the wheel B when the rear end H³ of
the treadle lever is being raised as that the said segment M shall not immediately
clutch the said surface K again directly the said rear end H¹ of the treadle lever
is being depressed.
The lever on each side must obviously be raised after it has been depressed.
This action can be accomplished and effected by the use of springs or any other
usual and convenient appliances but I preferably proceed as follows. The driving
wheel of the bicycle and its attached gearing wheel C are mounted on an hollow
axle D instead of the usual solid one and through this hollow axle D passes a
metal tape cord or rope T. Rollers V are mounted or formed at or near the end
of the hollow axle D preferably on the case of the bearing E over which the tape
cord or rope T can pass to prevent any friction between the same and the said
ends of the axle D and the ends of the said tape cord or rope T are attached to
the treadle levers H on each side whereby when one lever is depressed the other
lever is raised and vice versa. To ensure the proper equable smooth working of
this arrangement I preferably fit the same as shewn in the drawing. A guide W
for the tape cord or rope F is attached to the treadle lever H which guide W is of
a quadrantal or it may be of a nearly semicircular form and this guide W is so
formed that it passes on the outer side of the fork A and leads the said tape cord
or rope T direct to the hollow axle D as is shewn in the drawing. Thus and by
and through this method of fitting the tape cord or rope is always duly tight not-
withstanding the various positions in which the treadle levers may be and the pull
of this cord is always given to these levers at the same angle therewith as is
desired.
This my apparatus as hereinbefore described can obviously be fitted in a similar
manner to tricycles and other velocipedes the several parts being mounted on or
attached to the frames thereof in such positions as may be convenient or suitable
in each particular case and no further description is or can be needed.

page_text: I have thus described and I have shewn in the drawing a most convenient
suitable and effective method of forming constructing and fitting this my apparatus
and the several parts thereof but I do in no wise limit myself thereto for my.
apparatus and all the several parts thereof can be constructed and fitted and made
of such forms and proportions and dimensions as may be desirable or convenient in
each particular case as is indeed sufficiently obvious.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of the lever H the segment M and the surface K on the
periphery of the wheel B substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described and declared.
2. The combination with the hollow axle D and the treadle lever H of the
cord T substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and declared.
3. The combination with the hollow axle D and the treadle lever H of the
cord T the guide W and the roller V substantially as hereinbefore described and
set forth.
4. The apparatus for driving velocipedes substantially as hereinbefore described
and shewn in the accompanying drawing.