Improved Driving Apparatus for Cycles, Vehicles, and Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 12th Feb., 1898—Accepted, 19th May, 1898
I, EDWARD BRICE KILLEN, of 38, Victoria Street, Belfast, Tea Dealer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a driving apparatus which can be applied to cycles and
other vehicles and also to machines.
The apparatus which consists essentially of a driving table, standing frame,
or cistern, can be made of any suitable size, shape, and material and when properly
made balanced and attached to a machine it can bear the entire weight of the rider
(or driver) of said machine and it enables the rider to utilize all his own weight in
driving said machine.
In cycles this table is balanced on and attached to a fixed rod which rod (like
the backbone of a cycle) can run from front to back of the machine and is
sufficiently strong to bear the weight of the table and the rider (or it may be
balanced and attached in any other well known and suitable way).
The table being properly attached and balanced the rider stands thereon with
one foot on each side (facing the front of his machine) and moves the table up and
down by simply moving his own weight from one foot on to the other foot.
With this up and down movement of table as described the required power to
drive the machine to which this table is properly attached can be obtained.
In moving the table up and down as described above the rider can stand or
remain in any other more suitable position as long as his weight is resting properly
on the driving table and giving the required power to drive the machine.
This driving table not only utilizes the riders own weight as a power for driving
but it enables the rider to obtain if required additional power for driving besides
the power obtained from his own weight.
A suitable handle (or steering gear) also suitable straps accompany the driving
table which enable the rider not only to steer his machine but to obtain, if necessary,
extra power in driving besides that power which he obtains from his own weight
and driving table.
101
1907
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Driving Apparatus for Cycles, Vehicles, and Machines.
I, EDWARD BRICE KILLEN, of 38, Victoria Street, Belfast, Tea Dealer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
L.Price 8d1

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to a driving apparatus which can be applied to cycles and
other vehicles and also to machines.
The improved driving 'apparatus is designed to utilize, in a novel manner, the
weight of the rider (or driver) in driving the cycle or other machine The appar-
atus consists essentially of a rocking table, or platform or its equivalent which is
suitably balanced and attached to the machine and upon which the driver can
stand. The table or platform is rocked up and down by the driver and this rocking
motion is converted into a rotary motion which is transmitted by means of gearing
to the driving wheel, or wheels, so as to urge the machine forward.
And in order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings which show, by way of example, a
bicycle constructed in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 a sectional plan view of the bicycle."
Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the rocking platform.
Fig. 4 shows a modification of the rocking platform.
Fig. 5 shows the mode of driving the machine.
Fig. 6 is a diagram.
The frame of the machine instead of being of the usual diamond shape is made
up of a vertical fork 1, a cross stay 2, a vertical tube 3, a bottom fork 4, 4, inclined
tubes 5, a bottom tube 6, a bottom bracket 7, an inclined tube 8 springing up from
the bottom bracket, the back stays 9, the back fork 10, and steering pillar 11.
12 is the seat, 13 an elongated L pin, 14 the handle bar, 15 two wires or chains
extending from arms on the steering pillar 11 to arms on the steering fork
pillar 1, 16, 17, two extra stays connecting the tubes 3, 8.
The rocking platform consists of two boards or bars 18, 19 (see Fig. 3) which are
capable of rocking see-saw wise on the stays 16 and 17. The dotted lines at Fig. 3
indicate the amount of the rocking movement. 20, 21, are two treadles fitted at
each end of the platform and secured thereto by vertical supports 22, 23, and pivot
1-ins 24 so as to always remain in a horizontal position as the platform rocks up
and down. The stays 16, 17, may pass through the boards (or frames) 18, 19, which
are suitably shaped for their reception or if desired collars 18", 19", may be pro-
vided for movably attaching the boards to the stays.
Pinned to the lower board 19 is a connecting rod 25 which drives a crank 26 on
a short shaft 27. At the rear end of this shaft is a bevel wheel 28 which drives a
bevel wheel 29 on the shaft 30 carried in the bottom bracket. The usual chain
wheel 31 is fitted on the shaft 30. 32 (Fig. 1) is the driving chain for the back
wheel.
The rider stands upon the platform 18, 19, with one foot on each treadle (facing
the front of his machine see Fig. 5) and moves the platform up and down see-saw
wise by simply transferring his own weight from one foot on to the other foot. The
movement of the platform sets the gearing in motion and drives the machine.
When standing the rider grips the handles of the handle bar and leans if necessary
against a movable back such as indicated in dotted lines at 35. This back if used
is attached to one of the tubes either 16, 17, or 6 and extends upwards as shown.
It is held in position by suitable catches attached to the tubes 8 or 10 but on said
catches being unfastened the back assumes the position 35° and lies at the back of
the saddle.
Additional power for driving besides that obtained from the riders own weight
can, if required, be obtained by the rider pulling at the handle bars. If necessary
these can be lengthened and be strengthened against the upward pull by means of
chains or straps running from the handle bars to one of the tubes 16, 17 or 6 or to
tube 3.
If desired, as shown at Fig. 4, a single board 18 may be used and in this case the

page_text: treadles 20, 21 would be jointed at 33 to the board 18 so that they could, as indi-
cated in dotted lines, remain in a horizontal position during the movements of the
platform.
The frame is made of the construction shown not only for the purpose of strength
but to enable the rider to be close to the ground no matter how large the two wheels
are made. In order that the steering wheel may move from side to side when steer-
ing it is made with a special axle 34 which forms the subject matter of another
application filed by me at the Patent Office under date 20th October 1897 No. 24235.
When this special axle is used the frame can be made much stronger than at
present.
When driving the machine the rider can stand or remain in any more suitable
position so long as his weight is resting properly on the rocking platform and
giving the required power to drive his machine.
The gearing for driving the back wheel may be of any well known and suitable
construction and instead of using bevel wheels 28, 29, chain gearing may be
employed as shown at 28", 31", (in the diagram Fig. 6) for driving a shaft 32*
instead of a chain 32. The shaft 32ª drives pin wheels 33, 34°, so as to actuate the
hub 36 of the back wheel. Other arrangements of chain or chainless gear may be
employed.
If desired the treadles 20, 21 may have pneumatic cushions 37 or their equivalent
in order to lessen vibration.
If the special axle 34 is not desired the frame can be constructed as indicated in
dotted lines at 36 the lower fork 4, 4, being dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. The combination with a cycle, vehicle, or machine, of a driving table or plat-
form movably fitted thereto upon which the driver stands and which is rocked by
him, and means connected with the table or platform for driving the cycle, vehicle
or machine, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a cycle, vehicle, or machine, of a rocking table or plat-
form formed by two boards pivotted upon the frame of the machine, treadles fitted
to the boards, and mechanism connected with the table or platform for driving the
machine, substantially as set forth.
3. A cycle or like vehicle having driving mechanism constructed and operated
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 11th day of February 1898.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.