An Improved Velocipede.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 26th June, 1893-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Velocipede.
I, JAMES VALERE, of 72 Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris, France, Artist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new form of velocipede, which may be a tricycle, or
if desired a monocycle, a bicycle or other vehicle, which is characterized by a new
system of propulsion, effected by the simultaneous action of the two feet and the
two hands, and also by a new construction of steering gear actuated by the two
hands.
The propulsion is effected as follows:-By the two feet by means of pedals
mounted on cranked levers keyed to the shaft of the large chain wheel, actuating
the driving wheels in the usual way; and by the two hands by means of propelling
levers, placed in front and provided with special handles, and which through
connecting rods actuate the same cranked levers above referred to keyed on the
large chain wheel, and which are bent for this purpose.
The steering is effected by the two hands by means of vertical pressure which is
exerted on either one of the two propelling levers, which through an oscillating
arm and a catgut cord, causes a wheel which is placed horizontally to turn either
to the right or left, such action causing the front" steering" wheel to turn in the
desired direction.
Dated this 27th day of September 1892.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Velocipede.
I, JAMES VALÈRE, of 72 Avenue de la Grande Armée, Paris, France, Artist,
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:-
This invention relates to a new form of velocipede which may be a monocycle, a
bicycle, a tricycle, a water velocipede, or other vehicle of a similar nature, which
is characterized by a new system of propulsion, effected by the simultaneous
action of the two feet and the two hands, and also by a new construction of
steering gear actuated by the two hands.
The accompanying drawings show the application of the invention to what is
called a safety bicycle.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of the bicycle in the direction of its travel.
Fig. 2, is a front view of one of the hand propelling levers and serving at
same time to actuate the steering gear, such figure also showing on one side plan
views of the projections on such levers to which tension rods are connected, and
also the system of connecting the hub of the levers to the body of the machine.
Fig. 3, is a plan view of the foot propelling mechanism.
Fig. 4, is a front view of the top of the steering sleeve and of the fork.
Fig. 5 is a front view of the apparatus showing how the left hand lever 49 is
connected in the front to the tube 78 of the frame of the machine, and also
the opening for the axle carrier 106 in the hub 107.
Fig. 6 is a view of the left hand lever 49 of the apparatus, showing the
same details in side elevation.

page_text: Fig. 7 is a rear view of the apparatus showing how the left hand lever 49
is connected at the rear to the tube 78, and
Fig. 8 are detail views of the axle carrier 106, showing same in front
elevation, rear elevation, and side elevation respectively.
In all the figures the same letters and figures of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts.
The principle of the invention consists in an apparatus in which by the com-
bined simultaneous action of both feet and both hands great propelling power
may be obtained, so as to provide increased speed, while perfect steering of
the machine is retained. The increase in speed is secured without increasing the
movements and work of the legs, by simply increasing the number of teeth in the
large chain wheel, while the number of teeth in the small chain wheel fixed to
the axle of the driving wheel remains the same, and such driving wheel_still
remains of the same diameter as in ordinary machines.
This result can only be
effected by employing the simultaneous action of the feet and hands, otherwise,
with a machine actuated wholly by the feet, the work would be very much too
hard.
The movement of the legs actuating the pedals, and that of the arms actuating
the propelling levers, are combined so as to imitate in all respects the ordinary
movements in running. The result is that the use of the machine has the effect of
providing a healthy exercise, which develops the propelling muscles of the body,
as well as permitting the free play of the respiratory organs, and overcomes all
objections to which other systems are open.
PROPELLING MECHANISM.
The propelling mechanism properly so called may be divided into two parts.
The first part, as illustrated in Fig. 3, consists of two levers 7, the left hand one
of which is keyed to the axle of the toothed wheel 1, called the large chain wheel,
and the right hand is formed by one of the arms or spokes of such wheel which is
suitably strengthened for this purpose. Each lever 7 is (at a distance varying
from 6 to 10 centimeters from its axis) bent at an angle of 90°. This bend forms
the crank arm 44, and it is to such crank that the end a of the connecting rod 45
is connected, the opposite end of same being connected to the bottom of lever 49,
serving for the hand propulsion. To the end of the crank arm 44 at an angle
of 90 and inclined towards the axis of the pedal, is keyed the second part of the
propelling mechanism or the lever 71, which properly speaking is the pedal lever,
which is secured in the vertical axis of the toothed wheel 1. To the end of this
second part the pedal 100 is applied.
This combination of propelling mechanism causes the toothed wheel 1 to be
actuated by the arms of the cyclist as well as by his legs, and while the pedal is
actuated by the legs its power is at the same time added to by the propelling
levers actuated by means of an alternating movement produced by the arms, which
thus transmit a to and fro movement to the connecting rod 45, which produces the
rotation of the crank arms 44.
The connecting rod 45 is by its end a connected to the crank arm 44 as above
described. Its other end b is connected to the end of lever 49 by means of a bolt 50
which turns in an eye or sleeve carried by such lever. This same lever 49 at the
point 52 turns on an axial piece which is secured to the tube 78 of the machine,
in the manner shown in Fig. 2. The point 52 is situated at about rd of the length
of the lever, from the bottom end thereof, which has the effect of multiplying to a
corresponding extent the propelling power exerted by the cyclist by means of his
arms.
The said levers 49 are formed of metal tubes, and at their upper ends they
are provided with handles 63, each of which turns on its axis 64, to which it is
secured by a small toothed wheel 65, by means of which the steering of the machine
is effected in the manner to be hereinafter described.

page_text: The levers 49 are strengthened by means of tension rods made of metal wire the
object of which is to increase the resistance of such levers to the lateral strain they
are subjected to, both by the to and fro movement, and by any possible internal or
external deflection. For this purpose the tension rods in question are arranged in
sets of four on each lever in the following manner.
Four tension rods 93 start from the sleeve A. which is mounted at the upper end
of lever 49, to which sleeve they are secured by means of nuts and check nuts
which permit of the tension being adjusted, and which rods are connected to four
horizontal arms 94 forming part of the sleeve C, and which project at right angles
from the box constituting the hub 52' of the lever, and are solid with such hub, the
length of such arms being capable of variation to suit the resistance desired to be
provided.
Four other rods 95 in their turn start from a sleeve B which surrounds the lever
at a lower point, and to which they are adjustably secured in the manner above
indicated, and which also extend and are attached to the same horizontal arms 94,
which are at right angles to the axis of lever 49.
Finally four rods 96 starting from the ends of the same horizontal arms 94 are
secured to a fourth sleeve D secured to the bottom of the lever.
The length of the respective rods and the position on the levers occupied by the
sleeves A, B, D, which secure same while regulating their tension, may vary
according to the size of the levers and the amount of resistance they are required
to offer.
The two upper sleeves A, B, are each provided with a special opening 97 for the
passage and the free play of a rod 67 which produces the steering action
hereinafter described.
Each hand actuated propelling lever is attached to the body of the machine in
the manner illustrated in detail in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8, of which the following is a
description:-
On the lower tube of the frame of the machine, that is to say the tube 78,
a casting 101 is slipped and brazed, same having two sockets cast vertically
thereon, the one 102 being above and the other 103 below. Into these two sockets
two tubes 102x and 103* are inserted and brazed therein, their opposite ends
terminating in solid portions which are screw threaded.
Further on in the rear on the same tube 78 is placed a small cast iron cap 104
which is brazed across same, and to which is fitted a third tube 105 in the same
way as the others, the opposite end of such tube terminating in two arms each of
which has an eye to enable the tube 105 to be fixed on the axle carrier 106, to be
hereinafter described.
The three tubes 102*, 103* and 105 above indicated, serve to connect the axle
carrier, to be presently described, to the body of the machine, after same has been
inserted inside the hub 107, on which are mounted the two parts (the upper part
and lower part) of the band propelling lever 49.
The hub 107 is a casting of elongated cylindrical form, on the circumference of
which are cast an upper and lower socket in which are respectively brazed the
upper and lower parts which together constitute the tube of which lever 49 is
composed. Four other sockets cast at an angle of 90° on the hub 107 serve to
receive the tension rods connected to lever 49.
This hub 107 is formed with a central chamber pierced with two quadrangular
openings, one opening at the front and the other at the rear, and its two ends are
enlarged and form antifriction ball boxes.
The front and rear openings serve to permit of the introduction of the axle
carrier 106 into the central chamber, in which it is placed so that the hub 107 may
turn upon same to a given extent without friction, the friction being upon the axís
or shaft 108, to be hereinafter described, which the axle carrier 106 carries,
and of which the ends are inserted in the two ball bearings of the hub 107.
The said axle carrier 106 (Fig. 8) is at its forward end provided with two
pierced ears 110 and 111, which are placed in juxtaposition to the ends of the two

page_text: tubes 102* and 103*, slipping over the solid screw-threaded ends in which such
tubes terminate, and to which they are secured by means of nuts. At its rear end
the axle carrier 106 has another ear or projection 112 carrying two screw-threaded
pins, which in the same way serve to receive the third tube 105 proceeding from
the cap 104 brazed across the main tube 78. It will be understood that when the
axle carrier 106 is placed in the central chamber of the hub 107, its two ears 110
and 111 project out through the forward opening, while the ear 112 projects out
through the rear opening of the hub 107.
Finally, the axle carrier 106 is bored in the centre to form a tube, and when it is
placed in the central chamber of hub 107, and connected with the tubes 102*, 103*,
and 105, in the manner above described, an axle or shaft 108 for the bearings of
the connecting rods is slipped into the central opening of such axle carrier 106,
from the inner side, and is held fixed inside such carrier by means of a pressure
or binding screw 109. The two ends of the said shaft or axle 108 project into the
ball bearings, the regulating cone and the pressure nut being placed on the outer
side.
It will be seen that, by the above arrangements, the axle 108 is rendered
immovable within the axle carrier 106, by means of the binding screw 109, and the
said axle carrier being itself fixed by the tubes 102*, 103*, and 105, to the main
tube 78 of the frame of the machine, it follows that the axle is rigidly fixed to the
body of the machine, and the lever 49 therefore oscillates on this axle by means of
the connecting rods, in the ordinary manner.
STEERING MECHANISM.
The steering mechanism is constructed as follows:→
The handle 63 of each lever 49 by turning on its axis 64 causes the small
wheel 65 to turn at same time, the teeth of such wheel gearing with the teeth of a
rack 66 at the top of a rod 67 formed of a tube of small diameter running along the
lever 49, and sliding in guides 67' and 68 secured thereto. A roller 69 attached
to the head of lever 49 by means of a support ensures the constant engagement of
the rack 66 with the small toothed wheel 65. The rod 67 is bent at its lower end
so as to follow the form of the hub 521 of the lever 49. A part 70 terminating in
a pin 71 is secured to the said rod at a point situated in the prolongation of the
axis of oscillation of the lever 49. On the pin 71 is fitted a sleove 72 forming part
of a hollow arm 73. The result of this arrangement is that a single upward
or downward movement of the rod 67 produces a similar movement of the arm 73,
and this movement in no way interferes with the oscillating movement of lever 49.
The up and down movement is limited by the contact of the part 70 with guides,
corresponding with the length of travel of the rack.
In its upward and downward movement the tube 73, which is articulated at 74,
acts upon a frame formed of tubes 75, 76, 77. This frame is connected to the
tube 78 by means of joints 79 and tube 80. Such frame being connected to the
tube 72 the upward and downward movement of the latter produces a to and fro
movement of tube 81, itself articulated at 82 to the frame.
Each tube 81 therefore acts like the arms of the cyclist, and transmits movement
to a small curved fork 82' through the part 83. These parts are shown in detail
in Fig. 4. The support 82' is fixed to the steering sleeve in the ordinary
manner.
The triangle formed by the tubes 75, 76, 77, is a scalene triangle. The distance
from axis to axis between the articulations 79 and 82 is double that of the distance
between 79 and 74, the effect of which is to multiply the action produced by the
small toothed wheel upon the rack. To diminish the effects of vibration, a small
pin 84 formed with the part 74, through its lower head abuts against two small
spiral springs 85 and 85¹ situated in upper and lower seats formed in a part secured
to the arm 77. The arm 75 is connected to the arm 77 by means of two jamb nuts
permitting of the rigidity of the frame with regard to arms 81 and support 82 being
rdjusted by imparting a kind of tension from below to the two arms 81,

page_text: BRAKE.
The brake is composed of a tube 87 articulated at 88, and by its movement
effecting the raising of the brake shoe 89, by means of a rod 90 articulated at 91.
This same, tube might also serve as the steering handle if desired, by passing
between two cheeks 92 on the steering sleeve.
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
claim is :-
In a velocipede, which may be either a monocycle, a bicycle, a tricycle, a water
velocipede or other vehicle of this nature :-
1. A system of propulsion; comprising with a large and a small chain wheel, a
combination of hand levers and pedals, producing a double effect, the apparatus
being actuated at the same time by the pedals by means of the feet and by the hand
levers by means of the hands, substantially as described.
2. A system of levers with handles, which through connecting rods transmit to
the levers of the pedal action, the power which is communicated thereto by the
arms of the cyclist, such power acting directly in conjunction with that produced
by the operation of the pedals, substantially as described.
3. In velocipedes constructed in the manner set forth in Claims 1 and 2 the
employment of hand steering mechanism operated by means of the handles of levers,
small toothed wheels and racks on the upper end of rods sliding along such levers
and transmitting the steering movement to a fork fixed to the steering sleeve,
through the intermediary of frames which multiply the movement in a given
proportion, substantially as described.
4. In velocipedes constructed in the manner set forth in Claims 1 and 2 the
employment of a brake consisting in a shoe which is brought to bear on the steering
wheel by means of a tube which is raised, which brake may also serve as the
steering handle if desired, substantially as described.
5. A form of levers serving for hand propulsion, and which actuate the pedal
action by means of connecting rods, such levers being made of metal tubes,
strengthened by means of tension rods also of metal and which are adjustable in
length, these rods being connected in sets of four to said propelling levers at any
desired angle, by means of sleeves and arms arranged horizontally in relation to the
vertical axis of the levers, all substantially as herein described and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of June 1893.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.