AN IMPROVED VEHICLE AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1886.
Complete Left, 11th Mar., 1887.
. Complete Accepted, 15th Apr., 1887.
I WILLIAM EAVES, of 101 Bristol Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for AN IMPROVED
VEHICLE AND MEANS FOR PROPELLING THE SAME to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the means for propelling vehicles by
manual or motive power by the following mechanism.
It consists of a mechanical arrangement whereby the power is transmitted to an
oscillating lever by means of manual or motive power, the said lever having an
artificial shoe on it of india-rubber or other suitable substance which said shoe acts as
an abutment against the ground, and is so arranged that when the lever is pressed it
causes another lever working on a fulcrum placed in such a position on the vehicle as
to cause the said vehicle to be propelled, the said lover being brought to its normal
position again by means of a suitable spring.
The vehicle is intended to be made of a suitable shape to suit the mechanism.
The mechanism is intended to be used in pairs and made suitable for treadle or hand
power also for motive power.
Thus it will be perceived that the chief principle is that of a shoe being made to
abut against the ground from which it takes its purchase, and by a series of levers to
propel the vehicle the ground forming the fulcrum or abutment.
Dated this 28th day of June 1886.

page_text: I WILLIAM EAVES, late of 101 Bristol Street, but now of 4 Marshall Street, both
in Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Machinist, 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 :-
Its object is to facilitate the means for propelling vehicles by manual or motive
power.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 & 2 represent an apparatus suitable for working with the foot.
Figs. 3 & 4 represent an apparatus suitable for working with the hand.
Figs. 1 & 3 shew the position of the leg or lever contracted or drawn up as it
would be just before operating it.
Figs. 2 & 4 shew the position of the leg or lever fully extended on the ground
as it would be just before the step was completed.
It consists of a mechanical arrangement constituted by the arms D, E & F which
form a lover, whereby the power is transmitted to the oscillating leg or lover, by means
of manual or motive power, the said leg or lever having an artificial shoe A on it of
india-rubber or other suitable substance, which said shoe acts as an abutment against
the ground, and is so arranged that when the lever is pressed or put into action by
the said mechanical arrangement it causes another lever (or the lever constituted by
the arms D E & F) working on a fulcrum G placed in such a position on the vehicle
as to cause the said vehicle to be propelled, the said lever being brought to its normal
position again by a suitable spring H.
Thus it will be perceived that the chief principle of this invention is that of a shoe
being made to butt against the ground from which it takes its purchase and by a series
of levers or by a jointed lever to propel the vehicle the ground forming the purchase
or abutment, the said lever or levers having the joints or pivots C & G in such relative
positions as to obtain the required movement of the vehicle.
The shoe may be made in the shape of a wheel or portion of a wheel.
The vehicle is intended to be made of a suitable shape to suit the mechanism.
The mechanism is intended to be used in pairs and made suitable for treadle or hand
power, also for motive power.
The mechanism is limited in its movement by a suitable backstop placed on the
vehicle.
The leg or lever is limited in its backward movement by the backstop J. A suitable
brake will be attached to the vehicle for using down inclines.
In some cases instead of making a special vehicle I alter the mechanism or prepare a
special frame to suit the vehicle.
The chief advantages of this invention are that a direct purchase on the ground is
obtained also when the treadle is used as shewn in figs. 1 & 2, the weight of the operator
instead of being on the vehicle is directly on the ground.

page_text: 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 :—
1st. A vehicle propelled by means of a shoe as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. A vehicle propelled by means of a leg or lever having a suitable attachment at
the bottom for forming a purchase on the ground which I call a shoe as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3rd. A vehicle propelled by means of a jointed leg or lever, the bottom part of the
leg abutting on to the ground as substantially set forth.
4th. The relative position of the pivot O & G and the leg B for obtaining the
required movement as substantially set forth.
5th. The mechanism for propelling vehicles consisting of the parts arranged and
combined as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
WILLIAM EAVES.