IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLE HORSES
Year: 1884

page_text: JAMES BATE Engineer and Manufactor 28 Wilson Street Finsbury London, E.O.
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLE
HORSES to be as follows:-
--
1st In my invention I take an axlo of any convenient lenghth and to ono end
I make fast-a wheel of any given size on the opposite end of the axle I run a loose
wheel at a convenient distance on the said axle I make two bearings the journals
of these are attached to the front part of the Horse underneath in the centre of
the said axle I fix a toothed wheel.
2nd I now bring down a bracket at the back of the front axel at the end of the
said bracket I make two bearings in which I run a short shaft on the outside ends
of the said shaft I fix two cranks with treadles attached as in a Bicyclo in the
centre of the short shaft I fix a toothed wheel.
3rd I now apply a chain round the two toothed wheels on the axel and short
shaft making the driving power complete from the shaft to the front axle to which
is coupled the fast and loose wheels.
4th I now take another wheel of any convenient size as required this I make to
run in a back fork the said fork forming a part of a steering head or socket to the
said back wheel this I attach to the back part of the Horse.
5th I now attach one or more rods to the said back fork these rods I run along
under the body of the Horse coupling them to a steering rod in front of the Horse
the said perpendicular rod running through the neck or other convenient place and
coupling with a cross handle bar at the top in front of the rider such handle bar is
used by said rider in front of him steering with the said back wheel of the
Tricycle Horse.
6th If in some instances I find, it convenient I leave the chain of the two cog
wheels and either insert a third cog wheel or simply put the two toothed wheels
sufficiently near so that they couple in each other thus forming the connection.
1st What I claim as my invention is the placing of the two wheels and axio in
front and the small steering wheel behind the Horse.
2nd The adopting the short shaft and toothed wheels cranks and treadles as
described forming the driving power I make my Horses or Seats in either wood
elastic leather or metal.
"

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JAMES BATE, formerly of 28 Wilson Street, Finsbury, London, E.C., and now
of 91 Wellington Road, Stoke Newington, London, N., engineer and manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLE
HORSES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly.
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon (that
is to say) :-
The object of this invention is to more conveniently arrange the driving and
steering mechanism of the description of toy known as a tricycle horse.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation, with the near side
front wheel removed, of a tricycle horse constructed according to this invention,
and figure 2 a plan thereof, with the horse or corresponding part removed so as to
clearly shew the mechanism thereunder. In figure 1 the outline of the horse is
shewn by broken lines so that any of the parts of the mechanism passing through
or coming behind the outline of the horse may be shown by full lines.
The same letters of reference occurring upon both views indicate corresponding
parts.
A is the driving axle and B B the ordinary wheels thereon, one of such wheels
being carried to run loosely on the axle to allow of the steering of the tricyclo.
CC are the sides of a fork carried down from a plate D fixed to the underside of
the horse or corresponding part, and E E are bearings at the bottom of such fork
and carry the axle A. F is a bracket carried down from the underside of the
horse or corresponding part, and in bearings at the bottom ends of the sides of this
bracket is carried an axle G having cranks H H on the ends thereof carrying
treadles J J. K is a pitched wheel carried upon the axle G between the bearings of
the bracket F, and L is a corresponding wheel carried upon the axle A, and Ma
chain connecting these wheels. Motion is thus conveyed from the rider, through
the treadles J J, axle G, wheels K and L, and chain M, to the driving axle A of
the machine. N is a back fork connected by means of a Stanley head or other
suitable means to a bracket O fixed to the underside of the horse or corresponding
part, and P is a hind steering wheel carried in such fork. Q is a vertical steering
spindle having a pair of steering bandles R R mounted on the top thereof. The
steering spindle Q passes downwards through the horse or corresponding part, and
has a short lever a (shewn by dotted lines only) fixed to the bottom end thereof.
This lever a is connected by means of the steering rod 6 to a short lever c on the
head of the steering fork N, and thus motion is conveyed from the steering
handles R R to the steering wheel P for steering the machine.
The levers a and c project, respectively, on opposite sides of the longitudinal
centre of the machine, so that the steering handles may be moved to steer exactly
as in the case of a bicycle. If both the lovers project on the same side of the
centre the steering handles will bo turned in the opposite direction to effect the
same direction of steering,

page_text: It will be seen that the method of driving the tricycle from the saddle or seat is
very convenient, as the exact position of the treadles in relation to such saddle or
seat remains constant; and owing to the position of the treadles directly under
the rider the latter is enabled to use his weight as the chief motive power, which
is much less tiring than treadling with the legs in a slanting position as is necessary
with the ordinary tricycle horse. The steering is also very conveniently effected
immediately in front of the rider, though the steering wheel is carried at the back.
The position of the wheels in this invention, as described above, greatly lessens the
risk of tipping over sideways.
In lieu of the pitched wheels and chain illustrated, spur or friction wheels may
be employed having an intermediate wheel between them to form the connection,
or such intermediate wheel may be dispensed with and the remaining two wheels
formed sufficiently large to gear into one another, but in this latter case of course
the rider will have to treadle backwards to propel the machine forwards; or, if
preferred or desired, the wheels may be entirely dispensed with and a crank or.
cranks employed in lieu thereof in each axle, and connected by a rod or rods to
convey the power from one axle to another.
A double-driver or balance gear of any convenient construction may, of course,
be employed to drive both the wheels B B, instead of the arrangement described.
If desired, the axle G may be dispensed with, and the driving axle driven
directly by a pair of reciprocating treadles. A convenient arrangement for
accomplishing this is illustrated by figure 3, which is to a smaller scale than
figures 1 and 2.
C is the bracket and A. the driving axle shewn in figure 1. d is a crank in the
axle A. T is a treadle fixed to the rear end of a treadle lever S,.the front end of
which is fulcrumed at f to one extremity of a reeler h of which the other extremity.
is hinged at j. This trendle-lever has formed upon it a lug g by which it is
connected with the crank. The axle is of course driven by a pair of treadle-levers
and cranks similar to those shown. The above arrangement of parts may be
modified as desired; for instance the fulcrum ƒ may be a fixed point, and the
treadle lover connected by a link to the crank.
A short lever may project opposite to the levor a (figures 1 and 2) and also to
the lever c, respectively, if desired, and a second rod, corresponding to the rod b,
be fixed to connect such levers together so as to give greater steadiness and security
in steering.
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. A tricycle horse constructed, propelled, and steered, substantially in the
manner herein described and shewn by figures 1 and 2 of the drawings herewith.
2. A tricycle horse constructed and steered substantially in the manner herein
described with reference to figures 1 and 2 herewith, but propelled by means of
reciprocating treadlos, substantially in the manner described and illustrated,
according to one modification, by figure 3 of the drawings herewith.
3. In a tricycle horse, the arrangement of a driving axle with two running
wheels thereon in front and a steering wheel behind, substantially as herein
described and shewn by the drawings herewith..
4. In a tricycle horse, the arrangement of a short treadle axle in combination
with suitable means for conveying the power therefrom to the driving axle,
substantially as herein described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
5. In a tricycle horse, the arrangement of a driving axle with two running
wheels thereon in front and a steering wheel behind, in combination with a short
treadle axle and suitable means for conveying the power from the treadle axle to
the driving axle, substantially as herein described and shewn by figures 1 and 2
of the drawings herewith.

page_text: 6. In a tricycle horse, the arrangement of a driving axle with two running
wheels thereon in front and a steering wheel behind, in combination with
reciprocating treadles for giving motion to such axle, substantially as herein
.described and shown by the drawings herewith.
7. In a tricycle horse, the combination of a steering spindle with a short lever
on such spindle and the steering fork or axle, respectively, and a rod connecting
such levers, substantially as herein described and shewn by the drawings
herewith.