IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hillman at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th November 1883.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry in the county of Warwick Machinist.
IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
"
This invention has for its object improvements in velocipedes and relates
principally to that type of vehicle known as a tricycle.
The first part of my invention relates to a novel construction of the frame of
that kind of tricycle where the rider sits between two large wheels, the steering
wheel being at the rear.
Hitherto, this "hayfork" form of frame does not permit the use of both driving
wheels being mounted on a differential or "balanced geared" shaft and this type
of velocipede has been principally confined to "clutch" or "single" driving.
My invention enables me to use balance gear on the coincident axes of the
driving wheels, and rear steering.
Instead of the ends of the fork turning downwards to carry the pedals I make
them straight and terminating in foot rests and lamp holders or brackets.
The driving wheels are mounted on a straight differential shaft. The rider sits
behind the axle and his position and that of the pedals is such that when the latter
are receiving the greatest thrust (that is when they are in their most forward
position) they are almost in a vertical line with the centres of the driving wheels.
The pedal crank is preferably carried in bearings and hangers as set forth forth
in the specification of Letters Patent granted to me No 415 of 1882.
The hangers are carried from the main frame by diagonal tubes or rods.
The second part of my invention relates to the construction of a ball pedal
especially adapted for a bent pedal crank as used in side driven tricycles or like
velocipedes but suitable also for lever cranks for centrally driven tricycles or
bicycles.

page_text: The bends in these bent crank axles render it difficult to fit adjustable pedals to
the same as the pedal cannot be threaded on straight as in the case of a straight
pedal pin of the ordinary bicycle crank.
To carry out this part of my invention I provide two steel or hardened plates
similar to ordinary bicycle pedal plates but made stronger and chamfer or groove
out the centres to take the balls.
The plates are formed with long bosses on their inner sides.
Dust caps are recessed into the inner sides of the plates to protect the balls and
bearing surfaces. To put the pedal on, the plates are threaded over the short
bends of the cranks. The bosses in one plate are tapped and plain in the other
and long bolts are passed through the plain holes of one boss, the rubber blocks
strung on and then the bolts screwed into the boss of the other plate and locked by
nuts or other devices which also serve for the adjustment.
By this means I provide a simple cheap and adjustable ball pedal, strong durable
and easily taken to pieces and put together at will.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Hillman in the Patent Office on the 23rd May 1884.
WILLIAM HILLMAN, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES "
This invention has for its object improvements in velocipedes, and relates
principally to that type of vehicle known as a tricycle.
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel construction of the frame
of that kind of tricycle where the rider sits between two large wheels, the steering
wheel being at the rear.
Hitberto, the "bay fork" form of frame has not permitted the use of both
driving wheels being mounted on a differential or "balanced geared" shaft and
this type of velocipede has been principally confined to 'clutch or single
driving.
"
"
"
My Invention enables me to use balance gear on the coincident axes of the
driving wheels, and rear steering, in such a manner that the frame is well stayed
or supported
Instead of the ends of the fork turning downwards to carry the pedals I make
them straight and terminating in footrests and lamp holders or brackets. The
driving wheels are mounted on a straight differential shaft. The rider sits behind
the axle and his position and that of the pedals is such that when the latter are
receiving the greatest thrust (that is, when they are in their most forward position)
they are almost in a vertical line wit the centres of the driving wheels.
The pedal crank is preferably carried in bearings and hangers as set forth in the
specification of Letters Patent granted to me No. 415 of 1882.
The hangers are c rried from the main frame by diagonal tubes or rods..
The second part of my Invention relates to the construction of a ball pedal
especially adapted for a ben pedal crank as used in side driven tricycles or like
velocipedes, but suitable also for lever cranks for centrally driven tricycles or
.bicycles.
The bends in these bent crank axles render it. difficult to fit adjustable pedals to
the same as the pedal cannot be threaded on straight as in the case of a straight
pedal pin of the ordinary bicycle crank.
To carry out this part of my Invention I provide two steel or hardened plates,
similar to ordinary bicycle pedal plates but made stronger, and chamfer or groove
out the centres to take the balls. The plates are formed with long bosses on their
inner sides.
Dust caps are recessed into the inner sides of the plates to protect the balls and
bearing surfaces. To put the pedal on, the plates are threaded over the short
bends of the cranks.
The bosses in one plate are tapped, and plain in the other, and long bolts are
passed through the plain holes of one boss, the rubber blocks strung on, and then
the bolts screwed into the boss of the other plate and locked by nuts or other
devices which also serve for the adjustment.
By this means I provide a simple, cheap, and adjustable ball pedal, strong,
durable and easily taken to pieces and put together at will.
And in order that my invention may be understood and carried into practical
effect, I have caused to be annexed to this specification the accompanying sheet of
drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon I now refer.
Figure 1 shows an elevation of part of the frame of a tricycle constructed
according to my Invention.
Figure 2 a plan of saine

page_text: A is a "hay fork" frame, the tail, carrying the steering wheel, being broken off
to save space on the drawing, and the front end terminating in foot rests and lamp
holders. On this I place a bracket B carrying adjustable hangers C for carrying
the differential axle D on the ends of which the main driving wheels are placed.
A chain pulley, or like transmitter of power from the treadles or pedals, is placed
on the same as usual
To carry the bearings of the crank shaft or pedal axis I secure a bracket to the
"hay fork "A carrying diagonal tubes E on which the said bearings F are fixed
by collars as shewn.
To give support to these diagonal tubes I arrange diagonal rods or tubes G
linked to brackets on the "hay fork" A, and to the collars of the bearing brackets
on the tubes E. Pins H pass through the ends of these rods or tubes and the
brackets and collars are secured by nuts or otherwise. Thus a V-shaped support is
formed for the bearings of the crank shaft or pedal axis.
The rider, sitting on a saddle or seat, faces the differential axle at the front of
the machine.
.
Fig. 3 shews an elevation (partly in section) of my improved ball pedal.
"instead of rubbers.
Fig. 4 an elevation of the same fitted with "rat traps
This view is shewn with the "rat trap" turned up on end so as to shew it more
clearly. II are the pedal plates recessed to carry the balls J. KK are the long
bosses attached to or forming part of each pedal plate; those on one side being
screwed and the others plain. L L are the screwed rods passing through the
aforesaid bosses and the rubbers M or "rat trap" N being fitted thereon.
In the case of the latter the boss K of one "rat trap" can be secured to one of
the pedal plates as shewn, thus making the "rat trap "integral with one plate, and
the screwed rod L going through the other end into the other pedal plate.
O are the dust caps secured over the balls by screws or otherwise.
Thus the various parts of the pedal can be readily put over a bent crank and
fitted together.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim broadly a
tricycle frame with a differential axle fitted across a "hay fork" frame, but what I
claim as my said Invention and desire to secure under the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is :
Firstly, The combination of the diagonal tubes E with the linked tubes or
rods G pivoted to such and to the "bay fork" frame of a tricycle substantially as,
and for the purposes, described.
Secondly, In adjustable ball pedals for velocipedes, the combination of loose
pedal plates, fitted with opposite screwed and plain long bosses, with screwed rods
or pins carrying the "rat traps" or rubbers and serving to tie the pedal together
and allow the same to be passed on or removed from a bent crank substantially as
described.
In witness whereof I, the said William Hillman have hereunto set my hand and
seal this sixteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty four