ROVEMENTS IN MONOCYCLES
Year: 1885

page_text: ELIJAH FRANCIS Mechanic 6 Stone Terrace Storer Street Nottingham ZARRAH
JETHRO FRANCIS Pottors Printer 1 Manchester Street Nottingham FREDERICK
DOUGLAS BARRITT, Ironmonger 93 Carlton Road Nottingham do hereby declare
the nature of the invention for travelling by road IMPROVEMENTS IN MONOCYCLES
to be as follows:-
1st The outer wheel, is a wheel that runs on the ground, to be named the Cherub
Wheel 2nd The Driving Wheel that runs inside the inner rim of the Cherub Wheel
to be named the Lion Wheel 3rd The Drum Wheel on which the two Belts run in
connexion with the Driving Wheel, to be named the man wheel-4th Two small
guard wheels to keep the propelling power in its place—to be named-Eagle
Wheels-5th The saddle upon which the driver sits, over the Lion Wheel turning
the man wheel with two Handles, causing the Cherub Wheel to revolve-with its
springs & stirrups-The break will have power on the Cherub Wheel.

page_text: İmprovements in Monocycles.
We, CHARLOTTE FRANCIS widow and administratrix of the estate of the late
Elijah Francis 6 Stone Terrace; Storer Street; ZARRAH JETHRO FRANCIS, Potters
Printer 1 Manchester Street, and FREDERICK DOUGLAS BARRITT Ironmonger
93 Carlton Road, all in Nottingham, do hereby declare the nature of this Inven-
tion 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 velocipedes of the kind having one large principal
wheel within the circumference of which the rider sits, and which may be termed
a monocycle, and it has for its object the construction and arrangement of parts of
apparatus within this main wheel whereby it may be caused to travel along the
ground carrying the rider by which the velocipede is propelled.
And in order that the said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood we proceed to describe the same with the aid of a
sheet of explanatory drawings hereunto appended and to be hereinafter referred to.
In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like
parts wherever they are repeated.
Figure 1 on the accompanying sheet of drawings is a side elevation of our
improved monocycle, and Figure 2 is a front view of the same. In the improved
monocycle there is a large travelling wheel, 3, which is formed by two concentric
circles one of which is smaller than the other. The outer or larger of these circles
is formed of channelled iron similar to that used for the metal tyres of ordinary
velocipede wheels, and has a rubber tyre fixed thereto. The diameter of this outer
circle, 4, may be about six feet but may be larger or smaller if desired and it is
connected by short metal spokes, 5, to the inner or smaller circle, 6. This circle, 6,
is preferably formed of tubular metal for lightness, and three grooved wheels are
arranged to be carried by a suitable framing and these wheels are arranged to rest
and in some cases to run over the inner circle, 6. The largest one, 7, of these three
wheels, is carried in suitable bearings at the end of a forked piece, 8, which is fixed
at an incline by its upper end to a curved framing piece, 9. This curved framing
piece, 9, preferably formed of tubular metal for lightness is shaped somewhat like
the letter U but with its upward extensions curving outwards. At each end of
these upward extensions (the front one of which is longer than the other) there is
fitted in suitable bearings, a small grooved or double flanged guiding wheel, 10, 11.
The one, 10, on the longest arm at the fore part being connected to its upward
extension of the framing by a forked piece, 12, which forked piece, 12, is attached
by a hinge or in such a manner that the wheel may be removed out of contact with
the inner circle, 6, when it is desired to remove the framing and working parts.
In the bend of the framing to which the forked piece, 8, is fixed, there is fitted a
saddle, 13, for a rider, the saddle being titted on a spring and attached in a manner
similar to that employed for ordinary velocipedes. The monocycle is propelled by
a rider seated on this saddle, by means of a handwheel, 14, provided with crauks
and handles, 15, or otherwise worked by the rider, the wheel, 14, being connected

page_text: by chain gearing (or a belt) to a pulley, 10, fixed on the shaft of the driving
wheel, 7, at one side. To enable the rider to control the monocycle a brake arrange-
ment is provided. This brake is in the form of a shoe brake carried by a short
lever or arm, 21, which is hinged or centered on a short bracket, 22. This
bracket, 22, is attached at a convenient part to the back upward extension of the
framing just a little under the small wheel, 11. The shoe brake, 21, is kept off the
inner circle, 6, by a spring, 23, and is brought in action so as to bear against
the circle, 6, by means of a rod, 24, which is connected to one end of a small
treadle, 25, centered by its other end upon the lower end of the vertical bar. The
rider works the brake by pressing upon the treadle, 25, with his foot. By working
the haud wheel thus turning the driving wheel, 7, this wheel will have a tendency
to rise up in front slightly upon the circle, 6, but this action will change the centre
of gravity and so cause the travelling wheel to turn and move forward. The three
wheels, 7, 10; and, 11, being placed within the travelling wheel, 3, at about equal
distances apart cause the rider to be balanced at about the middle of the circle.
To protect the rider from dirt and wet a canopy, 26, of sheet metal or other
suitable material is arranged over the rider between the two wheels, 10, and, 11,
being suitably attached so as to be removable to the upward extensions of the
framing, 9. It is obvious that by reason of the large diameter of the wheel, a
considerable distance along the ground may be covered with little energy required
to propel the machine. The monocycle may be conveniently steered by the move-
ment of the rider pressing towards one side or the other as required according to
the direction he wishes to take.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The combination and arrangement of parts forming a monocycle substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The construction and arrangement of two concentric circles forming a large
travelling or outer wheel (3) having the working parts for propelling the same,
within the inner circle (6) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the drawings.