Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 5th June, 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
1, EDWARD BURSTOW, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, Architect, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
be as follows:-
" to
My invention relates to the construction of Velocipedes having each a central
driving wheel over which the rider sits and a jointed frame, that is to say, a frame
constructed with a joint on each side preferably near the hearings of the central
driving wheel, such as are described in the specification of the Patent granted to me
December 16th 1880 No. 4707, and modifications thereof.
According to my present invention instead of making the frame with a back-bar
curved to follow nearly the shape of the driving wheel and connecting the pair of
trailing wheels with the leading wheel or pair of wheels by means of links or rods
placed nearly on the level of these wheels, I construct the corresponding parts of
straight pieces of tubular metal through which rods pass to connect, and transmit
from the steering handle the corresponding movements to the leading and trailing
wheels.
From the rear end of the principal frame rises a straight tubular bar, preferably
inclining slightly backwards, the upper end of which is fixed to a horizontal or nearly
horizontal tubular bar, preferably rising towards the front of the machine so as to be
at right angles to the before named bar. This bar is fixed to the top of the fork
of the driving wheel, and is connected in front by a flexible bar or bars to another
nearly vertical tubular bar rising from the front part of the frame over the leading
wheel, or, when there are two leading wheels, over the centre of the bar connecting
them.
Bars controlling the leading wheel or wheels, and the trailing wheels, pass up their
respective tubular bars and are connected by means of suitable cranks or knuckle-
joints and a connecting rod passing through the horizontal bar before named,
so that the motion of the steering handle which is attached to the rod for controlling
the leading wheel or wheels is communicated to both the leading and trailing
wheels.
In some cases I fit the driving gear connected with the leading wheels with a
universal joint, so as to admit of a difference in direction of the upper and lower
parts thereof.
Within the horizontal tubular-bar before mentioned I may provide a coiled spring
the function of which is to cause the driving-gear to return to its normal position as
soon as it is left free.
The pedals may be attached to the axle of the driving wheel in the usual manner,
or the said axle of the driving wheel may be fitted on each side with a pinion which
gears with a wheel turned by the treadles as next described.
I provide an annular-wheel having teeth projecting inwards, that is to say, towards
the centre of the annulus, and corresponding with those of the pinion on the axle of
the driving wheel; or the annulus may be pierced for the reception of the cogs; the
relative sizes of the pinion and the annular wheel determining the relative speed of
rotation of the driving wheel and the pedals.
The annular wheel may be attached to a disc covering one side of it, and by means
of which it is attached to the axle on which it rotates, or if it is desired that the
pinion shall be of such size as to interfere with this arrangement the annular wheel
may be made to run loose between suitable rollers by which it is kept in its place and
in gear with the pinion.

page_text: When this arrangement is adopted the pinion may be made of such size in relation
to the annular wheel as to afford almost any required relative rate of rotation.
I provide means by which the machine may be made convertible, so as either to
work with the treadles fixed directly on the axle of the driving wheel or by an easily
effected change, to work with the gearing above described.
Dated the Fifth day of September 1889.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, EDWARD BURSTOW, of Horsham, in the County of Sussex, Architect, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES " and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to the construction of Velocipedes having each a central
driving-wheel over which the rider sits and a jointed frame, that is to say a frame
constructed with a joint on each side preferably near the bearings of the central
driving wheel, such as are described in the specification of the Patent granted to me
December 16th 1880 No. 4707 and modifications thereof.
According to my present invention instead of making the frame with a back-bar
curved to follow nearly the shape of the driving wheel and connecting the pair of
trailing wheels with the leading wheel or pair of wheels by means of links or rods
placed nearly on the level of these wheels, I construct the corresponding parts of
straight pieces of tubular metal through which rods pass to connect and transmit
from the steering handle the corresponding movements to the leading and trailing
wheels.
From the rear end of the principal frame rises a straight tubular bar, preferably
inclining slightly backwards the upper end of which is fixed to a horizontal or nearly
horizontal tubular bar, preferably rising towards the front of the machine so as to be
at right angles to the before named bar. This bar is fixed to the top of the fork of
the driving wheel, and is connected in front by a flexible bar or bars to another
nearly vertical tubular bar rising from the front part of the frame over the leading
wheel, or, when there are two leading wheels, over the centre of the bar connecting
them.
Bars controlling the leading-wheel or wheels, and the trailing wheels, pass up
their respective tubular bars and are connected by means of suitable cranks or
knuckle-joints and a connecting rod passing through the horizontal bar before
named, so that the motion of the steering-handle which is attached to the rod for
controlling the leading-wheel, or wheels, is communicated to both the leading and
trailing wheels.
In some cases I fit the steering-gear connected with the leading-wheel with a
universal joint, so as to admit of a difference in direction of the upper and lower
parts thereof.
Within the horizontal tubular-bar before mentioned I may provide a coiled spring
the function of which is to cause the steering gear to return to its normal position as
soon as it is left free.
In a modified form of this machine, instead of the square arrangement described
above, I employ in place of the two straight tubular bars, one bar preferably solid,
bent to form about the quadrant of a circle, and instead of the bar which operates
the steering motion of the trailing wheels being straight and nearly vertical as above
described it is made curved to follow nearly the curve of the driving wheel and so as
to reach nearly to the vertical or nearly vertical bar of the steering apparatus in front
and is jointed there to the short arm which in the previously described arrangement

page_text: forms the first member of the cranck or knuckle-joint in the steering gear, such
arm being made of appropriate length. By this modification the angular arrange-
ment at the back part of the apparatus is avoided and the machine rendered more
sightly.
The treadles may be attached to the axle of the driving wheel in the usual
manner, or the said axle of the driving wheel may be fitted on each side
with a pinion which gears with a wheel turned by the treadles as next described.
I provide an annulus or wheel having teeth projecting inwards, that is to say,
towards the centre of the annulus, and corresponding with those of the pinion on
the axle of the driving wheel or instead of having cogs projecting inwards the annulus
may be pierced for the reception of the cogs of the pinion; the relative sizes of the
pinion and the annulus or wheel determining the relative speed of rotation of the
driving wheel and the treadles.
The annulus or wheel may be attached to a disc covering one side of it, and by
means of which it is attached to the axle on which it rotates, or if it is desired that
the pinion shall be of such size as to interfere with this arrangement, the annulus or
wheel may be made to run loose between suitable rollers by which it is kept in its
placo and in gear with the pinion.
When the latter arrangement is adopted the pinion may he made of such size in
relation to the annulus or wheel as to afford almost any required relative rate of
rotation.
I provide means by which the machine may be made convertible, so as either to
work with the treadles fixed directly on the axle of the driving wheel or by an easily
effected change to work with the gearing above described.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed to describe
the same by reference to the accompanying drawings forming part of this my
Specification in which Figs. 1 to 4 represent two machines constructed according
to my said invention.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the first form of my said machine with the treadle attach-
ment on one side removed to show the parts behind, and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same;
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the second or modified form of the same, and Fig. 4 is a
plan of it. Fig. 5 represents an elevation and section of the treadle attachment, and
Fig. 6 is an elevation and section thereof as constructed without a hub or bos and
mounted between guide wheels instead of on a centre. In Figs. 1 and 2, A is the
principal or driving wheel; B is the leading wheel; b is a bar terminating below in a
fork and extending upwards to the steering handle D, which is fixed to it. C, C,
are the trailing wheels F, F1, and F2 are forks forming parts of the frame, F and F¹
being rigidly fixed to the parts with which they are connected, and F2 being attached
by a joint at f. G is a collar through which the bar b works, and in which it can
turn, to this the bars F2 are jointed at g. A shoulder on the bar bimmediately below
the collar G, and a fixed ring or ferrule above, prevent the collar G moving
longitudinally on the bar, while leaving the bar free to revolve as actuated and
controlled by the steering handle D. A collar K, on the upper part of the bar b is
fixed longitudinally by a shoulder or nut or ferrule above and below it, and is attached
by a joint k to the spring H, which spring forms a prolongation of a tubular bar E,
which is rigidly attached to another tubular bar I, the other end of which is rigidly
attached to the fork F¹. The trailing wheels C, C, are mounted on a horizontal bar J,
which is rigidly attached to a bar L, which latter passes through the tubular bar I and
carries at its upper extremity a short arm 1, which is jointed at 1 to a rod m which
is bent near each end as shewn in Fig. 2 and which passes through the tubular bar E
and terminates in the joint m¹ connecting it with the arm n of the bar b.
Plates c, e serve to fix rigidly the ends of the forks F and F and to carry the
joint of the fork F, and to form bearings for the axle of the driving wheel or to
carry the ball bearings for the same. On each end of the axle of the driving wheel is
keyed a pinion M, the teeth of which take into inwardly projecting teeth of an annulus
or wheel or (as represented in the drawing) into perforations in the said annulus or

page_text: wheel which is shewn separately in Fig. 6, and which has a box or hub d through the
centre of which is a hole of square section. This hub fits into and works on a short
sleeve or tube e on the plate c. This sleeve is of just sufficient diameter to receive the
hub d and of length sufficient reach to or nearly to its base. These parts are attached
together by means of a screw bolt h passing through the centre of the hub, the head of
which bolt rests on the surface of the plate c, and the neck of which is cylindrical so
as to allow of its turning freely in the plate, but the body thereof is square and fits the
hole through the hub d, and the other end has a screw thread on which a nut is placed.
It will be obvious that the bolt h and its nut revolve with the hub and that they have
therefore no tendency to work loose.
An arm N projecting from the annulus or wheel Q carries the treadles which are
attached to it in the usual manner.
The annulus or wheel Q may be made as shewn in the drawings with perforations
into which the teeth of the pinion M gear, or it may be made with teeth projecting
inwardly from the annulus to gear with those of the pinion.
Ordinary treadle cranks attached direct to the axle of the driving wheel may be
substituted for the arrangement just described. To effect this change the wheel Qis
removed and the pinions M taken off the axle of the driving wheel and a pair of
ordinary treadles attached in their place.
Instead of centering the annulus or wheel Q as above described it may be made
without a hub by placing round the annulus three or more, preferably four, guide
wheels carried on axles fixed to the plates c which guide wheels are provided with
flanges, or the like, taking into and an annular rabbet in the annulus as shewn in
Fig. 6 and thus retaining it in gear with the teeth of the pinion and keeping
it steady.
Figs. 3 and 4 represent the modified form of my invention in which the crutch of
the fork F¹ instead of being attached to a straight bar is attached to a curved one I'
the lower extremity of which carries two eyes rr into and through which the bar L
works. The bar is bent to follow the curve of the wheel and has its upper
extremity firmly and rigidly attached to the upper part of the fork F.
The bar L is attached rigidly to the bar J (which carries the trailing wheels) and
is curved as shewn in the drawings and reaches nearly to the front of the machine
where it terminates in a socket in which works the end of an arm or lever n¹
attached to the steering bar b. The arm n is jointed on to the bar b so as to
permit a free up and down motion of some extent to the bar b, while the other end,
which may terminate in a ball or button, remains in the socket of the bar L' but
so as to receive a lateral motion when the bar is partially rotated by the action of
the steering handle and thus communicates a lateral motion to that end of the bar L'
carrying it a short distance to the right or left and thus turning the trailing wheels
to correspond with, but opposite to, the motion imparted to the leading wheel.
On the bar l' is fixed a stirrup or eye R, which is of greater width than depth, so
as to allow room for the lateral motion of the bar L' which passes through it, and the
upper part of which eye serves as an attachment for the saddle bar O the other end
of which is jointed to a collar on the bar b.
I prefer to fit the vertical stem D¹ of the steering handle into the tubular bar b, so
as to admit of its being adjusted and clamped at a height to suit the rider.
The other parts are the same as described in reference to Figs. 1 and 2.
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 :-
1. Constructing Velocipedes of the type having central driving wheels substantially
as herein before described and shown in the Drawings.
2. Constructing Velocipedes in which the leading and trailing wheels are linked
together for the purpose of steering by apparatus passing over the top of the driving
wheel substantially as herein before described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

page_text: 3. Constructing velocipedes in which the leading and trailing wheels are linked
together for the purpose of steering by apparatus passing over the top of the driving
wheel substantially as hereinbefore described and shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
4. Connecting the treadles with the axle of the driving wheel by means of gearing
constructed substantially as described and shown.
Dated the 5th day of June 1890.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.