IMPROVEMENTS IN HAND POWER VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of the firm of A. M. and Wm. Clark, of
53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent
Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
HAND POWER VEHICLES." and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The object of this Invention is to simplify the construction and lessen the weight
of hand power vehicles and secure a direct application of the driving power and
lessen the friction in operating said vehicles.
.
The Invention consists in a hand power vehicle constructed with ratchet wheels
attached to the drive wheel hubs, and operated by flexible pawls connected by rods
with levers pivoted to the side bars of the vehicle frame, so that the propelling
power will be applied directly to the drive wheels.
The rear ends of the connecting rods when pushed back, and the forward parts of
the flexible pawls when drawn forward, are supported, and the said flexible pawls
are kept from bending or buckling while being pushed back for another stroke, by
guides attached to the side bars of the vehicle frame; as will be hereinafter fully
described.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawings forming a part of
this Specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the Figures.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Figure 2 is a side elevation of the
same, partly in section. Figure 3 is a side elevation of a ratchet wheel and flexible
pawl, enlarged, the axle being shown in section. Figure 4 is a sectional elevation
of the pawl guide and a side bar of the frame, taken through the line xx,
Figure 1.
A represents the wheels, the axle B of which is attached to the rear end of the
frame C. The frame C is formed of a bar bent into U-shape, as shown in Figure 1,
and having a downward off-set in its forward or bent part, as shown in Figure 2.
To the centre of the forward end of the frame C is pivoted the standard E, the
lower part of which is forked, and to, and between, the lower ends of the branches
thus formed, is pivoted the small steering wheel F. To the upper end of the
standard E, is attached a cross head G, to the ends of which are attached or upon
Price G21

page_text: them are formed plates or flattened parts H, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, for the
driver to rest the forward parts of his feet upon.
To the end parts of the front bar of the frame A are attached angular plates D,
for the driver to rest his heels upon, while the forward parts of his feet rest against
the plates or toe rests H.
In using the vehicle the driver rests his heels upon the plates or rests D, and
the forward parts of his feet against the rests H, and when he wishes to turn
to one side he presses with the forward part of one of his feet against the plate H,
upon the side from which he wishes to turn and turns the wheel F and with it the
vehicle, in the desired direction.
To the front cross bar of the frame C is attached the forward end of a spring N,
to the rear end of which is attached a brake shoe O, so that the rider can stop the
vehicle by placing a foot upon the brake shoe O and pressing the said shoe against
the wheel F.
L is the rider's seat, which is attached to the centres of cross bars M, the ends of
which are attached to the rear parts of the side bars of the frame C.
To the inner ends of the hubs of the wheels A, are attached or upon them are
formed, ratchet wheels P, with the teeth of which engage the flexible pawls Q.
The pawls Q are made in the form of flat linked chains and their engaging ends are
held against the teeth of the ratchet wheels P by springs R, attached to the said
flexible pawls Q, at a little distance from their engaging ends and the free ends of
which press against the rear sides of the said engaging ends, as shown in Figure 3.
The other ends of the flexible pawls Q are attached to the rear ends of connecting
Tods S, the forward ends of which are pivoted to the lower ends of the levers T.
The levers T at a little distance from their lower ends are pivoted to the side
bars of the frame C, in such positions that the upper ends of the said levers can
be readily reached and operated by the rider from his seat.
The rear ends of the connecting rods S, when pushed to the rearward, and the
forward parts of the flexible pawls Q when drawn forward, rest upon guides U,
attached to the rear parts of the side bars of the frame C, to prevent the flexible
pawls from folding or buckling, when being pushed back for another stroke.
'
With this construction, when the upper ends of the levers T, are pushed forward,
the flexible pawls Q, will slide back over the teeth of the ratchet wheels P, the
engaging ends of the said pawls being held against the said teeth by the springs R.
When the upper ends of the levers T, are drawn to the rearward, the flexible
pawls engage with the ratchet wheels P, and give a forward impulse to the drive
wheels A, the movements of which are unobstructed by the rearward movements of
the pawls Q, so that there will be no lost motion and no lost power, the entire
power of each stroke being expended in driving the vehicle forward.
To the side bars of the frame C, in the rear of the pivots of the levers T, are
attached blocks V, having the upper and lower sides of their forward ends bevelled,
for the said levers T, to strike against as they are oscillated, to limit the movements
of the said levers, and prevent the flexible pawls Q from being carried so far in
either direction that they will not operate properly.
This improvement can be applied to a bicycle by attaching the ratchet wheels to
the opposite ends of the drive wheel hub and using the pawls and hand levers in
the manner herein before described.
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. In a hand power vehicle, the combination with the hubs or hub, of the drive
wheels or wheel A, and the frame C, of the ratchet wheels P, the flexible pawls Q.
and the levers T, substantially as herein shown and described whereby the
propelling power will be applied directly to the drive wheels, as set forth.
2nd. The flexible pawl Q constructed substantially as herein shown and described,
with links so connected that the said pawl will bend, as set forth.

page_text: 3rd. In a hand power vehicle, the combination with the frame C, the connecting
rods S, and the flexible pawls Q, of guides U, substantially as herein shown and
described, whereby the said flexible pawls are kept from folding or buckling while
being pushed back for another stroke as set forth.