MENTS IN BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, VELOCIPEDES, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE VEHICLES OR CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Francis Beauchamp at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th September 1883.
"IMPROVE-
FRANCIS BEAUCHAMP, of Edmonton, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, VELOCIPEDES, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE VEHICLES OR
CARRIAGES, PARTS OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
"
The first part of this invention has for object the construction of three and four
wheeled velocipedes in such manner that they may be easily collapsed when it is
desired to pass them through doorways or other comparatively small openings or
places. For this purpose I connect the two side frames of a velocipede by a single
or double connecting rod pivotted at each end to suitable bosses formed on the two
side frames in line or thereabouts with the centres of the two side wheels, the
connecting rod having by preference a boss in the centre thereof to receive the
spindle for carrying the saddle. The front or back wheel or both as the case may
be is or are carried by prolongations of the side frames bent round at right angles
to such side frames, which prolongations are connected together at the front or
back or both by socket and tenon joints, with pins or screws passing transversely
through same, or by a rod passing through each pair of the said prolongations and
screwed up by a nut, or they may be connected by any other suitable or convenient
means. When it is desired to collapse the velocipede, it is only necessary to
remove the crank and to disconnect the front or back or both prolongations of the
side frames, when one of such side frames may be drawn forward in advance of the
other and more or less parallel thereto, the connecting rod turning on its two
pivotted ends in a manner somewhat similar to that of one of the connecting bars
of a parallel ruler.
The second part of this Invention has for object the more economical application
and distribution of the power exerted by the rider's feet on the pedals of a bicycle,
tricycle, velocipede or other such like vehicle or carriage, and consists in causing
each of the said pedals to revolve upon a fixed boss or centre attached to the
fraining of the velocipede, such boss or centre being eccentric with and surrounding
the shaft which imparts motion either directly or indirectly to the driving wheels.
The pedal pin takes into a slotted crank fixed on such shaft, and by these arrange-
ments the effective length of each of the cranks is increased and diminished at
D.....

page_text: various portions of the stroke, and greater leverage is obtained at the outward
and downward portion of the stroke of the pedal crank than it is possible to obtain
with the ordinary pedal crank, whereas the circle described by the foot of the rider
is no greater than in the case of ordinary velocipedes. This part of my invention
may likewise be applied for various purposes in different classes of machinery.
The third part of this invention consists of a clutch, operated by a hand lever or
other suitable device, for the purpose of throwing in or out of gear the chain wheel,
crank and connecting rod or other appliance for transferring the rotary motion of
the pedals to the main driving wheels. The rider is thus enabled to use the pedals
as foot-rests when going down hill.
The fourth part of this invention has reference to the seat or saddle of tricycles,
velocipedes and other such like vehicles or carriages and consists of the following
arrangements: The seat or saddle is carried by a vertical spindle which is free to
slide on a feather in the central boss of the before mentioned connecting rod, such
spindle being surrounded by a spring or springs, and the height of the seat being
adjustable by means of a collar and set nut on the said spindle.