IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FOR USE IN DRIVING VELOCI- PEDES, SEWING, AND OTHER MACHINERY.”
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Woodward Hill, of Kimbolton Road, Bedford, in
the County of Bedford, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER FOR USE IN DRIVING VELOCI-
PEDES, SEWING, AND OTHER MACHINERY.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Woodward Hill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1878.
JAMES WOODWARD HILL, of Kimbolton Road, Bedford, in the County of Bedford,
:Civil Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
FOR USE IN DRIVING VELOCIPEDES, SEWING, AND OTHER MACHINERY."
In the case of velocipedes, the object is to facilitate the working of them by the
combination therewith of self-acting mechanism which, when required, may be
brought into use to act in relief or in substitution of the muscular action of the
user of such velocipede, and then, when not required, stopped.
In carrying out these improvements in the case of velocipedes, the axle of the
driving wheels, or an axle in gear therewith, is formed with cranks which, by
connecting links, are connected to the treadles or hand levers to be worked by the
user in the usual way.
In addition to such means of propulsion, the self-acting mechanism which I com-
bine with such velocipedes consists of helical, or such like, or other spring or springs
capable of being wound up by key or otherwise and of acting on axles and series
of wheels so as to give rotary motion thereto, and these wheels are by clutch or
such like connection capable of being acted upon by levers to bring them into con-
nection with the main or other axle of the velocipede to effect or to aid in effecting
the working of such velocipede, especially up hill, so that when the user of such.
velocipede becomes tired or desires to relieve himself wholly or partially of the
exertion of working such velocipede he may bring into use the motive power

page_text: referred to, and which has been previously wound up so as for a time, at the discre-
tion of the user, to bring such into service in relief or substitution of the exercise of
the hands or feet, or both.
Such motive power so applied is also applicable in aid or substitution of other
machinery where treadles are employed, and for giving motion to such or other
machinery by band, chain, strap, or otherwise.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
'the said James Woodward Hill in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
7th April 1879.
JAMES WOODWARD HILL, of Kimbolton Road, Bedford, in the County of Bedford,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING MOTIVE POWER
FOR USE IN DRIVING VELOCIPEDES, SEWING, AND OTHER MACHINERY."
In the use of velocipedes the object is to facilitate the working of them by the
combination therewith of self-acting mechanism which, when required, may he
brought into use to act in relief or in substitution of the muscular action of the user
of such velocipede, and then, when not required, be stopped.
•
In carrying out the improvements in the case of velocipedes, the axle of the
driving wheels, or an axle in gear therewith, is formed with cranks which, by con-
necting links, are connected to the treadles or hand levers, to be worked by the
user in the usual way.
In addition to such means of propulsion, the self-acting mechanism which I
combine with such velocipedes consists of helical, or such like, or other spring or
springs capable of being wound up by key or otherwise and of acting on axles and
sèries of wheels so as to give rotary motion thereto, and these wheels are, by clutch
or such like connection, capable of being acted upon by levers to bring them into
connection with the main or other axle of the velocipede to effect or to aid in
effecting the working of such velocipede, especially up hill, so that when the user
of such velocipede becomes tired or desires to relieve himself wholly or partially of
the exertion of working such velocipede he may bring into use the motive power
referred to, and which has been previously wound up so as for a time, at the discre-
tion of the user, to bring such into service in relief or substitution of the exercise
of the hands or feet, or both.
Such motive power so applied is also applicable in aid or substitution of other
machinery where treadles are employed, and for giving motion to such or other
machinery by band, chain, strap, or otherwise.
But that the Invention may be the better understood, I will by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me in carrying the
same into effect.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 show two opposite side views of a velocipede with improvements
applied thereto according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a plan view; and Figure 4,
a front view thereof. In each of the views the same letters are employed to
indicate corresponding parts.
a, a, are the two main or driving wheels applied to the crank axle a¹, and b is
the leading or steering wheel; c represents the framing. The axle of the leading
or steering wheel b is supported at its opposite ends in the lower end of the fork b¹,
the upper part or stem 63 of which passes up through and is guided so as to be
capable of turning in the fore end of the framing c, and this turning is effected as
desired by the user operating on the lever handle 63 whilst sitting in the seat d
affixed to the framing, and the motive power for the progress of the vehicle is
obtained under ordinary circumstances by the user acting by his feet on the
treddles e in the usual way, such treadles being supported to rock on the ends of
the bearings e¹, and being connected by suitable connecting rods 6 with the
cranks a³, a³, of the axle a as is well understood. So far there is no novelty in the
apparatus as shown, and I will now proceed to described self-acting machinery
according to my Invention in connection with such apparatus, and which may be
used in aid of such ordinary means of locomotion, or independently thereof. fis
the spring barrel containing the coiled spring which, when wound up, constitutes
the motive power. One end of the spring contained in the barrel f is affixed to the
shaft f¹, which is supported so as to be capable of revolving in bearings carried by
the framing c, and to the axle or shaft f1 is applied the ratchet wheel f" which
is acted upon by a click to prevent recoil. The other end of the spring in the
barrel fis connected to that barrel, and the barrel ƒ is connected by a chain or
band I with the fusee h, and this fusee is applied to one end of the shaft h¹,
which shaft h' is supported so as to be capable of revolving in bearings carried by
the framing c, and at its opposite end there is applied to it the ratchet wheel h
with a handle lever h³ and click or driver h*, by which the wheel h³ may be caused
to revolve and thereby effect the revolution of the fusce h and, by the chain or
band g, cause the winding up of the mainspring in the barrel f. In place of the
handle lever and wheel h³, a winch handle may be applied to the axle h¹ for the
purpose of such winding up. On the fusee h are formed or applied the toothed
wheel h and the ratchet wheel h³. The teeth of the ratchet wheel h are taken
into by a click he to hold the fusee from being drawn upon to cause its rotation by
the action of the spring barrel until such motive power is desired to be brought
into action. This click his released when desired by the user, as will be presently
more fully described. This wheel his for the purpose of communicating the rotary
motion obtained by the power employed through a train of wheelwork to the main
axle when desired. For this purpose, the teeth of the wheel h7 take into the teeth
of the small wheel i affixed on one end of the shaft or axis which is supported
with capability of freely revolving in bearings carried by the main framing, and at
its opposite end this shaft or axis 2 carries a tooth wheel 2, the teeth of which take
into the teeth of the small wheel j to cause the rotation of that wheel j, and this
wheel j is affixed on one end of the shaft or axis j', which is also supported to
revolve freely in bearings carried by the framing, and on the opposite end of
this shaft jis applied a wheel j³, the teeth of which take into the teeth of a small
wheel k to give motion to it, and this wheel k is affixed on one end of the shaft or
axis, which, like the others, is supported to revolve freely in bearings carried by
the framing, and at its opposite end this shaft or axis k carries the toothed
wheel, the teeth of which take into the teeth of the pinion 7 which is capable of
revolving freely on the axis of the bearing wheels a, or by clutch connexion of being
connected to that shaft a¹ so as to cause the rotation of that shaft and of one of the
bearing wheels a. As shown, the clutch connection o is operated by the lever m,

page_text: This
which is supported to rock on a stationary pin m³, and at its lower end is formed
into a fork to embrace the neck of one part of the clutch o, whilst its upper and
longer end is formed into a handle m² in position to be operated by the user.
lever m also bears one end of the rod n, the other end of which is wedge-formed
at n' to act on the tail end of the click hº, so that when the axle a' is in clutch
connection with the wheel the click may simultaneously be thrown out of gear
with the ratchet wheel h, and the spring in the barrel f may be free to act.
I would remark that although I have shown the crank axle a as capable of being
operated by treddles, it will readily be understood that lever handles may be
applied to be operated by the user. In the case of the seat being arranged for
more than one occupant, one may work with his feet the treddles and the other or
another by the hand levers as is well understood, and forms no part of my Inven-
tion. Similar arrangements may be applied to other forms of velocipedes than that
indicated to effect their propulsion.
Although I have shown both sides of the frame c extended to the support of the
axle of the fore wheel b, if desired, only one side thereof may be so extended,
thereby leaving the other side free for better access to the seat.
Figure 5 shows by side view and Figure 6 by plan view a modification of the
arrangement of apparatus above described, adapted to the working of sewing
machines and other light machines.
In this case, f represents the spring barrel containing the coiled spring, as in the
arrangement above described; h, the fusee; and g, the fusee chain or band; i, a
pinion with pulley p applied to it to receive a band or strap for communicating
motion to the machine to be driven.
Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying the
same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the
precise arrangements of parts as shown and described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention.
But what I do claim is the improvements in apparatus for obtaining motive
power for use in driving velocipedes, sewing, and other machinery, substantially as
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Woodward Hill, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.