IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES BY WHICH THEY ARE RENDERED MORE SUITABLE FOR LADIES' USE, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF OTHER MACHINERY OR APPARATUS."
Year: 1879

page_text: •
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Dutton Templer Sparrow
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st July 1879.
THOMAS DUTTON TEMPLER SPARROW, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Bicycle Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES BY WHICH THEY ARE RENDERED
MORE SUITABLE FOR LADIES' USE, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO THE LUBRICATION OF OTHER MACHINERY OR APPARATUS."
My Invention relates to improvements in velocipedes, whereby the defects in
velocipedes as ordinarily constructed are remedied, and they are rendered more
efficient and adapted for general use, and are particularly suitable for ladies.
In carrying out my Invention as applied to the construction of bicycles, I place
the smaller wheel which I make the steering wheel in front, the same being
pivotted and fitted with a fork and handle, and all usual or suitable facilities for
effecting the steering. The larger wheel (which is thus situate at the rear) remains
the driving wheel as heretofore, but in lieu of propelling the same by the direct
action of the feet upon cranks, I employ treadle levers which are connected by
cranks with the driving axles. The treadle levers are so pivotted and arranged as
to be acted upon by the direct motion of the feet of the rider, and the two treadle
levers may be either operated alternately or they may both be- operated
simultaneously by the treadles, in the latter case being raised again under the
action of springs. By means of the arrangement hereinbefore described all liability
of the rider being projected over the steering handle is obviated, and as the back
bone is so situate as to be clear of the legs of the rider increased facility is afforded
for alighting.
In applying my Invention to tricycles and other velocipedes with more than two
wheels, I provide means for imparting motion to the velocipede by means of
gearing so arranged that when it is required to ascend an incline the velocipedo
will be driven at a reduced speed with increased power, a suitable clutch action or
change wheels being employed so as to bring the required train of gearing into
operation, according as the power or the speed is required to be predominant.
This gearing may be operated by the treadle motion, or if desired the gearing
for multiplying the power may be operated by a crank handle. as will be well
understood.
In order to ensure that the whole of the parts of the velocipedes are duly lubri-
cated, I provide one or more common inlets for the lubricant and connect such

page_text: inlets by passages with all the parts of the velocipede which require lubrication.
If therefore the lubricant is duly supplied to the said inlet all liability of the
lubrication of any one of the parts being omitted is obviated, as the lubricant will
automatically flow to the whole of the parts requiring lubrication, so long as the
supply to the inlet is maintained. This part of my Invention is also applicable to
other machinery or apparatus (such for example as sewing machines) for the
purpose of ensuring the lubrication of the whole of their moving parts.