An Improved Horse Velocipede and Means for Propelling the same in combination with a Supporting Track therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 30th Dec., 1899
An Improved Horse Velocipede and Means for Propelling the same
in combination with a Supporting Track therefor.
I, JAMES CARTER, of 3, Duke Street, South Shore, Blackpool, in the County
of Lancashire, Watchmaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention 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 a velocipede preferably having two wheels, and
adapted to run and be supported in a track specially provided therefor, the
said velocipede being constructed to carry the model of a horse on which the
rider sits, who by imparting a motion to the said dummy, similar to that
exercised in riding a horse, operates a double ratchet toothed rack which
imparts momentum to the track wheels of the velocipede and so sets the whole
in motion traversing the said track, the object of my said invention being that
a person riding such a machine may experience the motion felt when horse
riding without the possibility of falling therefrom.
In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are side and back elevations
respectively of my said invention, while Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged details
hereinafter explained.
I carry my invention into effect by providing a circular or other track com-
posed of a grooved wood or other surface A fixed in any suitable manner upon
the surface of the ground or a floor of sufficient area, and at the sides of the
said surface I provide elevated wood or other rails BB¹ supported at suitable
.intervals by stayed uprights C.
The surface A has a groove a, in which travels the track wheels D and E.
.these being carried in forks F and G respectively, the upper ends of which
said forks are rigidly connected to a wood or other strip H. at each side of
which are pivotally connected the upper ends of two depending rods J, adapted
to swing to and fro upon H to the extent or thereabouts of that shewn by the
dotted lines in Fig. 1. the said rods being pivotally connected at their lower
ends to a platform or board K, the two ends of which are bifurcated or forked
to afford a clearance for the track wheels D and E.
To the side edges or upper surface of the platform or board K is rigidly
fixed the feet of.a model or dummy horse L of suitable dimensions, upon which
the operator sits with his feet resting upon plates or studs MM₁ fixed upon
and standing out horizontally from the strip H, below or adjacent to which are
connected brackets or their equivalents N, the lower ends of which carry hori-
zontal wheels, or rollers O. adapted to engage with grooves b in the rails B
and B (Figs. 3 and 4) and by means of which the said strip H is supported
laterally, and the wheels D and E guided to keep in the track groove a of A.
Upon either or both ends of the axle of the driving wheel D is mounted a
ratchet wheel P, above and below which, and adapted to make connection
therewith are ratchet toothed racks R. and R', the ends of which are mounted
loosely and adapted to slide vertically upon the upper and lower ends of

page_text: vertical rods SS, and retained in position thereon by the means of heads c
and interposed spiral springs d. The rod $1 has pivotally connected thereto
one end of a rod or link T, the opposite end of which is pivotally connected
to the back, bifurcated end of the platform or board K. The manner of impart-
ing motion to and the travel of my improved horse velocipede is as follows.
The rider having his feet upon the projections or studs A and M would be
able by inclining his body backwards or forwards to impart a push against
the said projections or studs and so force the dummy horse L and the platform K
along in a direction. opposite to such push, by reason of L and K being both
suspended by the links J upon the strip H. Assuming therefore that such
push by the riders feet. causes -L- and K to move in a forward direction, such
forward movement of K would, throuch the link T, impart a forward movement
to the rod S and consequently the two racks RR in the direction of the large
arrow Fig. 6, which movement would cause the rack R to gear with the ratchet
wheel P and so impart motion thereto and consequently the wheel D in the
direction of the small arrow Fig. 6, such forward movement of D obviously
imparting forward movement to the entire velocipede and the rider thereon,
until the rack R had reached the end of its stroke, when, if the rider transfers
his push to the opposite directios, a pull will be imparted to the link T and its
connections, thus causing the wheel P to disconnect itself from the rack R
and engage with the rack R'. the latter of which being now travelling in the
direction of the large arrow Fig. 5 would operate to continue, the rotation of
the wheels P and D in the direction of the smaller arrow Fig. 5, and by reason
of the rider alternating the direction of his push upon the projections M, the
same motion of the horse and rotation of the wheels P and D and consequently
the travel of the velocipede may be continued as long as desired by the rider.
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) The improved horse velocipede and' means for propelling the same by
the mere motion of the rider in combination with the supporting. track therefor.
substantially as herein set forth and shewn.
.
"
•
(2) In an improved horse velocipede and track therefor, the combination of
a wood or other strip H, supported vertically upon the forks FG of track
wheels D and E, and laterally by the means of wheels O engaging with
grooves in guide rails BB, the said. wheels DE being arranged to run in
the groove a of a fixed 'surface A, the said strip H having suspended thereto
by the means of links or rods J, a double bifurcated platform or board K to
which is connected the feet of a dummy horse L, the said platform having
connected thereto a link T engaging with the upright $1 of a pair of racks R'R'
adapted to engage with a ratchet wheel P upon the axle of the track wheel -D,
motion being imparted to the whole by the rider imparting a push upon the
studs or projections MM upon H in a backward and forward direction, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn.
Dated this 25th day of November 1899.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for Applicant.