IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Trigwell, of 41, Queen's Road, Brighton, in the
County of Sussex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
AND SIMILAR VEHICLES."
Sealed the 6th July 1877, and dated the 10th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Trigwell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th January 1877.
JAMES TRIGWELL, of 41, Queen's Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES."
I
One object of this Invention is to facilitate and regulate the propulsion of
bicycles and similar vehicles by reducing the speed with which the rider works
with his feet without reducing the speed of the vehicle, but, on the contrary, giving
facility for accomplishing a greater speed if desired. For this purpose I apply
wheel gearing, and I fit the treadle axle with a toothed wheel which, directly, or by
means of intermediate gearing, engages with a pinion on the axle of the driving
wheel. The length of the treadle arms may be somewhat increased. The wheels
may also be made to change to suit the required speed.
Another object of this Invention is to facilitate the going up or down inclines,
and generally to adjust the position of the rider relatively to the vehicle. For this
purpose I make the saddle adjustable, so that it can be shifted either nearer to or
further from the centre line of the driving wheel axle; this may conveniently be
done by means of worm-wheel gearing or endless band actuated by the steering
handle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James Trigwell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th July
1877.
JAMES TRIGWELL, of 41, Queen's Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Engineer. " IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES,"
...
71

page_text: To facilitate and regulate the propulsion of bicycles and similar vehicles I employ
wheel gearing for transmitting the motion of the treadle to the driving wheel of the
vehicle, whereby increased speed of the driving wheel is obtained, while the rider
may work the treadle more slowly than heretofore.
The Invention refers particularly to means for shifting the saddle horizontally
towards or from the centre of the driving wheel, a movement which may be effected
while the machine is in motion, and which is obtained by the employment of an
endless band, worm gearing, or screw actuated by the steering handle, all as here-
after particularly described.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan
of a bicycle constructed in accordance with my Invention; Figures 3, 4, and 5, are.
detail views of parts of the same.
The driving wheel of the vehicle is centred upon the stud A, upon each end of
which a pinion B is fixed, and gearing with an intermediate wheel C centred at a
lower part of the fork D; an arm projects from this lower part (as shown at
Figure 3), so as to support a third spur wheel E fixed to the stud F, upon which the
treadle levers G are centred. The wheel E is; by preference, made larger than the
wheels B and C, so that one revolution thereof will cause the driving wheel to
perform, say, two revolutions, so that in this case to attain the ordinary speed the
rider would require to work the treadles at only half the usual rate.
'
The arrangement just described is of course provided on both sides of the driving
wheel. The diameter of the driving wheel may, if desired, be reduced and the
length of the treadles increased. H is the adjustable saddle to shift the position of
the rider relatively to the centre of the driving wheel, so as to facilitate the ascent
and descent of inclines. The saddle slides upon a continuation of the main spring I,
or other suitably placed support, and an endless chain J is attached to it at the
points_a. The steering handle K is provided with a spiked or toothed chain
pully L, and the chain is carried round the guide rollers b, b¹, and b², so that, as the
steering handle K is turned in one or the other direction, the saddle is slid back-
wards or forward at the will of the rider, an operation which may be performed
while the machine is running at full speed. I do not, however, limit myself to the
employment of an endless band to effect this movement of the saddle, as the same
may be obtained by the use of worm-wheel gearing, or it might be a screw, either
of which could be easily operated from the steering handle.
A modefied arrangement, accordingly shown at Figures 4 and 5, for sliding the
saddle upon the spring I; in this case the saddle has a pin b affixed thereto, around
which a piece of gut his passed, the ends of the gut being passed through a hole in
the steering handle and fastened thereto; c is an india-rubber spring passed round
the pin band a hook d; this spring serves to draw the saddle back when unlocked.
The saddle may be locked in position by means of the sliding bolt e (Figure 5),
taking into one of the slots in the piece g.
Having now described my said Invention, and the mode of carrying it into effect,
I would remark, in conclusion, that I do not claim the multiplying gear herein-before
described and shown in the Drawing, as I have found the same is not new, but
what I desire to claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is, the employment in bicycles and similar vehicles of a
shifting saddle capable of being adjusted from the steering handle by the rider, in
the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Trigwell, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-seven.