IMPROVEMENTS IN DRIVING MECHANISM
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of 323 High Holborn in the County
"
of Middlesex, Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRIVING
MECHANISM a communication to me from John Courtois Tennent of Glyndon
Maryland United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th December 1883.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRIVING MECHANISM a communication to me
from John Courtois Tennent of Glyndon Maryland United States of America.
The object of this invention is to increase the power expended by the feet upon
the treadles in operating any machine, by gaining the resistance of the shoulders
upon some part of the frame in the line of the direction of the stroke of the feet
through the central line of the body.
Referring to the drawings
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a tricycle showing the improved
motor attached thereto.
Fig 2. is a top or plan view of the machine shewn in Fig 1.
Fig 3 is a side view of the device applied as a motor for driving mechanism of
any kind
In Figs 1 and 2 this motor is shewn applied to a tricycle or other wheeled
vehicle propelled by the rider.
I will now proceed to describe this invention with reference to these figures.
A indicates the wheels and B the axle connecting the same; and C the front or
steering wheel, all of which are of the ordinary construction, the rear and front
wheels being connected together by bars or pieces D D to which the seat E together
with the levers by which the machine is propelled are secured. The front and rear
wheels are also connected and strengthened by the truss or brace bars F. F.
G G are bent levers secured in bearings a in the pieces D, the inner ends of these
levers are bent, so as to form treadles or foot supports for the operator, while
the outer ends of said levers are connected with the pitmans or connecting
rods H and H¹ I is a shaft mounted in suitable. bearings b in the brace or

page_text: truss F to one end of which is secured a pulley or wheel J, while the other end is
pivotted with a crank arm K to which the pitman H¹ is secured the other
pitman H being secured to the pulley or wheel J-L is a pulley or wheel rigidly
secured to the axle B which is connected with the pulley or wheel J by means of
a cord or belt M and by this arrangement power is applied to the axle to propel
the vehicle.
The pullies J and L may be made in the form of sprocket wheels connected by a
sprocket chain as is the common method in this class of machines
N. N are two uprights secured to the brace bars F (and also to the connecting
bars D D) to the upper end of which are secured the straps or yokes O. O, which
are designed to be placed over the shoulders of the operator to hold him in place
and utilize the muscular action of the body, as well as its weight, to assist the
power of the legs and feet upon the treadles and gaining the resistance of the
shoulders upon some part of the frame, of the body of the operator in the line of
direction of the stroke of the feet and through the centre line of the body. This
is an important feature of this invention as it enables the operator to concentrate
and control the muscles of the body to propel the machine to a much better
advantage and without severe straining and tiring of the body. P is the back of
the seat which may be inclined at any angle but a line or angle which will bring
the body on a line with the legs, when they are exerting their power on the
treadles is preferred. Q is a bracket or fork pivotted in the front timbers of the
machine to which the front or steering wheel is secured, the upper end of which is
secured to the bars D by a cross piece R and the brace rod S.
The upper end of the fork Q is provided with a cross bar or pin T to which is
secured the steering rod V which extends back within reach of the operator, and
by which means the vehicle is guided or directed in its course
W is a band of metal or other suitable material one end of which is secured to
the cross bar X while the other end is secured to the pivotted bar or lever Y.
The band or strap passes around a drum Z which is rigidly secured to the axle B,
so that by depressing the long arm of the lever Y which is near the hand of the
operator, the strap or band will be brought in close contact with the drum Z and
thus act as a brake to stop the machine or retard its forward motion.
In Fig 3. is shewn this foot and shoulder motor, as applied to the driving of a
fly or balance wheel, from which power, may be transmitted to mechanism of
various kinds for driving lathes, sawing wood, operating a churn, propelling
boats &°
The operation of this device is as follows, the operator takes his place on the
seat E, place his feet on the treadles or bent levers G. G. and by simply oscillating
them back and forth like the pendulum of a clock, rotary motion imparted to
the shaft I, through the medium of the pitmans or connecting rods H and H¹ and
from thence to the axle B by means of the belt or sprocket chain M
This invention is not confined to the use of the oscillating levers G G to transmit
the power of the feet to the pitmans H and H¹ as other equivalent devices may be
employed for this purpose as the ordinary double cranked Tricycle shaft to which
the feet are applied producing a rotary motion to the cranks on the outer ends of
which the pitmans may be attached, or by having one end of the pedal to enclose
and work loosely along a side parallel rod, secured at either end to the frame in the
line of direction of the body to each of which pedals one end of the pitman is
attached the feet thus working along a straight line, or by any other similar
device for accomplishing the same purpose.
Heretofore in machines constructed for obtaining this resistance of the shoulders
dependence has been placed upon a single transverse bar or strap secured at the
sides to the frame which should afford this resistance to the shoulders and back.
This plan has been found objectionable in practice for the reason that when the
power of the feet and legs are exerted in a direct line of the body, the shoulders
from having nothing to restrain them in position have risen off the bar, and the
resistance consequently ceases.

page_text: Also where straps, braces or yokes have encircled the shoulders, having their
ends attached to some part of the frame in the rear, these have been found
objectionable from their want of efficiency in applying to the treadles the full
power exerted by the feet and legs, for the reason that the line of resistance of the
shoulders to the frame was not made rigidly in the direction of the shoulders and
feet, in which line alone could the full muscular power of the feet and legs be
exerted. This want of efficiency is evident from the construction of the Toggle or
Knee-joint in mechanics which by a slight expenditure of strength obtains
immense power and which demands the bringing into the direct line of their
extremities, two levers which are jointed together the upper extremity being
jointed to a fixed part of the frame while the end of the lower moves vertically
downwards. By not following implicitly this principle of the Toggle or Knee-
joint, the attachments of the straps, braces or yokes though placed to the rear have
uniformly made an angle, greater or less, with that line of the body and feet with
consequent loss of power, and entailing greater muscular exertion to make them
at all efficient as motors, which have resulted in their failure. For these reasons it
is considered highly important to confine the line of direction of resistance rigidly
to one that passes through the shoulders, hips and feet obtaining thereby the
maximum effect of muscular power with the minimum of fatiguing exertion.
It is not broadly new to resist the backward thrust of the body caused by the
action of the feet on the treadles by yokes or shoulder straps passing over the
shoulders and secured to the machine at a point which brings the line of resistance
away from a direct line through the shoulders and feet-and this I do not
claim, but
Having thus described the nature of the said invention and the manner of
performing the same as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent I wish it
to be understood that I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent
1. A motor for Velocipedes, Tricycles and for driving all kinds of mechanism,
consisting of one or more treadles to be operated by the feet, said treadles being
connected to the intermediate mechanism in substantially the manner described
and straps yokes or braces placed around the shoulders, or connected to the body
of the operator and to the body of the machine in a line direct through the
shoulders and feet, whereby a resistance to the power exerted by the feet and legs
on the treadles is obtained in a direct line of the body and feet as set forth.
2. The combination in a motor for Velocipedes and other purposes of one or
more treadle levers connected to the pitmans and to the intermediate and driving
mechanism as set forth, with the bars N and and straps or yokes O all arranged
to operate in direct line of body through shoulders and feet in the manner set forth
3. The combination with the frame of a velocipede or other motor of a shoulder
brace or yoke attached to the frame and adapted to be placed over the shoulders of
the operator and to lie in a line parallel with the length of the body of the operator
and in a direct line through the shoulders hips and feet, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
4 The combination of the bent treadle levers mounted in the reaches D and
adapted to be oscillated by the feet of the operator with the pitmans H and H¹
shaft I, belt M and axle B, as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty fourth day of December in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight bundred and eighty three
ALFRED J, BUULT (L.S.)