Improvements in Tricycles and Apparatus for Propelling the same.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 8th July, 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tricycles and Apparatus for Propelling the same.
I, HENRY MIDDLETON of 3 Wellesley Villas, Wellington Street Slough in
the County of Buckingham, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
According to this invention I employ different kinds of motors to propel my
tricycles.
*
One sort of motor consists of an engine worked by a tubular boiler in which
water or other easily vaporisable liquid is used for "the working substance."
Surrounding the boiler tubes is a shelf or casing of mica or other convenient sub-
stance & round this casing a tank is placed to carry the fluid to be evaporated &
also to prevent the radiation from the hot boiler tubes, case, or furnace from
inconveniencing the rider. However, the annular tank is by no means essential,
but is occasionally dispensed with & the liquid to be used carried in other vessels.
Also the mica or other casing is sometimes done away with & the interior portions
of the tank (then supposed to be used) perform the functions of the case. Further,
such boiler" may be heated by oil (in a lamp or burner,) or methylated spirits,
or other convenient combustible. In most cases it is convenient to introduce
Such boiler is
air into the furnace through the bottom as well as the sides.
usually kept full by means of a pump attached to the engine (to be subsequently
described). With regard to the pump itself the chief points worthy of notice
from their novelty is the curved link with its eccentric & concentric connecting
rods by means of which the stroke of the pump can be varied, at will, between
nothing & a maximum. However, this part of the pump is in its general features
similar to that invented by me & described in Specification No. 13,945 of 1888.
The sliding curved link I hold in position either by a toothed arc & screw, or by
suspending the concentric connecting rod by a slotted link with a swivel joint &
screw which passes through a matrix in a supporting piece attached to the frame
of the tricycle engine. This screw can either be turned by hand, as by a winch-
for example-so as to set it at any time in any required position so as to give a
suitable stroke to the pump; or to the screw spoken of a set of bevel wheels are
attached which are automatically thrown into or out of gear by an apparatus
controlled by the height of water in the boiler and thus the pump of itself keeps
the water at a constant height as long as the engine is running. The fluid burnt to
heat the boiler may be held in a box behind the rider's seat, or in vessels beneath
the driving axle of the tricycle And of course, piping, taps, valves &c. &c. are fitted
to the boiler, pump, tanks &c. which it appears needless to describe in more detail
in a Provisional Specification.
Another form of motor I contemplate using consists of a combustion chamber
surrounded by a liquid-generally water-in which is burnt either oil, alcohol,
carbon or other convenient substance: the air to burn which is either injected by
a compressing pump driven by the engine, or such air or oxygen may be compressed
beforehand & contained in strong steel cylinders at a pressure of 1500 or 2000 lbs.
per sq. in. From these cylinders it is allowed to flow in convenient quantities into
the combustion chamber, & I keep its pressure up by pumping water or oil into the
cylinders as fast as the air is used out.
A third kind of motor-which indeed is rather an auxilliary motor, & best
employed as a temporary source of power-consists of one or more steel spiral
springs which are so arranged & constructed that they can be wound up by either
the feet or hands of the rider, either continuously or from time to time. In the
first case such springs would be mainly employed to give steadiness to the stress

page_text: exerted by the pedals or levers on which the rider acts by muscular power. Also
this arrangement is chiefly used on tricycles with a side-saddle seat, intended for
ladies, & in which the rider uses the spring wound up by hand to keep up steadiness
of motion when but one foot is used on the pedals, while on tricycles used by male
riders, the spring motor would chiefly be employed when going up-hill or over
exceptionally heavy roads, the power having been previously stored in the springs
by muscular work, or the energy of the tricycle itself, partially arrested, when going
down hill being utilized to wind up the spring. In all cases though it is to be
distinctly understood, that the springs can be wound up as fast as they run down,
or faster; & this is done by the rider pulling a handle (or handles) attached to a rack
(or racks) gearing into a suitable train of wheels according to a method analogous
to that with which clocks are furnished when it is desired not to let them lose time
when being wound. Or, instead of the handle & straight rack spoken of above a
lever with spur & ratchet wheels may be used to actuate the winding apparatus.
I also use a two speed gear on tricycles unprovided with a steam or other motor.
This two speed gear is constructed with spur wheels of different sizes which are
thrown into or out of gear by a sliding clutch.
The engine I employ consists of two cylinders placed end to end under the seat
of the tricycle. The crank comes between the cylinders & is turned by four
connecting rods passing down the sides of the cylinders; there being two connecting
rods to each cylinder, such connecting rods uniting the crank to the cross heads on
the piston rods. Further, the piston rods are made hollow so that a guide rod may
pass down their centres which guide rods are fixed in the framing passing under
& over the cylinders. The eccentrics, or cams, for controlling the motions of the
valves are placed between the two contiguous cylinder heads, & a couple of bent
levers communicate the motion of the eccentrics, or cams, to the valve spindles
which (with the steam chests) lie above the cylinders.
When no motor is used I sometimes add a seat for children at the back of my
tricycle in the position where luggage is commonly carried.
Also employ a side saddle with a movable pomel on those tricycles I intend for
ladies; the object of the movable pomel being that as the lady drives the tricycle
mainly by one leg, she can when weary, shift the pomel to the other side of the
saddle & propel the machine with the other leg: & the supplementary spring
arrangement already described, is supposed to be generally employed with the
side saddle.
Dated this 7th day of October 1890.
HENRY MIDDLETON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tricycles and Apparatus for Propelling the same.
I, HENRY MIDDLETON, of 3, Wellesley Villas, Wellington Street Slough in the
County of Buckingham, Civil, Mechanical & Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
According to this invention I employ different kinds of motors to propel my
tricycles. One kind of motor consists of an engine actuated by a tubular boiler in
which water, or other easily vaporizable liquid, is used for the working substance."
Two principle types of tubular boiler are employed by me. The first type consists
of sets of vertical tubes joined to horizontal lengths of tube of about the same
size & thickness in such fashion that each element of the system is.of the shape of
two "Ls facing each other. A number of these elements having been placed
side by side & with steam & water connections made at the top & bottom between
contiguous tubes; a second set of elements is placed above & at right angles
to the first set, & a third & fourth layer above the second & 50 on until a
35

page_text: on.
::
"
sufficient amount of heating surface is attained. Further, all the horizontal
lower tubes are joined so that there is water (or liquid) communication between
them, & all the top tubes so that steam can pass from one to the others & 50
A boiler so constructed is extremely light & strong with an enormous heating
surface & vaporizes the liquid heated within it with great rapidity especially if
it he constructed of metal that is not corroded by water. (or the fluid used,) & so
the tubes need only be made thick enough to support safely the fluid pressure when
steam is "got up." A superheater may be used with this boiler, & a valve
inserted between the boiler & superheater, or it may be omitted. That is to say,
when the boiler is kept always full of water, or liquid, under a high pressure
a valve is used so as to allow only so much as is required to be drawn off more
or less continuously. The portions of the liquid so drawn off pass into the
highly heated superheater" where, being under a less pressure they instantly
are converted into steam to work the engine. When no valve is used, the
superheater usually plays the part of a steam dome," & the boiler
kept only about half full of liquid.
::
::
proper is
The second type of boiler consists of two or more helices either conical or
cylindrical and generally a system of straight tubes is placed within the core of
the helices. This system of straight tubes may be called a superheater, or a steam
dome, according as a valve is inserted in or omitted from, the pipe connecting the
helices with the straight tube system. In the first case the helices are commonly
kept full of liquid & in the second they are only about half full. Of course 1 do
not limit myself to working these boilers as specified; the more so as the pump-
to be described later for injecting liquid into them can be adjusted so accurately,
that it is quite possible to work them when nearly empty of liquid; that is to say,
by only injecting as much liquid into the boiler as is necessary for one revolution
for example of the engine. This small amount of liquid is almost instantly
vaporized, & used when a second amount is injected, & so on. However, the other
two ways of working the boilers seem on the whole preferable.
The two types of boiler, just described, are both enclosed in a casing;
preferably, of some nonconducting substance, though metal may be used. And
this casing is more or less surrounded by a vessel or tank. When a metal casing
is used, it usually forms part of the tank. In other instances, it is better to have
the tank detachable.
Generally use oil to leat the boiler & to prevent the oil becoming too hot by
radiation &c. either shield it by having a thin water vessel with holes for the
burners & wicks to pass through or I feed the oil to the burners somewhat in the
way a
"German student lamp" is arranged to wit, through a long tube which
connects the burners with the oil vessel. A third sort of "burner" I occasionally
use consists of a set of nozzles through which the oil is forced by steam or air
pressure in the form of a very fine spray which is almost instantly converted into
vapor & burnt in the furnace. Of course methylated spirit or other convenient
combustible may be used in preference to the oil if desired. It is usually
necessary to surround the burner on all sides with thin gauge wire & take the
air, requisite for combustion, through holes in the bottom of the "heater."
"the
The engine employ, when either steam or other vapour is used as
working substance" produced in either of the two forms generator spoken of;
consists of two cylinders placed end to end under the seat of the tricycle. The
crank of the engine comes between the two cylinders is turned by four connecting
rods passing down the sides of the cylinders, there being two connecting rods to
each cylinder connected to the crossheads on the piston rods. The piston rods may
either be made hollow so as to allow a guide rod to run down their centres, which
guide rods are further fastened to the framing supporting the cylinders; or four
triangular pieces may be attached to the aforesaid framing, so that they may form
guides for the crossheads spoken of. The eccentrics or cams for controlling the
"motions of the valves are placed between the two contiguous cylinder heads, & a
couple of bent levers communicate the motion of the eccentrics (or cams, as the

page_text: case may be) to the valve spindles which (with the steam chests) lie above the
cylinders.
When either of the two kinds of boiler first mentioned is used, I employ for
injecting liquid into the boilers a pump substantially the same as that previously
invented by me & described in my previons Specification No. 13,431 of 1889.
However in the present instance the barrel of the pump is placed nearly horizontal
(instead of vertical, as figured in the drawings of previously mentioned Speci-
fication) & the link, by means of which the stroke of the pump is varied, is shifted
by a somewhat different arrangement as seen in the drawings accompanying this
Specification.
When no motor is used, but the tricycle is propelled by muscular power,
I supplement the energy to be derived from the muscles of the legs, by utilizing
also that which can be produced by the action of the arms. And this I do by an
apparatus consisting of a spring, rack & wheelwork connected by a chain with a
second toothed chain wheel fastened to the treadle shaft of the tricycle. By using
one, or both hands this spring is wound up as fast or faster than it can run down at
the speed at which the machine is ordinarily propelled. However, it is not con-
templated to use this supplementary motor continuously, but chiefly for hill-climbing
or when the road is heavy &c. &c. It is also useful on ladies' tricycles fitted with
a side saddle. The inner end of the spring, or springs, for two or more may be used,
is connected to a hollow axle carrying on one of its ends a spur wheel, & two
ratchet wheels. Into the teeth of the spur wheel a rack gears, & by moving this
up & down, the aforesaid spring is wound up, it being premised that its outer end
is connected by a crank arm with the inner axle & that this inner axle actuates
the wheel train which turns the chain wheel driving the tricycle. The spring is
conveniently enclosed in a cylindrical box, which further acts as a stand for the
framework of the abovementioned wheelwork. In cases where it is desired to use
the spring nearly continuously, I wind it up with two levers & two pawls, according
to the well known way of securing circular motion by means of a lever acting on a
ratchet wheel through the medium of two pawls. While lastly, a third form in
which the springs are wound up by the feet & not the hands, is virtually but an
arrangement for carrying the pedal cranks past their dead points in a manner
similar to that in an invention of mine described in Specification No. 9725 of 1888.
In this arrangement, the springs are two helices one extremity of each helix being
attached to the outer end of a bar of metal & their inner ends attached to two
little collars turning about the crank pin of a crank pivoted at about the centre of
the aforesaid bar. To the axle carrying this crank is attached a chain wheel on
the pedal axle of the tricycle.
I sometimes attach a seat for children to the back of the tricycle in the position
where luggage is occasionally carried.
In order that my said invention may be most fully understood, & readily carried
into effect, will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figs. 1, & 2, represent the engine. a is the framework & b the axle by which
the energy of the engine is communicated to the pedal axle of the tricycle. This
axle carries the chain wheel which a clutch & controlled by a lever j, throws
into, or out of gearing as desired. e&e are the cylinders, the steam, & e, e¹, the
exhaust pipes. is a spring acting on the clutch d. P is the pump with its link
motion for altering the stroke of the plunger through the medium of the winch &
screw q. is a spur wheel attached to the axle & driven by another spur wheel
on the crank axle of the engine. h, h, is the chain passing round the chain wheel g
to another chain wheel on the pedal axle of the tricycle.
Figs. 3, & 4, are inserted to show the relative position & arrangement of the engine
in its case o, & the boiler in its casing r. s is the steam pipe, & n the saddle
support & chain wheels. ic a stay to support the (engine) framing: & is hinged
are clips tying engine framing to tricycle.
at and,

page_text: Fig. 5 represents the way the dead point passing arrangement is attached to the
tricycle, & being the springs, n'n' a strong metal bar, & v the crank-arm
turning the chain-wheel y.
Figs. 6 & 7 represent the auxiliary motor, or hill climbing arrangement.
a is a
case, or drum, containing one or more spiral springs. & hollow framing pieces:
the latter containing a spur wheel, gearing into the large spur wheel m, on the
arbor, connected by a crank with the outer spiral of the spring. c is a spur wheel
with a ratchet r, & rack b c is thus connected with a hollow arbor to which the
inside of the spiral spring is attached. d is the main axle of the tricycle, and
&f the metal work used to fasten the drum to the tricycle. Of course there
is a ratchet and pin on the chain wheel at 7, the ratchet being intended to
prevent the motion of the treadle from unwinding the springs in the box a, when
the rack is not continuously used: & a pin is employed in order that its removal
will permit the ratchet to run loose on the shaft if its clicking is disagreeable to
the rider of the tricycle. Or further an ordinary "cam-clutch may be used
instead of the ratchet. Lastly, either the ratchet or cam-clutch may be put on
the axle g as well as the axle y.
"
Figs. 8, & 9, are intended to show the arrangement of the tubes in the first type
of tubular boiler mentioned. In Fig. 8 the side of the boiler casing next the
observer is represented as removed; & in Fig. 9, the top of the case is broken
away to show the tube connections beneath. The drawings appear to indicate
the construction of the boiler without much description in words being necessary;
save perhaps that attention should be called to the fact that the different systems
of tubes are so connected that ordinary normal expansion will not cause the
boiler to leak. Thus while the bottoms of the different systems of tubes are more
or less rigidly connected together, the top tubes of contiguous sections as a, b, c, &c.
(see Fig. 9.) are united so as to permit a certain small amount of freedom of
motion. Usually this is attained by only uniting the central portions of the top
tubes by a steam pipe, (or passage): the ends of the top tubes being closed & joined
to those of the corresponding tubes at right angles to them by two eyes & a bolt, as
shown at i. This construction is commonly sufficient to meet the ordinary conditions
of temperature change in small boilers; but when the boiler is large, I twist the
steam pipes into a spiral, & thus have an elastic steam pipe-or set of steam pipes
if more than one is desired-which unites the contiguous top tubes in a manner
that no amount of expansion can damage. Because the different sets, or systems,
of tubes have their component elements, similarly placed, & at equal distances
apart; the tubes of one set come behind the other & are consequently hidden.
thereby. Indeed, hardly more than the bottom connecting tubes of the different
sets are visible, the vertical tubes of all the inner systems being concealed by those
of the outermost set. The bottom connecting tubes spoken of are shown in the
drawing (Fig. 8) at k, t, u & v.
Fig. 10, is another representation of the child's seat and the methods used to
support it. Here, is one of the stays, or rods of metal which support the lower
part of the seat, (or footboard,) by hooking, or passing over the axle-support q, as
shown. is one of two stays-the other being exactly behind it is not visible-
which serves to support the upper seat, & give rigidity to the whole framework.
Fig. 13 is a representation of the second type of boiler spoken of previously. It
consists of two conical helices (in the figure depicted in section) with a system of
straight tubes placed within the core of the helix. p is the steam gauge; the
safety valve; &s the steam pipe. While is the "reducing valve "any of the
common & well known forms may be used-& w the water pipe lending from
the water (force) pump. t, t, represents a section of the water tank which is fitted
over the outside of the boiler casing-usually coned as shown-& can either be
detachable or a fixture thereto. u is a pipe leading from the tank to the water
pump. In Fig. 13 the two concentric helices (connected above & below by the
steam & water tubes e, & f) forming the main "boiler," is supposed to be kept
full-or nearly full of liquid up to the reducing valver; which being inserted
?"

page_text: between the main boiler, & central vertical tube system, the central vertical tube
system is called a superheater.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A tubular boiler constructed of sets of double L shaped tubes built up in
layers substantially as described, & with casing, & tanks as substantially described
& shown in the drawings Figs. 8, 9.
2nd. The engine & pump for propelling a tricycle substantially as described &
shown in the drawings Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4.
3rd. The arrangement & attachments represented substantially in Figs. 3 & 4
whereby the engine & boiler are attached to a tricycle.
4th. The child's seat substantially as described & shown Figs. 6 & 10.
5th. The auxilliary spring motor or hill climber substantially as described &
shown in the drawings Figs. 6 & 7.
6th. The dead-point passer substantially as described & shown in the drawings
Fig. 5.
Dated this 8th day of July 1801
HENRY MIDDLETON.