Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1887
Complete Left, 4th Nov., 1887
Complete Accepted, 13th Dec., 1887
I, GEORGE TODD, of 2, Saltley Road, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Fish Salesman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
My said invention of improvements in tricycles, and certain other velocipedes such
as so called "sociables" and "tandems" consists firstly in an improved seat which
is constructed substantially as follows:-I provide a seat somewhat similar in shape
to a chair seat and having a series of vertical holes all round the hack and sides.
Through these holes pass loosely a number of vertical or almost vertical metal tubes
or rods the upper ends of which are all connected to a rail running round the seat
and forming a rest for the rider's back and arms. The lower ends of the said rods or
tubes are connected to a base underneath the seat proper, which base is carried by the
velocipede in any ordinary manner. Underneath the seat proper and between it and
the base are provided a number of coiled or other springs which allow of the seat
proper moving up and down and giving way with the action of the rider's body.
Such springs may be arranged around each of the said tubes or rods which latter,
fitting loosely in the holes around the seat form guides for it in its up and down
motion.
The second part of this invention consists in improved means of suddenly arresting
the motion of those tricycles and other velocipedes in which the driving wheel receives
motion from the pedal by toothed wheels, and it is carried into practice by arranging
for one of the said tooth wheels to be moved sideways on its axis out of gear with
the other wheel or wheels when it is required to stop the velocipede, or, one of the
said wheels has a clutch which can be thrown out of gear, so that the pedals will be
free to move without transmitting motion to the driving wheel. A suitable lever is

page_text: provided for throwing the wheel or clutch in or out of gear and this is intended to be
employed in connection with an ordinary break for arresting the motion of the
driving wheel.
The third part of this said invention has reference to those tricycles and other
velocipedes in which motion is transmitted from the pedals to the driving wheel axle
by three toothed wheels gearing together, one of the said tooth wheels being fixed on
the driving wheel axle, another of the said wheels on the pedal axle and the third
wheel running on a stud and gearing into both. According to this part of my
invention I make the tooth wheel on the pedal axle considerably larger than that on
the driving wheel axle, so as thereby to obtain increased speed of the velocipede.
Dated this 3rd day of February 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tricycles and Certain other Velocipedes.
I, GEORGE TODD, of 2, Saltley Road, Birmingham, Warwickshire, Fish Salesman,
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 said invention of improvements in tricycles, and certain other velocipedes
such as so called "sociables" and "tandems" consists firstly in an improved seat
which is constructed substantially as follows:-I provide a seat somewhat similar in
shape to a chair seat and having a series of vertical holes all round the back and sides.
Through these holes pass loosely a number of vertical or almost vertical metal tubes
or rods the upper ends of which are all connected to a rail running round the scat
and forming a rest for the rider's back and arms. The lower ends of the said rods or
tubes are connected to a base underneath the seat proper, which base is carried by the
velocipede in any ordinary manner. Underneath the seat proper and between it and
the base are provided a number of coiled or other springs which allow of the scat
proper moving up and down and giving way with the action of the rider's body.
Such springs may be arranged around each of the said tubes or rods which latter,
fitting loosely in the holes around the scat form guides for it in its up and down
inotion.
This part of my invention is illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawing of which Fig. 1 represents the seat in front elevation, Fig. 2 in side elevation
and Fig. 3 in half plan. The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in
Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
A is the seat proper having vertical holes a all round the back and sides, through
which pass the tubes or rods 6 fixed to the base C underneath and at their upper ends
to the top rail D. Coiled springs marked e on the rods or tubes are provided
between the seat A and the base C which allow of the seat moving up or down along
the tubes or rods b as guides, so as to give way with the action of the rider's body.
The second part of this invention consists in improved means of suddenly arresting
the motion of those tricycles and other velocipedes in which the driving wheel
receives motion from the pedal by toothed wheels and it is carried into practice by
arranging for one of the said tooth wheels to be moved sideways on its axis out of
gear with the other wheel or wheels when it is required to stop the velocipede, or, one
of the said wheels has a clutch which can be thrown out of gear so that the pedals
will be free to move without transmitting motion to the driving wheel. A suitable
lever is provided for throwing the wheel or clutch out of gear and this is intended to
be employed in connection with an ordinary break for arresting the motion of the
driving wheel.
The third part of this said invention has reference only to centre geared tricycles
and other velocipedes such as tandems and it consists in an arrangement of three
toothed wheels gearing together for transmitting motion from the pedals to the

page_text: +
driving wheel axle one of the said toothed wheels being fixed on the driving wheel axle,
another and much larger spur wheel on the pedal axle and the third wheel running
on a stud or otherwise and gearing into both.
On the accompanying drawing Fig. 4 represents in side elevation part of a centre
geared tricycle embodying the second and third parts of my invention, Fig. 5 is a
plan and Fig. 6 a back elevation of the same.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
F is part of the centre frame of the tricycle which is made forked to take the three
toothed wheels G, H and I. The wheel is fixed on the pedal axle g and is made
considerably larger than the wheel I which latter in this arrangement runs loose on
the main axle i. The axle of the spur wheel H (which gears with G and I) runs in
the bearings j fixed to the frame F. The wheel I is arranged to be disconnected from
the main axle i by means of the clutch (which normally engages with a corre-
sponding clutch t on the wheel 2) which is free to slide on a feather on the axle and is
moved to and fro by the hand lever operating through the way shaft m on which it
is fixed, the lever n fixed to the way shaft and connected by a link o to the lever P
fixed on a short shaft q to which the forked lever r engaging with the clutch k is also
fixed. By raising the handle end of the hand lever the clutch is thrown out of
gear with the spur wheel I (as is required when running down hill or when the
machine is required to be stopped suddenly by the break) and by releasing the
handle a spiral or other spring brings it back to its normal position and the clutch k
out of gear with the clutch on the wheel i.
On the shaft m is fixed the lever u to the outer end of which one end of the break
strap is jointed (the other end of the break strap being connected in the ordinary
manner to some fixed part of the machine). By this arrangement the break strap v
is simultaneously tightened on the break wheel when the hand lever Z is raised to
throw the clutch out of gear with the wheel I as above described.
In conclusion I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise
arrangement of parts hereinbefore described and illustrated as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of my invention, but
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 :
1st. The improvements in velocipede seats herein before described and illustrated by
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, that is to say, a velocipede seat
consisting of a base connected by upright tubes or rods to a top rail and having a
moveable seat sliding on the tubes or rods and supported from the base by springs all
substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
2nd. In central geared tricycles and in central geared tandem velocipedes the
herein described combination and arrangement of mechanism for transmitting rotary
motion from the pedal axle to the driving axle and for disconnecting the driving
mechanism from the driving axle simultaneously with the application of the break so
as to suddenly bring the machine to rest when required substantially as bereinbefore
described and illustrated.