Improvements in and connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 20.h July, 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Velocipedes.
I JOHN BROWNE of 10 Mildmay Road Stoke Newington in the County of
London Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A bicycle worked without chain by replacing the ordinary chain gearing by
cranks and connecting links after the manner of the locomotive links and cranks
as shewn on drawing and marked A, B, C and D which are entirely covered by
a casing as shown on the drawing. As soon as the rider is seated the pressure
on the pedals works the cranks and causes the wheels to revolve. The invention
is also accompanied by a stop which is placed at the side of the seat and marked F
and the lever and scraper shewn on the drawing and marked G and H keep the
tyre marked I perfectly clean. The tyre is a pneumatic one as shewn in the drawing
and marked J fitted into the ironwork of the wheel marked K on the drawing
and the weight of the tyre is less than an ordinary tyre as shewn on the
drawing marked I..
Dated this 29th day of January 1896.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, and other
Velocipedes.
1, JOHN BROWNE of 10 Mildmay Road Stoke Newington in the County of
London 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in, and connected with bicycles, tricycles
and other vehicles and refers particularly to the driving mechanism, to the
construction of the wheel tyre, and to the brake of such vehicles.
In the first connection, I dispen-e with the ordinary chain gearing and employ
in lieu thereof a connecting rod and cranks somewhat after the manner of loco-
motive links and cranks. Secondly, I construct the tyre in a particular manner
as will hereinafter be more fully explained, and in which throughout its length
I have three air apertures or channels connected one with the other, and thirdly,
I form the brake in such manner as to adapt it most effectually 10 the shape of
the improved tyre.
And in order that this my invention may be fully understood I will describe
same with reference to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures
of reference marked thereon, that is to say:
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a bicycle fitted with my improvements;
Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the driving mechanism Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation
of the same through line A. B. Fig. 2.
Figs. 34 and 3 are diagram views showing different positions of the cranks at
different portions of the stroke;

page_text: Fig. 4 is a face view of the brake, and
Fig. 5 is a section of the tyre.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout all the figures.
Now, in carrying my invention into effect, I, as aforesaid, dispense with the
ordinary chain gearing and instead thereof employ the connecting rod a connected
at its ends to cranks b and c formed respectively upon the pedal spindle 6 and
driving wheel spindle or axle c'. It will readily be seen that as the pedals are
revolved the crank upon the pedal spindle is also revolved taking with it the end
of the connecting rod a and this rod a being attached at its other end to the crank
on the spindle of the driving wheel d a revolving motion must necessarily be
given to said wheel.
The mechanism may be entirely enclosed in a casing . y. if desired and thus
be kept hidden from view and protected from dirt, dust and the like. ee are the
tyres of the wheels which I make of a special construction as illustrated par-
ticularly in Fig. 5 of the drawings. fff are air tubes or channels running through
the tyres and which tubes or channels are connected one with the other by the
air passages. is an opening from one of the air tubes communicating
with the atmosphere and which is fitted with a screwed or other plug . A tyre
of this description will not need pumping up and the air within the tubes will be
automatically displaced by the revolution of the wheel and effect proper cushioning.
When the air within the tyre becomes vitiated it is let off by removing the plug g
and a fresh supply will flow in. The plug is then again screwed in and the tyre is
ready for use. The tread or bearing surface of the tyre in configuration is preferably
as illustrated in Fig. 5. Figs. 1 and 4 indicates the brake constructed in accord-
ance with this invention and which in outline is of a convenient shape to grip the
peculiarly shaped tyre e previously described. A scraper or mud guard of
precisely similar construction to the brake marked i may be permanently affixed
to the frame of the machine or vehicle as shewn particularly in Fig. 1, which will
have the effect of removing all mud or the like adhering to the periphery of
the wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The improvements in and connected with bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn.
2. In bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, the cranks and connecting links
in lieu of chain gearing constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described & shewn.
3. The double cushed pneumatic tyre constructed substantially as herein described
and shewn.
4. The brake and mud guard arranged and constructed substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn.
Dated this 20th day of July 1896.
J. BROWNE.