Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, DANIEL ISAAC LYBE, of Sidney, in the County of Fremont and State of
Iowa, United States of America, Dentist, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In my invention the rear set of carrying-wheels have their axle provided near
one end with a collar wherein is formed a peripheral groove or recess, the depth
of which increases from its outer to its inner end. In this groove or recess a ball
is free to move, the same being designed to be engaged by a ratcheted surface
on the inner periphery of the hub of one of the carrying-wheels, preferably the
rear right-hand wheel. In revolving this wheel will bind the ball down against
the shoulder formed by the inner end of the groove or recess, and thus effect
the conjoint turning of the axle and wheel.
The supporting-frame comprises two longitudinal side bars, two transverse bars,
and two additional longitudinal bars connected to said transverse bars. To the
under sides of the longitudinal bars are secured bent springs which at their rear
ends are attached to the axle by means of a collar secured to said spring and
encircling said axle. At their forward ends these springs are secured to the
cross-bars of a fifth-wheel the lower stationary plate of which is rigidly secured
to the axle of the front carrying-wheels. By this arrangement the supporting-
frame can readily assume any position, and the front carrying-wheels and their
axle are free to assume any angle with relation to said frame.
A vertical shaft is supported by a box or casing rigidly secured to a cross-bar
near the forward end of the frame. This shaft is additionally supported by
inclined brace-rods secured to said frame and a forked plate secured to the
cross-bar. To the upper end of this shaft is pivotally secured a double handle-
bar to which are secured ropes or chains, which, after being passed through
guide-loops of the cross-bar are connected to apertured plates projecting from
the lower stationary plate of the fifth-wheel. Thus by moving the double handle-
bar up and down at its ends the front carrying-wheels can be turned so as to
guide the vehicle in any desired direction. To the lower end of the shaft is
secured a bar which at its outer ends has foot-rests and just above this bar is
a second shorter bar, to the ends of which are sccured the forward ends of two
parallel rods or pitmen.
A shaft is journalled at its ends in boxes supported upon the longitudinal bars
of the frame. Upon this shaft is secured a gear-wheel adjacent to which is a
ratchet-wheel, and a similar ratchet-wheel is secured upon said shaft near the other
end thereof. A second gear-wheel is also secured on this shaft and adjacent
thereto is a pinion. On each side of the ratchet-wheels are the upper ends of
parallel arms between which arms are pivotally-mounted pawls which are normally
held in contact with the respective ratchet-wheels by coil-springs secured thereto
and to rods or pitmen which latter are secured to the lower ends of the parallel
arms. By moving the double handle-bar back and forward or the foot-bar in a
similar manner the revolution of the shaft is accomplished.
A movable shaft is mounted at its ends in journal-boxes attached to the frame-
bars. Upon this shaft is secured a sprocket-wheel around which is passed a chain
which also encompasses a sprocket-wheel secured centrally upon the rear axle.
Upon this shaft are also secured large and small gear-wheels or pinions which are
respectively designed to be engaged either with the gear-wheel or pinion according
as it is desired to impart a rapid or slow motion to the machine. The shifting of

page_text: this shaft so as to secure this change of speed is accomplished by a rod secured to
one end of said shaft and at its other end connected to the cross-bar of the frame.
This rod is provided with a handle within convenient reach of the operator.
From what has been said it will be seen that by turning the shaft horizontally
through the agency of the handle-bar or foot-bar the mechanism is set in motion
and the machine is driven forward through the agency of the sprocket-chain con-
nection with the rear axle, a fast or slow motion being obtained according to the
position occupied by the movable shaft and its pinions.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which a reservation of power
is secured.
A shaft is journalled at its ends in bars and upon this shaft is loosely secured a
gear-wheel whose hub is provided with a lug or stud extending beyond both sides
thereof and designed to be projected into any one of a series of holes or apertures
in the enlarged circular end of a U-shaped plate or bracket or into any one of a
series of grooves or notches of a wheel on said shaft. This shaft is extended
through both ends of the plate or bracket.
The inner end of a spiral or coil spring is secured to the shaft and its outer end
is connected to the plate or bracket. The wheel is designed to engage with the
pinion of one of the shafts and thus effect the turning of said shaft and the winding
of the spring, and also in this way impart motion to the operating mechanism from
the spring in the unwinding thereof. The lug or stud is placed in engagement with
the wheel to effect the winding of the spring, and is thrown into any one of the holes
or apertures when the power of said spring is to be utilized in driving the vehicle.
To the outer end of the plate or bracket is secured a ratchet-wheel with which
engages a pawl or arm which is pivotally mounted at its outer end upon the bar of
the frame. This pawl prevents the shaft from moving in the wrong direction.
A rock-shaft is mounted in boxes on the bar and to this rock-shaft is secured an
operating-handle. Two arms are also secured to this rock-shaft, and the same
encompass the opposite sides of the loose gear-wheel and enable the latter to be
shifted in the desired direction. The lug being thrown into engagement with the
wheel when the velocipede descends a hill, the coil-spring will be wound up on its
shaft, and in ascending a hill, when said lug is thrown into engagement with the
apertured ends of plate or bracket the unwinding of the spring will impart sufficient
power to drive the velocipede forward.
Dated this 15th day of February 1892.
F. W. BARKER,
Applicants Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, DANIEL ISAAC LYBE, of Sidney, Iowa, U.S.A. Inventor, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to 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 new and useful improvements in velocipedes, and has
for its object the production of simple and efficient means whereby power is stored
or accumulated while the vehicle is descending a hill, and the same is utilized in
ascending an inclined plane or on level ground.
The invention comprises the detail construction, combination, and arrangement
of parts, substantially as hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a plan view illustrative of my invention.
1

page_text: Figure 4 is a similar view on the line z z, of Figure 1, looking in the direction of
the arrow w¹.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of one of the wheel-hubs, showing the ball and
ratchet connection between the same and its axle.
Referring to the drawings, A, A' designate the front and rear sets of carrying-
wheels, the latter of which have their axle a provided near one end with a collar a',
wherein is formed a peripheral groove or recess a², the depth of which increases
from its outer to its inner end. In this groove or recess a ball a³ is free to move,
the same being designed to be engaged by a ratcheted surface at on the inner
periphery of the hub b of one of the carrying wheels, preferably the rear right
hand wheel. In revolving this wheel will bind the ball a down against the shoulder
formed by the inner end of the groove or recess a³, and thus effect the conjoint
turning of the axle and wheel.
C designates a supporting-frame, which comprises two longitudinal side bars d,
two transverse bars d', and two additional longitudinal bars d, connected to said
transverse bars. To the under sides of the longitudinal bars d are secured bent
springs D, which at their rear ends are attached to the axle a by means of a
collar da, secured to said spring and encircling said axle. At their forward ends
these springs are secured to the cross-bars e of the fifth-wheel E, the lower stationary
plate of which is rigidly secured to the axle a" of the front carrying-wheels. By
this arrangement the supporting-frame C can readily assume any position, and the
front carrying-wheels and their axle are free to assume any angle with relation to
said frame.
F is a vertical shaft supported by a box or casing frigidly secured to a
cross-bar near the forward end of frame C. This shaft is additionally supported
by inclined brace-rods f*, secured to said frame C, and a forked plate, secured to
barf To the upper end of this shaft F is pivotally secured a double handle-bar G,
to which are secured ropes or chains g, which, after being passed through guide-
loops g₁ of cross-bar f', are connected to apertured plates 9, projecting from the
lower stationary plate of the fifth-wheel E. Thus by moving the double handle-
bar G up and down at its ends the front carrying-wheels can be turned so as to
guide the vehicle in any desired direction. To the lower end of shaft F is secured
a bar H, which at its outer end has foot-rests h, and just above this bar is a second
shorter har h¹ to the ends of which are secured the forward ends of two parallel
rods or pitmen h³.
I designates a shaft journalled at its ends in boxes supported upon the longi-
tudinal bars d² of frame C. Upon this shaft is secured a gear wheel i, adjacent to
which is a ratchet wheel ', and a similar ratchet wheel is secured upon said shaft
near the other end thereof. A second gear wheel is also secured on this shaft I,
and adjacent thereto is a pinion i. On each side of ratchet-wheels are the
upper ends of parallel arms, between which arms are pivotally-mounted pawls i,
which are normally held in contact with the respective ratchet-wheels i¹² by coil
springs, secured thereto and to rods or pitinen h³, which latter are secured to the
lower ends of arms. By moving the double handle-bar G back and forward or
the foot-bar H in a similar manner the revolution of the shaft I is accomplished.
J designates a movable shaft mounted at its end in journal boxes attached to the
frame-bars d. Upon this shaft is secured a sprocket wheel j, around which is
passed a chain, which also encompasses a sprocket-wheel secured centrally
upon the rear axle u. Upon this shaft are also secured large and small gear-wheels
or pinions, which are respectively designed to be engaged either with gear-
wheel or pinion or i, according as it is desired to impart a rapid or slow motion to
the machine. The shifting of shaft J so as to secure this change of speed is
accomplished by a rod k, secured to one end of said shaft and at its other end
connected to cross-bar d' of frame C. This rod is provided with a handle k', within
convenient reach of the operator.
From what has been said it will be seen that by turning shaft F horizontally

page_text: through the agency of the handle-bar or foot-bar the mechanism is set in motion
and the machine is driven forward through the agency of the sprocket chain
connection with the rear axle, a fast or slow motion being obtained, according to
the position occupied by shaft J and its pinions.
I will now proceed to describe the mechanism by which a reservation of power is
secured.
L designates a shaft journalled at its ends in bars d', and upon this shaft is
loosely secured a gear-wheel 1, whose hub is provided with a lug or stud 1*,
extending beyond both sides thereof and designed to be projected into any one of a
series of holes or apertures in the enlarged circular end of a U-shaped plate or
bracket or into any one of a series of grooves or notches of a wheel on said
shaft. This shaft L is extended through both ends of the plate or bracket.
M is a spiral spring, the inner end of which is secured to shaft L and its outer
and is connected to plate or bracket . Wheel is designed to engage with
pinion of shaft I and thus effect the turning of said shaft and the winding of the
spring, and also in this way impart motion to the operating mechanism from the
spring in the unwinding thereof. The lug or stud is placed in engagement with
wheel to effect the winding of the spring, and is thrown into any one of the holes
or apertures when the power of said spring is to be utilized-in driving the vehicle.
To the outer end of plate or bracket is secured a ratchet-wheel m with which
engages a pawl or arm m', which is pivotally mounted at its outer end upon bars d'
of frame C. This pawl prevents the shaft L from moving in the wrong direction.
m³ is a rock-shaft mounted in boxes m³ on bar d', and to this rock-shaft is secured
an operating-handle m'. Two arms m³ are also secured to this rock-shaft, and the
same encompass the opposite sides of the loose gear-wheel and enable the latter to
be shifted in the desired direction. The lug being thrown into engagement with
wheel when the velocipede descends a hill, the coil-spring will be wound up on
its shaft, and in ascending a hill, when said lug is thrown into engagement with
the apertured ends of plate or bracket, the unwinding of the spring will impart
sufficient power to drive the velocipede forward.
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 :-
1. The herein described improved velocipede, comprising the carrying-wheels
and their axles, the frame mounted on the said axles, the sprocket-wheel secured
on the rear axle, the vertical shaft capable of being moved horizontally, the driving-
shaft connected with said vertical shaft, having gear-wheels, and the movable shaft
also having gear-wheels capable of imparting different motions to the machine and
having a sprocket-wheel, and a sprocket-chain encompassing said wheel and said
former sprocket-wheel, substantially as set forth.
2. In a velocipede, the combination, with the carrying-wheels and their axles, of
the supporting-frame and springs secured thereto and connected at their rear ends
to the rear axle, and the fifth-wheel having its lower plate rigidly secured to the
front axle and its movable plate connected to said springs, substantially as set
forth.
3. In a velocipede, the combination, with the carrying-wheels and their axles, of
the supporting-frame, the springs secured thereto, the fifth-wheel having its lower
plate rigidly secured to the forward axle, the vertical shaft, the pivoted rack-bar
secured to said shaft, and the chains or straps connected thereto and to said fifth-
wheel, substantially as set forth.
4. In a velocipede, the combination, with the carrying-wheels and their axles,
the rear one of which has a central sprocket-wheel, of the supporting-frame, the
vertical shaft capable of horizontal movement and provided with an upper double
handle-bar and a lower foot-bar, the main operating shaft having ratchet-wheels,
the spring-held pawls engaging therewith, the arms or plates carrying said pawls,

page_text: the rods or pitmen connected to said arms or plates and to said vertical shaft, and
the shaft engaged by said operating shaft and having a sprocket-chain leading to
said sprocket-wheel on the rear axle, substantially as set forth.
5. In a velocipede, the combination, with the carrying-wheels and their axles,
the rear one of which has a central sprocket-wheel, of a supporting-frame, the
vertical shaft capable of horizontal movement and provided with operating-bars,
the main operating-shaft having ratchet-wheels and large and small gear-wheels,
the arms or plates carrying spring-held pawls engaging said ratchet-wheels the
rods or pitmen connected to said arms or plates and to said vertical shaft, the rear
movable shaft having a sprocket-wheel and large and small pinions designed to
engage said former gear-wheels, the sprocket-chain encompassing said sprocket-
wheel and the sprocket-wheel on the rear axle, and the rod secured to said movable
shaft for moving the same, substantially as set forth.
6. In a velocipede, the combination, with the operating mechanism, of a shaft
having a coil-spring secured thereto, a wheel fast on said shaft having grooves
or notches, a plate or bracket encompassing said spring and having a series of
holes or apertures in one end, and a loosely secured gear-wheel having a lug or
stud designed to be projected into any one of said holes or apertures and to
engage said grooved or notched wheel, said gear-wheel engaging said operating
mechanism, as set forth.
7. In a velocipede, the combination, with the operating mechanism, of the
shaft, the coiled spring secured thereto at one end, the plate or bracket to which
the other end of said coiled spring is secured, the ratchet-wheel secured to one
end of said plate or bracket, the pawl or arm engaging therewith, the wheel fast
on said shaft, having grooves or notches, the loosely secured gear-wheel designed
to engage with said plate or bracket and to also engage with the operating
mechanism and with said grooved or notched wheel, the rock-shaft, the arms
projecting therefrom, and the operating bar secured to said rock-shaft, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 15th day of November 1892.