IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES, ALSO PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER VELOCIPEDES.
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Robin at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd December 1883.
HENRY ROBIN, of 9 Rue de Chaligny Paris Mechanic. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES, ALSO PARTLY APPLICABLE TO OTHER VELOCIPEDES.
This Invention has for its object Improvements in the construction of Bicycles
which improvements are partly applicable also to other velocipedes, but relate
chiefly to that class of machine known as the "Otto Safety Bicycle" where the
rider is seated between the two wheels, and by my improvements greater facility
and ease is afforded to the rider of such vehicles, while they are more readily
controlled and the danger of upsetting is avoided.
In carrying out my improvements I employ two large wheels on two short axles.
These wheels are of novel construction, the spokes being of sheet steel, the tension
being on the exterior side; one or more spokes can be easily removed and replaced
without taking the wheel to pieces or removing the India rubber vulcanite or
other tyre.-The axles revolve in suitable axle boxes fitted with ball bearings,
(coursinets à bille). I name my machine the "Celeripede."
I will now describe my invention by aid of the drawings attached in which
Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a front view.
The frame is composed of tubiller steel on which is placed the seat O for the
rider. This seat is situated behind and below the axles.-A bar or beam NN
traverses the frame of the machine at right angles with the main axles, at the
front end of which is a brake hook or termination M. and at the rear end a
suitable counterbalance weight The termination M. lies upon the ground when
the machine is at rest, but when the rider mounts to his seat, his weight raises it
from the ground, and aided by the rear balance, completes the equilibrium. The
rider is then suspended in equilibrio between the two wheels. Motion is imparted
to the two wheels by the action of the riders feet upon two treadles H. H. Figure 2,
which oscillate as shewn by the dotted lines G. G. Figure 1. The rider is supported
by a back strap and thus is able to impart great power to the treadles:-At the
lower extremity of each of the treadles H H are fixed small grooved pullies. I. I.
traversed by bands of steel, iron or suitable material. These bands are fixed at K
Figure 1 and act upon the axle D D Figure 2 with a differential movement placed

page_text: beneath the seat which operates simultaneously on both wheels and yet leaves
them independent of each other at pleasure, so as to allow of the steering of the
celeripede." At each end of this axle D. D. is fixed a double crank L. L.
connected by bands, of steel or other suitable material,-to quadrants. These
quadrants move upon the driving axle with a ratched and pawl action; the ratchet
being firmly keyed or fixed upon the axle. The quadrants are set at right angles,
and at each motion forward of the treadle a half circle motion is given to the
quadrants and is imparted by the said ratchet and pawl to the axles and wheels.
The steering of the machine is effected by retarding the action or speed of the
quadrants on either side and so giving one wheel more travel than the other.
This is effected by means of the handles P. P. either of which by suitable lever
connections brings a pressure to bear upon the quadrants or the axles of the wheels,
and thus by friction either wheel can be retarded or stopped: by actuating both
handles P. P. at once both wheels can be stopped and at the same time by pressing
the Brake hook or termination M. upon the ground the machine can be pulled up
at once; and thus accident and risk is prevented, and the danger of upsetting
reduced to a minimum