IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES AND TRICYCLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas O'Brien, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
AND TRICYCLES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas O'Brien at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1883.
THOMAS O'BRIEN, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES AND TRICYCLES,
This device I term a pendulous seat tricycle, and in it I make use of seats for
two persons, the said seats being suspended so as to be swung, and from these
there are connecting rods to the driving cranks. I also provide means for bringing
the power of the feet and hands into action in swinging the seats; and I employ a
steering wheel to guide the apparatus, and sometimes a third seat is combined with
the pendulous seats, so that a person can drive the tricycle alone, or aid in its
propulsion. This allows for three or more persons enjoying a.ride together and
for obtaining the exhilerating effect of the swinging movement, as well as that
from propulsion.
I provide two wheels and an axle upon which the rear portion of a frame is
supported, and this frame extends forward and is provided with a steering wheel
that has a jaw and vertical pivot.
There is a crank shaft and driving wheel supported in the frame, and a belt to a
wheel on the shaft of the two supporting wheels.
The crank shaft may also have one or two fly wheels upon it. The crank shaft
is revolved by treadles acted upon by the party seated at the front who also steers.
I also provide seats that hang from a frame, such seats are connected with the
crank shaft, so that by swinging the seats back and forth, the crank shaft will be
rotated and the velocipede propelled: band holds, and foot rests are provided for
the parties occupying these swinging seats.
One person can drive this tricycle or three wheeled velocipede, or three or more
persons can act together in its propulsion.
An awning is sometimes placed upon the frames from which the pendulous seats
are hung. The steering wheel may be operated by the person in front, or by
those, occupying the pendulous seats.
Persons in entering the tricycle step up behind and pass into the pendulous seats.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas O'Brien in the Patent Office on the 26th February 1884.
THOMAS O.'BRIEN, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES AND TRICYCLES,
This device I term a pendulous seat tricycle and in it I make use of seats for two
persons the said seats being suspended so as to be swung and from these there are
connecting rods to the driving, cranks. I also provide means for bringing the.
power of the feet and hands into action in swinging the seats and I employ a
steering wheel to guide the apparatus and sometimes a third seat is combined with
the pendulous seats, so that a person can drive the tricycle alone or aid in its
propulsion.
This allows for three or more persons enjoying a ride together and for obtaining
the exhilarating effect of the swinging movement as well as that from propulsion.
I provide two wheels and an axle upon which the rear portion of a frame is
supported and this frame extends forward and is provided with a steering wlicel
that has a jaw and vertical pivot. There is a crank shaft and driving wheel
supported in the frame and a belt to a wheel on the shaft of the two supporting
wheels. The crank shaft may also have one or two fly wheels upon it. The crank
shaft is revolved by treadles acted upon by the party seated at the front who also
steers. I also provide seats that hang from a frame; such seats are connected with
the crank shaft so that by swinging the seats back and forth the crank shaft will be
rotated and the velocipede propelled, hand holds and foot rests are provided for the
parties occupying these swinging seats. One person can drive this tricycle or three
wheeled velocipedé, or three or more persons can act together in its propulsion.
An awning is sometimes placed upon the frames from which the pendulous seats
are hung. The steering wheel may be operated by the person in front or by those
occupying the pendulous seats. Persons in entering the tricycle step up behind
and pass into the pendulous seats.
In the drawing
Fig. 1. is a plan view with part of the upper frame removed.
"
2. is a side view with one wheel and the side frame removed at the,
line . x. and
3. is a detached view in larger size of the crank shaft and treadle bars.
The driving wheels a. a. are upon an axle b. and there are springs b¹. between
the said axle and a frame c. c. that is connected with the frame d². and extends
forward and supports the propelling crank shaft d. and it also is provided with
front bearings c, c'. for the vertical pivot e. of the steering wheel e. The crank
shaft d. has upon it a pulley or band wheel f, with a band or chain 2. to the
wheel g. upon the axle b. These wheels f. and g. may be of any desired relative
size. The front wheel f. will usually be the largest so that the wheel g. and axle b.
.will revolve the fastest.
At the end. of the crank shaft d. there are cranks h. They are preferably
crank pins projecting from the wheels . that form fly-wheels to the crankshaft d.
Above the axle b. the frame c. c. is supported by the springs b. and provided
with a top frame c. that may have upon it an awning or cover to protect the
parties riding in the hanging seats . . The frame is provided with pivots for
the suspension bars . . which are pivoted at their lower ends to the platforms n.
there being four of these suspension bars to each platform, so that the platform will
remain level, or nearly so, as it is swung back and forth. Upon these platforms
there are the chairs or seats l. 1. and below the platforms the connecting rods o. 0¹.
to the crank pins h. h. are pivoted so that the occupants of the seats as they swing
such seats back and forth, propel the tricycle through the connecting rods o. o'.
cranks h. h. wheels f. and g. and driving wheels a. a. To allow a person to step
into the apparatus, a movable step o³. is provided at the back. This may be folded

page_text: up when not in use, in a similar manner to a carriage step. From this the person
can step upon the cross-bar or spring o³, and upon either platform.
In order to allow the occupants of the seat the opportunity to exert the strength
of the hands or feet, I employ a cross-bar p. with chains or cords p¹. which can be
pulled upon by the occupants of the swings as they go forward; or such chains
may be attached to lever handles p². that are pivoted at 15. between the suspending
bars i. . and there is a foot piece 6. to each pair of lever handles, so that the same
can be pushed upon by the feet as the upper end of the handle and the chain are
drawn upon in propelling the machine. At the upper end of the pivot of the
steering wheel there is a grooved wheel q. and steering cords or chains passing back
in any convenient manner so as to be operated upon by the parties riding in the
velocipede. I have, however, shown a saddle r. for a third rider in front of whom
is a wheel r. with cords or chains to the wheel q. the same passing around the
guide-wheels 8. and being fastened, respectively, to the said wheels q. and r¹. and to
the wheel r¹ a lever handle 5. is applied so that a person seated upon the saddle.r.
can turn the wheel and steer the tricycle in any desired direction.
When the seat r. is provided it is usual to employ cranks 82. 83. on the crank
shaft d. between the fly-wheels h¹ h. and the central band wheel f. and to connect
with those cranks 82 the treadle-bars t. to the rear ends of which there are links v.
and there are foot pieces or bearings upon these treadle bars so that the person
who is seated upon the saddle r. may propel the tricycle himself alone, by his feet
acting upon the bearing pieces, treadle bars and cranks to revolve the shaft and
the axle b; or the vehicle may be propelled by the joint action of all three parties
upon the respective cranks.
This tricycle is adapted to parks, boulevards, and roads and affords a healthful
exercise in which two or three persons can participate.
I claim as my Invention
First. The combination with the wheels a. a¹. steering wheel el. and frame work,
of the seats l. 1. and suspending rods between the seat and frame, a crank shaft
and connection from the pendulous seats to the cranks h. h. substantially as set
forth.
Second. The combination with the wheels a. a¹. axle b. steering wheel e¹. and
frame-work, of the seats l. 1. the suspending bars for the same, the crank-shaft, fly
wheels h¹ h'. and connecting rods to the platforms of the pendulous seats,
substantially as set forth.
Third. The combination, with the wheels a. a. the axle, steering wheel and
frame work, of the crank shaft, the wheels f. and g. and connecting belt, the seat r.
and treadles connected with the cranks of the shaft, substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the wheels a. al. axle b. steering wheel e¹. and its
actuating mechanism, of the pendulous seats l. 1. the cross bar p. and cords or
chains the crank shaft d. the wheels f. and g. and belt 2. substantially as specified.
Fifth. In combination with the tricycle, one or more pendulous seats and
connections to the driving shaft substantially as set forth, whereby the tricycle is
propelled by the swinging movement of the pendulous seats.
In witness whereof I the said Thomas O.Brien have hereunto set my hand and
seal this Fifth day of February A.D. 1884.
Witnesses
CHAS H. SMITH 140 Nassau St, New York
I. STAIB
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THOMAS O'BRIEN (L.S.)