Year: 1897

page_text: I, FREDERICK PARKER, of No. 2, Wyndham Street, Brighton, Sussex, ex-Carriage
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to introduce a new kind of velocipede suitable
for military, or pace-making, or training, or pleasure purposes, to be operated by a
number of pedalists up to 24 persons male or female, and sitting two abreast.
Parts of which are applicable also to motor cars. And consists
Firstly In constructing the body or framework of a velocipede with a fixed
canopy overhead as a protection against sunshine and rain and with a floor
under the feet of the pedalists as a dust or mud guard and having saddles for
the pedalists placed two abreast.
Secondly. In constructing a balance gear or "Jack-in-the-Box" without the aid
of pinion wheels or bevilled cogs, but having in lieu thereof either straight cogged
wheels only or straight cogged wheels combined with toothed wheels and chains
so arranged as to regulate the relative difference of pace necessarily given to the
driving wheels when the vehicle is turning a curve without releasing them or
either of them from the pressure of the propelling force.
Thirdly. In constructing such of the road wheels as are intended to act as
driving wheels with three rows of spokes branching out from the hub. i.e. a
central row leaving the hub at right angles and extending to the outer rim on
which the wheel treads the ground; and of the other two one row branching out
from the forepart of the hub and the other row branching out from the hinder
part of the hub tangent-wise and sloped inwards towards the centre row, and
ending at an intermediate rim which rim may act as a foundation for the teeth
of the driving chain or band.
Fourthly. In employing for driving purposes in lieu of a chain when preferable,
a perforated steel band so arranged as to engage with the teeth of the wheels
employed for driving purposes.
Fifthly. In a device consisting of a disk turning on an excentric pivot by the
turning of which the chain gear may be tightened or adjusted.
1 T
1007

page_text: in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:.
The object of this Invention is to introduce a new kind of velocipede suitable
for military, or pace-making, or training, or pleasure purposes; to be operated by
a number of pedalists say up to 24 persons, male or female, sitting two abreast;
parts of which invention are also applicable to motor cars.
In describing the first and second parts of this invention reference is made to
accompanying drawings in which like denoting letters or figures represent like
parts.
The first part of this invention consists in a multipedal road vehicle of which
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation. This vehicle consists of two bodyparts A
and B each mounted on a pair of road wheels C, and connected together for
locking and other purposes as set forth in the first part of my Patent of 1896
No. 25,628; but the vehicle may be made to consist of three or more bodyparts
similarly mounted and connected when so desired.
Each of these body parts has a roof D) serving the purposes of a sun-shade and
rain shelter; and a floor E serving the purpose of a mud guard; there are
perpendicular columns or supports from floor to roof which may be tubular or
otherwise, the walls may be wholly or partially enclosed, or not, either by
curtains or panelwork or otherwise as desired.
Each of these body parts is fitted with six revolving crankshafts G fitted with
pedals H, of the ordinary kind as used for propelling Bicycles, these crankshafts
are arranged in two rows of three crankshafts in each row so that the pedalists
sit two abreast, each crankshaft having a saddle J for the seat of the pedalist
correspondingly placed; but the number of pedalists provided for may be more or
less from two upwards as desired.
The pedaleranks in each row are connected together by means of sprocket
wheels K, and chains L, in a known way so as to transmit the united power of
the pedalists to the axle, (either through the intervening medium of a power-
shaft or not as desired) and thence to the two driving road wheels, regulated by
the agency of a Jack-in-the-box or balance gear in the usual way.
Each bodypart is fitted with a brake M operatng on both of its road wheels
and moving identically or at one "with the body part as is usual in ordinary
two wheeled vehicles; and each bodypart may be fitted with a gear to vary the
pace to be travelled, commonly known as a pacing gear" in connection with the
power shaft and the driving road-wheels in any known way.
66
The second part of this invention consists in a "Jack-in-the-box" or balance
gear applicable to all velocipedes or motor-cars in which two driving road wheels
running on the same axle are driven by one and the same application of power;
and has for its object to allow one road wheel to run faster than its fellow, as is
necessary in turning a curve, without removing or relaxing the grip of the
driving power from either wheel.
Fig. 2 represents a side elevation and Fig. 3 represents a front elevation showing
the internal works of my balance gear; N represents a sprocket wheel driven
by means of a chain connected to the engine or other motive power, this sprocket
wheel passes through the centre of the balance gear and is made solid with the
core of the power-shaft, O.
On one side of this central sprocket wheel N are two minor sprocket wheels P
and Q within the radius of the larger sprocket wheel, yoked together by a chain R
while on the reverse side of the central sprocket wheel are two cogged or toothed
wheels engaging with one another, having cogs at right angles with the side
plane thereof as distinguished from the bevelled cogs of pinion wheel as now
in use; the larger of these minor sprocket wheels Q and the larger of the cogged
wheels T are each made solid with one half of the external power shaft U which
is tubular and is telescoped on to the core 0; each of these halves of the power
shaft which acts separately from one another is at its extreme end

page_text: fitted solid with another sprocket wheel in connection by means of a
driving chain with
a corresponding sprocket wheel solid to the hub of
the road wheel. The smaller of these minor sprocket wheels P and the smaller
of the cogged wheels S are made solid with one another and consequently transmit
action from one side to the other side of the centre of the balance gear.
So that when the vehicle is stationary, if the roadwheel connected with the
chain side of the balance gear be moved forward, the roadwheel on the reverse
side will be by the action of the before described mechanism proportionately
moved backward; and vice versa, as in action the chain connection causes the
two sprocket wheels P and Q and the smaller of the cogged wheels $ (being solid
with P) to move in one and the same direction; while the larger of the cogged
wheels T will with its connections be caused by means of the reversing action of
the engaged cogs, to move in a contrary direction: and vice versa: consequently
it will be seen that if this reversing action be set in motion while the vehicle is
making progress in a curved direction through the operation of the steering
apparatus one of the roadwheels will necessarily travel at a slower pace and the
other of them at a proportionately faster pace than that maintained by the body
of the vehicle, through the reciprocating action of the two sides of the balance
gear while both remain equally subject to the driving force of the motive power.
A modified method of effecting the same object whereby the internal sprocket
wheels and their chain connection may be dispensed with, and the reversing action
may be brought about and transmitted by the action of cogged wheels only is
indicated in Fig. 4.
Under this modified method I place three cogged wheels V W and X on one
side of the central sprocket wheel, and two somewhat larger cogged wheels Y
and Z on the reverse side of the central sprocket wheel as indicated by dotted
lines; two of the wheels X and Y (one on each side of the sprocket wheel) being
made solid with one another.
It will be noticed that the pivot or axis on which the wheels X and Y rotate
is placed a greater distance than the axis on which the wheel W rotates from the
centre of the whole balance gear (the axis of V); this is done in order that the
cogs of X while engaging with the cogs of W may pass the cogs of V without
contact.
So that when V together with the roadwheel to which it is attached
rotates towards the right hand, it throws W through the engagement of the
cogs towards the left hand, which in its turn throws X and Y towards the right
hand, which in its turn throws Z and the road wheel attached thereto towards
the left hand being in reverse to the direction of its fellow road wheel: and vice-
versa.
When a counterpoised or double action is desired this may be effected under
either method by repeating the process on the unoccupied half of the central
sprocket wheel.
I abandon and disclaim the third fourth and fifth parts of the invention set
forth in the provisional specification hereof.
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 construction combination and arrangement of parts whereby a
velocipede is propelled by one or more pedalists sitting between the floor and
roof of the vehicle, as set forth in the first part of this invention and illustrated
in Fig. 1.
2nd. The construction combination and arrangement of parts whereby a
velocipede is propelled by pedalists sitting two abreast in two or more separate
compartments of the vehicle, as set forth in the first part of this invention and
illustrated in Fig. 1.

page_text: 3. The balance gear as set forth in the second part of this invention and
illustrated in Fig. 2 and 3.
4. The construction combination and arrangement of parts whereby a reversing
action is transmitted through the central division of a balance gear by the instru-
mentality of cogged wheels in connection with chain driven sprocket wheels as
set forth in the second part of this invention and illustrated in Fig. 2 and 3.
5. The construction combination and arrangement of parts whereby a reversing
action is transmitted from one side of the centre to the other side of a balance
gear, by the instrumentality of cogged wheels having cogs at right angles with
the side plane thereof, as set forth in the modification of the second part of this
invention and illustrated in Fig. 4.
Dated this 21st day of October 1907