IMPROVE- MENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR THE PROPULSION OF BOATS OR VESSELS IN WATER."
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Robert Essery at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 13th September 1878.
"
ROBERT ESSERY, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton. ⚫ IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR VEHICLES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
APPLICABLE FOR THE PROPULSION OF BOATS OR VESSELS IN WATER."
My Invention relates to bicycles and similar vehicles, and comprises novel means
for propelling the same, which moans are also applicable to the propulsion of boats
or vessels in water.
In constructing a bicycle according to my said Invention I provide a bar, which
may be either straight or curved, and has at each end a cross piece placed at right
angles to the said bar. These cross pieces serve as axles for the wheels, which are
so placed that one wheel is upon one side of the bar at one end thereof, and the
other wheel upon the other side of the bar at the other end, by means of which
arrangement the person occupying the vehicle sits in equilibrium thereon, and is not
required to dismount when the vehicle is stationary, as has to be done with bicycles
as ordinarily constructed.
I use the front wheel for guiding the vehicle, and it is arranged to run loose upon
the axle, which is pivoted to facilitate turning round curves.
I employ the rear wheel for driving the vehicle by means of peculiar mechanism,
which I will now proceed to describe, that is to say, to the cross piece at the front
of the vehicle I attach a curved piece or fork, which extends backwards, and serves
as a support for a grooved pulley, the spindle or axle of which passes through the
said fork on both sides, and is cranked at each end. The cranked ends of the pulley
axle are thus outside the said fork, and each crank is connected to a lever, which
levers extend rearward far enough for their other ends to be in a convenient position
to be operated by the feet of the occupant of the vehicle, who sits upon a saddle
provided upon the aforesaid bar. Each lever is furnished with a suitable foot-piece
or support, upon which the feet of the occupant rest as he operates the said levers.
These levers are suitably attached to the aforesaid fork, and as they are operated
by the feet of the occupant the levers cause the said grooved pulley to rotate
within the fork. Around this grooved pulley I place a wire rope, a belt, or similar

page_text: means for communicating motion from the said pulley to another pulley fixed upon
the rear axle. The rear wheel being on the same axle, motion is thus given to it,
and the vehicle is propelled. The relative diameter of the two pulleys may be
such as desired, according to the speed at which the vehicle is required to be
driven.
If desired there may be more than one wheel at the front of the vehicle.
The mechanism as above described for driving the vehicle may also be applied for
the propulsion of boats or vessels in water, only requiring such obvious modifica-
tions as might be necessary to adapt it to such use, according to the circumstances
under which it would have to operate.
By means of my said Invention I obtain greatly increased power, and conse-
quently a higher speed, with less exertion than is possible with bicycles and similar
vehicles as heretofore constructed.
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