IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Henry Butterworth do Botwor, of 15, Belsize
Square, South Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Charles Henry Butterworth de
Botwor at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August
1878.
CHARLES HENRY BUTTERWORTH DE BOTWOR, of 15, Belsize Square, South
Hampstead, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRI-
CYCLES."
These improvements relate to such a position of the seat, and to such an arrange-
ment of ropes for driving the cranks of the hind crank axle, as to enable the rider
to work with his feet the pedals attached to the cranks of the front wheel of the
tricycle or to tread the ground, while at the same time he works with one or both
of his hands one or both of the ropes attached to the crank axle that connects the
two large hind wheels, each hand working always the rope nearest to itself.
The relative position of wheels, seat, ropes, cranks, and steering gear is best
explained by the accompanying Drawings, but it may be said that the two large
wheels are as usual placed behind, and the third smaller wheel in front, and the
seat is so placed that the rider can reach with his feet the ground or the pedals of
the front wheel, while the said seat is sufficiently far in front of the hind crank
axle to prevent any danger of the rider's hands being caught in the cranks of the
said axle when he works the ropes. These ropes are two in number, one being
placed on each side of the seat, and one end of each rope is connected with one of
the cranks of the crank axle, while the other end is fastened to a spring, which
spring is itself fastened to a cross bar attached to the neck of the machine. The
object of the spring is to keep the rope always well stretched instead of dangling
loose, and so to prevent its being caught in the wheels or other parts of the machine,
for which purpose the spring expands when the rope is carried away by the out-
ward movement of the crank, and contracts again as the crank moves inwards
towards the rider.
The hands of the rider are intended to catch the ropes at about the point
marked 'a' in Fig. 1.
The ropes themselves may be either of the usual materials or of hard material,
such as wire chain links and other substances, some means being adopted, either by

page_text: glove for the hand or covering of the ropes, for preventing friction and excoriation
of the hands.
This plan of driving the hind crank axle by ropes worked by the hands only and
kept in tension by springs has this great advantage, that it allows one to make the
cranks of the crank axle very much longer than when driven by the feet, as the
hands are not obliged to follow the whole revolution of the cranks, but allow
the ropes to slide through them till the point is reached when the pull can be given
with the greatest advantage. By this length of crank the rider's power over the
machine is much increased.
The crank axle has, as in the ordinary methods, one end firmly fixed in the axle
box of one of the two hind wheels, while its other end plays freely in the axlo
box of the other hind wheel in order to facilitate the operation of turning the
machine.
The steering gear also is of an ordinary kind, and consists of a rod, of which the
lower end is fitted to the top of the spindle of the front wheel, and the upper end
terminates in a simple cross piece.
Some adjusting contrivanco may easily be adopted, if thought desirable for setting
the cross piece or handle' of the rod nearer to or further from the rider.
'
In the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the tricycle, in which A
are the two large hind wheels; 'd,' the axle box and axle end; B, the front wheel;
C, the seat, and 'c' marks the position of the springs of the seat; D is the steering
rod;
E, the cranks of the crank axle; F, the cranks and pedals of the front wheel,
fitted as on ordinary bicycle wheel; H, the ropes, attached at one end to the
cranks E in the manner herein-after mentioned, and at the other end to the
springs b,' which are themselves attached to the bar G which crosses the neck 'I'
at right angles (see Fig. 2). The said neck is fitted on to the fork of the front
wheel in ordinary bicycle fashion. 'a' is the point at which the rider's hands
grasp the ropes.
Fig. 2 is the plan view of the machine as seen from above with the seat and
steering gear removed, and shewing the cranks in a horizontal position. A are the
two hind wheels; B, the front wheel; C is the framework terminating in 'g' the
neck; E are the cranks of the crank axle, round each of which cranks a groove is
cut at the point 'e' to carry a revolving ring with a second ring attached, to which
second ring is fastened one end of a rope. The other end of the rope is fastened
to one of the springs 'b,' which springs are fastened to the cross bar G. Elastic
india-rubber is a good material for these springs. The letters 'd' mark the holes
to which any kind of springs for any kind of seat may be attached by means
of screws and nuts. The small rods 'f' attached to and projecting beyond G
serve to mark the width of the carringe for the convenience of the rider when
steering.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, I claim the improvements
in tricycles, as herein described, and shewn on the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Henry Butterworth de Botwor, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness to the signature of the
above-named Charles Henry
Butterworth de Botwor,
ARTHUR R. BUTTERWORTH,
of the Inner Temple,
Barrister-at-Law.
C. H. B. DE BOTWOR. (L.S.)