Improvements in or relating to Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cycles.
I, MAX RUDOLPH ZECHLIN, of 1, Englischestrasse, Charlottenburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to cycles designed for the transport of persons and baggage,
and has for its object the provision of a cycle adapted to transport quickly a large
number of persons and also baggage, such as tents, tools, arms, knapsacks and the
like, to their place of destination.
In the accompanying drawing are illustrated two constructional forms of such a
cycle.
Figure I is a side elevation of a cycle having a lever driving mechanism.
Figure II is a plan of the same, and
Figures III and IV are sections on the lines A-B and C-D respectively in Fig. I.
Figure V is a side elevation of a cycle having crank driving mechanism.
Figure VI is a plan of the same, and
Figs. VII and VIII are respectively front and rear elevations thereof.
The cycle comprises a box shaped frame G which is supported upon two or three
wheels, one wheel at the front and one or two at the rear. The said frame is designed
for the reception of baggage or the like in its interior, and for carrying at its sides
spring supported seats Sa for the riders. The frame or baggage box G is furnished
with doors and closed by means of a cover, and, in like manner, a box is arranged
between the rear wheels: the said frame is provided on both sides with a railing St,
within which all the articles to be transported, such as arms, knapsacks, tent bags and
the like, may be placed. It is expedient to carry victuals, ammunition and the like
in the lower closed space. The size of the space on the top of the frame is such that
wounded and sick men may be placed within the protecting railing on pillows, straw
or cloaks, while slightly wounded men may take their place on the rear wheel box.
This vehicle is propelled as shown in Figs. I to IV of the drawing, by means of a
lever the construction of which is as follows: The levers A pivotted in the frame G
are provided at the top with handles H, and at the bottom with foot rests or pedals F.
They transmit their motion through the intervention of connecting rods Sch to a
crank disc K and from the latter to a sprocket wheel K¹ on the rear wheel axle.
The cycle represented in Figs. V to VIII is generally of the same construction as
the cycle herein before described. In this constructional form, however, the propulsion,
as already mentioned, is effected in the known manner by means of crank driving
mechanism here the riders, placed in any desired number by the side of and behind
each other on the frame G hold on to the handles. The frame G is divided, in this
case, into an inner part R and an outer part R¹ which are rigidly or elastically
connected with each other, the part R serving as a transport compartment and the
part R carrying the seats S* and driving mechanism. The cycle illustrated in
Figs. V to VIII of the drawing is represented as a bicycle.
In the construction shown in Figs. I to IV the steering of the vehicle is effected by

page_text: means of the handlebar H, by a rider, seated at the front of the frame and not taking
part in the propulsion of the cycle: whereas in the construction shown in
Figs. V to VIII the steering is effected by the two front riders whose steering rods H
are coupled with the steering tube of the cycle.
:
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 :-
1. A cycle having several seats and serving for the transport of persons and baggage,
characterized by the feature that the cycle frame forms a special receptacle G for
baggage and the like, and that on both sides of the baggage receptacle there are
seats and driving mechanism arranged for the riders substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
2. A constructional form of the cycle described in the first claim, characterized by
the feature that the baggage receptacle forins the main support of the cycle, and that
seats and driving mechanism are directly attached to the same, substantially as herein
described with reference to Figs. I to IV of the accompanying drawings.
3. A constructional form of the cycle described in the first claim, characterized by
the feature that the cycle frame is divided into an inner part R and an outer part R¹,
which are rigidly or elastically connected with each other, the former being used as a
transport compartment and the latter for carrying the seats and driving mechanism
substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. V to VIII of the
accompanying drawings.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
49, Middle Abbey Street, Dublin,
Patent Agent, Associate Agent for the Applicant.