IMPROVEMENTS IN DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRICYCLES AND LIKE VEHICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adam Burdess, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
"s
for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRICYCLES
AND LIKE VEHICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Burdess at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd July 1881.
ADAM BURDESS, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick.
IN DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRICYCLES AND LIKE VEHICLES."
"
IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to improvements in driving mechanism for tricycles and
other like vehicles, and has for its object to impart facility and cas of motion to
the vehicle, and also to increase the power and control of the rider over the
machine at the same time that it affords him increased safety.
+
may
My improved driving mechanism is extremely simple in construction, and be
readily adapted to existing tricycles and other velocepedes. It consists of two toothed
wheels, one of which is mounted upon the axis of the driving wheel of the machine,
and the other upon the crank shaft thereof. Such wheels gear into each other, and
are actuated by means of the treadles placed on the crank shaft. Both the treadles
and crank shaft are so arranged that the latter is worked backwards instead of
forwards as in the ordinary way; a backward motion is thus given by the crank
shaft to the lower wheel, which gearing with the upper wheel imparts a contrary
or forward motion thereto and so carries the vehicle forward.
I would here observe that if preferred two friction wheels may be substituted
for the two toothed wheels above mentioned.
One advantage of my improved driving mechanism and the arrangement thereof
is that in addition to the ease and facility of motion obtained thereby it materially
assists the rider to maintain his seat when descending a hill, owing to the backward
Inovement of the crank shaft which serves to keep him firmly in position when
descending, and thus imparts increased safety.
Another advantage of my Invention is that increased power is obtained when
ascending a hill, as owing to the backward motion imparted to the crank shaft it
greatly facilitates his propelling the cranks over the centres, and thus gives
him increased control and power over the vehicle and renders the ascent much
easier.
My improved arrangement of driving mechanism is also particularly adapted
for the use of ladies when riding tricycles and other like vehicles, owing to the
minimum of exertion required and the safety and easy motion resulting from
its use.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adam Burdess in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th January
1882.
ADAM BURDESS, of Coventry, in the County of Warwick.
DRIVING MECHANISM FOR TRICYCLES AND LIKE VEHICLES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention relates to improvements in driving mechansism for tricycles
and other like vehicles, and has for its object to enable the rider to readily impart
easy motion to the vehicle, and also to increase the power and control of the rider
over the machine at the same time that it affords him increased safety.
And in order that my said Invention may be better understood and readily
carried into effect, I will now with the aid of the accompanying Drawings proceed-
more particularly to describe and ascertain the same.
My improved driving mechanism is extremely simple in construction, and may
be readily adapted to existing tricycles and other velocipedes. It consists of two
toothed or friction wheels, the upper one of which is mounted upon the axis of the
driving wheel of the machine, and the other or lower one upon the crank shaft
thereof. Such upper and lower wheels gear into each other, and. are actuated by
means of the treadles placed on the crank shaft. The circumference of such wheels
may vary so as to provide for increasing or diminishing the speed of the vehicle.
One of the principal features of my Invention is that both the treadles and crank
shaft are worked backwards instead of forwards in the ordinary way, a backward
motion is thus given by the crank shaft to the lower wheel, which gearing with
the upper wheel imparts a contrary or forward motion thereto and so carries the
vehicle forward.
When friction wheels are employed I form one or more suitable grooves in the
periphery of either the upper or lower wheel, while the other wheel is made
with bevilled edges to allow of its gearing into and working in such groove or
grooves.
One advantage of my improved driving mechanism and the arrangement thereof
is that in addition to the ease and facility of motion obtained thereby it materially
assists the rider to maintain his seat when descending an incline, owing to the
backward movement of the crank shaft which serves to keep him firmly in position
when so descending; and thus imparts increased safety.
Another advantage of my-Invention-is-that-increased-power-is--obtained-when-
ascending, as owing to the back ward motion imparted to the crank shaft, it greatly
facilitates his propelling the cranks over the dead centres, and thus gives him
increased control and power over the vehicle, and renders the ascent much easier.
My improved arrangement of driving mechanisın is also particularly adapted for
the use of ladies when riding tricycles and other like vehicles, owing to the
minimum of exertion required and the safety and easy motion resulting from
its use.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a view in side elevation of a tricycle with my improved driving
mechanism applied thereto. a, a, are the large driving wheels; b, the trailing
wheel; c, the back bone or frame; d, the front part of frame; e, the seat; f, the
steering apparatus; g, a cog wheel fixed on the hub of the driving wheel; h, another
cog wheel fixed on the end of the crank axle which gears into the wheel g;., the
cranks. When the cranks are worked in a backward direction they carry the
wheel h with them, which gearing into the wheel g turns the latter in a forward
direction, and as such wheel g is fixed on the hub of the driving wheel a forward
motion is thus imparted to the tricycle.
Figure 2 shows a similar view in side elevation as Figure 1, except that there

page_text: are two friction wheels employed instead of cog wheels. The bottom wheel is
pulled up against the top one by means of a lever; the bottom wheel may be made
larger than the top one in order to obtain a high rate of speed, and vice versa, to
diminish the speed. a, a, are the two large driving wheels; b is the top friction
wheel fixed on the hub of one of the driving wheels; c is the bottom friction
wheel fixed on the crank axle; d is a slide in the framework in front; e is a rod
tapped into the slide d which slide carries the crank axle at one end; fis a bell
crank attached to the rod e and also the lever g; g is a lever, the lower end whereof
is attached to the framework. This lever works in a rack g', so that when the
rider pulls the lever towards him it snaps into one of the notches in the rack and
holds the wheels tightly together. It will be obvious that when the rider pulls
the lever towards him it actuates the bell crank f, which draws up the rod e and
carries with it the slide d, which slide being attached to the crank axle serves
also to raise such axle, while the lower friction wheel being fixed to the crank
axle by this means, such lower wheel is pulled tightly against the top one, thus
binding or pressing both friction wheels with great force against each other.
When the lever g is pushed in the opposite direction it forces the slide down-
wards, thus releasing the lower friction wheel from the upper one, and leaving
the treadles at rest; h is a set screw which fixes the slide d on the other end of
the crank, which has a little play to allow of the slide being worked.
Figure 3 shews a view in side elevation of a bicycle with my improved driving
mechanism fitted thereto; a is the driving wheel; b, the trailing wheel; c, the
back bone; d, the seat; e, the fork which is turned at the bottom in order to allow
of the toothed wheel g being fastened thereto, as presently mentioned; f is a
toothed wheel fixed on one end of the axle of the driving wheel, and g is another
toothed wheel which revolves on a pin passed through the curved end of the fork e,
and which gears into the toothed wheel f; h is the crank which is attached to the
toothed wheel g, so that when the crank is turned in a back ward direction it carries
the wheel g with it, which gearing into the wheel fimparts a forward motion to
the latter, and as such wheel f is fixed to the axle of the driving wheel, it carries the
driving wheel forward with it and imparts a forward motion to the bicycle itself.
Although not shewn in the Drawing, a similar arrangement of two cog wheels
with crank is fixed in exactly the same manner on each side of the bicycle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it
understood that I claim as my Invention,-
1stly. The fitting a tricycle or other velocipede, save a bicycle, with two cog or
friction wheels gearing into each other and otherwise arranged and fitted,
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and
illustrated.
2ndly. The fitting a bicycle with two pairs of cog or friction wheels, one pair
being placed on each side thereof, and each pair being mounted and otherwise
arranged and fitted, substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
3rdly. The principle of propelling a tricycle, bicycle, or other similer vehicle by
working the treadles and crank shaft backwards instead of forwards in the ordinary
manner, as hereinbefore set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adam Burdess, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
ADAM BURDESS. (L.S.)