IMPROVED CRANK FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Gerald Kinnaird of No 13 Elsworthy Terrace,
Primrose Hill in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of IMPROVED
CRANK FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Gerald Kinnaird
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th September 1882.
FREDERICK GERALD KINNAIRD of 13 Elsworthy Terrace Primrose Hill in the
County of Middlesex IMPROVED CRANK FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER
VELOCIPEDES,
It consists of an Automatic extending Lever Crank constructed as following-The
ordinary crank of the Bicycle is shortened, and the Lever is fixed by a bearing to
the end of the crank, the upper part of the Lever extending a suitable length to
receive the pedal'; the lower part of the lever is a segment of a circle, which runs
freely in a slot or between rollers, cones, or balls; the slot to be held by a projection
from the end of the Bicycle Fork.
For this Invention I claim the following advantages that a longer crank can be
used than hitherto, thus giving greater power, that the riders feet do not descend
lower than the box of the driving wheel, thereby, enabling him to ride a larger
wheel, which enables him to gain an increase of speed. The crank is reduced to
half its length when not in action, thereby giving little or no back-throw

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frederick Gerald Kinnaird in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd March 1883.
FREDERICK GERALD KINNAIRD of 13 Elsworthy Terrace Primrose Hill in the
county of Middlesex IMPROVED CRANK FOR BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER
VELOCIPEDES
This invention consists of an extending lever crank constructed in the following
manner.
The ordinary crank of the bicycle is advantageously shortened and the lever is
fixed by a bearing to the end of the crank the upper part of the lever extending
a suitable length to receive the pedal. The lower part of the lever is a segment of
a circle which runs freely in a slot or between rollers cones or balls the slot to be
held by a projection from the end of the bicycle fork.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of Drawings and to the figures and letters
thereon indicated
Fig 1 shews an elevation of my crank fitted to one side of a bicycle fork
Fig 2 a front view of same
A is the fork with an extension B. C is the crank. D is the segmental lever
pivoted to pin E on the crank. It carries at its end F the pedal pin G to receive
the pedal (not shewn).
At its lower end it is linked to extension B by radius-rod H or its end can travel
in a slot in the extension as before mentioned which in this case must extend
backward.
The joints may have coned or ball bearings if desired.
The path of the pedal is approximately elliptical and great leverage is obtained
by the power being applied beyond the crank pin
In applying my invention to tricycles or like velocipedes I extend the part F of
the segmental lever D to any length required thus procuring direct action and
dispensing with chains and gear wheels
In this case the wheels can be keyed to the axles by ratchets or friction clutches
setting either wheel free when turning corners or both when descending hills or
the cranks may be disconnected.
Should the rider desire to ride his bicycle with the pedals near the ground as
in what is known as "a safety machine" he has merely to unscrew the nuts or
pins and reverse the position of the lever screwing all up again.
If on a journey an accident should happen to the gear the pedals may be taken
off part F and put on the ordinary crank pin of the crank the machine then being
of the ordinary type.
It will thus be seen besides the increased leverage obtained that a short man can
ride a large machine or a tall man a low machine, in this latter case the position of
the pedals being well behind the wheel axis rendering the chances of being thrown
over the handles more remote.
The gear can be adapted to ordinary bicycles by providing an extension to guide
the lever D.
Having now described my invention and the best manner known to me of
performing the same I would have it understood that I do not claim the extending
of the fork of a bicycle or other velocipede nor the use of radius rods therewith to

page_text: drive the cranks by connecting rods but what I believe to be novel and original
and claim as my invention of an
Improved crank for bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes is-
The segmental lever D jointed to the crank C and having a part F extending
beyond the crank pin E to carry the pedal pin or pedal the path of the other end
of the lever being guided as and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof I the said Frederick Gerald Kinnaird have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twenty second day of March in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty two. [sic]