Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 29th Mar., 1893-Accepted, 6th May, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
WILLIAM THOMAS SHAW, Director, and ARTHUR SYDENHAM, Works
Manager of the Crypto Cycle Company Limited of No. 64 City Road London E.C.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention consists in an improved construction of tricycle in which the
driving wheel is placed in front, as in an ordinary front driving bicycle, and is
actuated by a rotary crank-axle driven either in preference directly, or, if desired,
by means of side levers and links. The crank axle is connected with the hub of
the driving-wheel by means of intervening mechanism, which may be of the kind
described in our Patent No. 13,923 of 1886, and in this way the driving-wheel is
caused to revolve at a higher velocity than the crank axle. All the advantages of
speeding up are thus obtained without the use of a chain and pitch-wheels. The
steering of our improved tricycle is effected by means of two rear wheels steered
differentially after the manner described in our Patent No. 8199 of 1887 and
the general construction of the machine will be readily understood from the
following description :-
:-
The front or driving wheel is held in a fork which is carried upwards in an
almost vertical direction to the top of the wheel, slightly above which it terminates
in a socket-piece or head receiving the stem of a handle bar which is provided with
a lever for spoon-brake in the usual way. The steering stem at its lower end,
after passing into the space between the two branches of the fork and just above
the wheel, carries a short cross-head, which is jointed at either end into two links or
connecting rods, the purpose of which is described below.
The fork-head or socket at its lower part is firmly joined to the backbone,
which, following the general contour of the wheel, is carried back to a point
slightly above the horizontal diameter of the wheel and there is firmly fixed to an
upright hollow stem, which at its lower extremity is joined to a horizontal tube
which carries the steering wheels, whilst at its upper end it terminates on a level,
or nearly so, with the cross-head on the steering stem referred to above. A short
stay from near the upper end of the stem to the backbone serves to keep it rigidly
in a vertical position. Through the whole course of this hollow stem is carried
a rod which at its upper end is armed with a cross-head parallel to the one on the
stem of the handle-bar and jointed to the back cuds of the connecting rods, so
that the two cross-heads are moved in common by the action of the handle-bar.
The vertical rod fastened to the back cross-head is provided at its lower extremity
with a short lever projecting backwards, and this lever is jointed to two rods or
links which are jointed at their opposite ends to two bent arms or tillers formed
on the steering spindles of the stud axles by which means the two wheels are
steered differentially in the manner fully described in our Patent above cited.
Two parallel tubes are firmly built from the fork ends of the driving-wheel to
the horizontal tube of the back wheels, so that the frame-work of the machine is
absolutely rigid. It will be observed that the driving-wheel is kept absolutely in
the same plane as the backbone which conveniently carries the saddle pillar and
that the steering is obtained solely by the differential action of the rear steering
wheels. This construction offers many practical advantages over any other
hitherto devised, besides securing immunity from the many drawbacks involved
in the use of a chain.
Dated this Thirtiath dow of Tuno 1902
WM. THOS. SHAW.
ARTHUR
SYDENHAM.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
WILLIAM THOMAS SHAW Director, and ARTHUR SYDENHAM Works Manager
of The Cryto Cycle Company Limited of No. 64 City Road, London E.C. 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 :-
Our invention consists in an improved construction of tricycle in which the
driving wheel is placed in front, as in an ordinary front driving bicycle, and is
actuated by a rotary crank axle driven either in preference directly, or, if desired,
by means of side levers and links. The crank axle is connected with the hub of
the driving wheel by means of intervening mechanism, which may be of the kind
described in our Patent No. 13,923 of 1886, and in this way the driving wheel is
caused to revolve at a higher velocity than the crank axle. All the advantages of
speeding up are thus obtained without the use of a chain and pitch-wheels. The
steering of our improved tricycle is effected by means of two rear wheels steered
differentially after the manner described in our Patent No. 8199 of 1887 and the
general construction of the machine will be readily understood from the following
description as illustrated by Fig. I and Fig. II.
The front or driving wheel D is held in a fork F which is carried upwards in an
almost vertical direction to the top of the wheel, slightly above which it terminates
in a socket-piece or head H receiving the stem S of a handle bar B which is
provided with a lever for spoon-brake in the usual way. The steering stem S at
its lower end E after passing into the space between the two branches of the fork F
and just above the wheel carries a short cross-head C, which is jointed at
either end into two links or connecting rods L, the purpose of which is described
below.
The fork-head or socket H at its lower part is firmly joined to the backbone K
which following the general contour of the wheel, is carried back and rigidly con-
nected with the horizontal axes R of the steering wheels by means of an upright
hollow stem T. The latter at its lower extremity is firmly joined to the horizontal
tubes R which carry the steering wheels W, whilst at its upper end it terminates
on a level, or nearly so, with the cross head C on the steering stem S referred to
above. Through the whole course of this upright hollow stem T is carried a
rod P which at its upper end P¹ is armed with a cross-head C¹ parallel to the cross-
head Con the stem of the handle-bar and jointed to the back ends of the connecting
rods L, so that the two cross-heads are moved in common by the action of the
handle-bar. The vertical rod P fastened to the back cross-head is provided at its
lower extremity with a short lever V projecting backwards, and this lever is
jointed to two rods or links L' which are jointed at their opposite ends to two bent
arms or tillers L² formed on the steering spindles of the stud axles L by which
means the two wheels are steered differentially in the manner fully described in
our Patent above cited. Two nearly parallel tubes K' are firmly built from the
fork ends of the driving wheel to the lower end of the tube T so that the frame-
work of the machine is perfectly rigid. It will be observed that the driving-wheel
is kept absolutely in the same plane as the backbone which conveniently carries
the saddle pillar, and that the steering is obtained solely by the differential action
of the rear wheels. The speeding-up gear is shown at G and the cranks with their
pedals at G¹.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. A front-driving rear-steering tricycle, constructed substantially as herein

page_text: 2. The combination in a tricycle of a front-driving wheel with a rigid frame
carrying two rear wheels steered differentially, substantially as herein described
and illustrated.
WM. THOS. SHAW.
ARTHUR
SYDENHAM.