Improvements in or connected with Bicycles, Tricyoles, Safeties, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1892-Accepted, 16th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bicycles, Tricyoles, Safeties, and
other Velocipedes.
We JOHN OPENSHAW of 1, Princess Street, Bury, Lancashire, Hotel Proprietor,
and CHARLES ALBERT CARR of Spring Street, Bury, Lancashire, Shuttle Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to afford a means whereby the rider of a bicycle,
tricycle, safety or other velocipede shall be able to exert a greater amount of power
on the treadles of the machine than heretofore and thereby obtain a considerable
increase of speed.
Now this invention consists in employing a strap or belt which is wrapped round
the person of the rider in any convenient manner (say over the shoulders and under
the arms), the respective ends of which are caused to meet in front of the rider and
are attached to any convenient part of the machine.
The ends of this strap or belt are carried downwards and provided with a hook
connection which may be readily connected or disconnected with the machine by
the rider in mounting and dismounting.
It will now be apparent that by means of the strap or belt which forms a kind of
yoke and holds the rider to his seat a greater amount of power may be exerted on
the treadles than heretofore and a considerable increase of speed be attained as
aforesaid.
It will thus be seen that by means of my improved strap or yoke the thrust on
the treadles is determined by the muscular strength of the rider and not by the
weight of the rider (more or less) as heretofore.
A length of webbing or a length of textile or other suitable material might be
used in place of the belt or strap hereinbefore mentioned.
Dated this 14th day of August 1891.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bicycles, Tricycles, Safeties, and
other Velocipedes..
We, JOHN OPENSHAW of 1, Princess Street, Bury, Lancashire, Hotel Proprietor,
and CHARLES ALBERT CARR of Spring Street, Bury, Lancashire, Shuttle Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
:
The object of this invention is to afford a means whereby the rider of a bicycle,
tricycle, or other velocipede shall be able to exert a greater amount of power on
the treadles of the machine than heretofore and thereby obtain a considerable
increase of speed.
Now this invention consists of a strap or belt, either in one or more pieces, which
is wrapped around the person of the rider in any convenient manner, the respective
ends of which are caused to meet in front of the rider and are connected to any
convenient part of the machine by means of a suitable hook connection which may
be readily connected or disconnected with the machine in mounting or dismounting.
And in order that this our invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect we have hereunto annexed a drawing illustrative of our

page_text: improved belt formed in two pieces (this being we have found the most convenient
form of applying the strap to the person) aud we will now proceed to describe the
same with the assistance of the various figures and letters of reference marked
thereon.
.A, A (see Fig. 1) are the two portions of the strap composed of leather, textile
or other suitable material and formed with the loops B. B. through which the arms
are passed and which surround the shoulders when in position. C. C. are the two
ends of the strap which pass transversely across the back of the rider and terminate
in front as illustrated. In case the strap should be continuous or in one piece the
same would first be placed across the back and the two ends then brought under the
arm pits and passed over the shoulder and finally caused to meet in front.
In order to connect the ends of the strap or straps to the machine I employ the
breeches or jointed strap D provided with buckles E the points of which take into
holes F in the ends of the strap thus affording means of adjusting the strap to suit
either the machine or the rider.
This breeches strap is furnished with a hook connection (see Fig. 2) of which
the special feature is the conical or blunt head G taking into eye H formed at the
top of the rod 1 (see Fig. 3) secured to the frame of the machine by the clip and
nut J (see Fig. 4). The advantage of this form of connection is that it is only in
operation so long as the pull of the rider is exerted through the strap or belt and
that it releases instantly the rider relieves the tension in case he desires to
dismount and also in the event of an accident it disconnects automatically.
It will now be apparent that by means of the strap which forms a kind of yoke
and holds the rider to his seat the thrust on the treadles will lie between the
shoulders and the feet and will be determined by the muscular strength and not the
weight of the rider (more or less) as heretofore. A greater amount of power will
thus be exerted on the treadles and a considerable increase of speed will result as
aforesaid.
A modification of our invention is shewn in Fig. 5 in which a belt or strap is
used going round the waist with the breeches strap secured thereto, the pull in this
case being on the hips of the rider. The waist belt is provided with the usual
buckle.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim as our invention is :-
1st. The improved cycle attachment consisting of a strap or belt formed in one
or more pieces and provided with connecting device substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 14th day of June 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicants.