Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1897
I, THOMAS WILSON, of 5 York Road, Edgbaston in the, City of Birmingham,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to the construction of tricycles, and comprehends the framing
and the methods of steering and driving.
In carrying out my improvements, I take a middle back-bone frame, which is
horizontally pivoted, to n crossing axle having at its ends loosely-running wheels.
Connected also to this axle through the medium of a suitable frame, is a central
upright steering post or pillar terminated at its upper end by rigidly connected
handle bars, with their branched ends raking backwards and fitted with suitable
handles.
The front wheels with the steering frame and handle bars, pivotally turn about the
front end of the main framing as a centre of motion. The rear end of the said main
fraine is forked, bifurcated or directed into branches, between which the rear wheel,
which is also the driving wheel, is mounted and runs.
The crank axle works within a bracket or bearing depending or suitably bung
from the principal or back-bone framing, and has a chain wheel or wheels over which
the driving chain or chains run and communicate motion to the rear driving wheel
through a toothed pinion or pinions on the rear wheel axis.
The riders seat is mounted upon a supplementary framing above the rear wheel.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1897.
I, THOMAS WILSON of 5 York Road, Edgbaston in the City of Birmingham,
Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in tricycles, and has for its object, to
simplify the construction of the framing and the means for steering and driving
the machine.
According to my invention, the steering wheels are two in number, coupled together,
and come at the front of the framing of the machine, which is of a special
construction and is without a crossing axle, whilst the single and driving wheel
trails or is located at the back of the machine and has the seat or support for the
I Price 8d 1

page_text: rider mounted above it and moving with the framing and back driving wheel which
together turn about the steering post of the two front wheels as a centre of
motion.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, a tricycle
constructed according to my invention, and which is adapted for use by riders of
either sex, and may be easily mounted, dismounted and ridden and steered by
persons of mature age owing to the front part of the framing being completely
open.
Figure 2 is a topside plan of the machine and figure 3 a front end view of the
same, whilst
Figure 4 is a separate view of the steering post and its spreading branches to
the ends of which small axle arms of the wheels are attached or mado fast thereto.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
a are a pair of steering wheels, each independently mounted so as to rotate upon
axle arms a³, made fast by clips b', within the split tubular ends 6, of curved twin
branches 68, (capable of turning with the wheels) connected by a double junction
lug b, to the lower end 65, of the steering post b, which carries at or has fitted with
its upper end, the stem c¹, of a handle bar c, with the lower part of the said stem
aud the whole of the post located within the ball head or steering sleeve d, which
has bearing races at its upper and lower ends wherein ball bearings are located.
The junction lug b, of the turning or angularly moving branches 6, which are
employed in lieu of an axle, thereby making the inachine axleless, carries a feather
spring e, with the flexible and free extremity, coming between the branches of a
bifurcated bracket d², carried by the backbone or principal member d', of the framing
and whereby the steering wheels are taken back to or kept in their nominal straight
running positions after a guiding movement of the handle bar, or when the hands
are removed therefrom. The said principal frame member is connected at the fore
end by a lug d, to the head d, and at the other end d', to the junction lug do,
which the chain stays d', and seat stay d³, curved at its lower end, are connected by
brazing or by creasing or otherwise.
to
whilst
The seat stay is surmounted by a saddle L-pin d¹º, fitted with a saddle d¹¹,
a pair of back stays d", proceed from the seat pillar clip d", to the back jaws d",
terminating the chain stays d', which are preferably curved to the same radius as
the principal member d³, so as to enhance the appearance of the machine, and the
axle, is mounted at its ends in the jaws d, and passes through the hub g¹, of the
back and driving wheel 5, and which said hub carries a sprocket wheel g³, driven by
a chain h, from the sprocket wheel h³, whose axle, runs in the bearings of the
fitted
bottom bracket i, carried by the chain slays and has at its ends cranks i³,
with pedals, by means of which motion is imparted to the whole of the other
parts of the gear for driving or propelling the machine.
The movement of the steering wheels is limited to prevent them making too
sharp turns and from obstructing the rotation of the pedals in rounding corners, by
a peg j, carried on the moving steering post, taking through a short slot k, made in
the walls of the outer sleeve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First: A tricycle comprising a trailing principal frame carrying the driving
mechanism and turning about a steering post connected to double steering wheels
as a centre, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly-Providing in connection with the steering post of a tricycle, a pair of
branching arms to the outward terminations of which the axle arm ends of a pair of
guiding or steering wheels are connected, hence an axleless tricycle, substantially as
described and set forth.
Thirdly A tricycle having a pair of steering wheels revolvuably-mounted at the

page_text: fore end of a trailing frame, the rear part of which carries a single driving wheel,
propelled by chain and sprocket wheel gear and above which the riders seat is mounted,
Bubstantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly The particular construction of framing herein described and repre-
sented, whereby practically an open front is obtained which greatly facilitates the
acts of mounting and dismounting.
Fifthly The improvements in tricycles and in the construction, arrangement
and combination of the parts of tricycles, substantially as and for the purposes
berein-described and set forth.
Dated this 28th day of October 1897.
THOMAS WILSON
By Henry Skerrett
24 Temple Row Birmingham Agent for Applicant.