Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
VUDI DELE DIEUITIVATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
CHARLES WINDER TWITE, 101, Mill Hill Road, Acton, Middlesex, Commercial
Clerk, 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:-
The invention relates to a tricycle, worked by a lever and springs.
Its construction is set forth in the accompanying drawing with reference figures
and its description is as follows.
It has but one crank to which all the power is applied and works entirely by the
weight of the riders body on a lever, assisted by springs. The crank is in centre of
shaft about 15 inches above wheel axle.
The lever (No. 1 in drawing) is a curved one similar in shape to an arc consisting
of either one or two steel tubes, if two were used they would require to be connected
with stays.
The bearings of the lever rest and work on a pin which passes
through bearings fitted to the bottom frame (see No. 6 in drawing) the greater
length of the lever is on the riders side of bearings, to the top of this end of the
lever is affixed the seat for rider while the other end has nothing affixed to it, and
simply rests under a curved plate which is attached to the driving rod.
The driving rod & curved guide plate (see No. 2 in drawing) consists of an
ordinary straight steel rod attached to the top of which is the crank head fitted to
crank, while the bottom works in a hinged joint at the top of guide plate; this
plate is curved to the lever that it may rest upon it, it has two flaps at the bottom
end which work on the same bearing pin as the lever, the flaps overlapping the
lever on either side of bearing and work independent of the lever although on the
same pin-this guide plate is to keep the bottom of driving rod in position for
the lever, the object being to raise the guide plate and rod so as to force the
crank to top centre which is done by the weight of riders body on the seat of
lever.
The steel head spring (see No. in drawing) forms a most important part in this
invention, all the other springs being attached to it. It is a straight steel spring
bolted on to the crank head of driving-rod and is nearly of the same length as rod;
it tapers from the head, and has two eyes, one at the thin end and one the depth of
crank from the head, attached to the end eye are the vertical & oblique spiral
springs, while the horizontal spiral springs are attached to the eye nearest
the head.
The springs-Having before stated that the lever forces the crank to top centre,
the horizontal springs (No. 4 in drawing) come into action, these two springs are
attached one on either side of wheel frame and pull on the eye (nearest head) of steel
head spring aforesaid causing the crank to come over top centre, when the vertical.
spiral spring (No. 7 in drawing) draws it down to bottom centre assisted by the
oblique springs both the vertical & oblique springs draw from the end eye of steel
head spring, the vertical spring is attached to the bottom frame of machine & the
oblique springs are attached to the stays on either side of wheel frame, the obliques
(No. 8 in drawing) draw the crank back past bottom centre so that the lever can
through pressure on seat by the rider raise the guide plate & rod making the crank
again ascend to top centre.
It will thus be seen that the action of the rider being heavy at one moment and
lighter at another on the seat of lever (which is accomplished by raising the body
by action of the legs) that the crank will revolve, it will also be observed that the
lever will only have to do about one third of the revolution, the springs doing the
remainder. The strength of the spiral springs will have to be in accordance with

page_text: the weight of the rider. When going down an incline the rider puts the lever out of
action by attaching the seat end of it to handle-bar frame (No. 5 in drawing) when
it will be found that the guide-plate and rod will run free and work independent of
the lever going as fast as the incline will permit having the springs and break only
to impede it, the rider sitting perfectly at ease on seat.
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 :-
1. That this principle is quite a novelty, the hands and feet not being used as in
other machines.
2. That it will be the means of many persons riding a tricycle that are not suffi-
ciently strong to ride the present make of machines.
3. That the action being so simple it is not liable to get out of order.
Dated this 9th day of January 1891
CHARLES WINDER TWITE.