Improvements in Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1891-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vehicles.
1, SILVESTER KRNKA, Engineer, of Michle, near Prague, in the Kingdom of
Bohemia and Austrian Empire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to vehicles propelled by the driver operating cranks or
treadles with his arms or feet or both.
The power exerted by the arms on the cranks is transmitted to a chain wheel
situated in front of the driver's seat, which rotates by means of an endless chain
another chain wheel on the axle of the fore part of the vehicle, thus propelling the
vehicle which is guided by the feet of the driver directing the fore part.
For the partial or entire propulsion of the vehicle by the driver's feet, two treadles
are arranged below the driver's seat which are connected to the axle of the fore part
of the vehicle and when operated alternately by the driver's feet they transmit the
power exerted by the latter to the axle and driving wheels and thus propel the
vehicle. In this case the fore part may be conveniently steered by the driver's
hands.
It is evident that the vehicle may be propelled alternately by the arms or feet of
the driver or simultaneously by both in which case the power of the arms or feet
may be exerted more or less as desired.
The vehicle consists of a frame carrying the back seat or a basket, and the driver's
scat. The latter is conveniently mounted on springs of any suitable construction
and both seats are provided with back rails.
The vehicle frame is bent sideways at the back and is fork shaped to receive the
axle, which is pivotted by means of bearings, and a screw inserted through the fork
and the bearings. To prevent the bent ends of the frame, which support the axle
bearings from diverging too much under the influence of blows or jerks, they are
connected by a rod below the wheel axle.
To both ends of the back of the frame are attached strong springs above the axle
bearings. The lower forked ends of these two springs are close to the axle and
carry friction rollers pivotted by the screws and bearing against the axle so that
the latter turns loosely in the bearing forks and the friction is concentrated on the
rotating rollers.
Both hind wheels can rotate with or without the axle.
The vehicle frame is united at the front, and provided with a circular disc which
has a hole in the centre to receive the bolt.
This bolt connects the plate by means of a nut so as to turn on the plate or disc,
the latter being a fixed part of the forked front part of the frame. In the two ends
bears loosely the rotating axle, on the ends of which are situated the two front
wheels.
To reduce the friction as much as possible, both front ends of the frame carry
strong bent springs in the forked ends of which are pivotted small rollers by mean
of screws. These rollers bear against the axle and concentrate the friction.
great curvature or bend of the springs reduces jerking or vibration.
The
The whole frame carrying the entire load of constructive parts driver, passengers,
and eventually luggage rests with its four ends (which are elastic to prevent or
counteract jerking and are provided with pivotted rollers to reduce friction) on the
rotary axles.
The front part of the vehicle frame is suitably bent so as to provide space for the
feet of the driver.

page_text: To facilitate mounting the vehicle and to accommodate it for ladies the bent
front part is hinged and can be opened, where it is held in position by the bolt.
Those parts which are only used for driving by the arms and hands consist of a
forked standard attached to the bolt.
In this standard is situated a chain wheel which can be rotated by means of the
cranks. An endless chain transmits the rotation to a chain wheel wedged on the
axle. One of the front wheels rotates with the axle while the other revolves
loosely on the latter.
For guiding or steering a bolt is pivotted in the plate while the standard is fixed
to the bolt so that all parts used for manual propulsion and the two front wheels
can be turned to the desired angle.
Those parts which are only used for propulsion by the feet consist of two treadles
which are pivotted at the rear on the sides of the back part of the frame and at
the front in bearings to the cranks of the axle. The pivotted connections are
designed to prevent the treadles from interfering with the rotation of the axle and
cranks while the pivotted connections allow the steering of the vehicle to the right
or left. To avoid slipping of the feet, the treadles are supplied with frames and
straps.
When propelling by the treadles, the steering is effected with one or both hands
operating one or both of the steering rods from the handles, the rods being fixed to
the pivotted part of the fore part of the frame. It will be easily understood from
the foregoing description that the vehicle may be propelled by the hands only when
desired, or by the feet only when preferred. Further both motions can be used
simultaneously either partially or wholly in varying combinations.
For instance when the road is straight or ascending, so that little steering is
required the propulsion may be effected by hands and feet simultaneously, any
necessary little steering being casily effected by the cranks. Further the vehicle
may be propelled by both feet and one hand the other hand steering the vehicle
from one of the steering handles. When the vehicle is to be propelled by the feet
only, several parts which are only used for manual propulsion may be taken off.
The brake and the steering regulator, are used both for propulsion by hands.
or feet.
The brake is spoon shaped and is attached below the handle of the steering rod
by means of two central projections and a screw. When it is desired to apply the
brake to the vehicle the rearward longer part of the brake is drawn by the hand
towards the handle, so that the front part of the brake presses against the driving
wheel.
Between the handle and the brake is arranged a wedge which can be moved
forwards or backwards and by means of which the vehicle may be braked without
hand pressure. To prevent accidental braking by these wedges, a spring is screwed
at one end to the handle the other end holding the brake in the desired position.
The wedge thus transforms the brake into a double brake.
The steering regulator consists of a screw with a thread of high pitch. This
screw and nut, which is supplied with a small hinge-like lever moves through the
discs, so that it can fix the latter by means of the screw at any desired part of the
segmental recess. Thus the steering may be fixed within certain limits or entirely.
When the regulator is in action the steering can only be effected as far as the
segmental recess in the plate allows of it.
The frame for the seat is supplied with screws by the fly nuts of which the
supporting springs may be more or less expanded or compressed so as to adapt the
seat to the height of the driver.
In case it should be necessary to push the vehicle forward, a handle is arranged
at the back.
Dated this 30th day of June 1890.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vehicles.
I, SILVESTER KRNKA, Engineer, of Michle, near Prague, in the Kingdom of
Bohemia and Austrian Empire, 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 vehicles propelled by the driver operating cranks or
treadles with his arms or feet or both. The power exerted by the arms on the
cranks is transmitted to a chain wheel situated in front of the driver's seat which
rotates by means of an endless chain, another chain wheel of the axle of the fore
part of the vehicle thus propelling the vehicle.
For the partial or entire propulsion of the vehicle by the driver's feet two treadles
are arranged below the driver's seat which are connected to the axle of the fore
part of the vehicle, and when operated alternatively by the driver's feet they
transmit the power exerted by the latter to the axle and driving wheels and thus
propel the vehicle. In this case the fore part may be conveniently steered by the
driver's hands. It is evident that the vehicle may be propelled alternatively by
the arms and fect of the driver or simultaneously by both in which case the power
of the arms or feet may be exerted more or less as desired.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I now proceed to
describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had
to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a plan.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section.
Figure 5 is a transverse section.
Figure 9 shows a side view of the vehicle after removal of several parts serving
for propulsion by hand.
Figures 6 to and 10 to 17 show details.
The vehicle consists of a frame E carrying a back seat S (see Fig. 9) or a
basket T (Fig. 2) and the driver's seat O.
The latter is conveniently mounted on springs of any suitable construction and
both seats are provided with back rails.
The vehicle frame is bent sideward and is forkshaped to receive the rear axle D
Figs. (3 & 12).
In this fork is pivotted the axle D by means of bearings and pins.
To prevent the bent ends e of the frame which supports the axle bearing, from
diverging too much under the influence of blows or jerks, they are protected by a
rod below the axle of the wheel.
Above each of the bearing forks e is arranged a strong spring H (Figs. 13 to 15)
the lower end of which carries in a slot a pivotted roller h rotated on a screw g.
This roller rubs against the axle D so that the latter turns loosely between the
bearing fork e of the frame thus concentrating the friction on the rollers h. Both
rear wheels F may rotate with the axle or they may run loose.
The front end of the frame E has a plate A with a circular perforation through
which a bolt C is placed to pivot the plate A to the plate B.
The latter is fixed to a fork-shaped support G of the frame carrying the front
axle D (see Fig. 10). In both ends of the same rotates loosely the axle D'
carrying the two front wheels F. The front axle D' is rested in bearings like the
back axle D. To reduce friction as much as possible both ends of the front frame G
(Figs. 16 & 17) carry considerably bent springs H'. In the slotted ends of these
springs H are pivotted small rollers by means of screws g.. These rollers rub
against the axle D¹ and concentrate the friction. The considerable bend of the
springs H is designed to reduce jerking.

page_text: The whole frame carrying the entire load of constructive parts, driver, passengers,
and eventually luggage rests with its four ends on the rotating axles D D¹. The
four ends are supported elastically so. as to, counteract jerking.
The frame E. is suitably bent so as to provide space for the driver's feet.
To facilitate mounting the vehicle the bent front part opens at m being pivotted
or hinged at a as shown in dotted lines in Figure 12. This arrangement allows
ladies to occupy the vehicle.
The parts which are used when the vehicle has to be propelled by the hands
consist of a forked support K attached to the bolt G (Figs. 2, 4 & 5). In this
support rests a chain wheel J rotated by means of cranks l. An endless chain
transmits this motion to a chain wheel J keyed to the axle D¹. One of the two
wheels Frotates with the axle D' while the other turns locsely on the axle.
For the steering of the vehicle the bolt C pivots the plate B and the plate A while
the stand or support K is fixed to the bolt, so that all parts of propulsion by hand
and the front wheels F¹ may be turned for steering.
The parts for propulsion by the feet consist of two treadles K (Figs. 1, 2, 4,
5, & 9) pivotted in the rear of the vehicle frame, the other ends being hinged to the
cranks o of the axle D₁ (Figs. 1 & 4).
The hinges are designed to prevent the treadles interfering with the move-
ment of the axle and cranks, while the hinges & s are arranged so that the
steering of the vehicle to the right or left shall not be hindered.
To prevent the feet from sliding off, the treadles are provided with a frame and
straps to hold the feet. When using the feet for propulsion the steering is
effected with one or both hands operating one or both of the steering rods L from
the handles, the rods L being fixed to the horizontally rotating part G,
carrying the axle D'.
It will be easily understood from the foregoing description that the vehicle may
be propelled by the hands only, or by the feet only, further both motions can be used
simultaneously either partially or wholly in varying combinations.
For instance when the road is straight or ascending so that little steering is
required, the propulsion may be effected by the hands and feet simultaneously, any
necessary steering being easily effected by the cranks.
°
Further, the vehicles may be propelled by both feet and one hand, the other
hand being used for steering by means of the handle w.
When the vehicle is to be used by propulsion of the feet only, several parts which
are only used for manual propulsion may be taken off (see Figure 9).
The brake M (Figs. 1 & 9) and the steering regulator N (Figs. 6 to 8) are used
either for propulsion by hand or feet. The brake M is spoon shaped and is attached
below the handle of the steering rod L by means of two central projections and a
screw.
When it is desired to apply the brake to the vehicle, the rear longer part of the
brake is drawn by the hand towards the handle w so that the front part of the
brake presses against the driving wheel F'.
=
Between the handle w and the brake M there is arranged a wedge which can
be moved forwards or backwards by hand so as to force down the brake the
upon
wheel by the reaction against the handle w and by means of which the brake may
be maintained on the wheel of the vehicle with any desired pressure.
To prevent accidental braking by these wedges a spring a' is screwed at one end
to the handle, the other end holding the brake in any desired position. The wedge a
thus transforms the brake into a double brake.
The steering regulator N consists of a screw with a thread of coarse pitch and
a hinged lever d'. The bolt of this screw moves through the plates A. & B so that
the plate B may be maintained by means of the spring e¹ at any desired part of the
segmental recess C¹.
The amount of steering is therefore limited by the slot c¹ in the plate B (see
Figs. 6 to 8).

page_text: The angle at which the vehicle is to be steered may be fixed by the regulator N
so that the driver can give his whole attention to other matters.
In case it should be necessary to push the vehicle forward by hand, a handle P is
provided on the rear of the frame E.
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 :-
1st. A four wheeled vehicle propelled by manual or pedal power or both in which
is arranged a bolt C carrying the bearings of a chain wheel I, connected to a chain
wheel I of the axle D¹ provided with cranks o connected to pedals K substantially
as described.
2nd. In a vehicle a frame E. the fore part of which is widened and which rests
with its elastically attached rollers h on the axles of the vehicle to allow room for
the feet of the rider and to reduce friction between the frame and the vehicle.
3rd. In a vehicle a hinge a at the widened part of the frame E to facilitate
mounting the vehicle.
4th. The before described vehicle as regards the whole construction and details.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.