Improvements in Pedals for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
Communicated from abroad by ROBERT MALCOM COMPANY, of 735 Market
Street, San Francisco, California, United States of America.]
Improvements in Pedals for Velocipedes and like Vehicles.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
15 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
ature 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 has for its object to provide a tread attachment for bicycle-pedals,
dapted to be easily applied and removed, and it consists in an attachment com-
prising two tread-blocks of rubber or other frictional material, having coupling
devices for engagement with the usual tread-bars or plates of the pedal, and a
suitable clastic or other connection between said blocks adapted to co-operate
with said coupling devices in holding the blocks in position to come in contact
with the sole of the rider's boot.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved appliance.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 represent perspective and sectional views showing
four different methods of attaching the appliance to a bicycle-pedal.
Figure 9 represents a perspective view of one modification of the appliance.
Figures 10 and 11 represent transverse sectional views showing two other
modifications of the appliance and their method of attachment to a bicycle-pedal.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings, a a designate a pair of tread-blocks, which are preferably of
elastic rubber and are preferably corrugated or roughened on their upper surfaces
to afford good holding surfaces for a boot-sole. The lower portion of each block a
is confined in a metal holder b, which may be composed of aluminum, brass, iron,
or other suitable material, and which is provided at one side of the block a with a
coupling device, preferably a hooked flange b' integral with the holder and adapted
to take over the toothed edge of one of the usual tread-bars or plates c' of a pedal c.
Instead of the hooked flanges b', the independent hooks e e may be employed, as
shown in Figure 9, and these hooks may be attached to the metal holders & or may
be inserted directly in the blocks a, said holders being omitted. d designates a
resilient connection between the blocks a a, said connection being preferably a web
of elastic rubber. The blocks a, the holders b, and the ends of the connection d
may be secured to each other by the compression of the sides of the holders
against the sides of the blocks, the holders being U-shaped and the ends of the
convection & being interposed and clamped between the holders and blocks, or the
said parts may be riveted together, or otherwise connected. Metallic helical
springs may be used as the resilient connection between the tread-blocks, as
shown in Figure 10, or the connection may be rigid instead of resilient, as in the
modification shown in Figure 11 and described hereinafter.
Figures 2 to 10, inclusive, show clearly several ways in which the appliance may
be attached to the pedal. The hook or coupling device of one block a is engaged
with one of the tread-plates c¹ of the pedal c, so that the block shall present its
corrugated surface to the rider's foot in place of the toothed edge of said plate.
The other block a is then engaged either with the opposite edge of the same

page_text: plate c', as shown in Figures 2, 3, and 4 (two pairs of tread-blocks being employed).
or to the lower edge of the opposite plate c' (Figures 5 and 6), or to the upper
edge of the last-mentioned plate (Figures 7 and 10); or the arrangement may be
that shown in Figure 8, the blocks a being at the outer sides of the plates cl. In
all cases, the resilient connection between the blocks stretches to accommodate
itself to the various positions of the blocks, and co-operates with the coupling
devices in retaining the blocks firmly in their operative positions.
In Figure 11, the two blocks are connected by an adjustable rigid strut,
consisting of oppositely screw-threaded bolts g fixed to the holders b and screwing
into a correspondingly threaded nut h. By turning said nut, the two members may
be forced apart so as to cause them to bind against the pedal.
It is obvious that a single pair of blocks may be used on one pedal, as in
Figures 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11, or that two pairs may be used, so as to cover all
four edges of the pedal, as in Figures 2, 3, 4, and 8.
The device which has been described possesses the advantages of simplicity,
cheapness of manufacture, and ease of attachment and removal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is :-
1. An attachment for pedals, consisting of a pair of elastic tread-blocks, and a
pair of holders exterior of and adapted to clamp the bases of said blocks, each
of said holders having books or a hooked flange adapted to engage the edges
of the pedal, and a spring connecting the holders, whereby they can be stretched
to fit the pedal and be held there by the tension of the spring.
2. An attachment for pedals, consisting of a pair of elastic tread-blocks, and a
pair of holders clamping exteriorly the bases of the blocks and having hooked
flanges projecting from one side and adapted to engage the edges of the pedal,
and an elastic piece having its ends connected with the inner sides of the holders
and having its intermediate portion adapted to be passed under the shaft of
the pedal.
3. A rubber attachment for pedals, consisting of a pair of holders, each holder
being provided with a laterally projecting hooked flange on one edge adapting
it to be adjusted to the edges of the pedal, elastic blocks having their bases
fitted into and clamped by the holder, and a spring-piece connecting the sides
of the holders opposite to those upon which the flanges are formed, whereby the
frames may be readily fitted to the pedal and held in place.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.