IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM BORTHWICK SMITH, of Leamington, in the County of Warwick,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to those forms of velocipede well known as bicycles and
tricycles, and it has for its object a novel method of combining together a
tricycle or three wheeled velocipede with part of a bicycle or two wheeled
velocipede in such manner that when so combined they can be used together by
two riders, one in front of the other, so as to somewhat resemble what is known
as a tandem velocipede, whilst when disconnected the tricycle and bicycle may be
used separately in the ordinary way.
Also to a new or improved method of constructing balanco gear by which the
two driving wheels of the tricycle are simultaneously. propelled, each still retaining
facility for travelling at a greater speed than the other for the purpose of travelling
in curved lines.
I take a tricycle or three wheeled velocipede, of the kind in which the steering
wheel is in front, and behind it and centrally between its driving wheels I arrange
an ordinary bicycle having its large or driving wheel removed from the fork
between the arms of which it ordinarily works. I prefer to use for the purpose a
bicycle of the kind well known as a "safety" bicycle, in which tho motive power
of the riders feet is not applied direct to cranks upon the shaft of the driving
wheel, but by means of endless chains driving, wheels upon the shaft and driven
by corresponding wheels carried by prolongations downward and backward of the
arms of the fork and provided with cranks and pedals.
I attach the fork of the bicycle, from which the driving wheel has been removed
as described, firmly to the centre of the frame or axle of the tricycle, but I do not
connect them rigidly but by a joint or centre corresponding with the centre of the
driving wheel of the bicycle so that the small or backwheel of the bicycle may be
capable of rising and falling over any inequalities of road.
Upon the tricycle axle I fix a central chain wheel round which the endless chain
driven by the bicycle pedals passes, the chain wheel by which the tricycle axle is
driven being fixed either in the neighbourhood of the former one or near one or
both ends of the axle.
When therefore the tricycle and bicycle combined as described are to be used,
the front or tricyclo rider sits and drives the machine in the usual way, at the samo
time directing the steering by means of the front, steering wheel, whilst the
bicycle rider sits upon the bicycle saddle behind and by means of the pedals and
chain also drives the axle and driving wheels of the tricycle.
If it is desired to use the two machines separately, it is only necessary to
disconnect them, and to replace the driving wheel of the bicycle in its place.

page_text: When connected, the ordinary cross steering handle of the bicycle may be used
for steering the tricycle by turning the axle of the driving. wheels of the latter to
which the fork is attached; and the front wheel of the tricycle may be removed.
My invention may be used with ordinary as well as with safety bicycles, the
centre of the driving axle being so arranged that a chain wheel can be substituted
for the driving wheel, and the joint by which the bicycle frame is attached to the
tricycle being made concentric with the axle of the latter. Or the tricycle shaft
itself may be formed with two cranks driven by the feet of the bicycle rider.
In order to allow either of the wheels of the tricycle to travel at a greater
speed than the other, as already described, I make the axle double one part being
attached to each driving wheel in the usual well known way, and upon each part
I make or fix a cylindrical collar, the two collars being close together and parallel.
Round the outer circumferenco of each collar I make a groove or recess within
which are fitted freely a sufficient number, preferably three or more, of steel or
other hard balls or rollers, the outer part of which projects above the collars, and
are held in their proper position on the latter by an external tube or sleeve long
enough to embrace both sets of balls or rollers, this sleeve being also provided with
grooves or recesses within which the outer parts of the balls or rollers fit.
These grooves however are not made continuous but have a stop or projection
between each ball or roller, the groove between each stop being made taper or
excentric in form so that the ball or roller is jammed firmly between the collar and
the sleeve at one end but is released and free at the other end against the stop.
The driving chain wheel is attached to or connected to the sleeve, and it will be
seen that when both axles are travelling at the same speed both sets of balls.or
rollers are jammed in their respective grooves, and both wheels are accordingly
driven, but either wheel is freely at liberty to travel faster than the other one in
going round curves. If the propelling power be withdrawn as in descending hills,
both wheels can run freely and independently of the driving chain wheel. The
excentric grooves may be made on the collars instead of in the Bleeve.
'
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, WILLIAM BORTHWICK SMITH, of Leamington, in the County of Warwick, 36
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VELOCIPEDES" and in what manner the samo is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Drawing (that is to say) :-
My invention relates to those forms of velocipede well known as bicycles and 40
tricycles, and it has for its object a novel method of combining together a tricycle

page_text: or three wheeled velocipede with part of a bicycle or two-wheeled velocipedo in
such manner that when so combined they can be used together by two riders, one
in front of the other, so as to somewhat resemble what is known as a tandem
velocipede, whilst when disconnected the tricycle and bicycle may be used
separately in the ordinary way.
Also to a new or improved method of constructing balance gear by which the
two driving wheels of the tricycle are simultaneously propelled, each still retaining
facility for travelling at a greater speed than the other for the purpose of travelling
in curved lines.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, figure 1 being a
side view partly in section of a tandem machine composed of a tricycle and bicycle
united together in the improved way described.
I take a tricycle, or three wheeled velocipede, of the kind in which the steering
wheel is in frout as shown in the drawing at a, and behind it and centrally between
its driving wheels I arrange an ordinary bicycle having its large or driving wheel
(the ordinary position of which is indicated by the dotted circle) removed from the
fork b between the arms of which it ordinarily works.
"
I prefer to use for the purpose a bicycle of the kind well known as a "safety
bicycle, in which the motive power of the riders feet is not applied direct to cranks
upon the shaft of the driving wheel, but by means of an endless chain c driving a
wheel upon the shaft and driven by a corresponding wheel e carried by pro-
longations downward and backward of the arms of the fork b and provided with
cranks and pedals g. The two driving wheels and chains of the bicycle may bo
used, driving two corresponding wheels upon the tricycle axle, or one driving
wheel and chain only may be used; the other independent crank and pedal being
temporarily connected to the first.
I attach the fork 6 of the bicycle, from which the driving wheel has been
removed as described, firmly to the frame or axle of the tricycle at h, but I do not
connect them rigidly but by a joint or centre corresponding or nearly so with the
centre of the driving wheel of the bicycle, so that the smaller back wheel i of the
bicycle may be capable of rising and falling over any inequalities of road.
Upon the tricycle axle I fix a central chain wheel round which the endless
chain c driven by the bicycle pedals g g passes, the chain wheel by which the
tricycle axle is driven being fixed either in the neighbourhood of the former one or
near one or both ends of the axle.
When therefore the tricyclo and bicycle combined as described are to be used,
the front or tricycle rider sits on the saddle or seat k and drives the machine in
the usual way, by means of the pedals chain wheel m and chain n or other
equivalent means, at the same time directing the steering by means of the front
steering wheel, whilst the bicycle rider sits upon the bicycle saddle o behind and
by means of the pedals 9 and chain c also drives the axle and driving wheel p of
the tricycle.
If it is desired to use the two machines separately, it is only necessary to
disconnect them, and to replace the driving wheel of the bicycle (shewn by the
dotted circle) in its place.
When connected, the ordinary cross steering handler of the bicycle may be
used for steering the tricycle by turning the axle of the driving wheels of the
latter to which the fork is attached, and the front wheel a of the tricycle may be
removed (the frame of the tricycle being first rigidly connected in any convenient
way to that of the bicycle).
My invention may be applied to ordinary as well as to "safety" bicycles, the
centre of the driving axle being so arranged that a chain wheel can be substituted
for the driving wheel, and the joint at h by which the bicycle frame is attached to
the tricycle being made concentric or nearly so with the axle of the latter.
Or the tricycle shaft itself may be formed with two cranks driven by the feet of
the bicycle rider.

page_text: In order to allow either of the wheels of the tricycle to travel at a greater
speed than the other, as already described, I prefer to use the novel arrangement
shewn in figures 2 and 3, in which the axle is shewn double the part 1 being
attached to one driving wheel and the part 2 to the other driving wheel in the usual
well known way, and upon each part I make or fix a cylindrical collar 8 and 4 the
two collars being close together and parallel.
Round the outer circumference of each collar at 5 and 6 are fitted freely a
sufficient number, preferably three or more, of steel or other hard balls or rollers 7
which are held in their proper position on the collars by. an external tube or
Bleeve 8 long enough to embrace both sets of balls or rollers, this sleeve being also
provided with grooves or recesses 9 within which the outer part of the balls or
rollers 7 fit.
These grooves 9 however are not made continuous but have a stop or projection
between each ball or roller, each groove between the stops being made taper or
excentric in form so that the ball or roller is jammed firmly between the collar and
the sleeve at one end but is released and free at the other end against the stop.
The driving chain wheel is attached to or connected to the sleeve as shewn at 10,
and it will be seen that when both axles are travelling at the same speed both sets
of balls or rollers aro jammed in their respective grooves, and both wheels are
accordingly driven, but either wheel is freely at liberty to travel faster than the
other one in going round corners. If the propelling power be withdrawn as in
descending hills, both wheels can run freely and independently of the driving
chain wheel. The excentric grooves may be made on the collars instead of in the
sleeve, and instead of one, two or more grooves may be used in each disc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. The method of connecting an ordinary bicycle to an ordinary tricycle, so that
_ when connected they form a "tandem" velocipede, and when disconnected each
can be used separately and independently substantially as described and shewn in
the drawing.
2. The combination of the two discs, each fixed upon a separate part of a
tricycle axle, the balls or rollers fitting on the discs, the external tube or sleeve,
driven by the chain and driving both discs, and the excentric grooves and stops,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn in figures 2 and 3 of the 3
accompanying drawing.