IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, THEOPHILUS BURTON LONEY of Stoke Road Gosport in the County of Hants,
Publican do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRICYCLES to be as follows:-
To make weight or the weight of a person or persons a leverage of power as
much as possible to drive a machine, the principal would be to sustain the weight
of the centres of the wheels by means of a double axletree, one axle acting as a
lever, being placed above the other, two small wheels equal in diameter to the
boxes of the driving wheels being fitted to the top axle, the small wheels attached
running on the boxes of the driving wheels below. The top axle is held in position
by two upright stop, inside of which is two powerful circular springs. Two arms
is also attached to the top axle and the upright stops, from the joints in the centre
of the arms the weight or seat to be carried is suspended by means of two pendants
the weight or seat is resting and fastened to a flat bar working in a parallel slit in
the top axle, and kept in position by small travellers, the ends of the bar being
connected by moveable joints to the pendants. The effect of this arrangement
would be that the weight of a person sitting on the seat would be received upon
the arms above which would cause them to spread open forcing the top axle away
from the upright stops, the top axle in the mean time being held in suspense by
the two circular springs allowing the small wheels which support the top axle to
run back over the centres of the boxes of the driving wheels on which they stand,
the two circular springs consequently acting also as springs for the seat.
Flexable steel driving bands with scolloped edges being used, would cause a
smooth and even surface for the small wheels of the top axle to travel upon,
causing them to be continually oscillating behind the centres of the driving wheels
when in motion, consequently impelling the machine forward. Motion would be
imparted to the machine by treadles their action being so arranged as to give all
the force in a forward movement, the principal being that the sides of the trea-iles
would be pistons, the forward movement of the foot would press the piston on
one side out extending the sweep of the treadle and thereby increasing the
leverage. The same action would close the piston on the other side and decrease the
counter action of the uprising of the foot.

page_text: The stearing and break power being combined consisting of the stearing and
break handles being placed together, at each side of the machine, the large wheel
behind being the stearing wheel and being entirely under the control of the front
rider, the breaks is placed inside of the boxes of the driving wheels with an
additional break on the hind or stearing wheel.
The machine is intended to carry two persons one sitting on the front seat that
is attached to the top axle and the other on the saddle over the hind wheel. An
holder is fitted behind the front seat, to carry parcels or luggage.

page_text: I, THEOPHILUS BURTON LONEY of Stoke Road Gosport in the County of Hants
Publican do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRICYCLES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
To make weight or the weight of a person or persons a leverage of power as
much as possible to drive a machine.
The principal would be to sustain the weight off the centre of the wheels by
means of a double axletree.
Referring to Drawing
Representing a front view of the machine section A, A, represent one axle acting
as a lever, being placed above the other, two small wheels equal in diameter to the
boxes of the driving wheels being attached (Fig. 6) to the top axle, A, A, the small.
wheels running upon the boxes of the driving wheels below.
The top axle (A, A) is held in position by the two upright stops (B, B) and also
by two powerful circular springs inside of the upright stops. The two arms (F F.
called seat levers is attached at (Fig. 1) to the top axle (A. A) and to the upright
stops (B. B.) at Fig. 2) from the joints in the centre, (Fig. 3) of the arms (F F).
The weight or seat (H.) is suspended by means of the pendants. The band of the
seat (H) is resting and fastened to the bar working in a parallel slit in the top
axle (A A) and kept in position by small traveller wheels working against the
upright sides of the top axle (A A), the ends of the bar being connected by
moveable joints to the pendants at (Fig. 4). The effect of this arrangement would
be that the weight of a person sitting on the seat (H), would be received проп the
arms (E, E,) above, causing them to spread open, forcing the top axle (A. A) away
from the upright stops (B, B. But the top axle in the mean time being held in
suspense by the two circular springs contained in the upright stops (B, B,) allows
the small wheels which support the top axle, A, A, to run back over the centres of
the boxes of the driving wheels on which they stand, the two circular springs
at, (B, B) consequently acting also as springs for the seat (H) but in addition the
seat is provided with additional springs, the bottom of the seat being a sleightly
concaved steel plate attached to which is four springs, Fig. 5, which would rest
upon the lower flange of the band of the seat, and kept in position by stops, "as
shown." The steel plate forming the bottom of the seat (H). would be covered
with an air cushion thus forming a uniform and comfortable support for the rider.
Flexable steel driving bands, "section G,, Fig. 8." with Fcolloped edges, so as to
enable the treadle wheels to grasp them, the sunk rim of which would be of a like
pattern. The bands being flat would cause a smooth and even surface for the
wheels at, (Fig. 6), of the top axle (A. A) to travel upon causing them to be
continually oscillating above and beyond the centre of the driving wheels when in
motion, two india rubber pads being fixed to the top axle to prevent its jarring
against the upright stops. Motion would be imparted to the machine by the
treadles (E. E.) their action being arranged so as to give all the force in a forward
movement, the principal being that the sides of the treadles would be pistons,
the forward movement of the foot would press the piston on the one side out
extending the sweep of the treadle and thereby increasing the leverage. The same
action would close the piston on the other side causing the uprising foot to glide
towards the centre of the treadle thereby decreasing the dead weight or counter
action of the uprising of the foot. The treadle wheels being double the diameter of
the boxes of the driving wheels, would give to the machine great speed with a
minimum of muscular force.

page_text: The stearing and break handles (C. D.) being combined at each side of the
machine, only, the locking handle (1) for fixing the stearing gear when necessary
being placed at the right hand and worked by the thumb, the break lever
handle. (D.) being jointed to, and forming the back of the stearing handle, and
connected by a rod running down the inside, and connected by a swivel end to
the break inside of the boxes of the driving wheels, the break consisting of a half
circle steel spring worked by a slide (Fig. 7) the locking handle being jointed to
the front of the stearing handle, working and locking into a circular plate the
large wheel behind being the stearing wheel, which is under the entire control of
the front rider, and is provided with an additional break, the cross handle, "as
shown," being only used for such purpose, otherwise it is a fixture.
The machine is intended to carry two persons, one sitting on the front seat (H)
that is attached to the top axle (A, A,) and the other on the saddle over the hind
wheel, to which treadles is attached.
.
The holder for carring parcels or luggage is connected to the top axle at (Fig. 10)
and to the double back bone or support of the machine.
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 :-
1st The construction of apparatus for suspending the front seat.
2nd The construction of the front seat.
3rd The construction of the front treadles and driving gear.
4th The construction of the stearing, break, and locking gear.
th
21001