Year: 1896

page_text: I, PIERRE TERVER, of 23 Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of
France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
I have devised an improved pedal for velocipedes which differs from ordinary
pedals in that it is suspended from the crank pin by means of a stirrup. By this
device the cyclist, who extends his leg on the down stroke, acts with a greater
leverage upon the crank shaft; on the up stroke the leverage is greatly reduced
and may even be reduced to nil, consequently hills may be mounted with much
greater facility because the muscular strain is much more efficiently utilized than
with the ordinary pedal.
As the stirrup is suspended, it can adjust itself to the various movements of the
foot and leg of the cyclist.
In my improved device the suspended stirrup always allows the pedal to take a
horizontal position and as it can be moved forward or backward for avoiding the
dead points, the machine can be readily started.
The pedal proper forms the tread of a kind of stirrup suspended from the crank
pin, the crank arm of which is keyed upon the axle of the chain wheel. The pedal
is suspended by means of two links or jaws connected at the lower part by cross-
pieces forming the pedal or support for the foot of the cyclist; it may be provided
or not with toe guards or stop devices.
Considering the pedal in its four principal positions, it is evident that in the
position where the crank pin is directly above the axle the leverage is nil when
the pressure is applied vertically downward. From this position to the forward
horizontal position of the crank the leverage increases and may be still further
increased by pushing the pedal forward.
From the last mentioned position to that where the crank pin is directly below
the axle the leverage is still great and while the crank pin is returning from the
latter position toward that first mentioned the leverage decreases to become nil
when the crank again reaches the upper vertical position.
When, at starting, the crank is vertical, it is only necessary to push the pedal
in order to move it forward of the vertical line passing through its point of sus-
pension and so to obtain sufficient leverage.
In one form of pedal the crank pin is slightly forward of the centre of the pedal

page_text: so as to facilitate the action of the foot. In another modification of this arrange-
ment, the pedal is extended outward laterally in order to enable the cyclist to
more conveniently place his foot thereon; for this purpose, the one of the jaws or
suspension links of the pedal is replaced by a curved blade forming a toe guard.
My pedal may likewise be so arranged as to enable the cyclist to effect a change
of speed by causing the effective length of the crank arms to vary.
For this purpose the crank pin is provided with a kind of sleeve in which the
crank arm may be caused to slide or to be fixed at any desired point therein by
the aid of set screws. This very simple arrangement permits of adapting the
length of the crank to the gradient of the road traversed.
Dated this 6th day of October 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
.10
Improvements in and connected with Pedals for Velocipedes.
PIERRE TERVER, Mechanician and Engine Builder, 36 Avenue d'Orléans Paris,
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: --
I have imagined a system of pedals for velocipedes, which presents this particu-
larity, of being suspended by means of a movable joint, at the extremity of the
crank; the result of this is, that the cyclist acts, during the period of action, by
a larger arm of lever on the axle of pedal mechanism, on the contrary, this arm of
lever becomes less, during the period of inaction, when the foot goes up again.
The result of this is a much greater facility for ascending the hills, because the
muscular strain is much better utilized, that with the ordinary systems. This
system presents, besides, the pedal always horizontal, which is a good condition for
the start.
The two models of my system are shown on the aunexed drawing. The Fig. 1
is a side view clevation and the Fig. 2 a face view of one of the models. In this
model the properly so called pedal A forms a kind of articulated stirrup, by the
axle B, on the crank C, fixed to the axle of the chain wheel. The pedal is formed
of two cheeks a, joined at the lower part by means of cross-pieces b, forming surface
of support for the foot of the cyclist, it can be, or not, supplied with toe clips c.
At the time of unlashing, if the cranks are verticals or in an adjacent position of
the vertical line, it suffices to push alightly forward the pedal for permitting it to
go beyond the position of the dead point and determine in this manner a sufficient
arm of lever.
The Fig. 3 is a side view elevation, and the Fig. 4 a face view of the second
model.
The ordinary crank C bears round the movable ball joint B the little crank A,
which carries, rigidly fixed upon it, the pedal P.
The two models can be employed on the existing velocipedes, in modifying
lightly the machine, so as to raise the axle of the pedal mechanism.
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 :-
The disposal of an articulated stirrup at the extremity of the crank, and a pedal
holding counter-crank, suspended by means of a movable joint at the extremity of

page_text: the crank, permitting to obtain a variable arm of lever, during a revolution of the
pedal, this arm of lever being larger, during the period of action of the foot, an
diminishing during the going up again of the pedal. The whole with faculty of
varying the forms, materials and dimensions of the different parts of the system.
Dated this 2nd day of September 1897.