IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Warner Jones, of 15, Dixs Fields, Exeter, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES."
Sealed the 9th December 1870 and dated the 20th Tul. 1970
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Warner Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th July 1879.
FREDERICK WARNER JONES, of 15, Dixs Fields, Exeter.
TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
My improvements in tricycles are based upon the fact that I have discovered by
experiments that much more power may be exerted and greater speed attained
without fatigue when the treadles are worked from a standing position than when,
as hitherto, only from a sitting position. In the construction of my improved
tricycle I employ two crank axles, one placed low down, and which forms the
primary driving axle, and one placed above or over the former, and to which the
running wheels are attached. The driver of the vehicle when maximum power is
required stands on suitable treadles attached to the lower cranks and works the
vehicle. by throwing his weight alternately on either crank; that is to say, the
weight of the body is thrown alternately on either leg, so that it may always
perpend upon that crank whose downward motion would tend to propel the carriage
in the required direction, but as occasionally the driver may find it necessary or
desirable to remove his feet from the treadles I also provide a seat, when sitting
upon which the vehicle may be propelled by treading in the ordinary manner.
This seat or saddle is made in such a manner as to roll or swing from side to side
according as the body of the rider moves, thus obviating friction between the rider
and the seat; in other words when working any bicycle or tricycle the treading
pressure is alternately on either side of the rider's saddle; this leads to more or less
slipping between the rider's seat and the saddle. In order to obviate this therefore
I attach the saddle to the bicycle or tricycle by an elastic or hinged attachment, so
that the saddle may be free to follow the inclination of the rider's body. In some
cases I provide a second seat or saddle, so arranged that descending a hill the
driver's seat is twisted round and the second saddle projected. This second saddle
is placed on a lower spring, thus reducing the centre of gravity. These duplicate
saddles are substantially alike in construction and arrangement, and differ only in

page_text: being placed at different levels; they are both affixed on a turntable, which enables
either saddle to be brought under the driver. The primary driving axle is connected
to the axle carrying the road wheels either by wheel gearing or chain gearing. To
enable one wheel to rotate faster than the other, as is required when passing round
curves, introduce a contrivance consisting of a ratchet motion between the cranks.
and each of the gear wheels. The driving wheels are made in such a manner that
no "give" can be caused from the weight suspended, or by the driving forward
force, and this wheel I propose to call the duplex suspension tangent wheel.
I guide the vehicle from a third leading wheel, as is usual in tricycles, but I
employ double connecting rods, both under the control of the driver, and the one
acting against the other. By this means great stability is obtained, and the normal,
tendency of my tricycle is to run in a straight line, unless this course be purposely
altered by the driver, instead of, as is the case with some tricycles, great care being
necessary to keep the vehicles from deviating from the straight line.
I also construct my tricycles to carry two or more persons in addition to the
driver; and in certain cases I also employ two drivers, each of whom by preference
works a separate wheel through the means of an independent pair of cranks. By
this latter arrangement the speed of rotation of the road wheels may be varied at
pleasure, and curves of any radius traversed without there being any necessity for
employing a special mechanism or contrivance. In other cases also I prolong the
driving treadles to bring them within the reach of the person or persons riding in
the vehicle, so that they may be.enabled to assist in the propulsion of the carriage.
The brake power is applied in such a manner that a shoe trails near the ground,
being kept off the ground by means of a spring; the driver by resting one or both
feet on the trailing bar may increase the brake power at will, in fact he may
transfer the whole of his weight on to the shoe if required.
The rolling saddle and the duplex suspension tangent wheel are applicable alike
to bicycles and tricycles.
I propose that my improved tricycle shall be called and known as the Devon
tricycle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frederick Warner Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th
December 1879.
FREDERICK WARNER JONES, of 15, Dix's Fields, Exeter.
TRICYCLES AND BICYCLES."
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
The nature of my improvements in tricycles and bicycles will be clearly under-
stood by reference to the appended Drawings, and by the aid of the following
explanations. I construct my improved tricycle with one driving axle a, Figures 1
and 2. The axle a is the primary driving axle or treadle axle, and is placed low
down, not immediately under the wheel axle but slightly in advance of it. I
project a seat or saddle from the main framing of the vehicle in advance of the
driving wheel, so that when sitting upon this seat or saddle the whole weight of
the driver comes over the axle: This disposition allows the driver to exert the full
power of his weight on the treadles, and it also gives maximum adhesion to the
wheels. The motion is conveyed from the treadle axle to the wheels, preferably
by chain gearing c, c, as shown. My seat or saddle is not rigidly attached to the
frame of the vehicle, but is carried by a hinged or elastic attachment so that it is
free to follow the inclination of the rider's body; this not only obviates friction
between the rider's seat and his saddle but enables him to throw his weight in the
direction of his motion when turning curves, in a manner analogous to that which
obtains in the case of Plimpton's well known roller skates, and also gives a longer
leg stroke, and also enables him on a bicycle to turn a much sharper curve than an
ordinary fixed or rigid saddle.
The construction of my rolling saddle is shown at Figures 3 and 4, in which a,
the saddle, is attached to a short axle b, free to swing or oscillate in trunnions or
bearings at c; d is a disc of india rubber or other substance acting as a stiff spring,
and which serves to prevent the saddle having too sensitive a motion; e is the
spring of machine to which the saddle frame is clamped, as shown, or otherwise
attached. This rolling motion I also obtain by fixing a saddle rigidly on the spring
of the machine and allowing the spring itself to rock from either or from both
ends. By making this spring of a cruciform shape the saddle is permitted to roll
both directly and laterally.
Figures 3 and 4 show a saddle with rolling attachment adapted to either tricycles
or bicycles; at Figure 5 I show a seat adapted to tricycles only. is the seat,
which may be padded or not; b is a strong spring, carried by the frame of the
vehicle, and to which the seat is attached or clamped, as shown, or in any other
convenient manner. In this case the rolling action is obtained through the twisting
of the spring b from the point c forward; d is a coiled spring which I sometimes
apply to partly counteract the effect of the rider's weight on-the-spring to prevent
its bending too much. To enable one wheel to rotate faster than the other, as is
required when passing round curves, I introduce between the cranks or chain
wheels and the driving wheel the escapement motion, shown at Figures 6 and 7,
which is attached to the driving wheel, in which a.is the chain wheel, rotating in
the direction of the arrows, and carrying one or more pawls or clicks b, b; c is a
ratchet wheel, affixed to the wheel axle d. It will be understood that by this
arrangement the two wheels are enabled to rotate independently of each other.
I guide the vehicle from a third leading wheel d, as is usual in tricycles, but I
trail the fork of the front wheel as in Figure 1. By this means my guiding wheel
has no tendency to deviate from the straight line except at the will of the driver.
I also construct my tricycles to carry one or more persons, in addition to the
driver, on a seat placed behind. In certain cases I also employ two drivers, each of
whom by preference works a separate wheel through the means of an independent
pair of cranks. By this latter arrangement the relative angular velocity of the road

page_text: wheels may be varied at pleasure, and curves of any radius traversed without there
being any necessity for employing a special differential meclianism. In other cases
I make my tricycle. double, the after part being a duplicate of the part already
described. This double tricycle is of course intended to carry two or more persons,
who also assist in the propulsion of the vehicle.
The brake power is applied in such a manner that a shoe g trails near the ground;
it is kept off the ground by the spring h, Figures 1 and 2. The driver by pressing
one or both feet on the cross bar i may bring the brake in contact with the ground;
or in cases of emergency he may transfer the whole of his weight to the trailing
shoe by standing upon it.
I propose that my improved tricycle shall be called and known as the Devon
tricycle.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Warner Jones, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty first day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
F. WARNER JONES. (L.S.).