IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Emile Viarengo de Forville at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 25th June 1870.
I, EMILE VIARENGO DE FORVILLE, of Nantes, in the Department of
the Loire Inférieure, in the Empire of France, Merchant, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES,"
to be as follows:-
"
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel construction of
velocipede driven and guided by the hind wheel by means of levers
worked by the feet and provided with connecting rod and toothed
gearing as shown Sheet I. of the accompanying two Sheets of Drawing.
The toothed wheels may be placed vertically or horizontally.
The second part of my Invention relates to improvements applied to
ordinary velocipedes and consists,―
Firstly. In a spiral or other spring placed between the fore wheel
on the fork or prop and the socket of the fore carriage.

page_text: Secondly. In another spring placed at the back under the spring
bar carrying the saddle and supported by an S or other shaped prop,
also yielding like a spring when required.
Thirdly. In a socket receiving the bar or rod rising from the axle of
the wheel and acting as herein-after described.
'
On Sheet I. of the Drawing, A indicates a socket in two pieces 1,
and 2 composed of two parts, the upper one turning on its lower fixed
part. This socket receives the bar or rod b which moves up and down
within it, at will, according to the increase or decrease of pressure on
the spring.
The rod is also assisted in this movement by means of
the opening C made for the passage of the pin d which permits the
spring to work freely. The rod b is nevertheless held in its rotary
motion by this same pin d itself fixed to the upper revolving part (1)
of the socket, and thus the wheel may be turned to the right or left by
the steering bar; g, hole to receive steering bar; I, hole for receiving a
pin to fix the two parts of the socket together, and permitting the upper
part (1) to turn on the lower fixed part. This pin may be replaced by
an exterior clutch enclosing the two bossed parts; L, hole to receive the
spring bar supporting the saddle; B, spring fixed to the lower part of
the socket and through which passes the rod b; this spring does not
turn. C indicates an ordinary velocipede with these improvements
applied. This velocipede travels without shaking or shocks, and is
about one-third lighter, no longer having to overcome in a direct manner
the resistances met beneath the wheels, these being here deadened in
the springs without any shock to the body of the vehicle. D indicates
velocipedes on my new system. This velocipede is driven by the hind
wheel and by means of the two levers M, the connecting rod N, and the
toothed wheels O, the gearing of these toothed wheels may be instan-
taneously changed to develope more or less power or speed according to
circumstances. This system has the advantage of avoiding any loss of
power, and of employing this same power with much greater advantage
than on the ordinary system. On the ordinary system the vehicle can
only be propelled when the treadle is about 3 horizontal, the position
of the knee forming nearly a rectangle to the body cannot deploy all its
strength, it is also necessary to counterbalance the impulse given by the
foot by the power of the arms to keep the wheel in the proper, direction
and prevent its deviating. In my system arm power is no longer

page_text: required to govern the vehicle, and may be used for driving it. In the
new system the position of the leg and of the body is such that all
their power may be developed with elegance, the ungraceful and fatiguing
rotation of the foot being entirely suppressed. The toothed gearing
has this advantage that the power to be used and speed to be obtained
may be regulated beforehand to suit every circumstance. If upon level
ground, where less power is needed, by changing the gearing of the
toothed wheels the speed may be doubled without acceleration of the
movements of the rider, who may by successive shiftings of gear overcome
all obstacles, ascend the most rapid inclines, and regain the time lost
in the ascent by the increase of speed which he may give to the descent
while maintaining his uniform action, an enormous advantage for long
journeys. The change of gear may be made from the saddle and while
travelling. The double advantage of toothed gearing in this case is to
form a motor independent of the wheel upon which it has no direct
action except to cause a displacement of the shifting points without
any pressure, for, as above stated, in the ordinary system the impulse is
given only when the treadle is %, horizontal (see a, diagram E, Sheet I.),
that is to say, when it has passed beyond its real point of power. With
the impulsion is felt a forced pressure bearing on the point d (diagram E)
and naturally on the shifting point c which has to support an increase
of weight occasioned by this pressure, and the obstacles which come
beneath the wheel or point d are tripled because the pressure is brought
exactly on the obstacle in order to pass beyond it. It is therefore more
logical and advantageous to displace the shifting point c, by an indepen-
dent motor which simply rests upon the point 6 without any pressure.
Sheet II. of the accompanying Sheets of Drawing illustrate certain
additions to the improvements above described.
These additional improvements relate,―
1. To the arrangement, shape, and combination of spring velocipedes
as shewn, Figures 1, 2, and 3, to the method of driving by the hind
wheel, whether by means of the lover arrangement described in reference
to Sheet I., or by means of cranks fixed to the framing and to the con-
necting rods of the driving wheel.
2º. To the means of overcoming the trepidation of the hands common
to ordinary velocipedes by dividing the fork or prop, and applying a
spiral or other spring in the divided part, see Figures 4 and 5.

page_text: The arrangement of this velocipede has the advantage or permitting
ladies to mount with long dresses without any danger, and its great
superiority over the tricycle is,-
1º. Its great lightness and easiness, ladies and young girls even of 5
very weak constitution may make long journeys without fatigue and
compete with advantage against ordinary men's velocipedes.
2°. Of permitting emulation and competition of skill in the attainment
of speed, or of equilibrium and power.
3°. Of permitting any lady, however reserved, to adopt this amusement ]
and exercise, without fear of unfavorable criticism, as she will be seated
in a natural and graceful position, and can, as before stated, ride in long
dresses, everything being studiously arranged to preserve them from
being splashed with mud, or caught in the wheels by means of guards
and mud dashers a, b, and by small rods placed on each side of these
mud guards. The lever mechanism is the same as described and shewn
Sheet I., and I need therefore simply explain the combination and
working of this vehicle. The springs C of the driving wheel which
have to support the frame or beam D are placed at the lower end of the
upright E, about 6 inches lower than the centre of the wheel, by this
means the working lever is shortened, the equilibrium is easier kept and
the velocipede gives less fatigue. The seat may follow the movements of
the springs and profit by their elasticity, while being held to the upright
E by means of the piece F provided for this purpose. The frame D has
at its end, and where it is seated on the springs, two vertical prolon-
gations. In the upper extension c is a mortice, in this mortice slides
vertically a small bearing e in which passes the axle of the wheel. The
lower extension f has at its end a projecting part 9 sliding in the
mortice h, made in the upright E. In this way the frame D, uprights E,
and the springs, are so united and consolidated together as to be able
to support the shocks and strains to which the vehicle may be subjected,
and to receive propulsion while leaving the frame D free to yield to
the movement of the springs. The method of driving by connecting rods
coupled to the hind wheel, while less advantageous on the whole than
the lever arrangement is simpler and less costly. This system has
another great advantage over the ordinary fore carriage treadle system,
in that it suppresses the arm power necessary under the old system

page_text: to keep the wheel in the proper direction, and to compensate the
impulsion given to the treadle. The rider is better seated, his move-
ments are more natural and graceful, and his strength better applied.
The direct pressure upon the wheel of the old method is done away
with. The spring arrangement shown Figures 4 and 5 is simply
intended to prevent the trepidation of the hands common to all ordinary
velocipedes.