IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1886

page_text: We JOSEPH HENRY DEARLOVE of 14 Rydon Street, New North Road, in the
parish of Islington, in the county of Middlesex, Cycle Manufacturer; and HARRY
THRESHER of Dalston Lane, in the Parish of Hackney, in the county as aforesaid,
Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of our said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND RELATING TO VELOCIPEDES," to be as follows:—
Our invention relates to a tricycle constructed with one driving wheel, and two
steering wheels which are placed in front of the driving wheel, and are mounted
on a frame pivotted on the centre line of the machine. We are aware that
tricycles of this type have already been made with the driving and steering
wheels so arranged, and therefore our invention does not relate to the arrangement
of the wheels but to the improved form of frame-work and parts whereby we are
enabled to construct a machine which is an improvement on anything that has
hitherto been made. Hitherto in machines of this type, the rider has been seated
immediately in front of the driving wheel, and the steering wheels have been kept
as near to the driving wheel as possible. This arrangement is a faulty one
inasmuch as the weight of the rider is too equally distributed over the three
wheels, instead of the greater part of it being carried by the driving wheels only.
In our improved machine we use very small wheels preferably all the same size
viz-about thirty inches diameter. We place the seat for the rider as nearly over
the centre of the driving wheel, as the position of the pedal crank axle in front of
the driving wheel will allow, and on purpose to take as much weight as possible
off the two steering wheels, we extend the wheel base as far as it is convenient to
do so. By placing the weight of the rider as nearly as possible over the centre of
the driving wheel the machine becomes very unstable, as the centre of gravity is
only just within the base line of the machine and when the steering wheels are
turned for the purpose of guiding the machine, the centre of gravity is at once
placed outside the base line and consequently the machine becomes unstable and
unridable, and to overcome this difficulty is the purpose of our invention. We
surmount the difficulty by making the centre of the steering head of the machine
at an angle with the horizontal plane of the machine so that the steering wheels
are turned for the purpose of guiding the machine, the driving wheel is canted over
towards the centre of the curve in which the machine is running and thus keep the
centre of gravity within the base line of the machine. We are aware that the
[Price 813

page_text: steering wheels of tricycles have been mounted so as to cant or lean over but
the object and method for, and in which this has been done, is not the same as
the object we have in view, and furthermore the angle at which the centre of the
frame carrying the steering wheel is placed is diametrically opposite to the angle
at which the steering head of our machine is placed. In order that our invention
may be fully understood, we will briefly describe the construction of our machine.
We take a small driving wheel preferably running loose on a stud axle and mount
this axle in a horizontal fork which at its free end is connected with a backbone
which runs forward and terminates in a neck pin which fits into the head of a
frame carrying the two steering wheels. The neck pin is set at such an angle that
it rakes forwards towards the top, and the head of the frame carrying the steering
wheels is correspondingly arranged to receive it for the purpose hereinbefore
described. The frame carrying the steering wheels is continued upwards in the
shape of a fork and carries at the top a transverse handle bar for controlling the
steering wheel. A pedal crank axle is mounted on a suitable projection of the
frame immediately in front of the driving wheel and is connected thereto by a
The seat for the rider is
chain running over chain wheels in the usual manner.
mounted as nearly as possible over the centre of the driving wheel on any con-
venient extension of the frame. In order to keep the steering wheels running in a
direct line with the centre line of the machine so that the machine will always
travel in a straight line unless operated upon by the rider for the purpose of
deviating its course, we construct our steering controller as follows:-On the head
of the fork forming part of the frame carrying the steering wheels or on to its
equivalent we fix a heart shaped cam and on to the frame carrying the driving
wheel at any convenient point in close proximity to the cam we fix a small cylinder
in which is fitted a plunger or piston carrying on one end a small roller this end
protrudes through one end of the cylinder and the roller engages with the recess of
the heart shaped cam, and is kept up to it by a spring in the cylinder bearing
against the other end of the plunger or piston. A suitable set screw or equivalent
arrangement is provided for adjusting the strength of this spring, so that the
resistance to the steering wheels deviating from the straight line may be increased
or diminished as desired. Both the cam and the plunger cylinder are fixed to their
respective parts of the machine in any approved manner so that the recess of the
cam and the centre of the plunger are on the longitudinal centre line of the
machine, but we prefer to attach them in such a manner that their positions may
be varied if desired. It will be obvious that this steering controller is applicabl
to any existing type of machine.
1886.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We JOSEPH HENRY DEARLOVE, of Rydon Street New North Road, in the parish
of Islington, in the County of Middlesex Cycle Manufacturer, and HARRY THRESHER,
of Dalston Lane, in the parish of Hackney, in the county as aforesaid, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to a tricycle constructed with one driving wheel, and two
steering wheels, which are placed in front of the driving wheel, and are mounted
on a frame pivotted on the centre line of the machine. We are aware that tricycles
of this type have already been made with the driving and steering wheels so
arranged, and therefore our invention does not relate to the arrangement of the
wheels, but to the improved form of framework and parts whereby we are enabled
to construct a machine which is an improvement on anything that has hitherto
been made. Hitherto in machines of this type, the rider has been seated imme-
diately in front of the driving wheel, and the steering wheels have been kept as
near to the driving wheel as possible. This arrangement is a faulty one inasmuch
as the weight of the rider is too equally distributed over the three wheels instead
of the greater part of it being carried by the driving wheel only. In our improved
machine we use very small wheels preferably all of the same size viz :-about
30 inches diameter. We place the seat for the rider as nearly over the centre of
the driving wheel, as the position of the pedal crank axle in front of the driving
wheel will allow, and on purpose to take as much weight as possible off the two
steering wheels, we extend the wheel base as far as it is convenient to do so. By
placing the weight of the rider as nearly as possible over the centre of the driving
wheel the machine becomes very unstable, as the centre of gravity is only just
within the base line of the machine, and when the steering wheels are turned for
the purpose of guiding the machine, the centre of gravity is at once placed very
nearly if not quite so-outside the base line, and consequently the machine
becomes unstable and unridable. To overcome this difficulty is the object of our
invention. We attain this end by making the centre of the steering head which
connects the two parts of the frame carrying the driving and the steering wheels
respectively, together, at an angle with the horizontal plane of the machine, so that
as the steering wheels are turned for the purpose of guiding the machine, the
driving wheel is canted over towards the centre of the curve in which the machine
is running, and thus keeps the centre of gravity within the base line of the
machine. We are aware that the steering wheels of tricycles have been mounted
so as to cant or lean over, but the object, and method for, and in which, this has
been done, is not the same as the object we have in view, & furthermore the
angle at which the head of the frame carrying the steering wheel is placed is
diametrically opposite to the angle at which the steering head of our machine is
placed. In order that our invention may be fully understood, we will particularly
describe it with the aid of the accompanying drawings throughout the views of
which similar parts are denoted by like letters of reference.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, of our improved tricycle.
Referring to these figures we take a small driving wheel A preferably running
loose on a stud axle B mounted in a horizontal fork C which at its forward end is
connected with a backbone D which runs forward, and terminates in a neck pin d
between two snugs c. c. carried by a forked frame E and forming the steering head,
which is placed as high above the centre of the steering wheels as is convenient.
The neck pin d is set at such an angle that it rakes forward from the bottom
centre, and the head of the frame E carrying the steering wheels is correspondingly
arranged to receive it for the purpose herein before described. The forked frame E
carries a cross rigid axle E¹ to carry the steering wheels FF which are mounted
on stud axles fixed in the ends of the rigid axle E¹. The frame E is continued
upwards in the shape of a fork, and carries at the top a transverse handle bar G
for controlling the steering wheel. A pedal crank axle H is mounted in a suitable
bracket carried by the backbone D, immediately in front of the wheel, and is
connected thereto by a chain running over chain wheels in the usual manner.
The
seat J for the rider mounted as nearly as possible over the centre of the driving
wheel, on another backbone D' running from the neck pin d rearwards above the
backbone D, and is supported at the rear by a light fork carried by the fork C.
In order to keep the steering wheels running in a direct line with the centre line
of the machine, so that the machine will always travel in a straight line, unless
operated upon by the rider for the purpose of deviating its course, we construct a
steering controller as follows:-On the top snug e of the head forming part of the
frame E carrying the steering wheels F F we form or fix a heart shaped cam e¹
and on to the backbone D¹ forming part of the frame carrying the driving wheel A,
we fix at any convenient point in close proximity to the cam e' a small cylinder e²
in which is fitted a plunger or piston e³ carrying on the end that protrudes through
the front end of the cylinder e a small roller e which engages with the recess of
the heart shaped cam e¹ and is kept up to it by a spring e in the cylinder, bearing
against the other end of the plunger or piston e³. A suitable set screw e or
equivalent arrangement is provided at the rear end of the cylinder e² for adjusting
the strength of the spring e so that the resistance to the steering wheels deviating
from the straight line may be increased or diminished as desired. Both the cam
and the plunger cylinder are preferably fixed to their respective parts of the frame
of the machine in such a manner that they may be adjusted with respect to each
other, so that the recess of the cam and the centre of the roller on the plunger may
be either on the longitudinal centre line of the machine, or at such an angle there-
with as may be desired to correct any tendency of the machine to run out of the
straight line. Instead of using a plunger and spiral spring working longitudinally,
we sometimes use a flat spring fixed to the backbone so that it has a vertical play.
We then mount the roller on the end of this spring so that it engages with the
heart shaped cam on the steering head, the cam in this case being placed or formed
vertical, and not horizontal as in the first described arrangement.
We are aware that tricycles have already been constructed with two steering
wheels placed in front of one central driving wheel. We are also aware that the
steering heads of tricycles have been raked for the purpose of allowing the steering
wheels to cant when running in curves, and we are also aware that steering
controllers of various forms have been used for the purpose of automatically
keeping the machine running in a straight line and we therefore do not claim such
arrangements broadly, but having now particularly described and ascertained the
nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we
declare that what we do claim is:-
First In a tricycle the combination of the rear single driving wheel mounted
in a forked frame terminating in a raked neck spindle, the pedal crank axle fitted
with the usual cranks, pedals, and chain wheels mounted immediately in front of
the driving wheel, the seat for the rider placed above and as nearly over the centre
of the driving wheel as the position of the crank axle will allow, the rigid cross

page_text: axle carrying the two steering wheels on stud axles forming extensions of the said
axle, the vertical or approximately vertical rigid forked frame fixed to or forming
part of the rigid axle, and carrying or forming the raked head to receive the raked
neck spindle forming part of the frame carrying the driving wheel, the transverse
handle bar fixed to or forming part of the vertical or approximately vertical forked
frame carrying the raked head and the rigid cross axle, and the steering controller
consisting of a heart shaped cam fixed to, or forming part of, the head of the
frame carrying the steering wheels, or of the frame itself, and of a roller engaging
therewith carried either on the end of a plunger controlled by a spring, or on the
end of the spring, mounted on the frame carrying the driving wheel, all arranged,
and operating, substantially as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Second-In a tricycle having one driving wheel mounted centrally in the rear of
two steering wheels, and carried in a frame connected to the frame carrying the two
steering wheels by a vertical joint or head placed on the longitudinal centre line of
the machine, the combination of a raked steering head, a direct transverse handle
bar, and a steering controller, all combined, arranged, and operating, as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Third In a tricycle having a rear central driving wheel, and a pair of front
steering wheels, the construction and arrangement of the frame carrying the
steering wheels, consisting essentially of a rigid cross axle carrying the two
steering wheels which run loosely on stud axles forming extensions of the said
rigid cross axle; and supporting an upright forked frame which carries at its
upper end a rigid transverse handle bar, and forming a head to receive the neck
spindle of the frame carrying the rear driving wheel, about which the frame is
turned by means of the transverse handle bar for the purpose of steering the
machine.
iber 1886.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.