IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1886.
Complete Left, 22nd Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887
1, HENRY JOHN LAWSON, of Coventry in the County of Warwick, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE VELOCIPEDES
to be as follows:-
A method of constructing & arranging the parts of a velocipede so that one & the
same machine may be both bicycle & tricycle as required with the least possible
adjustment. To give this result the back & the front portions are each constructed
detachable & complete in themselves having their own guiding apparatus & driving
gear.
The motion of steering & construction of the steering handle is similar to that of an
office arm chair which turns on its own axis. This steering frame reaches round the
back of the rider & is curved downwards & back again at the front so as to place the
handles lower.
It is connected to the steering wheels which are in front by rods, bevel wheels &
scrow in the usual manner. The machine as a tricycle has two wheels in front, the
axles of which are constructed at one end to slide up & down a vertical pin fixed in a
head which contains a coiled spring to prevent vibration & allows at the same time of
sufficient side movement for the purposes of steering. These sockets are attached to
each end of a cross framing in front of the machine, which with the rods belonging
to it are jointed in the middle & can be closed together by means of a turn screw
attached suitably to each. The driving wheel is situated behind & driven in the usual
manner by chains connected to the drums carrying the cranks & treadles which are
actuated by the feet of the rider or riders.
The whole of the front portion is portably attached as follows,—a suitable aperture
or apertures are left open in the hinder portion of the framing & the front part is
shaped to slide therein & held by a tightening screw or suitable spring catch.
When
desired to use this machine as a bicycle, the front is withdrawn & the back part is
made to support itself while the change is being made in the following manner.
fork or prop is constructed to descend from a socket or joint in the framing. In
descending it passes over part of the frame which acting like a wedge expands the
jointed fork. & forms a prop or stand to support the machine while the fork, head
De
A

page_text: neck & front wheel is slid into the aperture before mentioned. The fork in this case
is by preference horizontal & jointed at the end with a bearing upon a suitable spring
to absorb the vibration. The only difference being that it is inserted at the hinder
end, while in the case of the Tricycle before mentioned the forks are held by their
spring joints or sockets at the forward end and the before mentioned axles in like
manner as will be illustrated in my Complete Specification.
When this one wheel is inserted as described & the nut, screw, or catch in position
the machine is in form similar to that known as the Bicyclette Patent, 3934, 1879.
By this method of construction & arrangement the machine may be conveniently
used as a bicycle or Tricycle for one or more riders as hereinbefore described.
December 14th 1886

page_text: 1, HENRY JOHN LAWSON of Coventry in the county of Warwickshire, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to a velocipede which may be converted into either a Bicycle
or a Tricycle, and it has for its object the construction and arrangement of the parts
to attain this end, with the least possible adjustment.
I carry my invention into practical effect in the manner illustrated by the accom-
panying drawing, throughout the several views of which similar parts are marked with
like letters of reference.
Referring to the drawing Figure 1 illustrates my velocipede in the form of a tricycle,
having a single driving wheel placed centrally in the rear of two steering wheels,
placed parallel and opposite to each other and controlled by a transverse handle bar.
Figure 2 illustrates my velocipede in the form of a bicycle driven by the rear and
steered by the front wheel. Figure 3 is a front view of the detachable part carrying
the two steering wheels for the tricycle, and Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the spring
head by which the steering wheels are mounted to enable them to turn on a vertical
centre for the purpose of guiding the machine.
It will be seen that the frame A carrying the driving wheel B, the pedal crank
axle C, and the saddle D, which are all constructed and arranged in the well known
manner, is common to both forms of machine, that part of the frame known as the
backbone terminating in a split socket a or equivalent device, to couple or connect the
front part of the machine, as it is desired to make it a bicycle or a tricycle.
If it is desired to make the machine a bicycle the front part of the frame consists of
the usual fork E carrying a steering wheel F, a tubular extension E¹ carrying a trans-
verse handle bar G, and a vertical joint or head H carrying a short piece of backbone A¹
terminating in a suitable manner to engage with the split socket a or equivalent
coupling, so as to make the frame of the machine rigid and solid. When it is desired
to convert this machine into a tricycle the split socket a is slackened and the front
part of the machine is detached and another part carrying two steering wheels is con-
nected up in a similar manner. This part consists of the vertical tube E¹ carrying a
steering spindle e on which is mounted the transverse handle bar G, and of a cross
frame E carrying at its extremities heads H, H, on the centre pins h, h, of which are
mounted sliding sockets h', ' resting on coil springs h², h², the said sockets being free
to move vertically on the pins h h but not to turn radially thereon. The sockets h¹ h¹
form extensions of the axles on which the steering wheels F, F are mounted. The
pins h h of the heads are connected with the steering spindle e by suitable levers h³ h³
fixed on the pins h h, the lever e¹ fixed on the steering spindle e, and the connecting

page_text: or coupling rod or rods xx, or by any other equivalent arrangement. If desired the
tube E and the heads H, H, may be raked backwards instead of being placed vertically
as shown in the drawing.
Those parts to which no special reference has been made, or which are not shown
on the drawing, present no novel features and may be of the usual type and
construction.
The other parts of my invention as set forth in my Provisional Specification have
turned out to be of no practical value, and I have therefore abandoned and do hereby
disclaim them.
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 :-
1. In a velocipede driven by a single rear wheel, the method of converting the
machine into either a bicycle or tricycle substantially as hereinbefore described and
shown.
2. In a velocipede driven by a central single rear wheel; the combination with the
said driving wheel, of the backbone terminating in a split socket or other equivalent
coupling, and the two interchangeable parts for making either a bicycle or a tricycle
as set forth.
3. In a bicycle driven by the rear wheel and having a divided backbone controlled
by a split socket or equivalent coupling; the combination with the front part of the
frame carrying the steering wheel, of the interchangeable part for converting the
machine into a velocipede, consisting of the frame carrying the steering spindle, and
the spring heads in which are mounted the steering wheels, all combined arranged
and operating as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a tricycle driven by a wheel placed centrally in the rear of two steering wheels,
mounted parallel and opposite to each other in independant heads or centres, the
construction of the elastic heads substantially as set forth.
1 I
87.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70 & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.