IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We WILLIAM EDWARD HURRELL of 27 Ivy Lane, Hoxton, in the County of
Middlesex, Warehouseman, & WILLIAM SPENCE of Adelaide Road Surbiton, in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of our said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES" to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is the construction of an open-fronted frame, for that
type of Tricycle known as "loose-back" tricycles i,e, tricycles, that are steered,
a la Bicycle, by the driving wheels of which the "Humber," "Traveller," & "Cruiser,"
are specimens.
Our improved frame which has very much the appearance of a "hay-fork" frame
as used with the old fashioned rear steering tricycles is constructed as follows:-
The frame consists of two parts, the one carrying the two driving wheels the
crank axle & driving gear, whereby the motion of the crank axle is imparted to
the driving wheels (which may be of an suitable kind), & the steering handles
brake etc, while the other part carries the small wheel & the seat or saddle; these
two parts are loosely joined or hinged together so that the one part i,e, the front
part, is free to turn with respect to the other for the purpose of steering. The
front part of the frame consists of a piece of tube bent in the form of a semi-circle
(struck from a radius of about ten inches), to each end of this piece of tube brackets
are fixed which carry short stud axles on which the driving wheels are mounted,
the centre line of these axles cuts the centre from which the semi-circular frame is
struck. From these brackets two short arms depend to carry the crank axle, these
two tubes are continued upwards above the axles to carry two adjustable handles
by which the machine is steerod. The back part of the frame consists of a piece
of tube bent in the form of a semi-circle, struck from the same radius as the one
forming the front part of the frame; from the centre of this semi-circular piece of
tube a backbone runs downwards to carry the small wheel. At the junction of the
backbone with the semi-circular piece of tube, provision is made for fixing an
adjustable seat support. Suitable guides are fixed to the semi-circular tube of the
front part of the frame to receive the semi-circular tube of the rear part of the
frame (suitabe friction rollers, or their equivalent, being interposed between them
to minimize friction,) so that the front part of the frame carrying the driving
Dall

page_text: wheels may be turned with respect to the rear part, of the frame, round an
imaginary centre from which the semi-circular frames are struck, for the purpose of
steering the machine.
Instead of steering the machine by two fixed handles a la "Cruiser" I some-
times steer with a rack & pinion mounting the steering handle carrying the pinion
on the rear part, & the rack on the front part, of the frame, or vice-versa.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.L.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72, Chancery Lane, W.O.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We, WILLIAM EDWARD HURRELL of N° 27 Ivy Lane Hoxton in the County of
Middlesex Warehouseman; & WILLIAM SPENCE of Adelaide Road Surbiton in the
County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of our Invention is the construction of an open fronted frame for that
type of Tricycle known as the "loose back" tricycle, ie a type which is steered by
the inclination of the two front driving wheels relatively to a backbone which
carries the third wheel.
Our improved frame consists of two main parts & is constructed as follows:-
The front part of the frame consists of a piece of tube or rod bent in the form
of a semicircle with a radius of about ten inches, to each end of which brackets
are fixed to carry stud axles upon which the driving wheels run, (the centre line of
the axles cutting or nearly cutting the centre from which the semicircular piece is
struck). From the end brackets also two short arms depend to carry the crank
axle (from which motion is transmitted to the two driving wheels by any suitable
form of gearing), & two supports project upwards to carry the steering handl
The rear part of frame also consists of a semicircle (of similar radius to the
front one) to the centre of which joined the backbone which carries the small
rear wheel in a rigid fork; the seat or saddle. being supported by the bracket
joining the backbone & the semicircle. Suitable guides or rollers are fitted to whe
front semicircle of frame to receive the semicircle of the rear portion so that the
two semicircles are free to move upon each other sideways round the imaginary
centre from which their curves are struck.
The semicircular pieces & the guides may be constructed & arranged either o
that one rests above the other, or so that one rests inside the other, in which latter
case either the front tube is the external one & slotted for the backbone to
project, or the rear tube is the external one & slotted on either side for the stud
axles to project. Steering may be effected either by pulling at the handles
a la bicycle as in the "Cruiser" or by a rack & pinion or similar device.
The arrangement of semicircles selected for illustration upon the accompanying
sheet of drawings is that in which the rear one is placed below the front one, this
being the simplest & cheapest to construct; but obviously any combination of
guides or special sections may be used, without departing from the principle
of our invention.
Fig 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the entire machine shewing the general
arrangement of all parts.
Figs 2 & 3, shew upon an enlarged scale a plan & front elevation of the system
of semicircular slides.
The same letters apply in each case. F S is the front or upper semicircle, joined
by brackets B & B1 to the uprights U & U1 which support the handles & pedal-
axle, & also upon brackets B B & B B1 the stud axles A & Al for the driving
wheels; this part together constitutes the front portion of frame,

page_text: RS is the rear or lower semicircle to which is joined by a bracket B2 the
backbone D which carries the small wheel; this rear semicircle & backbone is
supported at its forward ends upon the friction-wheels W which run freely upon
inner prolongations of the stud axles & friction in steering is thus reduced to a
minimum; the pull upon the backbone in driving is taken by the roller R1 which
is mounted to run freely, upon a stud projecting from the bracket B2; the roller R2
acts as a guard to keep the other roller in position; the seat rod socket S is formed
upon the bracket B2.
0
In Fig 2 the backbone & rear semicircle are shewn deflected as in steering to
the right, & it will be noticed that both ends of the rear semicircle are of sufficient
length so that when one end is in its most forward position the other end is still
supported by the friction wheel.
IC is the imaginary centre from which the semicircles are struck, & upon which
steering is actually effected.
Fig 4 is a sketch shewing in longitudinal section through the bracket B2, the
before mentioned arrangement of the rear semicircle inside the front one, the latter
being slotted as shewn for the backbone bracket to project; & Fig 5 shews a special
crescent section for the front semicircle; the same letters apply as in other
figures.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of our said
invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, We declare that what
we claim is
In the construction of frames for "Loose-back" Tricycles, the combination of
2 semicircular tubes or pieces arranged to slide one upon the other, or one inside
the other, round the imaginary centre from which their curves are struck, substan-
tially as & for the purposes herein described.