including Velocipedes, and to Boats.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1886.
Complete Left, 14th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 15th Mar., 1887.
including Velocipedes, and to Boats.
I THOMAS PRICE of Number 59 New Street Brierley Hill Staffordshire Accountant
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE APPLICATION
OF MOTIVE POWER TO ROAD VEHICLES INCLUDING VELOCIPEDES AND TO BOATS to be
as follows:-
One or more coiled springs are attached by the outer end to a circular Box or
Boxes having flanges by means of which a ratchet wheel is attached, the inner end
of the coiled spring is attached to a spindle or axis by means of pins and to each end
of this axis is attached a fixed catch by which the force of the spring or springs,
when wound up, by means of a hand leaver or treadles applied to the ratchet wheel
or wheels, are brought into action, which is effected in the following manner; between
the coiled spring or springs and the catch attached to the ends of the spindle is a
toothed wheel working loose on the spindle or axis, and working into this and attached
to the axis of the driving wheel or wheels is another toothed wheel or pinion wheel
by means of which the power of the spring or springs is communicated to and sets
the driving wheel or wheels in motion, this is done in the following way,-On the
side of the first toothed wheel referred to is a small click or catch working with a
spring which is employed to keep it down so that when the catch or tooth attached
to the spindle is brought into contact with this catch or click it drives the toothed
wheel and so sets the machine in motion. When the power of the spring or springs
is exhausted this catch or click allows the machine to run on, or down an incline
without any of the propelling machinery being brought into action. The ratchet
wheel is wound up (which tightens the spring or springs) by means of hand leavers
or treadles, the teeth being kept back by catches with springs attached to the frame of
the machine and working into the teeth of the ratchet. This power can be applied
to Bicycles and Tricycles, to the former by attaching the machinery to the forket
or frame of the driving wheel and treadling the springs, or to the latter by applying
the same to the driving wheel or wheels in the manner before described, also to other
Velocipedes or to the paddle wheels of small boats. The springs and driving wheels
may be constructed to work independently and the spring power be applied to each
wheel separately. The leavers or treadles can be applied as the machine is in motion
and may be worked citler fast or slow at the riders option.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Application of Motive Power to Road Vehicles,
including Velocipedes, and to Boats.
] THOMAS PRICE of 59 New Street Brierley Hill Staffordshire Accountant do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for the above named Improvements and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
One or more coiled spring or springs (as shown in the drawings accompanying this
Specification Fig. 2 a) are attached by the outer end to a circular box or boxes b
having flanges by means of which a ratchet wheel d is attached, the inner end of
the coiled spring or springs a is attached to a spindle or spindles or axis or axes
(Fig. 1e) by means of pins to each end of this or these axis or axes e is attached
a fixed catch or catches by which the force of the spring or springs when wound
up by means of a hand leaver or leavers or treadle or treadles with catches applied
to the ratchet wheel or wheels d, are brought into action, this is effected in the
following manner, between the coiled spring or springs a and the catch g attached to
the end or ends of the spindle or spindles e is a toothed wheel or wheels working
loose on the spindle or spindles or axis or axes e and working into this and attached
to the axis or axes (Fig. 2 m) of the driving wheel or wheels is another toothed or
pinion wheel or wheels (Fig. 2) by means of which the power of the spring or
springs a is communicated to and sets the driving wheel or wheels in motion. This
is done in the following way, on the side of the first toothed wheel or wheels i referred
to is a small click or catch working with a spring (Fig. 2) which is employed to
keep it down so that when the catch or tooth attached to the spindle or spindles e is
brought into contact with this click or catch it drives the toothed wheel or wheels i
and so seis the machine in motion. When the power of the spring or springs a is
exhausted this catch or click j allows the machine to run on or down an Incline
without any of the propelling machinery being brought into action. The ratchet
wheel or wheels d (which tightens or winds the spring or springs a) is or are wound
up by means of a hand leaver or leavers h or treadle or treadles and catches h' the
teeth being kept back by catches with a spring or springs (Fig. 21) attached to the
machine and working into the teeth of the ratchet. d. This power can be applied to
Bicycles and Tricycles, to the former by attaching the machinery to the forket or
frame of the driving wheel and treadling the spring or springs and to the latter by
applying the same to the driving wheel or wheels in the manner before described, also
to other Velocipedes and road Vehicles, or to the paddle wheels or propeller screw or
screws of Boats, in which latter case mitred wheels would be used and placed on the
same axis m as the pinion wheel n. The springs and driving wheels may be
constructed to work independently and the spring power be applied to each wheel
separately. The leaver or leavers or treadle or treadles may be applied as the
Machine or Boat is in motion and may be worked either fast or slow at the riders
option.

page_text: An endless chain or chains and chain wheel or wheels may be added or substituted
if required.
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. The novelty of the application of spring power for the purpose of propelling
or assisting in propelling road Vehicles and Boats in the manner above described.
2. The assistance afforded in ascending a hill or travelling along the level ground
by the application of the spring power when brought into action and retained in the
machine by means of the spring or springs a and ratchet wheel d by which I claim
this advantage, that one person may with one spring only place and retain in the
machine a power equal to that obtainable in ordinary machines now in use as road
Vehicles and by winding an additional spring he may place and retain in the machine
the power of two persons of his own weight and strength thus doubling the motive
power in the machine. By the application of the leaver or leavers this power may
be applied to machines now in use in addition to the motive power now being
applied to them.
3. The novelty of the use of the toothed wheel and clicks or catches firstly
referred to, the wheel working loose on its spindle e and yet propelling the machine
and also allowing the machine by means of the click and tooth attached to the
spindle e, to run on or down hill without the other part of the machinery being in
motion, the action of the spring or springs a not being reversed.
4. The novelty and utility of the application of the said click or catch and tooth
to wheels of road Vehicles and Velocipedes causing the propelling power of the
machine to cease and be of no ayail if the velocity is greater than the power applied.
5. The novelty and usefulness of the application of the aforesaid machinery and
spring or springs to propelling Boats, either by means of paddle wheels, or screw
propeller, or both, thus dispensing with the use of oars or other means of motion, or
the above described machinery may be used in addition thereto.
THOMAS PRICE,
59, New Street, Brierley Hill, Staffordshire,
Accountant.