Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Vehicles Propelled by the Rider.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Vehicles
Propelled by the Rider.
I, JAMES GILBERT, of 6 Ascot Place, Walmer Road, Notting Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Wire Worker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in cycles and other vehicles propelled
by the rider and has for its object apparatus for the propulsion of the cycle or
the vehicle by the rider in a more convenient manner and with better mechanical
advantage and ease in starting than heretofore.
To attain this object, in lieu of the ordinary cranked pedals, I employ two
levers pivoted upon a fixed fulcrum carried by the framing and acted upon by the
feet or hands of the rider. Each of the said levers carries a pawl which engages
in one direction of stroke into the teeth of a ratchet wheel upon the chain wheel
axle, but which will slide over the ratchet wheel upon the return stroke of the
lever or when the ratchet wheel is running by the impetus of the cycle or vehicle.
The said chain wheel communicates rotary motion to the driving wheel axle by the
known chain and sprocket gear.
The aforesaid levers are carried within a guide or guard provided in the frame
of the vehicle and are held normally at their highest position when arranged for
working by the feet by light springs, so that when the rider is seated his feet may
rest comfortably upon the said pedal levers until he desires to propel the vehicle
which he may do in any position of rest, by pressing down either one or both pedal
levers, the spring returning the levers to the highest position of rest.
At starting therefore the rider may exert the full force of both legs either
alternately or simultaneously with full mechanical advantage for propulsion, and
thus the disadvantages attaching to fixed cranks upon the driving axle which
may be more or less upon their dead centres at starting is avoided by my
improvements.
When the rider is going down hill his feet may rest upon the supported treadle
levers without motion and therefore with great comfort to himself.
Adjustable or sliding pedals may be attached to the said pedal levers,
adjustable for varying mechanical advantage, according to the nature of the road
to be travelled and the power to be exerted or according to the comfort of the
rider.
This invention is applicable to any light vehicle intended to be propelled by a
rider or riders, and to invalid chairs in which latter case the propelling gear as
aforesaid may be operated by the hands instead of by the feet of the rider if
desired.
1
C
1004
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Cycles and other Vehicles
Propelled by the Rider.
I, JAMES GILBERT, of 6, Ascot Place, Walmer Road, Notting Hill, in the
County of Middlesex, Wire Worker, 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 improvements in cycles and other vehicles propelled by
the rider and has for its object apparatus for the propulsion of the cycles or other
vehicle by the rider in a more convenient manner and with better mechanical
advantage and ease in starting than heretofore.
I attain this end in the manner shown by the accompanying drawing which
illustrates my invention and in which :-
Figure 1 is a broken view in side elevation, and
Figure 2 is a broken view in plan.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
In lieu of the ordinary cranks and pedals I employ two levers A, A, pivoted
upon a fixed fulcrum which may conveniently be the axle B carrying the driving
chain wheel C. Each of the levers A, A, carries a spring-controlled pawl a which
engages in one direction of stroke with the teeth of a ratchet wheel D fixed on
the axle B, but which slides over the said teeth of the ratchet wheel upon the
return stroke of the lever or when the ratchet wheel is running by the impetus of
the machine. The chain wheel C communicates rotary motion to the axle e of the
driving wheel E or to the wheel direct by means of the chain F and the chain
wheel G.
The levers A, A, are carried within a suitable guide or guard such as H
provided in the frame of the machine to limit their downward movement and they
are restored after depression to their highest positions by means of suitable springs
or their equivalents.
This construction of driving gear allows the rider when he is seated to rest his
feet comfortably upon the said pedal levers until he desires to propel the vehicle
which he may do from any position of rest, by pressing down either one or both
pedal levers.
At starting therefore the rider may exert the full power of both legs either
alternately or simultaneously with full mechanical advantage for propulsion, and
thus the disadvantages attaching to fixed cranks upon the driving axle which may be
more or less upon their dead centres at starting is avoided.
When the rider is going down hill his feet may rest upon the pedal levers without
motion and therefore with great comfort to himself.
The pedals J are adjustably attached to the pedal levers A, A, thus providing
for varying the mechanical advantage according to the nature of the road to
be travelled and the power to be exerted or according to the comfort of the
rider.
My invention is applicable to any light vehicle intended to be propelled by
one or more riders, and to invalid chairs in which latter case the propelling levers
may be so arranged with respect to the seat for the rider that they may be operated
by the hands instead of by the feet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is -
The improved driving gear for cycles and other vehicles propelled by the rider,

page_text: substantially
drawing.
as herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying
Dated this 10th day of November 1894.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.