IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Law, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Gunsmith, and Thomas Law, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Gunsmith, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Law and Thoinas
Law at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1878.
JOSEPH LAW, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gunsmith, and THOMAS
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
LAW, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Gunsmith.
VELOCIPEDES."
Our improvements refer more especially to bicycles, but are in part applicable also
to tricycles and to four-wheeled velocipedes.
We will first describe our Invention as applied to a bicycle:-The seat or saddle
is placed over the smaller wheel, which runs in front. The seat being thus kept
low down the machine is easily balanced. The hind wheel, which is the driving
wheel, is the larger of the two, and runs in bearings at the back end of the frame.
The frame connecting the front and back wheels is forked at the back end for con-
nection to the hind wheel, and is provided with a socket or head over the centre of
the front wheel. The front wheel is the steering wheel, and is connected to the
frame by an ordinary fork having a spindle within the socket or head aforesaid, and
the usual steering handles. The front end of the frame beyond the socket or head
is curved down in front of the front wheel, and terminates in a cross bar. From a
stud at each end of the cross bar is carried a lever or link projecting backwards,
and carrying a foot plate or treadle. Each lever or link is jointed at its back end
to a connecting rod, which passes up from thence to one of a pair of cranks on the
hind axle. The cranks are set opposite to one another in the usual manner.
It will now readily be seen that the above-described method of propulsion is
applicable also to tricycles and to four-wheeled vehicles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Law and Thomas Law in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1878.
JOSEPH LAW, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Gunsmith, and THOMAS
LAW, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Gunsmith. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VELOCIPEDES."
Our improvements refer more especially to bicycles, but are in part applicable also
to tricycles and four-wheeled velocipedes.
We will first describe our Invention as applied to a bicycle:-The seat or saddle
is placed over the smaller wheel, which runs in front. The sent being thus kept
low down the machine is easily balanced by the rider, and the danger of falling
reduced. The hind wheel, which is the driving wheel, is the larger of the two, and
runs in bearings at the back end of the frame. The frame connecting the front and
back wheels is forked at the back end for connection to the hind wheel, and is pro-
vided with a socket or head over the centre of the front wheel. The front wheel is
the steering wheel, and is connected to the frame by an ordinary fork having a
spindle within the socket or head aforesaid, and the usual steering handles; or, in
case of using a Stanley" head, the backbone or frame is carried through the head.
The front end of the frame beyond the socket or head is curved down in front of
the front wheel, and terminates in a cross bar. From a stud at each end of the
cross bar is carried a lever or link projecting backwards, and carrying a foot plate
or treadle. Each lever or link is jointed at its back end to a connecting rod, which
passes up from thence to one of a pair of cranks on the hind axle. The cranks are
set opposite to one another in the usual manner.
The mechanism described for propelling the bicycle is adaptable also to tricycles
and to four-wheeled velocipedes.
Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, we will now describe the
manner of performing the same, with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of our improved construction of
bicycle.
A is the front wheel; B, the hind wheel; C, the saddle; D, D, the frame; E, the
front fork; F, the cross bar at the front end of the frame D, D; G, G, the levers or
links; H, H, the connecting rods; J, J, the cranks set at opposite centres. The
lever, connecting rod, and crank on the opposite side of the machine are shewn by
broken lines in the elevation. K (Figure 1) is a treadle connected to the lever G
by means of a hinged joint R, as shewn, to allow of a forward and backward move-
ment, the said joint being formed with shoulders or stops to prevent the treadle
from falling into an inconvenient position forwards or backwards. The connecting
rods H, H, are jointed to the back ends of the levers G, G, at the points a, a,. The
treadle to the lever on the opposite side of the machine is omitted in the clevation
to avoid complication, but both treadles K, K, are shown on plan.
The machine is shewn with a "Stanley" head, and the frame D, D, passes right
through the head. The frame D, D, is forked to pass along each side of the hind
wheel, and the back end of the saddle spring is forked to bear on the forked part of
the frame. The levers G, G, have their fulcrum at the ends of the cross bar F.
M is a guard to prevent the rider from being splashed with dirt from the hind
wheel.
The method of propelling the machine will now bo readily understood. The
levers G, G, are vibrated through the medium of the treadles, and thus actuate the
cranks, and consequently the hind wheel, through the medium of the connecting
rods H, H. The steering handles L are in the usual position relative to the saddle.
The adaptation of the propelling mechanism, as described and illustrated, to
tricycles and to four-wheeled velocipedes will now be sufficiently obvious without
need for special illustration.

page_text: Having thus stated the nature of our said Invention, and described the method
of performing the same, we declare that we do not limit ourselves to the exact
details as shewn, as such may be varied without departing from the nature of our
Invention, but what we claim as our Invention, and desire to secure by Letters
Patent is,-
1st. The improved construction of safety bicycle having the driving wheel actuated
by means of the levers G, G, and connecting rods H, H, substantially as herein
described, and illustrated by the Drawings.
2nd. The adaptation of the propelling mechanism described to tricycles and to
four-wheeled vehicles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Law, for myself and on behalf of
the said Joseph Law, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day
of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
eight
Witness,
HENRY CHILTON,
Clerk to Stephen Watkins, Assoc. Inst. C.E.,
Patent Offico,
Wolverhampton.
THOMAS LAW. (L.S.)