Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1887
Complete Left, 18th Feb., 1888
Complete Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1888
I LOUIS CLÉMENT BOURGAIE of 50 Boulevard du Temple, Paris France, Manu-
facturer of Travelling Requisites, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in mechanical hobby-horses, roundabouts,
velocipedes, and the like; and consists in particular combinations of connecting rods
and cranks, whereby the propulsion of the vehicle is effected by a to and fro rocking
motion of the riders' body.
The Invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings;
figure 1 of which shews the principle as applied to a hobby horse, and in figure 2 as
applied to a horse velocipede.
Referring to figure 1, the saddle a is carried upon a rocking bar b pivoted at i upon
a strutted frame g h and connected near its opposite ends by connecting rods c d to
cranks ef on the axles of the front and hind wheels respectively. The forward or
backward inclination of the riders' body and the consequent shifting of the centre of
gravity produces a rocking motion of bar b upon its centre i whereby the
vehicle is propelled through the agency of the said cranks and connecting rods. To
the frame g is jointed at & on a vertical axis, the front or steering wheel fork which is
controlled by means of the steering handle j. are stirrups which serve as points of
resistance for the feet, to facilitate rocking the body backwards and forwards.
Such is the principle of the Invention as applied to the propulsion of velocipedes,
for example. In the case of roundabouts, although the mode of propulsion would
remain the same, the arrangement would be modified. For instance, the whole of the
vehicles would be connected together, and be each supported upon a single wheel
running upon the circular track, while the steering handle ; would serve only as a
hand-hold to facilitate the rocking movement of the body.
For mechanical toy-horses, the arrangement shewn in figure 2 is preferred, in which
the horse a is caused to rock upon an arm b of the frame c which is forked at its rear
end d to form bearings for the axle e of the hind wheels, and provided at its front end
with a socket ƒ for the steering wheel fork p of the steering wheel i. The frame c also
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page_text: has a downwardly projecting arm ; to which is jointed a treadle k. The horse is
connected by a connecting rod to the crank m of driving axle e to which the
treadle k is also connected by connecting rod n. The vehicle is propelled by alternately
acting on the connecting rods 1 n.
When applied for propelling a velocipede, a saddle bar would be substituted for the
horse.
L. C. BOURGAIE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.
Velocipedes, and the like.
I, LOUIS CLÉMENT BOURGAIE of 50, Boulevard du Temple, Paris, Franco, Manu-
facturer of Travelling Kequisites, 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:-
This Invention relates to improvements in mechanical hobby-horses, roundabouts,
velocipedes, and the like; and consists in particular combinations of connecting rods
and cranks, whereby the propulsion of the vehicle is effected by a to and fro rocking
motion of the rider's body.
The Invention is illustrated by way of example, in the drawings left with the pro-
visional specification, and also in the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 shews the
principle as applied to a hobby horse, and figure 2 as applied to a horse-velocipede.
Referring to figure 1, the saddlo a is carried upon a rocking bar 6 pivoted at i upon
a strutted frame g h and connected near its opposite ends by connecting rods c d to
cranks e on the axles of the front and hind wheels respectively. The forward or
backward inclination of the rider's body and the consequent shifting of the centre of
gravity produces a rocking motion of the bar & upon its centre i whereby the vehicle
is propelled through the agency of the said cranks and connecting rods. To the
frame is jointed at k on a vertical axis, the front or steering wheel fork which is

page_text: controlled by means of the steering handle j. I are stirrups which serve as points of
resistance for the fect, to facilitate rocking the body backwards and forwards.
Such is the principle of the invention as applied to the propulsion of velocipedes,
for example. In the case of roundabouts, although the mode of propulsion would
remain the same, the arrangement would be modified. For instance, the whole of the
vehicles would be connected together and be each supported upon a single wheel
running upon the circular track, while the steering handle ; would serve only as a
hand hold to facilitate the rocking movement of the body.
For mechanical hobby horses, the arrangement shewn in figure 2 is preferred, in
which the horse a is caused to rock upon an arm of the frame c which is forked at
its rear end d to form bearings for the axle e of the hind wheels and provided at its
front end with a socket f for the steering wheel fork p of the steering wheel i. The
frame c also has a downwardly projecting arm; to which is jointed a treadle k. The
horse is connected by a connecting rod to the crank m of driving axle e to which
the treadle k is also connected by connecting rod n. The vehicle is propelled by
alternately acting on the connecting rods In by the rocking movement of the rider
and horse.
When applied for propelling a velocipede, a saddle bar would be substituted for the
horse.
The mechanism for propelling the mechanical horse may be contained within a
cavity in the horse's body, so as to conceal it and protect it from accident. Figure 3
shews a side elevation of this arrangement and figure 4 a plan of the mechanism.
In figure 3, the several parts constituting the propelling mechanism are shewn in
the respective positions they occupy when the rider's feet are pressed on the stirrups a
for raising the connecting rod b through the levers cc, this movement being obtained
by pivoting the horse to the bar or strut g at d and pivoting the levers c c to the bar
at, the short ends of the levers having an upward bearing against the horse at c.
By pressure on the stirrups, the levers c c raise the hind part of the horse, until the
crank g of the hind wheel axle h arrives at its highest dead point, whereupon the
inclination of the rider's body reverses the movement of the connecting rod and
completes the cycle of the crank g¹. The motion is thus imparted to the crank
alternately by pressure on the stirrups and by the shifting of the centre of gravity of
the rider's body.
The levers cc may be dispensed with, in which case the horse pivoted at a suitable
point to the bar g would be rocked directly by the pressure of the feet upon stirrups
fixed to the horse at such distance from the pivot as to afford the necessary leverage.
The handles of the steerer k may be dispensed with, and the horse's head be
jointed so as to cause it to act on the fork of the steering wheel m by means of
reins, handles, or otherwise.
I may also employ a single connecting rod in combination with a treadle lever fixed
to the horse, whereby continuous rotary motion is imparted to the wheels of the
vehicle without any dead point. Figure 5 is an elevation, and figure 6 a plan, of such
an arrangement. In this case, the horse a or saddle support is attached to the con-
necting rod band also to the treadle lever c which is pivoted at d on bar e in such
manner that, the principle remaining the same, the horse receives to and fro longi-
tudinal motion at same time that the oscillation is produced by the different positions
of the connecting rod on the crank, which two combined movements enable a single
connecting rod to be employed without any dead point. Thus, supposing the con-
necting rod to be in the position represented in figure 5, the horse will have nearly
completed its backward longitudinal movement at same time that the connecting rod
has caused the crank to make half a revolution by the backward movement of the
rider. During this time, the treadle lever has assumed such an inclined position as
to be ready to be again acted on by the feet with considerable leverage before the
connecting rod attains a completely vertical position; the vehicle being in this
manner propelled by the action of the feet before the dead point is reached both in
the upward and downward movement. The point of attachment of the treadle lever
is represented as fixed but it may be jointed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
The herein described construction of mechanical hobby-horses or velocipedes in
which the propulsion of the vehicle is effected by the backward shifting of the weight
of the rider's body alternately with the pressure on treadles both acting upon the
crank axle so as together to produce a complete revolution of the hind wheels ;-
(a) As shewn in figure 1, wherein a rocking saddle bar b actuates the driving
cranks through connecting rods e d, in the one direction by the backward motion of
the rider's body and in the other direction by pressure on the stirrups / attached to
the bar b, as specified; or
(b) As shewn in figure 2, wherein a rocking saddle bar or horse a is caused by
the backward inclination of the rider to produce half revolution of the crank on
the hind wheel axle, the other half revolution being produced by pressure upon a
treadle connected with the same driving crank, as described; or
(c) As shewn in figures 3 and 4, wherein a rocking horse or saddle bar is moved
in one direction by the backward inclination of the rider's body, so as to produce a
half revolution of the crank on the hind wheel axle and in the opposite direction so
as to complete the revolution of the crank by pressure on the stirrups a acting on
one or a pair of levers c, as described; or
(d) As represented in figures 5 and 6 in which a horse or saddle bar a carried by
a treadlo lever c rocking on a centre d on the frame e, is caused by the backward
inclination of the rider, to produce a half revolution of the driving crank, the
revolution being completed by pressure upon the end of the treadle lover c, as
described.
1
L
P 11
1000