IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles George Virgo, Gentleman, and Abraham Akeroyd,
Importer, both of Bradford, in the County of York, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PURPOSES."
Sealed the 22nd September 1877, and dated the 4th April 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles George Virgo and
Abraham Akeroyd at the Office of the Commissioners of Patouts on the 4th
April 1877.
CHARLES GEORGE VIRGO, Gentleman, and ABRAHAM AKEROYD, Importer, both
of Bradford, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES,
VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PUR-
POSES.
"
Our Invention relates to an improved construction of bicycles and tricycles,
velocipedes, whereby may be obtained the full development and utilization of the
power of the hands and feet combined, giving increased speed. The steering of the
apparatus to the right or left is effected by a backward and side movement of the
rider.
For this purpose the apparatus is constructed with single or double driving
wheels, which are fitted to bearers fixed or formed on a frame on which is fixed the
seat or saddle; the rider faces the driving wheel or wheels. The frame of a bicycle
is made in front with turned arms, having on or near the centre bosses in which
works the driving wheel shaft; the top curved parts of the frame are also mado
with bosses which pass the outside of the driving wheel towards the rider. In
these bosses is fitted a stud on which are fitted cranks keyed or fixed in opposite
positions, and near the bottom part of the curved frames are formed bosses having
also studs on which are keyed or fixed cranks also in opposite positions; these
cranks are connected to curved levers which are actuated by the hands and feet,
producing an excentric motion actuating the driving wheel. On the end of the
top cranks are fitted handles for the hands, and on the bottom cranks are fitted

page_text: shoes for the feet; the contro parts of the curved levers are made circular to give
more bearing to the crank pins.
At the back of the rider and saddle is fitted a standard to which is fitted cross
levers, having pads which fit the back of the rider, who, by pressing his body either
to the right or left, causes the cross levers to move sideways, actuating connecting
rods fitted to a cross shaft fixed on the end of the frame of the steering wheel or
wheels, causing the wheel or wheels to turn either right or left. On the frame is
fitted a kind of light umbrella frame covered with any suitable material to cover
the rider when required; this frame is made to overlap in sections, and the sections
are fitted with elastic contractors to ensure neat self-folding when closed; all the
parts are under the control of the rider without leaving his seat.
The tricycle velocipedes are made with the frame inside the driving wheels, and
the frame may be curved round, having two separate curved lever hand-and-foot
motions, or the motions can be, as herein-before described, for bicycle velocipedes.
The steering apparatus is also similar, and has a covering fitted in a similar
manner to that herein-before described.
We may employ instead of the curved lever hand-and-fect motions, which
actuate the cranks and driving wheel or wheels, drums and endless bands, rollers, or
wheels.
The felloes of the wheels are made shaped of rolled iron or steel, in which are
fitted small india-rubber balls, and between the balls are fitted pieces of small round
india-rubber, which keep the balls in position and fill up the spaces between the
balls, producing smooth and slightly yielding motions; the spokes of the wheels
are made of steel, curved and tapering from the boss, and are connected at the
outer ends to the rim of the wheel by means of tension rods.
The driving apparatus, herein-before described, can be successfully employed for
propelling and guiding boats, the paddlo wheels replacing the driving wheels of the
velocipedes.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles George Virgo and Abraham Akeroyd in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 1st October 1877.
•
CHARLES GEORGE VIRGO, Gentleman, and ABRAHAM AKEROYD, Importer, both
of Bradford, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES,
VELOCIPEDES, PARTS OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE APPLICABLE TO OTHER PUR-
POSES."
The said Invention relates to improved construction of bicycles and tricycles,
velocipedes, whereby may be obtained the full development and utilization of the
power of the hands and feet combined, giving increased speed. The steering of the
vehicle or apparatus to the right or left is effected by a backward and side move-
ment of the rider.
For this purpose the vehicle or apparatus is constructed with single or double
driving wheels, which are fitted to bearers fixed or formed on a frame on which is
fixed the seat or saddle; the rider faces the driving wheel or wheels. The frame of
a bicycle is made in front with turned arms, having on or near the centre bosses
in which works the driving wheel shaft; the top curved parts of the frame are also
made with bosses, which pass the outside of the driving wheel towards the rider.
In these bosses is fitted a stud on which are fitted cranks keyed or fixed in opposite
positions, and near the bottom part of the curved frames are formed bosses having
also studs on which are keyed or fixed cranks, also in opposite positions; these
cranks are connected to rods or levers which are actuated by the hands and feet,
producing an excentric motion actuating the driving wheel. On the end of the top

page_text: cranks are fitted handles for the hands, and on the bottom cranks are fitted treadles
for the feet.
At the back of the rider and saddle is fitted a standard to which are fitted
rods or levers having a pad which fits the back of the rider, who, by pressing his
body either to the right or left, causes the lovers or rods to move sideways, actuating
connecting rods fitted to a cross bar fixed on the end of the frame of the steering
wheel or wheels, causing the wheel or wheels to turn either right or left. On the
frame is fitted a kind of light umbrella frame covered with any suitable material to
cover the rider when required; this frame is made to overlap in sections, and the
sections are fitted with elastic contractors to ensure neat self-folding when closed;
all the parts are under the control of the rider without leaving his soat.
The tricycle velocipedes are made with the frame inside the driving wheels, and
the frame may be curved round, having two separate curved lever hand-and-foot
motions, or the motion can be, as herein-before described, for bicycle velocipedes ;
the steering apparatus is also similar.
We may employ instead of the curved lever hand-and-feet motions, which actuate
the cranks and driving wheel or wheels, drums and endless bands, rollers, wheels, or
stirrups.
The felloes of the wheels are made shaped of rolled iron or steel, in which are
fitted small india-rubber balls, and between the balls aro fitted small round india-
rubber rings which keep the balls in position and fill up the spaces between the
balls, producing a smooth and slightly yeilding motion.
The driving apparatus, herein-before described, can be successfully employed for
propelling and guiding boats, the paddle wheels replacing the driving wheels of the
velocipedos.
But in order to enable our improvements to be better understood, we will
proceed to more particularly describe the same by reference to the accompanying
Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a perspective side elevation of the improved tricycle
velocipede; Figure 2, front elevation; and Figure 3, plan of the same.
Figure 4, Sheet 1, represents a sectional part of a wheel felloe; and Figure 5,
sectional front view of same.
Figure 6, Sheet 2, represents a side elevation of the improved bicycle; Figure 7,
front elevation; and Figure 8, plan of the same.
Similar letters of reference are used to represent similar parts.
The improved tricycle velocipede is constructed with frames A having bosses B and
C; through the boss B works the shaft of the driving wheel D, and through the boss
C work the ends of the crank handles E. The frames are connected together at the
top by a stay or guard F; near the centre of the curves G of the frames A are
formed bosses H and I, through which works the shaft J of the front wheel K.
Near the bottom of the curves G are formed bosses L and M, in which work the
shaft ends of the treadle cranks N. On the end of the shaft next to the driving
wheel is fitted a pulley or drum O, and on the driving wheel shaft is fitted another
pulley or drum P; over these pullies or drums works an endless band or chain Q,
which actuates the driving wheel by the feet motion, and the wheel is also driven
by the hands actuateing the cranks E, the fect working the treadle cranks N.
We may employ, instead of the endless band or chain, cranks keyed or fixed in
opposite directions connected together by rods or levers, as herein-after described
and represented in Figures 6, 7, and 8, Sheet 2, for bicycle velocipedes, or we may
employ wheels or stirrups; the stirrups are fitted to straps fastened in staples fixed
outside the handles of the top cranks E. In this case we do away with the bottom
treadle cranks N, the stirrups communicating the feet motion.
The frames A join at the back a projecting flat bar R, forming a frame on which
works the steering gear; this flat bar is bent downwards at S, and brought forward
at T, and on which is fitted the rider's seat U. Bosses V and W are formed on the

page_text: bars R and S, in which works the shaft X of the forked bearer Y of the steering
wheel Z; this wheel is turned either to the right or left by means of the pinion A¹,
which is actuated by a sector B¹ moved to the right or left by the rider's body;
the sector B is made with a lever C¹, having at the end a slotted hole, in which
works a stud or pin fitted in a boss or projection D' formed on a pad back E¹, which
fits the rider's body. On the projecting flat bar R are formed arms F', in which
are fitted pins or studs on which work steel rods G¹ and H'; these rods are fitted
to the pad back, and work on pins or studs fixed in bosses I¹. The rod ends fitted
on the pins or studs are also made with slot holes to allow the pad to work parallel.
Under the projecting arms F' are fitted spiral springs J', which are fixed to a short
rod K¹ fitted in the shaft X of the forked bearer Y, giving the necessary give-and-
take motion as the steering wheel is moved to the right or left in steering the
vehicle or apparatus, and causing the apparatus to maintain a straight course when
no movement is given to the steering apparatus by the rider.
We may employ the pad fitted with spiral springs, which work in a space left
between the pad and a bracket to which are fitted the sectors, arm, or lever, and
the steel rods. In the springs work rods which pass through bosses formed on the
bracket; these rods and springs guide the pad in moving right or left, and also the
action of the sector on the pinion of the steering wheel. The frames A. are made
with small bosses L¹, to which are fitted steel stay rods M².
The felloes N¹ are made of rolled iron or steel, in which are fitted small india-
rubber balls O¹, and between the balls are fitted small india-rubber rings P¹ to keep
the balls in position, and fill up the spaces between the balls. An opening is made
in the felloe to pass the balls and rings through, which are pushed or forced in
position; this opening is afterwards closed.
The improved bicycle or tricycle is constructed with turned-up arms Q¹, in which
works the driving wheel R'; the arms are formed with bosses S₁, in which works
the driving wheel shaft T'. On this shaft are keyed or fixed cranks U¹ fitted in
opposite positions; the top curved part of the frame or turned-up arms Q¹ is made
with a boss or bosses V, in which works a shaft W¹, and on which are fitted cranks
X fixed in opposite positions; these cranks are fitted with handles Y¹, and near
the bottom part of the turned-up arms Q' are formed or fixed brackets Z having
bosses A in which are fitted studs, and on which are fitted cranks B2, also fixed in
opposite directions. On these cranks are fitted treadles C2 for the feet; the cranks
U, X, and B are connected together by rods or levers D². The top and bottom
cranks X¹ and B are actuated by the rider's hands and feet, communicating by
means of the connecting rods motion to the cranks U₁ of the driving wheel
actuating it. The boss of the top cranks is made with a curved arm E having a
bracket on which is fitted the rider's seat G2; the turned-up arms Q₁ are made
with a curved, round, or flat bar H², turned up and flat at the top, forming the
support of the steering apparatus and bearer of the steering wheel shaft I*, on which
is formed the fork J2 of the steering wheel or wheels of the vehicle or apparatus,
as one or two wheels may be employed; a bracketed round or flat bar K is formed
on the curved bar H², having a boss L², in which works the shaft Is; a steering
apparatus similar to that herein-before described, and represented in Figures
1, 2, and 3, Sheet 1, is employed for bicycles; a guard M² is fitted over the driving
wheel.
Having thus described our improvements, and the best means we are acquainted
with for carrying the same into effect, we would have it understood that we do not
confine ourselves to the precise details shewn and described, as they may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of the Invention; but what we do
claim is,
Firstly. The general arrangement, construction, and employment of bicycle and
tricycle velocipedes, whereby the full development and utilization of the power of
the hands and feet combined are obtained, substantially as herein-before described,
and represented in the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: Secondly. The method and means of steering a velocipede to the right or left by
the movement of the body of the rider, substantially as herein-before described,
and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. The employment of india-rubber balls and rings and
felloes, substantially as described and represented in the Drawings.
☐ shaped
In witness whereof, we, the said Charles George Virgo and Abraham Akeroyd,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-eighth day of Sep-
tember, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
SAVOU
Witness,
WALTER JAS. TURNER, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Bradford.
CHARLES GEORGE VIRGO. (L.S.)
ABRAHAM AKEROYD.
(L.S.)