IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM THOMAS EADES of John Bright Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRICYCLES, to be as follows:-
In constructing a Tricycle according to my Invention, I place the driving wheel
behind, and the two other wheels on an axle parallel to each other in front. This
axle has a Socket at its centre, into which is fitted a joint of a tube frame, which
is forked at its other end, and has two bearings to take Spindle of driving wheel.
This driving wheel is driven by chain or other gear, carried from a counter shaft
fitted with pedals, working in bearings fastened to frame or in other suitable
manner. From the axle are extended upwards, at either end, two guiding handles,
which enables the rider to guide the Tricycle in any required direction.
Although I am aware that a Tricycle has been made before, having the bind
wheel driver, and guiding by the front wheels. It has been done by causing the
wheels to turn on their own centres, which prevents large size wheels being used
and by that method, the course run by the tricycle is not true.
The principal points of my Invention are as follows:―
The combination of a system of guiding a Tricycle by means of two front wheels
as hereinbefore described which are driven by means of the hind wheel and also
the guide handles being fixed to the ends of the tube, so as to enable the rider to
dismount in front of the Tricycle.
Dated this first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and eighty-four.

page_text: "
I WILLIAM THOMAS EADES of John Bright Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TRICYCLES" and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My invention has reference to Tricycles or Velocipedes, in which the machine is
driven from the hind wheel, which constitutes the driving wheel by which the said
machine is propelled.
In constructing a Tricycle according to my said invention, I place a single driving
wheel behind two front wheels, which run upon the ends of a cross axle, so that
the wheels run parallel to each other--and constitute the guiding or steering wheels
of the Machine.
The cross axle of the two front wheels is provided with a sten joint at its centre
commonly called a pillar joint, on to which is fitted a socket situated on the end of
the tubular frame, which is forked at its other end; the said forks terminating in
bearings to take the spindle or axle of the driving wheel-This driving wheel is
driven by chain or other suitable gear, carried from the counter or pedal shaft fitted
with pedals, and working in bearings hanging from the underside of the frame-
From and rigidly connected to the cross axle of the two front wheels described;
guiding or steering handles extend upwards, which enables the driver to guide the
Tricycle in any required direction-The machine is provided with a brake worked
by the foot consisting of a jointed lèver on the one end is a tread, while at the
other end is a spoon brake, which acts upon the periphery of the driving wheel.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevations, figure 2 a plan, and figure 3 represents a
front end view of a Tricycle constructed according to my invention-The said
figure 3 represents partly in section the pillar bearing centre affixed to the middle
of the cross framing carrying the spindles or axles of the guiding wheels-Figure 4
shows a section of the joint separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
Drawings.
a is the driving wheel and b, b, the steering or guiding wheels, which are parallel
to each other, and are situated and rotate on the ends of spindles b², 62, supported
by the cross axle c, tle said cross axle is provided with a pillar or joint axis c²,
upon which the socket or sleeve bearing d2 of the frame & takes-The body or
frame is provided with forked terminations d³, d³, which are fitted at their ends with
bearings, carrying the spindle or axis e of the driving wheel a―The driving wheel
a is driven by chain gearing f, carried from the pedal or countershaft g-h, h, are
the pedals and i the hanging bracket which supports the pedal or crank axis g-
j is the brake and is the tread of the same operated by the foot of the rider-
The hanging bracket which supports the crank or treadle axis g is jointed at P, so
as to allow the driving chain to be adjusted on the stretching or refixing of the
chain to the chain wheel -, is the pillar for supporting the seat which stands
from the central framing d-m, m, are the rigid handles situated on either side the
machine which stand upward from the axle c.
In riding a machine the rider operates the treadles h, h, which communicate
motion through the chain wheel and chain f to the driving wheel a, and so

page_text: propelling the the machine forward which continues in a right line, so long as the
axle c is at right angles to the framing d but on the rider swivelling or turning
axle c upon its joint or pivot by the rigid handles m, m, the track of machine is
changed from a right to a curvilinear course, and remains in that direction so long
as the axle carrying the guiding wheels is kept at an angle with the central
framing d or driving wheel a by the handles m, m.
I am aware that velocipedes have been made having the hind wheel driven, and
guiding by the front wheels; this has been done by causing the guiding wheels to
turn on their own centre, which prevents large steering wheels being used, and the
course run by such machines is not true.
Having now described the nature of my invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
First The improvements in Velocipedes herein before described and illustrated
in figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings; that is to say, the principle
or system of guiding a velocipede by means of two front wheels, the machine of
which is driven by the hind wheel; the guiding or steering handles being rigidly
affixed to the cross framing carrying the front wheels, and are arranged on either
side of the machine; so as to enable the rider to both steer and mount and
dismount in front, the parts being constructed, arranged and operating in the way,
as described and illustrated.
Secondly: The general arrangement or combination of the parts of velocipedes
herein before described and illustrated in the several figures of the Drawings.
Dated this twentyfifth day of September 1884.
WILLIAM THOMAS EADES.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham,
Agent to the Applicant.
WILLIAM THOMAS EADES.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham,
Agent to the Applicant.