Improvements in water Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1897--Accepted, 21st Aug.,
1897
Improvements in water Bicycles.
I, CHARLES LEMUEL KNEPPER, Laborer, of Bluffton, in the County of Wells,
State of Indiana, United States of America, 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 has relation to improvements in water bicycles, and the object is
to provide a simple, convenient and effective device of this kind. To this end
the novelty consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of the
same as will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in
the claims.
In the accompanying drawings the same reference numerials indicate the same
parts of the invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved water bicycle;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;
Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the handle-bar and steering post;
Figure 4 is a plan view of the steering post clamp;
Figure 5 is a detail of the main sprocket wheel; and
Figure 6 is a top plan view of the same.
1 represents an air-tight sheet metal cylinder provided with a longitudinal
shaft 2, the outer ends of which are journaled in the brackets 3-3 connected at
their upper ends by the transverse braces 4, 4.
5 represents a vertical post arising from the brace 4', and upon it is mounted
a tube 6, on the upper end of which is mounted the usual handle-bar 7. 8 repre-
sents a horizontal connecting rod pivoted at its rear end to a lateral arm 8 on
the lower end of the tube 6, so as to be operated by the handle-bar, and its front
and is pivoted to the outer end of an arm 10 secured to the upper end of a vertical
steering post 12. The lower end of this steering post 12 is provided with a for-
warul-projecting rudder 13, which is conveniently manipulated by the handle-
bar, as above described.
14 is a lever mounted on a shaft 15 journaled in brackets 16-16 secured to the
tube 6, its grip or handle 17 extending to within convenient reach of the right
hand grip of the handle-bar, and the lower end of the shaft 15 is provided with a
short cross-bar 18, extending between the arms 19-19 of a clamp 20, the semi-
circular jaws 21-21 of which embrace the steering tube 6.
The arms 19 19 are connected by a stout spring 22, which serves to compress
the jaws 21-21 on the tube 6 and hold it rigidly in position, but when the end
of the lever 14 is pressed in towards the handle-bar, the cross-bar 18 opens the
arms 19-19 of the clamp 20 and releases the steering tube, so that the rudder may
be manipulated to direct the course of the craft. When the lever 14 is released,
the spring 22 forces the jaws 21-21 together to clamp the steering tube and hold
the rudder in a fixed position.
23 represents the air-tight cylinder, the shaft 24 of which is journaled in the
brackets 25-25, which are connected at their upper ends by transverse

page_text: braces 26 26, which are bolted to the frame 27, the forward end of which is
connected in the usual manner to the front braces 4-4¹.
The cylinders 1 and 23 are provided with longitudinal fins or blades 28, and
sprocket wheels 29-29. which carry the sprocket chain 30.
A crank shaft 31 is mounted in a bracket 40 secured to the frame 27, and it is
provided with the usual pedals 3232 and a sprocket wheel 33, which engages
the sprocket chain and serves to propel the craft. 34 represents the usual adjustable
seat, mounted on the standard 35 secured to the forward end of the bracket 36
connected to the frame.
37 37 represent friction rollers mounted on studs 38-38, secured to vertical
arms 39 39 on the brackets 40, and their office is to keep the upper line of the
sprocket chain in engagement with the sprocket wheel 33.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A water bicycle comprising the air-tight cylinders and means substantially
as described for propelling the same, in combination with the rudder, its shaft,
the connecting rod, and the handle bar, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. A water bicycle comprising the air-tight cylinders and means for rotating
the same, in combination with the rudder, the lever 14, and the clamp 20, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. A water bicycle comprising the frame 27, the brackets 25 depending there-
from, a forwardly projecting horizontal bracket 36 secured to the rear portion of
said frame, the standard 35 and seat 34 secured in said bracket 36, the air-tight
cylinder 23 provided with the blades 28 and shaft 24 journaled
in the brackets 25, the sprocket wheel 29 mounted on said shaft,
in combination with the crank shaft 31 the sprocket wheel 33, and the friction
rollers 37, the depending brackets 3-3 secured to the front end of the frame, the
air-tight cylinder 1 provided with blades 28 mounted on the shaft 2 and journaled
in said brackets 3-3, the sprocket wheel 29 mounted on said shaft 2, the sprocket
chain 30 in operative engagement with said sprocket wheels on the cylinders and
crank shaft, and the rudder 13 mounted in the forward end of the frame on the
post 12, the lateral arm 81 secured to said post, the vertical post 5, the tube 6
mounted on said post and provided at its upper end with the handle bar 7, a
lateral arm 8 fixed on said tube 6, and the connecting rod 8 connecting the
arms 8 and 10, substantially as shown and described.
11
001
er
1007
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London W.C., Agents.