AN IMPROVED FORM OF BICYCLE TO CARRY TWO RIDERS
Year: 1884

page_text: ANIV110
I MARTIN DIEDERICK RUCKER of Letchfords Buildings Bethnal Green in the
County of Middlesex, Bicycle & Tricycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVED FORM OF BICYCLE TO CARRY
TWO RIDERS," to be as follows:-
"
In the existing forms of Bicycles to carry two riders, known as Tandem "
bicycles, each rider drives & steers a wheel, so that both the wheels are driving
& steering wheels. Machines constructed on this principle have not been a great
success owing to the difficulty experienced in steering them, as it will be apparent
that there must be unity of action, within certain limits, on the part of both riders.
To get over this objection I construct my bicycle with but one driving wheel,
& I mount the riders so that both may drive on to it, & so that the steering is
entirely controlled by one of the riders.
I construct my bicycle as follows;-I take a bicycle of the ordinary pattern
& complete in every respect, except with regards to the position of the seat, handles,
& pedals; To the front of the head I fix a light tube which is bent to follow the
curve of the driving wheel for about one quarter of its diameter & then it curves
slightly forward & terminates with a small safety wheel, about 4 ins clear of the
ground. Mounted on this tube, which I call a frontbone in contradistinction to
the backbone, is a seat for the front rider. The rear rider sits on a seat on the
backbone as on an ordinary bicycle, but 6 or 8 inches further back, so as to
counteract the extra weight in front.
In place of the usual bandles at the end of the transverse handle bar, I fix on to
each end of the transverse bar a short longitudinal bar running fore & aft of it,
& provided at each end with handles, those in front of the head of the machine
being for the front rider, & those behind it for the rear rider.
It will be understood that the front rider has no control over the steering as his
seat & handles are rigid with that part of the frame which moves with the driving
wheel.
The ends of the fork carrying the bearings for the driving wheel, are each
prolonged below the axle in the shape of an inverted Y, forming a fork fore & aft
of the centre of the driving wheel; from the ends of these forks light stay rods
run out to the frontbone, so as to brace them together. Fitted to the ends of these
forks are short axles running in suitable bearings. Each of these axles is fitted

page_text: with a crank at its outer end.
The two cranks fitted to the short axles on each
side of the machine are connected to the cranks on the axle of the driving wheel
& also to each other by connecting rods, so that on each side of the machine there
are three cranks: connected by three connecting rods; as the cranks on the axle of
the driving wheel are fixed to it, it follows that all the cranks work synchroniously
notwithstanding that the pair of cranks, on the short axles, on each side of the
machine are not connected with those on the other side by through axles.
The cranks are mounted so as to be immediately under the riders & are fitted
with suitable pedals.
Instead of communicating the motion from the pedal axles to the axle of the
driving wheel by. cranks & connecting rods, I sometimes use chain wheels & chains
or trains of spur wheels. The advantage of either of these arrangements is that
the driving wheel may be geared up or down to suit various requirements.
It will be obvious that any bicycle of the ordinary type may be easily altered
into a machine as hereinbefore described so as to carry an extra rider.
The advantages I claim for this machine are;-First:-Lightness, as it is
undoubtedly the lightest machine yet made to carry two riders. Secondly:-
Safety, as by the use of small driving wheels tho riders feet may be kept close to
the ground. Thirdly:-Ease of propulsion, as the weight of the riders is so
balanced over the driving wheel that if only one rider is working the weight of
the extra rider is scarcely felt. Fourthly:-The steering being under the control
of one rider, no unity of thought or action is necessary between them.

page_text: I MARTIN DIEDERICH RUCKER of Letchford's Buildings Bethnal Green in the
County of Middlesex, Bicycle and Tricycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention for "AN IMPROVED. FORM. OF BICYCLE TO CARRY TWO
RIDERS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
In the existing forms of Bicycles to carry two riders, known as
"Tandem"
bicycles each rider drives and steers a wheel, so that both the wheels are driving
and steering wheels. Machines constructed on this principle have not been a great
success owing to the difficulty experienced in steering them, as it will be apparent
that there must be unity of action within certain limits, on the part of both riders.
To get over this objection I construct my bicycle with but one driving wheel and
I mount the riders so that both may drive on to it and so that the steering is
entirely controlled by one of the riders.
I construct my bicycle as follows:-I take a bicycle of the ordinary pattern and
complete in every respect except with regards to the position of the seat, handles
and pedals. To the front of the head I fix a light tube which is bent to follow the
curve of the driving wheel for about one quarter of its diameter and then curves
slightly forward and terminates with a small safety wheel, about 4 ins. clear of the
ground. Mounted on this tube, which I call a frontbone in contradistinction to the
backbone, is a seat for the front rider. The rear rider sits on a seat on the back-
bone as on an ordinary bicycle but 6 or 8 inches further back so as to counteract
the extra weight in front.
In place of the usual handles at the end of transverse handle bar, I fix on to each
end of the transverse bar a short longitudinal bar running fore and aft of it and
provided at each end with handles, those in front of the head of the machine being
for the front rider and those behind it for the rear rider.
It will be understood that the front rider has no control over the steering as his
seat and handles are rigid with that part of the frame which moves with the
driving wheel.
The ends of the fork carrying the bearings for the driving wheel are each
prolonged below the axle in the shape of an inverted Y, forming a fork fore and aft
of the centre of the driving wheel, from the ends of these forks light stay rods run
out to the frontbone, so as to brace them together. Fitted to the ends of these
forks are short axles running in suitable bearings. Each of these axles is fitted
with a crank at its outer end. The two cranks fitted to the short axles on each
side of the machine are connected to the cranks on the axle of the driving wheel
and also to each other by connecting rods so that on each side of the machine there
are three cranks connected by three connecting rods. As the cranks on the axle of
the driving wheel are fixed to it, it follows that all the cranks work synchroniously
notwithstanding that the pair of cranks. on the short axles on each side of the
machine are not connected with those on the other side by through axles,

page_text: The cranks are mounted so as to be immediately under the riders and are fitted
with suitable pedals.
Instead of communicating the motion from the pedal axles to the axle of the
driving wheel by cranks and connecting rods I sometimes use chain wheels and
chains, or trains of spur wheels. The advantage of either of these arrangements is
that the driving wheel may be geared up or down to suit various requirements.
It will be obvious that any bicycle of the ordinary type may be easily altered
into a machine as herein before described so as to carry an extra rider.
In order that I may be fully understood I will more particularly describe my
invention with the aid of the accompanying drawings on which corresponding parts
are marked with like letters of reference.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings Fig 1 is a side elevation of my tandem
bicycle driven by connecting rods and Fig 2 is a side elevation of the machine
driven by chains; the spokes of the wheels are not shown to ensure distinctness
A is the seat for the rear rider and A' the seat for the front rider. B, B are the
pedals operated by the rear rider and B B¹ those for the front rider. The handles
for the rear rider are shown at C and those for the front rider at C. Motion is
communicated from the pedal axles D and D1 to the axle of the driving wheel
either by connecting rods a. a etc. as shown by Fig 1. or by chains a. a etc. as
shown by Fig 2. I prefer to use the latter arrangement as it permits of the
driving wheel being geared up or down to suit various requirements. In driving
by chains I prefer to use an independent chain for each pedal axle, so that each
rider drives direct on to the axle of the driving wheel, though it is within the
scope of my invention to use but one chain on each side of the machine passing
round the three chain wheels, or to transmit the motion of the pedal axles to the
driving wheel by any other method found suitable or convenient.
As transmitting the motion of the pedal axles to the axle of the driving wheel
by connecting rods as shown by Fig 1., does not permit of the wheel being geared
up, it is necessary to use a large driving wheel, I therefore fit a frontbone Y on to
the frame carrying the driving wheel and mount a small castor wheel Z at the end
of it, and connect the front bone with the prolongations of the fork of the driving
wheel by light stay rods y.
It will be seen that the handles C and C₁are both carried from the head of the
machine and that therefore the front rider has no control over the steering, if
however it is found desirable that he should have, I connect the handles C¹ to the
neck of the backbone and curve them round into the desired position. I also
sometimes in machines constructed as shown by Fig 1, connect the small front
wheel with the steering so that when it is in contact with the ground the machine
may be controlled by its action. By mounting the small front wheel on a spring
or springs it may always be in contact with the ground if found desirable, as the
spring or springs will allow the three wheels to accommodate themselves to the
inequalities of the ground.
It will be seen that these machines are easily converted into single machines "by
disconnecting the chains or connecting rods of the front pedal axle and removing
the pedal axle bearings from the prolongations of the fork and also removing
the saddle and auxiliary handles; the machine will then be an ordinary "Safety
bicycle,
The advantages I claim for this. machine are; First.-lightness, as it is
undoubtedly the lightest machine yet made to carry two riders. Secondly.-
Safety, as by the use of a small 'driving wheel the rider's feet may be kept close to
the ground. Thirdly.-Ease of propulsion, as the weight of the riders is so
balanced over the driving wheel that if only one rider is working the weight of
the extra rider is scarcely felt. Fourthly.-The steering being under the control
of one rider, no unity of thought or action is necessary between them.
All the parts of the machine to which special reference has not been made are of
the usual construction and throughout my invention I do not bind myself to any
particular detail of construction.

page_text: 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
First. A bicycle constructed as and for the purpose herein before described and
shown by Figs 1. & 2.
Secondly. A tandem bicycle with one driving wheel, to carry two riders cach or
both of whom may assist in the propulsion of the machine.
Thirdly. A tandem bicycle with one driving wheel and one or two steering
wheels controlled by one of the riders.
Dated this 9th day of February 1885.
ROBT, E. D. PHİLLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
1000.
ROBT, E. D. PHİLLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.