IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, AND A METHOD OF CONVERTING BICYCLES INTO TRICYCLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George John Theodore Barrett, of 14, Gray's Inn Square,
in the County of Middlesex, Solicitor, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, AND A METHOD OF CONVERTING BICYCLES
INTO TRICYCLES.
(loid by reason of the Patentee having neglected to file a Specification in
pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George John Theodore
Barrett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th July
1881.
GEORGE JOHN THEODORE BARRETT, of 14, Gray's Inn Square, in the County
of Middlesex, Solicitor. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, AND A
METHOD OF CONVERTING BICYCLES INTO TRICYCLES."
This Invention relates, firstly, to the method of attaching the saddles of bicycles
and tricycles to the spring, which I effect by means of one or more hinges or two
or more ball and socket joints, one in front of the other, or by a rod turning in
two or more eyes or bearings, or by causing the saddle to rest on
springs placed transversely to the main spring, or by any of these methods in
combination, so as to allow of the saddle having a slight side movement to the
right or left of the rider.
one or more
Secondly. To the application of a sun and planet motion to the cranks of bicycles
and tricycles. The sun wheel is rigidly fixed to the axle of the driving wheel
and the planet wheel is similarly attached to the treadle axle. The said sun and
planet wheels are kept in contact by connecting bars freely turning on the axle of
the driving wheel and the axis of the treadle. The contact surfaces or peripheries
of such sun and planet wheels may be either toothed or coated with india rubber
or other suitable substance whose co-efficient of friction is large. The sun and
planet wheels are enclosed in a box or casing for protection. The planet wheel may
be removed and the sun wheel fixed to the rods connecting with the treadle when
01

page_text: the machine may be operated as with an ordinary crank. The treadle is longer
from before backward than is usually the case.
Thirdly. To an attachment to the fork of ordinary bicycles on each side thereof,
which attachment carries a wheel which I will call A, in connection by means of
belting, chain work, or other medium with a second wheel, which I will call B, fixed
to the axis of the driving wheel, the wheel A being worked with a treadle attached
to a crank or pin connected with it. The wheel A is by preference larger than
the wheel B.
Fourtbly. To the construction of tricycles with bent axles, the feet of the rider
working direct on the axle, of the driving wheel, and the seat being much higher
and more backward than in ordinary tricycles.
Fifthly. To a novel kind of tricycle having a single front wheel (the driving
wheel) like an ordinary bicycle. The backbone carrying two small wheels freely
revolving independently of each other. The said small wheels may be carried in
either of the following ways:-(1), the backbone forked or not carries at its ends
or end a transverse bar serving as an axle for the two small wheels; (2), the back-
bone forked or not carries at its ends or end a transverse bar, such bar carrying
the small wheels by means of bars or fork; (3), the backbone being forked
carries the small wheels directly at the end of the forks or on forked ends of the
forks, and
Sixthly. To a method of converting bicycles into tricycles, according to which
the small wheel of the bicycle is removed and a transverse bar carrying two small
wheels freely revolving independently of each other, is firmly fixed to the ends of
the fork,