Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889 °
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN 12 Ennersdale Road Lewisham Kent, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an arrangement of coupling two rear driving safety
bicycles together, so the riders sit side by side with balance gear.
In carrying out the invention the driving wheels hubs are made with hollow
spindles running in bearings at the fork ends, each spindle carrying a loose chain
wheel having a short sleeve which runs through one bearing; the two machines
are coupled by a balance geared axle, the centre shaft passing through the hollow
spindle hubs of each machine, by screwing up the two end nuts at one or both ends
of the axle, the two chain wheels become fixed to the balance gear axle sleeve, through
which motion from the cranks is transmitted to the driving wheels. The chain
wheels, hubs, and axle are provided with keys, feathers, or nibs, so when the axle end
nuts are screwed up they are locked in their respective positions.
The two steering wheels are also coupled together by means of a lever from
each steering wheel fork, and a steering rod provided with ball or universal
joints, which allows for upward and downward motion when travelling over uneven
ground.
The machines can be easily separated by removing the balanced geared axle,
and coupling steering rod; and passing a bolt provided with a key, feather, or
nibs through each of the hubs, thus locking the loose chain wheels to their respective
hubs.
I am aware that bicycles have been before coupled together by various arrange-
ments; but such machines have not been provided with a balanced geared
connection.
Dated thin day. Oth Ton1000
Dated this day 9th January
1000
CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes..
I, CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN 12 Ennersdale Road, Lewisham S.E. in the county
of Kent Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :—
The object of this invention is to construct a single velocipede with two rear and
driving wheels and two steering wheels and for two riders each of whom is placed
above and between the respective wheels in the same position as a rider of a safety
bicycle. I usually construct a velocipede of this description by coupling 2, two,
safety bicycles in the manner hereinafter described.
The driving wheels are mounted on a balanced geared axle and where two safety
bicycles are coupled for the purpose aforesaid; the driving wheels hubs are made
hollow and the chain wheels are loose on the same. When the bicycles are used as
such these chain wheels are fixed to the driving hubs; when they are coupled to
form a quadricycle both chain wheels are fixed to the differential jack or balance gear
and thus to each other: two solid axles are passed through the hollow hubs and
through the differential box; one end of each axle being locked to one of the hubs,
and the other end of each being carried by a respective part of the differential
mechanism.
The steering wheels are coupled by a horizontal rod or tube mounted in such a way
'

page_text: as to admit of correct and simultaneous steering and at the same time of vertical
play to admit of their travelling over uneven roads without one of them leaving the
ground & without springing the frame, for this purpose the connection has to be
provided with a universal joint mechanism.
This vertical play has to be radial either from the differential axle or from the
centre of the horizontal arm coupling the two steering wheels; In the former
case.
•
Each steering wheel remains binged directly to the frame supported by the
driving wheel, and each front wheel fork or arm is furnished with a tiller-arm on the
inner side of the quadricycle; the horizontal connecting rod is supported at
the extremities of these tiller-arms by ball or univeral joints.
In the second case the front forks are detached from the bicycles and preferably
provided with sockets or other hinged mechanism on the inner sides of the quadricycle
for the purpose of supporting the horizontal connecting bar; the rear frames are like-
wise coupled by a horizontal connecting bar, and the two connecting bars are joined
by a vertical socket or hinge at the centre of each of them. The wheel forks are
provided with a tiller arm each, and these tiller arms joined by a suitable horizontal
link.
Referring to the Drawings. Figs. 4 & 5 shew the velocipede with steering wheels
having vertical play radial from the driving axle. Figs. 8 & 9 shew the velocipede
with steering wheels having vertical play radial from the centre of the horizontal
bar connecting them together.
The details of the axle are shewn on sheet I. In fig. 1 the hollow hub "a" is
provided with flanges a¹, a¹¹ to receive the spokes of the wheels and a projecting
sleeve a rigidly connected with it and revolving in a bearing attached to one of
the forks.
On the opposite side of the hub the chain wheel b, which is likewise carried by a
bearing attached to one of the forks is capable of being firmly locked to the
differential driving axlo in the following manner: The solid axle f, one end of which
is locked to one of the bevel or other wheels forming part of the jack in the box,
is passed through the hollow hub, the outer end of which is provided with a suitable
recess c¹, a washer shewn in fig. 3' and provided with a nib or projection e is mounted
on the end of the shaft and driven against the hub by a lock nut H in such a way
that the hub is pushed against the shoulder at and the hub thus firmly locked to
the shaft, the gear box g which is of the usual description on is rigidly mounted on
a long tubular axle e, e¹, provided with suitable recesses or nibs which fit
against the recess or nib on the chain wheel at d; it will be understood that when
the solid axle fis drawn up into the hub a, the hollow axle e is likewise locked to the
chain wheel b. A similar device is repeated on the other side of the velocipede so
that the crank shafts of both riders revolve in unison.
When the velocipede is separated for the purpose of forming two rear driving
bicycles, the axles & e e' are withdrawn and a fi shewn in fig. 2 substituted one end
of this bolt is provided with a solid head and a nib d¹ which engages in the recess d
on the chain wheel.
The washer shewn separately in fig. 31 with the nib c is passed over it and the
lock nut being drawn up the wheel will be firmly locked to the driving
hub a.
On sheet II figs. 4-7, h, represent the steering sockets or hinges to which the
forks of the front wheels are attached 11, are tiller arms fixed to these forks, m is
a horizontal connecting bar linked to these tiller arms by universal joints as shewn
separately in figs. 6 & 7 which constrain the wheels when steered by handle bars
n, n'
to move in unison whilst allowing of separate vertical play.
On sheet III figs. 8-10 the usual steering necks are taken out of the lugs
of the front forks and joined by a transverse bar m² so as to rigidly connect the
two main frames of the bicycles; the front forks are provided with a second set of
steering lugs on their inner sides at k & k, a transverse and horizontal bar m¹ is
provided with suitable necks at each end to fit into these lugs or sockets; the forks

page_text: are likewise provided with tiller arms, which are linked by the connecting rod m.
The horizontal bar m" which is rigidly fixed to the frames of the driving wheels, and
the horizontal bar m¹ which is mounted on the steering forks are connected at their
centres by a transverse socket at o, so that the bar m & therefore the steering wheels
are capable of vertical play radial from this socket o. Where the velocipede is not
intended to be convertible into two bicycles, the hubs of the driving wheels aro
mounted on the differential and double driving axle in the usual manner; the front
forks as shown in figs. 8-10 are dispensed with and the axles of the front or
steering wheels are each mounted on the side of one of the steering heads or sockets,
the framework being thus capable of great simplification.
Two tandem bicycles may be coupled in a similar manner, so that the riders are
placed directly above and in a line with the driving wheels, and that the crank shafts
of all riders revolve in unison.
Now I am aware that four wheeled and balance geared velocipedes have been
constructed to carry two or more riders seated behind one another tandem fashion
and in the centre of the machine, also that safety bicycles have been coupled so
that the riders were seated side by side, but without being provided with a balance
gear to render the pedal action of both riders simultaneous, and also that riders
propelling a balance geared axle have been placed side by side seated above and in
a line with the driving wheels) in which last case the machine was provided with
one steering wheel only, and would suffer from imperfect stability, but having now
particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention & the manner
in which the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is
(1) A four wheeled velocipede having a pair of balance geared driving wheels
and a pair of steering wheels capable of vertical play in the manner & for the purposes
set out.
(2) A four wheeled velocipede for two or more riders who are mounted over
the driving wheels as on a bicycle, and whose pedal shafts drive a balance geared
axle.
(3) A four wheeled and balance geared velocipede capable of being converted
into two rear driving safety bicycles in the manner substantially 'as described
(4) The driving wheel hub of a rear driving safety bicycle furnished with a loose
chain wheel capable of being locked to a balance geared velocipede axle for the
purpose & in the manner described or of variation or of modification of this
device.
(5) A four wheeled velocipede for riders placed above the wheels as on a bicycle,
in which the driving wheels are coupled by a balanced gear & the steering wheels are
coupled by a horizontal bar, or by horizontal bars in the manner described or in a
similar manner & for the purpose described.
(6) A four wheeled and balance geared velocipede for two or more riders in which
the steering wheels are capable of vertical play when on uneven ground such play
radiating from the driving axle in the manner described.
(7) A balance geared four wheeled velocipede for two or more riders who are
mounted above and in a line with the driving wheels and seated side by side in
which the steering wheels are capable of vertical play about a contral joint in a
bar connecting them, in the manner & for the purpose substantially as described.
(8) The steering connection of the front wheels of a four wheeled velocipede for
two or more riders shewn in figs. 4 to 7 and furnished with universal joints in the.
manner and for the purpose substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of September 1889.
CHARLES THOMAS CROWDEN.