IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE STEERING GEAR OF, AND APPLYING BRAKE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1883

page_text: .
LETTERS PATENT to Adam Burdess of Coventry in the County of Warwick
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING
THE STEERING GEAR OF, AND APPLYING BRAKE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adam Burdess at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd March 1883.
ADAM BURDESS of Coventry in the County of Warwick
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE STEERING GEAR OF AND APPLYING
BRAKE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES
"
Hitherto it has been customary to control the steering gear of tricycles and
other velocipedes by means of a rack and pinion arrangement but it has been
found in practice that much uncertainty is attendant upon this arrangement
and that it frequently happens that the vehicle swerves and throws the rider this
resulting either from momentary inattention or inability to properly control such
mechanism
Now the first part of my invention relates to an improved mechanical com-
bination and arrangement whereby all risk of accident is obviated at the same
time that the rider may if he so desires lock the steering gear in any required
position and have the free and uninterrupted use of both hands
This I accomplish by substituting for such rack and pinion a screw spindle
which is attached to the steering handle of the vehicle The upper end of such
spindle passes through the eye of a stud which is fastened either to the framework
of the vehicle or to any other convenient part thereof-The spindle is provided
with two collars one below and one above the eye of the stud which collars
serve to keep the spindle in position-Such screw spindle passes through a nut
connected to a crank lever which is attached to the steering rod of the machine
When the screw spindle is actuated by means of the steering handle the nut is
either elevated or depressed and by this means the crank lever is operated and

page_text: moves the steering rod either backwards or forwards as may be desired and locks
it in any given position
It will be obvious that until the handle is either turned or reversed it is
impossible the steering rod should move out of position and thus not only is
great security imparted to the vehicle but the rider is at perfect liberty to use
both his hands independently and thus relieve himself from the fatigue consequent
upon constant manipulation of the steering gear as now required to prevent
accident
The second part of my invention relates to improvements in the mechanism for
applying the brake power to tricycles and other velocipedes whereby the shock
and vibration now generally attendant upon applying the brake is almost totally
avoided and a graduated powerful motion substituted therefor
This I effect by substituting for the ordinary lever or rack arrangement a screw
spindle which is attached to the brake handle of the machine:-the upper end of
such spindle passing through the eye of a stud fastened either to the framework
of the vehicle or to any other convenient part thereof The spindle is provided
with two collars arranged as before described with reference to the steering
gear and which serve a similar purpose-Such screw spindle passes through a
nut connected to a crank lever which is attached to the brake rod of the machine
In order to apply or take off the brake it is only necessary to actuate the screw
spindle by means of the brake handle and thus elevate or depress the nut when a
graduated but irrisistible power is obtained whereby the brake may either be
applied or released without shock or vibration thus avoiding all strain and
increasing the wearing powers of the vehicle

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adam Burdess in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st September
1883.
ADAM BURDESS of Coventry in the County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING THE STEERING GEAR OF, AND APPLYING
BRAKE POWER TO VELOCIPEDES
"
This Invention relates Firstly to improvements in the Steering mechanism of
tricycles and other velocipedes and Secondly to improvements in the mechanism for
applying the brake power to such vehicles
:
Hitherto it has been customary to control the steering gear of tricycles and
other velocipedes by means of a rack and pinion arrangement, but it has been
found in practice that much uncertainty is attendant upon this arrangement
and that it frequently happens that the vehicle swerves and throws the rider
owing either to the rider's momentary inattention or to his inability to properly
control such mechanism
Now the first part of my invention relates to an improved mechanical com-
bination and arrangement whereby all risk of accident is obviated, at the same
time that the rider may if he so desires, lock the steering gear in any required
position and have the free and uninterrupted use of both hands
To effect this I substitute for such rack and pinion a screw spindle a which is
attached to the steering handle f-(See detail view, Fig: 1,) of the vehicle-The
upper end of such spindle passes through a tubular stud b, furnished with a
perforated lug b';-(See detail view Fig: 2)-by which it is fastened to the
framework of the vehicle or to any other convenient part thereof-Such spindle a
is fitted with two collars or cones c c¹-(See detail view Figs: 3)-one of which is
placed immediately above and the other immediately below such tubular stud
These collars or cones may be adjusted by a screw and serve to keep the spindle a
in position-Such spindle then passes through a hollow threaded nut & furnished
with two small arms or projections done on each side thereof to allow of its
being connected to a crank lever e which lever is connected with the steering rod g
of the machine as seen in Figs: 6 and 8 of the accompanying drawings-In order
to allow of the nut d and crank lever e being so connected as aforesaid such crank
lever e terminates at the top in a curved shoulder e' furnished with two slotted
arms e wherein the projections or arms d¹ of the nut d work freely being held in
position by pins which are rivetted in such slotted arms e as shewn at Fig: 6-
A detail view of such crank lever e shewing the curved shoulder e¹ and slotted
arms e is given at Fig: 5
The operation of this part of my invention is as follows:-
-When the screw
spindle a is actuated by means of the steering handle the threaded nut d is
either elevated or depressed and by this means the crank lever e is operated and
moves the steering rod g backwards or forwards as may be desired and locks it in
any given position-It will be obvious that until the steering handle is either
turned or reversed it is impossible the steering rod should move out of position
and thus not only is great security imparted to the vehicle but the rider is at
perfect liberty to use both his hands independently and thus relieve himself from
the fatigue consequent upon constant manipulation of the steering gear as now
required in order to prevent accident-Fig: 6 shews a detail view in side elevation
of such improved steering mechanism while Fig: 8 shews a view in perspective of
one of my improved patent Sterling Tricycles fitted therewith
The second part of my invention relates to improvements in the mechanism for
applying the brake power to tricycles and other velocipedes whereby the shock and
'

page_text: vibration now generally attendant upon applying the brake is almost totally
avoided and a graduated powerful motion substituted therefor
This I effect by substituting for the ordinary lever or rack arrangement a screw
spindle h similar to that shewn at a, Fig: 1, which is attached to the brake
handle i, Fig 7 of the machine The upper end of such spindle passes through a
tubular stud k provided with a perforated lug k¹ such tubular stud and perforated
lug being similar to that shewn at "b, 61 Fig: 2, and by which lug such stud is
fastened either to the framework of the vehicle or to any other convenient part
thereof The spindle h is provided with two collars or cones l, l' similar to those
shewn at cc' Figs 3. which collars or cones are arranged as before described with
reference to my improved steering mechanism and which serve a similar purpose.
Such screw spindle then passes through a threaded nut m, similar to that shewn
at d, Fig 4, which nut is connected to a crank lever n-provided with a curved
shoulder n' terminating in slotted arms n³, and in all respects similar to the crank
lever & shewn at Fig: 5 save that its lower arm is made rather shorter than the
lower arm of such crank lever -Such lever n is attached to the brake rod o of
the machine as shewn in Figs: 7' and 8 in a similar manner to that already
described with reference to my improved steering mechanism
The operation of this part of my invention is as follows:-In order to apply or
take off the brake it is only necessary to actuate the screw spindle h by means
of the brake handle i and thus elevate or depress the brake rod o, when through
the action of the threaded nut m'a graduated but irresistible power is obtained
whereby the brake may either be applied or taken off without shock or vibration
thus avoiding all strain and considerably increasing the wearing powers of the
vehicle
A detail view in side elevation of my improved brake mechanism is given at
Fig 7-while at Fig: 8. it is shewn fitted to one of my improved patent Sterling
Tricycles
'
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention of "Improvements in the mechanism for controlling the steering gear
of and applying brake power to velocipedes" I would have it 'understood that
what I claim as novel and desire to secure by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is
Firstly The improved mechanism for controlling the Steering gear of tricycles
and other velocipedes consisting of screw spindle a-tubular stud b-with perfo-
rated lug b'-collars of cones c. cthreaded nut d-with arms or projections d¹--
crank lever e-with curved shoulder e-slotted arms and pins e³ all combined
arranged and fitted substantially in the manner herein before described and shewn.
Secondly The improved mechanism for applying brake power to tricycles and
other velocipedes consisting of screw spindle h-tubular stud k-with perforated
lug collars or cones l. 1-threaded nut m-with arms or projections m¹_
crank lever n-with curved shoulder slotted arms and pins ns all
combined arranged and fitted substantially in the manner herein before described
and shewn
"
In Witness whereof I the said Adam Burdess have hereunto set my hand
and seal this thirtieth day of August in the Year of Our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three