IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING TRICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES AND BOATS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM ASTROP, of Barnsbury in the County of Middlesex do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
PROPELLING TRICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES AND BOATS "
to be as
follows:-
According to this invention the seat supporting the person propelling the wheeled.
vehicle or boat is suspended after the manner of a pendulum from fixed points on
the framework of the vehicle, or, in the case of a boat on special framing or
supports constructed for that purpose. Connecting rods are jointed to the rods
or frames by which the aforesaid seat is suspended and these connecting rods
take on to cranks connected either directly or indirectly with the road wheels in
the case of a vehicle, or with the paddle wheel or other propeller in the case of
a bont. The person propelling the vehicle or boat is seated in the beforementioned
suspended scat with his feet placed firmly against a cross bar or other fixed point
on the frame of the vehicle, or on the boat, and by moving himself backwards and
forwards the seat is put into a corresponding swinging or oscillating motion which
motion communicates rotary motion to the aforesaid cranks by means of the
connecting rods, and the wheels of the vehicle or the propeller of the boat as the
case may be are thereby set in motion.
The steering in the case of a vehicle may be very conveniently effected by the
usual steering wheel operated by a tiller handle which latter can with advantage
be adapted so as to serve, when held in the hands of the person propelling, as a
point of resistance when pulling himself forward in the forward swinging motion of
the seat, the crossbar or other fixed point against which the feet are placed serving
as the point of resistance for pushing himself backwards during the backward
swinging motion of the seat.
It will be understood that provision can be made for two or more persons to
propel a vehicle or boat by arranging a swinging seat and appropriate mechanical
connections to the wheels or propellers for each person, or the one seat may be
made large enough to contain two or more persons.
The cranks may be arranged to act directly upon the axle of the wheel or upon
an intermediate axle, connected to the wheel axle or to the wheels themselves by
tooth gearing, chain gearing or otherwise.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
I WILLIAM ASTROP of 11 Watcombe Villas St Ann's Road Stamford Hill N
in the County of Middlesex, Chemist do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PROPELLING TRICYCLES, AND
OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES AND BOATS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
According to this invention the seat supporting the person propelling the wheeled
vehicle or boat is suspended after the manner of a pendulum from fixed points on
the frame-work of the vehicle, or in the case of a boat, on special framing or
supports constructed for that purpose. Connecting rods are jointed to the rods or
franes by which the aforesaid seat is suspended and these connecting rods tako on
to cranks connected either directly or indirectly with the road wheels in the case
of a vehicle, or with a paddle wheel or screw or other propeller in the case of a
boat. The person propelling the vehicle or boat is seated on the before mentioned
suspended seat with his feet placed firmly against a cross bar or other fixed point on
the frame of the vehicle, or on the boat, and by moving himself backwards and
forwards the seat is put into a corresponding swinging or oscillating motion, which
motion communicates rotary motion to the aforesaid cranks, by means of the
connecting rods, and the wheels of the vehicle or the propeller of the boat, as the
case may be, are thereby set in inotion.
The steering in the case of a vehicle may be very conveniently effected by the
usual steering wheels front or rear; when operated by a tiller handle it can
with advantage be adapted so as to serve when held in the hands of the person
propelling, as a point of resistance when pulling himself forward in the forward
swinging motion of the seat, the cross bar or other fixed point against which the feet
are placed serving as the point of resistanco for pushing himself backwards during
the backward swinging motion of the seat.
It will be understood that provision can be made for two or more persons to
propel a vehicle or boat by arranging a swinging seat and appropriate mechanical
connections to the wheels or propellers for each porson, or the one seat may be
made large enough to contain two or more persons.
The cranks may be arranged to act directly upon the axle of the wheel or upon
an intermediato axle, connected to the wheel axle, or to the wheels themselves by
tooth gearing, chain gearing or otherwise.
:
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig 1. is a longitudinal section of a Tricycle-Fig 2 an end view. Fig 3 tho
plan. a is the frame, b the fast or driving wheel: c the crank on the spindle to
which the driving wheel, b is keyed. d is a connecting rod fixed to the frame of
the seat and the crank ce c¹ are bearings to carry the frame of the seat. f the
swinging pendulum or oscillating sent, working on hinges suspended from e c¹
- front steering wheel with tiller handle- adjustable foot board.

page_text: Fig 4 gives view same as Tricycle, as adapted to a small boat, a is the side of the
boat to which is fitted the machinery. b is a paddle wheel, acted upon by swinging
seat by means of rod d, and crank c. Although its drawing shews one side only,
both sides are to be fitted exactly the same, with any required number of seats and
by any suitable means to utilise this motive power either to propel by a screw or
by paddles.
"
Having now described the nature of my invention and the means by which the
same is or may be carried out, I would have it clearly understood that what
I claim as my invention is
First. A suspended, swinging or oscillating seat, in the manner here described.
Secondly. The means herein described of utilising the weight of the rider, with
the addition of the leverage by the position of the rod d, acting on crank c, to
obtain the required motive power, said power being effected by the swinging to and
fro of the seat.