IMPROVE- MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Edward Gedge at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
-
4th November 1869. A communication from abroad by Jean
Crabos, of Toulouse, France.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD GEDGE, of the Firm of John Gedge and Son,
of No. 11, Wellington Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN VELOCIPEDES," a communication to me from abroad by Jean Crabos,
of Toulouse, France, to be as follows:-
The novel vehicle the subject of this Invention, although based upon
well known mechanical principles, by reason of new and simple appli-
cations presents important and real advantages. Further it is exempt
from the many defects inherent to most locomotive apparatuses.
The three-wheeled vélocimane, the title of which at once fixes the
number of its supports, has in front, see Fig. 1, Sheet I. of the annexed
Drawings, the wheel B, termed the steering wheel, the hind carriage
resting on the axle of the two others. Impulsion is imparted by means
of two connecting rods combined in a particular manner and actuated

page_text: either by the action of the hands or that of the lower extremities. In
the first case the power is transmitted to the connecting rods, and there-
fore to the steering or driving wheel by two levers H furnished with
handles. They are placed right and left in front of the traveller and
their fulcrums are on the framing. The progressive power of each lever
is due to the special arrangement given to the connecting rods dependent
upon it, which arrangement is herein-after described. In the second
place when the velocity is the result of impulsion produced by the lower
extremities a small iron rod or axle E (Fig. 2, Sheet II.) fixed near the
joint of the before mentioned connecting rods communicates a rapid
rotary motion to a crank G, one of the ends of which attached to the
connecting rod is moveable, while the other is on the contrary fixed
immovably to the axle. The rotation and consequently the faculty of
locomotion springs from this arrangement.
I will now explain the special arrangements applied to this "véloci-
mane" to obtain a prompt and easy change of pace. In the first place
the shape of a well stretched bow has been given to the frame of the
bind carriage (see Fig. 2, Sheet II.), and the axle M which connects the
wheels is so arranged that on receiving an oblique direction towards
the right or left they take the desired direction while remaining bound
together with their directing framework. This entirely novel arrange-
ment will form the subject of a succeeding paragraph. This locomotive
engine set in motion by the hands is guided by the aid of the lower
extremities, which for this purpose bear upon pedals J (Fig. 2, Sheet II.)
placed on each side of the carriage. These oblique movements arc
communicated by each pedal to the axle of the bind carriage by the aid
of the mechanism of the knee pieces K, K, and K', K', which act on this
latter by its guide rod L. I would here observe that the said knee
pieces are one of the constituent parts of this Invention. Placed four
in number on the extension of the guide rod they are so arranged as to
produce a gentle and regular traction movement. Two are attached to
the pedal, the two others to the guide rod, and these are actuated in an
opposite direction to those, and vice versa. It is this opposition of
action which constitutes as above stated a novel system. Set in motion
by means of the feet the direction is changed at will as before, but by
the aid of the hands employing the same system as above set forth, but
using the guide bar Q placed at the top of the working bolt P, the
opposite end of which communicates with the mechanism of the knee
pieces. The seat is set on the frame of the apparatus by the aid of two

page_text: springs fixed on said frame; the front one rests on a bearing bar, and
the back one is supported on the bow or curve of the hind carriage.
The ensemble or combination of the apparatus being now explained,
I will enter into those details which could not be included in a general
definition.
On reference to the side view of the apparatus shown, Fig. 1, Sheet I.,
there will be seen the framing A which supports or receives the
various pieces which together constitute the vehicle. Too much
attention cannot be drawn to the entirely special arrangement given to
the outer contour of this piece towards the hind carriage, which arrange-
ment is given as above stated to ensure the direction which is to be
given to the wheels, the steering or driving wheel B, and its axle, also
one of the grease boxes C which are placed at the extreme fore part of
the framing and immediately above the axle of the driving wheel. One
of the connecting rods, each of which comprise the following details :-
The body or main part of the rod D, the piece or axle E receiving the
fcet, the movements of which it transmits to the jointed part F, and the
crank G which connects the body of the rod with the axle of the driving
wheel. There will also be observed one of the levers H, its handle, and
the point I where it is loosely fixed on the iron frame. One of the
pedals J which by means of the feet serve to transmit the required
direction. Also the knee pieces K, K, and K', K'; they are as above
stated actuated in opposite directions to each other which facilitates the
action. The guide rod L attached to the axle M (Fig. 2) which is
moveable and is fixed to the framing only at the point N (Fig. 2,) where
it pivots. There will be observed at the points O (Fig. 2) and near the
naves of the hind wheels iron uprights intended to keep the said wheels
against the hind carriage and to cause them to maintain the same
radius of developement in their oblique movements. The two above-
mentioned wheels moveable on their axles, and finally at Fig. 1 the
working pin actuated by the guide bar.
The whole of the apparatus may be of iron. The tyres of the wheels
instead of being flat are semi-spherical to facilitate their evolution and
their propulsion.
Finally it must be observed that in consequence of these novel
arrangements or modifications this vehicle cannot under any circum-
stances upset.

page_text: Fig. 2, Sheet II., of the annexed Drawings show details which are
not apparent in Fig. 1. Particularly the details of the frame A, the two
grease boxes C, the play and combination of the connecting rods D, the
knee pieces K, K, and K', K', and the guide rods L, the particular
arrangement of the framing in relation to the wheels, the two iron
uprights O, which complete this arrangement and ensure the regularity
of the movements, and the two hind wheels. In fact the play of the
whole of the pieces will be apparent from an inspection of this Figure.