IMPROVE- MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH TRICYCLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Harvey Charsley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1880.
ROBERT HARVEY CHARSLEY, of Oxford, in the County of Oxford. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH TRICYCLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in or connected with tricycles or three
wheeled velocipedes, and has especial reference to various improvements upon the
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date the 17th day
of August A.D. 1869, No. 2451, with the objects of enabling the driver to sit above
the axle instead of below it, as in the carriage forming the subject of the said
Letters Patent, and of enabling him to work the cranks for propelling the vehicle
by means of levers in lieu of by hand.
In carrying the present Invention into effect the cranks are connected to levers,
the upper ends of which are bent and formed as handles, and the fulcrums of
which are adjustable, and are situated at or near the extremities of radius rods,
to which they are connected, the radius rods working on fixed pivots carried by
the framing of the carriage or vehicle, and their forward ends serving as treadles.
The seat is supported above the axle of the front driving wheels by a spring rising
from the said framing, by which the foot rest is also carried.
In lieu of dividing the axle, as described in the Specification of the said Letters
Patent, I cause one wheel to work in a box, and so keep a parallel motion of the
levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Harvey Charsley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th
April 1881..
ROBERT HARVEY CHARSLEY, of Oxford, in the County of Oxford. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN OR CONNECTED WITH TRICYCLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in or connected with tricycles or three
wheeled velocipedes, and has especial reference to various improvements upon the
Invention for which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date the 17th day
of August A.D. 1869, No. 2451, with the objects of enabling the driver to sit above
the axle instead of below it, as in the carriage forming the subject of the said
Letters Patent, and of enabling him to work the cranks for propelling the vehicle
by means or through the intervention of levers in lieu of directly by hand.
The accompanying Drawings represent a tricycle or three wheeled carriage or
velocipede as constructed according to my present Invention, Fig. 1 being a
sectional side elevation through the line a-b, Fig. 2; and Fig. 2, a plan view of
Fig. 1.
In carrying the present Invention into effect the cranks E are connected (in the
manner shown on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, or in any suitable equiva-
lent manner) directly to levers D, the upper ends of which are bent and formed as
handles G, and the depending ends of which are adjustably connected, as at H, to
the free ends of radius rods F, the other ends of which work on fixed pivots K
carried by a depending part of the framing V of the carriage or vehicle. The
forward or free ends of the rods or bars F carry a treadle L, by means of which
they can be operated. The seat N is supported above and behind the axle S of the
front driving wheels T by a spring or springs C rising from the framing V, by the
forward end of which the foot-rest M is also carried.
In lieu of dividing the axle, as described in the Specification of the said Letters
Patent, 1 cause one of the wheels T to work in a box, and by this means I ensure
the parallelism of the levers D.
Thus, not only may the hands be employed in propelling the carriage, but either.
or both of the feet as well. In this way I secure fifteen different applications of
motive power, namely, the use of the limbs separately and in various combinations,
and thus a man deprived of any limb, or even of two limbs, may propel the
carriage, though not of course in so many ways as one who is sound of limb, and
my improved arrangement permits of any limb being rested.
The improved carriage is guided by the back of the rider in the same way as in
my previous arrangement.
The position of the driver is as follows:-His seat is above and behind the
cranked axle; his back rests against a movable pad P, which steers the carriage,
being connected with the hind wheel X like the tiller of a boat; his hands when
in use grasp the handles at the upper extremeties of the levers D, and act in the
same way as if rowing a pair of sculls; his feet when in use tread upon the
treadle L as if operating a lathe, and when not in use they rest upon a stretcher M,
as in rowing. Hence the motion of the carriage. If a forward motion is required
the cranks must be turned accordingly. If a backward motion, their action must
be reversed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of my
said Invention, together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I wish
it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details
hereinbefore set forth or delineated on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, as the same

page_text: may be variously modified and adapted without departing from the distinguishing
features of my Invention, with reference to which I claim,-
First. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting my
improved carriage, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated on
the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and which permits of the application of each
or any or every limb as the motive power, at the discretion of the rider or driver,
and thus facilitates locomotion by labour of the hands and feet separately or
conjointly.
Second. The peculiar combination of the levers D with the radius rods F and
cranks E in such a manner as that the parallelism of the motion of the levers D,
and the avoidance of any "dead points" throughout each revolution of the parts
are ensured, the latter advantage being more especially due to the immediate
connection of the levers D with the cranks E.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Harvey Charsley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
BRISTOW HUNT,
Solicitor and Patent Agent,
5, Serle Street,
Lincoln's Inn.
R. H. CHARSLEY. (L.S.)