IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES TO BE PROPELLED BY THE RIDER
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Philip Wallace Mackenzie, of Jersey City, in the
County of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, and Stephen William
Smith, of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings, and State of New York,
United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES
TO BE PROPELLED BY THE RIDER."
Sealed the 20th February 1863, and dated the 29th August 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Philip Wallace Mackenzie
and Stephen William Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 29th August 1862.
We, PHILIP WALLACE MACKENZIE, of Jersey City, in the County of
Hudson, and State of New Jersey, and STEPHEN WILLIAM SMITH, of Brooklyn,
in the County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VEHICLES TO BE PROPELLED BY THE RIDER," to be as follows:-
Our Invention consists in the combination of the parts herein-after referred
to, for the purpose of facilitating the propulsion of carriages, by communicating
rotary motion to the axle of the running wheels by the reciprocating vertical

page_text: motion of the body of the rider. For this purpose the body of the carriage
(which may be in the form of a horse) is supported on two front legs, which
are connected to cranks on the shaft of the running wheels, and on two hinder
legs which are connected to a fork, which carries the axle of the guiding
wheel. The front legs of the carriage are connected to the body thereof
by a joint, for the purpose of accommodating the vertical reciprocating motion
of the body to the rotary motion of the cranks to which the lower ends of the
front legs are connected. The perch of the carriage is connected to a crank
or cranks on the opposite side of the axle to those of the front legs, & there is
a step on the perch for the foot of the rider to rest upon.
By this arrangement the axle of the running wheels will be caused to
revolve by the alternate elevation and depression of the front legs and the perch
of the carriage by the corresponding action of the body and feet of the rider.
The guiding of the carriage is effected by means of rods connected at one end
with reins or a strap, and at the other end with the fork which carries the axle
of the guiding wheel.
In some cases the carriage is constructed with the guiding wheel in front
and the running wheels at the back, the seat of the rider being connected by
rods to the cranks on one side of the axle of such wheels and a portion of the
carriage, capable of being acted upon by the feet of the rider being connected
to a crank or cranks on the other side thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Philip Wallace Mackenzie and Stephen William Smith in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th February, 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, PHILLIP
WALLACE MACKENZIE, of Jersey City, in the County of Hudson, and State of
New Jersey, and STEPHEN WILLIAM SMITH, of Brooklyn, in the County of
Kings, State of New York, United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord 8
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Phillip Wallace Mackenzie and the said Stephen William Smith,
Her special licence that we, the said Phillip Wallace Mackenzie and Stephen
William Smith, executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as $

page_text: we, the said Phillip Wallace Mackenzie and Stephen William Smith, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VEHICLES TO BE PROPELLED
BY THE RIDER," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Phillip
Wallace Mackenzie and Stephen William Smith,
executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same.
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Phillip Wallace Mackenzie and
Stephen William Smith, do hereby declare the nature of our 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 first part of our Invention relates to the construction and combination
of parts by means of which the propulsion of the vehicle is accomplished. In
this device a double-cranked axle is used, and in the arrangement which we
have adopted as the best two cranks are formed in the same parallel line to
the centre and one upon the side opposite, and at the same or nearly the same
distance from the centre of rotation. The seat of the rider is connected to the-
two cranks which are upon one and the same line, and the pedals upon which
the feet press are connected to the other crank for the purpose of giving co:-
tinuous rotation and consequent locomotion by means of the transfer of the
weight of the body alternately from the seat to the pedal, and vice versa.
The second part of our Invention relates to the mechanism for hanging and
supporting the steering wheel, it being supported in segmental bearings. The
segmental bearings in which it is hung are allowed to turn in a circular plate
made in two parts, and attached to the parts which extend down astride of the
said steering wheel.
The third part of our Invention relates to the manner of connecting and
arranging the steering gear in relation to other parts. A forked lever is
attached either to the segmental bearings or to the axle of the steering wheel,
which, by means of a further lever and other connections, is operated by a
cross bar or bit with reins attached, the same as an ordinary bridle. The seat.
of the rider we usually prefer to make in the form of a horse, and the bit is
then placed in the mouth of the figure of the animal.

page_text: The fourth part of our Invention relates to the construction of the seat of
the rider, in such a manner as to give an erect position to the rider, and so
mounting the said seat on wheels as to facilitate the operation of propelling
the vehicle by giving the body and lower limbs a position and opportunity to
change their position, in a manner suitable to effect that purpose, the con-
struction and arrangement of parts being such that the vehicle can be guided
in any direction.
The fifth part of the said Invention relates to making the body of the figure
of the horse or other seat hollow, and the disposition of the steering gear in
relation thereto, so as to make the seat as light as possible, and cover and
protect the said gear.
In the Drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of our Invention; Figure 2 is
a vertical longitudinal section of the same, the steering wheel, however, being
shown entire; Figure 3 is a front end elevation; Figure 4 is a plan of the
wheels and other under work of said vehicle; Figure 5 is a rear end view
of a modification of the same Invention; Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical
section of the same.
A, A, are the driving wheels. These are fixed upon an axle, and revolve
with it; B is a crank axle upon which the driving wheels are hung. This
axle has double cranks, as will be seen by reference to Figures 3, 4, and 5, or
rather there are two cranks near the ends of the axle, and one in the middle.
In the construction represented in Figures 2, 3, and 4, the seat of the rider
is formed in the shape of a horse C. The front legs D are jointed to the body
and connected to the outside cranks of the driving axle, forming connecting
rods between the body of the seat or horse and the outer cranks. The inner
crank supports the frame E, which is also attached to the turn plate which
rests upon the bearings of the steering wheel. This frame E has a footstool F,
upon which the feet of the rider are supported. Propulsion is given to the
carriage by alternately shifting the weight of the body from the seat to the
footstool, and vice versa.
The operation will be obvious from an inspection of the parts. Direction is
given to the vehicle by turning the steering wheel G; this is done by means
of a fork connection H, the upper end of which is supported in the body of the
horse or seat, and the lower end of which (which is forked) being attached to
the circular bearing boxes g. This standard H has a cross bar near the top,
to each end of which a rod f is connected, which rod extends to a bar or bit h
in the mouth of the horse for the purpose of steering the vehicle, one of these
rods being attached to each end of the said bar or bit; these rods are supported
pear the middle by a link i, which turns on a pivot near the lower part of the

page_text: body of the borse. The reins j are attached to the bit h, and by drawing.
these reins in either direction, as the case may be, the wheel G is turned so as
to give the proper direction to the vehicle.
In Figures 5 and 6, a somewhat different construction is represented, in
which the back axle is made the propelling axle, and the steering wheel is
placed in front; the design of the seat is also changed, and the seat is placed
over the back axle; the steering gear is differently constructed, though in
this case a forked standard is used for the purpose of steering the vehicle, and
the steering wheel is hung therein. Reins are used in the same manner as in
the other case, only that the head of the horse turns entire instead of the wheel.
being turned by the bit. In this case the forked steering standard is attached
firmly to the head of the horse, and is turned by turning the said head, the
neck being divided horizontally, and the lower part of it forming a bearing for
the standard H, as shown. By either of these modes of construction, a vehicle
capable of rapid motion and of giving a healthful exercise similar to the usual
exercise of horseback riding is obtained, and at the same time the vehicle is
made capable of guidance without difficulty.
Having thus fully described our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, what we claim therein as new and original with
us, is,―
First, the employment and use of a cranked axle, having three or more
centres, substantially as described, whereby the weight of the rider being
alternately shifted from the saddle or seat of the vehicle to the footrests produces
a rotary motion of the vehicle, substantially as described and set forth.
Second, we claim, in combination with a horse or other proper seat for an
erect position of the rider, the steering mechanism consisting of the grooved
segments I, I, and plates d, d, or their equivalents, whereby the hind wheel
can be readily turned, and the direction of the vehicle perfectly governed at
whatever pitch the body of the vehicle and rider may be, substantially as
described and specified.
Third, we claim in combination with a steering mechanism, substantially
such as described, the fork H and cross heads for their equivalents, and the
bit or lever in the horse's mouth, so that by drawing the bridle the vehicle can
be perfectly directed by the rider while in his seat, substantially as described
and specified.
Fourth, we claim mounting a horse or proper sent for an erect position of
the rider upon wheels, so that it may be propelled by the weight of the rider,
and guided in any direction, substantially as described and specified.
Fifth, we also claim, in combination with a propelling and steering

page_text: mechanism, making the body of the horse hollow, substantially as described,
whereby we are enabled to obviate the danger of capsizing consequent upon a
solid heavy horse, and for the purpose of adjusting and securing the steering
mechanism, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Nine-