A NEW OR IMPROVED TRICYCLE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Westropp Brereton, Surgeon, of Oughterard, in
the County of Galway, Ireland, and John Westropp Brereton, Mechanical
Engineer, of Hatherley, Reading, in the County of Berks, for the Invention of
"A NEW OR IMPROVED TRICYCLE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Westropp Brereton
and John Westropp Brereton at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 18th September 1879.
"
WILLIAM WESTROPP BRERETON, Surgeon, of Oughterard, in the County of
Galway, Ireland, and JOHN WESTROPP BRERETON, Mechanical Engineer, of
Hatherley, Reading, in the County of Berks. "A NEW OR IMPROVED TRICYCLE."
The objects of this Invention, which relates to improvements in or connected
with the propelling mechanisin and the general arrangement and construction of
tricycles, are to attain for the rider a position similar to that one has when riding
a bicycle of the general construction, to obtain also a similar method of steering, a
circular motion for the feet with no possibility of any "dead-centres," and a better
leverage than it is possible to attain with the present arrangement of opposite
cranks.
According to our Invention we adapt oppositely arranged pedals to the tricycle
in such a manner as to work in complete revolutions as in a bicycle, and in order
to attain the objects of our Invention with such an arrangement, we fix the
opposite pedal arms at angles of 45 degrees to the arms of a right-angled crank
(having a stroke, say, of about 6 inches) to the ends of which the pedal arms are
attached, the crank being carried by a fork depending from and fixed on the
end of a hollow stem or tube. This tube rises from the fork and is bent in such a
manner as to pass over a steel arch which forms the front of the frame and to which
and to the back of the frame it is suitably secured, it passes thence under the said
fork and crank and terminates in the socket-head for the guiding-wheel which is
in front of the other wheels. We prefer to make the guiding, driving, and third
wheels of about the following proportional sizes, viz:-3, 8, and 5, that is to say, if we
make the driving-wheel of 4 feet diameter (a very convenient size) we make the

page_text: steering wheel 1 foot 6 inches in diameter, and the third wheel 2 feet 6 inches in
diameter, and the driving-wheel we prefer to place on the right-hand side of the
driver, and for the above size of machine about 3 feet in rear of the guiding-wheel,
and the third wheel on the other or left-hand side and about 8 inches in rear of the
driving-wheel, in these distances measuring from centre to centre, the guiding
wheel being placed in front on the centre line of the machine. The guiding-wheel
is actuated from a guiding-handle as in a bicycle by means of parallel connecting-
rods movably jointed to the handle and connected to a lever on the end of a spindle
rising from the fork of the guiding-wheel. The guiding-handle works on a conical
centre or cone-pin made in one piece with the head of the first mentioned fork,
and to which is also fixed one end of the spring for the saddle of the rider, the
other end being free and resting behind on the said tube.
The above-mentioned right-angled crank is coupled by steel rods to a similar
right-angled crank on the axle of the driving wheel, and the bearings of which are
carried in short forks bolted through the frame and fitted with cotters.
The above-described improved propelling mechanism may be adapted to other
makes of tricycles than that (and apart from the other improvements) hereinbefore
described, and may also be used for other analogous: purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Westropp Brereton and John Westropp Brereton in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th March 1880.
WILLIAM WESTROPP BRERETON, Surgeon, of Oughterard, in the County of Galway,
Ireland, and JOHN WESTROPP BRERETON, Mechanical Engineer, of Hatherley,
Reading, Berks.. "A NEW OR IMPROVED TRICYCLE."
Our Invention relates to a tricycle to be worked by the feet of the rider by
means of pedals which perform a complete revolution as in a bicycle.
The pedal
arms are attached to the ends of a right angled crank which is carried in a fork
fixed on the end of a tube, which latter is described in our Provisional Specification
as passing over a steel arch forming the front of the frame, and to which the said tube.
is fixed by means of a clip and two bolts, the tube then passing under the cranks and
fork terminates in the socket head for the steering wheel in front.
We described
also the use of a 48 inch driving wheel on the right hand of the rider, and a 30 inch
wheel on the left, with a guiding wheel in front on centre line of machine. Upon
experiment we find that this arrangement of frame and the sizes and position of
wheels do not afford the desired results and hereby disclaim same, proposing.
instead thereof the use of a vertical frame of wrought iron, at the top and bottom
of which the tube is attached, as shown in the accompanying Drawings, and two.
even wheels 46 inches in diameter, the wheel on the left hand side being fast on
the driving axle, that on the right running loose on the axle with a guiding wheel
22 inches in diameter. To the right angled crank to which the pedal arms are
attached is coupled by means of steel rods with suitable bearings, a similar right
angled crank on the driving axle, the bearings for which latter are carried in short
forks made solid on frame and fitted with cutters. The top of the frame is con-
nected with the fork (which carries the leading crank) by a piece of tube on
which is fixed the spring for the saddle or seat of the rider. The steering is
accomplished by means of a steering handle similar to that used in a bicycle which
turns on a cone pin and is connected by chains with a cross head on the guiding
wheel spindle. The machine is fitted with a friction brake.
In order that our said Invention may be more clearly understood and more readily
carried into practice we will proceed to describe the accompanying Drawings. Ng. 1
represents a side and Fig. 2 a back elevation of our new or improved tricycle;
Fig. 3 a plan, and Figs. 4, 5, 6, and seven, details hereinafter more fully described.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views. A, A, indicates the
frame of the machine; B, the fork which carries the driving crank shown at A' and
B. The pedals are shown at A2 and B2, fixed as hereinbefore described to the ends of
the driving crank at an angle of 45° to the crank arm furthest from each, or at an angle
of 45° to the crank arm nearest each, as illustrated in the Drawings. The treadles
act well in either position, but the first described position is preferable; D indicates
the saddle or seat of the rider fixed to the spring 8, which latter is secured to the
tube as shown; F indicates the arm at the top of which is carried the steering
handle G, as herein before described, and which is connected with the cross head J of
the guiding wheel spindle. This steering handle is hinged at p and can be lowered,
as indicated by the dotted lines, to enable the rider to mount by standing on the
platform P placed between the fork and bent part of the tube which passes over
the guiding wheel, and so to sit into the saddle without putting his leg over it;
ff, are steel rods which connect the leading crank with a similar crank on the
driving axle; Fig. 4 and 5 illustrate in detail our new form of right angled crank.
The centre arm Z instead of being bent into the centre line of the crank so as to
form two interior arms parallel to the outside crank arms is carried across from
bearing to bearing at an angle of 45° to each crank arm, as shown. By constructing
our crank in this form we avoid making a right angle bend in the centre arm of

page_text: the crank, and also lessen the length, and therefore the weight of the arm Z. To
make the above description more clear it must be understood that the arm Z
represents the side of a square inscribed in a circle described by the crank when in
motion, the two crank arms being radii of the circle. Figs. 6 and 7 show in
detail the spring catch K attached to the vertical arm F; when this arm is pressed
against the front of the fork head the bolt catches in a suitable recess and is held
in position by a set screw passing through a slot and by the spring spindle passing
through a hole in the head piece against which the spring presses, by this means the
catch can be raised out of the recess. The advantages we claim for this tricycle
are as follows:-Firstly, that the rider is in the same position as when riding a
bicycle, in which position he obtains the maximum amount of power over the
pedals. Secondly, we obtain a circular motion without using chains or teeth
wheels which involve a great amount of friction and are liable to get out of order.
Thirdly, by our improved mode of steering the guiding wheel can be turned
through a greater angle than with the bath chair handle arrangement, and the
rider is also enabled by pulling on the cross steering handle to put greater force on
the driving treadles than can be exerted in any other tricycle. Also, our improved
tricycle can be ridden with either a saddle or seat. Having thus described the
nature of our said Invention and the manner in which same is to be applied, we
would have it understood that what we consider new and useful and therefore
claim as the Invention to be secured to us by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is, First. The method of imparting motion to a tricycle by the use of pedals
and cranks, constructed, arranged, and operated in the manner substantially as
herein described and set forth. Secondly. The mode of steering tricycles,
in the manner substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Westropp Brereton and John
Westropp Brereton, have hereunto this our Specification set our hands and
seals, this Ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
WILLIAM WESTROPY DRERETON, Surgeon,
(L.S.)
Clare College,
Oughterard.
JOHN WESTROPP BRERETON, Mechanical Engineer, (L.S.)
Hatherley,
.Reading,
Berks.