Cycles Adapted for Attachment to the Feet of the Rider.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1899- Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Cycles Adapted for Attachment to the Feet of the Rider.
I, HEINRICH HEINRICH, Student of Electricity, 75, Soderstrasse, Darmstadt,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 present invention consists of a locomotive contrivance called by its inventor
a foot-cycle or foot carriage or carrier which has all the advantages of the ordinary
bicycle without any of its defects. The contrivance is considerably lighter than
a bicycle and does not compel the rider to remain constantly in the street but
enables him, for example in case of danger, to leave the roadway and as an
ordinary pedestrian to step upon the pavement even when the latter is separated
from the causeway by a high kerb. On account of its reduced weight and its
superior portability as compared with a bicycle the foot cycle can be taken into
places where a bicycle would have to be left outside unattended and exposed to
the risk of theft.
The accompanying drawings illustrate examples of putting the new foot-cycle
into practice.
Figure 1 is a rear view of one form shewing the left leg of a person equipped
with the contrivance.
Figure 2 is an outside view.
Each leg is fitted with one of these contrivances as shewn in Figures 1 and 2
and the two contrivances work alternately as propellors in such a way that the one
always runs free while the other is at work. The alternate movements take
place at intervals corresponding approximately to those usual in operating the
pedals of a bicycle.
Figure 3 is a vertical section through the apparatus along the line 3, 3 in
Figure 1.
Figures 4 and 5 are a longitudinal section and a top view of the foot plate on
which the foot rests.
Figures 6 and 7 are a side and front view of a second form of the apparatus.
Figure 8 shews a component part of Figures 6 and 7.
Figure 9 is a part sectional plan view of the method of connecting the foot-
cycles together, which is more particularly described below.
It has already been stated that an apparatus is attached to each foot as shewn
in Figures 1 and 2 or 6 and 7 and it is sufficient therefore to describe one appara-
tus particularly in its effect and construction since the two are similar and the
only difference is that they come into operation alternately in accordance with
the up and down movement of each foot."
Each apparatus is operated in such a way that when the one foot is in its lowest
position as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 and 6 and 7 the other foot is moved upward
and then brought down with force and by this means the apparatus attached to it
brings about the motion of the wearer. At every downward movement of for
instance, the right foot the left foot can be raised or it can be kept in its lowest
position until the descending foot has attained its lowest position. In the same

page_text: way the right foot can act while the left is at rest. The adjacent sides viz:-
the inner side of the apparatus can be connected by simple means in such a
way that the feet remain in the same vertical plane until a strong forward or back-
ward movement breaks the connection completely so that the wearer may remain
with one foot in the roadway and with the other step easily upon the kerb of
the pavement even when it is a high one. The object of this is to enable the
wearer in case of necessity to leave the street and gain the pavement with ease
and rapidity. Such a means may consist of a vertical loop 99 provided on the
inner side of the one apparatus and a horizontal hook 98 provided on the innerside
of the other apparatus. The hook engages with the loop as shewn by Figure 9 but
by moving for instance the right foot forward in the direction of the arrow 100
the hook will disengage with the loop thereby disconnecting the foot cycles.
Such simple easily disconnected lateral connections can be constructed in various
ways but as they constitute no essential necessary part of the present apparatus
they are not separately shewn.
In the drawings, A is in Figures 1 to 3 the left foot and in Figures 7 and 6 the
right foot.
The foot rests on a plate 1 to the side of which two leather flaps 3 are firmly
attached which firmly clasp the foot as shewn in Figures 2 and 3 and hold it
down firmly on the plate 1. This plate is connected by means of two lateral
pins 4 with two vertical sliding rods 5 transmitting power but still movable, which
rods are fixedly connected above by a plate 6 and have also leather flaps 7 which
along with the plate 6 which is of metal padded on its inside serve to connect the
rods 5 with the leg and to grip the latter firmly. The two rods 5 can move up
and down vertically in the guides 8 which are immovably attached to the under-
frame of the contrivance, which consists of a horizontal bed plate 9 and bearing
plate 10. Or the guides may be in one piece with the same.
The rods 5 run in the guides 8 in such a way that the leg may easily be lifted
without the rest of the consecutive parts 8, 9 and 10 being lifted. These on
the other hand always remain on the ground, either through their own weight
or through the fact that each underframe 9, 10 of the one foot is connected with
the underframe 9, 10 of the other foot as already mentioned in such a way as
to be easily disconnected.
In the construction shewn in Figures 1 and 2 two arms 11 are attached to each
rod 5 which encircle horizontally the guides 8 and have a pawl 12 on each
of their free ends. When the leg is moved upwards the two pawls 12 jump the
teeth 13 of an endless chain 14 which runs over chain wheels 15 and 16 of which
the former 15 is fixed to revolve freely on the outer guiding slot 8 (Figure 1 left)
while the other 16 is connected so as to transmit power with a large gear wheel 18
by means of an axle 17 revolving in bearings on the plates 10. In Figure 2 this
wheel 18 is partially broken away to shew the wheel 16 more clearly. The toothed
wheel 18 works in the smaller wheel 19 which by means of the axle 20 is fixedly
coupled with the driving wheel proper 21. For the revolving axle and in fact
for all the revolving parts ball bearings may be provided. The wheel 21 takes
the whole weight of the wearer when for example the one leg is extended or
nearly extended and the foot rests by means of its plate 1 upon the plate 9 while
the other foot is raised.
The trail wheel 49 suitably attached to the underframe 9 10 e.g. by means of a
traverse 22 is as a rule little used and is chiefly employed for standing upright
when coasting on inclines or steep roads.
It has already been stated that the pawl jump the ascending teeth but as soon as
the foot has attained its highest position and begins to move down the pawls 12
engage the teeth 13 and drive the corresponding driving wheel by means of the
chain 14 and wheels 16, 18, and 19. The driving wheel revolves on the ground
and thereby propels the whole apparatus and the wearer.
To put the brake on the toe of one foot or the toes of both feet are made to
rest as shewn in Figure 3 on the forward position of the plate 9. By this means

page_text: the two front edges of the plate 1 are pressed downwards as shewn in Figure 3
through the openings 23 of the plates 9 whereby by means of the levers 23 24, the
two brake blocks 26 are pressed against the wheels 21. Each lever 24 25 is further
provided with a hook 27 which engages an eye 28 of each foot plate 1 as soon as
the foot is brought into the position shewn in Figure 3. It is also possible by
this arrangement to raise the apparatus conveniently in stepping to and from a
pavement on a higher level.
It is evident that by means of the alternate up and down movement of both
feet a continuous forward motion is produced.
In Figures 67 and 8 a different driving mechanism is shewn. Figure 6
shews the right foot from the inside and Figure 7 the same foot from the front.
29 is an axle which rests in the guide 8 so as to revolve easily and with it a
pulley or barrel 30. It also supports fixedly a cord-pulley made like a conical
screw. On the axle 29 there is situated a large fixed chain wheel 32 which by
means of the chain 33 and the small chain wheel 34 drives the wheel 21. The
small chain wheel 34 is not fixed but revolves freely on the axle 20 and is fixedly
connected with the pulley 30 which supports a pawl 35 which as soon as the chain
moves forward by means of the ratchet wheel 36 engages the axle 20 and corre-
spondingly the wheel 21. Over the pulley 30 a strap 37 is laid the lower end of
which is connected with the foot plate 1 so as to transmit power by means of the
transverse bar 38 and the side pieces 39. The upper end of the strap 37 is firmly
attached to the pulley 30 so that when the axle 29 is revolved the pulley 30 winds
up the strap 37.
This winding up takes place whenever the foot is raised and is effected by the
cord 40 whose upper end is fixedly connected with the pulley 31 being drawn
by the bar 38 downwards over a pulley 41 and then again upwards. The strap 37
and the cord 40 wind and unwind themselves alternately and the object of 40
is to ensure the regular winding up of the strap 37. The cord pulley 31 must
have the form of a conical screw because the velocity of the axle 29 would other-
wise be proportionately. retarded when the strap was wound up on account of
the increase of the radius, therefor the cord pulley 31 must have an increasing
diameter to keep pace with the winding up of the strap 37. A vertically movable
ratchet may also be employed to drive the axle 20. For this purpose one rod 5
of each apparatus would be constructed as a ratchet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
CLAIMS.
First: A foot cycle or foot carriage or carrier characterised by a driving
wheel 21 revolving freely in a suitable frame on each foot which by the inter-
position of suitable driving mechanism is worked by the descent of the raised foot
so as to revolve on the ground and move forward the wearer while it runs
free on the upward movement of the foot.
Second: A foot cycle or foot carriage or carrier according to Claim 1
characterised by pawls (12) engaging a chain when the foot is lowered which
chain communicates its motion to the driving wheel by suitable means.
Third: A foot cycle or foot carriage or carrier according to Claim 1 charac-
terized by the driving wheel (21) being revolved by means of an endless chain (33)
by a strap (37) or the like. This strap being unwound by a strap pulley when the
foot descends and regularly wound up when the foot ascends by means of a cord
pulley made like a conical screw and a cord (40).
Fourth: A foot cycle or foot carriage or carrier according to Claim 1
characterised by the rods (5) being constructed as ratchets which by means of
suitably arranged tooth wheels transmit their motion to the wheel (21).
:
Fifth A brake for the contrivance according to Claim 1 characterized by a
lever 24 25 provided with a brake block acting on the wheel (21), which lever

page_text: acts as a brake upon the wheel when the toe is pressed upon the frame (9) (10) and
the heel is raised whereupon the plate 1 which serves as a base plate for the foot
moves the lever (24) (25).
D1
da of Tombo 1900
HEINRICH HEINRICH.
By George Barker,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
Agent for Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.