IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES OR HAND CARS FOR USE ON RAILWAYS OR AN D
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson Fel Inst. P.A of the
Liverpool and London Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street
Liverpool in the county of Lancaster Civil Engineer for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES OR HAND CARS FOR USE ON RAILWAYS OR
AN
D
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1882.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Fel. Inst. P.A., of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES OR HAND CARS FOR
USE ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS.' A communication from Samuel Henry Walz
of Three Rivers, County of St. Joseph State of Michigan U.S.A.
The object of this invention is to provide a railway velocipede; and it consists,
first in improving the structure of the wheels whereby they may be secured
adjustably to revolving shafts; second, a truss tubular frame for velocipedes of this
class; third, providing that wheel shaft which spans the rails of two tubular
parts, one operating within the other, so as to adapt the velocipede for any guage
of track; fourth the arrangement of levers and seat motions whereby the weight of
the operator as well as his strength is utilized in propelling the device; fifth, the
employment of sprocket wheels and chain and device for producing tension in the
chain; and sixth device for adjusting rear wheel to any desired angle with the
track.
The lower and upper bar of a trussed frame is united at the rear end by a solid
V-shaped rod the limbs of which project into the tubular bars of which the frame is
composed. The forward ends of the bars are united to a sleeve. The upper bar is
arched centrally and two or more tie-rods, unite the bars.
A pair of trusses thus made are placed side by side, a suitable distance from each

page_text: other, and diagonal or right angled braces on the forward and rear ends hold the
trusses in proper position.
At the forward end the sleeves are placed on a solid steel shaft one of the wheels
being secured rigidly on the shaft at a point midway between the sleeves. The
solid shaft projects a short distance beyond the inner sleeve and a tubular shaft is
placed on this shaft so as to extend over or in the direction of the opposite wheel.
The wheel designed for the opposite rail is secured to a smaller tubular shaft of
proper size to fit into the first mentioned tubular shaft, and set screws serve to hold
the wheels in proper distance from each other, thus making the velocipede capable
of use on any guage track.
The rear shaft or axle is journalled in springs secured to the lower bar of the
truss. The rear end of the spring has a slot which receives the journal of the shaft.
The outer end of the shaft is also journalled to the rear end of an arın whose rear
end has a slot similar to the slot in the spring. This slot receives a bolt which
enters the spring so as to hold the shaft at any desired point.
At the forward end of the frame and pivoted thereto by a transverse shaft are
two vertically disposed vibrating levers united at the upper end by a round rod or
handle by means of which the operator grasps the levers. The lower ends of these
levers are un.ted by a cross beam upon which the operator places his feet.
Instead of the foot beam or in connection therewith are adjustable arms secured
to the vibrating levers and having a cross connecting rod or bar may be employed,
thus enabling operators to raise or lower the foot bar to suit the height.
The seat has two arms projecting downward and outward from its forward end
which are hinged to the vibrating levers. The rear end of the seat rests on aud
is hinged to an arched brace and the lower end of this brace projects forward and is
pivoted to the frame. The brace is thus inclined rearwardly for purposes which
will be hereinafter more full-explained.
An adjustable journal bearing is secured to the lower bar of the frame near the
rear end which receives a transverse shaft. This shaft has a crank in the centre
and by the side of the crank a large sprocket wheel. On the forward shaft on a
line with this sprocket wheel is a smaller sprocket wheel to which motion is
transmitted through a chain. A pitman rod secured at its rear end to the crank
has its forward end forked and is hinged to the vertical vibrating levers.
The operation of the car will be readily understood. The operator to propel the
car forward must first draw the upper ends of the vibrating levers rearwardly. At
the same time his feet tend to push the lower ends of the levers forwardly, the seat
meanwhile being of no service as a propelling power; but when the crank has
reached its farthest forward point and the upper end of the vibrating lever is
pushed forward the feet relax their exertions and the weight of the operator on the
seat compensate for the temporary loss of foot power. Thus the rearwardly inclined
brace aids in giving a backward motion to the lower end of the vibrating lever. It
will further be observed that this manner of hinging the seat prevents the operator
from being elevated or lowered to any great distance in manipulating the
machine, which is an element of considerable importance in vehicles of this class.
The movable journal bearings on the frame enable the user to adjust the sprocket
wheel shaft rearwardly to take up wear, or to move the wheel forward in the event
a chain is to be applied or removed.
By the arrangement of the journal bearing for the rear shaft, it may be thrown
at any reasonable angle to the railway track desired so as to keep the rear wheel
properly on the track or to prevent crowding of the wheel. I do not confine
myself to this forin of adjusting the shaft since it is obvious numerous mechanical
devices equally as efficient may be devised to accomplish the same purpose.
The rims of the wheels are cast independent of the hubs with an annular rib
within. The hub is cast with funnel shaped ends and the bore of the hub is of
even size with the shaft on which it is placed. The shaft on each side of the hub
is screw-threaded and nuts having conical ends to fit the funnel mouths of the hub
are screwed on the shaft against the hub at each end, thereby rigidly securing wheel

page_text: and shaft together. The conical nuts may be in the form of washers and nuts
employed outside of the washer if desired, but this is only one of the modifications
which may be made, to carry out the construction.
Between the rim and hub of the wheel are metallic spokes which pass through
the hub their ends abutting against the conical nuts so that when the nuts are
driven tightly against the hub the spokes are driven outwardly and tightened by
pressure against the rim and flange.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th June 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON Fel. Inst P.A. of the Liverpool and London
Agency for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES OR HAND CARS FOR
USE ON RAILWAYS OR TRAMWAYS A communication from Samuel Henry Walz
of Three Rivers county of St Joseph State of Michigan U.S.A.
Fig 1. is a side elevation of the railway velocipede
Fig 2. is a top view of same
Fig 3. is a top view of the outer wheel showing adjustable shaft connections
Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of one of the rear springs showing manner of
adjusting the rear wheel at the proper angle to the rail, and
Fig 5. is a vertical view of wheel showing construction of same.
The object of this invention is to provide a railway velocipede; and it consists
first, in improving the structure of the wheels, whereby they may be secured
adjustably to revolving shafts; second, a truss tubular frame for velocipedes of
this class; third, providing that wheel shaft, which spans the rails, of two tubular
parts, one operating within the other, so as to adapt the velocipede for any gauge
of track; fourth, the arrangement of levers and seat motions, whereby the weight
of the operator, as well as his strength, is utilized in propelling the device; fifth,
the employment of sprocket wheels, and chain and device for producing tension in
the chain; and sixth, device for adjusting rear wheel to any desired angle with the
track.
In the accompanying drawing A represents the lower and B the upper bar of a
trussed frame, united at the rear end by a solid U-shaped rod A', the limbs of which
project into the tubular bars, of which the frame is composed. The forward en is
of the bars are united to a sleeve B¹. The upper bar B is arched centrally, and two
or more tie-rods C C unite the bars, as shown.
A pair of trusses thus made are placed side by side, a suitable distance from each
other, and the diagonal or right angled braces D. D. on the forward and rear ends
hold the trusses in proper position

page_text: At the forward end the sleeves B¹ are placed on a solid steel shaft E, one of the
wheels F being secured rigidly on the shaft at a point midway between the
sleeves B¹. The solid shaft E projects a short distance beyond the inner sleeve, and
a tubular shaft is placed on this shaft as shown, so as to extend over or in the
direction of the opposite wheel. The wheel H, Fig 3, designed for the opposite
rail, is secured to a smaller tubular shaft F¹, of proper size to fit into the tubular
shaft E, and set screws H'H' through shaft E, operating against shaft E', serve to
hold the wheels in proper distance from each other, thus making the velocipede
capable of use on any gauge track.
The rear shaft or axle C is journaled in springs secured to the lower bar A of
the truss. The rear end of the spring h has a slot i, which receives the journal of
the shaft C. The outer end of the shaft C¹ is also journaled to the rear end of an
arın j, whose rear end has a slot k, similar to the slot i in the spring. This slot
receives a bolt 7, which enters the spring h, so as to hold the shaft Cat any desired
point.
At the forward end of the frame, and pivoted thereto by the transverse shaft L,
are two vertically disposed vibrating levers J, united at the upper end by a round
rod or bar handle J', by means of which the operator grasps the levers. The lower
ends of these levers are united by a cross beam K, upon which the operator places
his feet. Instead of the foot beam K, or in connection therewith, are adjustable
arins L¹, secured to the levers J, and having a cross connecting rod or bar L"
may be employed, thus enabling operators to raise or lower the foot bar to suit the
height.
The seat M has two arms N, projecting downward and outward from its forward
end, which are hinged to the vibrating levers J at N¹. The rear end of the seat
rests on and is hinged to the arched brace O, and the lower end of this brace
projects forward, and is pivoted to the frame at O¹. The brace O is thus inclined
rearwardly for purposes which will be hereinafter more fully explained.
P is an adjustable journal bearing, secured to the lower bar of the frame near the
rear end, which receives the transverse shaft O This shaft has centrally a crank R,
and by the side of the crank a large sprocket wheel S On the forward shaft E,
on a line with sprocket wheel S, is a smaller spocket wheel S¹, to which motion is
transmitted through the chain T A pitman rod V, secured at its rear end to
the crank R, has its forward end forked and is hinged to the vertical vibrating
levers J at V¹.
The operation of the car will be readily understood. In the position shown in
Fig 1, the operator, to propel the car forward must first draw the upper ends of the
levers J rearwardly. At the same time his feet tend to push the lower ends of the
levers forwardly, the seat meanwhile being of no service as a propelling power; but
when the crank has reached its farthest forward point, and the upper end of the
vibrating lever is pushed forward, the feet relax their exertions, and the weight of
the operator on the seat compensates for the temporary loss of foot power. Thus
the rearwardly inclined brace O aids in giving a backward motion to the lower
end of the lever J. It will further be observed that this manner of hinging the
seat prevents the operator from being elevated or lowered to any great distance in
manipulating the machine, which is an element of considerable importance in
vehicles of this class.
The movable journal bearings P enable the user to adjust the sprocket wheel
shaft rearwardly to take up wear, or to move the wheel forward in the event a
chain is to be applied or removed.
By the arrangement of the journal bearing for the rear shaft, as shown in Fig 4,
the shaft C¹ may be thrown at any reasonable angle to the railway track desired,
so as to keep the rear wheel properly on the track or to prevent crowding of the
wheel. I do not confine inyself to this form of adjusting the shaft, since it is
obvious numerous mechanical devices equally as efficient may be devised to
accomplish the same purpose
In Fig 5 is illustrated the manner in which the wheels are constructed, and the

page_text: ethod of attaching them to the shafts. The rim of the wheel a, is cast indepen-
ent of the hub with an annular rib b within as shown. The hub c is cast with
nnel shaped ends d, and the bore of the hub is of even size with the shaft on
hich it is placed. The shaft on each side of the hub is screw threaded f, and
ats e, having conical ends to fit the funnel mouths of the hub, are screwed on the
aft against the hub at each end, thereby rigidly securing wheel and shaft together.
he conical nuts e may be in the form of washers and nuts g employed outside of
e washer if desired, but this is only one of the modifications which may be made,
carry out the construction.
Between the rim a and hub c'are metallic spokes a¹ which pass through the
ab c, their ends abutting against the conical nuts e, so that when the nuts are
iven tightly against the hub, the spokes are driven outwardly and tightened by
essure against the rim and flange b.
Having described the invention what is claimed, is :
/ In velocipedes for railways, the frame composed of tubing A B trussed, as
shown, united at the forward end to a sleeve B¹, and the rear end by means
of a curved bar A', substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
d/ In velocipedes for railways, the tubular, trussed frame having at the rear
end a spring h, provided with a horizontal slot i to receive the journal of the
rear shaft, in combination with a slotted arm j, by means of which the angle
of the shaft C¹ may be adjusted and secured, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
In velocipedes for railways, the forward axle composed of two tubular parts,
one operating within the other, the wheels on the opposing tracks being
rigidly secured to the tubular shafts as herein shown, so that the wheels and
axle revolve together, substantially as herein set forth
/ In velocipedes for railways, having three wheels, the combination of the
forward wheels revolving on the same shaft, in combination with the rear
single wheel secured to an adjustable shaft, substantially as herein set forth.
b/ In a hand car or like device for railways, a seat supported at the rear to the
frame by rods, on which said seat can have free movement, and also at the
front movably attached to and supported by the driving lever at a point below
that at which said lever is pivoted to the frame, substantially as described.
b/ In a railway hand car, or like device, a movable seat sustained at its rear
part by rods connecting directly to the frame, and at its front by the driving
lever, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set
y hand and seal this twenty seventh day of June in the year of our Lord one
ousand eight hundred and eighty three
17731 D THOMPSON