Treadle or Crank Movement.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1894-Accepted, 22nd Dec., 1894
Treadle or Crank Movement.
I, LEMUEL SARGENT MANNING, of No. 313 Ninth Street, Oakland, County of
Alameda, State of California U.S.A., Miner, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the class of treadles or cranks, applicable in any
mechanism where a treadle or crank movement is used.
My invention consists essentially in a crank, a lever to which said crank is
pivoted at a point back of the latter's forward extremity, and a sliding and pivotal
connection for the rear extremity of said lever, whereby the lever may simul-
taneously move in a vertical arc and reciprocate lineally, all of which, together
with details of construction, arrangement and adjustment I shall hereinafter fully
describe and specifically claim.
The object of my invention is to provide a treadle or crank movement adapted
to describe a course or figure best adapted for a given use, and by reason of its
several adjustments, capable of describing multiform figures, both regular and
eccentric, adapted each to its particular use; such, for example, as the use with
which I have herein illustrated it, namely, the treadle or crank movement of a
bicycle or other velocipede, wherein it is of importance to obtain an action as
nearly similar to the action of the foot and leg, in walking, as possible.
Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation of my
invention,―
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my treadle or crank movement, showing it applied
to a portion of a bicycle, the dotted line representing the figure described by the
pedal in the adjustment herrin illustrated.
Figure 2 is a top view of the treadle or crank movement.
A represents a wheel, and B a portion of a frame of any bicycle or other
velocipede. C is the driving shaft, to which is keyed in suitable manner the
crank D.
E is a lever, to the forward extremity of which is properly secured the
pedal F.
At its other or rear extremity, this lever is to be secured to the frame, or to any
other portion of the bicycle, by such a connection that its forward end can move in
a vertical arc, while at the same time, the whole lever can reciprocate lineally.
Any joint which will permit of these movements may be used, but I have here
shown as the best form, a tubular piece or sleeve G which is pivoted at its rear
end, in a suitable manner, to the bicycle, whereby it may move up and down in a
vertical arc, said piece sleeve receiving within it, telescopically, the rear end of the
lever E, so that said lever may freely move lineally within the sleeve.
The friction of this telescopic joint may be relieved in any suitable manner, and
I have here shown as one form of this an anti-friction roller e, at the end of the
lever and an anti-friction bearing g in the end of the sleeve.
The crank D is pivoted to the lever E at a point far enough back from its pedal
extremity to give any length of crank movement desired, and for this purpose, any
proper adjustment may be effected as, for example, by means of the several holes e¹
through which the pin or bolt d pivoting the crank to the lever may pass.
This length of crank may also be adjusted in the usual manner by seating the
pedal pin ƒ in any one of a number of holes e³ in the extremity of the lever.

page_text: There is also an adjustment of the movement at the pivotal point of the piece
sleeve G which may be effected by seating it forward or back on the frame as
indicated at the points g¹.
In the arrangement and adjustment, as shown in the drawings, the figure
described by the pedal is indicated by the dotted lines, and it will be seen that this
figure is an eccentric one, approaching nearer, on its up movement or recovery,
to a vertical plane than on its down or outward movement.
It will readily be seen that in a foot movement, such as on a bicycle or other
velocipede, this figure is of great advantage in that the recovery of the foot is
straighter, and, therefore, more natural than if a perfect circle or a course
approximating such a circle be had; while the outward or downward movement
where the force is applied, is again more natural in being like the movement in
walking, and also in giving a greater leverage and force.
On the upward or recovery stroke there is no need of force and all that has to be
done is to lift the leg, which lift is best accomplished in the shortest time and in
the most direct manner, while on the outward or downward stroke there is need of
force, and this is effected by the full length of the crank.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is―
1st. A treadle or crank movement comprising a crank and a lever to which the
crank is pivoted, adjustably or otherwise, at a point back of the lever's forward
extremity, the lever having, at its rear end, a pivotal and sliding connection, which
may be adjustable or not, enabling it to simultaneously move in a vertical arc and
reciprocate lineally.
2nd. A treadle or crank movement, comprising a crank, a lever to which the
crank is pivoted, adjustably or otherwise, at a point back of the lever's forward
extremity, and a sleeve pivoted adjustably, or otherwise, at its rear extremity, and
receiving the rear end of the lever by a sliding connection whereby said lever may
simultaneously reciprocate lineally and move with the sleeve in a vertical arc.
Dated this Tenth day of November 1894.