Improvements in Home Trainers or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 20th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov.,
1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Home Trainers or the like.
I, JOHN SISSON SLATER of Seafield, Lytham, in the County of Lancaster,
Master of Arts, Doctor of Laws, and Barrister at Law of the Northern Circuit,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus by means of which a bicycle or the like
may be ridden in a house or room; the invention may be carried out as follows:-
I provide one or more horizontal wheels upon the flange or face of which the
wheel of the bicycle is intended to run the running surface being either entirely
horizontal or curved or at an inclination to the horizontal. The bicycle wheel may
lie between two contiguous horizontal wheels the sloping or curved faces of which
would keep it from escaping from its proper position. The horizontal wheels need
not be absolutely horizontal though it is desirable to keep them as nearly so as may
be, so as to keep the apparatus as low or flat as possible, more especially as I prefer
to employ wheels of a fairly large size. The wheels may be carried in any
convenient bearings; they may be fixed upon vertical axles provided with a foot-
step bearing of suitable description at the bottom, and any convenient bearing
above, ball bearings being by preference used. The framing may be arranged
so as to provide the necessary support for the upper ends of the axles.
If desired a single wheel may be employed to provide the running surface, and
one or more preferably horizontal wheels or equivalent may be arranged upon the
same or other spindles and with advantage independently of the main wheel and
adjustable in such manner as to maintain the bicycle wheel in its proper place or
track. The non-driving wheel of the bicycle may be either carried by any suitable
fixed support or may rest upon wheels more or less similar to those previously
described for the driving-wheel; in the latter case the two sets of wheels may be
coupled or connected together preferably by peripheral contact so as to revolve
together and cause both wheels of the bicycle to revolve as in riding upon the
ground.
In this case the bicycle may be arranged diagonally to the axial line of the
horizontal wheels so that both bicycle wheels revolve in the same direction. If
desired however the bicycle wheels may revolve in opposite directions.
This apparatus may be used in connection with my bicycle stands which are
already upon the market and well known or these stands may be specially adapted
to suit the present invention and may be jointed or otherwise connected therewith
so as to support the machine when in use. Or the machine may be supported by any
suitable bars, rods, cords or equivalent supporting device.
Any suitable connection may be made between the wheels of this apparatus and
a suitable recording or indicating device, and more than one set of the apparatus
may be connected together or arranged to work in conjunction with suitable
indicating apparatus so that races may be run upon them.
These apparatus being suitable for use in shops may be arranged to provide
various kinds of track surfaces so as to show off the qualities of the machines. For
instance, the track surface of the wheel may be roughened, ridged, or otherwise
arranged to represent a rough, rutty, or otherwise defective road surface, or it may
be made smooth and slippery to test the non-slipping qualities of any particular
tyre. Special surfaces may be provided for this purpose to be attached to the
wheels or these may be recessed or otherwise arranged to receive any special
surface say for instance hollowed to receive a coating of grease or greasy mud.
Where special wheels or stops are provided to prevent the bicycle whee's

page_text: from running off the proper track these may be made adjustable according to
requirement.
Dated this 21st day of January 1893
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Home Trainers or the like.
I, JOHN SISSON SLATER of Seafield, Lytham, in the County of Lancaster,
Master of Arts, Doctor of Laws, and Barrister at Law of the Northern Circuit,
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:-
This invention relates to apparatus by means of which a bicycle or the like may
be ridden in a house or room; the invention may be carried out as follows:-
I provide one or more horizontal wheels upon the flange or face of which the
wheel of the bicycle is intended to run the running surface being either entirely
horizontal or curved or at an inclination to the horizontal. The bicycle wheel may
lie between two contiguous horizontal wheels the sloping or curved faces of which
would keep it from escaping from its proper position. The horizontal wheels need
not be absolutely horizontal though it is desirable to keep them as nearly so as may
be, so as to keep the apparatus as low or flat as possible, more especially as I prefer
to employ wheels of a fairly large size. The wheels may be carried in any
convenient bearings; they may be fixed upon vertical axles provided with a foot-
step bearing of suitable description at the bottom, and any convenient bearing
above, ball bearings being by preference used. The framing may be arranged so
as to provide the necessary support for the upper ends of the axler.
If desired a single wheel may be employed to provide the running surface, and
one or more preferably horizontal wheels or equivalent may be arranged upon the
sane or other spindles and with advantage independently of the main wheel and
adjustable in such a manner as to maintain the bicycle wheel in its proper place or
track. The non-driving wheel of the bicycle may be either carried by any suitable
fixed support or may rest upon wheels more or less similar to those previously
described for the driving-wheel; in the latter case the two sets of wheels may he
coupled or connected together preferably by peripheral contact so as to revolve
together and cause both wheels of the bicycle to revolve as in riding upon the
ground.
In this case the bicycle may be arranged diagonally to a line drawn through the
centres of the "horizontal" wheels so that both bicycle wheels revolve in the same
direction. If desired however the bicycle wheels may revolve in opposite directions
by placing the track of the bicycle wheels parallel with a line joining the axes of
the horizontal wheels so that the bicycle wheels rest upon the same instead of on
the opposite sides of the horizontal wheels.
This apparatus may be used in connection with my bicycle stands which are
already upon the market and well known or these stands may be specially adapted
to suit the present invention and may be jointed or otherwise connected therewith
so as to support the machine when in use. Or the machine may be supported by
any suitable bars, rods, cords, or equivalent supporting device.
Any suitable connection may be made between the wheels of this apparatus and
a suitable recording or indicating device, and more than one set of the apparatus
may be connected together or arranged to work in conjunction with suitable
indicating apparatus so that races may be run upon them.
These apparatus being suitable for use in shops may be arranged to provide
various kinds of track surfaces so as to show off the qualities of the machines.
For

page_text: instance, the track surface of the wheel may be roughened, ridged, or otherwise
arranged to represent a rough, rutty, or otherwise defective road surface, or it may
be made smooth and slippery to test the non-slipping qualities of any particular
tyre. Special surfaces may be provided for this purpose to be attached to the
wheels or these may be recessed or otherwise arranged to receive any special
surface say for instance hollowed to receive a coating of grease or greasy mud.
Where special wheels or stops are provided to prevent the bicycle wheels
from running off the proper track these may be made adjustable according to
.requirement.
The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate some forms in which this
invention may be applied.
Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of the apparatus showing one application of
the invention, and
Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure I showing another arrangement and
Figure 4 is a plan of an arrangement in which both wheels of the bicycle are
revolved.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In Figures 1 and 2 A represents any suitable wood, iron or other framework in
which are carried, upon suitable bearings, two horizontal wheels or pulleys B whose
peripheries are bevelled conveniently at an angle of 45° to the vertical the driving
wheel C of the bicycle resting between these two wheels B as will be easily
understood. From the side view Figure 2 it will be seen that the driving wheel C
of the bicycle rests between the two horizontal wheels B while the front or non-
driving wheel D is supported in checks E or other suitable device the machine
being maintained in its vertical position by any convenient supporting device.
In Figure 3 a single horizontal wheel or ring B is employed upon which the
wheel Crests while the central portion B₁ of the wheel prevents it escaping
nearer to the centre of B. However if desired the wheel B may consist simply of
a flat disc or ring if necessary having a vertical flange to keep the bicycle wheel in
its proper place or the retaining of the bicycle or other velocipede may be effected
by the stand or other supporting device. A horizontal guide wheel F is shown
projecting over the flange B' of the wheel B for the purpose of retaining the
wheel C in its proper position upon the flange B.
may
In Figure 4 an arrangement is shown by which both the bicycle wheels are
revolved in the same direction the horizontal ring or wheel B upon which the
driving wheel C of the bicycle rests being in peripheral contact with a second
horizontal ring or wheel B upon which the second or non-driving bicycle wheel D
rests and is revolved by its contact with the second roller B. The wheels B
be connected together by means other than the peripheral contact shown in Figure 4;
for example instead of their peripheries being in contact they may be just clear
and a driving band may be placed around the two rollers, in the case of a cycle
with more than two wheels all the wheels may be driven by means similar to those
already described and in either direction according to requirement, but in this case
the bicycle instead of being placed diagonally as shown would in order to drive its
two wheels in the same direction lie parallel to the line G passing through the
centres of the two rings B-nevertheless the cycle wheels may be driven in opposite
directions if desired. Spur or other gearing or connecting devices may also be
utilized. Any desired number conveniently four guide rolls F are shown for the
purpose of retaining the bicycle wheels in their proper places; or two of these
rollers may be central projections or flanges B' of the wheels or rings B as in
Figure 3. In this arrangement the bicycle is placed diagonally to the centre line G
which passes through the centres of the wheels or rings B. If desired the guide
rolls F may be dispensed with and suitable grooved or flanged rollers H
(shown in dotted lines in Figure 4) provided instead. These rollers H are
mounted on horizontal shafts supported in any suitable brackets or equivalent and
may be adjusted to such position that the bicycle wheels C D will be constantly

page_text: rotating in contact with them as well as with rings or wheels B or they may be just
out of reach of wheels C and D when the bicycle is in its central position.
The rollers H may be used conjointly with the rolls F and they may also be
applied to the machines shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
Although I prefer to employ two rollers H as shown in Figure 4 I may obtain
equally satisfactory results by one roller properly arranged between the two bicycle
wheels; or one roller may be used for preventing the movement of the bicycle in
one direction and a chock or other device for preventing its movement in the
opposite direction.
It is easy to see that these arrangements may be extensively modified without
departing from the spirit of the invention.
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 :-
:-
1. In apparatus such as described the employment of one or more horizontal or
approximately horizontal rollers or rings such as B with vertical or approximately
vertical axes substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In apparatus such as described the combination of two "horizontal" rollers
such as B with angular faces between which the driving wheel C of the cycle rests
substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In apparatus such as described the combination upon a stand of two "hori-
zontal rollers such as B between whose angular faces the driving wheel C of the
cycle rests and chocks or other device E for supporting the non-driving wheel D
substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawings.
,י
4. In apparatus such as described the combination with a "horizontal" wheel or
ring such as B having a raised flange or portion B' of a guide wheel such as F
between which and the part B and upon the flat portion B the driving wheel C of
the cycle rests substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 3 of the accom-
panying drawings.
5. In apparatus such as described the combination with a horizontal or approxi-
mately horizontal roller or ring upon which one wheel of the bicycle rotates of one
or more grooved or flanged rollers H for preventing lateral and longitudinal
displacement of the bicycle substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
"
6. In apparatus such as described the employment of two or more " horizontal
wheels or ring such as B so connected that one drives the other whereby both
wheels of the cycle may be revolved though only one be driven substantially as
described.
7. In apparatus such as described the combination of two wheels or rings such
as B in peripheral contact two rollers such as F and two rollers or projections or
flanges or B' for keeping the cycle wheels upon the surfaces B substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893
JOHN SISSON SLATER.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.