IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO EXERCISING APPARATUS ANALOGOUS TO BICYCLE OR VELOCIPEDE RIDING, AND FOR RECORDING OR REGISTERING THE EQUIVALENT TO THE MILEAGE OR DISTANCE PERFORMED." PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Milbrowe Smith, of West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford, and 32, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
EXERCISING APPARATUS ANALOGOUS TO BICYCLE OR VELOCIPEDE RIDING,
AND FOR RECORDING OR REGISTERING THE EQUIVALENT TO THE MILEAGE
OR DISTANCE PERFORMED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Milbrowe Smith at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1880.
JOHN MILBROWE SMITH, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, and 32,
IMPROVE-
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO EXERCISING APPARATUS ANALOGOUS TO BICYCLE OR
VELOCIPEDE RIDING, AND FOR RECORDING OR REGISTERING THE EQUIVALENT TO
THE MILEAGE OR DISTANCE PERFORMED."
My Invention relates to improvements in exercising apparatus analogous to
bicycle or velocipede riding, and is designed to prevent interruptions in practising
or training owing to unfavourable weather, bad roads, or distance from a good
bicycling track, and by means of which exercise may always be taken under cover,
and the equivalent to the distance traversed indicated or recorded.
The apparatus consists of a pillar or frame-work constructed either of metal or
wood, the base of which stands upon or may be secured to the floor or level surface.
Through the lower part of the pillar or frame is a gap in which a small heavy
wheel, disc, or pulley for momentum is fixed on a shaft or axle. Outside the
machine frame, at each end of the axle and at opposite sides, a detachable crank is
fitted, to which pedals are attached to be worked by the feet with a rotary move-
ment. A variable amount of friction is provided by a spring brake bearing upon
the main wheel, disc, or pulley, and connected with a hand lever or pulley by a
chain, gut, or slide, by which a variable pressure on the brake may be applied at
will to represent riding a bicycle or velocipede up or down hill, or on the level. On

page_text: the upper part of the pillar or frame-work two brackets are fixed, adjustable by set-
screws and slots in the brackets. To one is attached a bar with a handle at each
end; to the other is fitted by screws the seat or saddle, which may be raised or
depressed as found most convenient.
An arrangement of worm and tooth wheels and index is in gear with the main
axle wheel or disc of the apparatus, which upon making a certain number of
revolutions, equal, say, to one mile, or more or less, denotes by means of index
finger, bell, or otherwise that distance supposed to have been traversed.
I believe that this apparatus will prove useful to bicycle riders, and also as a means
of taking recreative exercise.
It is obvious that the details of my Invention may be varied without departing
from the nature thereof.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Milbrowe Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 29th
March 1881.
JOHN MIDBROWE SMITH, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, and 32,
" IMPROVE-
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
MENTS IN AND RELATING TO EXERCISING APPARATUS ANALOGOUS TO BICYCLE OR
VELOCIPEDE RIDING, AND FOR RECORDING OR REGISTERING THE EQUIVALENT TO
THE MILEAGE OR DISTANCE PERFORMED."
My Invention relates to improvements in exercising apparatus, analogous to
bicycle or velocipede riding, and is designed to prevent interruptions in practising
ór training owing to unfavourable weather, bad roads, or distance from a good
bicycling track, and by means of which exercise may always be taken under cover,
and the equivalent to the distance traversed indicated or recorded.
In order to clearly elucidate the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I have annexed a Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and
letters of reference marked thereon I now refer.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation (partly in section).
Fig. 3 is a sectional side view, the wheel and indicator box being shown solid.
The apparatus consists of a hollow pillar, column, or frame work A, constructed
either of metal or wood, the base B of which stands upon or may be secured to the
floor or level surface. Through the lower part of the pillar or frame is a gap C, in
which a small heavy wheel, disc, or pulley D for momentum is fixed on a shaft or
axle E. The Drawing shows the ends of the axle turned conically, and running in
conical bearings or bushes F, adjustable for taking up wear, as is usual. Outside
the machine frame, at each end of the axle and at opposite sides, a detachable
crank G is fitted, to which pedals H are attached to be worked by the feet with a
L

page_text: .
rotary movement. In Fig. 2 the pedals are omitted; they and the cranks may be
of any of the well known varieties.
A variable amount of friction is provided by a spring brake bearing upon the
main wheel, disc, or pulley D, and connected with a hand lever or pulley by a
chain, gut, or slide, by which a variable amount of pressure on the brake may be
applied at will to represent riding a bicycle or velocipede up or down hill, or on
the level. The brake which I prefer to use is of the strap variety, such as shown
at I, and connected to a spiral or other spring J attached to the bottom of the
column, as shown in Fig. 3. The strap bears on the periphery of wheel C, and
passes over a guide roller K up to the reel L, carried on handle bar M.
On the upper part of the pillar or framework two brackets N, O, are fixed,
adjustable by set screws P, P', and slots Q, Q¹, in the pillar. To N are attached
bearings R for the handle bar M; to the other O is fitted by screws the seat or
saddle S, which may be raised or depressed as found most convenient, or moved
longitudinally on scroll or spring T, attached to bracket O. By turning the handle
bar a greater or less amount of brake power may be applied to the wheel C, and it
may be retained in any position by set screw U.
To indicate or register the equivalent to the mileage or distance performed, a
worm or endless screw V is cut on the axle E, and gears into a toothed wheel W
carried by spindle X, with its lower end carried by a bearing Y attached to the
column A, and with a pinion Z at its upper end.
Referring now to the indicating apparatus, shown on an enlarged scale (about
full size),
Fig. 4 is a section through z, z, of Fig. 6, the bell also being shown sectionally.
Fig. 5 is a plan view, the indicator face being removed.
Fig. 6 is a plan view, the main toothed wheels being removed.
Fig. 7 is a plan of the lower face of toothed wheel d.
Fig. 8 is a plan of indicator face plate.
Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the worm or screw V and wheel W.
a is the case bolted to column A by screws passing through lugs b; c is a pin
fixed to the case, on which the main toothed wheel d turns.
I now describe the gearing as proportioned to represent the distance recorded as
analogous to the performance of a 52 inch bicycle (the wheel, disc, or pulley D
weighing about 100 lbs. In this case wheel d has 104 teeth and wheel W has 29
teeth, so that 29 revolutions of axle and screw V causes the latter wheel and its
spindle X and pinion Z to make one revolution.
The pinion Z drives toothed wheel e (carried on plate n, hereafter described),
spaced proportionately to X, actuating toothed wheel d, so that for every 382
revolutions of the axle E (equal to the revolutions of a 52 inch bicycle wheel in
performing a similar distance) the wheel d makes a complete revolution, recording
one mile.
A pointer f is carried by the bush of wheel d, and which moves over the face of
the dial, Fig. 8.
.
As shown in Fig. 7, a small cain or double pawl g is pivoted to the lower face of
toothed wheel d, and has a spring h pressing against it tending to force its lower
arm against pin i, forming a stop. Through the bottom of the case a a pin j
projects, carrying a tooth (Fig. and Fig. 6), to the end of which is attached an
arm l, carrying a hammer and connected to a spring (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4),
so that on the completion of a revolution of toothed wheel d its cam or pawl g
catches tooth and pulls round the hammer, then releasing it, and causing it to
strike the bell m.
To allow of the pointer being pushed back and reset at any desired point I
use a plate n, carrying a pin o, on which the toothed wheel e is mounted; this
plate is pivoted on a stud p, passing through a slot in it into the bottom of
case a; it carries teeth q in gear with a rack bar or ratchet r, passing through
case a, and with a spring s attached to the rim of the case pressing against it. The
pinion Z projects through orifices t in both the bottom of the case and the plate n,

page_text: as shown. Now if the rack bar is pushed in by the finger the plate n is moved,
carrying the toothed wheel e clear of wheel d, and allowing the latter with the
pointer to be turned round.
The indicating apparatus might be greatly varied, or adapted to register or record
distances of more than one mile, if desired, such as tens, hundreds, &c., by adding
other suitably divided wheels and pointers, like a meter index.
Also, instead of the hollow pillar or column, may mount the wheel, disc, or
pulley D in an open wrought iron frame, the other details being varied accordingly.
Ball-bearings or various types of other Patent velocipede appurtenances, such as
pedals, saddles, brakes, &c., may be fitted instead of the arrangements shown.
Instead of one wheel, disc, or pulley I may use two, mounted in columns or
pillars with a seat or saddle between, as in tricycles. I may in some cases drive
the cranks indirectly if desired. In fact, the details of my Invention are capable of
great variation without departing from the principle.
I believe this apparatus will prove useful as a means of practising rapid pedalling
and hill mounting, and as a means of taking recreative exercise.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the best mode
known to me of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I
claim as novel and original under the hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent is,
Firstly. Apparatus for exercising in manner analogous to bicycle or velocipede
riding, consisting of a pillar, column, or frame carrying a heavy wheel, disc, or
pulley pedalled by the person sitting on a seat or saddle above or adjacent, and
furnished with a suitable brake apparatus to imitate or practise the ascent of hills
or inclines.
Secondly. Combining with the aforesaid "exerciser," apparatus (with or without
a bell or aların attachment) for indicating, recording, or registering the equivalent
to the mileage or distance performed.
Thirdly. The general arrangement and construction of exercising and recording
or registering apparatus, as and for the purposes herein before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Milbrowe Smith, bave hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 26th day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
TOUN M SMT
JOHN M. SMITH. (L.S.)