IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER APPARATUS WHEREIN MOTIVE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left TOTUS WHEREIN MOTIVE POWER IS TO BE OBTAINED AND APPLIED
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Clement Clarke, of Westmoreland, in the Island of
Jamaica, and at present of 68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER APPARATUS WHEREIN MOTIVE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Clement Clarke at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th September 1882.
CLEMENT CLARKE, of Westmoreland, in the Island of Jamaica, and at present of
68, Fleet Street, in the City of London, JMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND
TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
APPARATUS WHEREIN MOTIVE POWER IS TO BE OBTAINED AND APPLIED,
The object of my Invention is to construct bicycles and tricycles in such manner
as to utilize the whole weight of the human body for purposes of propulsion, and,
at the same time, to dispense with the use of cranks.
I proceed to describe my improvements as applied to a tricycle.
In a suitable frame, I mount the driving wheel, and on each side of the axle of
such wheel, I mount a pulley (by preference grooved) whose hub or nave is toothed
on its inner face, and these pulleys lie close against the hub of the driving wheel.
On each side of the hub of the driving wheel is a tooth or finger, behind which is
a spring, and this tooth or finger engages in the manner of a clutch, with the toothed
hub of the pulleys, and causes the rotation of the driving wheel, as hereinafter
mentioned. Fixed to the periphery of each pulley is a spring, whose other end is
secured to the frame of the vehicle. Also, fixed to the periphery of each pulley, is
a cord, chain, or strap which, after passing over sheaves, rollers, or pulleys, is secured
to the treadles, on the footboards of which the rider, or operator stands, the vehicle
being so arranged as to dispense with the use of a saddle, in order to obtain and to
utilize the whole weight of the body of the rider for propelling the vehicle. The
springs, above mentioned, restore the toothed hubs and their pulleys to position,
after the same have been partially rotated by the treadles acting on the cord, chain,

page_text: or strap, and operating the pulley and driving wheel, thereby bringing the same
into position ready for again actuating the driving wheel on the next thrust of
the feet.
The treadles are hinged at their rear end to a horizontal bar, which is connected
to a vertical bar secured to the hinder part of the frame, and to this vertical bar
the axle of the guiding or steering wheels is connected. These guiding or steering
wheels are operated by a handle-bar, (arranged in front of the driver or operator)
attached to a vertical rod, held in the frame, and provided at its lower end with a
short arm, to which is connected a rod, passing obliquely beneath the treadles, and
between the guiding wheels, to another short arin fixed on the vertical bar carrying
the guiding or steering wheels.
When my improvements are applied to a bicycle, the guiding or steering
arrangement is arranged above the trailing wheel. By the omission of the
steering or guiding arrangement, just mentioned, the remaining improvements,
herein described, may be applied to various apparatus or machines in which
motive power is to be obtained and applied, as for instance to a grinding or
sharpening machine.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Clement Clarke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th March 1883.
CLEMENT CLARKE, of Westmoreland, in the Island of Jamaica, and at present
of 68 Fleet Street, in the City of London, IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND
TRICYCLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER
APPARATUS WHEREIN MOTIVE POWER IS TO BE OBTAINED AND APPLIED
The object of my Invention is to construct tricycles and bicycles in such manner
as to utilize the whole weight of the human body for purposes of propulsion, and
at the same time to dispense with the use of cranks.
I proceed, with reference to the accompanying drawings (in which Fig 1 is a
perspective view, and fig 2, a detailed view of a portion of the working parts) to
describe my invention as applied to a tricycle
A is the frame of the vehicle, in which I mount the driving wheel B, and on
each side of the axle of this wheel, I mount a pulley C, (grooved on its outer.
periphery) whose hub or nave c is toothed on its inner face as shewn. These
pulleys lie close against the hub of the driving wheel. On each side of the hub of
the said wheel is a tooth or finger a, behind which is a spring b, and this tooth or
finger engages in the manner of a clutch with the toothed hub c of the pulleys and
causes the rotation of the driving wheel forward, but passes loose over the teeth on
its return movement, as hereinafter mentioned. Fixed to the periphery of each
pulley is a spring e, whose other end is secured to the frame A, of the vehicle.
Also fixed to the periphery of each pulley is a cord, chain, or strap f, which, after
passing over sheaves, rollers, or pulleys g, is secured to the treadles D, on the foot-
boards Dx of which the rider or operator stands, the vehicle being so arranged as
to dispense with the use of a saddle, in order to obtain and to utilize the whole
weight of the body of the rider for propelling the vehicle. The springs restore the
toothed hubs and their pulleys to position after the same have been partially
rotated by the treadles acting on the cord, chain, or strap f, and operating the
pulley C and driving wheel B, thereby bringing the same into position ready for
again actuating the driving wheel on the next thrust of the feet.
The treadles are hinged at their rear end to a horizontal bar E, which is
connected to a vertical bar F secured to the hinder part of the frame, and to this
vertical bar the axle of the guiding or steering wheels is connected. These guiding
or steering wheels are operated by a handle bar G (arranged in front of the driver
or operator) attached to a vertical rod h, which is held in the frame, and is provided,
at its lower end, with a short arm i, to which is connected a rod j, passing obliquely
beneath the treadles and between the guide wheels to another short arm i*, fixed
on the vertical bar F.
When my improvements are applied to a bicycle the guiding or steering arrange-
ment is arranged above the trailing wheel.
In a modified arrangement shewn in elevation in Fig: 3, the improvements
consist in keying on the axle a toothed wheel c, centrally, between two large
driving wheels B (one of which is seen in the drawing), and placing over this
toothed wheel a pulley C, which is cast or made in two parts so as to be fitted on
the axle on both sides of the toothed wheel c, and then rivetted or bolted together
at the circumference. This pulley C turns loose on the axle and over the toothed
wheel c, but without touching it, and is fitted on the inner face of its periphery
with a spring catch or finger a, which engages in the teeth of the wheel c (which
is keyed on the axle) in its forward movement, but permits of its free travel over

page_text: the teeth on its return. On the outer face of the periphery of this pulley is a
groove. To a staple d, on one side of this groove is attached one end of a chain,
cord, or rope f, which is secured at its other end to the treadle D. On the opposite
side of the pulley is fastened a spiral spring e, or elastic band, whose other end is
secured to the frame A. On the rider working the treadle with his foot the pulley,
by means of the spring catch or finger engaging in the toothed wheel, propels
forward the machine. When the foot is raised the spiral spring instantly restores
the pulley and treadle to their normal position ready for the next downward stroke,
and thus the machine is propelled by the repeated action of the treadle, which has
no dead point, and acts with equal efficiency on the driving wheels through the
whole length of each stroke.
: The operator must stand whilst working the treadle, in order to utilize his whole
weight, and for this purpose a foot plate must be made as near the ground as
possible, with an opening in the centre for the working of the treadle, so that he
can stand either on the right or left foot, and work with the other as may be
easiest to himself.
The frame. may be extended behind the axle so as to allow the treadle to be
hinged on the hinder part when the driver wishes to carry a passenger on a
hoveable seat in front, as in a Bath chair or on the front part when he is propelling
himself alone.
The steering gear is fixed in the usual way, the driver holding the handle-bar to
preserve his balance while standing.
By the omission of the steering or guiding arrangements just mentioned, the
remaining improvements herein described may be applied to various apparatus or
machines in which motive power is to be obtained and applied, as for instance, a
grinding or sharpening machine, a lathe, or a sewing machine.
In witness whereof I the said Clement Clarke have hereunto set my hand.
and seal this Eighth day of February in the year of our Lord 1883.
CLEMENT CLARKE. (L.S.)