IMPROVEMENTS IN SAFETY BICYCLES to be as follows:-
Year: 1885

page_text: I JAMES LEE of No 37 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, in the County of Sussex,
Outfitter do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SAFETY BICYCLES to be as follows:-
"
My invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the driving gear
and consists in the application of an independent lever action to impart continuous
rotary motion to the driving wheel and arranged so that the levers inay be worked
alternately or both together as the fancy of the rider may direct, and so that the
position of the driving lever may be varied to suit riders of different stature, so
that one sized machine may be ridden by any one irrespective of their height.
I take a bicycle constructed on the ordinary lines but instead of having cranks
fixed on the ends of the axle of the driving wheel I mount loosely, preferably
between the wheel and the bearings at the fork ends, small spur wheels, in these
wheels are silent clutches of any approved construction which lock the spur wheels
to the axle when they are driven forward, but allow the axle to over run the spur
wheels. From each leg of the front fork at a suitable distance above the bearings
there branches a pronged leg which is curved backwards and downwards from a
radius of which the centre of the driving axle is the centre. In each of these
pronged legs is mounted the fulcrum pin of one of the treadle levers. These
fulcrum pins are adjustable in the pronged legs so that the pedal levers may
be raised or lowered for the purpose herein before described.
On the forward ends of the pedal levers are formed sections of large spur wheels
which gear with the spur wheels on the axle of the driving wheel. On the rear
ends are suitable blocks or treadles for the feet. The forward ends of the pedal
levers are connected to the lower extremities of the pronged legs by volute springs
which are extended when the pedal-levers are thrust downwards and consequently
return them to their heighest position when pressure is taken off them.
y 1885.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant,

page_text: I JAMES LEE of 37 Trafalgar Street, Brighton, in the county of Sussex,
Outfitter, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SAFETY BICYCLES," 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 construction and arrangement of the driving gear,
and consists in the application of an independent lever action, to impart continuous
rotary motion to the driving wheel, and arranged so that the-levers may be worked
'alternately or both together as the fancy of the rider may direct; and so that the
position of the driving levers may be varied to suit riders of different. stature. so
that one sized machine may be ridden by any one irrespective of their height.
I take a bicycle constructed on the ordinary lines but instead of having cranks
fixed on the ends of the axle of the driving wheel I mount loosely, preferably
between the wheel and the bearings at the fork ends, small spur wheels, in these
wheels are silent clutches of any approved construction which lock the spur wheels
to the axle when they are driven forward, but allow the axle to over run the spur
wheels. Attached to each prong of the front fork is a pronged radial arm struck
from the centre of the driving axle. In each of these pronged arms is mounted the
fulcrum pin of one of the treadle levers. These fulcrum pins are adjustable in the
pronged arms so that the pedal levers may be raised or lowered for the purpose
herein before described.
On the forward ends of the pedal levers are formed segmental racks which gear
with the spur wheels on the axle of the driving wheel. On the rear ends are
suitable blocks or treadles for the feet.
When motion is applied to the pedal levers the spur wheels on the axle of the
driving wheel are driven, and communicate motion to the driving wheel through
the clutches. Suitable springs are either enclosed in the clutch boxes or are
connected between the pedal levers and the fork to restore the levers to their
normal position after each stroke.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will more particularly
describe it with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which similar parts are
marked with like letters of reference.
Referring to the drawing in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved
arrangement of driving gear, and Fig. 2 an end elevation thereof, one of the pedal
levers being omitted for the sake of clearness; A désignates the front fork carrying
the driving wheel of which the hub B only is shown. On each end of the axle b.
between the bearings a. a. and the hub of the wheel B, is the spur wheel C,
connected to the driving wheel by any suitable form of silent clutch not shown.
D designates the radial arm attached to the fork A, and E the pedal lever pivotted
thereon, having a foot pedal F at one end and a segmental rack c. at the other,
gearing with the spur wheel C. The fulcrumn pin e¹ of the pedal lever E is adjust-
able in the slots d. d of the radial arm D, to allow the pedal levers to be adjusted
to suit riders of different statures.
Instead of connecting the pedal levers with the driving clutches by means of
toothed gearing any other suitable mechanical equivalent may be used.

page_text: I do not bind myself to the exact position of the pronged radial arm with respect
to the front fork, neither do I limit myself to the exact.shape of the pedal lever,
as the construction and arrangement of these parts will require to be modified
according to varying circumstances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The construction and arrangement of the driving gear for bicycles as
hereinbefore described and shown.
Secondly. In a bicycle driven by reciprocating levers and clutches, the method
of mounting the levers as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
Thirdly. In a bicycle driven by reciprocating levers and clutches, the pedals E,
the pivotting pins e¹, and the pronged radial arms D, all combined, arranged, and
operating, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.