An Improved Construction of Tricycle Adaptable for one or more Riders.
Year: 1885

page_text: PROVISIONAL DIECIFICATION.
An Improved Construction of Tricycle Adaptable for one or
more Riders.
We JOSEPH WHITE of the City of Coventry in the County of Warwick Watch
Manufacturer and JOHN ASBURY of the City of Coventry in the County of Warwick
Machinist do hereby declare the nature of invention for AN IMPROVED CONSTRUC-
TION OF TRICYCLE ADAPTABLE FOR ONE OR MORE RIDERS to be as follows:-
The main object of this invention is to construct a front steering tricycle in a
simple and efficient manner, meeting at the same time the objection made to front
steerers based on the obstruction they offer to the rider when mounting the seat.
For the frame of the Tricycle a tube is used the same being bent into a peculiar
shape its rear end forming a vertical socket for the seat stem and its forward a
vertical socket for the stem of the steering handle.
Between these two points the tube takes a dip towards the ground leaving ample
space for the rider to step up to the seat.
The travelling wheel axle is carried by a forked bearing made fast to the rear
part of the tube immediately below the seat and the fork of the front steering
wheel is mounted in a bracket piece secured to the front part of the curved tube.
A forked bracket hinged to the tube serves to carry the pedal axle, means of
adjusting this bearing piece being applied to tighten up the driving chain which
communicates motion to the travelling wheels.
This construction of frame is not merely simple but gives lightness to the vehicle
and offers great facilities to lady riders, as the steering gear is all in front of the
framing instead of reaching back as heretofore to near the seat.
The curved tubular frame lends itself also to the application of two seats to the
tricycle one in rear of the other.
The rear end of the frame constitutes a stem for the reception of a socketted bar
on which two seats are mounted.

page_text: The bar is fixed longitudinally of the tricycle a socket being formed at its
opposite ends to receive the seats for the front and back riders.
A socket formed on the bar intermediate of that which carries the back seat and
that which fits on the stem of the frame, is provided to receive a pendent cranked
rod fitted with an adjustable bearing for receiving a second pedal axle.
.
This rod may be extended upwards and form a support for a cross handle for the
back rider.
When the tricycle is required for the use of one rider only the longitudinal bar
and its fittings may be removed and the seat for a single rider may be fitted to the
rear socket of the frame as before.

page_text: An Improved Construction of Tricycle Adaptable for one or
more Riders.
We JOSEPH WHITE of the City of Coventry in the County of Warwick, Watch
Manufacturer, and JOHN ASBURY of the City of Coventry in the County of Warwick,
Machinist 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 :―
The object of this invention is to construct a front steering Tricycle in a simple
and efficient manner, suitable for carrying two riders, when desired, and meeting,
at the same time, the objection made to front steerers, based on the obstruction they
offer to the rider when mounting the seat.
In carrying out our invention, we propose to employ any suitable form of
front steering tricycle, and to fit thereto a socketted bar for carrying the two seats
tandem fashion. The tricycle used will have a central frame, and when using that
type of machine known as the "Cripper Tricycle," we fit it with a hinged socket
for receiving the steering rod, according to the invention for which we applied
for Letters Patent on the 14th September 1885 N° 10885.
This construction of frame offers, with our applied improvement, great facilities
to lady riders, as the steering gear is all in front, instead of reaching back, as
beretofore, to near the seat.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows in side elevation a tandem velocipede constructed according to our
invention;
and
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tandem attachment, detached from the tricycle;
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the same.
A, Fig. 1, is the frame of the "Cripper" tricycle, and B is the hinged tubular
stem of the steering rod. This "Cripper" tricycle, it will be seen, is complete in
itself, that is to say, it is provided with a pair of travelling wheels C, driven from
the pedal axle D, and fitted with a front steering wheel E and suitable brake
apparatus.
The rear end of the frame A, to which the seat is fitted, constitutes, when that
seat is removed, a stem for the reception of the socketted bar F.
This bar is preferably made of weldless steel tubing, and serves to carry two
seats, G and H. It is fixed longitudinally of the tricycle, and is formed with a
split socket f, which fits onto the stem a of the frame A, and is held firmly in place
by tightening screws f*.-g and h are sockets formed at the opposite ends of the
bar, to receive the stems of the seats G and H.
i is a socket fitted to the tubular bar F, for receiving a tubular rod or stem I.
To this stem is fitted adjustable bracket bearings for receiving the second pedal
axle D¹,
The stem I extends downwards and rearwards to receive a safety wheel K, and
also upwards to form a support for the cross handle L for the back rider.
For

page_text: stiffening the bar F, a strut F¹ is provided, which is pivotted to the bar near its
fore end, and locks into a bracket piece carried by the stem of the frame A.
M is a brake handle for enabling the back rider to apply a band brake, which is
laid round a brake pulley on the travelling wheel axle.
When the tricycle is required for the use of one rider only, the longitudinal
bar F, and its fittings, may be removed, and the seat for a single rider taken from
the bar, and replaced in the hollow stem a of the tricycle frame.
To effect this change, it is only necessary to withdraw or slacken the tightening
screws f*, to unhitch the strut F¹, disconnect and remove the chain of the pedal
axle D¹, and detach the brake band from the tricycle.
From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the invention is equally
applicable to front steering tricycles generally, but preferably to those which, like
the "Cripper," are constructed with a central frame.
The position of the seats G and H on the bar F should be so arranged as to
balance, as near as may be, the weight of the riders, thereby to avoid all tendency
for the tricycle to tip backwards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
The adaptation to front steering tricycles, of a removable bar fitted fore and aft
with seats, and carrying a pedal axle and steadying handles for the back rider,
such bar being connected to the tricycle frame so as to be readily detachable there-
from, and provided with a safety wheel in the manner and for the purpose above
set forth.