Improvements in Cycles with Springs, and Means of Driving them, either Front or Rear, or both Front and Rear, with Levers and Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles with Springs, and Means of Driving them,
either Front or Rear, or both Front and Rear, with Levers and
Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
I, CHARLES HASSEL of 20 Parlington Street Harpurhey Manchester in the
County of Lancashire, Pattern Maker do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
I construct of the most suitable material preferably annealed steel or drawn steel
tubeing or aluminium steel or bronze either cast or wrought, a cycle to the
design shown in the drawing with springs and toothed gearing operated by levers
and treadles and cranks as shown and described in the following manner.
I construct a fork marked A. Fig. 1, to which 1 attach two spring levers
marked B. Fig. 1, which is attached to the front wheel and is hinged to fork A.
in the manner shown. On the two spring levers B. there are two small paps that
fit loosely into two corresponding sockets in the fork A. as shown in drawing.
In these sockets I insert steel spiral or volute springs or india rubber or cork or
compressed air in a tube or a ball that will act as a spring on levers B. or I may
use flat steel plate springs as shown Fig. 4 with a boss on the end to carry the
front wheel and attached to the fork A. in the manner shown in the drawing.
I next construct a bracket marked C. with a hinge joint and socket at one
end and a long round boss at the other end, which I attach to fork A. by means
of a bolt or pin as shown in drawing, the said connection forming a swivel and
part of the frame, by means of this swivel I steer the machine.
On the hinged end of bracket C. I join another hinged fork D. with a corre-
sponding socket to the one on bracket C, in these sockets I employ springs as
described at A. B. and forming a flexible back or frame. On the back end of
fork D. I provide either ball or parallel roller bearings for back wheel, I continue
this fork further out forming brackets with slots in as shown, or I may employ
rocking links instead of slots. I next construct a lever marked E which has a sort
of toothed internal mangle wheel which works into a toothed pinion F. that is
keyed fast on the axle of driving wheel. On the end of lever E. there is a friction
roller attached that works backwards and forwards in the slot of fork D. as shown
in drawing, or I may employ links to oscillate in the place of the said slots and
friction roller. On the other end of the levers I attach pedals, on each side of
the fork D. I attach guide brackets marked G. by means of which the lever E. is
held in a working position as shown. Inside this mangle wheel there is a groove
forming a guide or path that works on a pin which is a continuation of the axle
of driving wheel, by means of which it guides the mangle wheel round the pinion F.
and transmits motion to the driving wheel by the oscillating motion of the pedals
and levers. Both leading and trailing wheels are ordinary cycle wheels with either
ball or parallel roller bearings. Or I may drive the machine by means of tooth
wheels and pinions and levers in the manner shown in Figs. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. Fig. 3.
is an internal wheel with a crank arm attached, this wheel drives a pinion that is
keyed fast on the axle of the driving wheel and propelled by means of the fect on
pedals. Figs. 6. and 7. are internal wheels and pinions geared the same way as
Fig. 3. but propelled by means of levers and pedals in the manner shown on the

page_text: drawing, Fig. 2. is a spur wheel and pinion propelled the same way as Fig. 6.
Fig. 5. is a spur wheel and pinion propelled by a lever. On this lever there is a
sliding box with three friction rollers in. This box is connected to the spur wheel
by means of a crank pin on the spur wheel passing through the sliding box and the
top friction roller as shown. All the levers have friction rollers attached to the
crank pins that oscillate in the slots of the levers as shown.
I next construct a brake to the design shown at H. I. which is attached to
fork A. by means of a hinged joint. The said brake is operated by means of the
feet in the manner shown at H. 1. and also forms a foot rest, this foot rest and
the brake shoe are connected by two light rods.
Or I may make a trycycle of the same design and arrangement by mounting the
two back wheels on the outside of the back fork, and mounting the driving gear on
the inside of the back fork.
And the improvements and advantages claimed for this my invention are these,
that by the use of springs it will reduce the vibration on rough roads and will be
more easy and safer to ride and will take off all sudden strains on the machine and
reduce the liability to breakdown.
And by driving by means of levers and toothed gearings and cranks in the
manner shown and described, I claim to get more power and that it will be more
reliable than by driving by chain gearing, and that it will be more simple, and
surer in action, and that it will be safer to ride, and less liable to breakdown, and
that it will cost less in construction and maintainance.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
Improvements in Cycles with Springs, and Means of Driving them,
either Front or Rear, or both Front and Rear, with Levers and
Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
I, CHARLES HASSEL of 20 Parlington Street Harpurhey Manchester, in the
County of Lancashire, Pattern Maker 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 :-
I construct of aluminium steel, and steel, and zinc, and cork, and india rubber a
vehicle by means of which one or more persons may readily travel from place
to place, and I construct it in the following manner.
All letters of reference on drawings apply from Fig. 1 to Fig. 7 sent in with
Provisional Specification, and Figs. 8. 9. 10 I now send in with this my Complete
Specification.
I make wood patterns of a very light section for the frame, forks, and levers,
toothed wheels, pinions, and other small details and make castings from them of
a metal composed of sixteen per cent. of aluminium, seventy-eight of copper,
four per cent. of tin, and two per cent. of zinc; or sixteen per cent. of aluminium and
eighty-four per cent. of steel, which I melt three times before casting. Or I may
make castings for the working parts and end pieces and cross pieces and other
details of this machine, and braze them to distance pieces to form the design of the
machine of either drawn steel or aluminium steel or bronze tubing.
I construct a fork marked A. Fig. 1 and Fig. 10 which is in the form of a letter A
and is in length from N to S Fig. 10, to which I attach two spring levers marked B
Fig. 1 or Fig. 10 which is attached to the front wheel and is binged to fork A in
the manner shown at Fig. 1 and Fig. 10. On the two spring levers B there are
small paps that fit loosely into two corresponding sockets S in the fork A as shown

page_text: in drawing. In these sockets I insert steel spiral, or volute springs, or india rubb‹r,
or cork, or compressed air in a tube or a ball that will act as a spring on the paps
of the levers B in preference I use round india rubber springs, or I may use flat
steel plate springs as shown V. Fig. 4 or bent to the form of a letter V. with a boss
ou the end to carry the front wheel and attached to the fork A in the manner
shown in the drawing.
I next construct a bracket marked C Fig. 1 and Fig. 10 with a hinge joint and
socket S at one end and a long round boss at the other end, which I attach to
fork A by means of a steel bolt or pin, passing through the top of fork A and the
boss of bracket C and screwed into the cross piece of fork A as shown in the
drawing; the said connection forming a swivel and part of the irame. By means
of this swivel I steer the machine.
The handle bars I construct out of steel bent to the most suitable form to
receive the handles, and is secured to the top of fork A by two set screws.
The steering handles N 1 construct out of perforated zinc tubing of a suitable
length and thickness for to handle. At each end of these tubes 1 braze or solder
ferules to fit on the handle bars and either screw or rivit them thereto, or I may
make light zinc castings for the handles and drill the perforations in them. In
bracket C there is a socket Z to receive an adjustable pillar J. Pillar J
I construct of hollow or solid steel with a hinge at the top as shown P Fig. 10, to
pillar J1 attach by means of a steel pin another hinged piece of hollow or solid
steel of a suitable length and thickness to carry two or more saddles as
shown J. P. L. Fig. 10 and forming a flexible and adjustable seat bar. Pillar J is
secured in socket Z by means of a steel set pin. I may extend this seat bar over
the front wheel as shown in dotted lines to carry luggage. At nearly the other end
of this seat bar L there is another adjustable hinge which is secured to the seat bar
by means of a set screw. This adjustable hinge is connected by two light
adjustable rods M to the frame of the machine forming a flexible stay to the seat
bar L, or I may use long adjustable nut couplings as shown in dotted lines and
make the adjustable stay M in two pieces and connect them by the said couplings.
On this seat bar between each saddle there are light adjustable handles O. N. Fig. 10
secured by steel set screws to the seat bar. By means of these handles the rider
steadies himself on the machine, or 1 may make the seat bar as shown Fig. 1. J. L.
On the hinged end of bracket C I join another fork marked D by means of a steel
pin passing through the bosses of fork D and bracket C and is secured by a
steel set pin. Fork D has a corresponding socket S to the one on bracket C.
In these sockets I employ springs as described at A. B. and forms a flexible back
or frame. This back fork D I may shape to the form as shown with dotted lines,
or straight as shown in plain lines. On the back end of fork D I provide either
ball bearings or parallel roller bearings. For back wheel I continue this fork
further out forming brackets T with slots in as shown, or I may employ rocking
links instead of slots.
I next construct a lever marked E which has a sort of toothed internal mangle
wheel R. which works into a toothed pinion F that is either keyed or cast fast on
the axle of the driving wheel W; or I may cast these pinions on the hubs of
the wheels forming part of the hubs as shown Fig. 9. On the end of lever E there
is a friction roller attached that works backwards and forwards in the slot of
fork D as shown in drawing, and held in a working position by means of a steel pin
passing through the friction rollers and the boss at the ends of the mangle wheel
lever E. R. and secured by means of a steel set screw.
On the other end of the levers E I attach pedals. On each side of the fork D
I attach guide brackets marked G Fig. 1 by means of which the levers E. R. is
held in a working position as shown Fig. 1. G. Inside this mangle wheel R. Fig. 1
that drives the rear wheel of the machine Fig. 1. R there is a groove forming a
guide or path that works on a pin and friction roller which is a continuation of the
axle of the driving wheel, by means of which it guides the mangle wheel R. Fig. 1
round the pinion F and transmits motion to the driving wheel by the oscillating

page_text: motion of the pedals and levers. Lever E. R. Fig. 1 I use for driving outside the
forks. Both leading and trailing wheels are ordinary cycle wheels with either ball
or parallel roller bearings.
Or I may form the guides on the mangle wheels R. on the outside of the
mangle wheels R. as shown Fig. 8. 10 and have a pin with a friction roller
attached to the spring levers B and to back fork D to guide the mangle wheel R.
round the pinions F. Fig. 8. 9. these piniors F will be cast on both sides
of the hubs of the wheels forming part of the bubs of the driving wheels as
shown Fig. 9, and will form flanged pinions to guide the mangle wheel R. Fig. 8
and is used to drive between the forks as shown Figs. 8 and 10. This mangle
wheel R. Fig. 8 is only a rim with teeth round the inside having no back
plate.
Or I may drive the machine by means of toothed wheels and pinions and
levers and cranks in the manner shown in Figs. 2. 3. 5. 6. 7. Fig. 3 is an
internal wheel Y. with a crank arm attached. This wheel drives a pinion F.
that is keyed or cast fast on the axle of the driving wheel and propelled by
means of the feet on pedals. Fig. 6 is a internal wheel Y. and pinions F.
geared the same way as Fig. 3 but propelled by means of levers E. and cranks,
and pedals, in the same manner as shown on drawing. Fig. 2 is a external spur
wheel X. and pinion F. propelled the same way as Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a external
spur wheel X. and pinion F. propelled by levers E. and cranks. On this lever
there is a sliding box K. with three friction rollers in. This box is connected
to the spur wheel X. by means of a crank pin on the spur wheel X. passing
through the sliding box K. and the top friction roller as shown. All the levers
have friction rollers attached to the crank pins that oscillate in the slots of the
levers E. as shown. The axle of the spur wheels X and Y. and pinions F. run
in bosses in the spring levers B. for front driving; and in bosses of fork D for
rear driving and are secured by means of a steel set screw and washer at the
end of the axles of spur wheels. Fig. 7 is an internal wheel Y. and pinion F
operated by a swing lever E in the manner shown E. F. Y. U.
I next construct a brake to the design shown at H. I. which is attached to
fork A by means of steel set pins and forms a hinged joint. The said brake is
operated by means of the feet in the manner shown at H I, and also forms a
foot rest. This foot rest and the brake shoe are connected by two light rods and
steel set screws. The brake shoe is lifted off the wheel by a spiral spring that is
inserted in a socket in the brake shoe as shown, and presses on the other end on
the cross piece of fork A.
Or I may make a tricycle of the same design & arrangement by mounting two
back wheels on the outside of the fork D, and mounting the driving gear on the inside
of the back fork D.
In the following manner I make a steel axle with two flanged pinions F keyed
or cast fast on the axle. This axle has journals to run in bearings of the back
forks D and projects past each side of the back fork D of sufficient length for to
pass through each side driving wheel. One of these wheels will be keyed fast on
the axle. The other will run loose on its axle, and secured in its position with a
lock nut and steel set pin; and will be operated by means of the mangle wheels R.
and levers E Fig. 8. Or I may have the pinions cast on the hubs of the driving
wheels as shown Fig. 9. and drive outside of fork D with the mangle wheels R.
and levers E Fig. 8. Both of these wheels will run loose on the axle and are
secured with lock nuts and steel set pins. Or I may drive on the front wheel
alone, and have two small wheels to run loose on the rear axle, and secured with
lock nuts and steel set pins.
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
claim is :-
1st. That by the use of springs in the manner shown and described it will reduce

page_text: the vibration on rough roads and will be more easy and safer to ride and will take
off all sudden strains on the machine and reduce the liability to breakdown.
2nd. By driving by means of levers and toothed gearings and cranks in the
manner shown and described, I claim be more simple, and surer in action, and that
it will be safer to ride, and less liable to breakdown than by driving by chain
gearing.
3rd. And that it will cost less in construction and maintainence.
4th. And by making the handles of hollow perforated zinc tubing it will allow a
free circulation of cool air in the handles, keeping the hands cool, and the oxide of
the zinc will keep the hands from fraying, and the perforations will enable a person
to get a better grip on the handles.
5th. And that two persons will be able to operate each pair of levers so that
when I drive front and rear the machine can be propelled by four persons.
6th. And that this machine is detachable and can be converted into a single or
a tandem bicycle or tricycle without much increase of weight or size or cost in
the machine.
7th. And that it can be detached at S Fig. 10 and hung up on a nail on a
wall by putting the two wheels together and taking the handle bar off.
8th. And in the general arrangement of the brake and the seat bar to hold
two or more saddles.
D11
C A 1005
CHARLES HASSEL.