IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Bourne, of Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 10th August 1869, and dated the 18th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Boure
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th June 1869.
I, THOMAS BOURNE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanic, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES," to be as follows-
My Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement, con-
-truction, and combination of mechanical parts of velocipedes where
two wheels are employed, one of such wheels being in advance of the
other. In place of the feet acting directly on crank pins upon cranks
at each end of the axis of the front wheel as usually practised in two-
wheeled velocipedes I provide foot levers one on each side of the hind
wheel, and I attach such foot levers to crank pins at each end of the

page_text: axis of the hind wheel by means of connecting rods or links. I attach
the foot levers by pin joints to the hinder forked parts of the longitudinal
beam or frame within which the hind wheel revolves, such forked part
being prolonged on each side of and behind the axis of the hind wheel
to suitable points to which to attach the foot levers. I also provide
the foot levers with foot plates jointed to the levers, so that when
working the apparatus the foot is not required to accommodate itself to
the varying angles of the levers, and the foot levers may be arranged
in such a position that the person working the velocipede can bear
directly upon such levers. In place of the velocipedist being mounted
upon a saddle as in ordinary two-wheeled velocipedes I prefer to
provide a seat which may have a back and side, such seat being
supported by rods or springs from the longitudinal beam or frame of the
velocipede. I also prefer to form the hind wheel larger than the front
wheel, and to arrange the seat over the hind wheel, and to crank, the
handle by which the front wheel is steered so as to bring such steering
handle within reach of the person using the velocipede. I also provide
the velocipede with a break of the ordinary construction.
According to one part of my Invention I supply foot levers and con-
necting rods similar to those above described to the fore wheel of a two-
wheeled velocipede, in which case the velocipede may be steered by
means of the hind wheel.
Velocipedes constructed according to my Invention can be worked with
less fatigue than when the foot acts directly upon the crank pin, and
greater command of the vehicle is obtained, particularly when ascending
a hill or passing over rough ground. The rider is also comfortably
seated in place of being mounted upon a saddle, and is consequently less
liable to injury. With apparatus applied to the hind wheel of a velo-
cipede in accordance with my Invention the rider is relieved from the
labour of so holding the steering handle as to counteract the tendency to
oscillation caused by the alternate pressure of his foot upon the crank
pins. The rider is also at all times in the same relative position to the
foot levers in place of having to accommodate himself to the varying
angles of the steering wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Bourne in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, THOMAS
BOURNE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent; bearing date the Eighteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of. Her reign, did for derself; Her heirs and successors,
give and grant. unto me, the said Thomas Bourne, Her special licence
that I, the said Thomas Bourne, my executors, administrators, and
assigns; or such others as I, the said Thomas Bourne, my, executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands;. and. Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN VELOCIPEDES," upon. the condition: (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Bourne, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing. under my; or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe. and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause. the same to be filed.in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent:
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Bourne, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My. Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement, con-
struction, and.. combination. of mechanical parts of velocipedes where
two wheels are employed, one of such wheels being in advance of the
other.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawing
hereunto annexed.

page_text: Figure 1 shews a side view, and Figure 2 a plan of a velocipede
arranged and constructed in accordance with my Invention.
In place of the feet acting directly on crank pins upon cranks at each
end of the axis of the front wheel, as usually practised in two-wheeled
velocipedes, according to my improvements 1 arrange foot levers a' and a²
one on each side of the hind wheel a of a bicycle, and I connect such foot
levers a', a² to the crank pins and cranks a³, a', mounted at each end
of the axis of the hind wheel a by means of the connecting rods or
links a, a, as clearly shown in the Drawing. I attach the foot
levers a¹, a², by means of pin joints to the hinder forked part d' of the
longitudinal beam or frame d within which the hind wheel a revolves,
such forked part d' being prolonged on each side of and behind the axis
of the hind wheel a to suitable points to which to attach the foot
levers a', a². I also provide the foot levers a', a", with foot plates a*, a*,
jointed to the levers, so that when working the apparatus the foot is not
required to accomodate itself to the varying angles of the levers, and
the foot levers a, a, may be arranged in such a position that the person
working the velocipede can bear directly upon such levers. The foot
levers are also so arranged that the steering wheel can be placed at any
desired angle in front of such levers without coming in contact therewith
or with the rider's legs. In place of the velocipedist being mounted upon
a saddle as in ordinary two-wheeled velocipedes I prefer to construct the
velocipede with a seat e, which may have a back and sides, as shewn, or
otherwise, such seat e being supported by rods or springs e', e', projecting
upwards from the longitudinal beam or frame d of the velocipede. 1
also prefer to form the hind wheel a larger in diameter than the front
wheel b, and to arrange the seat e over the hind wheel a, and to crank.
the lever which carries the handle c¹ by which the front wheel b
is steered, so as to bring such steering handle c' within reach of the
person using the velocipede. I also provide the velocipede with a
break of the ordinary construction. g is a splash board attached to
the beam d. In order to mount the velocipede the rider has simply
to stand between the two wheels with the beam or frame d between
his legs, and by placing one foot upon the highest foot lever he can raise
himself into the seat, and at the same time start the velocipede, the
act of dismounting being as readily accomplished by descending from
the seat into the same position as when mounting to start.

page_text: According to one part of my Invention I apply foot levers and
connecting rods similar to those above described to the fore wheel of a
two-wheeled velocipede, in which case the velocipede may be steered by
means of the hind wheel.
Velocipedes constructed according to my Invention can be worked
with less fatigue than when the foot acts directly upon the crank pin,
and greater command of the vehicle is obtained, particularly when
ascending a hill or passing over rough ground. The rider is also com-
fortably seated in place of being mounted upon a saddle, and is
consequently less liable to injury. With apparatus applied to the hind
wheel of a velocipede in accordance with my Invention the rider is
releived from the labor of so holding the steering handle as to counteract
the tendency to oscillation caused by the alternate pressure of his foot
upon the crank pins. The rider is also at all times in the same relative
position to the foot levers in place of having to accomodate himself to
the varying angles of the steering wheel.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the best means
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into operation, I
would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the precise
details of form and construction herein-before described and shewn in the
Drawing hereunto annexed; but what I claim is, the arrangement and
combination of the parts of a velocipede, substantially as herein-before
described and shewn in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Bourne, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
THOMAS BOURNE. (L.s.)