IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Icely Warınan at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1878.
JOHN ICELY WARMAN, of the Firm of Warman, Laxon, & Co., of Coventry, in
the County of Warwick "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention of improvements in velocipedes relates more particularly to that
class of velocipedes which are commonly known as tricycles, but part of the Inven-
tion is also applicable to bicycles.
The tricycle I prefer to construct with two large wheels in front (one of them
being the driving wheel and the other turning loosely on the axle) of the same
diameter, and mounted opposite one another on the same axle and with a steering
wheel behind.
The framing of the tricycle, which is placed in a horizontal position, I construct
of semicircular or other suitable form, and at the extremities I provide collars,
through which the axle passes, and by which the framing is supported in front.
At the centre of the semicircular or other shaped framing I attach a backbone, the
outer end of which is provided with a socket to receive the upper part of a fork,
which carries the bearings for the steering wheel.
The saddle or seat is supported between the large wheels by a vertical frame
raised upon and carried by the semicircular framing, so that the rider will be seated
well over his work, and have thorough command over the machine as well as
being able to transmit the power direct to the axle, which is double cranked for the
purpose, instead of driving with pedals, chains, and gear wheels usually employed in
this form of machine.
The vertical frame is provided with lateral arms to assist in supporting a pair of
rods provided with handles, and placed one on either side of the rider, and intended
to actuate the steering gear and a hand brake. The lower ends of these rods fit
into sockets on the semicircular framing, and the rod for steering is provided with
a lever or excentric, which is connected to a lever or excentric mounted on the
head of the steering wheel fork by a connecting rod; thus by turning the steering
rod in one direction or the other the corresponding motion is communicated to the
steering wheel.

page_text: The band brake is also actuated by turning the brake rod, by which means
the band which encircles the hub of the wheel is contracted, and so brakes the
wheel.
In order to accommodate the vehicle to the requirements of different riders, I
make the rods and also the saddle or seat adjustable, so that they may be raised or
lowered to any required height.
The adjustment of the rods may be effected in any convenient manner, but the
adjustment of the saddle or seat is obtained by mounting the same on the end of a
threaded spindle, which takes into a threaded socket securely attached to the
vertical frame, and by giving the seat or saddle a sufficient number of turns it may
be raised or lowered, and when at the required height, it is retained there by a
set screw or other means.
The second part of my Invention refers to bicycles as well as tricycles, and
consists in a peculiar construction of treadle.
Great difficulty bas hitherto been experienced in placing a treadle on the crank
of a tricyclo, owing to the formation of the crank, and in bicycles, the nut by which
the treadle is secured to the crank is continually getting loose and sometimes falls
off during a journey and is lost.
To obviate theso difficulties I form the treadle of four small brass or other metal
castings, each having a lug or projection at one end. These castings are fitted
together in pairs, and bored out longitudinally so as to fit loosely round the crank.
A steel bar is then passed through the lugs of two opposite castings, and is rivetted
therein so us to form a half treadle. Two of the half treadles thus formed are
secured firmly together round the crank by four screws, and the whole treadle is
completed.
In order to prevent lateral play of the treadles on the cranks, I form the cranks
with a feather thereon, against which and on opposite sides thereof the two pairs of
castings abut. By forming the treadles in this manner they can be readily attached
to or detached from the crank, and the annoyance caused by loss of clamping
nuts avoided.