Improvements in Driving Gear Applicable for Driving Velocipedes, Boats, and other Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application. 31st Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 30th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1889
Improvements in Driving Gear Applicable for Driving Velocipedes,
Boats, and other Machines.
I, GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Emmanuel Stevens of S6 Rue Royale, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturer) to be as follows:-
This invention refers to driving gear applicable for driving velocipedes, boats and
other machines.
The primary movement is obtained from what the inventor calls a helicoidal
apparatus or spiral mounted on a shaft to which rotary motion is to be com-
municated to drive wheels of carriages or for other purposes, as for example screw
propellers, either directly or through the intervention of gearing, and if required with
a flywheel.
Movement is communicated to the shaft on which the helicoidal cam surface is
mounted, by a bowl or roller carried by a vertical rocking arm which is fixed at its
lower end to a rock shaft and to which arm a to and fro motion is communicated at
the other end by the operator standing on a platform supported by, and fixed to, the
rock shaft, on which the arm rocks; the inclination of the feet on the platform causes
the latter to rock, assisted by the hands on the lever arm, the bowl travels through or
on the helicoidal cam surface and consequently communicates a rotary motion to the
shaft on which it is mounted.
As applied to a tricycle the driving gear may be applied to the hind part between
the main driving wheels while the front may be provided with a steering or guide
wheel operated by a rider placed in front of the driver.
Dated this 31st day of January 1888.

page_text: Improvements in Driving Gear Applicable for Driving Velocipedes,
Boats, and other Machines.
I, GRIFFITH BREWER of 33 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Emmanuel Stevens of 86 Rue Royale, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, Manufacturer) and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
This invention refers to driving gear applicable for driving velocipedes, boats and
other machines.
According to this invention the primary movement is obtained from what the
Inventor calls a helicoidal apparatus mounted on a shaft to which rotary motion is to
be communicated to drive wheels of carriages or for other purposes, as for example
screw propellers, either directly or through the intervention of gearing, and if required
with a fly wheel.
And in order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shews in elevation a simple construction of helicoidal apparatus according
to this invention and shewn as fitted with a fly wheel applicable to driving
gear. Figure 2 is a sectional plan of the same. Figure 3 is a side elevation of
a portion of a rocking lever shewing can bowl on same. Figure 4 shews a
velocipede in elevation with the invention applied thereto, and Figure 5 is a plan
of same.
Motion is communicated to the shaft on which the helicoidal cam is mounted by a
bowl or roller carried by a vertical rocking arm. Cis this bowl or roller. The
apparatus is composed of a frame carrying a shaft on which the helicoidal apparatus
is fixed. In the apparatus shewn particularly with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3,
a fly wheel P is keyed at or near to one of the ends of the shaft P with the object of
facilitating the movement of the lever B, by increasing the power and regularity of
motion. The lever or rocking shaft B is jointed or turns at its lower part on a
small shaft E, the ends of which fit into or have bearings in the lower sides of the
frame. This lever B is provided with the friction roller or bowl C which works in the
helicoidal cam groove formed in the cylinder A on the shaft P thus producing a
rotary motion of the shaft P¹ through or by means of a to and fro motion or action
given to the rocking lever B. The shaft P¹ on which the helicoidal apparatus is
placed rests on centres or on counter points or gingals." The shape of the cam
groove may be that of a helix, winding-half-round the cylinder in one direction, &
the other half returning to the starting point of the first half.
"6
In applying the invention for example to a boat the rotary movement of the shaft P¹
is transmitted to the propeller either directly or through the intervention of suitable
gearing not shewn in the drawing.

page_text: Figures 4 and 5 shew in elevation and plan the helicoidal apparatus fixed on a
tricycle. The helcoidal apparatus A is fixed to the central part of the axle P¹ carrying
the driving wheels P P. The rider places his feet on a footboard or pedal D,
mounted on the shaft E, and this pedal, by the rocking motion given to it by the
action of the feet thereon, thus imparts through the weight of the person on it being
shifted either to the right or left side an alternate movement to the rocking shaft or
lever B. The rider can therefore use his feet and hands to obtain more power for
the movement of the lever B, the said lever B at the same time acting as a support
or holdfast for the rider. The guiding or steering wheel F is provided with an arm
the object of which is to serve for the guiding of the apparatus. The guide lever is
operated by a second rider, the one first referred to in this specification putting in
action the lever B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
The application of the hereinbefore described helicoidal apparatus to the propulsion of
vehicles in general and more particularly to velocipedes, such apparatus consisting of
a cylinder A on or in which is formed a cam groove C₁ (such cylinder A being
mounted and keyed on the axles of the wheels of said vehicles), in which cam the
bowl of a rocking lever B works with the object of operating the said cylinder A
which rotates the axle substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
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