Improvements relating to Storing-up and Utilizing Power in Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1900-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Storing-up and Utilizing Power in
Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, ANTONY GIBBS, of Tyntesfield, Bristol, in the County of Somerset, Gentle-
man, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention more particularly refers to that class of velocipedes which are
provided with means for compressing air while descending an incline, the energy
thus stored up being used again to assist the rider when desired. For this pur-
pose I prefer to use the hollow spaces enclosed by the metal tubes forming the
framework of the machine for my air magazine. This storage space in some.
cases may be supplemented by separate air holders suitably connected with the
tubes if desired.
The most critical points for a rider to overcome when ascending a hill are the
dead points of the treadles, and my invention provides means to so assist the
rider that the back-rendering of the stored up energy should be most effective
when his treadles are at, or near to, the critical points.
The principal moving parts are a cylinder and piston arrangement driven by
a crank wheel which revolves twice to each revolution of the treadle wheel to
which it is geared.
In applying my invention to bicycles I prefer to make the ordinary driving
chain gear with both the ordinary treadle chain wheel and the additional wheel
I employ, the former being of double the diameter of the latter.
A single cylinder and piston serves both for pumping and power purposes.
The piston rod is hollow and allows a stem to freely move longitudinally within
small limits. This stem is rigidly connected with the plunger of the cup valve
fitted to the piston. The stem is provided with a pin which projects (at right
angles with such stem) through an opening in the hollow piston rod and works
in the slot of a guide piece, which latter can be shifted laterally around the
piston rod.
This guide piece can be adjusted in three different positions, one of which a
permits pumping, b is a neutral position, and e serves for obtaining power. The
valve, of course, moves with the piston, and there are certain abutments presently
to be described by means of which the rider can at will select whether he will
pump air into his magazine or take power out of it. The valve plunger is of tri-
angular form, and on its face and near its circumference it is furnished with a
projection which, as the guide piece is moved, takes up the different positions a,
b; and c. I shall first describe position c. The pumphead has a recess cut into
its face to receive the projection on the valve face so as to leave no air space
between the two faces when the piston forced home by the crank; the recess
just mentioned serves other purposes as will appear presently.
The pumphead has a chamber communicating between the air magazine and
the cylinder. This communication is normally kept closed by the main valve
and a spiral spring acting on the latter. While pumping is going on the air in

page_text: front of the piston opens the valve at each stroke and this will go on till the back
pressure from the air magazine becomes equal to that caused by the piston. But
for power the main valve has to be opened by some intermediate means, to allow
only a determinate amount of compressed air to enter the cylinder. It would
not do to momentarily open the valve by some simple abutment and allow a puff
of air to enter as this would scarcely be of any assistance at all; nor would it do
to allow the full pressure to act during the whole of the stroke as this would
entail great waste and cause the power to exhaust itself in a very short time.
The method I prefer to adopt enables me to accurately determine during what
fraction of the stroke the full magazine power shall be active before it is cut off.
Instead of opening the main valve when the piston reaches the end of its
forward stroke, it opened when the piston is. beginning to return by one of the
arms of a double armed lever pivotted in a recess in the pump head; the other
lever arm coming into contact with the edge of a notch cut into a rod which is
rigidly secured to the piston and projects beyond the face of the latter into the
pump head.
The relative position of the lever pivotted in the pumphead and the straight
rod moving with the piston is such that the circle generated by the extremity
of the lever while turning on its fulcrum enters the path of the full portion of
such rod. The lever could not pass the rod if it were not for the notch already
spoken of. The edge of the notch and the lever arm are so shaped that when the
rod moves in the direction away from the pumphead the edge of the notch becomes
engaged with the lever arm and turns the lever on its pivot. The main valve
on the other side of the fulcruni of the lever is acted on by the other arm of the
lever, thereby admitting air from the magazine to the face of the piston. When
the notch passes the circle of the lever extremity the lever is held in this posi-
tion by the full part of the rod. When after a time the rod passes the circle
described by the lever the latter is permitted to resume its forward position, and
its arm being thus removed from contact with the main valve the plunger of the
latter falls into its seat. It will be seen therefore, that the length of time during
which the pressure from the magazine is allowed to act on the piston depends
on the length of the rod-end beyond the notch or catch, which can, of course,
be made any length desired. The lever, held in position by a spring, is also free
to be moved in the opposite direction. On the return movement of the piston
carrying the rod the full part of the latter strikes the lever, lifts it and keeps
it in this position till the arrival of the notch again permits the lever to fall into
the position, where on the reversal of the direction of motion of the piston it is
again engaged in the manner already described. When, however, anything pre-
vents it from entering the notch this engagement cannot take place. This
impediment is supplied by that projection on the face of the piston valve men-
tioned above. When by means of the guide piece the guide pin has been pushed
into the proper position the projection has been moved at the same time within
the recess cut into the pumphead and has come into the path of the lever which
also projects into the recess, thereby effectually preventing it from falling into
the notch. This is the position a where no power can be supplied and where
pumping is going on.
It remains to mention that the piston stroke is somewhat longer than the dis-
tance the guide pin has to travel, and as such guide pin is rigidly secured to the
valve plunger the latter is forced firmly into its seat when the piston is pushed
home. The importance of this arrangement will be manifest when considering
the "power" side of the question. The abutment of the guide pin takes place
at both ends of the stroke. It is in consequence of this abutment on the side
away from the pumphead that the valve is forced open to allow the exhaust to
take place, and as it has to remain open on the return of the piston provision has
to be made to keep it open during such return stroke. Within that opening
which has been cut into the hollow piston rod to allow free play of the guide
pin bolts are provided having inclined surfaces and acted upon by springs. On

page_text: the guide pin striking against the abutment and while it is moving longitudinally
within the hollow piston rod it is forced past the yielding bolt which momen-
tarily gives way but effectually holds it in position till another abutment takes
place at the opposite end of the stroke when the valve is closed again as described
already.
One of these yielding spring bolts is also provided on the pumping side of the
apparatus, with the difference that it does not travel with the piston but is
attached to the frame of the apparatus. It acts in this way: When after the
home stroke the piston recedes from the pumphead and before it comes to the
end of its travel in this direction the guide pin has to pass the spring bolt in
question. In doing this the bolt has no effect on the guide pin because the
valve is already open. When, however, the piston returns in order to pump,
the pin has to pass the bolt again but this time it holds it back and the valve is
firmly shut down at the very beginning of the stroke.
There has been a third position b mentioned above which has been called
"neutral." This is attained when the guide pin is in the centre, or midway
between the "pumping" and "power" positions. Provision is made that when
thus placed its travel shall be shorter and instead of getting behind a yielding
bolt it is held back. In consequence the valve cannot shut at all and neither
'pumping" nor "power" can take place.
The pressure in the magazine is naturally variable. To render it constant
automatically I regulate the flow of air by narrowing and widening the passage
through which it has to pass. A pin enters airtight into the passage so that
should it be quite in the home position it would very nearly shut up the passage
altogether. The pin is perforated along its length by a fine hole which com-
municates with the hollow space of a metal box having corrugated, flexible
sides, such as are commonly used for aneroid barometers and is firmly attached
to one surface of that box. The other surface is attached to a limiting screw
firmly supported. In proportion to any increase of pressure in the magazine the
box will expand and drive the pin into the air passage, retarding the supply
thereby. A diminution of pressure in the magazine will, of course, have the
contrary effect.
I am aware that collapsible boxes or their equivalents have been employed
before for throttling the flow of air or gas, but I claim novelty for the arrange-
ment described as it is exactly suited for the purpose in view.
The rider may
wish temporarily to dispense with the automatic regulation and may require for
a short time all the help his magazine can give him. This he can have by mani-
pulating the head of the screw to which the one side of the collapsible box is
attached. The latter together with the pin can then be bodily withdrawn from
the air passage, and replaced when automatic regulation is again required.
I also provide for setting the pumping and power functions out of action
altogether when neither is wanted as in the case of a level road, thus avoiding
unnecessary friction and wear. This is effected by the lateral movement of a
fork acting on a cone, and which by sliding up or down the inclined plane of
the cone moves a key into or out of engagement with the crank wheel. When
disengaged the wheel will turn but the piston is put out of action.
Suitable means are provided to enable the rider to perform the different opera-
tions above referred to with ease and certainty while riding.
The invention though here described as more especially relating to velocipedes
is obviously directly applicable to all such vehicles where reciprocating action
takes place and where dead points are to be overcome, by means of stored up air
pressure.
Dated this 18th day of November 1899.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Storing-up and Utilizing Power in
Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, ANTONY GIBBS, of Tyntesfield, Bristol, in the County of Somerset, Gentle-
man, 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:-
As described in my Provisional Specification, this invention more particularly
refers to that class of velocipedes which are provided with means for compressing
air while descending an incline, the energy thus stored up being used again to
assist the rider when desired. For this purpose I prefer to use the hollow spaces
enclosed by the metal tubes forming the framework of the machine for my air
magazine. This storage space in some cases may be supplemented by separate
air holders suitably connected with the tubes if desired.
It will be seen that in the practical carrying out of this invention some details
have undergone developments and improvements, but nothing has been added
but what was provided for in the Provisional Specification.
In the Provisional Specification I have described the piston as being actuated
by the crank of an intermediary chain wheel having twice the number of revolu-
tions as the treadle wheel. I have found it convenient and simpler in some
cases to move the piston by a crank attached directly to the spindle of the front
wheel.
The collapsible box mentioned in the Provisional Specification has undergone
some modification, as, while it still serves to regulate the air pressure on the
piston, it now permits an adjustable minimum pressure to be retained within
itself, instead of permitting the whole to be exhausted.
The setting of the piston in and out of action is preferably effected by ball or
roller clutches, such as are frequently used in free wheel actions in various forms.
I will now proceed to describe my invention in connection with the accom-
panving drawings, in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of part of a bicycle with my invention applied
thereto.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the cylinder of the pumping or power
apparatus.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of same.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 4-4, Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a transverse section on the line 5-5, Fig. 2 and
Fig. 6 and Fig. 6ª elevations of the lower part of the cylinder showing some
of the parts in different positions.
Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 are longitudinal sections, and
Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 transverse sections through the. cylinder, showing
the piston and valves in different positions.
Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section and
Fig. 12 a plan view of a reservoir into or from which the air passes from or
into the tubes forming the air magazine.
Fig. 13 is a sectional view and
Fig. 14 an elevation of the clutch mechanism by which the pumping or power
apparatus is connected to or disconnected from the axle of the wheel.
In applying my invention to bicycles I use the axle of the front wheel to
actuate a crank driving a piston working in an oscillating cylinder, a general
view of which is shown in Fig. 1.

page_text: In applying it to tricycles I sometimes use a chain transmission, which is suffi-
ciently depicted in Fig. 1.
The
A single cylinder and piston serves for both pumping a power purposes.
piston rod is hollow and allows a stem to freely move longitudinally within small
limits. This stem is at one of its ends rigidly connected with the plunger of a
cup-valve fitted to the piston, and is provided at its other end with a pin which
projects (at right angles with such stem) through an opening cut into the circum-
ference of the hollow piston rod. This opening has somewhat the shape of an
inverted U, and according as to whether the pin happens to be in one or the
other limb of the U-shaped opening, the piston either compresses air into the
magazine or receives power from the air stored therein. The shifting of the
pin from one limb of the U-shaped opening to the other is brought about by the
action of the inclined edges forking out from a slot cut into a semicircular or
segmental sleeve, which latter works in the space between the piston rod and the
cylinder, and into which space the pin of the valve stem projects, and thus per-
mits itself to be acted upon by the said inclined edges. The latter being dia-
gonal to the motion of the piston they guide the pin into the slot provided, which
slot corresponds either with the pumping or power side of the U-shaped opening
mentioned above.
separating the two
on
To ensure the pin being either on one side of the U-shaped open-
ing or the other and prevent it. from resting
the solid part
limbs I make the solid part of a conical form
and moreover make it capable of yielding against a spring, to pre-
vent any damage, in case, by any chance, the piston should come to the end of
its stroke when the valve is open, on account of the pin happening to rest upon
the apex of the cone. A spring has to be lifted by the pin each time the latter
passes over the conc. This prevents any accidental jumping out of the pin.
I will now proceed to describe the invention in detail with reference to the
drawings, in which the same letters indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
On lever 1 (Fig. 1) being pulled a wire or cord 2 turns the crank 3 attached
to rod 4, which latter is, by means of a spiral spring 55 joined to the bended arm
or L-shaped piece 56, which by means of pin 57 moves sleeve 5. Figs. 3, 6
and 6ª circularly. In Fig. 6 the pin 6 of the valve stem 7 (Figs 7 to 11) is
shown on the right hand side of the U-shaped opening 8. By the action of
lever 1, (Fig. 1) just described pin 6 is shifted by the slot of sleeve 5 to the left
hand side of the U-shaped opening 8. as shown in Fig. 6ª. These two posi-
tions of pin 6 correspond to the pumping and power functions of the piston as will
appear presently. The position for pumping is the home position of sleeve 5,
and when lever 1, Fig. 1, is released, the spiral spring 55 brings sleeve 5 back to
that home position.
The valve plunger 13, Fig. 2, is of conical form, and on its face and near its
circumference it is furnished with a projection 14, Fig. 7, which, as the valve
stem is turned as described, takes up the different positions shown in Figs. 7"
to 11. The pumphead 15 has a recess cut in its face to receive the projection 14
on the valve face so as to leave no air space between the two faces when the
piston 12 is forced home by the crank 16 (Fig. 1); the recess just mentioned
serves other purposes as will appear presently.
The pumphead 15 has a chamber 17 communicating between the air magazine
and the evlinder 18. This communication is normally kept closed by the main
valve 19, Figs. 7 to 11. and a spiral spring 20 acting on the latter. While pump-
ing is going on the air in front of the piston opens the valve 19 at each stroke.
But for power the main valve 19 has to be opened by some intermediate means,
to allow only a determinate amount of compressed air to enter the cylinder 18.
It would not do to momentarily open the valve 19 by some simple abutment and
allow a puff of air to enter as this would scarcely be of any assistance at all:
nor would it do to allow the full pressure to act during the whole of the stroke
as this would entail great waste and cause the power to exhaust itself in a very

page_text: short time. The method I prefer to adopt enables me to accurately determine
during what fraction of the stroke the full magazine power shall be active before
it is cut off.
Instead of opening the main valve 19 when the piston 12 reaches the end of
its forward stroke, it is opened when the piston is beginning to return by one of
the arms of a double armed lever 21, Figs. 7 to 11, pivotted in a recess in the
pumphead 15 the other lever arm coming in contact with the edge of a notchi 22
cut into a rod 23 which is rigidly secured to the piston 12 and projects beyond
the face of the latter into the pumphead 15, through a hole 24, which it enters
each stroke.
The relative position of the lever 21 pivotted in the pumphead 15 and the
straight rod 23 moving with the piston 12 is such that the circle generated by
the extremity of the lever while turning on its fulcrum enters the path of the
full portion of such rod. The lever could not pass the rod if it were not for the
notch 22. The edge of this notch and the arm of the lever 21 are so shaped
that when the rod 23 moves in the direction away from the pumphead 15 the
edge of the notch 22 becomes engaged with the lever arm and turns the lever 21
on its pivot, as shown in Fig. 8. The main valve 19 on the other side of the ful-
crum is acted on by the other arm of the lever 21, thereby admitting air from
the magazine to the face of the piston 12. When the notch passes the circle of
the lower extremity, the lever 21 is held in this position by the full part of the
rod, Fig. 9. When after a time the rod end passes the circle described by the
lever 21 the latter is permitted to resume its forward position, and its arm being
thus removed from contact with the main valve 19 the plunger of the latter falls
into its seat. It will be seen therefore, that the length of time during which
pressure from the magazine is allowed to act on the piston depends on the length
of the rod-end beyond the notch or catch 22, which can, of course, be made any
length desired. The lever 21, held in position by a spring 25, is also free to be
moved in the opposite direction. On the return movement of the piston 12
carrying the rod 23 the full part of the latter strikes the lever 21 (Fig. 7), lifts
it and keeps it in this position till the arrival of the notch 22 again permits the
lever 21 to fall into the position, where on the reversal of the direction of motion
of the piston 12 it is again engaged in the manner already described. When,
however, anything prevents it from entering the notch this engagement cannot
take place. This impediment is supplied by that projection 14 on the face of the
valve plunger 13. When by means of the sleeve 5 the guide pin 6 has been
pushed into the proper position the projection 14 has been moved at the same
time within the recess cut into the pumphead 15 and has come into the path of
the lever 21 which also projects into the recess, thereby effectually preventing
the lever from falling into the notch 22. This is the position shown in Figs. 10
and 11, where no power can be supplied and where pumping is going on.
It should be mentioned that the piston stroke is somewhat longer than the
distance the valve stem 7 is allowed to travel. The guide pin 6 encounters an
abutment at the end of the slot 26 in the sleeve 5 before the finish of the piston
stroke, with the result that the valve plunger 13 is lifted out of its socket and
the valve opened thereby. This position is maintained during the whole up-
stroke by the volute spring 27 which is contained within the hollow piston rod 28,
and is provided with a projection 58 at its free end which, as shown in Fig. 7,
keeps the pin in position. When the piston 12 arrives at the end of the up-
stroke the valve 13 is forced down and pin 6 is forced past the spring 27, as
shown in Fig. 8.
The importance of this arrangement will be manifest when considering the
"power" side of the question. It is in consequence of this abutment on the
side away from the pumphead 15 that the valve 13 is forced open to allow any
exhaust to take place, and as it has to remain open on the return of the piston 12
provision has to be made to keep it open during such return stroke.
A spring 37 of any suitable form is arranged so as to prevent the pin 6 acci-

page_text: dentally jumping from one limb of the slot 8 to the other limb thereof. This
spring 37 gives way on the down stroke of the piston when acting as a pump
and ensures the valve being closed at the very beginning of the upstroke.
It will be readily understood that the shitting of the pin 6 from one side to
the other in the slot 8 may be effected in any suitable manner, the means herein-
before described being simply one method of so doing.
The pressure in the magazine is naturally variable. To render it constant I
introduce an intermediate reservoir between the pump and main reservoir. The
intermediate reservoir includes a metal box 30, (Fig. 12) having corrugated
flexible sides such as are commonly used for aneroid barometers, and it also
includes an additional valve 31, and a flexible connection 32 with the pump.
When compressed air enters from the pump through the valve 19 into box 30,
it opens valve 31 as soon as its pressure overcomes the spring 33 together with
the back pressure of the main reservoir. In the meantime the flexible sides of
the box 30 have opened out, within such limits as frame 34, wherein it is arranged,
permits.
As power is used up in the cylinder of the reversible pump, box 30 collapses
in proportion, and will by means of an abutment screw 35, press upon the stem 36
of valve 31, thereby raising again the pressure within the box to the same extent
as it was lowered through consumption of compressed air on the part of the power
piston.
It will be seen that by this arrangement, quite automatically, the pressure
which was initially necessary to open valve 31 will be maintained in the box 30.
This circumstance enables me to so adjust the length of the piston stroke, during
which power is supplied to the piston, that no live-air is wasted in the exhaust.
The distance between screw 35 and valve stem 36 can be varied by turning
the former in one direction or the other. If therefore the rider desires to use
up his power at a greater rate he would adjust the screw so as to lessen the dis-
tance of abutment in which case the collapsible box would have to expand more
before the screw and valve stem part company which corresponds to a higher
pressure available for the power stroke. An indicator 60 outside the stuffing
box 59 with divisions on the face of the latter properly calibrated will ensure
any desired pressure.
I provide suitable means by which the cylinder and piston are kept properly
lubricated, the arrangement shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings consisting in an oil
supply tube 38 secured to the side of the cylinder 18, the latter having an open-
ing 39 by which the oil can pass into same through the packing 40.
The passage in pumphead 15 in which the stem of valve 19 works is preferably
made of circular form to fit such stem, and is provided with a suitable number
of fine saw cuts 41 (shown in Figs. 7 to 11) through which the air can pass
from or into the cylinder.
I also provide means for setting the pumping and power functions out of
action altogether when neither is wanted, as in the case of a level road, in order
to avoid needless friction and wear.
For this purpose I prefer to use a double-acting ball or roller clutch as now
frequently employed for free-wheel purposes in cycling work, with the difference
that whereas for ordinary cycling work a clutch is only employed in one direc-
tion of the revolution, I require a clutch in both directions. This follows from
the consideration that the effort of the piston on the crank acts on opposite sides
of the latter according as to whether pumping or power is used. Had I a single
clutch only, this would either pump and not allow any power stroke, or it would
permit the latter and make pumping impossible.
My double-acting clutch is illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, in which alternate
sets of rollers belonging to pumping and power respectively are employed. The
four rollers marked 42 are the power rollers which are pushed home by their
respective springs 43, as in the ordinary free wheel action. The arrow outside
the hub shows the direction of the revolution of the front wheel, and it can be

page_text: clearly seen that the casing 44 of the hub 45 acts on the rollers 42 so as to com-
press their springs 43, causing the rollers to roll freely into the wide part of the
recesses in which they are situated. But when power is applied to the crank 16
the rollers 42 are rolled into the narrow part of the recesses and immediately
lock the crank 16 and hub 45 together.
The four rollers marked 46 are the pumping rollers, and as the casing 44 act-
ing on these rollers revolves them into the narrow part of the recesses in which
these rollers are situated, they would lock instantly if it were not for the four
pins 47, of a triangular cross-section, in front of them, which keep them in the
wide part of the recesses. It is thus seen that both sets of rollers 42 and 46 are
in the wider part of the recesses and the wheel must be a free wheel, so long as
the triangular pins 47 are kept in front of the rollers 46.
These four pins 47 are fixed to a disc 48, which has a projection 49 on its cir-
cumference, such projection abutting against the nose 50 of a movable piece 51,
which latter is ordinarily pressed towards the projection 49, as shown, by a
spring 52.
When the rider actuates a lever 53 (Fig. 1), which is connected by a wire 55
to the movable piece 51, he lifts the nose 50 out of reach of the projection 49,
and by that action the four spiral springs 54 acting on the rollers 46 push the
disc 48 with its four pins 47 before them, and crank 16 and hub 45 are instantly
locked. It now depends whether the rider lifts both levers 1 and 53 (Fig. 1);
in which case he gets power, or whether he only lifts 53, in which case he is
pumping, because sleeve 5 (Figs. 2-6) is in its down, or home position, and
pin 6 properly placed for pumping. Letting both levers 1 and 53 drop causes a
free wheel, directly the nose 50 abuts against projection 49.
In the free wheel described so far there is still some small frictional resistance
caused by the rollers 42 against the pressure of the springs 43. In order to have
an entirely free wheel I provide a second disc 61 with four pins 62 intermediary
to those already described. The pins belonging to the disc 61 pass through
holes drilled in the adjacent disc 48. Those holes are large enough to allow
some play or angular displacement between the two discs. As will be seen from
Fig. 14 the two dises are actuated by the roller springs in opposite directions
and there is an abutment at the point of the projection on disc 48. When the
nose 50 of movable piece 51 comes into contact with projection 49 disc. 48 is dis-
placed and allows the extremity of the nose, which is suitably shaped, for that
purpose, to enter wedge like into the aperture created in the two discs by the
displacement of disc 48, so that disc 61 is also forced back against its own
springs to an extent sufficient to prevent the casing of the hub any longer acting
on the rollers at all; or in other words while the nose engages the two discs all
the rollers are clamped and the wheel is perfectly free.
The invention though here described as more especially relating to veloci-
pedes is obviously directly applicable to all such vehicles where reciprocating
action takes place or where dead points are to be overcome, by means of stored
up air pressure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The combination with the hollow spaces within the tubes constituting the
frames of velocipedes and other like vehicles, or with other hollow spaces con-
stituting reservoirs for compressed air attached to such frames, of a reversible
pump and means whereby same can be used either for pumping air into such
hollow spaces or for utilizing the power stored therein for the purpose of pro-
pelling or assisting to propel such vehicles, substantially as specified.
2. The improved form of reversible pump, provided with suitable means within
reach of the riders of vehicles whereby such pump can be caused to act either
as a pump proper for compressing air or as a motor for utilizing compressed air

page_text: already stored up in suitable reservoirs attached to such vehicles, for the purpose
of propelling or assisting to propel the latter, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with a reversible pump and reservoirs or spaces into which
such pump compresses air or acts as a motor by utilizing power previously
stored therein, of an intermediate reservoir between the pump and the main
reservoir, and constructed and operating so as to maintain a uniform pressure
within same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination with a reversible pump capable of acting either as a pump
proper or as a motor, reservoirs secured to vehicles to receive from or supply to
such pump compressed air, and means for altering the pump from a pump to a
motor, of a double acting clutch serving to enable the wheel mounted on the
axle to which the piston rod of the pump is connected to be made rigid there-
with when it is desired to use the pump either as a compressor or as a motor,
or to render such wheel free from the axle when the pump is not required for
either purpose, substantially as specified.
Dated this 1st day of August 1900
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.