Unzicker Tricycle Patent Model
date: label: date made
content: 1878
name: label: maker
content: Unzicker, Otto
notes: label: Description
content: This patent model accompanied Otto Unzicker’s patent application for an “improvement in velocipedes” that was given patent number 204636 on June 4, 1878. It is interesting to note the similarity in design of the main components of this tricycle and those of the 1876 child's tricycle velocipede in the collection (TR*309250). Some connection between the two may well have existed, as Unzicker's patent was assigned in its entirety to the same Adolph Shoeninger associated with Marble. This particular tricycle had a side-saddle and was designed for a woman's use. The tricycle was propelled by the back-and-forth motion of the wooden handlebars, which were also used to steer the tricycle. They are fastened to the upright arm of a bell-crank attached to the top of the fork, and the motion of the bell-crank is transmitted by connecting rods to cranks on the ends of the front-wheel axle. Because of the mechanical disadvantage accompanying this method of propulsion, and the relatively narrow track of the rear wheels, it is thought that a full-sized vehicle, if one was ever built, would not have proven very satisfactory on the poor roads of the nineteenth century.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: Illinois, Chicago
setName: label: See more items in
content: Work and Industry: Transportation, Road
label: See more items in
content: Bicycling
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: TR.309256
label: catalog number
content: 309256
label: accession number
content: 89797
label: patent number
content: 204636
objectType: label: Object Name
content: tricycle, patent model
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 7 1/2 in x 11 in x 3 1/2 in; 19.05 cm x 27.94 cm x 8.89 cm