US606479A - Ice-velocipede - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1'.

w. L. WILLIAMS.

i ICE VELOCIPEDE.

No. 606,479. Vlawn-.ea June 28, 1898.

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To cir/ZZ whom, t may concern:

l/VILLIAM L. VILLIAMS, OF WINONA, MINNESOTA.

I cE-VELQCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming partlof Letters vPatent No. 606,479, dated J' une 28, 1898. Application iiled July V23, 1897..' Serial No. 645,725. (No model.)

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. WILLIAMs; a citizen of the United States, residing at lVi" nona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and"` useful Improvements iu Velocipedes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andl exact description of the invention, such'as will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap` pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.'

This invention relates to veloci'pedes, and is directed more particularly toimprovements in machines of this character which are adapted for propulsion over ice and snow-covered ground, the object of the invention being to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive construction of machine capable of be-` ing foot-propelled with the expenditure of ordinary labor and of being readily and reliably governed.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine of this character means for insuring,when desired, a constant contact between the driving-wheel and the surface over which the machine is propelled, regardless of the inequalities of the ground, whereby the power exerted is `made available at all times;

also, means for bringing'at will the driving# wheel away from contact with the 4ground for coasting purposes; also, means for lchecking or breaking the momentum of the machine, and also means by which the machine may be readily transported over bare ground.

The nature of my invention will be clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which* Figure lis a side elevation of my improved machine, and Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Referring tothe said drawings by letter, A denotes the frame of the machine, which is constructed from tubing and comprises the lower member a, to which isA attached the steering-runner B, the seat-post ct-,wli`ich `carries the seat or saddle c, the steering-post a2, the crank-han ger a3, in which is j ournaled the crank-shaft carrying the pedal-cranks d and the sprocket-wheel ci', and the rear fork a4,

y V. i, f which extends from the crank-hanger to the l axle e of the driving-wheel E. On said axle j isa second sprocket wheel e', which is connectedby a chain e2 with the sprocket-wheel fl; At'the sides of the frame are runners f, which are curved 'at their forward ends and secured to the steering-post a2 by a direct con- Qnection and by brace members g. `rear ends of the runners connection is made 4with the frame by brace members g. The 4runners are preferably of wood, with the eX- ception of the tread portion,which is provided with a steel Vshoe f'. From each of the rear brace members g there extend rearwardly two arms g2 g2, the outer ends of'which are slotted for adjustable ,connection with a guide-bracket Il, which is vcurved in the arc of a circle, with the axle of kthe wheel CZ as the center. The rear fork is also adjustably connected with the guidelbrackets.` In the slots h of the brackets I-I are movably arranged bearing-blocks t', in which is journaled the axle of the drivinglwheel.

t is a rod which is connected at one end to a block fi andis movable in the slot 7i and through an opening in the bracket. A coiled spring j encircles this rod and is interposed `between the block i and a tension screw-rod 1j' in the upper end of the bracket, which rod hasa governing-nut j2, confined in a housing h on the bracket. The function of the springs j is to insure a constant contact of the drivingfwheel with the ground or surface over which it is propelled, regardless of inequalities of the latter, the springs tending to press the'wheel downward against the ground and permit it to rise and fall with such inequalities independent of the movements of the rest of the structure. The tension-rods j are V `employed for adjusting the strength of the springs to suit the different weights of riders, asv will be understood. The adjustable connection between the arms g2, the rearfork, and the guide-brackets is lforthe purpose of tightening or loosening the sprocketLchain, the slots in said arms permitting the movement bodily of the brackets, drivingfwheel, and rear sprocket-wheel either forwardly to loosen the chain or rearwardly to tighten the same. Pivotally secured to one of the rear brace members is a bell-crank lever 7e, one

Near the- IOO arm of which carries a handle 7c', while the other arm has rod connection with a block 7a2, movable in the slot h of the bracket I'I. The

handle is located conveniently near the seat or saddle in order that the'rider may readily manipulate the same to effect the elevation of the driving-Wheel above the surface of the ground for coasting purposes. This is accomplished by a pull on the lever, which brings the block k2 into contact with the bearin g-block, and thereby raises the latter and the wheel to the desired height against the action of the springs j. Means are provided for locking the wheel in its raised position in the shape of a spring-catch 7c3, which is secured to the upper end of the rear brace member and which engages the handle-arm of the lever 7a. The driving-wheel is provided on its periphery with a plurality of removable blades e2 and spikes e3, the former being employed for propulsion over snowcovered ground and the latter for propulsion over ice. The blades and spikes are made to be removable in order that the wheel may be provided with spikes or with blades, dependent uponcircumstances, and in some instances, owing to the character of the ground, I may employ both together, either equal or different in number.

The frame member a has at its forward end a head a5 for the stem b of the steering-runner B, which runneris secured in the bifurcated lower end b' of said stem. Between the shoulder formed by the bifurcation and the head a5 is a spring b2, coiled around the stem. This construction allows of the movement of the runner B independent of the frame for the purpose of insuring contact between the runner and ground at all times, regardless of surface inequalities. The runner B is employed to steer the machines, and

means are employed for manipulating said runner through the movement of the handlebars Z, consisting of rods m m, which are connected at their forward ends to yoke b3, fixed to the upper end of the stem Zi, and at their rearward ends to a yoke Z,carried by the steering-stem Z2, which stem is rotatably supported in the post a2 and is connected at its l-lupper endwith the handle-bars. The rods fm are made to be adjustable in length by the employment of turnbuckles m' or similar devices.

n denotes the brake by which the momentum of the machine is controlled, said brake consisting of a bent lever pivoted at 'a' to the frame and provided at the end of its lower arm with spurs n2, which when lowered into contact with the ground effect the retarding and stoppage of the machine. The other arm n3 of the lever is connected to the lower end of the operating-rod n4, which is movable in a guide a5 on the frame and carries at its upper end a handle a6, adjacent to the handlebars. The brake is operated by raising the handle a6, which depresses the lower end of the lever and causes the spurs to contact with vparts of the frame.

the ground with sufficient pressure to ret-ard and stop the movement of the machine.

As a means for readily transporting the machine over bare ground I provide four Wheels o o, each of which is mounted to rotate on the lower end of an arm o', movable in guides o2 02 on the brace members or on any other suitable These wheels are adapted to be raised to be clear of the ground or to be lowered to a point below the runners and driving-wheel to elevate the whole structure for ready transportation.

The machine is propelled in a manner similar to that employed in operating an ordinary velocipede in that motion is imparted to the driving-Wheel by the rotation of the forward sprocket and through the chain-and-sprocket connection with said driving wheel. The spring connection between the driving-wheel and the frame insures the proper contact of the wheel with the ground, and no loss of power ensues and the machine is propelled evenly. The curved form of the bracket in which the wheel-axle is movable preserves the adjusted tension of the sprocket-chain, and the means employed for regulating the tension of the spring enables the adjustment of the parts to suit different weights of riders. The means employed to effect the tightening or loosening of the sprocket-chain are simple and easily manipulated, and all of the other adjustments may be made in a comparatively short time and without the exercise of skill. Moreover, the means for raising the drivingwheel for coasting purposes and for steering and operating the brake are within easyreach of the rider and may be operated with the eX- penditure of but little power.

I claim as my inventionl. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame carrying runners, of a driving-wheel, sprocket wheel and chain mechanism for operating said driving-wheel, brackets adj ustably connected with the frame, blocks movable in said brackets and aording bearings for the driving-wheel axle', springs for controlling said blocks, and means for adjusting the tension of the springs, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame carrying runners, of a driving-wheel journaled in spring-controlled movable bearings, means adjustably connecting the bearings with the frame, and means for elevating said wheel above the runners, consisting of a hand-operated lever having rod connection with said bearings, and a lock for said means, substantially as described.

3. In a machine of the class described the combination with a frame carrying runners,

.of a driving-wheel provided on its periphery brackets carrying spring-controlled movablev bearings for the axle of the driving-wheel,

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arms adj ustably connecting the brackets with the frame, and means for elevating said Wheel journaled, and arms secured to the frame and having adjustable connection with said brackets, substantial-ly as described.

5. In a machine of the class described the combination With a frame carrying runners,

of Wheels mounted on arms slidably connected 15 With the frame and adapted to be moved to a position belowT the runners, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM L. WILLIAMS.

Witnesses:

WARREN MILLER, EUGENE A. VAUGHAN.

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