US332005A

US332005A - Beveely eopee

Info

Publication number: US332005A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1885-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1902-12-08

Description

v (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. B. ROPER.

VELOOIPEDE.

No. 332,005. Paten ced Dec. 8, 1885.

IVIIMHHIUI N, PETERs. Pnowumo m hcr. Wlshihglan. n. c,

'(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. B. ROPER.

VELOGIPEDE.

No. 332,005. atented Dec. 8, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEVERLY ROPER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,005, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed May 15, 1885.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BEVERLY ROPER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tricycles, and has for its object to facilitate their propulsion by means ofa system of hand and foot levers and a crank-shaft having two cranks operated from the hand-levers and two cranks operated from the foot-levers.

The further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the guide-wheel oft-he vehicle is better enabled to resist the shocks resulting from contact with an obstruction.

The further object of the invention is to provide means for returning the steering-bar into its normal position and with it the guide or steering wheel when moved out of said position for the purpose of changing the course of the vehicle.

The invention has for its further object to provide increased facilities for carrying bundles or packages on the vehicle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view, the seat being shown in dotted lines, of my improved tricycle. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof, the steering-wheel being shown in full lines. Fig. 3 is a like View showing a modified arrangement of seat for the vehicle. Fig. 4 isa detached sectional view of the crankshaft, showing the position of the cranks op erated by the foot-levers relatively to the position of the cranks operated by the hand-levers. Fig. 5 is a detached end view showing the arrangement of the steering-wheel, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of tion of one of the foot-levers.

A indicates the frame, which by preference is made of metal, though it may be made of the upper por- Serial No. 165,626. (N'o model.)

wood, and of such form as to accommodate and support the driving mechanism and the driver.

B are the main driving-wheels, constructed substantially like the wheels of vehicles of this class, and are keyed to opposite ends of the driving or crank shaft 0, that hasits bearings in the side bars of the frame A. The crank-shaft O has four cranks, O C G said cranks being formed on the shaft on opposite sides of a central portion, 0, Fig. 1. The two cranks C, on opposite sides of said central space, 0 are connected with and operated from foot-levers D. The latter levers are twoarmed levers pivoted on cross shafts or bars A of the frame, the upper arm, D, being bent, as shown, into the form of a loop, 1, to the .end of which is secured a stirrup, d, for the drivers foot, his heelresting on the bend d of the arm D oflever D. The lower arm, D of foot-lever D is connected to the corresponding arm, f, ofa two armed lever, F, pivoted to a cross shaft or bar, a, by means of a connecting-rod, F, and the upper arm,f, of lever F is connected by a rod, E, to a crank, O, of shaft 0, the connection of both foot-levers with the crankshaft being substantially the same. i

The cranks O are connected by means of rods H to thelower arm, h, of the hand-levers H, which, like the foot-levers, are also twoarmed levers,the upper arnnh, constituting the lever-arm proper, from which the cranks G are operated. Saidlevers are pivoted on short shafts or bars A secured to the side bars of the frame, and a short bar, A*, connected with the cross-girt A*.

It will be observed that by the arrangement of foot-levers and connections and their combination with the hand-levers and connections I reduce the power required to drive the vehicle to a minimum, as I obtain a much greater leverage in the arrangement of foot-levers described than by any other arrangement heretofore adopted for this purpose. It will be further observed, and as plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 4, that the relative arrangement of the cranks is such that the two pairs can never reach their dead-centers simultaneously, one

pair of cranks being always slightly in the lead of the other pair, or, in other words, when the cranks of the hand-levers have reached one of their dead-centers those of the footlevers have passed beyond their deadcenters, thus insuring always an easy start of the vehicle.

If desired, all the cranks may be arranged so as to slightly lead one another and the same result obtained.

I is the steering-bar, pivoted on the crossgirt A of the frame, and z i are the operatinghandles, )rojeeting laterally from the upper end thereof, to which arms are secured the steering lines or chains K. At the foot of the bar Iare secured short studs or pins 2" t, that project from a square enlarged portion, I, of the bar I, on opposite sides thereof, and L L are springs, one end of which is secured to the c'rossgirt A, while their free ends bear upon the front face of the enlarged part I of bar I. WVhen said bar is turned to steer the vehicle, the studs iimpinge upon the free ends of the springs L and force them away from the bar, and when the latter is released said bar is returned to its normal position by the springs, as will be readily understood.

A A are standards, bolted or otherwise secured to the short bars A and A A are like standards secured to the side bars of the frame near its rear end, to which bars is secured the seat M. This seat M has a foot-board, m, that is slotted for the passage of the foot-levers. said foot-board being seated in uprights or standards A A to which it is secured. The seat M is formed on a box, m, that projects rearwardly over the crank-shaft, and is secured to a crossgi rt, A, bolted to uprights A.

It will be seen that by the described arrangement of seat a receptacle is provided of quite a great carrying capacity, capable of holding more than any other receptacle or carrying device heretofore provided for this class of vehicles, and without interfering in the least with the operating devices.

Instead of connecting the seat with the receptacle, and supporting the latter by rigid supports from the frame, the seat may be supported from springs and the receptacle may be suspended from the seat, as shown in Fig. 3, the seat M being supported at a proper elevation with respect to the operating-levers D H from springs M, secured thereto and to the side bars of the frame.

Underneath the seat is secured a rod, N, whose ends have hooks n, from which is suspendeda basket or other receptacle, m, that hangs or may hang immediately above the central portion, 0 of the crank-shaft, and as this portion may in practice have a length of nine inches a basket of that width may be supported from the seat, and as the latter is at a considerable distance above and in front of the crank-shaft a comparatively long and deep basket can be employed, together with a seat that will hold two persons, or said basket or receptacle may extend quite across the entire vehicle, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l.

O is the steering-wheel,whose axle rotates in bearings formed in a bail or crosshead, P, to which is secured one end of the steeringrod 0'. The latter has cross-arms 0, to which the steering-lines K are secured. The rod 0' is pivoted in a bearing formed between the ends of the side bars of the frame A, as more plainly shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In vehicles of this class, which are generally constructed as light as possible, the steeringrod of the wheel 0 whenever said wheel accidentally runs against an obstruction is subjected to very severe strain, and is frequently either bent so as to become inoperative or broken off at a point below its bearings in the frame. To avoid this, I employ the following devices: Q is a thrust-bar that is forked, the arms q. of which are mounted on the steeringwheel axle 0 The end of the thrust-bar rides in a slotted segment, J, secured either to the side bars of the frame A or, as shown, to bracket-arms R, depending from said side bars. The bar is shouldered on opposite sides of that portion which lies in the slot of the segment, as shown at q g It is obvious that when the wheel 0 runs against an obstruction the shock, instead of being sustained by the steering-rod O, is taken up by the thrust-bar and transferred to the slotted segment, so that said rod cannot sustain any injury.

Tindicates the guards applied to the ends of the side bars of the frame to prevent the tilting backward of the vehicle. Said guards may be arranged as shown in Fig. 1, and a trailing-wheel,U, mounted thereon, or separate guards may be employed, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to arrange cranks on crank-shafts so that one crank will lead the other or others; but I am not aware that such arrangements have been applied to the class of vehicles described in combination with the system of levers set forth. I am also aware that springs have been applied to the steering-wheel of this class of vehicles to bring said wheel into its normal position after displacement. It is obvious, however, that when so applied the springs are constantly subjected to strain at each slight deviation of said wheel from a straight course, and that such springs in a very short timebecome unserviceable.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new is l. The combination of the crank-shaft 0, having cranks (JOand C 0 of the foot-levers D, levers F, and connecting-rods F E,the

hand-levers H, and connecting-rods H, as described.

2. The combination, with the steering-wheel O anditheforked bar Q, the arms q of which are mounted on the wheel-axle, said bar having at its end shoulders q of the slotted seg- I (basket or other,) suspended from said seat, as

mental guide-plate R, as described, for the purshown, and for the purpose specified. ro pose specified. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 3. in a velocipede, afoot-lever, D, having a presence of two Witnesses. 5 stirrup, d, and constructed to form a heel-rest, BEVERLY ROPER.

d, as described, for the purpose specified. Witnesses:

4. The combination. with the frame A, W. E. BOULTER, springs M, and seat M, of a receptacle, m, I

HENRY ORTH.