US349801A

US349801A - Velocipede

Info

Publication number: US349801A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1886-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1903-09-28

Description

b e e h S S t e e h S 2 G E ND IE KP .w A .3 E

(NO Model.)

No. 349,801. Patented'SQpt. 28, 1886.

N. PETERS. Egon-litho ra hy. Wnshingmn, D. c.

V UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER A. KING, SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

.VELQCIPEDE.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 349,801, datea sebtemberaa, 1886.

Application filed June 8, 1886. Serial No. 204,535. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may. concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER A. KJNG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, which improvetion with some of my improvements more fully described in my Patents Nos, 327,397, 327,954,

and 341,383, and applications filed January and May10, 1866.

Referring to the drawings,similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the tricycle shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a side elevation sectional view, being the right-hand side of tricycle,

Fig. 1, taken on the broken line a? a.

Fig.3 is an enlarged view of one of the levers andthe means of increasing the speed orpower by adjusting the point of connection to the levers. I The flexible connection is at tached to the link I, which is pivoted in the link I, which is pivoted on the lever so that the lower part, when thrown backward, increases the leverage-power, and when thrown forward the speed is increased, and this change is effected by the forward or backward movement of the treadle R, which may be easily effected by the foot.

Fig. 4c is a top View of the tube J from the fork of the steering-wheel to the point below the axle where the-bracket t is attached to the perpendicular lever, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The arm t is secured to thehandlebar shaft, which turns with the steering-wheel,- and the ends of the bar 13 are connected by cords or wires t, either through the tube J or direct, as shown by broken lines, to the bracket at t, which is caused thus to turn with the steeringwheel, and the movement of the perpendicular lever t moves the collar 0,1nany-pointed at both ends, to the right or left, so that .the drive-wheel on the inner part of the circle is always set at liberty, while the other drivewheel propels the vehicle around the curve, and when the vehicle is moving in adire'ct line both ends of the collar 0 connect at both ends with the many-pointed collars, which revolve with the central continuous shaft, and the outer half-axles,to which the wheel-flanges are secured all revolvingitogethembnt when turning a curve the continuous central axle turns within the loose wheel. and its half-axle. 1 vAcontinuous tube-connection rod,-as shownin Figs. 15 and 20, maybe used in the tube J.

Fig.5 also shows the'tube J upon the-tube J,whieh rests upon the springs" N, and'they upon boxes within which the-separated axle revolves, and with butjlittle frietiomif my antifriction adjustable spool-bearings'are used, as shown in Fig. 6. A double set of movable ratchets should be used in the drums B and B, Fig. 5, and arranged to be shifted by a 'lever, sothat one set of ratchets can. be used to run the tricycle forward and the otherset to run it backward.

Fig. 7 shows the rollers F and F, used to roll out the metallic hollow felly-rims shown in Figs. 8, 9, 10,11, and 12, the broken lines indicating slight changes to be made to adapt the rolls to the different forms, all involving the same principle of constructinga hollow felly-rim from one piece of metal withcentral elevation, and uniting the parts by further bending at '0 and o and bringing the inner edges together, or oneor both of the outer edges, by folding in and uniting them in a perpendicular or nearly perpendicular line and brazing or riveting them, both sides of the metal being accessible at this point. The inner convex portion may be in waves or any other protuberant form. The side projections shown and described in the original applica-' tion from the upper and outer part of the central elevation may also beconstructedon this style longer than shown in the drawings, and

IOO

My improved endless rubber tire is copstructed with a protuberant outer surface and with an open surface on the inner side, and may have openings in the inner side of each side projection,to be crowded over and fit the projections from the central elevation, andv thus hold the rubber tire in place. In Fig. 8 the upright lines coming to a point indicate the form which they are in when the rim comes from the rollers,and after being bent at 'v and t, after riveting orbrazin g at the properplace, they are bent outward and formed into shape, then bent down as desired.

Fig. 13 shows the tricycle, Fig. 1, constructed with one side like Fig. 14, with the small steering-wheel in the rear and in line with one of the large wheels. Fig. 14 shows one side of the tricycle used as a bicycle steered by the small wheel in the rear, the two wheels being held at a fixed distance apart by the framesection G, G, G, G, and G. The curved backbone or steering-shaft M is held in bearings at n and 12', whether made as shown in Fig. 14 or made in sections, as shown, inclosed in the curved case M, as shown in Fig. 15, whether with or without the rollers in the joint, as shown in. Fig. 21. Fig. 14 also shows rear views of saddle.

A part of or all the bearings a, a, n, and n may be provided with my anti-friction roller.- bearings. (Shown in detached views in Figs. 14 and 15.) The frame G, with saddle-spring support G, fulcrum branch G, with or without a brace above or below, and branches G and G, may be forged forboth sides of the bicycle in one piece, or each side may be separate and united by bolts or otherwise at the bearings a and n. An upright steeringhead may be used; but I prefer to have the handle-bars connected directly and firmly to the steering-shaft M. The bearings n and n in Fig. 15 need not be in line, but when constructed as in Fig. 14 they should be in line or nearly in line with each other, and the handles should be parallel or nearly parallel with a line passing through the bearings 12 and n, so that the depressionof the right handle will turn the bicycle to the right, or the depression of the left handle will turn the bicycle to the left.

Fig. 16 shows my improved hub 1, shown and claimed in a former application, with the followingimprovements, shown onlyin this application: The tube U is made with a shoulder, against which the frame may press at G and united with or forming the inclined collar S for the inner bearing for the rollers S; or the collar may fit over the tube U, firmly or loosely against a shoulder 011 the tube, the tube extending through the collar 8' and inward to form a loose parallel bearing in the hub to hold the wheel in place should the roller bearings become misplaced, and enabling a person to tighten the roller-bearings by turning the nuts on one or both ends of the axle U; but it is better to insert a washer between the outer end of the collar S and the inner shoulder on the tube U, or between the collar and the drumB; also, improvements in using the shaft U without nuts, and dispensing with the nuts heretofore used on the ends of shaft U, though it might be well to use one'against which the screw-head U may be turned to act as a lock-nut; also, the improvement in the spring 0, made out of sheet-steel, with the points bent out for bearin gs or fulcra for thedogconnection 0', (shown also by a side View in Fig. 17,) which encircles the bearing of the drum B and is held, without screws, from turning by holes in it fitting over pins headed in the partition-wall of drum B, the pivot-bearing of the spring holding the dog-connection 0", and its pressure against the drum B holds the spring in place, so that the depression of lever E causes drum B to move backward and throw the dogs 0 into the ratchet O, and at the same time move drum B forward to propel the bicycle, and atv the same time, by the shafts U and U and the connections 0, O, O, and O, the drums and dogs on the other side are moved in the opposite directions, and the foot and lever on that side are raised ready to be depressed to propel the vehicle forward without a moment s loss of time. This connection through the hub enables the rider to bear his weight upon the levers and utilize his weight as well as his muscle, and there being no weight upon these inner shafts this connection adds very little friction.

Fig. 18 is a top view of the handle-bars, and Fig. 19 is an enlarged view of the drum B in 'Fig. 14 and its surroundings, though the brace G can be omitted and the bicycle be joints of the steering-connection inclosed in the backbone M, Fig. 15.

Some of these improvements were described in the original application, filed January 20, 1 1886, Serial N 0. 189,181, which has been divided, this making case third springing from v the original application, and Ihcreby disclaim in this application whatever is described and claimed in either of the other pending appli-, 1 cations.

Having thus described my invention,what I I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a tricycle propelled by levers with flexible connection to propelling-drums, the treadle B, in combination with the eccentric I and connection with the eccentric I, and the link I, substantially as set forth, to change the point of connection with the lever to increase the speed or power.

2. The centrally-located collar 0, moved longitudinally on the central axle by means, substantially as set forth, by which the steering wheel operates the collar 0 automatically, releasing the half-axle and its drive-wheel on the inner side of the circle in turning a curve.

3. The combination of the frame J with the tube J, springs N, and axle K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A hollow felly-rim constructed, substantially as set forth, from one piece of metal bent to form a protuberant surface toward the hub, and bent inward at v and o, bringing the two surfaces together in aperpendicular or nearly perpendicular position when in the wheel,and united by brazing or riveting, and forming the rubber tire bed with a part elevated above the usual concave form.

5. A hollow felly constructed of one piece of metal with the edges united on the outside of the rim, between the outer sides of the side flanges, and in line or parallel or nearly parallel with a line running through the felly-rim and center of the hub of a wheel.

, 6. The bicycle-frame section G, G, G, G', and G".

7. In a bicycle steered by the smaller wheel in the rear of the driving-wheel, the combination of a bent, curved, or partly-curved steering-shaft held at or toward each end in a frame in bearings, and a handle-bar with arms bent backward to bring the handles parallel or nearly parallel to each other, and parallel or nearly parallel to a line running through the bearings of the steering-shaft, so that the depression of the handle on the right will turn the bicycle to the right, or the depression of the left handle-bar will steer the bieycletotheleft.

8. A bicycle steered by the smaller wheel in the rear of the driving-wheel, and having roller-bearings between the steering-connection and the bearings in the frame.

9. The combination of the hub y with the drums B and B, the tube U., roller-bearings S, frame G, and nuts U, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. The combination of the hub y, ratchet 0, dogs 0, connection 0", spring 0, and drums B and 13, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

11. The combination of the hub y, drums B and 13, connections 0, O, O, and O, with the screw U, shafts U and U, and connection to levers E, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HOMER A. KING.

Witnesses:

' ALLEN WEBs'rER,

CHAS. CULVER.