US419591A - Railway-tricycle - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

2 sheetssheetv 1. R. N. MAYPIELD. RAILWAY TRICYCLE.

.Patented Jan. 14, 1890.

(No Mod-e1.) K

rsheetsShQet 2. iR. N. lVIA-YFIBLD. v

RAILWAY TRIGYVGLB. v

v-Ptell-iisd Jan. 14. 1890.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

REUBEN NEWTON MAYFIELD, OF BOULDER, COLORADO.

RAILWAY-TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 419,591, dated January 14, 1890.

Application tiled November 5, 1888. Renewed October 4, 1889. Serial No. 329,115. (No model.)

' To @ZZ whom, it may con/cern.-

Be it known that I, REUBENNEWTON MAY- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boulder, in the county of Boulder and State of Colorado, have invented a new and 1mproved Railway-Tricycle, of which the following is a specification.

' unaccustomed to the use of ordinary bicycles and tricycles, one adapted to be readily changed and adjusted for varying gages of railways, which may also be changed and adjusted to permit its use by riders of different heights or length of limb, and which may be readily folded into a comparatively small compass for transportation on trains or otherwise, and as readily extended and locked in condition for use; to which ends it consists in the features and combinations more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings is illustrated an embodiment of my invention, in which drawings- Figure 1 is a perspective view thereof; Fig. 2, a section on line :c Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan View.

In these figures the reference-numeral 1 indicates the main longitudinal member of the framing carrying the bearings of the main wheels 2 and 3, 2 being the front wheel somewhat smaller than the rear and main drivingwheel 3. The end of the axle of this drivingwheel 3 is supported in a slot 4 in the main i' brace 1, the axle being clamped at the proper point in the slot i to sufficiently tighten the sprocket-chain 32 by a clamping-nut on the inner end of the axle. These wheels 2 and 3 are secured upon the exterior or outer line of the main brace-rod relatively to the frame of the machine, so that the one main longitudinal rod constitutes the entire framing upon that side of the tricycle, economy of material and labor in construction and increased lightness being thus attained, and for lightness with sufficient strength and rigidity the rod 1 may be tubular. These wheels thus connected by the main brace 1 run upon the same rail and are each double flanged, as shown-that is, there are flanges on either side of each wheel, taking on either side of the rail-head, so as to the more securely guide and support the machine. Upon the other rail travels the third wheel 5, consired degree of extension, and the outer ends of all the solid or rod portions are secured to a collar 10, in which is seated the axle of the third wheel 5. Of these diagonal brace-rods, the rear one is composed of the tubular portion 6, the solid rod 8, and the set-screw 9. This tubular portion 6 is forked at its inner end, as at 7, the limbs of the fork being pivoted upon the end of the main brace l, so that the diagonal brace composed of parts 6 and 8 may be foldedv along the main brace 1 when the end of part 8 is disengaged from the collar 10. The outer or free end of such part 8 is arranged to* take upon a pin projecting from the collar 10, upon which pin is a thumb, wingg-or set nut 38, clamping 8 thereupon.A

At the front end of the main brace 1 is pivoted, by abolt passingtherethrough, the'tubular portion 11 of the front brace-rod, a nut 12 taking upon the head of the pivotal bolt to keep the part 11 and main braced in position. Within the tubular portion 1 1 slides the rod 13, whose free end likewise takes upon'the pin or bolt on collar 10, before referred to, a

set-screw 14 keeping tubular part ll and slid-"f ing part 13 in proper position.v

It should be stated that, while a main brace- IOO rod 1 only long enough to carry the bearings or axles of the main wheels 2 and 3 mightbe used, it is preferable to extend them beyond the bearings of the wheels, in order to give increased base area to the machine, as represented by the triangle bounded by the main brace-rod land the diagonal brace-rods (i 3 and 11 13, such increased base area giving greater stcadiness to the cycle, especially when used at high speed.

Rigidly secured to and projecting upwardly from the main brace l is a handle-standard composed of a tubular portion 21 and a rod portion 22, sliding therein, a handle 23-being' secured upon the top of the latter. Such handle-standard .and handle are, as stated,

y rigid trom the main bracel, and are intended merely for the steadying of the rider, there being no `necessity of steering, inasmuch as theycyclenaturally follows the track and its i curvings. 3

:'From near the rear :wheel the tube 24 prei jects `upward-ly, the bent solid` yrod 25 sliding therein, the two forming the seat or saddle standard, a saddle 29, of usual construction,

Abeing secured in the ordinary way upon the horizontal portion ofthe rod 25.

:From thehandle-standard to the saddlestandard` extends a brace 26, whose; ends are formedinto clamps grasping the tubular por` `itions of such standardsat their upper ends,"

suehends being split for a little distance, in :order that `they may be crowded upon their `in- `teriorly-sliding solid rods in a manner `Well 35 known in the arts, 28 being the clamp grasping the end of the tubular part. 21-of the handle-A` standard and 29 the clamp grasping the end of the tnbularpart of the saddle-standard,39, be-

ing thehandle of the nut for the latter clamp,

4that -for the nut of clamp 28 not being shown.V Then as one or the other` of these clamps is rloosened Athe saddle or the handle maybe `raisedfor lowered and then secured in'position by the retightening of the loosened clamp.

rVhile, as ,thus far described,amplepro-l visioni is made for stability and rigidity of `the running-gear and its frame, it is` prefer-g 1 any desired point. Adiagonal braces or` cross-braces connect the able, inorder to give greater stability and fsteadiness to the rider, to add a third diagonal brace composed of a tubular portion 15, piv# oted at the top of the handle-standard, and a solid rod 1G, sliding therein and connected` at its outer end to the collar 10, as in the` case of `the other diagonal brace-rods, a set-screw 17` being used, as in the other cases, to lock the` tubular and the solid parts together at As before stated, these third wheel 5to the main- Wheels 2 and 3,

`through the medium of collar or tube 10, in

\ whichis secured the axle-rod of the wheel 5.

Such axle 1S, upon which wheel 5 rotates, is

wheels 2 and 3 to be altered or regulated, a set-screw 2O being seated in the collar 10 to clamp the axle 1S in the desired position.

To communicate motion to the main driving-wheels a sprocket-wheel 31 is journaled in bearings supported in au inVerted-U-shaped clamp 40 upon and depending from the main brace or framing rod 1 at about its center, the usual crank-arms 30, with treadles or pedals, being secured upon the ends of the axle of the sprocket-Wheel 31, from which wheel an endless belt or sprocket-chain 32 passes over a sprocket-Wheel 33, secured upon the hub of 4wheel 3, the relation of the ,sprocket- wheels 31 and 33 to each other preferably being such that increasedl rateof rotation is 1 given the latter. At about: the same: point xa? brakelever 3i -is centrally pivoted to the mainfbracc or framing: rod a1, which carries at: bothl free ends brake blocks orcshoes 35.

From, the brake-lever 3i a system of levers 36 extends to the handle 23,where they. yare connected to a brake-handle 3.7,` pvoted to the handle 23 or handle-standards so` that the pulling up of the brake-handle 23 `shall cause the impiugement of the shoes35 iipon the peripheries of both Wheels. 2` and 3.

To lessen friction it ispreferable .that all the `bearings used `be ball-bearings of any of `the usual and reliable` constructions,and so Vfar lhave used in practice witlngood results what isknown as the Smith patent-bearing found onfmany `bicycles and tricyclesJ r'llhis construction, by the use of the telescopic diag- `onal `or brace.l rods, vpermits .adjustmentto any width of` gage,and itis evidentfthatthis partof myinvention` might be .carried-:into effect by other and knownways of increasing -or diminishing their length.

By removing :the ends of 13zand 1G from the'icollarwlO the rear `rod Y6 .3,` with wheel 5,

`may be foldediover against the other side of the cycle, theother bracefrod, likewise being folded fiat .the1.eagainst, so that the t-ricycle occupies but little more space for transportation, than an ordinary bicycle, thus 'enabling it to be carried in comparatively small compass on trains, where it may beimade great useof and be of large 4benefit inzaffording facility for the speedy dispatch of messengers for relief in caseof accident,&c.

For use by section-men, two ormore may be hitched together by a board orplatform extending `from the lower `,diagonal -or cross rods of one to another cycle, so thatV several extra passengers may be carried, while for linemen, the., a box for carrying tools and material may be secured-upon the lower diagonal brace or cross rods.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a tricycle, the combination ot"l two main wheels upon one side, a` single -longitudinal main `i' raming-rodeonnecting and supporting them and supporting the seat,apedal mechanisln secured thereto and depending therefrom, a third wheel on the other side, and

ICO

IIO

extensible cross brace-rods connecting the third wheel to the main framing-rod, and means for communicating motion to the driving-wheel, substantially. as set forth.

2. In a tricycle, the combination of two main wheels upon one side, a single main longitudinal framing-rod connecting and supporting them upon the outside of the tricycleframe and supporting the seat and brake mechanism, a pedal mechanism depending from and secured to such main rod, a third wheel on the other side, extensible cross-rods connecting the third wheel to such main rod and each pivotally connected at one end and detachably connected at the other end, and means for communicating motion to the driving-wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tricycle, the combination of two wheels on one side supported and connected by a longitudinal main brace-rod and each having flanges on either side of its tread, a

third wheel on the'other side having a plain extended in each direction beyond the bearings of the wheels, a third wheel on the other side, cross-rods uniting the two sides and connected at one end to the extended ends of the longitudinal main brace-rod, and means for communicating motion to the main drivingwheel, substantially as set forth.

5. In a tricycle, the combination of two main wheels on one side supported and connected by a longitudinal main brace-rod, a third wheel on the other side having an axle 18, bent, as at 19, cross brace-rods connecting the two sides, and means for communicating motion to the main driving-wheel, substantially as set forth.

6. In a tricycle, the combination of two wheels on one side, a longitudinal brace-rod connecting and supporting them, a thirdy wheel on the other side, a sleeve 10, receiving and supporting the spindle or axle of the third wheel, cross brace-rods uniting the two sides and detachably connected to the sleeve, and means for communicating motion to the driving-wheel, substantially as set forth.

REUBEN NEWTON MAYFIELD.

Witnesses:

JAS. M. AUTH, PETER RoUsE.

Images