US89584A - Velocipedes on a single track - Google Patents

Description

drilled guarra anni dimite.

JOHN H. IRWIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters .Patent No. 89,584, dated May 4, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF GUIDING- VELOCIPEDES ON .A SINGLE TRACK The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making parl: of the lame.

To all whom Iit may conce/m Be it known that I, JOHN H. IRWIN, ofPhiladelpbia, in the county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulMode of Oontrolling Oarriages Upon a Single Track; and I do hercby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichi Figure l is a side elevation of an apparatus exhibiting my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan of the same.

Figure 3 is a front elevation ofthe same.

Figure 4 is an elevation of one of the adjustable boxes.'

Figure 5 representscarriages constructed for conveyance of goods or passengers, and controlled b v the same means.

In this specification I employ the terms bicycle v and velocipede in a conventional sense, and for' couvenience only, and by those terms I intend to be understood as referring to any vehicle or carriage with two or more wheels arranged in a single plane, so that one follows in the track of another', and propelled by any available power, whether the same be mechanical or animal.

' This invention relates to a bicycle-velocipede, adapted to run upon a` track composed of a single rail; and V It consists in mechanical means provided to enable the rider to insure his balance while unable to vary the direction ofthe line of progression.

Hitherto, the rider ou a bicycle-velocipede could only maintain the equilibrium of his body by moving the same from side to side, lor by varying the line of progressiou from side to side, as may be necessary to restore said equilibrium. That is to say, when the riders body inclines to one side, so asto remove the centre of gravity toward one side of the line of bearing upon 'the ground, said line is shifted so as to be again beneath the" centre of gravity, by changing the direction of the steering-wheel.

This operation of balancing is well understood, but is manifestly impossible if the vehicle is coniined to a single lineof progression, as-would be the case in running upon a single rail or track. `I therefore apply a mechanical auxiliary, by means of which the rider may maintain his equilibrium without moving his seat; and this mechanical auxiliary consists,

. First, in a counter-weight under control of the rider,

I which may be projected on one side of the line of progression when the weight of the rider inclines to the opposite side; and

Second, in the power of a lever, in addition to the counter-weight above referred to. v

Mechanically, the counter-weight might be applied as in the balancing-pole of a rope-dancer, but practically that mode of application is notfeasible, because of the space which it would be required to occupy. I have therefore placed my counter-weight upon the same track, and upon independent wheels, but connected to the main bicycle by a connection which places the vertical position of said counterpoise under control of the rider.

From the above, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular mode of applying the mechanical counterpoise, which shall enable the rider to maintain his equilibrium without moving his body for that purpose, but I describe and show in this pateut only the elements of a mode which experiment has convinced me to be the most satisfactory.

Having now set forth the nature and principle of pede.

The cranks E E form the means of connection between the propelling-power and the driving-wheel of the velocipede, For the purpose of being propelled upon a single rail, as upon a railroad-rail, the wheels should all be flanged on both sides.

The countexpoise in this case is represented in the small truck F, mounted on wheels similar to thc wheels A B. This truck travels upouthe rail or track pursued by the main bicycle, and preferably in advance thereof, as shown.

The small truck F is connected to the main bicycle by the connecting-rod G, which is provided with suitable joints at each of its ends, and also a swivel. at one end, so that it mayfreely conform to all possible changes in therelative positions of the two carriages.

The rear end of the connecting-rod G is provided with a hand-lever, H, by means of which the rod Gr is controlled, andthe equilibrium4 of the apparatus maintained, and the mode and principle of the operation of the oouuterpoise-truck F will be fully and clearly understood by reference to fig. 3, in which are shown the relative positions of the velocipede and the counterpoise-truck when the equilibrium of the former is disturbed by an inclination to one side.

This action ot' the counterpoise F is under control of the rider, who thus counteracts a tendency of his own body to fall over to one side.

When the wind chances to be favorable, the small sail I may be employed, andsteam-power may also be used, if desired, to propel the vehicle.

Fig. represents a train of carriages connected and controlled in the manner and upon the principles of the apparatus herein described. The propelling-power is not shown in lig. 5, but the same may be mechanimy invention, I will particularly describe the-construe tion of a velocipede to which it is applied in a practi cal, a`,nd applied in advance, upon the same track, or it may be located Withinone of the carriages, or it may be animal power, applied in the usual Way.

The lever at the top ofthe carriages not only forms the connection betiveem them, but enables the steersman to control the relative positions of the carriages, which, in this case, act as counter-Weights for each other.

It will not be necessary, in a case like this latter, for the person who controls the equilibrium of the several carriages, to be located upon the top, or even upon one of the carriages at all, as, by means of the conmeeting-rods and levers, he may well maintain their equilibrium if he is standing or walking upon the ground.

Having now described the principle and operation of my invention,

XVhat I claim as new, is-

A velocipede, connected with a truck, acting as a counter-weight, as set forth, to operate under control of the rider, as described.

' J. H. IRWIN.

Witnesses:

R. D, O. SMITH, E. W. B. PHILLIP.

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