US93915A - Improvement in velocipedes - Google Patents

Description

L. T. S11/10N.

Veloci pede.

Patented Aug. 17, 186

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N. PETERS. vmnrmhompm. whshmgmv. D r.

diritti States.

LoUIsfrH. sIMpoN, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent N 93,915, dated ugust 17, 1869.

IMPRovnMENT 1N Avanocrprnms'.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pan of the same.

To all whom it may concern l h Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the back-gear de-A tached.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists of a shoulder-rest in a plane, at right angles or nearly so with the direction in which the footfpieces move, said footpieces being secured to rods which are supported at one end by the cranks of the Vdriving-axle, and at the opposite end by links pivoted to the frame or reach of the velocipede, in such a manuel' that said back-rest forms a point rlfappuz' for the rider, enabling him to exert his full power with the Vbest possible advantage in propelling the velocipede.

Y The invention consists, further, in the arrangement of a back-gear, incombination of a series of gearwbeels mounted on the driving-axle, with a clutch which serves to couple the driving-wheel and axle together, and with a lever which governs the back-gear and clutch in such a manner, that by the action of said lever the back-gear and the clutch can be thrown in or out of gear, and thereby the rid'er is enabled to multiply the power'and decrease the speed in going uphill, or to throw the driving-wheel and back-gear out otl gear with the crank-axle in going down-hill, or to multiply the speed in going on a level surface, or to throw the back-gear entirely out ot' action, while the driving-wheel is coupled to the crank-axle, ifthe rider desires to travel at the ordinary speed, thus producing a velocipede which admits of four changes to'suit the speed at which the rider desires to travel andthe iormat-ion ofthe Vground to be passed over.

In the drawing- The letter A designates the main or driving-axle of a velocipede, on which are two wheels, B B', revolving ire-ely on the same, and which connects, by a reach, or frame, C, with the platform l), that forms the bearing i'or king-bolt c of the steering-wheel E.

The axle A is provided with two cranks, b,'which connect, by means of rods c, with links d, that are pivoted to the reach C, so that the connecting-rods c reciprocate in a horizontal plane, or nearly so.

Tosaid connecting-rods are secured the foot-pieces e, which are adjusted at suitable distances from the seat F. This seat issupported by the reach C, and it is provided with a high back, or shoulder-rest, lGr, ex-

tending upward, at right angles or nearly soto the direction in which the foot-pieces e move, so that it forms v a point dappuz', supporting the rider while acting on the foot-pieces, and enabling him to exert his full power in propelling the telocipede.

l This arrangement oftbe sl1oulderrest is of the greatest importance, since it enables the rider to bear with his feet on the foot-rests, while his back and shoulders press against v and are sustained by the shoulder-rest, whereas, in velocipedes of the ordinary construction, the seat is usually made without a backrest, or if there is a back-rest, it is not high enough to support the shoulders, and it serves to prevent the rider from sliding off from the seat, but it never is in such a position in relation to the foot-pieces that it forms a point zlappu'i, enabling the rider to exert his fnllpower on the foot-pieces.

The wheels B B revolve freely on the axle A, and to the hub of one of the wheels, B, which forms the driving-wheel, is firmly secured a cog-wheel, f, which is provided on its inner surface with one or more projections, to engage with the clutch g.

This clutch is secured to the axle A by means of a featherJkey, so that it can be moved toward and from the cog-wheel f, and it is connected by suitable levers and rock-shafts with the hand-lever 1l., so that by depressingsaid haud-lever, .the clutch'cau ,be made to engage with the projections on the'inner'surface of the cog-wheel f, and thereby the driving-wheel is coupled together with the axle A. In this case the driving-.wheel Bmakes one revolution for eachrrevolution of the axle A, and the velocipede is propelled with the ordinary speed.

lf itis desired to multiply the speed or the power, the back-gear is brought. into action. This back-gear ,consists of three gear-wheels, Iil j k, mounted on a `coirnter-shaft, Z, which extends across the reach C,

parallel to the axle A, and of the cog-wheel j, and two other cog-wheels, m n, mounted on the axle A.

The cog-wheel t is mounted firmly on the countershaft I, and is always in gear with the cog-wheel f, but-v thc cog-wheels j 7.1 are secured to said counter-shaft' by means of feather-keys, so that they can be thrown in or ont of gear with the wheels 'm n, and the proportion between the wheels j and on is such, that if these two are thrown in gear, the. axle A makes two or more revolutions to one of the counter-shaft I, while the proportion between the wheels k and a is the reverse, giving two or more revolutions to the vcountershaftfor each revolution of the axle A.

The wheels j It connect, by suitable levers and roel:- shafts, with the hand-lever h, and these connections are so arranged, that by raising the hand-lever partly up and moving it in toward the seat, the eog\\'hecl j is thrown in gear with the cog-wheel m, while at the same time the clutch is thrown outof -gear with the cog-wheel Land in this case the axle A makes two or more -revolutions te one of the driving-wheel Bfa'nd,

consequently, the power is multiplied, while the speed is proportionally reduced.

In order'to throw the wheel k in gear with cog-- wheel n, the hand-lever' h is forced back, away from the seat, and then raised up. By this motion the j and 'la are both lthrown out of gear-,while the clutch g remains out of gear with the og-wheel f. In this ease the (hiring-wheel B revolves independent of the axle, so that in going downhill .the axle and the footpieees remain stationary, and the lider has time to rest.

On level ground, the speed-multiplying 'gear may he used, -lout in going 11p-,hill the power-multiplying gear is brought into action, and all the changes; can be "made'while the veloeipede is in motion. v

A ily-wheel, I, mounted on the countershaft l, serves t`o equalize the motion of the machine.

Having thus described my invention,

That I claim as new, `and desire to secure by-Letters Patent, is-

1. The shoulder-rest G, arranged, in :combination with the adjustable foot-pieces e, upon rod c, so as to form a point of support to enable the rider to apply his full powerin' propelling the ve1ocipede,.as set forth'.

2. The hand-lever hand oog-wheels j k f on n, and clutch y, in combination with the driving-wheel B and crank-axle A, all constructed and operating substan` tially in the manner shown and described.

LOUIS TH. SIMON.

' Vitnesses WV. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBEB.

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