Velocipede. Page: 2 of 3
This patent is part of the collection entitled: Texas Patents and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
UNITED
STATES
PATENT OFFICE.
JAMES M. MYERS, OF KIRBYVILLE, TEXAS.
VELOCI PEDE.
SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,583, dated January 16, 1900.
Application filed September 8, 1899. Serial No. 729,868, (No model),To all whomu it may concern:
De it known that I, JAMES iVI. MYERS, a citi-
zen of the United States, residing at Kirby-
Ville, in the county of Jasper and State of
5 Texas, have invented a new and useful Ve-
locipede, of which the following is a specifi-
cation.
This invention relates to velocipedes, and
it has for its object to provide a simple and
io efficient device of this nature adapted to carry
a number of passengers in addition to the op-
erator and in which the arms may be em-
ployed to assist the feet in operating the driv-
ing mechanism.,
15 In the drawings forming a portion of this
specification, and in which like numerals of
reference designate corresponding parts in
both views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the
velocipede complete. Fig. 2 is a front end
20 view of the velocipede.
Referring now to the drawings, 5 represents
a platform, adjacent to the rear end of which
and upon the under face thereof is journaled
a shaft 6, having supporting traction-wheels
25 7, fixed thereto and through the medium of
which the velocipede is adapted to be driven.
Upon the axle 6 is a band or sprocket wheel
8, fixed thereto.and rotating in a longitudi-
nal slot in the platform. A second band or
30 sprocket wheel 9 is fixed to a shaft 10, jour-
naled at its ends in pillow-blocks 11 and pro-
vided exteriorly of said blocks with cranks
12 and 13, having pedals 14 thereon, through
the medium of which said cranks may be en-
35 gaged by the feet of the operator and moved
to rotate the wheel 9. Connecting the wheels
8 and 9 is a belt or chain 16 to transmit mo-
tion from one to the other.
Connected at its front and with the forward
40 portion of the platform 5 and at its rear end
with the rear portion of the platform is a seat-
support 17, the rear end of which is bifur-
cated, as shown-at 18, to straddle the sprocket
8. The seat-support 17 passes over and in
45 alinement with the wheel 9 and in the rear
of the vertical diameter of said wheel has af-
fixed thereto a seat 19 through the medium
of a post 20, held in place in the usual man-
ner. The seat 19 is so positioned that the op-
5o erator in sitting thereon may reach the pedals
14 with his feet.
A wabbling lever 21 is pivoted upon theupper side of the seat-support 17 through the
medium of a pin 22 in alinement with the ver-
tical diameter of the wheel 9, the outer ends 55
of said lever having connection with the ends
of the cranks 12 and 13 through the medium
of pitmen 23. The lever 21 is rounded adja-
cent its ends to form handles to be grasped
by the operator, and thus the operator when 6o
sitting upon the seat 19 may employ both his
hands and his feet in driving the apparatus,
the mounting of the lever 21 enabling the ends
of said lever to describe circles equal in ra-
dius to the length of either crank 12 or 13. 65
In order to steer the apparatus, I pivotally
connect a front axle 30 with the front end of
the platform 5 through the medium of a king-
bolt in the usual manner, and at one side of
the king-bolt is pivoted a rod 31, which ex- 70
tends rearwardly and is pivoted to the lower
end of a lever 32, fulcrumed in semicircular
plates 33, the periphery of one of which is
notched, as shown, to form a notched segment
adapted to receive a bolt 34, slidably mounted 75
in the upper portion of the lever 32, and
adapted for reciprocation through the me-
dium of a lever 35, connected with the bolt
and pivoted to the lever 32. Thus it will be
seen that the front or steering wheels of the So
machine may be adjusted and may be held
in their adjusted positions, enabling the op-
erator to give his entire energy to the opera-
tion of the machine.
In practice the platform 5 may be provided 85
with seats for a number of passengers. It
may be provided with an awning or may have
a housing of glass or other material, and the
specific construction and arrangement of the
device may be altered without departing from 90
the spirit of the invention.
It will be further understood that either
sprockets and a chain or a belt and belt-
wheels may be employed for communicating
motion from the shaft 10 to the rear axle or 95
that any other suitable gearing may be em-
ployed.
Having thus described the invention,what
is claimed is-
A velocipede comprising a platform, a front ioo
axle pivoted to the platform, a rear axle hav-
ing journals fixed to the platform and pro-
vided with fixed supporting-wheels, a gear-
wheel fixed to the rear axle, pillow-blocks
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This patent can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Patent.
Myers, James M. Velocipede., patent, January 16, 1900; [Washington D.C.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth509470/m1/2/: accessed May 7, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.