GB373151A - Improvements in auxiliary wheel attachment for cycles - Google Patents

Abstract

373,151. Convertible cycles; safety wheels. HESS, A. L., 1370, Quintero Street, Los Angeles, U.S.A. Feb. 16, 1931, No. 4916. [Classes 136 (i) and 136 (iii).] A motor bicycle is converted into a tricycle (e.g. to facilitate towing by a car) by means of auxiliary wheels pivotally mounted on each side of the driving wheel and adapted to be folded up against the cycle or swung outwards and downwards into engagement with the ground to lift the driving wheel off the ground; in an intermediate position they may also be used as safety wheels when the bicycle is being driven on wet or rough roads. The axles of the auxiliary wheels 34, Fig. 2, are pivotally mounted at the outer ends of frames 32, which are pivoted at 31 to a support 30 straddling the rear driving-wheel 22, so as to be capable of being swung outwards (as shown), or folded into a vertical position. The wheels 34 are each maintained parallel with the driving-wheel by means of an arm 35 secured to their pivot pins and pivoted to a telescopic rod 36 jointed at 38 to the support 30, the telescopic parts being maintained in extended position by means of a spring-controlled catch engaging a notch in the inner part. The auxiliary wheels 34 are maintained in the fully extended position shown in Fig. 2, by toggle arms 45, 46, which are locked in the straight position by a rotary catch. The pivoted frames 32 are held in the vertical folded position by spring-controlled sliding latches 52, which engage extensions of the pivot pins of the wheels 34 and are releasable by means of hand-levers. The wheels 34 are adapted to be held in an intermediate position, Fig. 4, so as to act as safety wheels, by adjustment of the telescopic rods 36, the retaining- catches of which are caused to engage a different notch in the inner telescopic part. In this position, extensions of the toggle arms 45 are engaged with the upper ends of springs 60, so that the wheels 34 are spring-suspended.