US225310A - A aeon vbeeland - Google Patents

Description

A. VREELAND.

Velocip'ede'.

No. 225,310. Q Pa'tente d Mar. 9, 1880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

AARON VREELAND, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 225,310, dated March 9, 1880.

Application filed September 15, 1879. i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AARON VREELAND, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to veloeipedes having three wheels, and is designed to be operated by foot or hand power, or by the two combined, having suitable appliances for these purposes, provided with an improved turn or fifth wheel, as it is known incarriages; also, with two adjustable seats, allowing more than one person to ride at. the same time, and an adjustable brake and steering apparatus.

i In the drawings, Figurelis a plan. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a portion of the turn-wheel.

In my construction, A represents the hind wheels, hung to the axle B so that one is secured to the axle and the other is loose on it. Connected also with this axle by a loose joint is a frame, O, extending forward and the end carried up' above the front wheel, D, and is connected with a turn-wheel, F, supported bythe skeleton-frame E, to the lower end of which, on the axle d, the wheel D turns.

The turn-wheel is constructed with two disks, F and F, the latter being secured to the front end of the frame 0, and the lower one to the frame E, and between these disks are rollers or balls a, to prevent friction from the contact of the inner surfaces.

The axle d has a crank, I), each side of the wheel D, to which are hung adjustable stirrups or foot-rests I, provided with the bearings c and e, to accommodate persons of different length of legs. The stirrups hang loose on the cranks, and may therefore be used with the rests or bearings below the cranks or above.

0 are pitmen, united at the lower end to the cranks N, one on each end of the axle B. The upper ends of the pitmen are jointed to the arms P, which arms also are jointed to the frame 0. Between the upperends of the pitmen, at the junction with the arms, is a crossbar, Q, within reach of the hand of the operator, who may press upon this bar in combination with motion created by the foot-power, and this, acting on the cranks N through the pitmen, will givean auxiliary force for propelling the velocipede.

K is an adjustable seat, which, with the foot-rest M, is secured to a swinging frame, 0, hung upon the rear axle. The seat K usuually rests on the frame 0.

L is an extra seat hung to the axle B, on which a second person may ride with his face backward and his feet bearing on the rest M. In some instances the seat K may swing over and back of the seat L, leaving the operator to sit on the seat L facing front, having the seat K to his back.

Connected with the. disk F is a bar, R, extending back inside of the frame 0, and to the end of this bar is jointed the arm X, and to the arm is attached acord extending through the seat K and seat L, and to it, below the latter, a weight, T, is hung. On the lower side of the arm X is a stud to be used as a brake, by one hand of the operator, to be pressed down against the wheel D, the weight T rais ing the brake when not in use. The weight and cord serve also to keep the seat L in position. The bar It and arm X, extending back between the knees of the operator, are used by the pressure of his knees on either side to turn the wheel D and steer the vehicle. The bar It passes over the disk F, where it is pivoted, and extends forward of it, and is secured to the disk F, which turns the front wheel in steering.

I claim 1. A velocipede operated by hand-power applied to the hind wheels by means of the pitmen O, hung to the cranks N, and having at the upper end the cross-bar Q, and the arms P, jointed to the frame 0, substantially as specified.

2. Incombination with the hand-power devices, as described, applied to the hind wheels, the cranks b of the axle d and the swing footrests I, applied to the front wheels for the operation of foot-power, substantially as specifled. v

3. The combination of the frame 6, hung to the axle B, and carrying on the upper end the disk F of the fifth-wheel, with the disk F, supported by the frame E, which carries the wheel D, substantially as named.

4. The skeleton-frame E, carrying the wheel D, and supporting the disks F and F, forming a turn-wheel, substantially as specified.

5. The adjustable sWing-stirrups I, having the bearings 0 and e, in combination with the cranks b, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The turn-wheel having the disk F, supported by the skeleton-frame E, and the disk F, connected with the frame 0, and having between the disks the balls or rollers A, substantially as named.

7. The adjustable seat K, with the rest M,

secured to the frame 0, which frame is hung to the axle B.

and brake S.

, AARON VREELAND. Witnesses:

' HORACE HARRIS, O. B. MATTHEWS.

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