To all whom it may concern:

Be it know that I, Louis S. Burbank, a citizen of ht United States, and a resident of Worester, in the county of Worester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles and other Vehicles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a representation of a perspective view showing the invention as in application. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the line x x, Fig. 7. Fig. 3 is a detail view, partly in section, of the fulcrum of one of the operating levers. Fig. 4 is a side view of the fulcrum of one of the operating levers. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of bracket-arm H'. Fig. 6 is a detail view of sear, its bearing-rollers, &c. Fig. 7 is a side view of bicycle with friction-pulleys connected to shaft of rear wheel.

This invention has relation to bicycles and tricycles; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of devices constituting the propelling and steering mechanism.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby one may enjoy with a bicycle or similar vehicle exercise like that of rowing with a pair of sculls, which is adapted to develop the muscles of the arms and body as well as those of the legs.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention applied to a bicycle, the letter A designates the frame, which is elongated form in order to provide for the sliding seat and the propelling devices. The frame should be constructed of tubular metal and well braced.

BB represents the lateral arms or outriggers, secured to the main frame and well braced, as indicated by b b. These arms are provided at their ends with bearings b' for the pivotal devices C, which constitute the fulcrums of the operating levers D, which extend in the lateral direction, being disposed in a similar manner to the inner portions of the oars of a boat.

The sliding seat E, usually provided with springs between the seat portion and the roller-frame e, rests upon the upper or back bar or the frame, which is extended in rear of the outriggers sufficiently to allow the seat free movement backward and forward in accordance with the motions of the rider. The frame e is provided with bearing rollers I' and with downwardly extending brace-arms e', provided at their ends with lateral rollers e''', adapted to bear against the sides of the parallel brace bar a of the frame, which is below the back bar. The frame e may also be provided with a guard-roller e''''' under the back bar.

F designates the foot rests, which are secured to the frame forward of the bracing post of head a', to which the outrigger-arms are connected. Seated in the head or post is there steering-fork G', which carries the front wheel H and to the upper end of which is rigidly secured the downwardly and rearwardly bent arms H'.

The pivotal devices or swivels C of the levers D are provided with vertical pivots c for the levers, whose motion is horizontal or but little varied therefrom when being operated for propulsion, and with horizontal pivots c' for the steering apparatus, which is also controlled by the levers D, but through the up and down or vertical movement thereof. To this end each swivel C is provided with a depending arm c'', whose lower end is connected by means of a rod c''' to the rearwardly-bent portion h of the arm H'. Therefore when either lever is lowered the steering fork G' will be turned in such a manner as to turn the front wheel K toward the side of the lowered lever. This motion is similar to that employed by the sculler in a light shell.

The rear wheel M may be operated from the crankshaft in the usual manner by sprocket chain gear.

The crank shaft L is provided on each side with a ratchet or, preferably, a friction pulley l, which may be of any well known construction, such as that which has heretofore been used on certain kinds of bicycles and carrying a strap S or chain or cord, which extends around the guide pulleys P of the frame and is connected to the lever D. When the levers are pulled back, the straps by their tension of the outer sections of the pulleys l cause the wedges of the outer sections to bind on the rollers and cramp them against the inner wedges of the shaft-sections, so that the pulleys become rigid and turn the shaft. When the levers are moved forward, the straps are relaxed, the wedge bearings loosened, and the outer sections of the pulleys are turned back by their springs v, taking up the slack of the straps. The crankshaft is usually employed to facilitate the initial movement of the bicycle; but it may be dispensed with the friction pulleys connected to the shaft of the rear wheel, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings.

The levers D have independent horizontal sweep or rowing motion, so that in the propulsion of the vehicle either or both of the levers may be operated. In the vertical pivotal motion for steering they are connected through the steering mechanism and have relatively opposite motion, so that in turning in either direction one lever is raised and the other lever relatively depressed.

The strap S is usually connected to the lever D by means of a swivel m and a sleeve n, which is threaded within to engage a thread t or screw-sleeve on the lever, and the lever is usually made in two portions, one part d being pivoted to the other part d', as indicated at d'', the pivot thereof being in longitudinal alignment with said lever. The part d' said lever consists of a U-shaped bracket carrying the vertical pivots c, said bracket having an extension D running into one end of the part d' of the lever and upon which said part d' has a pivotal bearing. A collar C of the part d secures the two parts d and d' together by means of pins c engaging a groove d of said pivotal extension. In order to increase the leverage, the handle portions of the levers are turned in the proper direction to move the strap-connecting sleeves n outward or toward the lever-fulcrums. In speeding, the handle portions of the levers may be turned in the opposite direction, so a to give a more extended sweep. These adjust ments are easily effected while the vehicle is in motion and without interfering with the movements for propelling and steering.

What I claim an my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a bicycle, having in its frame, adjacent vertically alined parallel bars, and a seat mounted to slide upon the upper bar, said having a downward bracing extension engaging and sliding upon the lower bar, of laterally projecting outrigger arms forward of said seat, levers pivoted to said arms, propelling mechanism operated by said levers, and means for steering the bicycle, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a bicycle, having the laterally projecting outrigger arms, of the two part operating levers, the sections thereto being pivotally connected, and the outer of said sections being pivoted to the outrigger arms, the threaded sleeve or nut engaging threads of the inner of said sections, and adjustable thereon by pivotal movement of the inner section upon the outer section, straps connecting said nuts with driving gear of the bicycle, and means of steering the bicycle, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a bicycle, having adjacent parallel upper frame bars, a seat mounted to slide on the said bars, and footrests adjacent to the bicycle head, of the arms extending upwardly and laterally from the head, the braces therefore, the levers fulcrumed to said arms, connections between the said levers and the driving gear of the machine whereby the latter is actuated by horizontal movement of said levers and connections between the said levers and the steering head of the bicycle, whereby said head is turned by vertical movement of said levers, substantially as specified.

4. The combination with a vehicle having a front steering wheel and laterally projecting outrigger arms, of operating levers swiveled to said arms, arms depending form said swivels and rods connecting said arm with the steering head, whereby upon upward and downward movement of said levers, the vehicle is steered and driving connections between said levers and the driving shaft of the vehicle substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a vehicle, having a front steering wheel, of swiveled operating levers, connections between said levers and driving mechanism of the vehicle, operated upon forward and backward movement of the levers to propel the vehicle, and connections between said levers and the steering wheel operated upon upward and downward movement of said levers to steer the vehicle, substantially as specified.

6. In a vehicle, the operating levers, having pivots longitudinally aligned therewith, the sleeves carried by said levers, mean whereby said sleeves carried by said levers, means whereby said sleeves are adjusted by pivotal movement of said levers, and driving connections between said sleeves and the driving shaft of the vehicle, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a vehicle, having a front steering wheel, of the swiveled operation levers, formed in tow pivotally connected sections, the pivot of which is longitudinally aligned therewith, arms depending from said swivels, rods connecting said arms with eth steering wheel, the sleeve carries by the outer section of each of said levers, means whereby said sleeves are adjusted by pivotal movement of said outer sections and driving connections between said sleeves and the driving shaft of the vehicle, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.