“The object in this construction is to secure the rider against being thrown forward over the front wheel by keeping his centre of gravity low and setting his seat or saddle as far back as is practicable from the centre of the front wheel. This mode of driving through the medium of sprocket-wheels and chains also allows the driving-wheel to be geared up or down to suit individual tastes.
“What I do claim is,—
“1. A bicycle having two wheels arranged tandem as shown, the rear wheel being no larger than the front wheel, and provided with a pedal crank-axle arranged between said wheels and connected to the rear wheel, for driving by an endless chain and sprocket-wheel, substantially as specified.”
The other drawing of this patent is used to illustrate the Rover rear-driver. I wish to call particular attention to the claim as given in above brief of specification, as it is somewhat extraordinary. The English patent to this same inventor would indicate that he was an early, but negligent, inventor of the modern rear-driver safety.
A. Hoak, of Pennsylvania. Velocipede. No. 341,911. Patented May 18, 1886.
A. HOAK’S VELOCIPEDE.
The important part of the specification is as follows:
“The shaft-gearing of these spur-wheels consists of impact roller motions, so that the crank centrally on the shaft, within easy reach of the operator upon the seat and between the driving-wheels, may be effectually operated by the hand, and a lever from the guide-wheel is designed to be in such a position as to be within easy reach of the operator’s feet forwardly, so that no difficulty will be encountered, all of which will now be fully set forth.
“The operation of this device is very simple. The operator seated within the machine operates the crank O of the shaft L, and the spur-wheels N, engaging with the spur-wheels I, move the vehicle forward. The steering-wheel C is operated by the feet in connection with the lever E.”