10 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 04 



identical machine is pictured on pa^re 22 of "The American Bicycler," 

 by Charles E. Pratt, published in Boston in 1880. The illustration 

 shows an "American velocipede of 1869." Another similar machine 

 is pictured on page 28 of "Cycles and Cycling," by H. Hewitt Griffin, 

 published in New York in 1890. The illustration shows an "Improved 

 Boneshaker of 1870," made by Charles Pomeroy Button, of 142 Cheap- 

 side, London. This date was near the end of the era of this type of 

 machine, as the high-wheelers were soon to replace the heavy 

 velocipedes. 



A heavy forged bar, terminating in a fork at its lower end, serves 

 as a frame. A vertical iron fork, topped by a horizontal handle bar 

 mounted in brackets, is pivoted at the front of the frame. Wooden- 

 spoked wheels, tired with iron bands, are mounted in the forks. The 

 front wheel is 37 inches in diameter and contains 16 spokes, while the 

 rear is 311/2 inches in diameter and contains 14 spokes. The spokes 

 are staggered in the wooden hubs. Cranks with adjustable, weighted 

 pedals are attached to the live axle of the front wheel. The adjust- 

 ment allows for a throw of from 4:^2 to 7 inches. 



Twisting the handle bars in the mounting brackets causes a chain 

 to pivot a metal shoe in the frame. The shoe acts as a brake on the 

 tire of the rear wheel. A leather saddle is mounted on a flat metal 

 spring above the center of the machine. 



VAN ANDEN "DEXTER" VELOCIPEDE, 1869 



U. S. N. M. No. 310206 ; original ; gift of Mrs. William M. Van Anden in 1930 ; 

 photograph No. 38609-A ; plate 8, b. 



William Van Anden, of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., was granted patent 

 No. 88238 on March 23, 1869, covering "improvement in velocipedes." 

 This improvement consisted of a "ratchet device" or free-wheeling 

 unit in the hub of the front wheel, enabling the rider's feet to remain 

 motionless while the velocipede continued to move by momentum as 

 a coaster-brake-equipped bicycle will do. 



This velocipede, built by Van Anden, contains the above feature. 

 A clipping from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle of February 20, 1869, 

 describes the velocipede and mentions that it had been on exhibition 

 the previous week at Burnham's velocipede school. 



The frame and fork are of iron, and are supported on wooden 

 wheels with staggered spokes and iron tires. The front wheel is 361^ 

 inches in diameter and is mounted in the fork, which pivots at the 

 front of the frame. Spool-shaped pedals are secured to the driving 

 pawls within the hub. The rear wheel is 321/4 inches in diameter. 



The handle bars twist to actuate a linkage connected to a friction 

 brake operating against the tire of the rear wheel. A drilled cast-iron 



