CATALOG OF THE CYCLE COLLECTION 11 



saddle (not original) is mounted on leather straps attached to curved 

 iron supports in the center of the frame. 



This is an early example of a bicycle having wheels nearly equal 

 in size. It is exceptionally heavy, weighing approximately 55 pounds, 

 and therefore difficult to ride and handle, but the inventor's use of the 

 overrunning clutch was well ahead of the times. 



GREENE AND DYER MONOCYCLE, 1869 



U. S. N. ]M. No. 312832; ori.iiiiial ; jfift of W. Eastuii Louttit, Jr., in 1!J44 ; photo- 

 graph No. 41054 ; plate 0. 



Allen Greene and Elisha Dyer, of Providence, R. I., were granted 

 patent No. 91535 on June 22, 18()9, for an "improvement in velocipede." 

 This incomplete monocycle, btnlt by them, represents their invention. 

 The donor states that it is reported that the vehicle crashed badly 

 on its first trial run, and proved to be unsatisfactory. 



The 24 spokes and the felloe are of wood, while a thin metal band 

 attached to the felloe serves as a tire. The diameter of the wheel 

 is 8 feet and its thickness at the hub, 4 feet. The bowed spokes radiat- 

 ing in from the rim are alternately connected to each side of the wheel 

 hub. Each of these sides is composed of two metal discs bolted 

 together, with 12 of the spokes clamped between each pair of discs. 



Within the center of the wheel a framework is suspended from short 

 shafts extending inwards from the two sides of the hub. A swinging 

 seat for the operator is attached to the framework. Small hand 

 cranks are also attached to the framework near the short shaft ex- 

 tensions, but how they worked is not clear. The patent specifications 

 refer to hand cranks and foot treadles jointly providing the motive 

 power, but no treadles exist now, and the cranks are inoperative. No 

 other parts of the mechanism remain, and it is doubtful if the vehicle 

 ever was completed. 



CHILD'S TRICYCLE VELOCIPEDE, 1876 



U. S. N. M. No. 300803; orijiiiial : L;ift of Mrs. Harokl AUen in lO.ViO ; photourapli 

 No. r)400-A; pkite 10, a. 



Patent No. 171623 was issued on December 28, 1875, to George W. 

 Marble, of Chicago, 111., foi' an "improvement in velocipedes." One 

 half his right was assigned to Adolph Shoeninger, also of Chicago. 

 This small tricycle, constructed principally of wood, bears the above 

 patent date, and is similar to the drawing accompanying the patent 

 application. 



Tw^o wooden bars form the sloping frame, and two others form the 

 fork which pivots at the front of the frame. Metal fittings at each 

 end of each rod serve as })ivots for the fork, and as bearings for the 



