12 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2 04 



wheels. Straight wooden handle bars, and a cast-iron saddle are 

 provided. 



The hubs, spokes, and felloes of the three wheels are of wood. The 

 tires are thin metal rims. The front wheel has a diameter of 24 

 inches, while the rear wheels are 20 inches in diameter. Spool-shaped 

 wooden pedals are attached to the crank arms of the front wheel. The 

 distance between the two rear wheels is 11 inches. 



UNZICKER TRICYCLE, 1878 



U. S. N. M. No. 309256 ; original Patent OflBce model ; transferred from the U. S. 

 Patent Office ; photograph No. 784-B ; plate 10, 6. 



Patent No. 204636 was issued on June 4, 1878, to Otto Unzicker, of 

 Chicago, 111., for an "improvement in velocipedes." This model shows 

 a tricycle propelled by the back-and-forth motion of the wooden 

 handle bars. The bars, which also steer the tricycle, are fastened 

 to the u^Dright arm of a bell-crank attached to the top of the fork. 

 Motion of the bell-crank is transmitted by connecting rods to cranks 

 on the ends of the front-wheel axle. 



The model, measuring 11 inches long, 71^ inches high, and 3i^ inches 

 wide, is constructed of wood and brass, except for the steel rear axle 

 and the leather strap for the single stirrup. The sloping frame and 

 the fork are of wood, with fittings connecting the two. The wheels 

 are of wood, the 5-inch diameter front one containing 12 spokes, 

 and the 4i/2-inch diameter rear ones each containing 10 spokes. The 

 spokes are staggered in the wooden hubs. 



The sidesaddle places the rider on the left side of the vehicle. 

 Because of the mechanical disadvantage accompanying this method 

 of propulsion, and the relatively narrow track of the rear wheels, 

 it is thought that a full-sized vehicle would not have proven very 

 satisfactory on the poor roads of the nineteenth century. 



It is interesting to note the similarity in design of the main com- 

 ponents of this tricycle and those of the 1876 child's tricycle veloci- 

 pede in the collection. Some connection between the two may well 

 have existed, as Unzicker's patent was assigned in its entirety to the 

 same Adolph Shoeninger associated with Marble. 



SHIRE VELOCIPEDE, 1879 



U. S. N. M. No. 248087 ; original ; gift of C. Howard Buckler in 1907 ; photograph 

 No. 30650-D ; plate 11, a. 



Built at a rather late date for this type of vehicle, this "boneshaker" 

 bears a brass plate marked "J. Shire, Patent allowed May 10, 1879, 

 Detroit, Mich." Patent Office records reveal the fact that John 



