Lewis Gompertz

Lewis Gompertz (also: Louis Gompertz; * 1783 in Surrey, England, † 1861) was animal rights activist and inventor of a hand crank drive for track cars, which he designed in 1821.

Karl Drais invented 1817, the trolley, a forerunner of the bicycle. This had no drive, but was moved forward by the driver pushed off with his feet on the ground. Since 1819 there have been attempts to help with mechanical equipment to the driver of such Velozipedes in driving. They failed because they were too complicated. Only Lewis Gompertz built in 1821 successfully a mechanism by which the front wheel could be moved by hand. The steering rod is pulled rearwardly, thus moving one provided with gears quadrant ( quarter circle ) of a turning gear, which acted on the front hub. The gear was a free-wheel, which allowed to bring the handlebars back to the front position. This mechanism is also described as a precursor of the bicycle chain. After that, it took several decades for the development of the bicycle went with the invention of the crank.

Gompertz was next known as the founder of an animal protection association. In 1824 he was a founding member of the " Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ' ( SPCA ), which later became the " Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ' ( RSPCA ) was.