Patent GB-190126745-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Vehicles
Inventor: HORACK CHARLES LUDWIG
Filed: 1901-12-31
Granted: 1902-11-20
Abstract: 26,745. Horack, C. L. Dec. 31. Springs, bearing; steering; under carriages.-Relates to means for regu lating and damping the oscillation of the springs of a spring- framed cycle or other vehicle after they have been compressed by an obstacle encountered by the vehicle. The application to the jointed frame of a bicycle is shown in Fig. 2, in which the diagonal tube 16 of the frame has a hinged connection 12 with a pistonrod 24 sliding in a cylinder 21 clamped to the rear forks 13. The lower ends of the rear forks are hinged to the chain-stays, which, at the front ends, are hinged to the bottom of the diagonal tube. Within the diagonal tube is a spring 15 on the top of which bears one end of a lever 19 connected at the other end to studs on the rear forks and adjustably pivoted between lugs 17 on the diagonal tube. The cylinder 21 has bye-passes 27, the lower of which is adapted to receive a valve 28 which can be prevented from closing completely by nuts 31 and a perforated plug 30. The lower end of the piston-rod is closed by a plug in which is a non- return valve 36 and a small adjustable return passage 37, the size of the chamber within the piston-rod being limited by a plug 39. When the spring 15 is compressed, the bottom of the cylinder travels towards the pistons, and fluid passes through the valves 28, 36 to the upper part of the cylinder and into the piston-rod. The spring then expands and the expansion is retarded by the slow passage of the fluid through the small aperture left between the valve 28 and its seat and through the passage 37. The fluid may be air, which may be replaced up to the levels marked o by oil or the like. A hinged perforated valve 33 may be employed in the latter case, to prevent any large amount of liquid from passing to the upper side of the piston. In the modification shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the upper end of the rear forks 13 carries two flexible chambers 46, 50 connected together by a tube 48 which is secured to the diagonal tube 16 by a hinged yoke 51. A second yoke 52 connected to the upper chamber 46 and guided by studs 53 is attached to the rear forks. The top of the tube 48 is closed by a hinged perforated valve 55, and within the tube is a spring 54. The fluid used is air supplemented by oil up to the levels marked o. The application to the steering-head is shown in Fig. 7, in which the handle-bar stem 67 is clamped to a hollow piston-rod 63 which has a bell-shaped part 80 provided with radial arms 81 adapted to engaged with and slide in longitudinal guides on the inside of the cylinder 60 fixed to the crown head 61. Between the steering-head 59 and the steering-post are the ordinary ball bearings 68 and two additional sets 73, 76 which slide in longitudinal and circular grooves respectively and so allow relative longitudinal motion and circular motion between the parts. Springs 77, 78 are placed within the piston-rod, and within the bellshaped part respectively, and oil up to the levels marked n is placed within the cylinder. The piston is formed of a leather strip 83 which allows fluid to pass upwards only. In a square-sectioned groove within the wall of the cylinder is a rod 85 of approximately square section which allows fluid to pass from above to below the piston, the position of the rod being adjusted by a pin 94. In an alternative form, the rod is replaced by a bye-pass 96 adjusted by means of a stud 99. The application to a carriage is shown in sectional elevation in Fig. 11, in which the body 102 is supported on one front and two rear springs. Between the body and the reach 107 is interposed a cylinder 21 x of the type shown in Fig. 2, the bottom of the cylinder and the top of the piston-rod 24x being connected to the reach and body respectively by uni- - versal joints 112, 111.