Improvements in Spring Arrangements, for Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 897-Accented, 19th June, 189/
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Spring Arrangements, for Cycles and other
Road Vehicles.
I, JOHN STEPHEN JENNENS of 269 Burbury Street, Aston Manor, near the
City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention.
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to resilient or spring mountings for parts of cycles, motor
carriages and common road vehicles.
According to my invention in connection with cycles, I propose to apply such
mountings to the forks, stays, supporting pillars and other parts of the same where
resiliency is desirable in order to counteract or neutralize vibration or tremor
consequent upon a machine passing over irregularities in its road of traction,
whereby solid or cushion tyres may be employed with a like effect as pneumatic
tyres without the liability to puncture and like draw-backs now
pneumatic tyred machines."
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The said resilient mounting consists essentially of sliding blocks mounted upon
guide rods and either forining bearings for the ends of the spindle of a wheel or
for constituting carriers for seat pillars or like cognate parts of a machine. Springs
are interposed between the blocks and fixed bracket parts in order to suspend and
keep the said blocks and the parts carried by them in a state of spring
equilibrium.
Thus, in carrying out my invention in connection with mountings for the front
and back wheels and the corresponding forks of them, each side of the framing
fork is terminated by a fixed cross head coming within a short distance of the end
of the axle and taking within a block bearing which rises and falls upon end
shouldered guide rods depending from and being affixed to the outer ends of the
said cross head. The block has a depending neck also terminated by a cross head
and having holes directed through the outer ends in the same vertical plané as the
block and wherethrough reduced lower parts of the guide rods pass and slide, with
nuts taking upon the screwed ends of the rod and coming dead up to the outer side
of the cross head so as to form a bearing when the vehicle is travelling upon a
perfectly even road. Coiled springs are interposed between the cross head of the
block and strung-on metallic washers coming up to shoulders on the guide rods
which slightly protrude beyond the lower underside of the block, so that the
springs which surround the guide rods, act between the washers (which form fixed
abutments) and the block cross-head, and so force the article carried by the block
home when upward pressure has been relieved.
Coiled springs also surround the upper parts of the guide rods and take their
bearings against the upper side of the block and the underside of the crosshead of
the fork.
The upper series of springs bear upon washers placed around the holes in the
block so as to prevent the ingress of dirt and wet.
The tendency of the springs is to keep the block in its normal position and only
to adinit the same changing on the vehicle passing over an inequality in the road.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a seat support, I employ a
fixed block mounted upon a part of the framing and with eyes or holes through it

page_text: wherein guide rods carried by a boss or socket wherein the L pin or seat-pillar is
clamped by a set pin, slide. Coiled springs surround the said guide rods and
come between leather covered washers on the top side of the block and the plain
underside of the head or boss. The guide holes are formed through the block.
The saddle is thus supported on spring media and the ends of the guide rods
have nuts upon them for preventing the same coming out of position.
In carrying out my invention in connection with cycle back forks, I employ a
like device as for the front wheel, but with a half block having lugs in which the
guide rod eyes are formed. The frame members come under the blocks and are
supported by the springs located between the topside of the cross head and the
ends of sinkings in the framing.
The framing of the mounting may be fitted with a screw, lug, pin or stud for
making a fast connection of the same to a machine or carriage.
I wish it to be understood that the attachment of the spring mounting to a
machine may be effected in any desired way and that the application of my
invention to other parts of machines requiring spring mountings differs in no
essential respect from its application to cycle front and back forks, seat pillars
and the like as herein described.
In carrying out a further form of this first part of my invention, I make the
springs of rubber blocks of a cupped formation, with the mouths of each pair
brought together so as to form a hollow or bulbous pillar spring, with the opposed
meeting edges of the walls (which are thinner than the body parts of the cup)
constituting the cushioning medium and acting alike unto a pneumatic buffer on
pressure being applied at the ends. These half rubber springs, whose upper and
solid ends are formed into necks, having axial holes through their crowns and are
threaded upon the guide rods, whilst the flat ends take the exerted pressure, so
that as pressure increases, so the middle parts, adjacent to the expose! edges
expand or bulge outwards and retract to their normal condition when pressure is
relieved.
By employing such spring media as mountings cycle and vehicle framing,
saddles and seats the rising and falling movement in the parts is soft and devoid of
tremor or vibration.
If necessary, the outer walls of the said cups may be furnished with canvas plies
or be enclosed within a canvas or like cover, so as to form a support which will
prevent over expansion or bulging.
. Dated this 26th day of June 1896.
JOHN STEPHEN JENNENS,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Spring Arrangements for Cycles and other
Road Vehicles.
I, JOHN STEPHEN JENNENS of 269 Burbury Street, Aston Manor, near the
City of Birmingham, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described aud
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to resilient or spring mountings for parts of cycles, and
motor carriages and common road vehicles.
According to my invention in connection with cycles, I propose to apply such
mountings to the forks, stays, supporting pillars and other parts of the same where

page_text: resiliency is desirable in order to counteract or neutralize vibration or tremor
consequent upon a machine passing over irregularities in its road of traction,
whereby solid or cushion tyres may be employed with a like or a nearly like effect
as pneumatic tyres without the liability to puncture and like drawbacks now
common to pneumatic tyred machines.
The said resilient mounting consists essentially of sliding blocks mounted upon
guide rods and either forming hearings for the ends of the spindle of a wheel or for
constituting carriers for seat pillars or like cognate parts of a machine. Springs
are interposed between the blocks and fixed bracket parts in order to suspend
and keep the said blocks and the parts carried by them in a state of spring
equilibrium.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in side elevation, my invention
applied to the front wheel and forks of a safety bicycle.
Figure 2 is an edge view of the same.
Figure 3 is an elevation of one of the shouldered guide rods and
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the rising and falling block bearing, against
which the top and bottom sets of springs come and wherein the ends of the spindle
or axle of the wheel takes.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in Figures 1 to 4.
Each side a', of the framing forks is terminated by a fixed cross head a², coming
within a short distance of the end of the axle b, which takes through a hole c¹ in a
block bearing c, which rises and falls upon end shouldered guide rods d, depending
from and being affixed to the outer ends as of the said cross head. The block has
a depending neck c, also terminated by a cross head c³, and having holes c,
directed through the outer ends c, in the same vertical plane as the block and
wherethrough reduced lower parts d' of the guide rods d, pass and slide with
nuts d², taking upon the screwed ends d³, of the rods and coming dead up to the
outer side of the cross head so as to form bearings when the vehicle is travelling
upon a perfectly even road. Lower sets of coiled springs e are interposed between
the cross head of the block and strung-ou metallic washers d', coming up to
shoulders d' on the guide rods, which slightly protrude beyond the lower underside
of the back, so that the springs which surround the guide rods, act between the
washers (which form fixed abutments) and the block cross-head, and so force the
article carried by the block home when upward pressure has been relieved.
An upper set of coiled springs, also surround the upper parts de of the guide
rods and take their bearings against the upper side c, of the block and the underside
of the crosshead a², of the fork.
The upper series of springs f bear upon washers d placed around the holes in
the block so as to prevent the ingress of dirt and wet.
The tendency of the springs is to keep the block in its normal position and only
to admit the same changing on the vehicle passing over an inequality in the road.
In carrying out my invention in connection with cycle back forks, I employ an
arrangement such as represented in elevation in Figure 5 and in vertical section in
Figure 6, whilst Figure 7 represents the end of the frame member carrying the
mounting. The ends a', of the framing a, have lugs a, in which the guide rod
eyes a are formed which said member ends a' come under the block c, which has
a depending neck c3 carrying the cross head c³ and a hole or bearing, for the
axle or spindle, and are supported by the springs e, surrounding the guide rods d,
and located between the topside c' of the cross head c², and the ends of sinkings a*
in the framing ends a¹.
Figure 8 represents a modification of the arrangement represented in Figures 5.
6 and 7.
Figure 9.is a plan of the junction face by which the mounting is connected to
the framing.
a is the junction piece, having lugs a', through eyes a³, in which, the guide
rods d, which are made fast at their upper ends d', to the block c, carrying the.
wheel axle at c', pass. The said junction has a screwed stem a³, which is passed

page_text: through a hole in a part of the framing and there secured by a nut (or two or
more such screwed pegs with nuts may be employed) whilst the springs e, encircling
the guide rods bear at the lower and upper ends respectively, against the top of the
cross head c, carried by the depending neck c³, from the block c, and the underside
of the lugs a', of the framing junction a.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a seat support, I employ an
arrangement such as shown partly in section and partly in elevation in Figure 10.
A fixed block c, represented separately in Figure 11, is mounted upon a part of the
framing and with eyes or holes c' through it wherein guide rods d, carried by a
boss or socket d', wherein the L pin or seat pillar g, of a saddle is clamped by a
set pin d², slide. Coiled springs e, surround the said guide rods d, and come
between leather covered or other washers h, on the top side of the block and the
plain underside of the head or boss d¹.
The saddle is thus supported on spring media and the lower ends d', of the guide
rods have nuts d upon them for preventing the same coming out of position.
I wish it to be understood that the attachment of the spring mounting to a
machine may be effected in any desired way and that the application of my
invention to other parts of machines requiring spring mountings differs in no
essential respect from its application to cycle front and back forks, seat pillars and
the like as herein described."
In carrying out a further form of this first part of my invention, I make the
springs of rubber blocks of a cupped formation, with the mouths of each pair
brought upon an interposed metal stiffening washer, for stiffening the bearing
contacts, thus forming a hollow or bulbous pillar spring, with the opposed meeting
edges of the walls (which are thinner than the body parts of the cup) constituting
the cushioning medium and acting alike unto a pneumatic buffer on pressure being
applied at the ends. These half rubber springs, whose solid ends are formed into
necks having axial holes through them, are threaded upon the guide rods, whilst
the flat ends take the exerted pressure, so that as pressure increases, so the middle
parts, adjacent to the exposed edges expand or bulge outwards and retract to their
normal condition when pressure is relieved.
By employing such spring media as mountings cycle and vehicle framings,
saddles and seats the rising and falling movement in the parts is soft and devoid of
tremor or vibration.
If necessary, the outer walls of the said cups may be furnished with canvas
plies, or be enclosed within a canvas or like cover, so as to form a support which
will prevent over-expansion or bulging.
Figure 12 represents, partly in elevation and partly in section, the application of
these last described rubber springs to the mounting of a cycle saddle and
Figure 13 is an underside plan of the same, with a part in section upon the dotted
line x.
c is the supporting framing carrying the attachment boss c', by which the
mounting is secured to the L pin c2, of a cycle framing, and d, are the guide rods
bolted to and depending from the frame members h', of the saddle h, and passing
through opposite holes c³, in the top and bottom bars c, c, of the support, said rods
being kept in place by nuts d, and having loose collars d2, between which and the
topside of the bar co, the pairs of rubber cushioning springs e, which encircle or
are threaded on the guide rods, and are of the character previously described, come
and are separated from one another by stiffening washers e¹.
Figure 14 represents, partly in elevation and partly. in section, and Figure 15
shows in edge view, a front fork mounting constructed and arranged the same as
described in connection with Figure 1, but provided with sets of cupped rubber
springs e and f, threaded upon the guide rods, in lieu of coiled metal springs.
Instead of the springs being of the coned or double coned formation, and in
two parts separated by a metallic stiffening washer as represented, they may be
arranged in the form of a hollow pillar.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. Mounting parts of cycles and other road carriages between couples of
balanced springs or between pairs of springs in equilibrium.
Secondly. A resilient or spring mounting for parts of cycles and other road
carriages, consisting essentially of sliding blocks, mounted upon guide rods, and
either formning bearings for the ends of the spindle of a wheel or a part of a
framing, or constituting carriers for seat pillars or like parts, and with springs
interposed between said blocks and fixed bracket parts, substantially as described
and set forth.
Thirdly. The improved arrangements of resilient or spring mountings for parts.
of cycles, and the general construction and combination of the parts, substantially
as and for the purpose described and set forth in Figures 1 to 11.
Fourthly. In mountings or supports for parts of cycles and other road carriages,..
the employment of india rubber or other elastic or resilient blocks of a cupped or
hollow formation, with or without stiffening washers and with or without outer
restraining canvas plies or the like, substantially as described and represented in.
Figures 12 to 15.
Fifthly. In mountings or supports for parts of cycles and other road carriages,.
providing the same with india-rubber or other resilient blocks or springs, of a.
cupped or hollow formation, strung upon guide rods or other central supports, and
being provided or not with stiffening washers and outer restraining covers or
plies of canvas or the like, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 12:
to 15.
Sixthly. In resilient or spring mountings for parts of cycles and other road
carriages, the combination of a rising and falling or sliding block or framing, of
resilient blocks or springs arranged in the manner substantially as described and.
set forth in Figures 12 to 15.
Dated this 25th day of March 1897.
JOHN STEPHEN JENNENS,.
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant...