An Improvement in Bicycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Aug., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 21st Nov., 1896-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Bicycles.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK WILLIAMS of 32, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W:
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-.
My invention relates to an improved bicycle support and it has for its object to
provide means whereby the machine may be maintained in the upright position
when through obstruction to traffic the rider is compelled to stop or when the
machine is standing.
The invention consists of a 1-shaped frame the vertical member of which is
fitted to slide up and down on or in a solid or tubular pillar projecting vertically
downwards from the bottom bracket or other part of the frame between the wheels,
the horizontal arms of said frame being adapted when in the lowered or operative
position to project laterally outwards towards either side of the machine in such
proximity to the ground as to afford lateral support to the machine and rider by
resting on the ground either directly or through rollers mounted on the extremities
of said arms.
The frame is also capable of turning about its vertical axis in order that the
arms when raised off the ground may be brought into a fore and aft position in the
central plane of the machine, the raising and turning motions being independent,
so that the latter may be performed when the frame is out of contact with the
ground. A spiral spring acting both by torsion and compression is so applied that
it tends both to turn the support its vertical axis and also to lower it into operative
position, means being provided whereby when so turned and lowered the support is
locked rigidly so as to be prevented from rising or turning. For this purpose a self-
engaging stop carried by the sliding member of the 1-support is adapted to engage
with the pillar so as to prevent sliding motion, the said vertical member and pillar
being so formed as to interlock in such way as to prevent rotary motion of the
L-support when in its lowest position.
The disengagement and raising of the 1-support are effected through a flexible
connection within reach of the rider when mounted, and acting on the stop through
a cam or lever or other suitable device so as when pulled to disengage the
stop and at same time raise the support and turn it a quarter round to its
inoperative position thereby compressing and twisting the spring in readiness to
act when required.
Dated this 17th day of August 1896.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Bicycles.
I, WILLIAM FREDERICK WILLIAMS of 82, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W.
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
10 same is to be performed to be párticularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to improved means whereby a bicycle may be maintained

page_text: in the upright position when travelling very slowly or when stopped, whether the
rider be dismounted or not.
The invention consists essentially of a support which when in the lowered or
operative position projects laterally and when raised assumes a fore and aft
position in the central plane of the machine, the construction and operation being
such that the vertical and turning motions are independent so that the latter
motion will be performed before the support is lowered on to, or after it is raised
off from, the ground the. support being rigidly locked when in operative position.
The support may be lowered into, or raised out of, operative position whilst the
rider is on the machine or when dismounted.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification wherein
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle having my improved support applied.
Figure 2 is a part sectional elevation and Figure 3 an underside plan view of the
support as in position for use.
Figure 4 is a part sectional elevation and Figure 5 a part sectional plan view
shewing the support in the raised or inoperative position.
The support consists of a 1 shaped bracket or frame, the vertical member A of
which is fitted to slide up and down and to turn upon a tubular pillar B which is
formed on, or affixed to, and projects vertically downwards from, the bottom
bracket C of the machine frame. Upon the extremities of the horizontal arms A
of said frame are mounted rubber tyred or other rollers D (or instead of rollers
the arms A may terminate in feet) adapted to rest on the ground in order to
afford the lateral support required. A spiral spring E contained within the
tubular pillar B is confined between and connected to an abutment at the upper
end and a cross. head a fixed in the tube A so that said spring acte both by com-
pression and by torsion, the former tending to force the support downwards and
the latter tending to rotate it about the pillar B so as to bring it into operative
position. Through this spring passes a central fixed guide stem F upon which the
cross head a slides, this stem F terminating at its lower end in a locking cross
head. This cross bead is of oblong form in plan and the lower part A of the
sliding tube A within which said locking cross head is received is of corresponding
shape, for the twofold purpose of preventing the support when in the lowered and
operative position from turning about the pillar B and of resisting the thrust of
the spring E when the support has been raised and turned into the fore and aft
position. This crosshead is engaged, when the support is lowered into operative
position, by a bolt G fitted to slide in one of the tubular arms A' and thrown into
engagement by a spring g the end of the cross head and of the bolt being
bevelled so as to admit of the one being forced by the spring E into engagement
with the other when the support reaches its lowest position, as shewn in Figures 2
and 3. The release of this bolt and the raising and turning of the support are
effected by a cord H attached to a lever pivoted to the part A. and engaging
with the bolt. The cord H makes a partial turn about the part A so as when
pulled to exert a turning moment thereon in opposition to the spring E. The
cord passes through guide pulleys on the machine frame and terminates in
a handle or other means of applying a pull to it, which handle is made fast
to a clip or other attachment on the machine frame when the support is
raised to its inoperative position. Instead of the spring g the lever h might be
counterweighted to produce the same effect. is a stud on the pillar B engaging
with a notch on the tube A for limiting the rotary motion of the latter to a quarter
turn.
In the raised inoperative position illustrated. by dotted lines in Figure 1.the
spring E is compressed and in torsion so that it tends to force the support down-
wards and also to turn it about its vertical axis so as to bring the arms A' from
the raised fore and aft inoperative position shewn in dotted lines to the lowered
position shewn in full lines. Of these two motions the turning must be effected
first and therefore out of contact with the ground, the lowering being prevented by

page_text: the engagement, as shewn in Figures 4 and 5, of the crosshead f with the end of
the socket A. When lowered the engagement of the bolt G with the cross head f
enables the arms A' to resist the weight which comes on them when they bear upon
the ground.
In raising and turning the support to the inoperative position the raising
movement must first be effected in consequence of the fitting of the cross head f
in the socket A' so that the turning motion is always performed out of contact
with the ground, the two motions being successively performed by pulling upon the
cord H.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A bicycle support such as described, fitted to slide and to turn upon a
downwardly projecting pillar attached to the bicycle frame in combination with a
spring acting as described and with means substantially as described of locking the
support when in its lowered operative position, both against rising and turning,
substantially as specified.
2. A bicycle support such as described, fitted to slide and to turn upon a
downwardly projecting pillar attached to the bicycle frame in combination with a
spring acting as described, means of locking the support against rising and turning,
and with means of releasing the support from its operative position, and of raising
it and turning it to the fore and aft position by independent successive movements,
substantially as specified.
3. A bicycle support such as described, fitted to slide and to turn upon a
downwardly projecting pillar attached to the bicycle frame in combination with a
spring acting as described, and with means substantially as described of retaining
the support in the raised fore and aft position against the pressure and torsional
stress of the spring substantially as specified.
4. The herein described bicycle support adapted to turn horizontally and to
slide vertically by successive movements, in combiuation with means substantially
as described for moving it into and out of operative position and for locking
it in each of those positions substantially as described and illustrated in the
drawings.
Deted this November 1908
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.