Iм- PROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Josiah Turner, Manager of the Coventry Machinists'
Company, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 1st May 1877, and dated the 3rd November 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Josiah Turner at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1876.
JOSIAH TURNER, Manager of the Coventry Machinists' Company, Coventry, in
the County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of certain of the
details of velocipedes.
As an improvement in the bearings for the axle of the driving wheel I make the
bearing in two halves, and connect the same together by a hinge. In the bearing
when opened I insert a divided steel or other nietal bush, and secure it in place by
a screw or nut, which passes diagonally through the two halves of the bearing.
To provide for the setting up of the bush as it wears away I fit in the lower
half of the bearing a set screw, which pressing on the under side of the lower half
of the bush will hold the bush in close contact with the wheel axle.
In some cases, in place of a bush, I fit the hinged bearing with antifriction
rollers, formning in the bearing an annular recess to receive them.
For admitting oil to the bearing a vertical channel may be made in the side of
the fork carrying the bearing, and this may be covered by a cap secured in place
by a binding screw. This improved bearing is applicable also to the hind wheel or
wheels of the velocipede.
It is usual in bicycles to provide the rider with foot rests, which he uses on long
journeys when running down hill. These rests however add materially to the
weight of the bicycle, and are required only during long journeys. I now propose
to employ detachable foot rests, which will admit of easy removal when not
required for use, and as easy attachment when their services are required. For this
purpose I provide each prong of the guiding fork with a pin and catch and a stud,
which are set at some six inches apart. The foot rest I form in one piece with two
In the end of one of these
elastic supports, and composed of iron wire.
supports I form a socket to receive the stud, and in the end of the other
support I drill a hole to fit the pin, and I form also a projection to enter the catch.

page_text: These elastic supports I spring into place, and thus secure the rest firmly to the
fork.
Other means may be employed for securing in place my removable foot rests,
but I prefer that no screws, wedges, or other loose pieces shall be used for this
purpose, as they are liable to be lost.
A further improvement consists in a novel construction of brake for velocipedes.
The boss or nave of the driving wheel I form with a conical friction surface, and I
key to the axle a flange or collar having a friction surface the counterpart of that
on the boss. This collar I set on the axle at a short distance from the boss, and I
provide a wood block with inclined sides to fit against the conical faces of the
collar and boss. This block I attach to a rod, which is connected with a hand
lever having its fulcrum on the guiding fork. By operating this lever the wedge-
shaped block will be thrust in between the conical friction surfaces, and will thus
retard the progress of the vehicle without too suddenly checking its speed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Josiah Turner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd May
1877.
JOSIAH TURNER, Manager of the Coventry Machinists' Company, Coventry, in
the County of Warwick. IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction of certain of the
details of velocipedes.
As an improvement in the bearings for the axle of the driving wheel I make the
bearing in two halves, and connect the same together by a hinge. In the bearing
when opened I insert a divided steel or other metal bush, and secure it in place by
a screw or nut, which passes diagonally through the two halves of the bearing.
This improvement is illustrated in Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, at
Figures 1 and 2, where Fig. 1 is a side view of a hinged bearing, and Fig. 2 is a
cross section of the same taken in the line of the lubricating channel. In this
Figure a is one of the prongs of the fork in which the driving wheel axle is mounted.
This prong terminates in a semicircular piece b, constituting the upper half of a
bearing, the lower half of which consists of a semicircular piece c secured to the
piece by a hinged joint d; e is the divided bush flanged to ensure it retaining
its position in the bearing, and f is a screw passing through lugs made in the two
halves of the bearing, and serving to close the same, and hold the divided bush in
contact with the driving axle of the velocipede.
To provide for the setting up of the bush as it wears away the lower half of
the bearing is fitted with a set screw g, which pressing on the under side of the
lower half of the bush will hold the bush in close contact with the wheel axle.
In some cases, in place of a bush I fit the hinged bearing with antifriction
rollers, forming in the bearing an annular recess to receive them.
This modification is illustrated at Figs. 3 and 4, Fig. 3 being a side view, and
Fig. 4 a cross section of the bearing. A pair of annular grooves are made in the
hinged pieces b, c, to receive the two rings h, h, which when fitted in place form an
annular recess for a series of antifriction rollers i, i.
For admitting oil to the hinged bearings a vertical channel may be made in the
fork and bearing, as shewn at h (Fig. 2), which channel may be covered by a
sliding cap secured in place by a binding screw m. I would remark that my
improved hinged bearings are applicable also to the hind wheel or wheels of
velocipedes.
It is usual in bicycles to provide the rider with foot rests, which he uses on long
journeys when running down hill. These rests however add materially to the
weight of the bicycle, and are required only during long journeys. I now propose

page_text: to employ detachable foot rests, which will admit of easy removal when not required
for use, and easy attachment when their services are required. This part of my
Invention is illustrated at Figures 5, 6, and 7, Fig. 5 being a side view and Fig. 6
a front view of one of the detachable rests applied to the guiding fork of a
bicycle, and Fig. 7 an edge view of one prong of the fork, shewing the manner of
providing the same for the reception of the detachable rest. Each prong a is pro-
vided, as shewn at Fig. 7, with a pin 1, catch 2, and a stud 3 (the catch and
stud being set some six inches apart) for receiving the foot rest. The foot rest I
form in one piece with two elastic supports composed of iron wire, as shewn at n, n,
Fig. 5, and carrying at their junction the horizontal pin o, which is welded thereto.
In the free end of one of these supports I form a socket to receive the stud 3, and
in the free ends of the other support I drill a hole to fit the pin 1, and I form also
adjacent thereto a projection n¹ to enter the catch 2. These elastic supports I
spring into place, and thus secure the rest firmly to the fork.
Other means may be employed for securing in place my removable foot rests,
but I prefer that no screws, wedges, or other loose pieces shall be used for this
purpose, as they are liable to be lost.
My last improvement in velocipedes consists in an improved arrangement of
break for the same. This is illustrated at Figures 8 and 9, Sheet II., of the
Drawings, where Fig. 8 is a side elevation and Fig. 9 a front elevation of the break
arrangement.
In these Figures a is one of the prongs of the fork of the driving wheel; b, the
crank axle; and c, the boss or nave of the driving wheel.
On this boss or nave a
conical friction surface d is formed, and to the axle b a flange or collar c having a
friction surface, the counterpart of that on the boss, is keyed, or it may form a portion
of the treadle crank e. This friction surface e is set on the axle at a short distance
from the boss to form a space for the reception of a wood block f with inclined
sides, which are intended to fit against the conical faces & and e.
The block fis
attached to a crank lever h furnished with a bandle at its upper end, having
for its fulcrum a screw pin fitted to the fork a. By pressing upon this lever the
wedge-shaped block will be thrust in between the conical friction surfaces, and will
thus retard the progress of the vehicle without too suddenly checking its speed.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of " Improvements in
Velocipedes," and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-.
First. The improved construction of hinged bearings, as described with
reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the Drawings.
Secondly. The detachable foot rests, as described with reference to Figures 5, 6,
and 7 of the Drawings.
Thirdly. The novel arrangement of bicycle break above described with reference
to Figures 8 and 9 of the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Turner, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Second day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
JOSIAH TURNER. (L.S.)