Improvements in Cycles and other Similar Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1898
Improvements in Cycles and other Similar Vehicles.
I, GEORGE GASKELL EXTON, of South Bank, Bromley, in the County of Kent,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more especially to cycles of the kind for which I applied
for a patent on the Sixteenth day of December 1896 numbered 28,774 but it is
also applicable more or less, to cycles or vehicles of other kinds.
When a cycle or similar vehicle is constructed, in accordance with the specifica-
tion of the aforesaid application for a patent, with two steering wheels in front;
placed side by side a short distance apart, and with the steering spindle vertical
I have found that when in steering, the said wheels are turned into an oblique
position either to the right or left hand, there is a tendency for the wheel on the
side towards which the machine is being turned to lift off the ground, and for the
In order to obviate this
machine to turn or tilt over in the opposite direction.
tendency I set the steering spindle in an inclined position, as in an ordinary bicycle,
and joint it at its lower end, by a hinge-joint to the axle of the steering wheels.
This hinge-joint is so arranged that when the steering spindle is turned in its
guide-tube any tendency there would be to raise either of the wheels off the ground
is compensated for by the flexibility of the joint allowing the axle to remain always
parallel to the ground, and therefore both wheels in contact with the latter. This
hinging of the steering spindle to the axle of the steering wheels has the further
advantage that it enables the rider of the cycle to sway his body over laterally
to one side or the other, when going round curves, with greater facility than with
the steering spindle connected rigidly to the axle when the tendency of such sway-
ing of the body is to raise the steering wheel on the cutside of the curve off the
ground. If the hinge-joint were left altogether free there would be, in most
cases, too much flexibility, and the rider would find it difficult to keep himself
upright. To obviate this inconvenience I apply a spring or springs to the steering
spindle and axle in such manner that such spring or springs tend to hold the steer-
ing spindle square to the axle, and to return it to that position whenever moved
away from it by the act of steering.
I sometimes form the hinge by means of a pin integral with or fixed to the axle
of the steering wheels and standing at right angles thereto, and a socket formed at
the lower end of the steering spindle. The pin on the axle takes into the said
socket, and is free to turn therein, being retained in the socket by a pin or pins
passing through the socket and taking into a groove in the hinge-pin; or the
When the
hinge-pin may be retained in the socket by any other suitable means.
steering spindle is turned in either direction the hinge-pin turns in the sceket
and enables the axle of the steering wheels to remain parallel to the ground, and
consequently both wheels to remain in contact with the latter as in the case
of the hinge-joint above described. It is obvious that the socket may be placed
on the axle and the hinge-pin on the steering spindle if preferred.
In some cases the axle of the hinder wheels may be hinge-jointed to the rear

page_text: end of the frame in a manner similar to that above described for jointing the axle
of the front wheels to the steering spindle, especially when great facility is
required for leaning over the body in going round curves.
In cycles or vehicles of the kind referred to in the Specification of my aforesaid
application for a Patent No. 28,774 the saddle is carried on curved springs fixed
at one end to the rear end of the frame of the machine, and so secured at the
other end to the front part of the said frame that they are free to slide backwards
and forwards on a bearing surface of such frame. According to one part of my
present invention I employ one or more curved springs as described in the said
specification; but instead of mounting the saddle directly on such spring or
springs, I mount it on a secondary spring, or on a pair, or other number of such
secondary springs, one end of which secondary spring or springs is connected to the
front end of the first or primary spring or springs, and the rear end is so secured
on the rear part of the primary spring or springs that it is free to slide backwards
and forwards on such primary spring or springs, the part of the secondary spring
or springs intermediate between the front and rear ends being suitably shaped and
adapted to support the saddle. The sliding ends of the spring or springs may be
guided and prevented from moving laterally or vertically by sockets, clips or other
suitable devices; and the spring or springs may have interposed between it or
them and its or their points of attachment to the frame suitably supported pieces
of indiarubber, coiled springs or other elastic material.
By the above described arrangement of curved springs the rider is supported in
such a way that jar and vibration is reduced to a minimum, and the power of
swaying the body without disturbance of balance is increased.
In some devices for applying the brake to the wheel or wheels of a cycle by
means of a handle or lever mounted on or connected with the steering bar, there
is a liability of the brake being applied to the wheel or wheels at a time when it is
not required, by the movement of the steering bar in steering, although the brake
handle or lever has not been moved for the purpose of operating the brake. In
order to prevent this unintentional and inopportune action on the brake I employ
an arrangement of the following character; -I connect the rod or plunger through
which motion is communicated to the chain, cord, links, levers or other devices
operating the brake, to a lever pivotted on a socket or sleeve through which the
steering spindle passes, and which socket or sleeve is carried with or without ball
bearings on the upper end of the steering spindle guide tube. One end of the
aforesaid lever is provided with a friction-roller which takes into and rolls in a
slotted frame mounted on the brake handle or lever. This slotted frame is shaped
as the segment of a circle struck from the centre of the steering spindle so that
as the latter is turned to the right or left in steering, the slotted frame moves in
a circular path with the friction-roller of the lever always in its slot, but having
no action on such roller or lever so long as the brake handle or lever is not operated
in order to apply the brake. When however the brake handle or lever is operated
to apply the brake the slotted frame is raised or lowered thereby, as the case may
be, and the friction-roller, and the end of the lever to which it is attached are
corresponding by raised or lowered, and the brake operated. By means of this
mechanism the movement of the steering bar for steering is quite independent
of the motion of the parts for applying the brake, and the steering bar can be
turned in either direction without any fear of applying the brake inopportunely
if it is not wanted, or of taking it off inopportunely when it has been applied and
is wanted to be kept on while the steering bar is being moved to steer the machine
while speed is being reduced.
Dated this 10th day of V 1000

page_text: Improvements in Cycles and other similar Vehicles.
I, GEORGE GASKELL EXTON, formerly of South Bank, Bromley, in the County of
Kent, but at present residing at High Wold, Sydenham Hill, in the County of
Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying two sheets
of drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon:-
This invention relates more especially to cycles of the kind for which a patent
was granted to me bearing date the Sixteenth day of December 1896 numbered
28,774 but it is also applicable more or less, to cycles or vehicles of other kinds.
When a cycle or similar vehicle is constructed, in accordance with the specifica-
tion of the aforesaid patent, with two steering wheels in front, placed side by
side a short distance apart, and with the steering spindle vertical, I have found
that when, in steering, the said wheels are turned into an oblique position either
te the right or left hand, there is a tendency for the wheel on the side towards
which the machine is being turned to lift off the ground, and for the machine to
turn or tilt over in the opposite direction. In order to obviate this tendency I set
the steering spindle in an inclined position, as in an ordinary bicycle, as shown
at A in Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying this specification and joint it at
its lower end, by a hinge-joint as shown at B Figures 2 and 3 to lugs D¹ on the
axle 1 of the steering wheels C. This hinge-joint is so arranged that when the
steering spindle A is turned in its guide-tube A¹ any tendency there would be to
raise either of the steering-wheels C off the ground is compensated for by the
flexibility of the joint allowing the axle D to remain always parallel to the ground,
and therefore both wheels in contact with the latter. This hingeing of the steer-
ing spindle A to the axle D of the steering wheels C has the further advantage
that it enables the rider of the cycle to sway his body over laterally to one side or
the other, when going round curves, with greater facility than with the steering
spindle connected rigidly to the axle when the tendency of such swaying of the
body is to raise the steering wheel on the outside of the curve off the ground. If
the hinge-joint at B were left altogether free there would be, in some cases too much
flexibility, and the rider would find it difficult to keep himself upright. To
obviate this inconvenience I apply a spring or springs E or E, one at each side
of the steering spindle A and axle 1) in such manner that such spring or springs
tend to hold the steering spindle square to the axle, and to return it to that position
whenever moved away from it by the act of steering.
Figure 4 shows another method of applying the springs which tend to press
the steering spindle into a position square to the axle. In this case the helical
springs E are contained in short lengths of tube fixed to the lugs D¹ of the axle D
or otherwise to the said axle and provided with screwed plugs D2 which can be
screwed in or out in the ends of the tubes in order to vary the tension of the
springs as may be desired. The inner ends of the springs E bear against the
steering spindle either below or above the hinge-pin B; and tend constantly to
return the steering spindle into its normal position whenever moved away from
it by the steering action, or the swaying of the body of the rider.
I sometimes form the hinge, as shown in Figure 5 by means of a pin G integral
with or fixed to the axle D of the steering wheels and standing at right angles
thereto, and a socket H formed at the lower end of the steering spindle A. The
pin G on the axle D takes into the said socket H and is free to turn therein, being
retained in the socket by a pin or pins I passing through the socket and taking
into a groove J in the hinge-pin Ġ; or the hinge-pin may be retained in the

page_text: socket by any other suitable means. When the steering spindle A is turned in
either direction the hinge-pin G turns in the socket H and enables the axle D of
the steering wheels to remain parallel to the ground, and consequently both
wheels to remain in contact with the latter as in the case of the hinge-joint above
described. It is obvious that the socket may be placed on the axle D and the
hinge-pin on the steering spindle A if preferred. It will be understood that
springs may be applied to this arrangement in order to return the steering spindle
into its normal position, in a manner similar to the springs described with reference
to Figures 2, 3 and 4.
In some cases the axle of the hinder wheels may be hinge-jointed to the rear
end of the frame in a manner similar to that above described for jointing the
axle of the front wheels to the steering spindle, especially when great facility
is required for leaning over the body in going round curves.
In cycles or vehicles of the kind referred to in the specification of my aforesaid
Patent No. 28,774 the saddle is carried on curved bearing springs fixed at one end
to the rear end of the frame of the machine, and so secured at the other end to
the front part of the said frame that they are free to slide backwards and forwards
on a bearing surface of such frame. According to one part of my present inven-
tion I employ one or more curved springs as described in the said specification;
but instead of mounting the saddle directly on such spring or springs, I mount it
as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings accompanying this specification on a secondary
spring K, or on a pair, or other number of such secondary springs; one end of which
secondary spring or springs is connected to the front end of the first or primary
spring or springs L, and the rear end is so secured on the rear part of the primary
spring or springs that it is free to slide backwards and forwards on such primary
spring or springs, the part of the secondary spring or springs intermediate between
the front and rear ends being suitably shaped and adapted to support the saddle
as at M in the drawing. The sliding ends of the secondary spring or springs K
may be guided and prevented from moving laterally or vertically by sockets or
clips N or other suitable devices; and the said springs may have interposed between
them and their points of attachment to the frame suitably supported pieces of
indiarubber, coiled springs, or other elastic material.
By the above described arrangement of curved springs the rider is supported
in such a way that jar and vibration is reduced to a minimum, and the power of
swaying the body without disturbance of balance is increased.
In some devices for applying the brake to the wheel or wheels of a cycle by means
of a handle or lever niounted on or connected with the steering bar, there is a
liability of the brake being applied to the wheel or wheels at a time when it is
not required, by the movement of the steering bar in steering, although the brake-
handle or lever has not been moved for the purpose of operating the brake. In
order to prevent this unintentional and inopportune action on the brake I employ
mechanism of the kind illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings, I connect
the rod or plunger through which motion is communicated to the chain, cord,
links, levers or other devices operating the brake, to a lever P pivotted on a socket
or sleeve A² or other suitable device through which the down tube A³ of the handle
bar passes, and which socket or sleeve is carried with or without ball bearings A*
on the said down tube of the handle bar T. One end of the aforesaid lever is pro-
vided with a friction-roller Q which takes into and rolls in a slotted frame R
mounted on the brake handle or lever S. This slotted frame is shaped as the
segment of a circle struck from the centre of the steering spindle so that as the
latter is turned to the right or left in steering, the slotted frame R moves in a
circular path with the friction-roller Q of the lever P always in its slot R', but
having no action on such roller or lever so long as the brake-handle or lever S is not
operated in order to apply the brake. When however the brake-handle or lever S
is operated to apply the brake the slotted frame R is raised or lowered thereby, as
the case may be, and the friction-roller Q, and the end of the lever P to which it
is attached are correspondingly raised or lowered, and the brake operated. By

page_text: means of this mechanism the movement of the steering bar T for steering is quite
independent of the motion of the parts for applying the brake, and the steering
bar can be turned in either direction without any fear of applying the brake
inopportunely if it is not wanted, or of taking it off inopportunely when it has been
applied and is wanted to be kept on while the steering bar is being moved to steer
the machine while speed is being reduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
First. In a cycle or vehicle of the kind herein referred to, placing the steering
spindle at an angle to the perpendicular and hingeing or pivotting it to the axle
of the steering wheels so as to be free to rock laterally thereon, substantially as
described.
Second. In a cycle or vehicle of the kind herein referred to, the combination of
an inclined steering spindle hinged or pivotted to the axle of the steering wheels,
with springs acting on the said steering spindle, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
Third. In a cycle or vehicle of the kind herein referred to, pivotting or hingeing
an inclined steering spindle to the axle, of the steering wheels by means of a pin
on the axle taking into a socket on the lower end of the inclined steering spindle,
or by means of a pin on the lower end of the inclined steering spindle taking into
a socket on the axle, substantially as described.
Fourth. In a cycle or vehicle of the kind herein referred to, the use of one or
more secondary springs mounted on the primary bearing spring or springs for the
purpose of supporting the saddle, substantially as described.
Fifth. In a cycle or other similar vehicle the devices for preventing the unin
tentional or inopportune action of the brake which consist of a slotted segmental
plate connected with the brake lever and concentric with the axis of the steering
spindle, and a lever pivotted to a socket or other device mounted on the down tube
of the steering bar or on the steering spindle, one end of the said lever being
adapted to take into and to be operated by the said slotted plate when the same
is moved by the brake lever, and the other end connected to the brake mechanism,
substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of December 1800