An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Vibration in Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 20th Jan., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Vibration in Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GARDINER 15, Albert Hill, Bishop Auckland, County
Durham, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
To the tubes of fork from crank axle bracket to centre of driving wheel is brazed
a bridge which, is hinged at or near the crank axle bearing, by means of a parallel,
cone or ball bearing.
The seat pillar ends of the tubes of fork from centre of driving wheel are brazed
to a bridge, in the centre of which an eye is formed, parallel to crank axle.
The bridges at end of forks are connected by a tube or tubes being brazed
between them.
Fixed or formed on the frame under seat pillar is an eye, parallel to crank axle,
to which is hinged one end of a link with double eye formed at each end; the other
end of the link is hinged to another link with single eye at one end & double eye at
the other; the double eye end being hinged to the eye formed on bridge at seat
pillar ends of tubes from centre of driving wheel, & the single eye end hinged to
link with 2 double eyes.
The bearings of links may be parallel, cone or ball. The links may be arranged
so that when not in use their centre lines may form either an acute or obtuse angle
with each other; & when at work are prevented from getting into a straight line
with each other, by suitable stops formed on the links or on frame of machine.
Fixed or formed on frame under seat pillar is an arm, at right angles to crank
axle, the end of which is screwed to receive a moveable crossbar for attaching the
ends of two helical springs; the other ends of the two helical springs being
attached at or near the bridge at seat pillar ends of tubes from centre of driving
wheel.
The springs are placed parallel to each other at right angles to crank axle, &
when in use are in tension & adjustable by means of the moveable crossbar on arm
formed on frame under seat pillar.
The foregoing arrangement is also applicable to springs in compression against
eye formed on bridge at seat pillar ends of tubes from centre of driving wheel, &
springs in tension or compression connected at one end to an arm fixed or formed
on bridge at end of fork from crank axle bracket to centre of driving wheel, &
attached at the other end to any convenient point on frame of machine.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1893.
GEORGE WILLIAM GARDINER.
GEORGE WILLIAM UANDINER
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Absorbing the Vibration in Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM GARDINER of 15 Albert Hill, Bishop Auckland, in the
County of Durham, 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 :—
This invention relates to an improved apparatus for absorbing the vibration in

page_text: bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes and consists substantially in a modification
of the apparatus described in my. Patent Specification No. 5361.
In the present case instead of using a radial guide bar at the apex of the
triangular frame as therein described I adopt a link-motion which I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 shows a side elevational view with the links in their normal or closed
position, Figure 2 being a plan with the links removed.
Figure 3 is a section of the bridge hereinafter referred to.
Figures 4 and 5 show plan and side views of links in their extended positions and
in the following description like marks of reference designate like parts.
Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the seat pillar ends of the tubes of
fork from centre of driving wheel are brazed to a bridge B in the centre of which
an eye E is formed parallel to crank axle.
Fixed or formed on the frame under the seat pillar is an eye E' parallel to crank
axle to which is hinged a link L having double eyes (as shown in the drawings) at
each end; in like manner a link L' having a double eye at one end and a single
eye at the other is hinged to the eye E on bridge B, the single eye on link L' being
hinged to a double eye of the link L.
The links may be mounted in ball bearings as shown in the drawings or in plain
bearings as found desirable.
The links may be arranged so that their centre lines may form either an acute or
obtuse angle with each other and when in actual use they may be prevented from
forming a straight line with each other either by stop S with rubber or leather
pad S₁ (shown in Figure 1 but not in Figures 4 and 5) which shall serve to lock
the links when a certain angle of inclination has been formed between them or by
the provision of stops T formed on or secured to the framing against which stops
suitable leather or rubber pads T¹ secured to the bridge B may be designed to abut
at either end when the links-extension has reached its intended limit.
Fixed or formed on the frame under the seat pillar is an arm A at right angles
to the crank axle the end of which is screwed to receive a movable cross-bar B₁ to
the ends of which two coil springs B² are secured, the opposite ends of these springs
being secured to lugs M at or near the bridge at seat pillar ends of tubes from
centre of driving wheel.
The springs when so arranged are in tension when in use and they are rendered
adjustable by means of the bar on its screw.
I prefer this mode of arranging the springs to any other although it is obvious
that the springs might be arranged to act in compression or in tension by placing
them at points in the framing where these forces could conveniently be made to act
on them.
It will be seen from the apparatus described that when an obstruction occurs on
the road which tends to lift the driving wheel the apex of the triangular frame, on
which this wheel is mounted and which is hinged at the crank axle bracket as
described in my Patent Specification. herein before referred to, moves forward and
in so doing extends the links and springs more or less according to the extent of
the obstruction or irregularity encountered on the road whereby the vibration due
to such obstruction is transferred to and absorbed in the resilient framing instead of
being transmitted to the rider's seat.
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 :-
1. For absorbing the vibration in velocipedes the combination with the hind
wheel of a triangular or other equivalent system of framing the said framing being
hinged at or near the crank axle bracket and adapted to radiate on the said hinge
in such a manner as that when the wheel encounters an obstruction on the road the
tilting action caused thereby shall cause the said triangular or other equivalent
system of framing to radiate on its hinge while the apex or upper corner of the

page_text: framing moves forward and in so doing more or less extends certain links hinged to
each other and to the framing of the machine in opposition to the pressure of
certain springs the several parts being arranged and adapted to operate together
substantially as herein set forth.
2. In combination with the subject matter of the previous claim the means for
adjusting the tension of the springs by cross bar B' and for regulating the travel
of the links by stops S, S₁ or T, T¹ substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
3. The improved construction or combination of parts for absorbing the vibration
in bicycles and velocipedes substantially as herein described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of November 1893.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.