IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Simpson, of Mansfield, in the County of Notting-
ham, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES
AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Simpson at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1878.
EDMUND SIMPSON, of Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES.'
This Invention relates to the utilization of the lost power through the spinning
of the hubs when excessive power is applied to the axle through the cranks, such
as is required to mount steep hills, before motion is transmitted through the spokes
to the felloe to obtain an automatically rigid wheel.
My Invention also includes the adoption of pedal plates, made rather wider at the
ends than the ordinary pedals, and by using rubber (best pure preferred) of only three
quarters of an inch diameter, sufficient space is saved to allow of putting in a steel
"rat trap" bar at the top of the rubber block. This is stiffened by brazing it into.
a light steel rod, whereby I obtain in one pedal the two kinds now in use, viz., the
rat-trap" pedal and the "rubber-clothed" pedal. Such improved pedal possesses
the advantage of lightness, being considerably lighter than most pedals now made,
and being deeper they enable a rider to reach his machine easier than do any other
pedals. By combining the two kinds of pedals in one, same enables a rider to have
at his instant command in case of cramp either kind of pedal, and therefore renders
it unnecessary to carry two separate pairs of pedals (one of each kind) as is now
very generally done in long rides, especially in touring.
By the use of my arrangement of spokes and hubs, when the hubs spring, it is
used as a means of tightening the spokes, for as often as the hubs spring without
imparting instantaneous motion to the felloe, so often do the spokes automatically
tighten and remain rigid.

page_text: '
The details of the arrangement I usually prefer are mainly as follows:-On the
axle, centrally between the hubs, is fixed a circular rack. Loose on the axle but
fitting well thereto and enclosing this rack is a circular brass box, in two parts for
convenience in construction, carrying two pawls, one slightly longer than the other,
which engage in the rack, being kept firmly thereto by the spring. The box is held
firmly rigid with the felloe by stay rods or tension spokes.
The action is as follows:-When the hubs and axle spring round through excessive
power being applied to the pedals, the circular rack being fixed to the axle also
revolves, while the pawls in the box being rigid with the felloe remain stationary,
and consequently take up (by the pawl engaging in the teeth of the rack) the lost
motion of the hubs and axle before motion is imparted to the felloe. The motion
once taken up cannot return, so that the wheel remains practically rigid until the
spokes get strained or lose their proper tension through wear and tear or other
causes, when the same movement would again take place, thus making the wheel
perfectly automatic.
My arrangement does not necessarily require wheels to be specially constructed
to receive it, as it can be applied to all "spider" wheels (the "tangent" excepted),
in which case the rack would have to be suitably fixed to the axle, but in new
machines the rack would be part of the axle.
It is also advisable in new machines to specially secure the spokes so that the
spokes may swivel at the hub when the automatic process is going on. A slot is
turned in each hub just wide enough to admit the spokes. Round the hub in holes
drilled to receive then are inserted small pins, and into these pins the spokes are
screwed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edmund Simpson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th
September 1878.
EDMUND SIMPSON, of Mansfield, in the County of Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
This Invention relates to the utilization of the lost power through the springing
of the hubs when excessive power is applied to the axle through the cranks, such
as is required to mount steep hills, before motion is transmitted through the spokes
to the felloe, to obtain an automatically rigid wheel.
My Invention also includes the adoption of pedal plates, made rather wider at
the ends than the ordinary pedals, and by using rubber (best pure
rubber preferred),
of only three-quarters of an inch in diameter, sufficient space is saved to allow of
putting in a steel "rat-trap" bar at the top of the rubber block. This is stiffened
.by brazing it into a light steel rod, whereby I obtain in one pedal the two kinds
now in use, viz., the "rat-trap" pedal and the "rubber-clothed" pedal. Such
improved pedal possesses the advantages of lightness, being considerably lighter
than most pedals now made, and being deeper it enables a rider to reach his
machine easier than do any other pedals. By combining the two kinds of pedals
.in one, same enables a rider to have at his instant command in case of cramp, slipping
in wet weather, or ascending hills, either kind of pedal, and therefore renders it
.unnecessary to carry two separate pairs of pedals (one of each kind) as is now very
generally done in long rides, especially in touring.
By the use of my arrangement of spokes and hubs, when the hubs spring, it is
used as a means of tightening the spokes, for as often as the hubs spring without
imparting instantaneous motion to the felloe so often do the spokes automatically
tighten and remain rigid.
Having thus far described the nature of the said Invention, and incidentally
intimated in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in practice, I
will now proceed (aided by the accompanying Drawings) to further and particularly
describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out
in practice that is to say :—

page_text: rack) the lost motion of the hubs and axle before motion is imparted to the felloe.
The motion once taken up cannot return, so that the wheel remains practically
rigid until the spokes get strained or lose their proper tension through wear and
tear or other causes, when the same movement would again take place, thus making
the wheel perfectly automatic.
My arrangement does not necessarily require wheels to be specially constructed
to receive it, as it can be applied to all "spider" wheels (the "tangent" excepted,
in which case the rack A would have to be suitably fixed to the axle, in some such
way as shown in Fig. 7); but in new machines the rack A would be part of the
axle, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.
It is also advisable in new machines to specially secure the spokes, by some such
arrangement as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, so that the spokes may swivel at the hub
when the automatic process is going on.
It will be seen on reference to the Drawings that a slot is turned in each hub,
just wide enough to admit the spokes. Round the hub in holes drilled to receive
them are inserted small pins, and into these pins the spokes are screwed.
"
Figs. 9 and 10 shew by elevation and cross section the pedal arrangement, herein-
before described, whereby I obtain in one pedal the two kinds now in use, viz., the
“ rat-trap” pedal (a), and the “rubber-clothed" pedal (6).
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and object of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed or carried out in
practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of "Improvements in the Con-
struction of Bicycles and other Velocipedes," substantially as herein-before set forth
and described, and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings, wherein the arrange-
ment for preventing the springing of the hub and the adaptation of the rubber
pedal and rat-trap pedal combined ready for use as may be required, substantially
as herein-before described, arc peculiar and important points or features.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edmund Simpson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
ALFRED E. MALLATRALL,
18, Mount Pleasant,
West Gate,
Mansfield.
EDMUND SIMPSON. (L.S.)