Improvements in Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
I, BOHN CHAPIN HICKS, of 956 The Rookery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois,
United States of America, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to provide a simple, economical and efficient
velocipede particularly adapted to receive, absorb and minimize all shocks causéd
by the wheels of the velocipede striking obstructions and riding over the same,
and the invention consists in the features and combinations hereinafter described
and claimed.
It is well known in the use of vehicles, particularly velocipedes and bicycles,
that when the wheel strikes an obstruction and in passing over the same a shock is
imparted to the rider and vehicle which is likely-when repeated a number of
times to injure the rider and result in the destruction of the vehicle or some of
the various parts. My invention, therefore, is intended to obviate these objections
and provide a velocipede that will permit of riding over ordinary obstructions, such
as more fully hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this Specification
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a velocipede or safety bicycle with my
improvements attached thereto;
Figure 2 an enlarged detail taken in plan view on line 2 of Figure 1, and looking
in the direction of the arrow;
Figure 3 is an enlarged detail taken on line 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction
of the arrow;
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the mechanism shown in Figure 3,
and
Figure 5 a modification of the mechanism shown in Figure 4, as will be more
fully hereinafter described.
In constructing my improvement I provide a main frame, A, of the desired
size, shape and strength and which, as is shown in Figure 1, is provided with the
usual front fork, B, pivoted thereto at a a, front steering wheel b, saddle C and
handle bars c.
The main frame is preferably extended to the rear of the saddle, as at A¹, for
the purpose of attaching other parts as hereinafter set forth. To support the rear
portion of the main frame in a flexible manner and permit the wheel to be driven
in an economical manner, I provide an auxiliary frame D. This auxiliary frame
is preferably of an inverted V-shape and is flexibly connected with the main
frame by means of a pair of connecting links, d, particularly shown in
Figures 3 and 4. These links are pivotally connected at their lower end to the
main frame by means of the bolts, d', and at their upper end to the auxiliary
frame by means of the bolts d². An inspection of the drawings will show that the
rear end of the main frame is suspended from the auxiliary frame, and that such
auxiliary frame is permitted to vary its relative position with regard to the main
frame.
The auxiliary frame, as above stated, is of an inverted V-shape; and consists
in a head portion, E, a front depending leg, e, and a rear depending leg, el. The
front depending leg is rigidly secured to the head portion and is bifurcated to

page_text: receive the driving wheel, E, and the rear depending leg is also bifurcated to
receive a supplemental wheel E. This rear depending leg is pivotally secured
at, e; to the head portion, so that it may easily track with the driver during the
operation of the velocipede.
The lower portion of the front depending leg, as at 3, where the axle of the
driving wheel is secured to it, is connected with the main frame at e' by means of
a pair of links G, which serve to keep the auxiliary frame in line with the main
frame but permit a flexible vertical movement. These links are pivotally secured
to the portions above stated, so that the driving wheel and the auxiliary frame
may be moved up and down, as above stated, but prevented from any side or lateral
displacement.
The crank axle, H, is rotatably mounted in bearing portions, hh, in, the con-
necting links G to the rear of their pivotal point, e, so that during hard riding a
portion of the weight of the rider and a portion of the force exerted by the rider
between the handle bars and pedals will serve to compel the driving wheel to hug
the ground and thus prevent slipping.
The usual sprockets I, I', and chain i, are provided for the purpose of transmitting
the power from the crank shaft to the driving wheel.
In Figure 5 I have shown a spring K as forming the flexible connection between
the point A of the main frame and the head E of the auxiliary frame, thus
dispensing with the links d.
While I have entered into a more or less minute description of my invention
and as being embodied in certain precise forms, I do not desire to be limited
thereto unduly, no more than is pointed out in the claims. Further, I have only
thought it necessary to show my invention in connection with one form of vehicles,
namely, of the safety bicycle of the rear driven type. It will be understood,
however, that I intend to use it with all classes of vehicles to which it is applicable,
making such slight mechanical changes as may be deemed necessary or expedient,
without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a velocipede, the combination of a main frame provided with a front
steering wheel, seat or saddle, with an auxiliary frame flexibly connected therewith
to the rear of the seat and provided with at least two wheels arranged longitudinally
with respect to each other, a sprocket wheel on a portion of the main frame, a
sprocket wheel on the driving wheel, a chain connecting the two, and means for
preserving the desired distance between the two sprocket wheels and permitting
the free movement of the driving wheel, substantially as described.
2. In a vehicle, the combination of a main frame having at least one supporting
wheel, an inverted V-shaped auxiliary frame connected with the main frame at or
near the rear end and provided with at least two wheels arranged longitudinally
with respect to each other, and a flexible bar connection between the rear end of
the main frame and the auxiliary frame, substantially as described.
3. In a vehicle, the combination of a main frame carrying a part of the
supporting wheels, an inverted V-shaped auxiliary frame connected with the main
frame at or near the rear end and provided with at least two wheels arranged
longitudinally with respect to each other, a pair of links connecting the rear end
of the main frame with the auxiliary frame, and a second pair of links flexibly
connecting the bearing bracket of the main frame with the lower portion of the
front leg of the auxiliary frame, to preserve a desired distance between such points
and form through the auxiliary frame a compound flexible connection, substantially
as described.
4. In a vehicle, the combination of a main frame provided with a front
steering wheel, an auxiliary frame flexibly connected with the main frame at, or
near, its rear portion consisting of at least two depending members the front

page_text: depending member being rigid and provided with a driving wheel the rear depending
member being pivotally connected to the auxiliary frame and provided with a
supplemental wheel, a pair of link bars flexibly connecting the rear portion of the
main frame with the auxiliary frame, and a second pair of links connecting the
bearing bracket of the main frame with the bearing portion of the lower
portion of the front depending leg of the auxiliary frame, substantially as
described.
5. In a velocipede, the combination of a main frame provided with a front
steering wheel and other usual parts, an auxiliary frame flexibly connected thereto
in the rear of the seat portion and provided with at least two wheels arranged
longitudinally with respect to each other, one a driving wheel and the other a
supplemental wheel, and a curved spring flexibly connecting the auxiliary with
the main frame so as to permit of an independent vertical movement of the
driving wheel and maintain a longitudinal rigidity of the frame, substantially as
described.
6. In a velocipede, the combination of a main frame provided with a front
steering wheel and other usual parts, an auxiliary frame flexibly connected thereto
in the rear of the seat portion and provided with at least two wheels arranged
longitudinally with respect to each other, one a driving wheel and the other a
supplemental wheel; a curved spring flexibly connecting the auxiliary with the
main frame so as to permit of an independent vertical movement of the driving
wheel and maintain a longitudinal rigidity of the frame, and a bar or bars pivotally
connecting the axle of the driving wheel with the main frame substantially as the
crank shaft to preserve a desired distance between the two and permit the free
movement of the driving wheel, substantially as described.
Dated this 28th day of December 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.