IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Wyndham, of Southover, near Lewes,
in the County of Sussex, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 15th February 1870, and dated the 7th December 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Wyndham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 7th December 1869.
I, CHARLES WYNDHAM, of Southover; near Lewes, in the County
of Sussex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH VELOCIPEDES," to be as
follows
My first improvement consists in forming notches or recesses in the
face or some other convenient part of the jointed leg which has to be
lowered on to the ground as referred to in the Provisional Specification
of my application for Patent of the 9th October 1869, No. 2947. These
notches are for a tooth on the end of a paul or drop bar to fall into, and

page_text: hold the leg secure at an angle when pressure is put upon it should the
leg be resting upon ground of a higher level than that upon which the
wheel or wheels rest. The drop bar is suspended from the step, and is
so weighted or balanced that it shall fall towards the leg to ensure the
tooth or paul taking into one or other of the notches. The lower
end of the drop bar is looped to embrace the leg, so that it is always
kept in close connection therewith. I propose to fit one bar and leg
to each side of the vehicle, and connect the two legs by means of a rod
or transverse bar, so that both of them may be operated at the same time
by means of one cord or by two cords and rings. The spread out
portion of the leg or legs may be provided with rollers if found
convenient.
The second improvement consists in fitting a spring claw or catch
upon one of the wings to which the handles are connected or to some
other convenient part of the handle or to the rod upon which the handles
are mounted to hold the ring on the end of the cord leading from the
jointed leg first mentioned securely when the leg is up, but which can
be released by the action of the spring on the leg when the free end of
the claw is pressed upon by the hand. I fit a stop on the rod for the
ring to abut against and to keep it and the cord clear of the loop. At
the juncture of the wings I fit a guide pulley to prevent unnecessary
friction on the cord. The cord can be connected to the leg itself or to a
projection on the leg, which projection may be formed of a scroll or
other shape. I prefer that the spring on the leg should be of a spiral
form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Wyndham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th June 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WYNDHAM, of Southover, near Lewes, in the County of Sussex, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,

page_text: give and grant unto me, the said Charles Wyndham, Her special licence
that I; the said Charles Wyndham, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Wyndham, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS CONNECTED WITH VELOCIPEDES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Wyndham, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under me, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent_
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Wyndham, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, that is to say :-
of
i
My first improvement consists in forming notches or recesses in the
face or some other convenient part of the jointed leg which has to be
lowered on to the ground, as referred to in the Provisional Specification
my application for Patent of the 9th October 1869, No. 2917. These
notches are for a tooth on the end of a paul or drop bar to fall into and
hold the leg. secure at an angle when pressure is put upon it, should the
leg be resting upon ground of a higher level than that upon which the
wheel or wheels rest.. The drop bar is suspended from the step,, and is
so weighted or balanced that it shall fall towards the leg to ensure the
tooth or paul taking into one or other of the notches. The lower
end of the drop bar is looped to embrace the leg so that it is always kept.
in close connection therewith. I propose in some cases: to fit one bar
and leg to each side of the vehicle and connect the two. legs by means
of a rod or transverse bar so that both of them may be operated at the
same time by means of one cord or by two cords and rings. The spread
out portions of the leg or legs may be provided with rollers if found
convenient.
:

page_text: The second improvement consists in fitting a spring claw or catch
upon one of the wings to which the handles are connected or to some
other convenient part of the handle, or to the rod upon which the
handles are mounted to hold the ring on the end of the cord leading
from the jointed leg first mentioned securely when the leg is up, but
which can be released by the action of the spring on the leg when the
free end of the claw is pressed upon by the hand. I fit a stop on the
rod for the ring to abut against and to keep it and the cord clear of the
loop. At the junction of the wings I fit a guide pulley to prevent
unnecessary friction on the cord. The cord can be connected to the leg
itself or to the paul or to the projection on the leg or on the paul, which
projection may be formed of a scroll or other shape.. I prefer that the
spring on the leg should be of a spiral form..
The Invention will be well understood by referring to the accom.
panying Drawings of which Figure 1 is an elevation of a bicycle with
a leg fitted to it in the manner before mentioned. It will be seen that.
the leg forms the termination. of a bar secured to the back bone in
the manner described in the Specification of my previous Patent. The
connection is by a hinge, jointed to enable the leg to move in one
direction only. a is the leg provided with notches or teeth b, b, on one
side for the tooth or bottom edge of the paul or drop bar c to fall into;.
this paul is hooked in to an aperture in the step. d at the lower end of
the bar e, and a loop f near the lower end of the paul c embraces the
leg so that when the cord i is drawn up to lift the leg, the loop slides
upon it, and supports it in the manner shewn in the Drawing; but
this lifting up of the leg puts a greater strain upon the spring j, which
is fitted upon a stud projecting from the side of the bar joint just below
the step d, and causes the leg to rest upon the bottom of the loop.
When the cord i is released the spring carries the leg down until it rests
upon the ground to form an abutment or strut for holding the bicycle
in an upright position. The cord may be connected to the back of the
paul c direct, but in some cases it is advisable to attach it to a projection
which may be of an ornamental or scroll shape, as represented at g, to
ensure the paul falling with the leg, which it will do by the weight of
the projection or scroll the instant the cord is released. The free end
of the spring takes over a pin on the side of the leg and can be shipped
or unshipped. easily by simply pushing it over or drawing it off. Of
course it is not essential that the paul should be suspended from the
step, as it can be hooked or pinned to the bar or to a projection on the

page_text: bar, so long as it is fitted to take into the notches or teeth of the leg as
desired. The cord i is led to the front of the vehicle by passing over or
under pulleys k, l, and then up to near one of the handles mor n, to
suit the convenience of the rider. The cord terminates in a ring p to slido
upon the handle bar g as shown in the, back view Figure 2, where it is
arranged upon the right hand side. The distance the ring p is allowed
to travel is governed in one direction by a stop r near the middle of the
bar so that it is kept clear of the cords of the break while in the other
direction it is caught under the hook of the spring claw or catch u to
hold it securely when the strain of the spring j, and the weight of the
leg a and paul c is upon it. The claw is pinned upon or between two
cheeks formed upon the journal or socket v, or a groove may be cut in
the top of the socket, and the base or foundation of the claw frame
pushed in, or it may be otherwise fastened thereon. The finger piece w
of the claw projects slightly over the handle m to bring it within reach
of the rider's hand to facilitate his shifting his hand along to press upon
it without losing his balance when he desires to stop. The lower end of
the leg a is made larger than the stem, or it is spread out to form a
bearing surface for resting upon the ground, or it may be forked
to hold a roller to roll upon the ground should the leg be brought
down upon it before the vehicle is at a standstill. The object of the
notches or teeth upon the leg is of great importance, not only to keep the
vehicle in an upright position with safety when the leg is perfectly
vertical, but also to ensure its being retained in the same position should
the leg rest upon the ground of a higher level than that upon which the
wheels stand as the leg will be held perfectly secure at any angle só
long as the paul is in one of the notches, in that case a sort of triangle
is formed when the paul acts as a stay or lie between the bar and the
leg, whereby the rider's body is supported upon the leg while he is
mounting or dismounting without any risk of the vehicle moving.
In Figure 3 I have shewn the leg in the position it takes when
resting upon high ground as just referred to, to shew clearly the position
the paul occupies to hold the log secure. The spring j, Figure 4, acts
direct upon the paul. In this arrangement both paul and leg are
brought down together by the action of one spring.
In the Drawings I have shewn one bar and one leg only and that on
the left hand side of the bycicle, but I do not confine myself to fixing it
on that side alone as in some cases it will be found advantageous to fix

page_text: it on the right hand side and also to range the ring on the left, or
one may be fixed on each side, and both the legs could be operated
upon by a single cord by connecting the legs or the pauls by a bar;
neither do I confine myself to fixing the leg or legs just in front
of the hind wheel, as it or they may be carried more forward at or near
the front wheel or backward to be at or near the hind wheel as circum-
stances may dictate. I have also shown bolts or screw pins passing
through the back bone to hold the bar in place, but it can easily be
fixed by the clip band at any part of the beam or back bone, and this
would be in some respects advisable, particularly when the beam is thin
as there would be no bolt or pin holes to weaken it.
My Invention is applicable to all constructions of bicycles whether the
back bone is formed of a rigid bar or of a jointed frame or framework,
and also whether the steering or propelling mechanism is arranged in
connection with the front wheel or at the hind wheel.
.
And having now described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
Firstly. Forming notches or teeth upon legs which are secured to
bicycle velocipedes for a paul or drop bar to fall into to hold the leg
secure at whatever angle the leg may be placed when resting upon
the ground for the purpose of retaining the bicycle upright in the
manner herein-before described and substantially as shown in the accom-
panying Drawings.
Secondly. Fitting a spring claw on a fixed part of the framing of
velocipedes for the purpose of holding the ring of the jointed leg cord
in the manner and for the purposes herein-before described and repre-
sented in the annexed Drawings.
And, thirdly. I claim fitting rollers to the lower ends of the jointed
legs for the purpose herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wyndham, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Third day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy.
CHARLES WYNDHAM. (L.S.)