Improvements in and connected with Anti-vibration Arrangements for Velocipedes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Mar., 1900 -Accepted, 26th May, 1900
07102
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. -
Improvements in and connected with Anti-vibration Arrangements
for Velocipedes.
I, JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS, of 55, Manor Street, Clifton Park Avenue, Belfast,
Ireland, Confectioner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to neutralize undue vibration and shocks to
the rider in consequence of the unevenness of the roads over which the cyclist
has to travel.
In carrying my invention into practice I dispose elastic cushions or pads in
such manner throughout the frame as will carry the weight of the rider at the
saddle pillar, absorb vibration at the steering pillar and at the handle bar of the
velocipede. The saddle pillar according to my improvements is carried in a
tubular sleeve, rigidly clamped inside the upright stay of the cycle. This saddle
pillar freely moves with the weight of the rider up and down within the said
tubular sleeve. Or the saddle pillar could be made to work direct in the upright
stay. The said saddle pillar is kept in its true position by means of a longi-
tudinal feather or projection with which it is provided, working in a correspond-
ing groove or recess formed in the said tubular sleeve or upright stay. Or in
lieu of a feather a groove or indentation may be formed in the direction of the
length of the stay or tubular sleeve in which may be made to work a screw
stud, pin or projection. To the saddle pillar I rigidly clamp a crosshead or yoke
which I shall call the moveable crosshead, provided with depending arms, and
I rigidly clamp a corresponding crosshead or yoke, which I shall call the sta-
tionary crosshead, to the upright stay of the cycle, through whose outer extremi-
ties the depending arms are passed and securely held by screw nuts or their
cquivalents at the underside of the said crosshead. Between the moveable cross-
head or yoke, and the stationary crosshead or yoke I interpose, solid, hollow, or
inflated balls, or cylindrical sections, of rubber provided with holes through
which the depending arms pass and hold them in position. These balls or cylin-
drical sections of rubber act as elastic cushions or pads for supporting the weight
of the rider. With the said cushions or pads I may use suitable bent washers or
cup-pieces to prevent abrasion.
In the application of elastic cushions or pads to the steering pillar of veloci-
pedes I mount, the upper end of the steering pillar with a tubular extension
fitted with a sleeve or short section of a slidable tube, having a loop or eye,
for the reception of the steering handle, which may be brazed, or otherwise,
detachably connected to it. The said sleeve or slidable tube is formed at the
rear side thereof with a recess or open slot formed by having its vertical walls
bent out at right angles and clamped together by serew bolts or their equivalents.
In the recess or open slot a feather or projection formed on the upper end
of the said tubular extension freely works, by which means the handle bar is kept
in one determinate plane.

page_text: From the lower end of the said sleeve or slidable tube is projected a crosshead
or yoke, provided with depending arms or pins.
A corresponding fixed crosshead or yoke is clamped or otherwise rigidly fixed
to the said tubular extension at a lower elevation: Between the two yokes afore-
said I interpose elastic cushions or pads after, the manner of those already
described with reference to the saddle pillar.
In a further modification 1 mount the upper end of the steering pillar with a
tubular extension or sleeve in which the vertical portion of the hand bar
freely moves with the weight thrown upon the handle bar The vertical part
of the handle bar is mounted with a crosshead or yoke which passes through a
transverse vertical slot in the said tubular extension, by which means the said
steering pillar is supported on a spring like seat or cushion. A corresponding
crosshead or yoke is clamped rigidly at a lower elevation to the said tubular
extension. Between the two said crossheads or yokes I interpose the elastic
cushions or pads which are or may be after the manner of the balls and cylindrical
sections of rubber already described with reference to the saddle pillar.
Referring to the handle and handle bar of the velocipede and the vibration
communicated to the hands and arms of the rider I propose to have the handle
more or less constituted of elastic cushions or pads. One method of accom-
plishing this consists of splitting the tube in the horizontal plane at the extremi-
ties of the handle bar so as to form a semi-circular hollow in cross section in
which I propose to place any suitable number of elastic, hollow, solid or inflated
balls, which may or may not be carried on a central metal rod or core. The
cataway piece, which would be the, upper piece of the tubular handle, would be
hinged or otherwise moveably attached at the one end of the handle bar to
enable the balls to be placed in position; and at the opposite end of the
handle means would be provided for retaining the free end of the said hinged
piece, while at the same time allowing it to have a yielding action to the grip
of the hand.
This form of handle would afford a very resilient and elastic hold for the
rider. In lieu of forming the handle integral with the handle bar it may he
formed separate, and clamped or otherwise secured to it. Or I may have the
handle bar to terminate with a number of split spars formed of cane, whale-
bone, thin sheet metal, or other suitably yielding material, disposed at proper
distances apart in the direction of its length: the ends of the canes would be
securely held in suitable ferrules or caps. To distend the canes or other flexible
spars, and impart to them the proper formation of a cycle handle I may place
transversely inside the split canes or other spars, balls or segments of rubber
similar to those already described which may also be carried or not on a central
rod or core. By this arrangement a very resilient and flexible handle would be
formed.
Dated this 19th dow of August 1800
JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Anti-vibration Arrangements
for Velocipedes.
.I, JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS, of 55, Manor Street, Clifton Park Avenue, Belfast,
Ireland, Confectioner, 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 neutralize undue vibration and shocks to the

page_text: rider of a cycle in consequence of the unevenness of the roads over which the
cyclist has to travel.
In carrying my invention into practice I dispose elastic cushions or pads in.
such manner throughout the frame as will carry the weight of the rider at
the saddle pillar, and absorb vibration at the steering pillar and handle bar
of the velocipede.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section
of a saddle pillar with my invention applied thereto; Figure 2 is an elevation
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan
view of Figures 1 and 2 partly in section; Figure 4 is a side elevation illus-
trating a modification of the arrangement shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3; Figure 5
is an elevation partly in section looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.
in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a vertical section and Figure 7 a front elevation of a
steering spindle and handle bar with my invention applied thereto; Figure 8
is a horizontal section through the handle bar illustrated in Figures 6 and 7;
and Figures 9 and 10, are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, but illustrating
modifications of the devices shewn in those figures; Figure 11 illustrates a modi-
fication for preventing the L-pin or saddle pillar, or other equivalent part from
turning in the tubular sleeve hereinafter referred to; Figures 12, 13, 14,
15 and 16 are detail views of handles constructed in accordance with my
invention.
Similar letters relate to like parts in all of the figures of the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 a is the L-pin or saddle pillar the lower
part of which fits more or less loosely in the tubular sleeve b which is rigidly
clamped, attached to, or forms an extension of the upright stay or down tube c
of the cycle frame. d is a crosshead or yoke, which I call the stationary cross-
head or yoke because it is clamped to the upright stay or down tube c of the
cycle by means of the screws e. f is a crosshead or yoke which is similarly
clamped by the screw g to the L-pin or saddle pillar a, and which I call the
movable crosshead or yoke because it is fixed to the L-pin or saddle pillar a
which is free to move vertically in the tubular sleeve b. h are solid, hollow, or
inflated balls, or cylindrical sections of indiarubber or other suitable resilient
material held in place between the outer ends of the stationary and movable
erossheads or yokes d and f by the pins which pass through holes in the ends
of the crossheads or yokes d and f and through the resilient balls h and are
provided with screw nuts j for securing them in place. k are flat or cup-shaped
washers which assist in keeping the balls h in place and also serve to distribute
the weight of the rider over the said balls. The L-pin or saddle pillar a is thus
allowed to move freely with the weight of the rider up and down within the
tubular sleeve b and is prevented from turning therein by the screw pin which
is screwed into the collar m on the upper end of the tubular sleeve bits plain
end entering the slot n in the L-pin or saddle pillar as shewn.
In the modification illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 the stationary crosshead.
or yoke d is clamped to the tubular sleeve 6 by means of the screws e. The
moveable crosshead or yoke f is in this instance in the form of a loose bar the
central portion of which fits more or less closely in slots o formed in the L-pin or
saddle pillar a and works freely up and down in longer slots » formed in the
tubular sleeve b. The lower ends of the pins i pass freely through the holes
formed in the ends of the stationary crosshead or yoke d, as in Figures 1, 2
and 3, but the upper ends are threaded on to the ends of the moveable crosshead
or yoke f and are held in place thereon by the screws j. It will be seen that
in this arrangement not only does the moveable crosshead or yoke f serve to
transfer the weight of the rider to the resilient balls h but also effectually pre-
vents the L-pin from turning in the tubular sleeve b.
It is obvious that in some cases the tubular sleeve might be dispensed with
and the L-pin or saddle pillar a could be made to work directly in the upright
stav c.

page_text: Referring now to Figures 6, 7 and 8 which illustrate the application of my
invention to the steering spindle and handle bar of a cycle, q is the upper end
of the steering spindle or an extension thereof carrying the sleeve or bracket r
which is free to slide vertically thereon to a limited extent. s is the handle bar
rigidly clamped between the jaws t of the sleeve or bracket by means of the
screw u. Or the handle bar may be brazed or otherwise suitably attached to
the sleeve or bracket r. d is the stationary crosshead or yoke attached in any
convenient manner to the steering spindle q; and fis the moveable crosshead or
yoke attached to or forming part of the sliding sleeve or bracket r. h are the
resilient balls held in place by the pins as before explained with reference to
Figures 1 to 5. It will be understood that the sleeve or sliding bracket is
normally forced upwards by the resilient balls h against the shoulder on the
upper part of the steering spindle q, but that the downward pressure of the
riders hands on the handle bar s would slightly compress the balls h which
would more or less absorb any sudden jar or. shock to the steering spindle q
before reaching the handle bar s. The sleeve or sliding bracket r is prevented
from turning loosely on or independently of the steering spindle 7 by means of
the projection or fin w which slides between the jaws of the said sleeve or
bracket r.
As a modification of the last described arrangements a vertical portion of the
handle bar may be arranged to move up and down in a tubular extension of the
steering pillar. The moveable crosshead or yoke in this instance may be mounted
on the vertical part of the handle bar and pass through a slot in the said
tubular extension of the steering pillar, the stationary crosshead or yoke being
clamped rigidly at a lower point to the said tubular extension of the steering
pillar. The resilient balls are mounted between the ends of the moveable and
stationary crossheads or yokes as hereinbefore explained with relation
Figures 1 to 8.
to
Any suitable form of feather or projection may be employed for preventing
the L-pin or saddle pillar a from turning in the tubular sleeve b, or the steering
spindle from turning in the sleeve or bracket r. For example, in Figure 9,
8 is a feather or fillet formed with and projecting upwards from the collar m on
the upper end of the tubular sleeve b, and entering between the flanges of the
moveable crosshead or yoke f on the L-pin or saddle-pillar a, whereby the said
L-pin or saddle-pillar is prevented from turning, but is free to move up and
down. Or as illustrated in Figure 11 the L-pin or saddle-pillar a may be pro-
vided with any convenient number of holes 9 into any one of which is screwed
a pin 10 the head of which rides in a slot 11 formed in the tubular sleeve b, thus
allowing a free up and down movement of the L-pin or saddle-pillar a, but
preventing any turning movement thereof.
Instead of the pins on which are threaded the resilient balls being arranged
to pass completely through the said balls as in Figures 2, 5 and 7 for example,
simple projections or studs may be formed on the ends of the stationary and
moveable crossheads or yokes and f as shewn for example at in Figure 10.
It is obvious that either of the devices illustrated in connexion with the L-pin
or saddle pillar may with suitable modifications be applied to the steering spindle
and handle bar and vice versa.
In order to reduce vibration in the handle and handle bars of cycles I provide
the said handles with elastic cushions or pads. This part of my invention is
illustrated in Figures 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16.
In Figures 12 the handle is shewn formed of two parts y and z the part y
being hinged to the part z at 7 as shewn. The parts y and have hollow or
semi-circular internal surfaces in which are placed any convenient number of
resilient hollow, solid, or inflated balls or sections h preferably corresponding
more or less in shape to the internal space between the parts y and z. They may
be forced more or less tightly between the hollow internal surfaces of the parts y
and z or may be held more or less loosely in place thereon by a rod or spindle 2

page_text: screwed or otherwise suitably attached to the part z of the handle as shewn. In
Figures 13 and 14 the yielding part y of the handle instead of being hinged
to the part as in Figure 12 is moveably attached thereto by the screws the
heads of which screws lie in recesses 8 in the part y as shewn. When pressure
of the rider's hand comes upon the part y it will yield against the resistance of
the resilient blocks h, which in this case are shewn as cylindrical plugs, but
which may be of spherical or other required shape. Figures 15 and 16 illustrate
a modification in which the handle is formed of a number of outwardly curved
bars of cane, metal, or other suitable material the inner ends of which are secured
in conveniently shaped recesses in the inner cap or ferrule 4 which is adapted
to be screwed or otherwise attached to the handle bar, the outer ends of the
curved bars 3 being secured in the cap or ferrule 5 in any convenient manner,
for example by means of a conical plug fixed tightly in the cap or ferrule 5 by
means of screws 6. One or more resilient balls or sections h are introduced
into the handle as shewn and may be threaded on to the rod or spindle 7 the
inner end of which may be screwed into the inner cap or ferrule 4, the outer
end passing freely through a hole in the outer cap or ferrule 5, the whole
arrangement forming a very resilient and flexible handle. But I prefer to form
one half of the handle bar of a hollow semi-cylindrical shape (as at z in Figure 12
for example) and the other half of outwardly curved bars (as at 3 in Figure 15
for example).
It is obvious that the resilient sections, or blocks may be of any convenient
shape, and that in some cases metal or other springs may be combined there-
with or substituted therefor according to requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. The anti-vibration arrangement for the L-pin or saddle pillar of a cycle
which consists of a stationary cross-head or yoke mounted on the frame of the
cycle or on a sleeve connected therewith, and a movable crosshead or yoke
mounted on the L-pin or saddle pillar with resilient balls, sections, blocks, or
springs interposed between the ends of the said crossheads or yokes and means
for preventing the L pin or saddle-pillar from turning in the said sleeve sub-
stantially as described.
Second. The anti-vibration arrangement for the L-pin or saddle pillar of a
cycle which consists of a stationary cross-head or yoke d mounted on the cycle
frame a movable cross-head or yoke f mounted on the L-pin or saddle pillar a,
resilient balls, sections, blocks, or springs h mounted on and adapted to be com-
pressed between the ends of the crossheads or yokes d and f, and the pin /
arranged to work in the slot n in the L-pin or saddle pillar a substantially as
described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings.
Third. The anti-vibration arrangement for the L-pin or saddle-pillar of a
cycle which consists of a sleeve b with a stationary crosshead or yoke d thereon.
a movable cross-head or yoke f passing through a slot o in the L-pin or saddle-
pillar a and sliding vertically in slots p in the sleeve b. resilient balls, sections.
blocks, or springs h mounted on and adapted to he compressed between the ends
of the crosshead or yokes d and f, substantially as described with reference to
Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings.
Fourth. The anti-vibration arrangement for the steering spindle and handle
bar of a cycle which consists of a stationary crosshead or yoke mounted on the
steering spindle and a moveable crosshead or yoke mounted on a sliding sleeve
or bracket with resilient balls sections, blocks, or springs, arranged between
the ends of the said crossheads or yokes and means for preventing the steering
spindle from turning in the sleeve or bracket, substantially as described.
Fifth. The anti-vibration arrangement for the steering spindle q or handle

page_text: bars of a cycle which consists of a stationary crosshead or yoke & mounted on
the steering spindle g, a moveable crosshead or yoke f mounted on the sleeve
or bracket r which slides on and turns with the steering spindle and resilient
balls, sections, blocks, or springs h mounted on and adapted to be compressed
between the ends of the crossheads or yokes d and f, substantially as described
with reference to Figures 6, 7 and 8 of the drawings.
Sixth. The anti-vibration arrangement for the handle of a cycle. which con-
sists in forming the handle in two parts y and z connected together and having
resilient balls, sections, blocks, or springs h interposed between them, substan-
tially as described with reference to Figures 12, 13 and 14 of the drawings.
Seventh. The anti-vibration arrangement for the handle of a cycle which con;
sists in forming the handle of a number of bars 3 secured in the caps or fer-
rules 4 and 5 and enclosing one or more resilient balls, "sections, blocks, or
springs, h, substantially as described with reference to Figures 15 and 16 of
the drawings.
Eighth. The anti-vibration arrangement for the handle of a cycle which con-
sists in forming the handle of a part (Figure 12) and bars 3 (Figures 15 and 16)
enclosing one or more resilient balls, sections, blocks, or springs substantially
as described.
J. C. ROBINS.
Per W. H. Beck.
Agent, 115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.