IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES OR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1878

page_text: "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin William de Rusett at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th April 1878.
EDWIN WILLIAM DE RUSETT, of South Penge Park, in the County of Surrey,
Civil Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES OR VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention of improvements in bicycles or velocipedes has reference, firstly, to
steering by means of the hind wheel. This is effected by hinging or jointing the
backbone," by preference, between the front and rear axles, but it may be jointed
over or behind the rear axle, and by turning the hind wheel to the side required
by means of a lever or levers which are connected either to the front or rear of the
steering socket or centre (preferably the latter). From the said lever or levers,
rods, straps, or other connections lead to a yoke projecting from the hinged or jointed
part of the backbone which embraces the hind wheel. These connections are
guided in a suitable manner down the backbone or diagonally from or near the top
of the backbone to the yoke, or as is preferred, they are led from about the head of
the backbone down or near the front fork, and then backwards to the yoke.
The yoke and the steering lever or levers may be formed with curved ends to
assist in keeping the said connections taut; or the motion of the steering bar may
be communicated to the hind wheel by toothed gearing and rods, or by rods with
universal joints, or by a screw and a worm wheel, or by a flexible tube, or rod, or
otherwise.
As it is intended that the front or large wheel shall not move out of the line of
the backbone, the lower ends of the fork or axle bearings may be stayed to some
convenient part of the hinder part of the backbone. These stays may have screwed
ends working in a worm wheel or nuts connected to the hind fork, which on being
turned by means of connections from the steering bar, will cause the hind wheel to
take the necessary angle for steering.
Another part of my Invention in connection with steering by the smaller wheel
consists in partly enveloping the front wheel by the backbone. For this purpose
the backbone may be of semicircular form in section (or approximately so) where it
approaches the front wheel, so that it may, as it were, embrace the upper part
of the wheel, and thus allow the saddle to be placed nearer the wheel tyre; a
larger wheel may thus be used than is ordinarily employed. Or the same object
may be gained by connecting the upper part of the front fork, or of the

page_text: backbone to the rear part of the backbone above the hinge or joint by diagonal or
inclined side rods. A curved backbone may thus be dispensed with, and the spring
or other suitable shield may be used to protect the rider from the wheel, the frame
being of triangular shape formed by the stay rods and front fork, the necessary
rigidity will be secured, with extreme lightness and simplicity.
Another part of my Invention has reference to causing the spring of the saddle
to move together backwards and forwards by connections from the steering bar for
convenience in mounting and dismounting, or in going down or up hill. For this
purpose it is preferred to slot the spring so that it may pass on both sides of the
fork or steering socket, and the spring may be supported on rollers, pins, or a collar
upon the fork, socket, or other suitable part of the vehicle, or it may be suspended
by links off the steering bar, or be supported by levers off the backbone or fork, as
may be found most convenient; or the spring may be turned up at the rear of the
steering socket and be supported by levers as above described; or it may be turned
up at the rear of and carried over the steering head and bowed back and supported
by rollers or otherwise as above. described; or it may be slotted and bowed in front
of the steering socket and he then carried backwards, bearing on rollers or being
otherwise supported. In each case the motion of the spring and saddle will be
effected from the steering bar by straps, screws, or other suitable means.
The spring is fixed in any required position by sliding the steering bar sideways,
so that a pin or pins, notched wheel, or other suitable projections will gear into
corresponding notches in the fixed part of the steering socket, or vice versu; or this
retaining gear may be dispensed with and the spring be held in the required
position by holding the steering bar by the hand.
Another part of the Invention relates to the combination of a break with a
shifting spring and saddle.
The break is by preference connected to the steering licad or spring lover, it will
thus be applied to the front wheel as the spring is moved backwards.
Another part of my Invention consists in fitting the vehicle with a safety break
to prevent the backbone and hind wheel rising over the front wheel, and thereby
throwing the rider, in case the impetus of the vehicle should be suddenly checked
by coming against a stone or other obstacle.
The break is applied by a weight or similar device suitably placed, so that when
the onward motion of the vehicle is suddenly checked the centre of gravity of the
weight is by its momentum shifted, and the break to which it is connected is
thereby applied to the front wheel and held there the more firmly by the rising
tendency of the vehicle.
Either a separate break may be used for this purpose, or the weight arrangement
may be applied to the break previously described by continuing the break lever
above its hinge and placing an adjustable weight on it.
The weight may be held back by a catch so that it may only be liberated at the
will of the rider, or when an obstacle is suddenly encountered, which by producing
a jerk releases the weight and causes the break to be at once applied to the
wheel.
My Invention further has reference to the lowering of the hinder part of the
backbone of bicycles together with the parts attached theroto.
I carry out this part of my Invention by connecting the rear axle to the part of
the backbone forward of the same by two links or a fork to which they or it is
hinged so as to allow the backbone to be lowered by suitable mechanism, say, by
cords or chains attached to the axle, or to parts of links or a fork near to the same,
and from thence connected together or separately led up to the steering bar, by
turning which the backbone will be either lowered or lifted, and should the con-
nections or connection be broken the backbone would be lowered and the break
applied.
The fork or backbone need not extend beyond the axle, and yet form a break
when lowered, the weight of the rider and vehicle in each case applying the

page_text: I sometimes make the prongs of the hind fork springs, with the view of reducing
the jar occasioned by the inequalities of the road, and so that when the fork does
not extend beyond the rear of the wheel, the breaks on each side of the wheel may
accommodate themselves to the varying levels or impediments which may be
encountered on either side of the wheel.
I sometimes insert springs or a spring in the connections between the rear wheel
and steering bar.
By spreading the fork of the backbone outwards on each side of the rear wheel
the vehicle may be kept from falling over, when the backbone is lowered and the
vehicle is at rest; or this object is attained by connecting the skids or breaks at
the ends of the fork so that they may be turned outwards by making the pin which
holds them in place forward of their centre.
In order to retain the backbone in any required position I slide the steering bar
sideways, so that a pin or pins, fenther or feathers, or notched wheel may gear into
corresponding notches or recesses in the fixed part of the steering socket, or vice
versa.
I guide and steady the axle of the hind wheel from the backbone by a fork or
pins, guides, or links connected to the same.