AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF FRAME FOR VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I DAVID ALROY SALAMON of 27, Holborn Viaduct in the City of London,
Manager of the Bicycle and Tricycle Supply Association of the same address do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF
FRAME FOR VELOCIPEDES to be as follows:-
The chief object of this invention is to provide for the lateral contraction of the
franes of Velocipedes or of those in which provision is made by the use of
telescopic axles or otherwise for reducing at pleasure the extreme width of the
vehicle. The cross bar of the frame, on which are mounted the brake handle and
the steering handle, I now propose to pivot upon the stem which carries the seat,
tightening it in position by a clamping screw. This cross bar when loose may be
turned on its pivot into a line with the frame of the vehicle and thus offer no
obstruction to the passage of the vehicle through a contracted doorway.
To provide for this movement of the cross bar it is essential that the parts
connecting with the brake and with the steering mechanism respectively shall
become detachable in the act of turning the cross bar. For this purpose the
vertical spindle of the brake handle is fitted with a pinion which takes into a rack
rod that slides in a loose sleeve carried by the brake handle spindle. This rack
rod is jointed to a lever which has its fulcrum at the back of the cross bar, and is
therefore free to move therewith together with the means for rocking it. The free
end of this lever enters a slot in the vertical arm of a bell crank lever, the other
arm of which is connected to the brake strap. This strap passes around the brake
wheel on the travelling wheel axle, and it is coupled with the fulcrum pin of the
bell crank lever, thus the rocking of the lever carried by the cross bar will put the
brake in action and when it is desired to contract the width of the frame the act
of turning the cross bar on its pivot will withdraw the end of the rock lever from
the slot in the bell crank lever.
To facilitate the disconnection of the steering geer the steering rod which carries
the rack that is operated upon by the pinion of the steering handle spindle, is
supported in a sleeve carried by the steering handle spindle in the same manner as
the rack rod of the brake apparatus.
Thus when the cross bar is turned on its pivot the sleeve support will be drawn
away from the steering rod which may be temporarily attached by a hook or
otherwise to the stein of the frame. This arrangement requires nothing more

page_text: than the slackening of the clamping screw to effect the disengagement of the parts,
and the tightening up the screw to maintain their connection when restored to
their normal positions.
As a further improvement in the construction of the frame the part which is
intended to receive the adjustable bearing for the crank shaft is fitted externally
with a feather upon which the bearing is made free to slide, it being secured in
place by a clamping screw. The bearing inust be fitted to the frame at an early
stage of its manufacture unless a divided bearing is employed.

page_text: I DAVID ALROY SALAMON of 27 Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London,
Manager of the Bicycle and Tricycle Supply Association of the same address, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION
OF FRAME FOR VELOCIPEDES, 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 this invention is to provide for the lateral contraction of the frames
of Velocipedes, or of those in which provision is made by tho use of telescopic
axles or otherwise, for reducing at pleasure the width of the vehicle.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown my improved velocipede in both
its expanded and contracted positions.
Figure 1, Sheet I is a side elevation of the velocipede in its expanded form ready
for work, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, the saddle being removed the
better to show the underlying parts. Figure 3, Sheet 1I shows the velocipede
contracted in width and capable of passing through a narrow doorway.
In these Figures the frame is shown as consisting of two parts, namely the
backbone and a cross bar.
A is the backbone of the velocipede formed with a forked bearing for a telescopic
or other contracting travelling wheel axle B, and A' is the cross bar. This axle B
is driven as usual from the pedal shaft C through a chain C¹ and chain wheels.
D D' are the travelling wheels the wheel D being fast on the telescoping sleeve
of the axle, and the wheel D¹ loose on the central or solid portion of the axle.
Rotary motion is communicated to these wheels D D' by "balanco gear" of any
well known or approved construction.
The backbone A is forined with a vertical pin A³ to carry the cross bar A', which
is made fast to the backbone by a clamping screw e, but is capable of turning
thereon when the screw is slackened. The coupling pin A is made tubular to
receive the stem E of the seat E', which is adjustable vertically as usual. The
cross bar A¹ is intended to carry the brake handle F and the steering handle G.
The brake handle is keyed to the outer end of a horizontal shaft F' which is free to
rock in bearings projecting from the back of the cross bar.
The inner end of this shaft F' carrys a short arm which is jointed by a horizontal
pin to a slotted guide F' connected by a sliding nut to the brake straps F3 of the
brake wheel. This slotted guide is segment-shaped in plan view, to allow of its
moving endwise on the contraction of the vehicle without disturbing its relation to
the brake strap.
The further to insure that the brake strap F³ shall not be disturbed by the
endway movement of this slotted guide F, the strap is embraced by a rigid guide
piece attached to the backbone.
When the brake handle is, during the travelling of the vehicle, pressed forward,
it will rock the shaft F' and cause the slotted guide to lift the nut of the brake
strap and put the brake into action.
The stem of the steering handle G is fitted as usual with a pinion which gears
into rack teeth formed on the sliding rod G¹ the rear end of which slides in a
socket carried by the cross bar.
This rod is made tubular at its forward end to receive a short rod G, which is
jointed to an arm G³ made fast to the head of the steering fork G. A clamping
screw serves to make a rigid connection between the rods G' and G' when the
velocipede is required for use. His the grip handle, also carried by the cross
bar A

page_text: Supposing now it is desired to contract the width of the vehicle, as shown in
Fig 3, I slacken the clamping screw e which serves to retain the cross bar A³ in
the position of Fig: 2, and also the clamping screw g which connects together the
steering rods G' and G². The cross bar is now free to be moved on its pivot, and
this I do, turning it into the position of Fig: 3, where the length of the compound
steering rod is shown extended as a consequent of this movement.
I next slacken the clamping screw b of the compound axle B and press the
wheel D inwards or towards the chain wheel.
I thus reduce the width of the vebicle by, say one-third, and render it capable of
being passed through a narrow gate or doorway.
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:
Constructing the frame of a velocipede provided with a telescoping or equivalent
axle in two parts A A¹, as described, and so connecting the part A' with the brake
and steering apparatus as to permit of its swivelling on its coupling pin, and
thereby contracting the width of the frame.
Dated this 7th day of October 1884.