IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, AND IN CERTAIN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO TRICYCLES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Charles Henderson of 47 Museum Street Oxford
Street in the Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex for an Invention
of IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, AND IN CERTAIN APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO TRICYCLES com-
municated to him from abroad by Georg Rothgiesser of Bielfeld in tho
Empire of Prussia
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Charles Henderson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th August 1883.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES,
AND IN CERTAIN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO TRICYCLES 23
A communication to me from abroad by Georg
Rothgiesser of Bielfeld in the Empire of Prussia
This invention relates to improvements in certain parts of bicycles and tricycles,
their object being the comfort and convenience of the rider.
These several improvements may be classed under nine heads, and are as follow.
The first part of the invention refers to the saddles. (of such vehicles) of the
suspended description, and in lieu of making the saddle seat of a solid substance, or
covering it with a close material, such as leather, cloth, or otherwise, it is made
either with strings, or cords of leather, string, or cat gut, in the form of netting:
or it consists of a solid frame of an approximate shape to the hitherto known
saddles: round the edges of this frame are a number of holes (or other suitable
arrangement) in which semi-circular wires are fixed by their ends, so as to form an
elastic net work above the saddle frame.
In both instances the elastic nature of the seat adapts itself closely to the riders
body, and being open admits of abundant ventilation, with the advantage that
when the strings, cords, or wires become stretched or worn they can be tightened
or renewed with the greatest facility.

page_text: •
The second part of the invention relates to an adjustable step for mounting
bicycles, which consists of a bent sheet iron fixed at the rear, and on one side of
the bicycle, so that the ends protrude an inch or more: on these protruding ends
are two slots for the reception of an eccentric roller, which is firmly fixed and kept
in position by a nut.
Or the step may consist of a spring of sheet iron passing completely round the
rear of the bicycle, one end of this spring bears a triangular flat iron piece
constituting the step, and the whole is fixed by screws and nuts to the bicycle.
The third part of the invention has reference to saddle bags pockets or cases;
these aro made of leather or other material and are fixed as usual to the saddle,
and rest upon the saddle spring. As the saddle bag extends beyond the spring on
each side, a space is left hitherto unemployed, the bag is therefore enlarged
downwards, the bottom being shaped for the reception of the saddle spring on the
centre of which it rests: by this means a bag can be used which is larger and
deeper at the sides without increasing it upwards or sideways where it would
inconvenience the rider in mounting: with the advantage that the bag rests firmly
on the saddle spring without shifting about.
The fourth part of the invention relates to the method of suspension of the lamp,
which in this case is hung upon or 4 small wheels of india rubber or other
inaterial fixed on pegs fastened side by side and parallel with the axle of the large
wheel at the-upper part of the lamp. On one of the pegs (which turns with the
large wheel by the friction of one of the india rubber wheels on the axle).an
-apparatus or counter is fixed for marking the number of revolutions made by the
largo wheel, the rotation of the axle being transferred through-the.friction, wheel
to the counter for marking the distance passed over.
The fifth part of the invention refers to oil cans for bicycles or tricycles: the
outlet pipe is furnished as usual with a screw cap to keep the oil in. Inside this
cap at the bottom is placed a small piece of india rubber, leather or other material
which when the cap is screwed home presses closely on the mouth of the pipo, a
small tube is connected to this cap and is situated iminediately beneath the leather
washer, and rises obliquely outside, so that without removing the cap but by
merely gently turning it, a little oil flows through the small tube: and by
completely screwing the cap on, the mouth of the pipe is stopped by the leather o
india rubber washer.
The sixth part of the invention relates to the addition to bicycles of a gradien
measure fixed at the side of the head, or any non rotating point. This consists o
an oblong piece of sheet iron bearing a scale at the bottom, and at the upper part
pin on which an index is suspended, this latter is composed of sheet iron, and i
kept downwards by simple gravitation, so that its extreme point, points to th
centre dot of the scale: if the bicycle stands on a horizontal plane, and it point
more or less to the right or left if the plane slopes in advance or in rear: it ca
thus be seen how oblique the ground is on which the bicycle stands.
The seventh part of the invention relates to a spanner for tightening the nuts
bicycles or tricycles, the inner sides of which instead of being flat surfaces are cac
made with an angular incision for grasping the nut on four of its sides or face
instead of two only as at present, so that a much firmer hold of the nut is secured

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Charles Henderson in the Patent Office on the 5th February
1884.
ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesox IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES,
AND IN CERTAIN APPLIANCES CONNECTED THEREWITH, SOME OF WHICH ARE ALSO
APPLICABLE TO TRICYCLES "-A communication' to me from abroad by Georg
Rothgiesser of Bielfeld in the Empire of Germany
This invention relates to improvements in certain parts of bicycles and tricycles,
their object being the comfort and convenience of the rider. These several
improvements may be classed under seven heads, and are as follow:
The first part of the invention refers to the saddles (of such vehicles) of the
suspended description and in lieu of making the saddle seat of a solid substance,
or covering it with a close material such as leather, cloth, or otherwise, it is mado
either with strings or cords of leather, string or catgut in the form of netting. Or
two of its parts may be made of leather ono at each end of the saddle which
parts are connected by the cords or strings. A saddle of this description is shown
by Fig. 1.
Or it may consist of a solid frame of an approximate shape to the hitherto known
saddles, round the edges of which frame are a number of holes (or other suitable
arrangement) in which semi-circular wires are fixed by their ends, so as to form an
elastic not work above the saddle frame vide Fig 2. In both cases the elastic
nature of the seat adapts itself closely to the riders body and being open admits
of abundant ventilation with the advantage that when the strings, cords or wires
become stretched or worn they can be tightened or renewed with the greatest
facility.
The second part of the invention relates to an adjustable step for mounting
bicycles which consists of a bent sheet iron fixed at the rear, and on one side of
the bicycle so that the, ends protrude an inch or more: on these two protruding
ends are two slots for the reception of an eccentric roller which is firmly fixed and
kept in position by a nut as shown by Figs 3 3 which is a plan and elevation of a
step of this description. Or the step may consist of a spring of sheet iron passing
completely round the rear of the bicycle, one end of this spring boars a triangular
flat iron piece (a, Figs 4 4 a plan and elevation being here shown of this
contrivance) constituting the step, and the whole is fixed by screws and nuts to
the bicycle.
The third part of the invention has reference to saddle bags, pockets, or cases;
these are made of leather or other material, and are fixed as usual to the saddle,
and rest upon the saddle spring As the saddle bag extends beyond the spring or
cach, side, a space is left hitherto unemployed the bag is therefore enlarged down-
wards, the bottom being shaped for the reception of the saddle spring on the centre
of which it rests vide Fig 5. by this means a bag can be used which is larger and
deeper at the sides, without increasing it upwards or sideways where it would
inconvenience the rider in mounting, with the advantage that the bag rests firmly
on the saddle spring without shifting about.
The fourth part of the invention relates to the method of suspension of the lamp
shown by Fig 6, which in this case is hung upon 3 or 4 small wheels b, of india
rubber or other material fixed on rods fastened side by side and parallel with the
axle of the large wheel, at the upper part of the lampp. On one of the rods (which

page_text: turns with the large wheel by the friction of one of the india rubber wheels on the
axle) an apparatus or counter c is fixed for marking the number of revolutions
made by the large wheel, the rotation of the axle being transferred through the
friction wheel to the counter for marking the distance passed over.
The fifth part of the invention refers to oil cans for bicycles or tricycles the
outlet pipe is furnished as usual with a screw cap to keep the oil in. Inside this
cap at the bottom is placed a small piece of india rubber, leather, or other material
which when the cap is screwed home, presses closely on the mouth of the pipe, a
small tube is connected to this cap and is situated immediately beneath the leather
washer and rises obliquely outside, so that without removing the cap, but by
merely gently turning it, a little oil flows through the small tube; and by
completely screwing the cap on, the mouth of the pipe is stopped by the leather,
or.india rubber washer vide Fig 7.
L
The screw cap can also be screwed into the upper part of the oil can, instead of
over it, and in this case this cap or top piece has a hole almost through its axle 1
begining laterally inside the oil can top, and coming out at its cap as shown by
Fig 8. The cap piece being screwed fast, the orifice of the oil can is closed, and by
gently turning it the oil flows out through its aperture.
The sixth part of the invention relates to the addition to bicycles of a gradient
measure fixed at the side of the head, or any non rotating point. This consists of
_an. oblong-piece of sheet iron bearing a scale at the bottom vide Fig 9. and at tho
upper part a pin on which an index is suspended, this latter is composed of sheet
iron, and is kept downwards by simple gravitation, so that its extreme point,
points to the centre dot of the scale: if the bicycle stands on a horizontal plane.;-
and it points more or less to the right or left if the plane slopes in advance or
in rear; it can thus be seen how oblique the ground is on which the bicycle
stands.
The seventh part of the invention relates to a screw wrench or spanner vide
Fig 10 for tightening the nuts of bicycles or tricycles, the inner sides of which
instead of being flat surfaces are are each made with an angular incision d, for
grasping the nut on four of its sides or faces, instead of two only as at present, so
that a much firmer hold of the nut is secured.
Having thus described the invention and the method of carrying it into effect,
what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is
1 The application of net work of cords or strings to the surface of saddles for use
with either bicycles or tricycles as represented by Fig 1.
2nd The employment of semi-circular wires for the surfaces of saddles for either
bicycles or tricycles as in Fig 2.
3rd An adjustable step for bicycles, consisting of a sheet of bent iron, in conjunction
with an eccentric roller as shown by Fig 3.
4th An adjustable step for bicycles consisting of a spring of sheet iron bearing on
one end the step a, and on the other end a screw a¹ going through a hole in
the step, and fastened by a nut or any similar contrivance.
5th A saddle bag for bicycles see Fig 5, the bottom of which is shaped for the
reception of the saddle spring or back bone of the bicycle.
6th The combination of a lamp see Fig 6 for bicycles or tricycles, hanging on the
axle of the wheel with an apparatus c for counting the revolutions, using
friction wheels b for the transmission of the rotation.
7th An oil can for bicycles or tricycles having a perforated cap Fig 7 which when
screwed fast, closes both the mouth of the oil can, and the tube of the cap,
one of these two holes being arranged laterally with the centre of the screw
part.
8th An apparatus for showing the gradient of a place whereon a bicycle or tricycle
stands consisting of a scale, and an index seo Fig 9 one of which two parts is
attached to a non rotating portion of the machine, and the other is kept
downwards by gravitation.

page_text: 9th The screw wrench or spanner for tightening nuts of bicycles or tricycles,
having an angular incision d, in both of the jaws instead of these parts being
flat surfaces, so as to grasp the nut on two of its angles, and on four of its
sides.
In witness whereof I the said Arthur Charles Henderson have hereunto set
my hand and seal this fourth day of February in the Year of Our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
A. C. HENDERSON, (L.)