Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 27th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We ISAAC WATTS BOOTHROYD, PHILLIP LOUIS CHARLES RENOUF, both of 47
Farringdon Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, and MARTIN DIETRICH
RUCKER, of 32 Holborn Viaduct, in the said County, Manager, do hereby declare the
nature of our said invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to reduce vibration and to improve the steering of
velocipedes in which there is either only one central driving wheel behind, or a pair
of wheels connected by a differential jack, and a pair of steering wheels in front.
In some cases the steering wheels revolve around the ends of a horizontal cross
piece which carries two or more springs. Above these springs is another cross piece
which carries the steering head and handles.
In other cases the main cross arm carries two heads, one at each extremity, about
which each of the wheels can turn.
The handles are carried by the main frame which is itself connected with the
cross arm by springs.
Where we use only one central and vertical steering head or hinge we need not
incline or
"rake it" as the springs will allow the rider to lean towards the centre
of a curve he may be describing, but we place this vertical head or hinge in advance
of the axis of the two steering wheels, the effect of this arrangement being to bring
the weight of the rider or riders more on the wheels on the inner side of the curve
and thus prevent them from lifting.
We have shown this construction in our complete specification No. 8853 of 1888,
which has not yet been accepted and is therefore at this date unpublished but in the
said specification we have not definitely claimed anything herein set forth.
Dated this 26th day of March 1889.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.
Agents for the Applicants.
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We ISAAC WATTS BOOTHROYD, PHILLIP LOUIS CHARLES RENOUr, both of 47
Farringdon Road, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers, & MARTIN DIETRICH
RUCKER, of 32 Holborn Viaduct, in the said County, Manager, do hereby declare
the nature of our said 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 this invention is to reduce vibration and to improve the steering
of velocipedes in which there is only one central driving wheel behind, or a pair of
wheels connected by a differential jack, and a pair of steering wheels in front.
In some cases the steering wheels revolve around the ends of a horizontal cross
piece which carries two or more springs. Above these springs is another cross
piece which carries the steering head & handles. In other cases the main cross arm
carries two heads, one at each extremity, about which each of the wheels can turn.
The handles are carried by the main frame which is itself connected with the cross-
arm by springs.
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the fore-carriage
and steering wheels; Fig. 2 a side elevation of the velocipede. The wheels A, A¹
are mounted on the ends of the axle B; the latter carries at each end springs C, C¹
which again support the cross arm D. D carries the handles F, F¹, and also the
steering head E. by means of which the fore carriage is connected to H, the main

page_text: frame of the velocipede, on which the saddle, driving wheels, & driving gear are
mounted. G is the driving wheel & may in some instances replaced by two wheels
connected by a differential gear. Now this head E is placed slightly in advance of
the front axle B. The object of this arrangement will be readily understood on
referring to Fig. 3 which represents a diagram of the plan of the frame when a circle
is being described; it will be seen that when the axle D is not at a right angle to
the main frame H, that end which is nearest to the centre of the circle is also
brought nearer to the main frame & therefore to the weight of the rider; by this
means the tendency to lift off the ground which is always much greater with the
inner wheel than the outer wheel, is counteracted by the weight of the rider.
In the case of a tricycle the weight of the rider will depress the front springs
with the effect of "raking" the steering head backwards and thus cause the frame
supporting the saddle & driving wheel to incline towards the centre of a circle
described by the rider. In the case of a quadricycle, the springs allow the four
wheels to remain on the ground when the latter presents an uneven surface.
Where in velocipedes of a similar type the steering is effected instead of by a single
axle and a central head, by mounting two heads at the extremities of a cross arm,
we can connect this cross arm by means of springs to a second one forming a rigid
part of the main frame, in precisely the same manner as we have shewn the axle B
connected with the cross arin D.
Having now particulary described & ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1) Inivelocipedes steering by means of two front wheels, pivoted about a single head
placed between the same, mounting the head in advance of the axis of the wheels in
the manner and for the purpose described.
2) In velocipedes with one central and reardriving wheel or a pair of balance-gear
driven wheels, mounting the cross-arm to which a pair of front and steering wheels
are attached on springs in the manner described.
3) The combination of a vertical steering head with springs on a ballance gear
driven velocepede substantially as described.
4) The combination of a pair of steering heads at the extremities of a cross arm
mounted on springs on velocipedes propelled either by a pair of ballance gear driven
.wheels or a single central rear-driving wheels substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of December 1889
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.