Improvements relating to Forks and Fork Heads for the Steering Wheels of Cycles, and for other Vehicles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th Oct., 1894-Accepted. 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Forks and Fork Heads for the Steering
Wheels of Cycles, and for other Vehicles.
We, ARTHUR LOTZ and JOSEPH HUZELSTEIN, Merchants, of 44 Rue du
Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The front forks of cycles are usually composed of;
1, Two fork tubes of equal form, oval or elliptic, extending from the hub to the
fork head or crown,
2, A fork crown uniting the two fork tubes,
3, A tube brazed to the fork head.
This tube is placed in the interior of the ball head, or guide sleeve, and bears
on the top the handle bar. The handle bar and tube are fixed together by a collar
at the top of the ball head.
Our improvement has for its objects, to dispense with the fork head, which is
liable to break at the junction with the inner tube of the ball head, to substitute
for this inner tube the prolongation of the two fork tubes, to give greater strength
to the fork altogether and to allow of a perfect fixture of the handle bar, so as to
prevent the latter from turning, even if the collar is not screwed tight.
To obtain these objects, our new fork is composed of two hollow tubes, of half-
round section, so that the same will form, when fixed together with their flat sides,
one tube of a perfectly circular or other round circumference, and with a partition
on its whole length down to where the fork tubes are separated, to form the fork.
These fork tubes are bent and spread outward, so as to constitute a fork of the
width necessary to allow the passage of the wheel and its hub.
The upper parts of the semicylindrical fork tubes are placed one upon the other
with their flat sides facing each other, and are then brazed together to form the
cylindrical interior tube of the ball head.
Immediately above the fork we place a collar which has two objects; 1, to
strengthen the junction of the two fork tubes; 2, to form a shoulder for supporting
the hardened cup or ball bearing which supports the ball head. This collar is
split and shaped so as to follow the surface of the fork. It is applied exactly to
the curve of the fork and is brazed on to the fork tubes. Instead of a collar which
follows the curvature of the fork, we may, however, employ an ordinary collar at
the top of the fork.
The lower ends of the fork tubes are flattened as usual and pierced, to hold the
axle of the hub.
At the upper end, where the handle bar is to be placed, the ball head is fixed as
is done with an ordinary tube. The circular tube containing partitions formed by
the flat sides of the semi-circular tubes is split right and left of the partition for
the length of about one inch, to allow the collar of the handle bar to turn slightly
on the latter. The tube of the handle bar, which has to enter the united fork
tube, has two parallel longitudinal slots in order that it may be introduced into
the said tube. The collar acts as in ordinary forks.
We may also mount our new forks in the following manner;-
The fork tubes, always hollow and half round, are curved as aforesaid and
introduced for the length of one or two inches into the inner tube of the ball
head, which is then used as in the ordinary forks. These fork tubes are much
shorter and the whole is brazed together. Only the old fork head is abolished,
while the handle. bar and the collar remain as heretofore. A small collar is
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page_text: brazed at the top of the curved fork to maintain the cup at the bottom of the ball
head.
The inner tube of the ball head may also be split and fashioned to follow the
curve of the fork.
Dated this 29th day of December 1893.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Forks and Fork Heads for the Steering
Wheels of Cycles, and for other Vehicles.
We, ARTHUR LOTZ and JOSEPH HUZELSTEIN, Merchants, of 44 Rue du
Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 front forks of cycles are usually composed of ;
1, Two symmetrically arranged fork tubes of equal shape, either oval or elliptic,
and extending from the hub to the fork crown;
2, A fork crown uniting the said fork tubes;
3. An upper tube brazed on to the fork crown.
This tube is placed in the interior of the ball head (also called steering head or
guide sleeve), and carries at the top the handle bar. The handle bar and tube are
fixed together by a collar at the top of the ball head.
Our improvement has for its objects, to dispense with the fork crown, which is
liable to break at the junction with the inner tube of the ball head, to substitute
for this inner tube the prolongation of the two fork tubes, and generally to
increase the strength of the fork and to facilitate the attachment of the handle
bar in such a manner that the latter will not turn even if the collar is not screwed
tight.
To obtain these objects, our new fork is composed of two tubes, of half round
section, so that the same will form, when joined together with their flat sides,
one tube of circular circumference, and with a partition on its whole length, down
to where the fork tubes separate to form the fork.
These fork tubes are bent and spread outward, so as to constitute a fork of the
width necessary to allow the passage of the wheel and its hub.
The upper parts of the semi-cylindrical fork tubes are placed one upon the
other, with their flat sides facing each other and are then secured together to form
the cylindrical inner tube or core of the ball head.
In the following description reference will be made to the accompanying drawings,
of which
Fig. 1 is a partial vertical section of a fork embodying our invention, while
Fig. 2 is a cross section.
Immediately above the fork we place a collar C which has two objects; 1, to
strengthen the junction of the two fork tubes; 2, to form a shoulder for supporting
the bardened cup or ball bearing H which supports the ball head. This collar is
split and shaped so as to follow the surface of the fork. It is applied exactly to
the curve of the fork and is brazed on to the fork tubes. Instead of a collar or
saddle piece which follows the curvature of the fork, we may, however, employ an
ordinary collar at the top of the fork.
The lower ends of the fork tubes are flattened as usual and pierced to hold the
axle of the hub.
At the upper end, where the handle bar is to be placed (not shown in the
drawing) the ball head is fixed as in the case of an ordinary tube. The circular

page_text: tube containing partitions formed by the flat sides of the semicircular tubes A
and B is split right and left of the partition for the length of about one inch, to
allow the tightening or clipping collar of the handle bar to act on the latter.
The tube of the handle bar which has to enter the united fork tube has two
parallel longitudinal slots, in order that it may be introduced into the said tube.
The tightening collar or ring acts as in ordinary forks.
Gare the friction balls of the steering head, D is the upper cup or cover of the
ball bearing, fixed to the inner sleeve E of the steering head, and F is the outer
sleeve or casing of the steering head, which connects it with the cycle frame.
We may also mount our new forks in the following manner;-
The fork tubes, always hollow and half round, are curved as aforesaid and
introduced for the length of one or two inches into the inner tube of the ball
head, which is then used as in the ordinary forks. These fork tubes are much
shorter, as indicated in Fig. 1 by dotted line and the whole is brazed together.
Only the old fork head is abolished, while the handle bar and the collar remain as
heretofore. A small collar is brazed at the top of the curved fork to maintain the
cup at the bottom of the ball head.
The inner tube of the ball head may also be split and fashioned to follow the
curve of the fork.
A strengthening tube may be inserted into each of the fork tubes at the bend,
to serve as a lining for the same.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;-
1. A steering fork for velocipedes composed of two equal tubes of semicircular
cross section, the said tubes being bent outwardly near the middle of their length
and the portion above the bend being joined and secured together face to face, so
as to form a cylindrical fork stem with a longitudinal partition, while the portions
below the bend are sufficiently apart to afford room for the wheel, substantially as
described.
2. The combination of a pair of semi-circular fork tubes arranged as described,
with a collar or saddle piece fixed to the same.
3. The combination of a pair of semi-circular fork tubes arranged as described
with a handle bar connected with the said tubes in the manner described.
Dated this 27th day of October 1894.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents..