Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes or other Cycles and in Velodromes or Tracks to be used therewith.
Year: 1898

page_text: TIONAL DITUITIVATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes or other Cycles and in
Velodromes or Tracks to be used therewith.
I, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, of 114, Bradford Street, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
1
This invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in or relating
to velocipedes and in velodromes or tracks to be used therewith and has for its
object to provide means whereby the same may be arranged and combined so as
to form a cycle railway" for affording amusement, and enabling learners to
attain proficiency in the art of mounting and riding a bicycle.
My invention consists essentially in the construction of a velodromer of circular,
obate, semi-circular, or curvilineal form. I provide a set of rails arranged in
sections for transit purposes, and capable of being connected together to form a
suitably shaped track. I construct a cycle adapted to circumgyrate on such curved
tracks aforesaid by means of guide rollers arranged and combined with the
machine so as to keep the same in a vertical position and permit smooth and
safe riding.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a set of rails in sections consist-
ing of a series of corrugated sheet iron or steel sleepers attached transversely to
two wooden horizontal foundations. Near the ends of the sleepers I connect by
angle plates or chains or the suitable connecting pieces crooked shaped rails
made from sheet iron or steel, or I may use rails of angular section, having a
laterally projecting surface on the top, or at the top and bottom. If at the bottom
the projection may be used to connect the rail to the sleepers. Across the centre
of the sleepers that is to say central between the rails I attach a flat wooden rail
constituting the track or central path for the ordinary road wheels of the machine.
The sections thus described being of curvilineal form are fitted together to form
a velodrome or track. I construct a bicycle provided with guide wheels or rollers
arranged to bear against the rails in the following manner:-
The bicycle frame is somewhat of ordinary shape near the seat tube I connect a
second tube to carry the rear part of the frame; this tube may or may not carry
the saddle pillar.
The two tubes are connected together by two jointed arms the said joints being
of the well known cone or ball joint enable the machine to take a curved path.
One of the tubes extends to near the ground level and at the extremity I attach
two projecting arms transverse with the machine I also extend the front wheel
forks to a point near the ground level and attach two extending arms the ends
of which being bent at right angles, form axles for the guide rollers which are
arranged to rotate freely thereon. These said rollers take lateral bearing against
the inside of the rails and keep the bicycle to its defined path on the track.
Depending diagonally from the bottom bracket is a tubular member which carries
a cross piece, or extending arms the ends forming axles are furnished with guide

page_text: rollers which rotate freely thereon the motion of these rollers being in the direction
of the machine and take bearing against the underside of the crooked part of
the rails thus preventing the machine from leaving the track. It is obvious that
the arrangement of the guide rollers or wheels causes them to take bearing or
roll against the specially constructed rails constituting the velodrome.
My invention may be varied in detail as may be necessary to carry the same
into effect without departing from the nature thereof.
Tatal thi. 17th dow of Decowshan 1808
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes or other Cycles and in
Velodromes or Tracks to be used therewith.
I, WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, of No. 114, Bradford Street, City of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, 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:-
This invention relates as hereinafter described to the improvement in or relating
to velocipedes and velodromes or tracks to be used therewith and has for its
object to provide means whereby the same may be arranged and combined so as
to form a "cycle railway" for affording amusement and enabling learners to
attain proficiency in the art of mounting and riding a bicycle.
The object of my invention is the construction of a velodrome of circular, obate,
semi-circular or curvilineal form, consisting of a set of rails arranged in sections
for transit purposes and capable of being connected together to form a suitably-
shaped track.
I construct a cycle adapted to circumgyrate on such curved tracks as aforesaid
by means of guide rollers arranged and combined with the machine so as to keep
the same in a vertical position and permit smooth and safe riding.
I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying
drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure a plan. Figure 3
is a front elevation of the velocipede and a portion of the velodrome or track.
Figure 4 is a plan and Figure 5 a horizontal section of a portion of the velodrome
or track. Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
The rails A, A, are made preferably of sheet iron or steel of the section shown at
Figure 3 and are secured to the sleepers which are also made of sheet iron or steel
by the chairs D). may in some cases connect the rails to the sleepers by a flange
formed on the rail. The sleepers B are connected to the wooden horizontal
foundations E by screws or spikes. F represents a wooden rail forming a path for
the road wheels of the machine. The said rails are made up in a series of sections
shown at a, b, Figures 6 and 7 and may be horizontal or curvilineal. C and D re-
present a section of the track pivoted at F and capable of swinging outward to
enable the machine to enter the rails. The bicycle frame is composed of the
tubular members G and H to which is jointed the tubular member I forming the
seat pillar and provided with the arms J, J, jointed to the member H at K K by
a cone or ball joint, thus enabling the bicycle to take a curved path, the con-
nections K2 being ridged. To the tubular member H, are attached the projecting
arms L, L, terminating into vertical axles upon which rotate the guide
rollers N, N. The front forks are extended at 0, 0, and have attached thereto
the extending arms P, P, which also terminate into vertical axles furnished

page_text: with the guide rollers R, R. These two pairs of rollers are arranged to take
lateral bearing against the inside of the rails A, A, as shown at Figure 3 and
keep the bicycle to its defined path on the track.
The tubular member S depending from the bottom bracket carries the extending
arms T, T, provided with axles and the guide rollers U, U, which run in the
direction of the machine and take bearing against the underside of the crooked
part A 2 of the rails A, A, thus preventing the machine from leaving the track
and forming a means of safety.
It is obvious that the arrangement of the guide rollers or wheels causes them to
take bearing or roll against the specially constructed rail constituting the
velodrome.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination with a velodrome or hack of a velocipede consisting of the
guide rollers N, N, R, R, and U, U, arranged to take bearing or roll against the
rails A, A, all substantially as set forth.
2. In a velocipede the combination of the projecting arms I, I, P P, and T, T,
arranged to carry the rotary guide rollers N, N, R, R, and U, U, the said arms
depending from the members of the frame H and S and the forks O substantially
as described.
3. The velocipede frame G and H to which is jointed the rear part of the
frame I by means of the arms J J substantially as described.
4. The combination of a velocipede adapted to run on a velodrome or track
consisting of the rails A A secured to the sleepers B by the chairs D) which are
attached to the foundations E by screws or spikes and arranged in sections such
as a, b, substantially as described.
5. The combination with a velocipede of the velodrome or track such as is shown
at Figures 6 and 7 which may be of any other curvilineal form substantially as
set forth.
Dated this 10th
Lalo 1000
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.