Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1892

page_text: ate of Application (in United Kingdom), 6th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, JEAN BAPTISTE AUGUSTE BUCHIN commonly called Auguste Buchin of
11, Rue Rolland Bordeaux in the Department of the Gironde in the French
Republic, Electrical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in cycles, one part of my invention con-
sisting in the use of celluloid for saddles and mud guards for the sake of its
lightness, said material being covered or not with cloth or canvas in cases where it is
deemed advisable. Such material may also he used for the wheel rims which may
be either solid or hollow and it may even take the place of the rubber tyre if the
cycle is provided with suitable anti-vibration devices. The material is worked for
the purposes above described in any of the ordinary or known manners in which
celluloid is at present treated. The anti-vibration device may be such for instance
as the device for suspending the saddle which is illustrated in Fig. 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings in which it will be seen that the saddle will be attached to
the rod A said rod passing through guide blocks B in the upper part of the frame
and a somewhat similar block C in the lower part. The rod terminates at one end
in the cross piece F to which is attached the sprocket wheel carrying the driving
chain as indicated by dotted lines, stay rods D D being attached to the cross
piece I' and to the end of the diamond shaped franic at the point E. The upper
guide block B carries a pair of pulleys G. G. or studs over which pass rubber
bands H. H. or spiral springs or the like, said bands passing over similar
pulleys G G or studs carried by a block attached to the rod A. By this con-
struction it will be seen that the rod A. carrying the saddle at one end and the
chain wheel at the other is free to move vertically in the guides B. C and that
both will rise and fall together the rider being thus suspended independently of
the frame of the machine so that the shocks which the latter will receive are not
imparted to him. A rubber stop ring may be provided on some point of the rod A
in order to limit its movement.
In Figs. 3 and 4 is illustrated a part of my invention consisting of a means for
altering the tension of the driving chain. This is effected by means of a socket I
which slides on a prolongation J of the frame. This piece J has serrated teeth or
notches as shown and said socket (which carries the sprocket wheel as shown) is
prevented from rotating on the rod by a feather J₁ and is adjusted in position on
said rod by means of a loose notched feather J2 which is held on to the notches on
the rod by means of the set screw J³.
It will be seen that by sliding the sprocket wheel up or down on the rod J the
distance between the centres of the sprocket wheel and the centre of the sprocket
wheel on the driving wheel will be decreased or increased and the chain will
accordingly be loosened or tightened.

page_text: In Figs. 5 and 6 are shown a convenient means for cleaning the driving chain
consisting of a brush K of wire or bristles which is held in a metal socket K' the
stem of said socket being adjustable in an arm K2 by means of a set screw, said
arm being attached to some part of the frame so that the brush may be in contact
with the chain while the latter is running.
"
It is well known that in cycles more especially in bicycles of the "safety type
considerable difficulty is experienced in keeping the steering wheel in a straight
line and the constant attention of the rider is necessary for this purpose.
To overcome this tendency of the steering wheel to deviate from the straight
line employ the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying
drawings in which it will be seen that the stem or head L which forms a con-
tinuation of the fork of the steering wheel has attached to it by a web L' a short
spindle or rod L² said rod L2 being pivoted on the cones L³ ³ said cones being
adjustably held by nuts on extensions M. M of two semi-circular yokes or
guides M M' which are connected together and form the termination or head of
the framework of the machine. It will be seen that to steer the front wheel the
handles will be caused to move the stem L of the front wheel in the guides M' M'
said stem thus pivoting on the cones L³ ³ forward of sanie, the result being
that the tendency of the wheel is to swing back from any position right or left of
its pivot point to a direct line through same and through the frame of the machine
so that the wheel will normally run in a straight line or approximately so.
In Figures 9 and 10 is illustrated a part of my invention consisting in means for
applying a brake to the front or steering wheel and for dispensing with the usual
brake lever. It will be seen that the handle bar O is attached to a tube O¹ which
is secured to the head O2 of the fork of the steering wheel. Inside the tube O¹ is
a rod which passes through the fork and to which a spoon or other brake may
be attached. This rod P carries a collar P₁ between which and the closed end of
the head O' is a spring. Upon the rod l' is a collar Q attached to same by a set
nut said collar having studs Q'Q' against which bears the eccentric shaped head
of a thumb lever R said lever being bifurcated as shown in Fig. 10, and pivoted
at the point R¹ to a socket through which the handle bar passes. By throwing up
the thumb lever R out of the position shown in Fig. 9 it will be seen that the
spring which is there shown under compression will force the rod P' down so that
the brake will be brought into contact with the wheel until by drawing down the
thumb lever R the rod P is again raised this being effected by means of the head
of said lever which bears on the studs Q' Q' and forces up same together with the
rod P.
In some cases it may be convenient to dispense with the chain for driving the
wheel or wheels and for this purpose I prefer to employ as the means for driving
the wheel the arrangement illustrated by the diagram Fig. 11 in which S is the
wheel which is driven from a crank the path of which is shown by the dotted
circle S. To this crank is connected a rod indicated by the letters T which show
the various positions of same, the rod at the other end being connected to a stud
or roller U. which engages with the grooved path of a double cam U. This rod T
is pivoted at the point of the roller U. to a rod indicated by the letters V which
show the different positions the same occupies as it oscillates on its pivot point V¹|
on the frame of the machine.
It will be seen that for one oscillation of the rod T the driving wheel will
make one complete revolution so that for one revolution of the pedals (the position
of which is indicated by the dotted lines W. W. W. W.) and of the cam U' it
will be seen that the driving wheel will make two revolutions. For the purpose of
overcoming any dead point the axle U2 of the cam may be provided with a light
pulley W and the driving wheel be also provided with a pulley which is also
indicated by the dotted lines S₁ between these pulleys passing a light band or
cord W2 of catgut or other material so that a continuous rotary movement is
imparted to the driving wheel.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the construction of saddles, mudguards, rims, and tyres of cycles the
employment of the material known as celluloid either with or without a covering
of cloth canvas or the like.
2. In cycles the means of suspending the saddle which consists in carrying same
on a sliding rod to which is attached the sprocket wheel or the like, said rod being.
elastically hung or connected to the frame substantially as described.
3. In cycles the means for altering the tension of the driving chain which consists
in carrying the driving sprocket wheel on an extension of the frame means being
provided for holding the wheel at different points substantially as described and
illustrated in Fig. 3. and 4.
4. In cycles the means for cleaning the driving chain consisting of brushes
adjustably held on the framework substantially as described.
5. In cycles the method of carrying the steering wheel which consists in pivoting
it in front in a part of a yoke or guide connected to the frame substantially as
described so that the tendency of its forward motion is to bring it back and
maintain it in a straight line.
6. In cycles the spring operated brake constructed substantially as described and
illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10.
7. In cycles the means for driving same consisting of the double grooved cam
operating through a pivotally hung driving rod, a crank or the like on the driving
wheel with or without the supplemental power device for overcoming the dead
point, substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 6th day of February 1892.
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Associate Agent.