Improvements in Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1898
Complete Specification Left. 30th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 21st Jan., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, BADEN FLETCHER SMYTH BADEN-POWELL, of S, St. George's Place, Hyde Park
Corner, in the County of London, Captain, Scots Guards, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates more particularly although not exclusively, to bicycles
and has for its chief object to provide means whereby the handle bar and forks
carrying the front wheel can be easily and quickly detached from the frame when
it is desired to reduce the space occupied by the bicycle or render it more portable.
Such a bicycle will be found especially convenient where the space available for
its storage is limited, or on occasions when the user requires to convey the bicycle
short journeys in a cab or railway carriage and to quickly attach the parts together
again at the end of the journey. My improvements will also be found very ad-
vantageous when it is desired to store bicycles in a crate or box; and such improve-
ments are likewise applicable to tricycles used for military and similar purposes
for enabling them to be readily taken to pieces and carried on a man's back or a
pack animal.
The
For the purpose of my invention the upper end of the steering post is arranged
to project through the head-tube and the handle-bar is formed with a socket
that is capable of fitting around the projecting end of the steering post.
mouth of said socket is furnished with a shoulder or flange and, contiguous to the
mouth, slots or openings are formed to receive corresponding projections on the
steering post. These projections are screw threaded and adapted to engage with
an internally screw threaded ring on the socket of the handle bar. By revolving
such ring in the proper direction the handle bar can be very easily and securely
connected with the steering post and be as readily uncoupled therefrom by
revolving said ring in the opposite direction. When so uncoupled the handle bar
can be detached and the steering post withdrawn from the head-tube together with
the steering forks and the wheel carried thereby.
The aforesaid projections on the steering post may be formed by a block of
metal passed transversely through suitable slots in the said post, the length of the
said block being such that the ends extend beyond the surface of the post to form
the projections.
The said ring may be provided with interrupted screw-threads instead of con-
tinuous ones, and would then be capable of engagement and disengagement with
the screw threaded projections by a partial turn of the ring.
I may adopt any suitable means for preventing the balls in the bearings at the
ends of the head-tube from escaping during the removal of the handle-bar and
steering post as above stated. For example a loose collar may be arranged around
the steering post to rest upon the balls in the lower bearing, the amount of move-
ment in a direction lengthwise of the post, when the latter is detached from the
head-tube, being limited by a fixed ring fitted around the said post at a point just
above the loose collar. The balls of the bearing at the upper end of the head-tube

page_text: may be held in place in a similar manner and are preferably carried by the socket
of the handle-bar.
According to a modification of my invention I may construct the said head-tube
with an inner loose tube having cones to bear against the balls of the bearings at
the ends of the said head-tube, one of such cones being detachable from the said
inner tube. The steering post extends through this inner tube and is adapted to
turn therewith. Its upper end receives the socket of the handle-bar which, at the
part where it fits upon the steering post, may be split or divided longitudinally
and be screw threaded to receive a screw-ring. By revolving such ring in the
proper direction the socketed end of the handle-bar would be caused to tightly
grip the steering post. With this construction there would be no necessity to
provide special contrivances to prevent the escape of the balls from the bearings
when the parts were disconnected.
Dated this 25th day of Monah 1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant,
:
I, BADEN FLETCHER SMYTH BADEN-POWELL, of 8, St. George's Place, Hyde Park
Corner, in the County of London, Captain Scots Guards, 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 more particularly although not exclusively to bicycles;
and it has for its chief object to provide means whereby the front part of a bicycle,
that is. to say the handle bar, steering post and forks and the front wheel, can be
easily and quickly detached from the main frame of the bicycle when it is desired
to reduce the space occupied or to render the bicycle more portable.
My improved bicycle will be found especially convenient where the space avail-
able for its storage is limited, or on occasions when the user requires to convey
the bicycle short journeys in a cab or railway carriage and to quickly attach the
parts together again at the end of the journey. My improvements will also be
found very advantageous when it is desired to store bicycles in a crate or box; and
such improvements are especially applicable to bicycles used for military and
similar purposes, for enabling them to be readily taken to pieces and carried on
a man's back or on a pack animal.
According to my invention I so construct a bicycle or other velocipede that the
steering post, which projects through the head-tube or barrel of the steering bearing,
and is attached to the handle bar stem or socket, is capable of being readily dis-
connected from said head or bearing and from the handle-bar stem, whereby the
steering post and its forks, and the wheel carried thereby, may be quickly and
easily withdrawn from or connected to. the main frame of the velocipede.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will describe the same
more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown,
by way of example, certain means for carrying my invention into effect.
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the head of a bicycle or tricycle showing
the parts in the position they occupy when separated and about to be connected
together.
.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts connected together.

page_text: Figure 3 is a detail view of a slight modification.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 of a further modified construction of my
invention.
In all the figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts.
Referring first to the construction of head shown in Figures 1 and 2; A is the
head tube or barrel, A¹ the main tube, and A2 the top tube of the frame of the
velocipede; B is one of the members of the steering fork, and B1, B2, is the steering
post, which, in this instance, is formed of two tubular pieces of different diameter,
the lower extremity of the upper piece B2 fitting into the lower piece B and being
brazed or otherwise rigidly secured thereto.
C is the handle bar stem or socket.
The upper end of the steering post projects through the head-tube, and the
handle-bar stem or socket is capable of fitting around the projecting end of the
steering post. The mouth of said socket is furnished with a shoulder or flange a,
and, contiguous to the mouth, slots or openings a¹ are formed to receive corespond-
ing projections b' on the steering post. These projections are screw threaded and
adapted to engage with an internally screw threaded ring c on the socket of the
handle bar. By revolving such ring in the proper direction the handle bar can
be very easily and securely connected with the steering post, and be as readily
uncoupled therefrom by revolving said ring in the opposite direction. When so
uncoupled, the handle bar can be detached and the steering post, together with the
steering fork and the wheel carried thereby, withdrawn from the head-tube without
having to take the top cone of the head bearing off the steering post as would be
necessary in bicycles at present constructed.
The aforesaid projections b¹ on the steering post may be formed by a block of
metal b passed transversely through suitable slots in the said post as shewn, the
length of the said block being such that the ends extend beyond the surfaces of the
post to form the projections. Or said projections may be formed integrally with
the steering post.
The said ring may be provided with interrupted screw threads instead of con-
tinuous ones, and would then be capable of engagement and disengagement with
the screw threaded projections by a partial turn of the ring.
-For preventing the balls in the bearings at the ends of the head-tube from escap-
ing during the removal of the handle-bar and steering post as above stated, I
employ according to this construction a loose collar d arranged around the steering
post so as to rest upon the balls in the lower bearing, the amount of movement in
a direction lengthwise of the post, when the latter is detached from the head-tube,
being limited by a fixed ring d fitted around the said post at a point just above the
loose collar. The balls of the bearing at the upper end of the head-tube or bearing
are held in place by an annular cup or collar e adapted to be carried in the socket
of the flange a of the handle bar stem C. In order to prevent said annular cup
from falling out of said flange when the parts are disconnected I provide a ring e¹,
secured on said flange by screw threads or otherwise, having inturned edges upon
This construction
which the exterior edge of said cup bears, as shown in Figure 1.
permits the pieces d and e to bear against the head tube A and to turn therewith
when the parts are attached together.
I may retain the balls in the head tube instead of in the removable member of
the bearing; or I may use any other suitable means for preventing the displace-
ment of the balls of the steering bearing. Figure 3 shows a construction in which
the balls are retained in the cup of the head tube by means of an annular plate or
collar d screwed or otherwise secured to the edge of said cup. The cones of the
bearing taper somewhat more than usual, so as to pass through the aperture in such
collar d and bear upon the balls. The figure only illustrates the upper-ball race of
the bearing, the lower ball race is identical therewith, except of course that the
cone in this case is rigidly secured to the steering post.
In the modification shown in Figure 4 the steering bearing is formed complete
in the head tube, A, and independent of the steering post or handle-bar stem or
socket. For this purpose I provide an inner tube D which constitutes the tubular
spindle or axle of the bearing, and carries the cones D¹, D2 upon which the balls

page_text: bear. The upper cone D2 is adjustably mounted upon said tube and adapted to be
locked in position by a lock nut D³, in the well known manner. The tube D
extends somewhat beyond the said lock nut and is split and provided with a
clamping device c of the usual form. The steering post or tube B₁ extends through
this inner tube, reaching approximately to the upper extremity thereof; and the
upper extremity of said steering post is split, preferably at three or four places
as shown. The handle bar stem fits within this split portion, and, by means of
the aforesaid clamping device (or by a screw ring or other suitable means) the
tubes D and B₁ are caused to bind and firmly hold said handle bar.
The clamping device may be operated without the use of a tool by employing
a nut having a flange c of relatively large diameter, the periphery of which flange
is notched or serrated so as to enable the same to be firmly gripped by the hand.
Or a butterfly nut may be employed. This construction thus permits the steering
posts and forks to be separated from the main frame, or connected thereto, as
readily as does the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2.
In order to provide for an efficient bearing of the steering post upon the extremity
of the tube D, and at the same time permit of its ready withdrawal therefrom, I
may provide said steering post with a coned surface adapted to bear against the
correspondingly expanded interior lower extremity of the tube D. In the construc-
tion shown in Figure 4, which represents an existing bicycle suitably modified
to embody my invention, I have however utilized for this purpose the ordinary ball
race or cone f secured to the upper crown plate of the fork, the lower cone I)!
of the bearing being formed with an annular ridge or projection f¹ on its under
side for engaging said ball race f. The steering post may thus be formed of such
a diameter as to slide easily in and out of the tube D.
It will be seen that, by this construction the height of the handle bar is capable
of adjustment.
In order to ensure that the handle bar shall be set in correct position with
regard to the steering wheel, and shall be locked thereto so as to be incapable of
turning independently thereof, I form a recess or slot h in the upper end of the
steering post and provide a projection on the handle bar stem adapted to enter
said recess.
This projection may advantageously be formed in one piece with the
lamp bracket, as shown in the drawings, or with the clip or other attachment of
such bracket.
In order
When a brake is provided on a bicycle the lower part of the brake rod is
usually tubular and the upper part is solid and fits into the tubular part
telescopically, and is secured in any desired position by a set screw.
to adapt this form of brake rod to my invention (see Figure 4) I do not rigidly
connect the upper part i to the lower part of said brake rod, but I provide a
block capable of sliding on the upper part and of being fixed in any desired
position by a set screw, and this block is adapted, when the parts are put together,
to abut against the upper end of the tubular part while that portion of the
upper part extending below said block enters said tubular part as shown. This
arrangement provides an efficient connection for all practical purposes required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A velocipede in which the handle bar and the steering post can be detached
from the velocipede without liability of the antifriction balls escaping from their
bearings,
2. A head or steering bearing for a velocipede provided with annular rings, cups,
or collars, or with a tube, for retaining the anti-friction balls when the steering post
1s removed from such bearing, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the herein above described velocipede head or steering
bearing of a brake rod constructed substantially as described and for the purposes
Specified.

page_text: 4. A velocipede head or steering bearing having its parts arranged and combined
to operate substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figure 3,
or Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
on 1 of November 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.