Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, WALTER PHILLIPS, of No. 34, Spon Street, Coventry, in the county of
Warwick, Manager to the Rudge Cycle Company, Limited, and ROBERT WALKER
SMITH, of No. 6, York Street, Coventry, aforesaid, Machinist, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to that class of velocipedes in which the rider's sit side by
side each over or in line with a wheel and known as " sociables."
"
Heretofore some " sociables have been formed by combining two rear-driven
safety bicycles and others have been constructed with three wheels the front wheel
being the steering wheel but these arrangements have been more or less defective and
have consequently been unsuccessful when brought into practical use and the object
of our invention is to obviate these defects.
In carrying our invention into effect we mount each of the rear wheels upon a
short axle: upon the hub of each wheel is fixed a chain wheel such short axle being
carried by a slotted bracket from the frame to allow of adjustment for regulating the
tension of the chain.
Each of the saddles is supported at the upper part of a backbone or frame which is
curved to the form of the wheel and the two frames are connected together and
braced near their upper part by a cross tube or tie the brackets carrying the axles
being connected together in a similar manner.
Each pedal axle is mounted in bearings at the lower end of the curved backbone
and has fixed thereon a chain wheel from which a chain leads to the chain wheel upon
the hub of one of the rear wheels.
From each of the pedal axles the frame is curved slightly inwards and is continued
rearwards until it joins the bracket of the corresponding rear wheel and it then rises
vertically until it joins the upper end of the curved backbone.
The frames are each continued forwards until they join a corresponding vertical
pillar through one or both of which passes a steering spindle.
These tubular pillars are at about the middle of their length and at their lower end
connected rigidly together by means of two cross ties or frames inclined downwards
towards their centre where they are rigidly connected to the top and bottom
respectively of a short central vertical pillar which carries a horizontal stud or axis
upon which the cross frame of the front and steering wheels is mounted in a manner
similar to that described with respect to a tandem velocipede in the specification of
an application for Letters Patent made by us and dated the 8th of October 1888,
No. 14427.
The front cross frame is preferably arched and is provided at its ends with bearings
for short vertical spindles which carry the axles of the wheels and the upper end of
each of those vertical spindles has fixed thereon a short lever which levers are coupled
by means of a connecting link.
One of these levers or the connecting link is, by a connecting rod pin jointed
thereto and connected by a pin joint with a lever fixed upon a vertical spindle
supported in bearings in or carried by the short vertical pillar and the upperpart of
this vertical spindle is provided with an offset or lever which is by a connecting rod
connected to a similar offset fixed upon the lower end of a steering spindle provided
with the usual steering bar at its upper part; or, if desired, both of the steering bars
may through spindles be so connected with the wheels thus enabling both riders to
steer.

page_text: By these means any tendency to the skidding of the wheels, even when the
machine is being driven by only one of the riders, is obviated and that without the
employment of balance gear.
Dated this 4th day of March 1.020
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, WALTER PHILLIPS, of No. 34, Spon Street Coventry, in the County of
Warwick, Manager to the Rudge Cycle Company, Limited, and ROBERT WALKER
SMITH, of No. 6, York Street, Coventry aforesaid, Machinist, 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:-
22
Our said invention relates to that class of velocipedes in which the riders sit side
by side, each over or in line with a wheel, and known as
« sociables."
Heretofore, some
$$ sociables have been formed by combining two rear driven
"safety" bicycles, and others have been constructed with three wheels, the front
wheel being the steering wheel, but these arrangements have been more or less
defective, and have, consequently, been unsuccessful when brought into practical use,
and the object of our invention is to obviate these defects.
In carrying our invention into effect, we mount each of the rear wheels upon a
short axle, and upon the hub of each of such wheels, is fixed a chain wheel, each short
axle being carried by a slotted bracket from the frame to allow of adjustment for
regulating the tension of the chain.
Each of the saddles is supported at the upper part of a backbone or frame which is
curved to the form of the wheel and the two frames are connected together and
braced near their upper part by a cross tube or tie, the brackets carrying the axles
being connected together in a similar manner.
Each pedal axle is mounted in bearings at the lower end of the curved backbone,
and has fixed thereon, a chain wheel from which a chain leads to the chain wheel upon
the hub of one of the rear wheels.
From each of the pedal axles, the frame is curved slightly inwards and is continued
rearwards until it joins the bracket of the corresponding rear wheel, and it then rises
vertically until it joins the upper end of the curved backbone.
The frames are each continued forwards until they join a corresponding vertical
pillar through one or both of which passes a steering spindle.
These tubular pillars are at about the middle of their length and at their lower end
connected rigidly together by means of two cross ties or frames inclined downwards
towards their centre where they are rigidly connected to the top and bottom
respectively of a short central vertical pillar which carries a horizontal stud or axis
upon which the cross frame of the front and steering wheels is mounted.
The front cross frame is preferably arched and is provided at its ends with bearings
for short vertical spindles which carry the axles of the wheels and the upper end of
each of these vertical spindles has fixed thereon, a short lever, which levers are
coupled by means of a connecting link.
.
One of these levers or the connecting link is, by a connecting rod pin-jointed thereto
and connected by a pin-joint with a lever, fixed upon a vertical spindle, supported in
bearings in or carried by the short vertical pillar and the upper part of this vertical
spindle is provided with an offset or lever, which is, by a connecting rod, connected
to a similar offset fixed upon the lower end of a steering spindle provided with the
usual steering har at its upper part; or, if desired, both of the steering bars, may,
through spindles, be similarly connected with the wheels, thus enabling both-riders.or
either rider to steer,

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a velocipede constructed according to our invention,
the wheels at one side and some other parts being removed in order more clearly to
show the parts.
Figure 2 is a plan thereof:
Figure 3 is an end view of the front part thereof, arranged in a vertical position :
Figure 4. is a detail view of part drawn to an enlarged scale :
Figure 5. is a front view of part of the front of the machine in a vertical position
showing a modification of the connections of the steering mechanism and, Figure 6,
is a side view of a portion thereof, in its normal or inclined position and drawn to an
enlarged scale.
In the various figures of the drawings, like parts are indicated by similar letters of
reference.
a. represents the longitudinal frame of the machine and b. represents the rear
wheels.
The rear wheels b. which are the driving wheels are each mounted upon a short
axle c. and have each formed or fixed on its hub a chain wheel c¹ and such short
axle is carried by a slotted bracket or extension a' of the frame a. in order to allow
of adjustment for regulating the tension of the chain d.
Each of the saddles e is supported upon an adjustable pillar e' at the upper part of
that part of the backbone or frame a. which is curved to the form of the wheel band
these two parts of the frame a. are connected together and braced near their upper
part by a cross tube or tie a³ the brackets a carrying the axles c. being connected
together in a similar manner by a cross tube or tie a².
Each pedal axle f. is mounted in bearings at the lower end of the curved backbone
and has fixed thereon the usual cranks and pedals and also a chain wheel 3
from which the chain d. leads to the chain wheel c¹ upon the hub of one of the
driving wheels b.
-From-each-of-the pedal-axles the part a of the frame a. is curved slightly
inwards and is continued rearwards until it joins the bracket or extension a¹ of the
corresponding rear or driving wheel b. and it is there formed with a vertical limb a
which joins the upper end of the curved backbone a.
The frames a. are each continued forwards from the pedal axles f. until they join
corresponding vertical pillars a through one of which passes a steering spindle g.
These tubular pillars a are at about the middle of their length, and at their lower
ends connected rigidly together by means of two cross ties or frames a' inclined
downwards towards their centre where they are rigidly connected to the top and
bottom respectively of a short central vertical pillar a which carries a horizontal stud
or axis a upon which the cross frame h. of the front and steering wheels i. is
detachably mounted with capability of partially revolving thereon in order to enable
the wheels i. to follow the inequalities of the road in a manner similar to that
described by us with respect to a tandem velocipede in the specification of Letters
Patent granted to us and dated the 8th day of October 1888 No. 14,427.
The front cross frame h. is preferably arched and is provided at its ends with
bearings for short vertical spindles, which carry the axles of the wheels i. and
the upper end of each of these vertical spindles has fixed thereon, a short lever or
offset which levers are coupled by means of a connecting link pin-jointed thereto
at each end thereof.
One of these levers or the connecting link is by a connecting rod at
one end thereof pin-jointed thereto and at the other end, jointed by a flexible joint
to a lever g fixed upon a vertical spindle g which is supported in bearings a
all
carried by the short vertical pillar a³, or, it might be supported in bearings within

page_text: such short. vertical pillar, and the upper part of this vertical spindle g* is provided
with an offset or lever g³ which is, by a connecting rod g² connected to a similar offset
or lever g¹ fixed upon the lower end of the steering spindle g. which is provided
with the usual steering bar g* at its upper end.
In the modification represented at Figures 5 and 6, the separate lever g³ is dispensed
with and the connecting rods are both connected by flexible joints at different
points to one lever g³ g
If desired, both of the steering bars may, through spindles g, be similarly connected
with the wheels i. thus enabling both riders, or either rider to steer.
By this construction of "sociable" velocipede, we obtain a safe and swift machine,
and any tendency to the skidding of the wheels, even when the machine is being
driven by only one of the riders, is obviated.
We are aware that some of the details of construction herein shown and described.
have been employed in other classes of velocipedes than that to which our invention
relates, and we therefore do not claim such details separately considered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of a said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declared that what we
claim is
1. A four wheeled two track velocipede, of the " sociable class constructed and
arranged in manner substantially as herein shown and described.
2. A four wheeled two track velocipede of the "sociable" class constructed with
longitudinal frames a. a² a³ connected together by cross frames a² a³ a² a² a³ and
supporting saddles e. over or in line, or nearly in line with the wheels b, chain
wheels receiving metion from pedal cranks f¹ and communicating motion by
chains . to chain wheels c¹ fixed on the hubs of the driving wheels b, front cross
frame h. carrying the steering wheels i. and mounted upon a horizontal axis a³ carried
by the central vertical pillar a such steering wheels receiving the necessary steering
movement through handle har g*, steering spindle g, lever g¹, connecting rod g², lever
or levers g³, central vertical spindle, and connecting rods all in manner
substantially as.herein shown and described.
Dated this 26th day of November 1889.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.