A New or Improved Support for the Back for the use of Cyclists.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 20th May, 1898-Accepted, 20th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Support for the Back for the use of Cyclists.
We, JOHN ALEXANDER MCCANDLISH, Gentleman, and ROBERT WALTER HUTTON,
Gentleman, both of Mansion House Chambers, Queen Victoria Street, London,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved belt and connection for the use of cyclists
and has for its object to provide a means whereby the back of the rider may be
supported and thereby assist the cyclist in propelling the machine.
The improved support constructed according to our invention is made princi-
pally of two parts, one of which consists of a belt preferably of leather which is
strapped around the body of the rider and is secured in place by any usual means
such as a strap engaging with a buckle,
The portion of the belt at the back of the rider is preferably of framework
pattern constructed of three or more narrow straps extending across the back and
connected together by short cross straps at intervals thereby giving a larger
bearing area for the belt and consequently greater comfort to the wearer.
To the belt are secured two loops so that there is one on each side of the rider
and to each of these loops is attached a hook fitted with a pulley wheel hereinafter
referred to.
The second portion consists of a cord or stout leather lace provided with a ring
which is attached to the crossbar or head or any other convenient part of the
machine.
The cord commences at this ring and passes through a tapering metal sleeve
and thence to the pulley wheel on one of the hooks before mentioned. After
passing around this wheel the cord passes to another pulley which is attached to a
wedge shaped metal block which fits into the tapering metal sleeve before
mentioned. This wedge shaped block serves to retain the cords in position but
allows them to be adjusted with ease by simply pressing the wedge through the
sleeve. The pulley wheel is attached to the smaller end of this wedge and prevents
the latter being entirely withdrawn.
The cord after passing around this pulley wheel continues to the pulley wheel
on the second hook which engages with the loop as before described and from there
continues its way through the tapering metal sleeve to the ring where the two
ends of the cord are secured.
To the head or other convenient part of the machine is secured a metal band
by means of a bolt and wing nut, the latter also serving to hold a hook or
retainer which is adapted to engage with the ring to which the ends of the cord
are attached.
In order to prevent any possibility of the ring becoming accidentally detached
when the strain on the cord is relieved, a small spring is employed which bears
on the end of the hook or retaining device and which must be sprung back before
the ring can be withdrawn.
The small pulley wheels are attached to the hooks and wedge shaped block by
means of metal eyes or loops through which the cords pass so that it is impossible
for them to get off the pulley wheels when in use.

page_text: The rider provided with this supporting device is enabled to sit upright or lean
back without loosing his power over the machine and is especially useful to riders
who undertake long journeys being able to change their position and relieve the
strain on the body whenever they choose, the support taking the strain off.
The device being easily adjustable enables the rider to change his posture as
often as he chooses.
An essential feature of this invention is that with the cord connected in this
way the ring is always central so there is no need of pulling the belt round and
no chance of it getting out of position by the movements of the rider. The belt
may be ornamented in any, desired manner such as with the colours of a club.
Dated this 19th day of August 1897.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicants.
A New or Improved Support for the Back for the use of Cyclists.
We, JOHN ALEXANDER MCCANDLISH, Gentleman, and ROBERT WALTER HUTTON,
Gentleman, both formerly Mansion House Chambers, Queen Victoria Street,
London, and at present of 15, Albert Buildings, Preesons Row, Liverpool, 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 to an improved belt and connection for the use of cyclists
and has for its object to provide a means whereby the back of the rider may be
supported, and thereby assist the cyclist in propelling the machine.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of the belt and cord attachment, Fig. 2 is
a plan of the cord attachment. Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the cord attachment,
and Fig. 5 illustrates the device to which the cord attachment is secured.
The improved support constructed according to our invention is made princi-
pally of two parts one of which consists of a belt a preferably of leather, which is
strapped around the body of the rider and is secured in place by any usual means,
such as a strap engaging with a buckle b.
The portion of the belt at the back of the rider is preferably of framework
pattern constructed of three or more narrow straps extending across the back and
connected together by short cross straps at intervals, thereby giving a larger
bearing area for the belt and consequently greater comfort to the wearer.
To the belt are secured two loops c so that there is one on each side of the
rider, and to each of these loops is attached a hook d fitted with a' pulley wheel e
hereinafter referred to.
The second portion consists of a cord or stout leather lace f provided with a ring g,
which is attached to the crossbar or head or any other convenient part of the
machine.
I
The cord commences at the ring g and passes through a tapering metal
sleeve h (Fig. 3) and thence to the pulley wheel e on one of the hooks before
mentioned. After passing around this wheel the cord passes to another pulley
wheel which is attached to a wedge shaped metal block k (Fig. 4) which fits into
the tapering metal sleeve h before mentioned. This wedge shaped block k serves
to retain the cord f in position, but allows it to be adjusted with ease by simply
pressing the wedge through the sleeve h. The pulley wheel i is attached to
the smaller end of this wedge and prevents the latter being entirely withdrawn.
The cord f after passing around the pulley wheel continues to the pulley

page_text: wheel e on the second hook d which engages with a loop c as before described,
and from there continues its way through the tapering metal sleeve h to the ring g,
where the two ends of the cord are secured.
To the head or other convenient part of the machine is secured a metal band
(Fig. 5) by means of a bolt and wing nuts, the latter also serving to hold a hook
or retainer m which is adapted to engage with the ring g to which the ends of
the cord f are attached.
In order to prevent any possibility of the ring g becoming accidentally detached
when the strain on the cord f is relieved, a small spring n is employed which
bears on the end of the hook or retaining device m and which must be sprung
back before the ring 9 can be withdrawn. The spring n is, however, sufficiently
weak to allow the ring g to escape with ease when the rider dismounts or the
ring is pulled sideways.
The small pulley wheels are attached to the hooks and wedge shaped block by
means of metal forks through which the cords pass, so that it is impossible
for them to get off the pulleys when in use.
-
The rider provided with this supporting device is enabled to sit upright or lean
hack without losing his power over the machine and it is especially useful to
riders who undertake long journeys as they are able to change their position and
relieve the strain on the body whenever they choose, the support taking the strain
off.
The device being easily adjustable enables the rider to change his posture as
often as he chooses."
An essential feature of this invention is that with the cord connected in the
way above described there is no chance of it getting out of position owing to
the movements of the rider, and consequently no need of pulling the belt round.
The belt may be ornamented in any desired manner such as with the colours of
a club.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
we claim is :-
As a means of attaching a body belt to the frame of a cycle, the cord f attached
to the ring and passing through a sleeve h having. inclined sides, and through
pulleys e which are hooked to such belt, and through a pulley attached to a
wedge within such sleeve, whereby the tension of the cord causes the wedge k
to bind said cord within the sleeve h, and the length of the cord may be adjusted
by loosening said wedge; and whereby the rider may change his posture without
displacing the belt; substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 18th day of May 1898