Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, JOHANN PUCH, of 26, Karlauerstrasse, Graz, Austria, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of the present invention is a bicycle able to fold on itself, in such a
manner that the two wheels cover each other. The machine may easily be carried
on a man's back without putting him to the least inconvenience, which certainly
affords a great advantage in many respects and especially for military-drills, the
cyclist then being enabled to become at pleasure an ordinary combatant.
The mechanism is composed of similar elements as the common bicycle, except
that the two bars in front of its frame are composed of two distinct
parts joined together. When the bicycle is in its rolling position each
of the two above joints is being wedged by means of a pin which has a small handle
and is retained to the frame by a small chain to avoid its being lost, in this situa-
tion the joint is unable to function and the rigidity of the frame is absolute.
Should one desire to fold the bicycle, then take out the two pins and make the
two parts of the frame turn on their joints, one of the two grips of the handle-bar
then shoving into a leather or cord netting handle suitably arranged for that pur-
pose and secured to the saddle another handle likewise secured to the saddle admits
of the bicycle being carried on the back.
The rod of the handle-bars is provided with two small straps which allow of the
gun of the military cyclist being fastened on to this rod.
Dated this 12th day of April 1897
L. DUVINAGE,
Agent for Applicant.
I, JOHANN PUCH, of 26, Karlauerstrasse, Graz, Austria, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: -
This bicycle is constructed so as to. be easily and quickly folded by means of
hinges.
Fig. 1 in the drawing shows a side-view in working position.
Fig. 2 is a folded view and Figures 3 to 13 represent the detailed parts of the
machine.
The frame CD of the bicycle is divided into two parts c and c¹ which are joined

page_text: near the pedals and at the top bar by hinges A B. The part c comprises the handle-
bar, front wheel and front fork while part el comprises the hind wheel, the cham
wheel, gearings and saddle. The hinges are composed of sockets E, F which receive
the ends of the parts & and c¹ and whose flanges g are joined by a cotter G. The
flanges which are opposite the flanges g, at the sockets E, F, have a conical hole M
bored in the centre (Figs. 5 and 6) and are arranged to coincide when the hinges
are shut and kept so by a conical pin H introduced into the hole M thus preventing
the opening of the hinges (Figs. 3 and 4).
In order that the pin H may not unawares leave the conical hole M, it is provided
with a strong tongue L (Fig. 7) or spring tongue L' (Fig. 8) which slips into a
groove N made in the hole M. when the pin is set. In turning the pin the tongue L
or L' engages under the lower side of the flange h, and holds fast the pin.
In order to allow the front folding part e to be brought into close contact with
the hind part e by means of the hinges A and B the step P can pivot on the pin Q
as shown in Figs. 12 and 13. Also the gun supports R which are eventually
adapted to the front fork W by means of clasps v and bolts can pivot on the pin S
and are held in any desired position by means of a projection T of the socket R¹ of
the supports, which engages in the notches a or of the clasp under the pressure
of a spiral spring R. The elastic supports R may hold one of the branches d of
the rear fork of the machine when this latter is folded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1) A folding bicycle, one half of whose frame comprising the front wheel, fork
and handle-bar, is movable on hinges and may be folded against the hind part and
provided with a rotary step and rotary gun supports.
2) In the machine claimed in 1) the arrangement of the hinges in such a way
that each half of the hinge formed like a socket and turning on a pivot by means
of a pin provided with a spring tongue and an arresting catch in order to avoid the
folding of the machine while in motion.
3) In the hinges claimed in 2) the arrangement of a tapered hole with longi-
tudinal groove for the introduction of the spring tongue, the catch of which by
rotation of the pin may be made to coincide with said groove or not.
4) A folding bicycle substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 10th day of January 1898.
L. DUVINAGE,
Patent Agent, 8, Rue des Princes, Brussels, Belgium.