Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFI TION.
Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
I, BRUCE GREEN, of Nos. 65 and 66, Chancery Lane, in the county of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in, or connected with, velocipedes; and has
for its object, in a practical and efficient manner, to interpose a cushion or spring
between the frame and the wheels, and thus to modify or obviate the unpleasant
jarring or vibration which at the present time is more or less communicated to the
rider.
In carrying the invention into effect, when applying the same to the front wheel
of a velocipede, instead of mounting the bearings on the rigid limbs of the fork as
heretofore, according to the present invention, the bearings are carried by the free
ends of arms which are pivotally connected with the limbs of the fork.
Between the free ends of the pivotted arms and the limbs of the fork are inter-
posed india-rubber cushions inflated under pressure or other india rubber or other
cushions or springs might be substituted therefor.
Instead of employing rigid arms pivotally connected with the limbs of the fork,
spring arms may be substituted therefor whilst still employing the cushions or
springe interposed between the arms and the limbs of fork, as hereinbefore de-
scribed.
Although the invention is described in connection with the front wheel of a velo-
cipede, it will be understood that it is equally applicable to the rear wheel or wheels
thereof.
By these means, without any serious interference with the structure of the veloci-
pede and at small expense, a cushion or spring is interposed between the wheels and
the frame, and the vibrations which, at the present time, are communicated to the
rider, are thereby more or less arrested or absorbed.
Dated this 28th day of July 1896.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIF
TION,
Improvements in or connected with Velocipedes.
I, BRUCE GREEN, late of Nos. 65, and 66, Chancery Lane, but at present of No. 7
Devonshire Street, Portland Place, both in the county of London, Gentleman, 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 state-
ment:-
My said invention relates to improvements in or connected with velocipedes and
bas for its object, in a practical and efficient manner, to interpose a cushion or spring
between the frame and the wheels and thus to modify or obviate the unpleasant
jarring or vibration which at the present time is more or less communicated to the
rider.

page_text: a velocipede, instead of mounting the bearings (on the rigid limbs of the fork as
heretofore, according to the present invention the bearings are carried at or near the
free ends of arms which are pivotally connected with the limbs of the fork.
Between the free ends of the pivotted arms and the limbs of the fork are inter-
posed india rubber .cushions,inflated under pressure (or other india rubber or other
cushions or springs might be substituted therefor.
Instead of employing rigid arms pivotally connected with the limbs of the fork,
spring arms may be substituted therefor whilst still employing the cushions or springs
interposed between the arms and the.limbs,of the fork,,as hereinbefore described.
Although the invention is described in connection with the front wheel of a
velocipede,it will be understood that it is equally applicable to the rear wheel or
wheels thereof.
And, in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to
describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of a part of a velocipede having the present invention
applied thereto.
Figure 2, is an end elevation thereof.
Figure 3, is a side elevation of part thereof.
Figure 4, is a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Figure 3.
Figure 5, is a horizontal-section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 3.
Figure 6, is a similar view to Figure.1, representing a slight modification.
Figure 7, is a similar view representing a further slight modification.
In the several figures in which like parts are indicated by similar letters of refer-
ence, Figures 3, 4, and 5; are drawn to an increased scale with respect to the.other
figures of the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a represents a wheel of a velocipede which for example
. may be the front wheel, a represents the hub, b represents the fork crepresents the
cone part of the bearings and c¹ represents the axle.
According to the present invention, instead of mounting the bearings c of the axle c
on the rigid limbs 'b of the fork as heretofore, the fork bis curved at its ends, and
the bearings.c are carried by the free ends of arins.c² arranged on each side of the
wheel a.and at their other ends pivotally connected with lugs e carried by clips
fixed by brazing or otherwise with the limbs of the fork b.
The free or bearing ends of the arms c² are forked as shown more particularly at
Figure 4 to receive.the perforated end of a guide rod which at its lower end is
mounted upon the cone c,and at its upper end passes through a tubular bearing c
formed with horizontal trunnions c8 mounted in bearings 61 formed at one side by
the cranked end of the fork b and at the other side by a plate 6 bolted thereto as
shown more particularly at Figure 5, whilst the extreme end of the guide rod c® is
threaded to receive nuts which limit the downward movement thereof.
Between the free ends of the pivotted arms c² or cone c.and.the.limbs of the fork b
are interposed springs or cushions & which are coiled around the guide rods cand
at their lower ends take a bearing upon seats carried by the rod.co and at their
upper ends abut against flanges.c carried by.the tubular part,cl.
Instead of mounting both the bearings.c.and springs d at the extreme ends of the
pivotted arms and forks b the bearings,c,may be placed in a suitable position.be-
tween the free ends of the pivotted arms c2 and the lugs ³, or, the bearings c may.be
arranged at the free ends of the pivotted arms as represented in the drawings and
the springs.d may be placed between the free ends of the:arms and the lugs and
in this case the pivotted arms would preferably be prolonged to carry the bearings.c.
By this arrangement of parts, the ends of the limbs of the fork bandithe cone c
of the bearings and consequently the axle cl will be free to more or less approach
each other according to the degree of compression of the spring or cushions d, and

page_text: during such movement such parts will be firmly supported and guided by the arms c²
and guide roda co.
In the example given at Figure 6, instead of employing rigid arins c² pivotally
connected at c with the clip c fixed with the limbs 6 of the fork, spring arms c are
substituted therefor and are rigidly connected at c³ with the clip c by means of bolts
or otherwise whilst the opposite ends of the arms c² are rivetted or bolted at c²* to
end pieces similar to those described with respect to the previous figures.
In this example also, instead of employing a coiled spring d interposed between
the ends or bearings c of the arms and the ends of the limbs 6 of the fork,
an inflated or it might be a solid india rubber ring or cushion d is substituted there-
for, and the diameter of the seat c is suitably enlarged to receive the same, whilst a
corresponding disc c is carried by the tubular part c7 and forms an upper bearing
for the cushion d.
Although the india rubber cushions d are shown in conjuction with the spring
arms c², it will be obvious that if desired rubber cushions d may be substituted for
the coiled springs when employing pivotally mounted rigid arms as hereinbefore de-
scribed with respect to Figures 1 to 5 or the coiled springs d may be substituted
for the rubber cushions in the arrangement shown with respect to Figure 6.
In the example given at Figure 7, the parts are substantially the same as those
herein before described with respect to Figures 1 to 5, except that the device is shown
applied to an approximately straight fork and in this case the clips c carry brackets c<*
to the lower ends of which the arms care pivotted, this construction being
desirable in order to obtain the requisite space between the ends b₁ of the fork b
and the bearing ends of the arms c' and it will be understood that in cases where
the fork is truly vertical the lower end thereof must be extended horizontally
either in the manufacture thereof or by means of a bracket fixed thereto in order to
carry the guide or bearing c for the guide rod co.
In the foregoing description, it is assumed that the invention is applied to the
front wheel of a velocipede, but it will be obvious that it is equally applicable
to the rear wheel or wheels thereof.
By the means hereinbefore described, without any serious interference with
the structure of the velocipede and at small expense a cushion or spring is interposed
between the wheels and frame, and the vibrations which at the present time are
communicated to the rider are thereby more or less arrested or absorbed..
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 :-
In combination with a wheel fork or frame of a velocipede, spring or rigid arms at
one end pivotally connected or fixed with the limbs of the fork or frame, and at or
near the other end constructed to form bearings for the axle of the wheel, inflated
rubber or coiled or other springs or cushions arranged between the arms and the
limbs of the fork and means for guiding and controlling the free ends of the arms,
substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.