IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Carter, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, and
Newton Wilson, of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Sewing
Machine Manufacturer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
Sealed the 15th February 1878, and dated the 16th August 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Carter and Newton
Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August
1877.
CHARLES CARTER, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, and NEWTON WILSON,
of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Sewing Machine Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
This Invention relates,―
First. To a combined arrangement for altering or adjusting the "rake" of the
bicycle so as to facilitate the ascending and descending of hills, the said arrange-
ment also serving as a most effectual and simple trailing or drag brake.
Secondly. To an improved construction and arrangement of roller or antifriction
bearing and axle box for the axles of the front wheels of bicycles, whereby the
friction resulting even from the present arrangement of antifriction bearings is still
further reduced whilst the weight is more gradually and smoothly transferred from
roller to roller, thus avoiding the extra friction resulting from the tendency which
the downward pressure has to force asunder or separate the adjoining antifriction
rollers as they travel round the axle.
Thirdly. To an improved mode of fitting the adjustable spokes of bicycle wheels
to the rims, whereby such spokes can be easily removed and replaced without
disturbing the india-rubber tyre.
Fourthly. To an improved construction of the heads of bicycles, whereby the
inconvenient projection of the top centre above the head is obviated, and a neater
appearance is imparted to this portion of the bicycle.
In carrying out the first part of our Invention we continue the back fork of the
backbone downwards at an angle beyond the rim of the hind wheel, and within

page_text: this fork we hinge a second fork, which also extends over the rim of and carries the
axle or pin of the hind wheel, the back fork being so bent or recessed on the inner
faces as to permit the head and nut of the pin to pass clear. To the outer free end
of this second or adjustable fork there is connected the brake cord or chain, which
when drawn tight maintains the rear extremity of the back fork clear of the ground
by lowering the axle of the hind wheel, but when let out to a certain extent will
allow the hind wheel to be elevated, more or less, and the back fork to be corre-
spondingly lowered, thereby increasing the "rake" of the bicycle. When the chain
or cord is fully released or accidentally broken the lower extremity of the back fork,
which is provided with a drag or shoe for the purpose, is brought by the weight
of the rider down upon the ground and acts as a brake.
According to the second part of our Invention we make the axle box in two
halves with flanges, and. connect the lower half to the top half by means of screws,
so as to compensate for wear of the rubbing parts of the bearing. Over the axle
journal there is slipped a loose fitting cylinder, composed by preference of anti-
friction, or Babbit's metal, or of gun metal, such cylinder having two or more series
of slots or openings made longitudinally therein, the openings of one series being
opposite the spaces of the other so as to break joint all round. Within each opening
there is placed an antifriction roller, and the whole is enclosed within the axle hox.
By disposing the rollers in two or more series, breaking joint with each other, the
pressure of the axle journal will never come between any two rollers of the same
series and the action will be smoother. Moreover, with a view to avoiding any
shaking that might arise from the passage of the rollers over the joints between the
two halves of the axle box, we break such joint by making each half somewhat in
the form of a comb and cause them to interlace, thereby avoiding straight longi-
tudinal junction surfaces and allowing the rollers to roll easily over the joints.
In carrying out the third part of our Invention we make oblong slots through
the rims of bicycle wheels, one for each spoke, the said slots terminating at each
end in a circular opening, one of which is somewhat larger than the other. Upon
each spoke there is passed, before the usual countersunk head is made thereon, a
loose collar, having a countersunk head and a countersunk recess within the head
to receive the head on the outer end of the spoke. The inner ends of the spokes
may be fixed in any well-known manner, and the outer ends are fixed by passing
the heads of the collars through the larger openings in the ends of the slots in the
rim, and then sliding them along with the spoke along the slot to the opposite end
thereof, where the head of the collar takes its bearing in the smaller opening whilst
the head of the spoke takes its bearing in the countersunk recess in the enlarged
head of the collar. In order to remove a spoke the operation is reversed, the collar
being slid towards the larger end of the slot and drawn out along with the spoke
from the inner side of the rim.
According to the fourth part of our Invention we cut a screw thread on the
rounded upper end of the head or upper extremity of the front fork to receive a
circular lock nut, and beyond this screwed portion we form a square projection
which fits into a square hole in the centre of the steering handles. Down the centre
of the square portion of the head there is screwed from above a hollow or female
centre, for the reception of the male centre of the backbone. The top or head of
this female centre, the exterior of the middle portion of the steering handles, and
the outer surface of the lock nut are, by preference, so shaped as to form a portion
of a sphere, when the three parts are combined together and tightened up by the
lock nut, thus not only presenting a neater appearance but being less inconvenient
to the rider from the fact of the usual projecting head of the top centre being
dispensed with,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles Carter and Newton Wilson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 16th February 1878.
CHARLES CARTER, of Brixton, in the County of Surrey, and NEWTON WILSON,
of 144, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Sewing Machine Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
Our said Invention relates,-
First. To a peculiar arrangement for altering or adjusting the "rake" of a bicycle
so as to facilitate the ascending and descending of hills, the said arrangement also
serving as a most effectual and simple trailing or drag break.
Secondly. To an improved construction and arrangement of roller or antifriction
bearing and axle box for the axles of the wheels of bicycles, whereby the friction
resulting even from the present arrangement of so-called antifriction bearings is
still further reduced whilst the weight is inore gradually and smoothly transferred
from roller to roller, thus avoiding the extra friction resulting from the tendency
which the downward pressure has to force asunder or separate the adjoining anti-
friction rollers as they travel round the axle.
Thirdly. To an improved mode of fitting the removeable or adjustable spokes of.
bicycle wheels to their rims, whereby such spokes can be easily removed and
replaced without disturbing the india-rubber tyre.
Fourthly. To an improved construction of the heads of bicycles, whereby the
inconvenient projection of the top centre above the head is obviated, and a neater
appearance is imparted to this portion of the bicycle.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer
to the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed;
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the corresponding
Figures.
Figures 1 and 2 of our Drawings illustrate the first part of our said Invention,
and represent the rear portion of a bicycle as improved by us.
In carrying out the first part of our Invention we continue the back fork A of
the backbone downwards at an angle beyond the rim of the hind wheel B, and
within this fork we hinge at a, a, a second fork C which also extends over the rim
of and carries the axle or pin b of the hind wheel, the back fork being bent or
recessed at c on the inner faces, so as to permit the head and nut of the axle pin b
to pass clear, as is shown by the plan of the rear portion of the back fork at
Figure 3. To the outer free end of this second or adjustable fork C there is con-
nected the break cord or chain d, which passes under and over guide pullies e, e,
and is connected to a winding drum or barrel on the steering handles, as is well
understood. When the break cord is drawn tight it maintains the rear extremity
of the back fork A clear of the ground, or in the position shown by Figure 1, but
when let out to a certain extent it will allow the rear end of the back fork to be
lowered more or less, thereby increasing the "rake" of the bicycle. When the
break chain or cord is fully released (as shown in Figure 2) or is accidentally
broken, the lower extremity of the back fork, which is provided with a more or
less pointed tooth or projection D, is brought by the weight of the rider down upon
the ground, and consequently acts as a most efficient and simple drag or trailing
break.
Figures 4 to 10 inclusive represent various details and complete views of our
improved antifriction bearing and axle box for the wheels of bicycles and such like
vehicles, as set forth under the second head of our Invention.
We make the axle box in two halves, A & B, with flanges a and b, and connect
the lower half to the top half by means of screws or bolts and nuts, so as to com-
pensate for wear of the rubbing parts of the bearing. Over the axle journal C
(Figure 9) there is slipped a loose fitting cylinder D (shown in separate detail at

page_text: Figures 6 and 7) composed, by preference, of antifriction or Babbit's metal, or of
gun metal, such cylinder having two or more series of slots or openings c, c, made
longitudinally therein, the openings of one series being opposite the spaces of the
other (see Figure 7) so as to break joint all round. Within each opening there is
placed loosely an antifriction roller d (shown detached at Figure 8), and the whole
is enclosed within the axle box, as in Figure 9. The rollers are thus kept separate,
and consequently all undue friction resulting from the rubbing of the rollers against
each other whilst revolving is obviated. By disposing the rollers in two or more
series, breaking joint with each other, the pressure of the axle journal C can never
come between any two of the rollers of the same series, and the action will conse-
quently be smoother. Moreover, with a view to avoiding any shaking that might
arise from the passage of the rollers d over the joints between the two halves of
the axle box, we break such joint by making each half somewhat in the form of a
comb (see e, Figure 5), and cause them to interlock, as shown at Figure 10, thereby
avoiding straight longitudinal junction surfaces, and allowing the antifriction rollers
to roll easily over the joints.
Figures 11 to 14 inclusive illustrate the mode of carrying out the third head
of our Invention.
On the inner circumference of the rims A of bicycle and other like wheels we
make oblong, narrow slots a (Figure 11) equal in width to the thickness of the
spokes, one slot for each spoke, the said slots terminating at each end in a circular
opening, one of which is larger than the other, as shown in the Drawing, whilst the
smaller one is countersunk on the outer surface of the rim next the rubber tyre B.
Upon each of the spokes C there is passed, before the usual countersunk head bis
made thereon, a loose sliding collar D (Figure 14), having a parallel stem or nipple
and an enlarged bevelled head, in the top of which is made a countersunk recess to
receive the corresponding head 6 on the outer end of the spoke. The inner ends of
the spokes may be fixed and tightened up in any well-known manner, as, for
example, by the usual screwed nipples and heads on the ends of the spokes. The
spokes are fixed into the rim A. by first passing the head b of the spoke with its
collar D through the larger openings in the rim, then moving the spoke laterally
along the slot a which is just wide enough to receive it until the stem or nipple
of the loose collar D comes over the smaller opening, the spoke is then drawn
inwards and the collar falls into the smaller opening, whilst the head of the spoke
takes its bearing in the countersunk recess in the enlarged head of the collar, as
shown clearly in Figure 13. In order to remove a spoke the operation is reversed,
the collar and spoke being raised and then moved laterally towards the larger end
of the slot, and drawn down along with the spoke from the inner side of the rim
through the larger opening. By this arrangement it is not necessary to reinove the
rubber tyre in order to remove and replace a damaged spoke.
Figure 15 represents our improved bicycle head which constitutes the fourth part
of our Invention, and Figures 16 to 19 inclusive are details thereof.
In carrying out this part of our improvements we cut a screw thread on the
rounded upper end of the head, or upper extremity of the front fork A, to receive
a circular lock nut B, and beyond this screwed portion we form a square projection
or a round boss C with key (Figure 17), which fits into a corresponding hole in the
centre of the boss D of the steering handles. Down the centre of the square or
round boss C there is screwed from above a hollow or female centre E (Figure 16),
for the reception of the male centre of the backbone. The top or head of this
female centre, and the exterior of the boss of the steering handles, with the outer
surface of the lock nut B, are, by preference, so shaped as to form a sphere or
portion of a sphere when the three parts are combined together and tightened up
by the lock nut, as shown in Figure 15, thus not only presenting a neater_
appearance but being less inconvenient to the rider from the fact of the usual pro-
jecting head of the top centre being dispensed with.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we would
E

page_text: observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
'"
First. The mounting the hind wheel of a bicycle in a lever arm, hinged to the
backbone and controlled by the break cord, for the purpose of varying the "rake
of the bicycle, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated at Figures 1,
2, and 3 of our Drawings.
Secondly. In combination with the arrangement referred to in the first claiming
clause we claim the extension or continuation of the back fork beyond the rim of
the hind wheel, so as when, lowered, to form a ground or drag break, substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, and 3 of our Drawings.
Thirdly. Mounting the antifriction rollers of bicycle bearings loosely in two or
more series of slots or openings in a loose metal ring or cylinder, one series with
its rollers breaking joint with the other series, substantially as and for the purpose
herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 6 and 7 of our Drawings.
Fourthly. Making the axle boxes of bicycle bearings in two halves, arranged so
as to interlock and break joint with each other, substantially as and for the
purpose herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 4, 5, 9, and 10 of our
Drawings.
Fifthly. The peculiar mode or method of fitting the spokes of bicycle wheels,
whereby they can be removed and replaced from the interior of the wheel without
removing the tyre, substantially as herein-before described, and illustrated at Figures
11, 12, 13, and 14, of our Drawings.
Sixthly. The peculiar construction and arrangement of the head of a bicycle,
as herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 15 to 19 of our Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Carter, for myself and on behalf of the
said Newton Wilson, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth
day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-eight.
:
Witness,
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
14, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
W.C.
· CHARLES CARTER. (L.S.)