them for various Furposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Mar., 1889
them for various Furposes.
1, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433 Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
In the specification of my application for Letters Patent, of date 14 June, 1887, and
numbered 8567; I described improvements relating to velocipedes and other vehicles
for military and other purposes. My present invention refers to additional means for
the carrying out of the above named objects.
At the present time the little that has been done to adapt velocipedes for military
purposes, has been in the direction of strengthening the parts of machines now
ordinarily in use, and appending to them attachments or receptacles for holding
weapons, clothing, and ammunition. A special machine has also been constructed in
which four wheeled sections have been connected together by joints in a centrally
disposed longitudinal frame or back bone; the width between the wheels being fixed,
and the length only being alterable.
By my invention I compound bicycles, or other machines of usual types, so that they
will stand in stable equilibrium by means of permanent or temporary attachments or .
couplings. This, in effect, converts the said machines into side frame machines; capable
of good speed and carrying power; adaptable for many purposes; and easily
re-converted (if required), into the original single machines of minimum width, so as
to be used in any locality.
For example, two or more coupling rods or bars are attached to any convenient
parts of the front and back of the frames of two safety bicycles. These couplers are
at right angles to the plane of the frames, and therefore serve to hold the machines
vertically, in stable equilibrium. The coupling bars may be of wood, metal, or any
suitable combination; they may be simple or compound in themselves, and with or
without springs; and either rigidly or pivotally secured to the machines, or to attach-
ments upon the machines. Either through the coupling bars, or the attachments on

page_text: the machines, or both; the steering wheels may be so connected with each other that
any movement of the steering handle or head, is communicated from one machine to
the other. The coupling rods, whether permanently fixed, or detachable,
may be jointed or connected so as to provide for uneveness in the road bed,
to avoid undue straining of the machines and connections. If the couplings
are pivotally connected to the frames, the machines are collapsible and
extensible in relation to each other, in the same manner as the frames shown and
described in my before named specification. By disconnecting the coupling bars, the
individual machines are as available for distinct use, and as convenient for rough
ground, narrow spaces, and other special use, as if they had never been connected;
while they may again be compounded in a few seconds.
The coupling bars may have one or more parts or attachments serving to carry
weapons, clothing, seats, stores, telegraph lines, or waterproof covering and supports
for the same; thus serving the saine purposes described in my before named
specification.
Special clips may be permanently attached to any convenient part of the machines
employed, to receive the ends of the coupling bars, or to carry them when not in use;
and also for flexible attachments to the coupling bars. It will be understood that any
kind of machines may be coupled in the manner indicated; the fittings, or position on
the frame, being adapted for the purpose in view; or that I may use only a single
coupling bar, instead of two or more, which is generally preferable. The invention is
especially adapted to compound the usual safety bicycles, and straight framed tandem
machines; which, alone, will not stand in stable equilibrium. It therefore affords a
ready means of adapting well known machines for military and other uses, either in a
permanent or temporary manner.
D
101
1 1005

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Velocipedes and in Compounding
them for Various Purposes.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 433, Strand, London, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer, 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 :-
In the specification to Letters Patent granted to me, bearing date 14 June 1887, and
numbered 8567, I described improvements relating to velocipedes and other vehicles
for military and other purposes. My present invention refers to additional means for
the carrying out of the objects therein indicated.
At the present time the little that has been done to adapt velocipedes for military
purposes has been in the direction of strengthening the parts of machines now
ordinarily in use and appending to them attachments or receptacles for holding
weapons, clothing and ammunition. A special machine has also been constructed in
which four wheeled sections have been connected together by joints in a centrally
disposed longitudinal frame or back bone the width between the wheels being fixed,
the length only of the machine being alterable.
:
By my invention, I compound safety bicycles, or other machines of the usual types
so that they will stand in stable equilibrium by means of permanent or temporary
attachments or couplings. This, in effect, converts the said machines into side frame
machines, capable of good speed and carrying power; adaptable for many purposes,
and easily reconverted (if required) into the original single machines of minimum width
so that they may be used in any locality.
For example, two or more coupling rods or bars are attached to any convenient part
or parts of the front and back of two safety bicycles. The coupling rods are at right
angles to the plane of the frame, and therefore serve to hold the machines vertically,
in stable equilibrium. The coupling rods may be of wood, metal, or of any suitable
combination thereof; they may be simple or compound in themselves, and with or
without springs; and either rigidly or pivotally secured to the machines, or to attach-
ments upon the machines. Either through the coupling rods, or the attachments upon
the machines, or both, the steering wheels may be so connected to each other that any
movement of the steering handle or head of one machine is communicated to the other.
The coupling rods, whether permanently fixed, or detachable, may be jointed or con-
nected so as to provide for a slight unevenness in the road bed, or in the dimensions of
the machines, to avoid undue straining of the same and their connections. If the
couplings are pivotally connected to the frames, the machines are collapsible and
extensible in relation to each other, in the same manner as the frames shown by Figs. 14
and 15 and described in my before named specification. By disconnecting the coupling
rods the individual machines are as available for distinct use, and as convenient
for rough ground, narrow spaces, and special use as if they had never been con-
nected; while they may again be compounded in a few seconds.

page_text: The coupling bars may have one or more parts or attachments serving to carry
weapons, clothing, seats, stores, telegraph lines, or water-proof covering and sup
ports for the same; thus serving the purpose described in my before named
specification.
Special clips may be permanently (or otherwise) attached to any convenient part of
the machines employed to receive the ends of the coupling rods, or to carry them when
not in use and also for flexible attachments to the coupling rods. It will be understood
that any kinds of machines may be coupled in the manner indicated, the fittings and
their position on the frames, or the ends of the couplers, being adapted for the purpose
in view. Also that machines may be compounded longitudinally as well as transversely;
but the invention is especially adapted to compound the usual safety bicycles, and
straight framed or two wheeled tandem machines, which alone will not stand in
stable equilibrium. It therefore affords a ready means of adapting well known
machines of the usual dwarf or safety types to military and other uses either in a
permanent or temporary manner.
In the accompanying drawings, a represents an attachment, b, the backbone or
other part of the frame of the machine to which the attachment a is secured, and c is
a coupling rod.
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan representing the usual type of rear driving
safety now in use, but with a slight change in the framing to adapt it for a fore and aft
coupling as well as transverse. The front attachment a is secured to the framing as
closely to the steering head as possible, while the back one is placed as much out of the
way of the rider's legs as possible. A good position for it is over the centre of the
back wheel when the frame is extended backward as shown, or on the back fork,
when it may serve as a step or close up under the seat so long as the coupling rod is
clear of the rider. The coupling bars are shown in this case as simple stay rods with
screwed ends and a nut on the same to secure the rods to the machine as shown on the
plan Fig. 2. The front coupling rod e may be a compound rod as explained hereafter
with a crank steering arm secured to the head as shown in Fig. 8. The front of this
crank arm (Fig. 8) having both a pin and hole would serve for longitudinal coupling
as well as for connecting the two steering heads transversely. The only object in view
in compounding machines longitudinally is to save room when a number of them are
on the road together and prevent straggling; thus serving military purposes.
Fig. 3 is an elevation, and Fig. 4 a plan which represents two tandem bicycles
coupled together; thus providing for four riders, with good weight carrying capacity.
In this case the steering heads are connected by a crank arm engaging with the inner
rod of a compound coupling bar, as shown more plainly and in detail by Figs. 8, 12,
13 and 14.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the "Facile" type of safety in which the front wheel is
driven, and Fig. 6 is a plan of the front coupling bar and steering connecting rod s.
Fig. 6 a is an elevation of the hack coupling rod. Thrown across the upper or front
coupling rod in Fig. 5 is a waterproof covering or hammock, as indicated by W, the
ends being secured to the lower coupling rode to which it may be strapped. This
would serve as a shelter tent for two men or a man or stores carried upon it, when in
motion. The sun and planet gearing to these machines would make them fast
machines; while for the chain driven machines, especially for the tandem,—it is
preferred to gear down the speed when adapted to carry much weight.
Fig. 7 is a sectional plan of a T shaped attachment a secured by its central stem to
the front position of the backbone b. The end of the coupling rod c is inserted in the
right top limb of a in which it is secured from pulling out by a spring catch a¹ engaging
in a recess formed in the end of the rod. The rod c is a compound rod, having a small
inner rod shown by dotted lines within the tubular rod c. The inner rod has a hole
at each end, exactly coinciding with a hole c' and of the same size, and this inner rod
(which is in two halves) is adapted to be used when required for connecting the
steering heads by the ends being placed on the pin of a crank arm attachment on the
steering head, such as is shown in Figs. 8 and 8. Each centre end of the small inner
rod is screwed, and a loose union screw to correspond may be carried to join the two

page_text: ends together, and to adapt the rod to the requisite length. This inner rod is also
adapted to be secured to a corresponding attachment fastened to a suitable part of the
back fork, such as that shown in Fig. 10.
It will be noticed that two coupling rods may be inserted at one time in the attach-
ment shown in Fig. 7 ; one on each side, so that it may serve to connect three machines
together at their front ends. Also, that the eye or hole c¹ is some distance from the
centre line of the backbone b. This distance is intended to correspond with the
distance from the centre of the back wheel to the pin on the back fork shown in
Fig. 10; so that two machines with these attachments and two of these compound rods
may be coupled together at the steering heads to work the same in unison, at their
front ends, and at the back, with a second small rod stowed away within the front
or back rod. The hole c¹ in the outer rod c is also adapted to fit the said outer rod
itself to be used on the pins of the steering head crank arms, and the back forks, a
suitable lengthening union or thimble being used in the former case. Conse-
quently, interchangeable dimensions being adopted, one rod carried on each machine
will enable two soldiers or two tourists similarly equipped to compound their machines
in a few seconds.
Figs. 8 and 8 represent a crank arm attachment secured to the steering portion
or head of the machine, and therefore partakes of the movement of the handles.
The front portion of the arm carries a hole, and a pin, each of the same size, so
that a connecting rod between the steering heads, whether provided with an eye or
a pin at each end, can be attached to this crank arm. The inner portion of the
arm is formed with a long slot, adapted to engage with the neck of a pin c²,
shown in the Figs. 12, 13, and 14. Fig. 9 is an attachment on the back fork of a
machine having an eye projecting outward adapted to receive a hook or pin ended
coupling rod. This attachment serves also as a step. Fig. 10 is a similar
attachment, but carrying a pin instead of an eye, and may be provided with a nut to
hold the back coupling rod on.
Fig. 12 is a side elevation and Fig. 13 is a plan view of an attachment a and
compound coupling bar c provided with an shaped end at each extremity. This
shaped end engages with the attachment a by means of a pin e³ (indicated by
dotted lines) and a spring bolt which locks into a recess in the attachment. By
pulling back the bolt the end of the rod is immediately released. Fig. 14 is an
end elevation of the same. This compound rode contains an inner rod having a
pin c² projecting upward at each end, exactly coinciding with the centres of each
imachine. A slot in the top allows the inner rod to play endway as the pin is
worked by the crank arm described under Fig. 8 and Fig. 8 and thus the steering
heads are connected. This compound rod alone, might be used to compound two
light rear driving bicycles together in case of emergency, but a second rol is desirable.
By unscrewing one of the pins c², the inner rod can be withdrawn, and the pins being
inserted in the corresponding holes in the crank arms and reattached to a small rod,
two steering heads are attached. A stiffening web w Fig. 13 is formed with a hole wi
to serve as a means for attaching articles to the rod.
Fig. 15, is a plan and Fig. 16 a section of a compound coupling rod, also carrying
(like the rods shown in Figs. 7, 12, 13 and 14) a small rod which can be
used for coupling together the steering heads, or used for the back coupling
rod. Fig. 17 is the central part of the rod shown by Figs. 15, and 16, and
indicates a right and left hand coupling nut used to lengthen and shorten the
main rod to suit the distance between two machines and their relative attachment.
Figs. 18 and 19 are details showing the front and steering attachments to machines
of the "Facile" type, and Figs. 20 and 21 are details of an attachment easily
secured to a suitable point of the backbone of such machines as are shown by
Figs. 1, 3, and 22.
It is to be understood that I restrict myself entirely to complete and independent
machines of the dwarf or safety type of bicycle for one or two riders of the kind now
in use as being the most suitable for my purpose. Furthermore, I do not desire to
make any claim to compounding specially made machines which require special parts

page_text: or arrangements to fit them for working in independently, such as the kind shown and
described in the Specification of Thomas Warwick, No. 12,507 dated 17th of September
1884. The machine therein shown requires a back wheel having a hollow axle, and a short
axle to be inserted therein when working independently, whereas the essential
feature of my invention is to compound any two machines of the types named-even
those by different makers-by two or more coupling rods, and to assist my purpose I
propose to make the connections interchangeable.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. A compound four wheeled velocipede, constructed by joining together two distinct
and complete safety bicycles, in a fixed parallel relation, by means of two or more
transverse coupling rods secured at the ends thereof to the framework of the said
bicycles; substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
2. A compound four wheeled velocipede, constructed by joining together two
distinct and complete tandem bicycles, in a fixed parallel relation, by means of
two or more transverse coupling rods secured at their ends to the framework of
the said bicycles; substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
3. An interchangeable coupling rod formed and adapted at each end for a transverse
rigid connection to a corresponding part of, or attachment upon, the framework of an
independent and complete safety or tandem bicycle for the purpose of keeping two of
the said bicycles in a fixed parallel relation to each other and in stable equilibrium
when at rest; substantially as described.
4. A compound coupling rod arranged and adapted for separate or combined uso,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. An attachment secured upon, or forming a part of, the framework or the steering
portion of a safety or tandem bicycle, and adapted to receive and hold one end of a
coupling rod for compounding purposes; substantially in the manner shown and
described.
6. A coupling rod for compounding safety or tandem bicycles having combined
therewith means for securing or carrying thereon clothing, weapons, or other
articles substantially as described.
7. The several forms and arrangements shown on the drawings, substantially as and.
for the purpose herein described.
Dated this 20th day of February 1889.