Improvements in Tandem Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 30th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1395
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tandem Bicycles.
We, FREDERICK JOHN OSMOND, of Ravenswood, Chantry Road Moseley in
the County of Worcester, Mechanical Engineer, and JOHN VERNON PUGH, of
Whitworth Works, Rea Street South, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
Our invention has reference to tandem bicycles in which the steering of the
bicycle is effected or assisted by the rear rider and consists of the improvements
hereinafter described in the said tandem bicycles.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we remark that tandem
bicycles of the ordinary construction, in which the steering is effected or assisted
by the rear rider, have an independent steering socket and post for the rear rider
situated immediately behind the seat pillar of the front rider one of the ends of the
rear handle bar being connected to the end of the front handle bar by a connecting
rod. The disadvantages attending the use of this arrangement are, that in steering
the rod connecting the rear handle bar to the front handle bar frequently comes in
contact with the dress of the front rider, especially when the front seat is occupied
by a lady; and further the said rod offers an obstruction to the front rider seating
himself on his seat.
In another form of tandem bicycle the inconveniences described are remedied
but by a method of construction which diminishes materially the rigidity of the
steering mechanism.
In order to obviate the disadvantages and inconveniences attending the ordinary
tandem bicycles as well as to simplify the construction and to give additional
rigidity to the steering mechanism we construct and arrange the parts of the said
bicycles in the following manner.
In addition to making the front rearwardly inclined tube of the bicycle frame
into a steering socket as usual, we make the second rearwardly inclined tube of the
frame into a steering socket for the second or rear steering handle post. The said rear
steering socket has at opposite sides near its lower end openings from and in which
a short crossing arm connected to the lower end of the rear steering post projects
and works. The outer ends of the said short crossing arm are connected by means
of parallel rods with the blades of the fork of the front or steering wheel preferably
at or near the crown of the said fork. We connect the saddle or seat for the front
rider to the rear steering socket by means of an arm or bracket attached to the said
rear steering socket by means of an adjustable clip.
Or instead of the arm or bracket and clip described for the front saddle the stay
rod or tube of the frame connecting the part of the framing carrying the rear bottom
or bearing bracket to the head of the rear steering socket may cross the said rear
steering socket near its top and terminate in an eye through which the, L pin for
the front saddle,passes.
Dated this 2nd day of May 189.1
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: We FREDERICK JOHN OSMOND of Ravenswood, Chantry Road, Moseley in
the County of Worcester Mechanical Engineer and JOHN VERNON PUGH of
Whitworth Works, Kea Street South, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Our invention has reference to tandem bicycles in which the steering of the
bicycle is effected or assisted by the rear rider and consists of the improvements
hereinafter described in the said tandem bicycles.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we remark that tandem
bicycles of the ordinary construction, in which the steering is effected or assisted
by the rear rider, have an independent steering socket and post for the rear rider
situated immediately behind the seat pillar of the front rider, one of the ends of the
rear handle bar being connected to the end of the front handle bar by a connecting
rod. The disadvantages attending the use of this arrangement are, that in steering,
the red connecting the rear handle bar to the front handle bar frequently comes in
contact with the dress of the front rider especially when the front seat is occupied
by a lady, and further the said rod offers an obstruction to the front rider seating
himself on his seat.
In another form of tandem bicycle the inconveniences described are remedied
but by a method of construction which diminishes materially the rigidity of the
steering mechanism.
In order to obviate the disadvantages and inconveniences attending the ordinary
tandem bicycles as well as to simplify the construction and to give additional
rigidity to the steering mechanism we construct and arrange the parts of the said
bicycles in the following manner.
In addition to making the front rearwardly inclined tube of the bicycle frame
into a steering socket as usual, we make the second rearwardly inclined tube of the
frame into a steering socket for the second or rear steering handle post. The said rear
steering socket has at opposite sides near its lower end openings from and in which
a short crossing arm connected to the lower end of the rear steering post projects
and works. The outer ends of the said short crossing arm are connected by means
of parallel rods with the blades of the fork of the front or steering wheel preferably
at or near the crown of the said fork. We connect the saddle or seat for the front
rider to the rear steering socket by means of an arm or bracket attached to the said
rear steering socket by means of an adjustable clip.
Or instead of the arm or bracket and clip described for the front saddle, the stay
rod or tube of the frame connecting the part of the framing carrying the rear bottom
or bearing bracket to the head of the rear steering socket may cross the said rear
steering socket near its top and terminate in an eye through which the pin for
the front saddle passes.
Figure 1. of the accompanying drawings represents in elevation a tandem bicycle
containing our improvements;
Figures 2. and 3. represent respectively in elevation and plan a portion of the
same drawn to a larger scale ;
Figures 4. 5. and 6 represent modifications hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawings.
a. is the front steering socket in which the post of the front steering handle 6 works
in the ordinary way: c. is the second or rearwardly inclined tube of the bicycle

page_text: trame constituting the rear steering socket for the post of the rear steering
handle d. to work in. The rear steering mechanism is geared or connected to the
front steering mechanism in the manner hereinafter described. The bracket or
arm e. for the front saddle p. is fixed to the head of the rear steering socket c.
by the clip by which arrangement an independent seat post for the front rider is
dispensed with.
The steering post of the handle d. has at or near its bottom the crossing arm g
the branches of which project on either side of the bicycle through holes c, ³,
near the bottom of the steering socket c.
The ends of the crossing arm g are connected to the crown of the fork of the
front or steering wheel . of the bicycle by means of parallel rods h. h. By the
turning of the rear steering handle in one or other direction the crossing arm g.
at the bottom of the rear steering post is turned and one or other of the parallel
rods h. h. is urged forward and effects the turning of the steering wheel k. in the
direction of the rear handle d. as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. Thus, the
steering of the bicycle is under the control of the rear rider and may be effected by
him independently of the front rider. Or the front rider may be assisted in the
steering by the rear rider.
We prefer to form the junction of the parallel rods h. h. with the ends of the
crossing arm g. and with the crown i. of the fork of the front or steering wheel k.
by means of ball and socket joints as represented but we do not limit ourselves to
that arrangement as knuckle or other like joints may be substituted for the ball and
socket joints shown.
Instead of connecting the bracket e. for the front saddle to the rear steering
socket c. the stay rod or tube 1. of the frame may cross the rear steering socket c.
near its top as represented in the modification Figure 4, the top horizontal stay rod
or tube m of the frame also crossing the head of the steering socket c. and forming
with the end of the stay rod or tube 1. a support for the eye or clip . for the L pin
of the front saddle.
Where the steering is to be effected by the rear rider alone, the front steering
handle and socket may be dispensed with. In this case we provide a fixed pair of
handles for the front rider in the manner represented in elevation and plan
respectively in Figures 5. and 6. The said fixed pair of handles are marked r. r.
By the arrangement represented the front handle bar is connected rigidly, by the
supplementary clips on the seat bracket clip f. to the rear steering socket c.
In other respects the arrangement differs in no essential respect from that
represented in Figure 1.
r
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that we claim
as our invention of "Improvements in tandem bicycles
First. Making the second rearwardly inclined tube of the frames of tandem
bicycles into a steering socket for the handle of the rear rider and connecting or
gearing the rear steering mechanism to the front steering mechanism by means of
a crossing arm on the rear steering post and parallel rods jointed to the fork of
the front wheel, whereby the steering of the bicycle may be effected by or assisted
by the rear rider substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Secondly. Connecting the saddle for the front rider to the rear steering socket
substantially in the manner herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1. 5.
and 6. of the accompanying drawings.
Thirdly. The modified construction of the frame described and illustrated with
reference to Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings; that is to say, making the
inclined stay rod or tube, connecting the rear bottom bracket with the upper part
of the rear steering post, cross the said steering post and form with the end of the
top horizontal rod or tube of the frame a support for an eye or clip for the L pin
of the front saddle substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.

page_text: Fourthly. The modified arrangement described and represented in Figures 5..
and 6. of the accompanying drawings in which the steering is effected by the rear
rider alone the handles for the front rider being rigidly fixed to the rear steering
.socket substantially in the way herein before described and illustrated.
Dated the Twenty-fourth day of January 1895.
FREDERICK JOHN OSMOND.
JONN VERNON PUGH.