Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 25th July, 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Aug.. 1888
I, GEORGE SINGER, of Alma Street, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Cycle
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
My invention relates to improvements in volocipedes and is especially applicable to
forms or types of tricycles similar to the so called "Singer's Straight Steerer."
Heretofore it has been found advisable in order to resist the strain that can be
brought to bear upon the various parts by strong men, to employ an approximately
horizontal" stay or support between the steering socket tube, and the tube supporting
the saddle over main axle.
23
The stay referred to however effectually prevents the tricycle when so fitted being
used by a lady, and manufacturers have had to either make two distinct patterns or
have failed to secure as rigid a machine as might be wished for, when ridden by a
gentleman. Now according to my invention and in order to overcome this difficulty
and to make the same tricycle capable of being ridden by either sex under equally
favourable circumstances, I employ a movable "stay," one end of which is hinged to
the upper part of steering socket tube. If the tricycle be required for gentleman's
use, the other end of stay is bolted to the lug carrying the saddle support, and the
extreme points of the machine are thus firmly braced together.
21
When the tricycle is used by a lady, the rear end of the " stay is detached and
lowered to the tube connecting the steering socket with the main down tube, and
there fixed to a lug provided for it. Ample room is thus left for a lady's dress, while
the angle of frame, formed by steering socket and connecting tubes, is well braced, and
sufficient rigidity is retained.
To alter the position of the "stay" it is only necessary to remove one bolt so that
tricycles constructed according to my present invention are practically convertible
for lady or gentleman riders within a few seconds and with the greatest facility. The
brake or brakes is or are formed by a combination of band brako applied to the
driving wheels, in connection with a "spoon" brake on the front or steering wheel.

page_text: It is obvious that this connection may be effected in various ways, but I have
advantageonsly employed a system of bell cranks, or levers, so arranged that an
excess of power applied to either brake is automatically and immediately distributed
between the two brakes. The connections from the respective brakes are conveyed to
the handle bar and there acted upon by a single hand lever.
By these means the safe and effective stoppage of the whole machine is effected
while entirely avoiding the prevalent and dangerous parting-strains that necessarily
exist when one portion of the machine only is braked at a high speed.
Datod this 5th day of November 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, GEORGE SINGER of Alma Street, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Cycle
Manufacturer 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:-
"
My invention relates to improvements in velocipedes and is especially applicable
to forms or types of tricycles similar to the so called "Singers Straight Steerer."
Heretofore it has been found advisable in order to resist the strain that can be
brought to bear upon the various parts of a velocipede by strong men, to employ an
approximately horizontal "stay or support between the steering socket tube and the
tube supporting the saddle over the main axle. The stay referred to however effectually
prevents the tricycle or other velocipede when so fitted being used by a lady, and
inanufacturers have had to either make two distinct patterns, or have failed to securo
as rigid a machine as might be wished for, when ridden by a gentleman.
Now according to my invention and in order to overcome this difficulty and to
make the same tricycle or other velocipede capable of being ridden by either sex
under equally favourable circumstances, I employ a movable "stay," one end of
which is hinged to the upper part of steering socket tube. If the tricycle be required
for gentleman's use, the other end of stay is bolted to the lug carrying the saddle
support, while if for a lady's use the stay is lowered and bolted to the tube
connecting the steering socket with the main down tube.
To effect the safe and effective stoppage of the whole machine, and at the same time
to still further avoid the prevalent and dangerous parting strains which ordinarily
occur in such machines, the brake or brakes is or are according to my invention formed
by a combination of band brake applied to the axle of the driving wheel or wheels in
connection with a * spoon" brake on the front or steering wheel.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect
I will further describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings which
illustrate at Figure 1 Sheet 1 a side elevation of a velocipede constructed and fitted
according to my invention, Figure 2 being an enlarged view of the side reverse to
Figure 1 shewing the brake arrangement, the said machine being intended to represent
a well known type of front steering tricycle to which the invention is shewn fitted,
although I would have it understood that the invention is applicable with equal facility
and effectiveness to numerous other types of velocipedes or cycles.
Referring to the drawing, A is the movable stay rod hinged at A¹ to the upper
part of the steering socket tube B, the other end of the said stay rod A being bolted
to the lug C carrying the saddle support. The joints at A and C are formed by the
stay rod A being forked and fitting over projecting lugs on the parts to which it is
attached by bolts but this form of joint is not absolutely essential but may be varied
according to requirements; the extreme points of the machine are thus firmly braced
and held together...

page_text: When the velocipede is used by a lady, the rear end of the stay A is detached
at C and lowered to the tube D connecting the steering socket B with the main
down tube E, and there fixed to a lug F provided for it. Ample room is thus left for
a lady's dress, while the angle of the frame, formed by steering socket and connecting
tubes, is well braced, and sufficient rigidity is retained.
To alter the position of tho stay it is only necessary when constructed with such a
joint as before mentioned, to remove one bolt so that tricycles or other velocipedes
constructed according to my present invention are practically convertible for lady or
gentleman riders within a few seconds and with the greatest facility.
The brake arrangements shown enlarged and detached at Figure 2, consist as
aforesaid of a band brake and drum G G acting on the driving wheel or wheels H
combined with a spoon brake I acting on the front wheel and according to my
invention an excess of power applied to the brake handle is automatically distributed
in pre-arranged proportion between the two brakes.
The ordinary and well known hand lever J actuates a threo armod lever K, see
Figure 2, one arm of which acts on a rod L which is adjustablo in length and is in
connection with the spoon brake I on the front or steering wheel; the other arm of
the lever K actuates a rod M the lower end of which is jointed to a trunnion on a
kind of bell crank or two armed lever M₁ which trunnion is free to turn in the
opposite plane to the joint and thus allows of the head of the machine being turned,
and the rod M is also made adjustable in length. The other arm of the lever Mi
acts through rod N, and lever P on rod R which is fixed to the end of the brake strap G.
and is provided with a spring to hold the brake off the drum G¹.
By altering the relative lengths of the rods L and M which are made so as to bo
easily adjustable the action of the brakes in relation to each other may be varied to
suit requirements, for example the front spoon brake I may be caused to act on the
front or steering wheel before the band G takes effect on the drum G' of the driving
wheel or wheels and the said brake G may be brought into effective action by any
further pressure being exerted on the brake operating handle, or if desired this action
of the brakes may be reversed and the driving wheel brakes may be caused to take
effect first and be followed by the front or steering wheel brake.
It is obvious that this connection between the brakes may be effected in various
ways, but I have advantageously employed this described series of bell cranks, rods,
and levers, and this arrangement I have therefore shewn in the accompanying drawings,
and by the arrangement and combination of the brakes constructed according to my
invention and as herein before described I am enabled to effect a safer and more
effective stoppage or decrease in the velocity of travel of the whole machine than
heretofore, and at the same time to lessen or avoid the objectionable and dangerous
parting strains which necessarily exist when only one portion of the machine is braked
at a high speed, and the addition of the front brake also effectually prevents the cycle
from running back on a steep hill, the band brake only acting fully when the cycle is
travelling forwards.
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 :-
1. In velocipedes, the movablo stay rod or bar A situated between the steering tube
socket or head of the machine and the rear portion of the frame all so constructed and
arranged as to enable the said rod to be displaced or removed therefrom and thereby
enable the same machine to be used for either a lady or gentleman rider as set
forth.
2. In velocipedes the stay rod or bar A jointed at the steering tube socket or head
of the machine in such manner that it may when desired be turned down and secured
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In velocipedes, the arrangement and combination of brake mechanism for steering
wheel, and driving wheel or wheols, whereby by means of a single operating lever

page_text: both the steering and driving wheels may be braked in such manner that an excessive
pressure on one of the brakes will cause the other brake to come into action as set
forth.
4. In velocipedes, the mechanism for actuating the combination of brakes for
steering and driving wheel or wheels, essentially consisting of hand lever J, lever K,
rod L, brake I, rod M, lever M', rod N, lover P, rod R and brake G, G¹ all constructed
and acting substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
5. In velocipedes, the movable or swinging stay rod or bar A in combination with
the combined steering and driving wheel brakes all substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth together with any mere modification or modifications
thereof.