Improvements relating to Forks for Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1.94
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 15th Nov., 1895
Improvements relating to Forks for Bicycles and other
Velocipedes.
I, ETIENNE PLACIDE VERDOT, of 20 Rue Rennequin, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to forks for bicycles and other velocipedes.
Since the adoption of Humber frames and of ball bearings the front fork has
always remained. the same as at the time of bicycles having a straight body and
heads with a pivot.
As the whole strain due to trepidation is transmitted to the head of the fork it
happens that the latter frequently becomes bent and sometimes even broken, which
is the cause of various accidents.
For strengthening the fork I have constructed a device made of two or more ties
so as to form a series of triangles connected with each other, thereby entirely
obviating the deformation of the system.
In one arrangement the ordinary fork is retained, and a second' fork made from
a metallic tube is braced together with the steering rod by a tube placed in the
middle plane of the machine. A stay ensures the rigidity of the system.
The fork may be constituted by a number of similar tubes embracing the front
wheel. and. connected to the steering rod by the aid of two ties, the whole being
braced by short lengths of tube; the ties are fixed to a collar at the upper part of
the steering rod. In lieu of using the said lengths of tubes I may brace the system
above, the wheel by the aid of a plate having holes for the passage of the tubes
constituting the fork. This plate may also present a hole for the passage of the
brake rod.
The same strengthening device may be easily applied to existing forks, in which
case, two, tubes connect the lower extremity of the branches of the fork to the head
of the steering rod. These tubes may likewise be braced so as to divide the whole
into triangles.
In another arrangement two stirrups are united by the base for embracing the
axis of the front wheel, and they are connected above to the steering rod by the aid
of a tie and a stay.
I may also make the fork of two pairs of crossed rods the rigidity of which
is obtained by metallic rods acting by tension so as to prevent bending.
Dated thin 15th day of November 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, Loudon, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Forks for Bicycles and other
Velocipedes.
1, ETIENNE PLACIDE VERDOT, late of 20 Rue Rennequin, Paris, but now
of 45, Rue Langier, Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement, and
accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
The front forks of bicycles have not hitherto been constructed in such a way as
to assume the great rigidity and strength necessary to resist the effects caused by
the jars, vibration, inequalities of roads, and the like, to which they are subject.
The tendency of such effects is to bend the parts composing the fork, and the
object of my present invention is to neutralize them, and whilst making the separate
parts of as light section as possible, to give them such strength as to ensure then
against accidental breakage.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of my invention, and shews the
principle, as well as the different details of construction and arrangement which
prefer.
Figure 1 shews in side view a front fork complete, constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a back view of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is a plan of the most essential part of the apparatus.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 shew different methods which I prefer, of putting together
the separate parts.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is the tube or socket, forming part of the frame of
a bicycle or other velocipede, in which the spindle of the steering fork turns,
a ball bearing being arranged at its lower end above the socket P (Figure 6) of
the cross piece which receives and carries the arms and stays C, D, of the fork,
and the stays B which are connected at F to the upper part of the steering
spindle E.
As will be seen, the cross piece (Figures 1, 2, and 6) consists of sockets P, T, R, V,
which carry respectively the lower ball bearing already described, the upper
stays, B, and the lower stays C, D. These stays are pinned or brazed to the
sockets R, T, V, and the upper stays are connected to E, by means of the bolt F.
Flanges or stays S, S¹ strengthen and connect the four sockets of the crosspiece,
the socket P of which is also provided laterally with stays Q, connecting it with the
adjoining sockets.
In Figure 3 I have shewn a method of connecting the ends of the upper stays to
the piece E, which is provided with two ears H traversed by a bolt J which
connects and holds the sockets I which are screwed upon the upper ends of the
stays B.
This method of arrangement allows the ready adjustment of the stays and the
easy fitting of the bolt J.
The arrangement shewn in Figure 4 may also be used, to adjust the stays B, B,
to the exact length required. For this purpose the stays are made in two parts, L
and L', screwed at their ends with right and left handed threads respectively, and
connected together by a socket M by which they can be separated or drawn
together.
Figure 5 shews a method of connecting the upper stays C¹ to the crosspiece.
The sockets T just described are omitted, and ears T¹ are substituted, through
which pass the bolts J' by which the lower ends of the stays C' are attached
to them.
If desired, only one upper stay may be employed, or four may be used, the

page_text: number and position of the sockets on the cross piece being arranged to correspond,
and the method of attaching and connecting them, as well as the shape of the
crosspiece, may be varied more or less.
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. The front fork consisting of a crosspiece receiving tubes which form the fork
itself and strengthened by stay tubes fixed at one end to a crosspiece, and at the
other to the upper part of the steering spindle.
2. In a fork constructed as described in Claim 1, the crosspiece strengthened and
stiffened to receive the different parts forming the fork.
3. In a fork constructed as described in Claim 1, the method of connecting the
upper stays, by means of screwed sockets, at their ends, by which they can be
adjusted.
4. In a fork constructed according to Claim 1, the method of making the stays
in two pieces, having right and left-handed screws respectively connected by
a corresponding nut, to allow their exact adjustment, in length, and to enable them
to be readily put together.
5. In a fork constructed according to Claim 1, the method of connecting the
upper stays and the crosspiece, by means of ears and bolts;-all substantially as
described and illustrated.
This 7th day of At 1005
EDWARDS & Co.,
65 and 66, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.