IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1885

page_text: We FRANK JONES of 15 Albion Street Mechanic and THOMAS READING of
5 Crow Lane Mechanic both of Coventry in the County of Warwick do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES" to
be as follows, that is to say :-
Our
This invention has for its object improvements in velocipedes by which we
obtain much greater security against accident and we also protect tyres against
rapid wear or being destroyed by large stones or other large impediments.
invention is applicable to either Bicycles Tricycles or the leading wheels of any
road machine which is liable to be injured by obstacles lying on the roadway but
it is specially applicable to the new small safety Bicycles. We will explain an
arrangement suitable for a Bicycle.
From the centre of the leading wheel and on each side we carry down to the
front a radial rod or rods which unite in a junction beyond the tyre of the wheel
and when necessary we also carry a connecting or stiffening rod around the upper
portion of the tyre to the head of the machine. At the lower part or junction of
these rods we hinge an arm which will turn upon its hinge upwards but is limited
downwards and the action of this arm is controlled by a suitable spring which
holds its point at a suitable distance from the ground The point is further fitted
with two rubber or other rollers which together form a V or nose. The object of
this arrangement is to remove from before the track of the wheel or wheels any
loose obstacles of considerable size which would cut or destroy the tyre but should
the guard come in contact with a natural eminence on the road the hinge permits
the arm to pass over by turning upwards upon the before mentioned hinge.
Dated this 31st day of March 700-
JOHN
KENDRICK,
Agent for the Applicant,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.

page_text: Improvements in Velocipedes.
We FRANK JONES of 15 Albion Street Mechanic and THOMAS READING of
5 Crow Lane Mechanic both of Coventry in the County of Warwick do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES” and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object improvements in velocipedes by which we
obtain much greater security against accident and we also protect the tyres against
rapid wear or being destroyed.
Our invention is applicable to either Bicycles Tricycles or the leading wheels of
any road machine which is liable to be injured by obstacles lying on the roadway
but it is specially applicable to the new small Safety Bicycles. We will explain
an arrangement suitable for a Bicycle.
From the centre of the leading wheel and on each side we carry down to the
front a radial rod or rods which unite in a junction beyond the tyre of the wheel
and where necessary we also carry a connecting or stiffening rod around the upper
portion of the tyre to the head of the machine.
At the lower part or junction of these rods we hinge an arm which will turn
upon its hinge upwards but is limited downwards and the action of this arm is
controlled by a suitable spring which holds its point at a suitable distance from
the ground. The point is further fitted with two rubber or other rollers which
together form a V or nose.
The object of this arrangement is to remove from before the track of the wheel
or wheels any loose obstacle of considerable size which would cut or destroy the
tyre but should the guard come in contact with a natural eminence on the road
the hinge permits the arm to pass over by turning upwards upon the before
mentioned hinge.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect, we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which
is shown the adaption of our invention to a Safety Bicycle which will be quite
sufficient to explain its application to the wheel or wheels of any other velocipede.
Figure 1. is a part side diagram elevation of a Safety Bicycle fitted with our
device.
Figure 2. is a plan of the Figure 1. The front part of the wheel is shown
brocken away so that a full plan of our arrangement may be better seen.
The two radial rods A and A¹ are carried down from the centre or other part of
the machine and are made practically one with the jaw or part B to which the
arm E is hinged at c in such a manner that it will turn up as shown by the dotted
lines but is held in its normal position by the spring or springs d.
The friction wheel, wheels or roller F is hung in the arm E in such a manner as
to always be above level ground by say about one quarter of an inch. The point K
of the arm is a little higher still from the ground and may be bevelled off
or rounded on each side as shown as it is for the purpose of removing from the
road any obstacle which would interfere with the even running or steering of the

page_text: machine. If however the obstacle be a fast one such as a high part of the road
the wheel F comes in contact with it and lifts the arm on the hinge c thus going
entirely over but generally the point K would do the work in regard to small
stones which interfere so much with even steering. The point is made of rubber
or other similar substance and may be renewed at any time and the wheel F is
also covered with rubber or other soft material but it would do very well of solid
metal. The parts may be made of any kind of metal or metals or other suitable
substance or substances and the design may be considerably varied.
The rods A may be stiffened by the supplimental ones M or one may be carried
from the base of the handle around the periphery of the wheel to serve the same
purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
The improvements in velocipedes of the device attached to the front of the wheel
or wheels thereof for the removal of obstacles from the track of such vehicles
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.