IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I FREDERICK WARNER JONES of No. 3, Bury Place Bloomsbury, in the county
of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES" to be as follows:-
"
The object of my invention is the application to bicycles of a "swing frame"
which I have so successfully applied to tricycles. The object of a "swing frame'
is to enable the rider to shift his centre of gravity so that he may get directly over
his work and be in the best position to utilize his weight and strength to propel
the machine.
The swing frame can be applied to any form of bicycle whether steering with
the rear or the front wheel; but the one that I prefer to adapt it to, is one in
which the steering wheel is placed in front of the driving wheel, and I will there-
fore describe it as fitted to this type of machine.
I construct the machine as follows:-The bearings of the driving wheel are
mounted on a horizontal fork running forward to carry the socket in which the
fork carrying the steering wheel turns. A light vertical fork runs from near the
bearings of the driving wheel, over it, and being raked slightly forward is connected
with the socket at the end of the horizontal fork by a light tube. The stem of the
fork carrying the steering wheel is continued up through this tube and terminates
in a transverse handle bar by which the steering wheel is controlled. On the axle
of the driving wheel or preferably on the bearing case of the axle, so as to avoid
friction with the axle, is mounted the swing frame which consists of a fork pivotted
at the centre of the driving wheel as before described. On the top of the fork is
fitted any suitable spring and saddle; the ends of the fork are continued below the
centre of the driving wheel and are carried slightly forward. On the ends of the
fork on each side of the wheel are long bearings carrying short axles, on the inner
ends of which are keyed chain wheels and on the outer ends cranks, which are
fitted with pedals of the usual kind. Chain wheels are fixed on the axle of the
driving wheel on each side of it and are connected to the wheels on the pedal axles
by endless chains.
To the top of the fork forming the swing frame is attached a segmental rack
which slides through a recess in the top of the vertical fork forming the framework
of the machine. In this recess is mounted a tooth or pawl controlled from the

page_text: steering handle so that it can be engaged or released from the segmental rack at
the will of the rider. When the rider desires to change his centre of gravity he
first releases the tooth or pawl locking the segmental rack, which allows the frame
carrying the saddle and pedals to swing free, and then by inclining his body
either backwards or forwards he brings himself and also the swing frame into the
desired position, he then allows the locking tooth or pawl to engage with the
segmental rack and so fixes the swing frame in its altered position.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71, & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
1

page_text: I FREDERICK WARNER JONES of No 3 Bury Place, Bloomsbury in the county of
Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is the application to bicycles of a "swing frame"
which I have so successfully applied to tricycles. The object of a "swing frame "
is to enable the rider to shift his centre of gravity so that he may get directly over
his work and be in the best position to utilize his weight and strength to propel
the machine.
The "swing frame" can be applied to any form of Bicycle whether steering with
the rear or the front wheel but the one I prefer to adopt it to is one in which the
steering wheel is placed in front of the driving wheel and I will therefore describe
it as applied to this type of machine. I construct the machine as follows.-The
bearings of the driving wheel are mounted on an horizontal fork running forward
to carry the socket in which the fork carrying the steering wheel turns.
A light.
vertical fork runs from near the bearings of the driving wheel, over it, and being
raked slightly forward, is connected by a light tube with a tube or socket running
vertically from the horizontal fork. The steering rod passes down through the
vertical tube and is connected to the fork carrying the steering wheel by suitable
levers and connecting links. The steering rod terminates in a transverse handle
bar by which the steering wheel is controlled. On the axle of the driving wheel,
or preferably on the bearing case of the axle so as to avoid friction with the axle,
is mounted the swing frame which consists of a fork pivotted at the centre of the
driving wheel as before described. On the top of the fork is fitted the seat or
saddle for the rider, the ends of the fork are continued below the centre of the
wheel and are carried slightly forward. On the ends of the fork on each side of
the wheel are long bearings carrying short axles, on the inner ends of which are
keyed chain wheels and on the outer ends cranks, which are fitted with pedals of
the usual kind. Chain wheels are fixed on the axle of the driving wheel on each
side of it and are connected to the wheels on the pedal axles by endless chains.
To the fork carrying, the swing frame is attached a segmental rack which slides
through a recess in the top of the vertical fork forming the framework of the
machine. In this recess is mounted a tooth or pawl controlled from the steering
handle so that it can be engaged or released from the segmental rack at the will of
the rider. When the rider desires to change his position he first released the tooth
or pawl locking the segmental rack, which allows the frame carrying the saddle and
pedals to swing free and then by inclining his body either backwards or forwards
he brings himself and also the swing frame into the desired position; he then
allows the locking tooth or pawl to engage with the segmental rack and so fixes
the swing frame in its altered position.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will more fully describe it
making reference to the accompanying drawings on which similar parts are marked
with like letters of reference.

page_text: Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 is a plan of a bicycle fitted with the swing
frame. Fig. 3. is an outline elevation of the machine showing the position of
the swing frame on a level road, and Fig. 4 showing its position on an ascending
gradient.
The driving wheel A is mounted in a frame B consisting of a horizontal fork b
running forward to carry the socket or head in which the fork b¹ carrying the
steering wheel C turns. A light vertical fork 62 runs from the horizontal fork 6 in
close proximity to the bearing over the driving wheel, and being raked forward is
connected with a tube or socket b³ running vertically from the horizontal fork b,
and serves to stay the parts of the frame together. The steering rod D passes
down through the tube or socket b³ and is connected to the fork & carrying the
steering wheel by levers c c etc. and connecting links or rods c¹. cl. The steering
rod D carries a transverse handle bar E at the top of the socket 63 by which the
steering is controlled, On the axle a of the driving wheel or its equivalent, or as
near to the centre of the axle as possible, is pivotted an auxiliary frame F. free to
swing from the point on which it is pivotted. This swing frame consists of a fork.
pivotted as described; on the top of the fork is mounted the seat or saddle G for
the rider. The ends of the fork are prolonged below the axle of the driving wheel
and are raked slightly forwards. On the ends of the fork are mounted bearings f
carrying short axles f'f' on which are mounted chain wheels and cranks carrying
pedals H. Hall of the usual type and construction. The chain wheels on the
pedal axles are connected with similar chain wheels on the driving wheel, or axle
thereof, by endless chains. To the top of the fork f is attached a segmental rack f²
which slides through a recess in the top of the vertical fork b². In this recess is
mounted a pawl f³ controlled from the transverse steering handle by any suitable
means so that it can be released from the rack when it is desired to shift the
position of the swing frame.
This swing frame may be fitted to any type of bicycle though the details of its
construction may required to be varied to suit the different types.
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
.
First. The application to a bicycle of a swing frame as and for the purpose
herein before described and shown.
Secondly. A bicycle constructed with a swing frame carrying the seat or saddle
and the pedal crank axle, either in combination or separately, pivotted on the axle
of the driving wheel, or as near therto on the main frame of the machine as
possible, so that by a movement of the controlling mechanism the position of the
seat or saddle and pedals either together or separately may be varied as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
Thirdly. In a bicycle the combination of the frame B carrying the driving
wheel A and the steering wheel C, and the swing frame F carrying the seat G and
the pedals H. H, all combined arranged and operating as hereinbefore described and
shown.