Improvements in or connected with Bicycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bicycles.
I, FRANK HULME, of Woodlands Park, Altrincham, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates chiefly to the arrangement or construction of the frame
consequent on which the cycle is arranged with the steering post of the frame
vertical or inclined towards the steering wheel and in a position between the front
and back wheels.
I construct a central frame with a vertical or inclined steering post at one
end and stays and forks of usual construction at the other end to carry or support
the driving wheel. The other wheel is supported in a triangular or other suitably
shaped frame with forks and stays one member of which rotates within or without
the steering post.
A suitable form of frame is constructed in the form of two triangles in the
centre and triangular frames back and front to support the wheels.
In another form the central part of the frame is triangular with the apex at
the top to which point the outer triangular frames carrying the wheels also
converge.
For lady's use the frame is constructed with a curved or U-shaped tube substi-
tuted for the top stay with a stay or strut to the bottom bracket and bottom
horizontal tubes. The U tube is connected at one end to the steering post and at
the other end forms a seat post to which are connected the wheel stays.
In another form the inner members of the frame are straight and comprise three
pieces jointed together with a strut from each corner to the bottom bracket and
to the bottom of the steering post.
The saddle pillar may be affixed to either of the upright posts according to
whether the steering wheel is at the front or back.
The handle bar can be clamped direct to the triangular frame that carries the
steering wheel.
When the steering wheel is at the back the handle bar can be pivoted to an
adjustable upright post fitted with ball bearings and adjusting cones and con-
nected to the triangular frame that carries the steering wheel by an adjustable
rod or rods.
The member from the bottom bracket that carries the seat can be vertical or
inclined in either direction as may be found convenient or desirable.
The connecting rod between the handle bar and the steering post may be
attached at their respective ends in any convenient manner. A clip or handle bar
with swivelling or universal joint and a corresponding clip attached to the wheel
frame may be used or instead of movable or adjustable clips lugs or projections
affixed thereto may be employed.
Dated this 8th day of October 1906
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.

page_text: I, FRANK HULME, of Woodlands Park, Altrincham, in the County of Chester,
Mechanical Engineer, 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:---
This invention relates to the type or construction of frame in which the steering
post is arranged between the two wheels, with a triangular frame to carry the
steering wheel.
My invention consists essentially in constructing the frame with an inner or
central part, approximating to the form of two triangles, at one end of which is
a triangular, forked or double frame to carry the driving wheel, and at the other
end, the steering post, around which rotates one member of another triangular
cr other double or forked frame for the steering wheel.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which, as examples, are illustrated several forms which the invention
may assume.
Referring to Fig. 1.
The central part of the frame in the form of the two triangles, A B C and
A B D the side A B being common to the two, and forming a central cross strut
for strengthening and giving rigidity to the frame.
At one end of the central part of the frame so composed, is the steering bar G,
forming one member of the triangle A B C, and at the other end of this central
part of the frame, is a triangular, forked or double frame DE B the
member D B of which is also comprised as a member of the triangle A B D.
The double or forked triangular part of the frame carries the driving wheel K
which is journalled in the usual way.
The steering wheel H is carried in the double triangular frame A F C which
swivels upon the steering post G.
In Fig. 1. the frame is shown constructed in the form I at present prefer, the
steering post G being inclined slightly to the vertical.
In Fig. 2. the steering post G is also inclined, but the forked frame for the
steering wheel H extends both above and below the longitudinal member of the
central part of the frame.
In Fig. 3. the steering post G is vertical, the double forked frame for the wheel H
extending to the top and bottom ends corresponding with Fig. 2.
In Fig. 4 the steering post G is also vertical, the forked frame for the wheel H
connecting with the steering post G inside the longitudinal member of the frame.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view, showing the form of brackets I prefer for
constructing my improved frame.
I
In Fig. G is shown a modified form of frame, in which the central part is tri-
angular, comprising the triangle L M N with the apex L at the top to which the
outer double triangular frames L E N and L M which carry the wheels, also
converge. The saddle pillar P is fitted into the top bracket at L of the frame that
carries the driving wheel K and the handle bar R is aflixed to the 'steering post G
of the other frame and carried up to the desired height.
In Fig. 7 is shown a construction of framic suitable for ladies' use constructed
with a curved or U shaped tube S substituted for the top stay, and a stay or
strut to the bottom bracket and bottom 'horizontal tube. The U tube .S. is con-
nected at one end to the steering post G and at the other end form's a seat post G¹

page_text: to carry the seat pillar g', the stays for the driving wheel K being attached to the
end of the U tube. In this case the steering post G is shown vertical.
In Fig. 8 a similar construction of frame is shown with the steering post G
inclined.
In Fig. 9 another form of frame for ladies' use is shown, the inner members
of the frame are straight instead of curved, and comprise three pieces V VI and v
jointed together by suitably shaped brackets with struts from the angles or
corners to the bottom bracket and to the bracket at foot of the steering post G
respectively. In this fig. the steering post G is vertical.
In Fig. 10 a similar combination of frame to the last is shown with the steering
post G inclined.
In the preceding drawings the driving wheel K has been shown arranged at the
back and the steering wheel H in front, but by arranging the position of the seat
pillar and the handle bar R, either wheel may be placed at the back or front.
In Fig. 11 is shown the arrangement for placing the driving wheel K to the
front, and the steering wheel H at the pack. The handle bar R is pivoted to an
adjustable upright post R fitted with ball bearings and adjustable cones r and is
connected to the triangular frame of the steering wheel H by the connecting rod
or rods. On the handle bar R are affixed the clamps T to which the rods are
connected by the bolt t and stud and on the steering post G is affixed the
clamp T to which the other ends of the connecting rod or rods t are attached.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improvements in the frames of bicycles substantially as described and
shown.
2. A bicycle frame constructed and arranged substantially as described and
shown with reference to either of the figs. of the drawings.
Dated this 7th day of July 1897
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool & London, Patent Agents.