IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry John Swindley, of Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry John Swindley at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1881.
HARRY JOHN SWINDLEY, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
"
My improvements have for their object the giving greater firmness and rigidity
to parts of bicycles and other velocipedes, and, in one case, the giving also in
addition thereto a greater and better bearing surface by which such firmness and
rigidity will be increased and the friction will be diminished. The first part is an
improvement in the steering apparatus to effect the above named objects. I use a
central pin which passes through the head and through the neck of the backbone,
which is therefore constructed accordingly, into a seating at the bottom of the
head; this pin has a thread cut on it for the upper part of its length that passes
through the head, the lower part that passes through the neck of the backbone
being of slightly smaller diameter, and fitted so that the neck of the backbone
forms a continuous bearing on the lower part of the pin which may be lubricated
in any manner I prefer. I fit an adjuster round the upper part of the pin which
has a bearing on the upper part of the neck of the backbone; this adjuster has an
internal thread fitting the thread on the central pin, and an external thread fitting
a thread cut internally in the upper part of the head, and may have an octagon
or other head for the purpose of screwing it down to its place. I fit a nut above
this on the central pin to lock it. By my arrangement therefore the bearing is
larger and firmer than usual as the pin goes through the backbone neck; it is also
so arranged that the bearing strain is equally divided between the top and bottom
of the neck and on that part of the central pin that passes through the neck;
there is therefore greater firmness and rigidity, while at the same time the friction
is diminished by the better and greater bearing surface. The other part where my

page_text: Invention is to give greater firmness and rigidity is the step. This is made in the
usual manner, with a deep shoulder. The clamp of the step is made to fit, or nearly
so, the backbone, and I should use a tapered pin fitted with a screw nut to fasten
the clamp. On the inside of the shoulder of the step I cut a vertical groove, and
the pin is so placed when in position as to project a little through this vertical
groove horizontally. On and firmly secured to the backbone I fit a small piece of
steel or other metal of whatever length and size I may prefer and I place this in
any desired position. This piece of steel is made so as to fit the groove in the
inside of the shoulder of the step, and in this strip of steel I cut as many horizontal
slots as I prefer, which slots fit the projecting part of the pin in the vertical groove.
To place this step in position I fit the clamp in the desired position round the
backbone and the step between the ends of the clamp and against the small piece
of metal which fits into the groove. The pin is then put through and takes one of
the slots in the piece of metal and is screwed up. By this arrangement also I gain
great firmness and rigidity, and also the power of adjusting the step at any height
please from the ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Harry John Swindley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
August 1881.
HARRY JOHN SWINDLEY, of Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
My improvements have for their object the giving greater firmness and rigidity
to parts of bicycles and other velocipedes, and, in one case, the giving also in
addition thereto a greater and better bearing surface by which such firmness and
rigidity will be increased and the friction diminished. The first part is an
improvement in the steering apparatus to effect the above named objects. I use a
central pin which passes through the head and through the neck of the backbone.
The head is bored right through, and in the lower part is fitted a cup with an
internal thread into which the lower part of the pin is screwed. The neck is
also bored right through, and that part of the pin that passes through the neck
is of a smaller diameter than the upper part of the same, and is so fitted that the
neck of the backbone forms a continuous bearing on this part of the pin which
may be lubricated in any convenient manner. The pin is coned where it takes
the upper part of the neck of the backbone which is formed to fit the conc.
The lower part of the neck has a coned or grooved surface to fit into a corre-
sponding cone or groove formed on the upper part of the cup. The pin is then
screwed down into the cup after having been passed through the neck until the
coned shoulder forces the neck into this cone or groove on the upper part of the
cup. The top of the head is coned and a thread is cut on the upper part of the
pin. A split coned nut is screwed down on the pin until the coned surfaces cause
the nut to grip the pin tight and lock it. By this arrangement therefore the
bearing is larger and firmer than usual as the pin goes through the backbone neck.
It is also so arranged that the bearing strain is divided between the top and bottom
of the neck and on that part of the central pin that goes through the neck; there
is therefore greater firmness and rigidity, while at the same time the friction is
diminished by the better and greater bearing surface. The other part where my
Invention is to give greater firmness and rigidity is the step. This is made in the
usual manner with a deep shoulder. The clamp of the step is made to fit, or
nearly so, the backbone, and I should use a tapered pin fitted with a screw nut to
fasten the clamp. On the inside of the shoulder of the step is cut a vertical groove,
and the pin when in position is so situated as to project a little through this
vertical groove horizontally. A small piece of steel or other metal, of whatever
length and size I may choose, is firmly secured to the backbone in the desired
position. This piece of metal is made to fit the groove on the inside of the shoulder
of the step and horizontal slots are cut out of it, which slots are made to fit the
projecting part of the pin in the vertical groove. To fix this step in position the
clamp is placed in the desired position round the backbone and the step between
the ends of the clamp and against the small piece of metal which fits into the
groove. The pin is then passed through and takes one of the slots in the peice of
metal, and is screwed up. By this arrangement also I gain great firmness and
rigidity, and also the power of adjusting the step at any height I please from the
ground Having thus particularly described my Invention in order to clearly
explain the same I refer to the accompanying Drawing. Figure 1 is an elevation
of the head; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same; Figure 3 is an elevation of
he split nut Figure 4 is a section of the same; Figure 5 is an clevation of the
tep; Figure 6 is a vertical section of the same; Figure 7 is a horizontal section of
be same taken at X, Y, in Figure 6.
A is the central pin; B is the head'; C is the neck of the backbone; D is the cup
n the lower part of the head B into which the central pin A is screwed after

page_text: passing through the neck C, as hereinbefore described. The pin A is coned at E
where it takes the upper part of the neck of the backbone C, and the cone or
groove F is formed in the lower part of the neck C, to fit into a corresponding cone
or groove in the cup D, as hereinbefore described. The pin A is screwed down into
the cup D until the coned shoulder E forces the cone or groove F into the corre-
sponding cone or groove in the cup D, as hereinbefore described.
The top of the
head is coned at G, and the split coned nut H is screwed down over the pin A. until
the coned surfaces cause the nut H to grip the pin A tight and lock it, as herein-
K is
before described. In Figures 5, 6, and 7, I is the step with a deep shoulder;
the clamp to fit or nearly so the backbone M; L is the pin fitted with a screw nut
which fastens the clamp K. The vertical groove N is cut on the inside of the
shoulder of the step I through which the pin L projects a little, as shewn in
Figure 7; O is the peice of metal secured to the backbone M which fits the
groove N, and has the slots P, P, P, cut horizontally in it as hereinbefore described.
When the clamp K is placed round the backbone M. and the step I between the
ends of the clamp K against the peice of metal O which fits into the groove N,
the tapered pin L is passed through and takes one of the slots P. It is then
fixed firmly in position by the action of the nut R on the pin L and the step is
secure.
Having thus particularly described and clearly explained my Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I claim as my improvements,-
1. In a bicycle or other velocipede the arrangement of a central pin so constructed
as to afford a bearing surface through the neck, at the same time that there is a
bearing surface also on the top and bottom of the neck, substantially as herein before
described and declared.
2. The use of a split coned nut in combination with an outer bearing surface to
clamp and grip a pin or bolt passing through the nut.
3. In a bicycle or other velocipede the method or manner of fixing and securing
the step, substantially as hereinbefore described and declared.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harry John Swindley, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
ΤΟ ΠΑΙ
CINDUWV
JOHN
ATTN CHINDI INV
(LS)