Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Necks and similar Parts of Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1887
Complete Left, 19th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May, 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for the Necks and similar Parts of
Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry in the County of Warwick'
Bicycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates more particularly to ball bearings for the necks of what are
known as Premier Safety Bicycles but is also applicable to other similar parts of
bicycles and other velocipedes.
Το
For this purpose I fit into the lower socket for the neck a hardened steel plug
which has formed on its upper end an annular groove in which the balls run.
the said plug above the balls I fix a plate by means of a central screw, in such manner
as to permit of the free rotation of such plate; and the latter is perforated so as to
fit over the balls and retain them in position in the said annular groove even when
the plug is dismounted without causing any impediment to their free action whilst
at the same time it keeps them always equally spaced.
To the lower end of the neck is fixed a hardened steel thimble the lower end of
which is formed with an annular groove to fit the balls and thereby form the upper
bearing or course for the same.
The upper end of the neck is similarly fitted with a bearing thimble and plug
but the said upper plug, which carries the balls and retaining plate, is perforated
longitudinally to permit of lubrication and is threaded on its exterior to screw into
the upper socket to facilitate adjustment and it is formed with a second screw thread,
preferably of smaller diameter, to receive a lock nut.
It will be evident that the balls and retaining plates can be carried by the thimbles
instead of by the plugs.
WILLIAM HILLMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Ball bearings for The Necks and builar Idrus of
Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
1. WILLIAM HILLMAN of the Premier Works, Coventry, in the County of Warwick,
Bicycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this, invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained, in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates, more particularly, to ball bearings for the necks of, what are
known as, Premier Safety Bicycles, but is also applicable to other similar parts of
bicycles and other velocipedes.
For this purpose I fit into the lower sockets for the neck a hardened steel plug
which has formed on its upper end an annular groove in which the balls run. To
the said plug, above the halls, I fix a plate by means of a central screw, in such
manner as to permit of the free rotation of such plate; and the latter is perforated
so as to fit over the balls and retain them in position in the said annular groove, even
when the plug is dismounted, with causing any impediment to their free action
whilst at the same time it keeps them always equally spaced.
To the lower end of the neck is fixed a hardened steel thimble, the lower end of
which is formed with an annular groove to fit the balls and thereby form the upper
bearing or course for the same.
The upper end of the neck is similarly fitted with a bearing thimble and plug, but
the said upper plug, which carries the balls and retaining plate, is threaded on its
exterior to screw into the upper socket to facilitate adjustment and it is formed with
a second screw thread, preferably of small diameter, to receive a lock nut.
It will be evident that the balls and retaining plates can be carried by the thimbles
instead of by the plugs.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully to
describe the same:
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a side elevation and Figure is a side elevation partly in section of
the head and neck of a Premier Safety Bicycle with my improved ball bearings
applied thereto and Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 are separate detail views of the bearings
drawn to an enlarged scale.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
a represents part of the steering shaft, the head applied thereto and c the neck
to which the back-bone or frame of the bicycle is fixed, as is well understood.
According to my invention I fit into the lower socket for the neck a hardened
steel plug d which has formed on its upper end. an annular groove d³ in which the

page_text: balls e run.
To the said plug d, above the balls e I fix a plate by means of a central
screw, in such manner as to permit of the free rotation of such plate f, and the
latter is perforated so as to fit over the balls e and retain them in position in the said
annular groove d¹ even when the plug d is dismounied without causing any
impediment to their free action whilst at the same time it keeps them equally
spaced.
To the lower end of the neck is fixed a hardened steel thimble c', the lower end of
which is formed with an annular. groove c² to fit the balls e and thereby form the
upper bearing or course for the same.
The upper end of the neck c is similarly fitted with a bearing thimble c* and a
plug, but the said upper plug d*, which carries the balls e* and the retaining
plate f*, is threaded on its exterior to screw into the upper socket 1* to facilitate
adjustment and it is formed with a second screw thread 2, preferably of smaller
diameter, to receive a lock nut g.
The thimbles c', care prevented from turning around the neck "by means of
pins centering slots in such thimbles.
It will be evident that the balls and retaining plates can be carried by the
thimbles c', c, instead of by the plugs d, d*.
By the employment of thimbles and plugs having the bearing grooves for the
balls formed therein as herein described I am enabled to make the neck and sockets
of soft or mild metal whilst the bearing surfaces are of the requisite hardness.
I would have it understood that although I have shown and described my invention
as applied to, what are known as, Premier Safety Bicycles, it is equally applicable to
other similar parts of bicycles and other velocipedes.
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. In ball bearings for the necks and other similar parts of bicycles and other
velocipedes, the employment of thimbles and plugs formed with annular grooves on
their coacting end faces and having working, in such grooves, a series of balls secured
to either the thimble or plug by a perforated plate loosely fixed to one of such parts
substantially as herein shown and described.
2. In ball bearings for the necks and other similar parts of bicycles and other
velocipedes, where the balls run in annular grooves formed in the end faces of
coacting parts, securing such balls to one of such parts by a loosely fixed perforated
plate substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 19th day of April 1888.
WILLIAM
HILLMAN.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings,
Agents.