Improvements in Two-wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Two-wheeled Vehicles.
GEORGE ABNER WALLACE ROBERTSON. of 25 Upper Prince Street, Charlottetown,
Province of Prince Edward Island, Dominion of Canada, Clerk do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in two-wheeled vehicles, and has for its object
to-so hang the body of the vehicle as to impart to it great delicacy of balance without
inconveniencing the driver, and also to so construct and locate the springs that
the body will be enabled to carry considerable weight without interfering with, or
destroying, the sensitiveness of the springs.
A further object of the invention is to provide against horse motion, and to so hang
the body that the weight when placed in it will be to a great extent distributed, thus
ensuring the body finding its own true balance, and also to provide for the driver a
maximum degree of comfort in long journeys.
Upon the bottom of the body of the vehicle, at each side of the same, is bolted a
longitudinal stay plate provided at its forward end with a laterally-projecting frame
that extends beyond the side of the bottom of the body and the forwardly-projecting
end of the outer side member of said frame is curved downward. Upon this outer
side member of the laterally-projecting frame a spring plate corresponding in length
and width to the said outer member and having its forward end bent upward is bolted
at its rear end only, with a strap spring rigidly held between the two. The said outer
member and spring plate are adapted to constitute buffers for the strap spring which
projects forward beyond the flaring mouth of the buffers so that the latter serve to
limit the vertical play of the said springs, which, for convenience, I denominate buffer
balance springs. Upon the front cross members of the outwardly-projecting frames
brackets are secured which extend over the upper spring buffers and in each of said
brackets is a set screw which engages with the spring of the upper buffer beneath it
whereby the distance between the flaring ends of the buffers may be increased or
decreased, to give the forward extremity of the buffer balance spring more or less play,
as occasion may demand.
The body of the vehicle is hung so as to swing between the rearward extensions of the
vehicle shafts to which the body is attached in the following manner; Upon the bottom
of the body, preferably at the rear extremity of the stay bars, bearing blocks or boxes
are secured and opposite the said body bearing blocks or boxes similar boxes are
attached in any suitable manner to the shafts and in the said bearing blocks or boxes
a cranked cross-rod or sling is journaled in such manner that the middle cranked
portion thereof, which passes beneath the body of the vehicle, will have a forward
inclination. To the under side of each of the vehicle shafts, near the cross-bar thereof,
is bolted a plate provided with a socket extending upward in contact with one side
face of the shaft, preferably to the rear of the cross-bar, and in the said sockets a
rock shaft is journaled which rock shaft, near its extremities, is provided with pairs
of lugs or ears carrying cross-pins upon which the ends of the buffer balance springs
are attached. As the vehicle body rests at the rear upon the cranked sling and as
the middle cranked portion thereof has a forward inclination, when the body is loaded,
with the driver for instance, the buffer balance springs are brought in tension and
pull against their connection with the forward rock shaft and prevent any rattling
noise and also impart to the banging motion of the body, during a journey, great
easiness and delicacy of balance, which is one of the especial objects of the invention.
In a modification the buffer balance springs are made of flat steel and are bolted
directly to the body stay bars the said flat steel springs terminating at their forwardly-
projecting ends in coils, which diminish both in width and thickness toward the centre

page_text: road
of the coil at which point it is fastened rigidly into shackles the said shackles being
pivoted at their upper ends to strap plates bolted to the cross-bar of the vehicle shafts;
and in order to prevent any rattling noise when the vehicle is driven over a rongh
Пpon each strap plate a spring is attached one end of which has a bearing upon
the pivotal connection of the shackles with the said strap plates. When the coil
springs are used, the rear cranked cross-rod is not given a forward inclination but is
hung perpendicularly.
In addition to the buffer balance springs. two main leaf springs located one at each
side of the vehicle are fixed at their forward ends by clips to the vehicle shafts, the
connection of the rear ends of said main springs with the axle being, however, peculiar
and consisting in forming laterally-projecting Tugs at each side of the lower leaf of the
springs, near their rear ends, which lugs rest upon the axle the clips passing over
said lugs and the rear extremity of the lower leaf of each main spring is bent
downward between the clips, to take a firm bearing against the rear of the axle. The
manner in which the body is hung gives it great delicacy of balance and at the same
time this tendency does not tend to intimidate the driver. The rear cranked sling
sloping forward causes the body, when the driver takes his seat, to draw upon the
front buffer springs, thus admitting of their being made very light and easy to bend.
It is obvious that the weight upon the said buffer springs partakes more of the nature
of a pull than a bearing and that they will therefore carry considerable weight
without resting against the top buffer which is the upwardly curved extremity of the
stay bars or destroying the sensitiveness of the spring.
The great objection in two-wheeled vehicles has been that the driver suffers from
the noise of the connections as well as inequalities in the road added to the horse
motion. By hanging the body as above described there is no noise and any wear of
the parts-is taken up by reason of the rear cranked sling sloping forward and causing
tension upon the connections at all times. Again when at speed should the wheels
strike an obstruction the way on the vehicle is not checked as the combination of the
cranked sling the buffer balance springs and the forward rock shaft permit the body
to move forward thus avoiding the shock which it would otherwise receive if the body
were deprived of this swinging motion. The mode of hanging the body thus set
forth has also a tendency to distribute the weight when placed in it, thereby rendering
the body capable of finding its true balance and securing to the driver great easiness
in a long journey. It matters not from what direction the shock is received, the
body will yield hence its extreme ensiness. By reason of the combination of the
cranked sling the rock shaft and buffer balance springs the body of the vehicle is
allowed a rolling or rocking motion as well as a swinging motion, as the weight is
brought to bear on the front of the body and as the cranked sling moves forward the
buffer springs are curved around the upper buffer thus increasing in strength as the
weight is increased.
Dated this 8th day o1000
G. A. W. ROBERTSON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Two-wheeled Vehicles.
GEORGE ABNER WALLACE ROBERTSON, of 25 Upper Prince Street, Charlottetown,
Province of Prince Edward Island, Dominion of Canada, Clerk 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in two-wheeled vehicles, and has for its
object to so hang the body of the vehicle as to impart to it great delicacy of balance
without inconveniencing the driver, and also to so construct and locate the springs that

page_text: the body will be enabled to carry considerable weight without interfering with, or
destroying, the sensitiveness of the springs.
A further object of the invention is to provide against horse motion, and to so hang
the body that the weight when placed in it will be to a great extent distributed, thus
ensuring the body finding its own true balance, and also to provide for the driver a
maximum degree of comfort in long journeys.
The invention consists in mechanism for imparting to the body a swinging or
rocking motion and in the novel construction of and combination of the several parts,
as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specifi-
cation, in which
Figure 1 is an under side perspective view of the vehicle.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same partially in section.
Figure 3 is a side elevation, one shaft being partially broken away, illustrating a
slight modification in the running gear.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the vehicle, illustrating the application of the main
spring to the shafts and to the axle.
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the vehicle and its running gear, as illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of one end of the axle, illustrating the manner of
attaching the main spring thereto.
Figure 7 is a partial side elevation of the axle, and end view of the spring, and
Figure 8 is a detail sectional view on the line 8, 8 in Figure 2.
Similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.
Upon the bottom of the body 10 of the vehicle, at each side of the same, is bolted a
longitudinal stay plate 11 provided at its forward end with a laterally-projecting
frame 14 that extends beyond the side of the bottom of the body and the forwardly-
projecting end of the outer side member of said frame 14 is curved downward as
illustrated at 15 in Figure 2. Upon this outer side member of the laterally-projecting
frame 14 a spring plate 12 corresponding in length and width to the said outer
member and having its forward end bent upward is bolted at its rear end only, with a
strap spring 16 rigidly held between the two. The said outer member and spring
plate 12 are adapted to constitute buffers for the strap spring 16 which projects
forward beyond the flaring mouth of the buffers so that the latter serve to limit
the vertical play of the said springs 6, which, for convenience, I denominate buffer
balance springs. Upon the front cross members of the outwardly-projecting frames 1+
brackets 12 (Figure 8) are secured which extend over the upper spring buffers 12
and in each of said brackets is a set screw 17 which engages with the spring of the
upper buffer beneath it, whereby the distance between the flaring ends of the buffers
may be increased or decreased, to give the forward extremity of the buffer balance
spring more or less play, as occasion may demand.
The body of the vehicle is hung so as to swing between the rearward extensions of
the vehicle shafts 18 to which the body is attached in the following manner;-Upon
the bottom of the body, preferably at the rear extremity of the stay bars 11, bearing
blocks or boxes 19 are secured and opposite the said body bearing blocks or boxes
similar boxes 20 are attached in any suitable manner to the shafts and in the said
bearing blocks or boxes 19 and 20 a crauked cross-rod or sling 21 is journaled in such
manner that the middle cranked portion thereof, which passes beneath the body of
the vehicle, will have a forward inclination. To the under side of each of the vehicle
shafts 18, near the cross-bar 22 thereof, is bolted a plate 23 provided with a socket 24
extending upward in contact with one side face of the shaft, preferably to the rear of
the cross-bar 22, and in the said sockets 24 a rock shaft 25 is journaled which rock
shaft, near its extremities, is provided with pairs of lugs or ears 26 carrying cross-pins
upon which the ends of the buffer balance springs 16 are attached. As the vehicle
body 10 rests at the rear upon the cranked sling 21 and as the middle cranked portion
thereof has a forward inclination, when the body is loaded, with the driver for instance,
the buffer balance springs 16 are brought in tension and pull against their connection

page_text: with the forward rock shaft 25 and prevent any rattling noise and also impart to the
hanging motion of the body, during a journey, great casiness and delicacy of balance,
which is one of the especial objects of the invention.
In a modification represented in Figure 3 the buffer balance springs 27 are made
of flat steel and are bolted directly to the body stay bars 11 ata, the said flat steel springs
terminating at their forwardly-projecting ends in coils, which diminish both in width
and thickness toward the centre of the coil at which point it is fastened rigidly into
shackles 28 the said shackles being pivoted at their upper ends to strap plates 29
bolted to the cross-bar 22 of the vehicle shafts; and in order to prevent any rattling
noise when the vehicle is driven over a rough road upon cach strap plate a spring 30
is attached, one end of which has a bearing upon the pivotal connection of the shackles
with the said strap plates. When the coil springs are used, the rear cranked
cross-rod 21 is not given a forward inclination but is lung perpendicularly.
In addition to the buffer balance springs, two main leaf springs al located one at
each side of the vehicle are fixed at their forward ends by clips to the vehicle shafts 18,
the connection of the rear ends of said main springs with the axlo. 2 being, however,
peculiar and consisting in forwing laterally-projecting lugs 33 at each side of the lower
leaf of the springs, near their rear ends, which lugs rest upon the axle the clips passing
over said lugs as shown in Figures 6 and 7, and the rear extremity of the lower leaf of
each main spring is bent downward as at 34 between the clips, to take a firm bearing
against the rear of the axle. The manner in which the boly is hung gives it great
delicacy of balance and at the same time this tendency does not tend to intimidate the
driver. The rear cranked sling sloping forward causes the body, when the driver takes
his seat, to draw upon the front buffer springs, thus admitting of their being made
very light and easy to bend. It is obvious that the weight upon the said buffor
springs partakes more of the nature of a pull than a bearing and that they will there-
fore carry considerable weight without resting against the top spring buffer.
The great objection in two-wheeled vehicles has been that the driver suffers from
the noise of the connections as well as inequalities in the road added to the horse
motion. By hanging the body as above described there is no noise and any wear of
the parts is taken up by reason of the rear cranked sling sloping forward and causing
tension upon the connections at all times. Again when at speed should the wheels
strike an obstruction the way on the vehicle is not checked as the combination of the
cranked sling the buffer balance springs and the forward rock shaft permit the body
to move forward thus avoiding the shock which it would otherwise receive if the body
were deprived of this swinging motion. The mode of hanging the body thus set forth
has also a tendency to distribute the weight when placed in it, theroby rendering the
body capable of finding its true balance and securing to the driver great easiness in
a long journey. It matters not from what direction the shock is received, the body
will yield hence its extreme easiness. By reason of the combination of the cranked
sling the rock shaft and buffer balance springs the body of the vehicle is allowed a
rolling or rocking motion as well as a swinging motion, as the weight is brought to
bear on the front of the body and as the cranked sling moves forward the buffer
springs are curved around the upper buffer thus increasing in strength as the weight
is increased.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a vehicle, a body suspended between the shafts and capable of a forward and
backward or swinging motion, substantially as specified.
2. In a wheeled vehicle, the combination, with two buffing plates having their ends
curved in opposite directions, of a spring secured at one end between the said plates
and having its opposite end carried outward between the curved extremities of the
plates, substantially as shewn and described.
3. In wheeled vehicle, the combination with two buffing plates having their
extremities curved in opposite directions, of a balance buffer spring attached at one

page_text: extremity between the plates and having its opposite end carried outward between
and beyond the curved extremities of the plates and a regulating device having a
bearing upon the upper buffer plate whereby the movement of the extending end of
the spring may be limited as desired.
4. In a wheeled vehicle, the combination, with the shafts the body and buffing
plates one of which is a spring plate attached to the body at each side near the
forward end the forward extremities of which buffing plates are curved in opposite
directions, of a rock shaft journaled between the shafts and a buffer balance spring
rigidly secured at one end between the rear extremities of said plates the opposite end
of which spring is carried outward between the curved ends of the plates to a con-
nection with the rock shaft, substantially as shewn and described and for the purpose
specified.
5. In a vehicle, the combination, with the shafts and a body spring-supported
between said shafts at its forward end, of a cranked cross-rod or sling journaled in
bearings attached to the rear ends of the shafts and to the rear portion of the body,
substantially as shown and described and for the purpose specified.
6. In a vehicle, the combination, with the shafts, a body suspended between said
shafts, a rock shaft journaled in the shafts in front of the body, and springs attached
to the body at one end, and to the rock shaft at their other extremities, of a
cranked cross rod or sling journaled in bearings attached to the shafts and body the
middle cranked portion on which the body rests has a forward inclination, substantially
as shewn and described and for the purpose specified.
7. In a vehicle, the combination, with the shafts and a body suspended between the
shafts, of springs attached at one end to the under side of the body near the forward
end at the sides and a connection between each of said springs and the shafts and
a crank shaft journaled in bearings attached to the shafts and the body of the vehicle,
substantially as shewn and described.
8. In a vehicle of the character described, the combination, with the shafts and
axle, of leaf springs attached at their forward ends to the shafts and provided at their
rear ends with horizontal lugs capable of contacting with the upper surface of the axle
and with a rear extension capable of engaging with the side face of the axle and
clips embracing the said axle and bearing against the said lugs, substantially as shewn
and described and for the purposo specified.
Dated this 5th day of December 1900.
G. A. W. ROBERTSON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.