Improvements in or relating to the Steering of Electric or Steam Carriages, Cycles, Bath Chairs, or other like Vehicles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Steering of Electric or Steam
Carriages, Cycles, Bath Chairs, or other like Vehicles.
I EDWIN RUCK KESTERTON of 14 Nightingale Lane, Balham, in the County
of London, Coachbuilder do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to the guiding of any vehicle or conveyance in which the
steering is effected by rotating a steering centre connected with the guiding wheel
or wheels on its own axis, as in a bicycle or bath chair and is for the purpose
of rendering the steering more convenient by enabling it to be worked with
equal case from different points.
According to my invention a main rod or frame of convenient length to extend
from the steering centre to the operator is furnished at the one extremity with a
collar or other contrivance which rotates concentrically with, but independently of,
the steering centre.
At or near the other extremity a yoke or crosspiece either forming or attached
to the steering handle is pivoted at its centre.
The steering handle can accordingly be moved to any point in the circumference
of a circle the centre of which is the steering centre, and the radius the length
of the main rod or frame, without moving the steering centre.
A second yoke or crosspicce is rigidly attached to the steering centre and the
two yokes are connected by two links, such as rods, chains, cords, or the like,
attached to the yokes at equal distances from their centres or pivots. The two
yokes with their connecting links therefore form a parallelogram bisected by the
main rod or frame, and the motion of the yoke on the steering centre will be
similar to that of the steering handle in any position that the latter may be taken
to by the movement of the main rod or frame.
To retain the apparatus in the desired position a locking plate may be fixed to
some convenient part of the vehicle, provided with a number of holes or notches
arranged in a circle or are concentric with the steering centre. The main rod
or frame is provided with a plunger or locking piece capable of entering any one
of the holes or notches and thereby locking the main rod or frame in a position
corresponding to the hole or notel employed. A spring retains the plunger firmly
in the hole or notch, and a link or connecting rod, cord or the like is attached to
the plunger and extends to or near the steering handle, so that the operator cau
by pulling the connecting rod release the main rod or frame.
n
The main rod or frame and the links connecting the yokes may be provided at
or near the extremity nearest the steering centre with joints, so that the part
carrying the steering handle may be raised or lowered.
When a jointed maiu rod or frame is used it may be retained in the desired
positions by means of a suitable number of notches formed in some part of the
vehicle or in a plate affixed thereto. The steering handle being lifted the main
rod or frame cau be brought over and dropped into any desired notch..
Any other suitable means may be employed to temporally fix the main rod
or frame, or the steering may be conducted whilst it is still free to revolve round
the steering centre.
Dated this 14th day of October 1895.

page_text: Improvements in or relating to the Steering of Electric or Steam
Carriages, Cycles, Bath Chairs, or other like Vehicles.
I EDWIN RUCK KESTERTON of 14 Nightingale Lane, Balham in the County
of Londen, Conchbuilder 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 the guiling of any vehicle or conveyance in which
the steering is effected by rotating a steering centre connected with the guiding
wheel or wheels, and consists, for the purpose of rendering the steering more
convenient, of an improved method of attaching a steering handle or bar to the
steering centre, enabling the steering handle or bar to be moved to various
situations whilst preserving its connection with and control of the steering centre,
allowing the steering to be conducted from different parts of the vehicle or
conveyance.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figures 1 and 2 show in plan and Figure 3 in elevation the general disposition
of the mechanism of attachment of the steering handle or bar, Figures 1 and 2
showing the horizontal and Figure 3 the vertical movements.
Figures 4 and 5 show methods of retaining the steering handle or bar in the
desired situation.
According to my invention a rod or frame A of suitable length is furnished at
or near one extremity with a collar, aperture or other contrivance B which is
concentric with but independent of the steering centre C. The rod or frame A
can therefore be moved radially around the steering centre without imparting any
motion thereto, At or near the other extremity of the rol or frame A a yoke or
crosspiece Deither forming or attached to the steering handle or bar is pivoted at
its centre. A second yoke or crosspiece E is rigidly attached to the steering
centre C, preferably at a right angle to the line of traction of the vehicle. Two
links FF of equal length either flexible or rigid are jointed to the yoke or cross-
piece E and to the yoke or stecring handle D at equal distances from the respective
centres of the yokes as at G G and H H.
The two equal links F F with the two equal portions of the two yokes G to G
and to H comprised within the points of attachment of the links, form therefore
a parallelogram in any situation that the yoke D may be carried to by the radial
movement of the rod or frame A as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 1.
The steering is conducted by moving the yoke D forming or attached to the
steering handle or bar on its centre which by means of the links F F imparts a
similar motion to the yoke E and consequently to the steering centre and its
adjuncts as shewn in Figure 2.
The rod or frame A. and the links F F may be so constructed as to be capable
of being lengthened, thus if desired increasing the distance of the steering centre C
from the yoke D.
One of the links FF may be dispensed with provided that the remaing link
be made to resist compression as well as tension.
The yokes D and E may be either above, below or in the same plane with the
rod or frame A. The links F. F. may be jointed to the yokes either above, below
or on the inside or outside of the yokes.
A vertical movement of the extremity of the rod or frame A carrying the
yoke D is obtained by jointing the rod or frame A at any suitable part, and if
The links FF be rigid by jointing them also. In Figure 3 the rod or frame A is
jointed at J so that the portion to K can be raised as shewn by the dotted lines,

page_text: either for the purpose of conveniently entering or moving within the vehicle, or
for locking the rod or frame in position as hereinafter described. In the drawing
flexible links are shewo.
When the rod or frame A has been radially moved so as to bring the yoke D
into the required situation, it may be conveniently retained there by the methods
shewn in Figures 4 and 5. If the rod or frame A is provided with a joint for
vertical adjustment, a series of notches or indentures may be formned in some part
of the vehicle or in a plate, bar, or the like affixed thereto as shewn in Lin
Figure 4. The end of the rod or frame A being raised by means of the joint J, it
may be passed over the series of notches and lowered into any desired notch.
Should it be undesirable to joint the rod or frame A. the method shewn in Figure 5
may be used. A locking plate M may be fixed to any convenient part of the
vehicle provided with holes or notches arranged in an are concentric with the
steering centre. The rod or frame A carries a plunger N capable of entering any
one of the holes or notches thereby retaining the rod or frame A in a position
corresponding to the hole or notch employed. A link O is attached to the
plunger N and extends to or near the extremity of A carrying the yoke D, so
that the operator can by pulling the link O, draw the plunger from the hole
or notch, releasing the rod or frame A.
Any other suitable means may be employed to temporally fix the rod or frame A
in the desired position, or the steering may be conducted while A is still free to
move radially around the steering centre.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. In any vehicle conveyance, or cycle the steering of which is effected by
rotating a steering centre, a rod or frame moving radially around the steering
centre and carrying a pivoted yoke or cross-piece forming or attached to a steering
bar or handle which yoke or cross piece is connected by a link or links to another
yoke or cross-piece rigidly attached to the steering centre, in such a manner that
the two yokes or cross-pieces remain parallel in any situation that the yoke
forming or attached to the steering bar or handle may be taken to by the
radial movement of the rod or frame which carries it substantially as set forth.
2. In such a combination of parallel yokes as herein above referred to the means
for obtaining a vertical movement of the yoke or cross-piece forming or attached
to the steering bar or handle and for retaining the rod or frame carrying such yoke
or cross piece in the desired situation substantially as described with reference to
Figures 3. 4. and 5 of the accompanying drawings.
3. An improved method of conducting the steering of any vebicle conveyance
or cycle from different situations by means of parallel yokes and a rod or frame
moving radially around the steering centre substantially as described.
Dated this 11th dor of July 1806
EDWIN R. KESTERTON.