Improvements in Safety Bicycles or other Velocipedes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Bicycles or other Velocipedes.
I, HUGH EDWARDS, of Berlin House, in the Parish of Llanrhyddlad, in the County
of Anglesea, North Wales, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The two wheels are of unequal size, the smaller one to be in front. The axle of the
driving wheel is fitted with ball bearings, and on each end a suitable spur-wheel is
fitted and fastened.
The fork is made longer than that of ordinary safety bicycles, and is elongated
backwards beyond the said bearings, and properly fastened to them. On the projecting
ends thereof are long slots, which bear brackets inserted thereto, and fastened by
means of screws. In the said brackets also are long slots, into which are inserted
axles of two small wheels, which serve for rollers, and have adjustable ball bearings.
At proper distances from the axle bearings, ball bearing pins are fixed on the fork
sides, for the purpose of carrying spur-wheels which have adjustable ball bearings.
These wheels gear into those wheels which are fixed on the axle of the driving wheel.
Into these wheels ball bearing pins are inserted in the long slots which are made in
them at proper distance from their centre, and are fastened by means of nuts.
Two levers are mounted on the said pins at proper distances from the ends of the
treadles. The other ends of both levers ply underneath the aforesaid rollers, and have
a rod attached to them, and shaped so as to run close to the top of the rollers.
Be it observed that the motive power is strongest when the rollers are at the point
.nearest the bearings of the lever, and that the ends of the levers which ply underneath
the rollers, are equal in length to the diameter of the circle described by the crank
pin, from that point, so that the levers always play under the rollers. By this arrange-
ment the space travelled by the treadles is reduced in extent, and the driving power
and the sweep and position of the treadles are regulated by means of the long slots,
so that any size of machine may be used as it may be regulated to suit any size
of rider.
The pedals are made so as to get the use of the whole of the rubber, and are
adjustable along the ends of the levers. The fork is bent at or near the bearing pins,
so as to run straight to the steering post. A short piece of tube is brazed or other-
wise to the fork, to which piece the neck is fastened. Each end of this neck has a
spherical cavity in which a ball is placed, bearing against a similar cavity in the end
of vertical stud or studs, which are screwed into brackets on the steering post, and
secured by lock pin or nut. The steering post slopes backwards from the axle of the
front wheel, so that the handles are convenient for the rider, and the mud-guard is
fastened to it. The handles are bent backwards, and have a bearing at the centre
of the handle bar, which is inserted into the bearing that is made for it at the top
of the steering post. Into the handle bar one end of a suitable spring is inserted
with the other end bearing against the steering post, which counteracts the jerks
and renders the steering more steady. The mud-guard of the rear wheel is supported
by a pair of V shaped pillars, the lower ends being hinged at or close to the
bearing of the wheel. The front pillars are extended beyond the guard for the
purpose of carrying the saddle, and are fastened to the guard. In the ends of
each pillar two holes are made, the one close to the guard, and the other near
the top. Into the holes close to the guard the end or ends of a suitable bar or
rods are hinged on a bolt, which also have holes or hinges on their ends; to this
end or ends a suitable support for the saddle is hinged by means of a bolt and
has a hook or holes for securing one end of a spiral spring; the other end of which
is properly fastened to the aforesaid pillars, so that it may be adjusted to suit

page_text: various riders. A suitable rod is fastened to the aforesaid tube, which projects
backwards and passes through a hole that is made in the projecting ends of the
front pillars. At a certain distance from the top, is a screw with a nut put thereon.
Between the pillars and the nut, a spring is placed, which may also be adjusted by
means of the nut, to suit riders of different weight.
The foregoing being a description of my experimental rear driving safety, 1 do not
bind myself to the exact details; It will however be manifest that with other shapes
of velocipedes, modifications will be necessary to suit altered conditions; the particulars
whereof shall be given in my complete specification.
Dated this 11th day of October 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Safety-bicycles or other Velocipedes.
I, HUGH EDWARDS, Berlin House, Llanrhyddlad, Anglesea, Cycle Manufacturer,
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 certain improvements in velocipedes which are illustrated
in the accompanying drawing as applied to a rear-driving safety bicycle. Figure 1 is
a view in side elevation of a rear-driving safety bicyclo constructed according to my
invention, and Figure 2 is a view partly in section showing the adjustable fulcrum of
the driving levers.
Throughout these views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The bicycle illustrated has two wheels preferably of unequal size.
The rear
wheel A is the driving wheel, and the front wheel B the steering wheel. The
driving wheel is mounted on an axle a which runs in ball bearings carried by the
fork which runs forward as a backbone C to carry the neck c to form with
the lugs or centres d d on the steering post D₁ the steering hinge or joint. The
post D¹ forms an upward extension of the fork D carrying the steering wheel,
and is adapted to receive the pillar E carrying the handle bar E¹. On each end
of the axle a is fixed a spur pinion F, each of which gears with spur wheels Fl
mounted on a suitable stud axle on the fork C. The end of each sprong of the
fork C is slotted to receive an adjustable arm or bracket G which is also slotted
to receive an adjustable stud H carrying a friction roller J running on a ball
bearing. These rollers J form the fulcrums for the pedal levers L which are con-
nected at or about the centre of their lengths to stud pins f¹ on the spur wheels F.
In the rear ends of these levers are formed slots to receive the rollers J forming the
fulcrums. In the front ends of the levers suitable pedals M are mounted in such a
manner as to be adjustable longitudinally on the said levers. It will be seen that by
reason of the vertical and horizontal adjustments of the roller fulcrums, the stroke of
the driving levers may be varied to give greater or less power, and also to suit riders
of various statures.
It will be obvious that this driving gear may be applied to other types of velocipedes
besides that hereinbefore particularly described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawing.
The mud guard N of the driving wheel is supported by a pair of light forks O,
and O', which are fulcrated' at or about the bearings a of the axle of the driving
wheel. The front one of these two forks is extended beyond the mud-guard to carry
the saddle P which is mounted on an arm p pivotted to the front fork O', close to the
.mud guard. Between the top of the fork Oi, and the under side of the frame of the
saddle is a spiral spring P₁, the strength of which is adjustable by means of a nut or
other equivalent device. From the front part of the backbone C a small rod or tube Q
extends upwards and rearwards and passes through an eye, or its equivalent, in the
extension of the fork O¹. On this rod or tube are placed two spiral springs R, one on
each side of the eye on the extension of the fork O¹ to support the mud-guard N

page_text: carrying the saddle. The strength of these springs may be adjusted by suitable nuts
or their equivalents in the rod or tube Q. In applying this arrangement to ordinary
bicycles the arm p is pivotted to the backbone and the forward end of the spring P¹is
also attached to the backbone by a convenient bracket.
The other parts of my invention set forth in my provisional specification I find are
not new and novel, and I therefor make no further reference to them.
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 :-
1st. The improvements in velocipedes, substantially as described and illustrated.
2nd. In a velocipede driven by reciprocating levers acting on the driving wheel
through multiplying gear and having a sliding fulcrum, providing for the universal
adjustment of the position of the said fulcrum, as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. In a velocipede, mounting the saddle as and for the purpose herein before
described and illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
A
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.