IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Clark, of No. 104, Bramley Road, Kensington, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BICYCLES AND SIMILAR WHEELED VEHICLES."
the 11th November 1879, and dated the 15th May 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Clark at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th May 1879.
JOHN CLARK, of No. 104, Bramley Road, Kensington, in the County of Middle-
sex, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR WHEELED VEHICLES."
"
The object of my said Invention is to lighten the construction of bicycles, also
to lessen the risk of the rider being thrown over when the leading wheel thereof is
obstructed by stones or other obstacles on the road, and to attain the requisite
motion for driving the wheel by the rising and falling of the saddle, whereby
greater speed and ease in running are attained.
In carrying my said Invention into practice I construct the framing of a top and
bottom hoop of iron, steel, or other suitable material, and fit a truss support
between such hoops, or I make the said truss as a spring to give an easy elastic
action to the rider. The said hoop framing is mounted on two or more road
wheels of any suitable kind, and I fit the said framing with suitable bearing
brasses, in which the axles of such wheels work. I place the saddle for supporting
the rider at a lower position on the bicycle than is usual, behind the leading wheel,
and in such a manner that the rider is not liable to be thrown over such wheel on
its running against obstacles in its path. I fit the said saddle on a rocking centre,
and suspend stirrups or similar contrivances from the point of the said saddle
forward of the said rocking centre. I fit two levers to the said saddle above the
said rocking centre, and connect such levers by rods to ratchet or other suitable
wheels on the axle of the driving wheel. In this manner, when the rider depresses
the stirrups, the saddle is raised and the catches of the said ratchet wheels slide
forward, and when the rider sits down on the saddle bis weight is thrown upon
the catches and pulls the driving wheel round, proportioned to such weight. I also
make the said stirrups so that they may be slid back into a position behind the said

page_text: rocking centre, and I divide the saddle in two halves, so that each half may rise
and fall alternately. In this manner the rider supports himself on the said stirrups
aided by a hand-rest, and as he raises and depresses each foot alternately he imparts
motion to the said catches and ratchet wheels, and thereby propels the bicycie as
before described.
I fit two levers to the said framing, one on each side thereof, and connect each
by a guiding line to be operated by hand. I also connect the said levers by rods
to a cross-bar attached to the trailing wheel, so that by pulling either guiding line
the said wheel is directed to either side for turning the bicycle as required. I fit
an incline or notch in the collar of such wheel to cause the bicycle to keep, by
preference, a straight course when so required.
I adapt the before-mentioned improvements to the usual kind of bicycle by
fixing the bracket for the said rocking centre to the back-bone of such bicycle, and
by making the trailing wheel to steer by instead of the heading wheel as is usually
done.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th November
1879.
JOHN CLARK, of No. 104, Bramley Road, Kensington, in the County of Middle-
sex, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND SIMILAR WHEELED VEHICLES."
The object of this Invention is to lighten the construction of bicycles, also to
lessen the risk of the rider being thrown over when the leading wheel thereof is
obstructed by stones or other obstacles on the road, and to obtain the requisite
motion for driving the wheel by the rising and falling of the saddle, whereby
greater speed and ease in running are attained.
In carrying my said Invention into practice I construct the framing of a top and
bottom hoop of metal or other suitable material, and fit a truss support between
such hoops, or I make the said truss as a spring to give, an easy elastic motion to
the rider. The said framing is mounted on two or more road wheels of any
suitable kind, and I fit the said framing with suitable bearing brasses in which the
axles of such wheels work.
In
I place the saddle for supporting the rider in a lower position on the bicycle
than is usual behind the leading wheel, and in such a manner that the rider is not
liable to be thrown over such wheel on its running against obstacles in its path.
I fit the said saddle on a rocking centre and suspend stirrups or similar contrivance
from a point of the said saddle forward of the said rocking centre. I fit two
levers to the said saddle above the said rocking centre and connect such levers by
rods to ratchet or other suitable wheels fitted on the axle of the driving wheel.
this manner when the rider depresses the stirrups the saddle is raised and the.
catches of the said ratchet-wheels slide forward, and when the rider sits down on
the saddle, his weight is thrown upon the said catches, and thereby pulls the
driving wheel round proportioned to such weight. I also make the said stirrups
so that they may be slid back into a position behind the rocking centre, and I
divide the saddle into two halves, so that each half may rise and fall alternately;
in this manner the rider supports himself on the said stirrups, aided by a hand-rest,
and as he raises and depresses each foot alternately he imparts motion to the said
catches and ratchet-wheels, and thereby propels the bicycle as before described.
I fit two levers to the said framing, one on each side thereof, and connect such
levers by a guiding line to be operated by hand. I also connect the said levers by
rods to a cross-bar attached to the trailing wheel, so that by pulling either guiding
line the said wheel is directed to either side for turning the bicycle as desired. I
fit an incline or notch in the socket of such wheel to cause the bicycle to keep by
preference a straight course when so required.
I adapt the before-mentioned improvements to the usual kind of bicycle by fixing
the bracket for the said rocking centre to the backbone of such bicycle; and by
arranging the trailing wheel to steer the bicycle by instead of by the leading wheel
as is usually done.
I will now more particularly describe my said Invention by the aid of the
accompanying four Sheets of Drawings, and by the reference letters marked thereon.
The Figs. on Sheets 1, 2, 3, are drawn to a scale of one-eighth full size, and those
on Sheet 4 are details drawn full size.

page_text: metal wire or rod, and the truss may be a spiral or other spring to give the rider
an easy movement. The truss carries two horns b¹, on which are jointed the
struts c, one on each side, so that when the rider wishes to stop without dis-
mounting he raises the handles c³, and thereby swings the said struts into a nearly
vertical position, so that the long ends thereof press on the ground and thereby
serve as props to keep the bicycle upright while stationary or during the mounting
or dismounting thereof. Springs are fitted in any convenient manner to raise and
keep the struts c out of action in the position shown when not required. The said
framing is fitted with suitable bearing brasses for the axls to turn in. To the
upper member a of the framing two small levers d are fitted, one on each side, in
any convenient manner, for the purpose of turning the bicycle when desired; e
are guiding lines, one on each side, to be operated by hand, and may be formed of
wire, cat-gut, leather strap, or other suitable material; fare lines of wire or other
suitable material to connect the levers & with the ends of a cross-bar g, fitted to
the fork of the trailing wheel h, so that by the rider pulling the guiding line e on
either side the trailing wheel his swivelled and so turns the bicycle accordingly.
The cross-bar g has a projecting nib i (see details, Fig. 8) which fits into a recess
in the socket ', so that the bicycle has a tendency to run in a straight course until
it is caused to turn by pulling either of the lines e before referred to. The saddle k
is formed in two halves, one on each side, and covered with leather or other suitable
material; it is jointed to the fulcrum pin l, carried on a bracket m, to which is
fitted a hand-rest n by which the rider may steady himself.
The handle n may
also be fitted to rotate on its axis or to turn on its centre, and thereby to facilitate
the pulling of the guiding lines e, which are attached to the said hand-rest in any
convenient manner. Two stirrups o, one on each side, are suspended by leather
straps o¹ or by other suitable means to the said saddle at a point or points in front
of the fulcrum pin ; to the said saddle are also fitted two levers p, one on each
side, which are connected by metal rods p¹ or by other suitable means to the levers
of the ratchet or other driving wheels on the axle, see details, Fig. 7. In this
manner when the rider depresses the said stirrups he raises the said saddle by
rocking on the fulcrum-pin ; at the same time the rods p¹ move the pawls of the
said wheels round a little, so as to take a fresh catch of the said wheels. When
the rider sits down on the saddle his weight so acts upon the wheels as to pull
the driving wheel round proportioned to such weight. The rods pl may either
move the said pawls by a direct thrust, or these pawls may be fitted with back-
springs s to pull them into a fresh position, when the said saddle is raised, as
described. The framing a is shown in section at a².
A modification of the springs s is shown in Fig. 2, consisting of india-rubber or
spiral springs connected to studs t fixed on the framing a. The use of these springs,
as of those in Fig. 1, is to draw the pawls of the wheels into a fresh position
when the rods p₁ are slackened on the raising of the saddle k, as previously
described. The corresponding parts are similarly lettered in Figs. 1 and 2.
To give the rider a change of motion in driving, and to increase his power for
. ascending gradients more easily, he can pass the straps o' over catches fitted to
the said saddle in any suitable manner, but at a point behind the said fulcrum pin l.
When the said straps are so placed the rider supports himself on the said stirrups o,
and the saddle being in two halves, as previously described, he can press on each
stirrup o alternately, and thereby propel the bicycle in a similar manner to that
formerly described. The said saddle k is only inade in two halves when the latter
or both methods of driving, as described, are adopted. I also make the straps o¹
of hoop-iron or steel, with a joint near their middle to fold and hook up on the
catches for a similar object to that just described. Back-springs of any suitable
kind are fitted to the said saddle k, partly to raise it, as described, and also to give
greater comfort to the rider. The road wheels for supporting my improved bicycle
may be of any ordinary kind, but I prefer those constructed according to the details
in Figs. 5, 6, and 7.
Fig. 3 shews the application of my said Invention to bicycles of the usual

page_text: construction. a is the ordinary back-bone of the framing, and is fixed to the usual
fork by a gusset-plate x or a screw stud, unless it is required to swivel the front
wheel as described under Fig. 3ª. The small bracket b is fixed on the back-bone a
or other part of the framing in any convenient manner; it has two horns on which
are jointed the struts c, one on each side. The said struts are for a similar purpose
to that described under Fig. 1, and are brought into action by pulling the lines w,
fitted to pass round pullies in the brackets y on the main fork. When the said
struts are not in action they are raised by india-rubber or other springs (not shown)
to their present position. The levers d, one on each side, are for the purpose of
turning the trailing wheel, as described under Fig. 1; they are formed of bell-
cranks working on the axle of the carrying wheel, or they may be fitted in brackets
attached to the framing in any convenient manner.
The reference letters from e to v inclusive refer to similar parts in Figs. 1 and 3,
and have been fully described under Fig. 1.
Fig. 3ª is a modification of Fig. 3, but having the front wheel arranged to swivel
for turning the bicycle instead of the trailing wheel, as previously described. This
arrangement is for the purpose of adapting my said Invention to bicycles of
ordinary construction. a is the back-bone with the ordinary kind of head and
swivelling fork fitted thereto. The hand-rest n is made to turn on the top of the
bracket m, and is joined to the ordinary turning head by two connecting rods e in
any convenient manner; or they may be fitted to lugs on the head for the purpose.
Ordinary guiding reins may be used instead of the rods e, and be pulled by hand
for turning the front wheel as required; or a tiller guiding handle may be fitted to
the head for the same purpose; short levers p project from the front of the saddle,
one on each side, and are connected by metal rods 2 to the bell-cranks x, which
bell-cranks are fitted to the back-bone as near to the head as possible, so that when
the front wheel is swivelled the rods p¹ connecting the bell-cranks with the driving
ratchet-wheels may not be strained by such swivelling motion, and also be free
to drive the said wheels when in any position. The rods p' may be made of metal,
wire, or other suitable material. The india-rubber springs 8 pull the pawls of the
wheels round when the rods p' are slackened for a fresh catch of the said wheels.
The other parts of the bicycle, not shown, are similar to corresponding parts in Fig. 3,
excepting the lever d and cross-bar g, which are here dispensed with.
Fig. 3b is a modification of the arrangement described in Fig. 3ª having the
The levers of the wheels r
levers p longer, and dispensing with the bell-cranks x.
are also made longer to equalize the power, and for the same object the connection
of the straps p to the levers p at o2 may be made adjustable, so as to slide along
the levers p to equalize the power as required. The suspending straps o' for the
stirrups o may be jointed to the levers p. The other parts of the bicycle not shown
are similar to corresponding parts in Fig. 3.
To facilitate still further the turning of the bicycle described in Figs. 3° and 3b
I connect the cross-bar g, Fig. 3, with the opposite ends of the axle of the front
wheel, by diagonal wires in such a manner that when the said front wheel is turned
as described movement is at the same time communicated by the said diagonal
wires to the trailing wheel, which latter wheel is also turned to correspond with
the front wheel. By this arrangement one-half the amount of turning of each
wheel gives the same result as double the amount when only one wheel is turned
in the usual manner.
Fig. 4 shows a method of adapting my said Invention to bicycles of ordinary
construction, at the same time providing greater security against the rider being
thrown over the bicycle when the front wheel meets an obstruction on the road.
The saddle is placed much further back on the framing than is usual, which causes
some difficulty in freely turning the front wheel of ordinary bicycles, because the
rim thereof would diverge considerably from the framing and rub against the legs
of the rider. To obviate this difficulty I make the fork so that the socket 2 in
which it turns shall be perpendicular to the horizontal plane, as indicated by the
dotted line A, B; by this means the rim of the wheel does not diverge beyond the

page_text: framing more than usual, and it is still more important that by this method the
framing or back-bone is not twisted out of the perpendicular by the turning of
the wheel.
I am aware that a Patent was granted in 1878, No. 4265, for a method which
professes to remedy the difficulty referred to above, but does not accomplish it
correctly, inasmuch as when the front wheel is turned at an angle to the framing
the bend in the fork will throw the framing of the bicycle out of the perpendicular,
and the inclination given to the said socket will throw the front wheel also out of
the perpendicular; but by constructing the socket itself perpendicular, as shown in
Fig. 4, the wheel, and the framing likewise, remain perpendicular in any position in
which such wheel may be turned.
In vehicles requiring such accurate balancing as bicycles do it is very important
to preserve the framing perpendicular under the ever-varying positions of the
front wheel, with respect to such framing.
1th mil MATA
The saddle is jointed to a fulcrum pin in the framing, and the stirrups o are
suspended from grooved brackets of attached to the said saddle, so that they may be
from the notch in front of the nin.l to the notch
behind it, for the object of changing the action of the rider, as expiamen under
Fig. 1. The lines or straps p¹ connect the saddle with the levers and pawls of
the ratchet-wheels 7, one of which is on each side thereof; s are india-rubber
springs for pulling the,pawls of the wheels round to effect a fresh catch when the
lines or straps pare slackened by the rising of the saddle k, as explained under
Fig. 1. A spiral spring fitted to the socket 2 and the neck of the framing a keeps
the front wheel in a straight line with the said framing, except when the wheel is
turned to either side by means of the handle n fitted to the socket 2 for that
purpose. The parts of the bicycle not shown are similar to the corresponding parts
in Fig. 3, except the levers d and cross-bar g, which are dispensed with in this
case.
Fig. 4 is a modification of my Invention as described under Fig. 4, but instead
of driving the front wheel by the rising and falling of the saddle k, such saddle
being fixed except in the deflection caused by the spring von which it rests. The
limbs of the fork F are bent, forward as an alternative arrangement to that shown
in Fig. 4, and to the said limbs are jointed the levers G, upon the free ends of which
the rider's feet rest on suitable pedals for driving. The limbs 3 are connected to
the levers of the ratchet-wheels in any convenient manner. The levers G are
fitted with springs 4 to raise them for a fresh stroke after being depressed by the
feet in driving,
These improvements may be added to any ordinary bicycle and have the
advantage over them in not requiring to keep the rider's feet in constant motion,
owing to the revolution of the ordinary cranks or links connected thereto for
driving the same, but in the forgoing improvements sufficient power to drive is
only applied to maintain the requisite speed without reference to revolutions of the
wheel itself. The power is therefore applied in successive impulses, and may be
increased on ascending gradients, or diminished on the level or on descending
gradients as required. Similar letters in Figs. 1 to 4 refer to corresponding
parts.
Fig. 5 is an elevation (full size), and Fig. 6 a section of the rim a, and shows the
method of fixing the wires forming the spokes in the road wheels. The rim a is
formed of a bar of flat iron having a longitudinal groove a¹ rolled or formed in it,
holes are drilled at any required distance apart for passing the wires 6 through,
which wires are afterwards brazed or otherwise secured in the said groove or holes.
This method of fastening the wire spokes may with advantage be used with the
ordinary crescent or V-shaped tyre. I also use with my improved form of rim a
facing of india-rubber, gutta-percha, or leather, or a thin hoop of metal fixed to the
said rim in any convenient manner, to prevent the abrasion of the wires b.
Fig. 7 is a full-size sectional elevation of the boss of the driving wheel, it is
formed of an external tube c upon which is fitted the star wheels d, having any

page_text: required number of arms which embrace the wires forming the spokes by projecting
lugs e at the tips of each arm. Or disc wheels may be used instead of the said star
wheels with the said wires passing through notches in their rims. The wires bare
passed through the tube c. The wheel may thus be completed with one length of
wire passed successively through the holes in the rim thereof and through the tube c
in the said boss until the wheel is completed. By this arrangement the screwing or
otherwise fixing of the spokes of the wheel separately is avoided. The said wire
may also be in several pieces when needed. The internal tube or solid axle fis
forced into the centre of the tube c after the said wires are completed; the facing
washers g prevent the said wires wearing at their ends. These wires may be
brazed or soldered to fix them in position. The spaces on the axle are made to
fit on the bell-crank levers d, see Fig. 3. i are the driving wheels, of which one is
shown in section; k is the central part thereof fixed in any convenient manner to
the axle f. On the boss of such wheel the discs are so fitted as to turn freely
thereon. The periphery of the central part / may be notched like ratchet-teeth, or
be covered with leather or other suitable material to give the pawl n a secure
hold or grip when required to turn the wheel as described under Fig. 1.
pawl n is fitted with a spring n' to cause it to grip the said wheel; o is an external
casing which may be fitted to the discs or form part of them, as shown in the
section, its use is to support the straps p' and india-rubber springs s, see Fig. 3,
and to allow the wheel inside the case o to turn freely; p are the levers to which
the pawl is fitted by the pin n² and to which or to a similar pin the said
straps and india-rubber springs are attached in any convenient manner. The
discs on opposite sides of the wheel k are connected by rivets or pins as may be
required.
k
The
Fig. 8 is a full-size elevation of the fork and socket for the trailing wheel
described under Figs. 1 and 3. The extremities of this fork which are of the usual
kind are not shown. a is a section of the back-bone to which is fixed the socket b,
the end of the fork c fits into this socket so that such fork may turn therein. The
neck of the fork c¹ is square, and on it is fitted the lever g (described in Figs. 1
and 3) for turning such fork. Small projecting nibs i, one on each side, are fitted to
the lever g and fit into corresponding recesses in the socket b; their use is to keep
the said fork straight with the framing as explained under Figs. 1 and 3. The
space is to allow the socket b to rise when the nibs i cause it to do so.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the means whereby it is or may be carried into practice, I wish
further to state that I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein described
and illustrated, because from the nature of my said Invention they may be con-
siderably modified without departing from the main characteristics of my said
Invention, but. what I claim as novel, and desire to secure by the herein-before
mentioned in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The general arrangement for constructing light-framed bicycles as
described under Fig. 1.
Secondly. The method of obtaining power to drive bicycles by the rising and
falling of the saddle, as described under Figs. 1, 3, 3, 3b, and 4.
Thirdly. The arrangement of struts for keeping bicycles in an upright position
as described under Figs. 1 and 3.
Fourthly. The method of steering bicycles by the trailing wheel instead of by
the front wheel, as described under Figs. 1 and 3.
Fifthly. The arrangement for turning the front and trailing wheels of bicycles
simultaneously, as described under Fig. 3b.
Sixthly. The method of turning the front wheel of bicycles, as described under
Figs. 3ª and 3b.
Seventhly. The method of constructing bicycles which have the saddle further
back than usual, in such a manner that when the front wheel is turned such action
shall not throw the framing or the front wheel out of the perpendicular, as described
under Figs. 4 and 4ª.

page_text: Eighthly. The method of constructing bicycles so that the front wheel when
turned shall not diverge so far as usual from the framing, as described under Figs. 4
and 4ª.
Ninthly. The method of driving bicycles of the ordinary construction by means
of bell-crank levers and ratchet-wheels, as described under Fig. 4º.
Tenthly. The method of constructing the road wheels of bicycles, as described
under Figs. 5, 6, and 7.
Eleventhly. The construction and application of ratchet-wheels and pawls for
driving bicycles, as described under Figs. 1, 2, 3ª, 3b, 4, 4ª, and 7.
Twelfthly. The method for guiding bicycles in a straight course until they are
turned out of it, as described under Figs. 1, 4, 4, and 8.
All the foregoing claims I make substantially as and for the purposes described
in the several Figures referred to in connection therewith.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Clark, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN (L.S.) CLARK.