Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 30th Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 31st Dec., 1888
I JAMES LOGAN WATKINS Engineer, of 19 Hetley Road Uxbridge Road
London W. in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
A Valise holder formed by two or more Wood bearers, cased with Leather or other-
wise, placed horizontally connected with Straps, Metal Clamps, fitted to machine below
handle bar to carry same, means of strapping same when out of use, Swivel centre
under Saddle with internal and external Springs forming rest for Rifle, either to carry
or fire from, covered with Leather or otherwise Gun Metal or non-corrosive Cup and
Ball Socket for Lamp Bracket, giving facility to signal at any required angle without
turning Machine, a fitting by which a number of Machines, may be Parked when
required, viz., a Rod fitted to Backbone of Machine turning on a Centre, with an eye
and locking pin, and spring Clip attachment Side Arin and Ammunition Box Carrier,
formed with a Screw Clamp and double tongue at one end; and doubled screwed pins
and flat hook fitted to Mud Guard-at other end-A Spring Guard covered with
Leather is attached to same, to protect breach of Rifle when mounted.
Dated 31st January 1888
JAMES LOGAN WATKINS.

page_text: Improvements in Fittings for Military Cycles.
I, JAMES LOGAN WATKINS, of 19 Hetley Road, Uxbridge Road, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, 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 the fittings for cycles adapted for
military purposes. Since filing my Provisional Specification I find that certain of the
improvements therein set forth are not of sufficient importance to lay any claim to
them, and I therefore abandon them and limit my invention first, to the device for
mounting a rifle centrally on the machine by means of a swivel crutch or socket mounted
under the saddle, and secondly, to a device for parking or stacking safety bicycles
together, by means of hooked tie rods, each pivotted. to the frame of one machine
and capable of engaging with an eye or its equivalent on the frame of another
machine.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will more particularly describe
it with the aid of the accompanying drawing which illustrates some methods of
carrying my invention into practical effect.
Figure 1. is a view in side elevation on a small scale of a safety bicycle fitted
with my improvements. Figure 2. is a view in end elevation of the swivel centre
crutch or socket for supporting the rifle, and Figure 3. is a view in end elevation of
a modification thereof adapted for existing machines. Figure 4. is a broken view-
in plan showing the parking gear and Figures 5. and are views-in transverse
section--of details of the said gear. Throughout these views similar parts are marked
with like letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawing, I mount in the
central tube a, or that part of the frame of a safety bicycle which usually carries the
seat pillar, a crutch or socket A mounted on a stud A' adapted to fit within the tube X,
or its equivalent, and to swivel therein. The crutch is prevented from rising out of
the tube X, or its equivalent, by means of the screw pin a threaded in the snug X
fixed on the top of the tube X, and engaging with a groove or race a¹ cut or formed
in the stud A¹ of the crutch or socket A. The crutch or socket A is preferably made
of spring-steel, and is lined with leather-so-as to grip and hold the rifle by frictional
contact. The butt end of the rifle may be carried in any suitably shaped or formed
crutch or socket A2 carried on the mud-guard of the machine, the said mud-guard
being made of stouter metal to give it the desired strength to support the weight.
A strong fork a¹ also supports the mud-guard at or about the position of the crutch or
socket A² thereon. The snug X' is extended laterally to form a split socket z³ to

page_text: carry the seat pillar B which is cranked to bring the horizontal arm thereof central
with the machine, that is, on the longitudinal centre line of the machine.
By this arrangement the rifle is completely out of the way of the rider and is
not liable to touch his legs, as it is when carried on one side of the machine to
avoid the seat pillar as usually mounted. Furthermore the uneven wear on the
bearings of a machine due to the weight of a rifle carried on one side is avoided, .
and the feeling of bias to one side in steering the machine, is entirely absent.
By mounting the crutch or socket to swivel in its support it may be used as a
rest or support for the rifle whilst firing, the machine at the same time offering some
protection to the marksman.
Figure 3 shows a modification of this part of my invention rendering it applicable
to existing machines. The crutch or socket A is arranged to receive the rifle
from the side instead of from the top, as sufficient space is seldom to be found in
the ordinary type of safety bicycle between the top of the post X and the under side
of the seat pillar B for the rifle to be vertically lifted out of its support. I therefore
form the crutch or socket A as illustrated by Figure 3, and provide a hinged side a²
controlled and locked by a snap spring a³ or its equivalent. In this case the
split socket forins part of the crutch or socket A, and is supported by the
shank A as hereinabove described. In this arrangement I prefer to lock the shank A
to the tube X by means of the screw a, though it may be adapted to swivel if so
desired.
Referring to Figures 1, 4. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing, which shows the
parking gear forming the second part of my invention. On to the backbone X², or to
any other convenient part of the frame, of a safety bicycle is mounted by means of
any suitable form of ball and socket joint, or its equivalent, a rod or bar C having a
hook or its equivalent formed on its free end. The ball and socket joint, or its
equivalent, by which the rod or bar C is attached to the backbone or frame of the
machine is carried by a snug a fixed to one side of the backbone, or frame, and on
the other and opposite side thereof is fixed an eye ³, or its equivalent, to receive the
hook c of a rod or bar carried by another machine, thereby locking the one machine
to the other and so support both. It will be seen that each machine carries a rod or
bar C on one side, and an eye on the other side, thus adapting any number of
machines to be parked together. When the rod or bar C is not in use it is folded
alongside the backbone or frame of the machine and is held in any suitable form of
spring clip fixed to, or carried by, the said backbone or frame.
It will be obvious that the arrangement for carrying the rifle centrally under
the saddle is applicable to tricycles equally as well and usefully as to bicycles.
I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact details of
construction hereinabove described and shown, but hold myself at liberty to make
such changes and alterations as fairly come within the spirit and scope of my
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st. The improved fittings for cycles, substantially as hereinabove described, adapting
them for military purposes.
2nd. In a cycle, mounting the seat pillar out of the centre of the machine to
allow, a rifle to be carried centrally on the machine, as and for the purpose
set forth.
3rd. In a cycle, mounting a crutch or socket for carrying or supporting a rifle so
that it is free to swivel, as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. Adapting a cycle to carry a rifle for military purposes, by mounting one of the
supports for the said rifle, in the tube or socket of the frame of the machine usually
adapted to carry the seat pillar, as set forth.
5th. In a cycle, the use of a connecting rod or bar attached by a universal joint to
the frame of the machine and having a hook or its equivalent at its free end adaptin

page_text: it to engage with an eye or its equivalent, carried by another machine whereby the
said machines can be parked, as set forth.
6th. In cycles adapted for military purposes, parking and supporting the said
machines in the manner set forth.
7th. In military cycles, the combination of the devices for carrying the rifle and for
parking the machines, as set forth.
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.