IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO BEARINGS GENERALLY
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Harrington and Henry Brent, both of Ryde, in
the Isle of Wight, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND
OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE
TO BEARINGS GENERALLY."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Harrington and
Henry Brent at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January
1879.
JOHN HARRINGTON and HENRY BRENT, both of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES, PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO BEARINGS GENERALLY.
The first part of the Invention relates to bearings for bicycles and for other pur-
poses. In carrying this part of the Invention into effect we employ balls as the
bearing surfaces between the box and the axle or a bush on the axle as has hereto-
fore been proposed, but instead of placing the balls loose in the box whereby they
aro liable to congregate together and thereby to cause friction one on the other, we
separate them from each other by means of small rollers placed intermediate thereof
and touching neither the box nor the axle or bush, which rollers are pivotted in a
frame or cradle; thus as the balls are rotated they give rotary motion to the rollers,
and the latter and their frame or cradle are caused to revolve around the axle with
the balls. If desired two or more sets of balls may be employed in the length of
the bearing, in which case we preferably arrange them so that the balls of two
adjacent sets shall not be opposite to each other.
The second part of the Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing the
"forks" of bicycles and other velocipedes.
For this purpose we take a strip of sheet iron or steel of the required dimensions
and bend it along each of its edges so as to turn the metal over till the edges touch
the web and thereby form a tube along each edge of the strip. The metal may be
so turned over that the edges may touch each other and the web, or touch only the
web, by a wider or narrower portion of which they are in the latter case separated
from each other, and we form the outer surface of the fork of a convex shape so as

page_text: to obtain the maximum of strength combined with a neat appearance.
ably braze the edges of the metal strip to the web thereof.
We prefer-
The third part of the Invention relates to improvements in wheels for bicyles and
other wheeled vehicles.
For this purpose we form transverse holes in the hub, one for each spoke, and in
some cases we form grooves or recesses in the side of the hub in connection with
each hole, and extending therefrom to the periphery of the hub, so that the wires
can lodge in such grooves or recesses. We form rivet heads on the ends of the wire
spokes and pass the latter through the holes in the hub, preferably in a direction
from the inside to the outside, until the rivet heads abut against the inside of the
hub; the wires are then bent upwards in the direction of the felloo to which they
are secured by any suitable adjustable tension arrangement.
The wires lie in the grooves or recesses of the hub and thereby give strength and
rigidity to the wheel.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Harrington and Henry Brent in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 16th July 1879.
-
JOHN HARRINGTON and HENRY BRENT, both of Ryde, in the Isle of Wight.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES, PART OF WHICH
IMPROVEMENTS IS APPLICABLE TO BEARINGS GENERALLY."
The first part of the Invention relates to bearings for bicycles and for other pur-
poses and is represented in cross section and in sectional plan respectively at
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
In carrying this part of the Invention into effect we employ balls a as the bearing
surfaces between the box b and the axle c, or a bush c¹ as shown on the axle, as has
heretofore been proposed and used, but instead of placing the bulls a loose in the box,
whereby they are liable to congregate together and theroby to cause friction one on
the other, we separate them from each other by means of small rollers & placed inter-
mediate thereof and touching neither the box b, nor the axle c, or bush c', which
rollers are pivotted or otherwise mounted in a frame or cradle e; thus as the balls a
are rotated they give rotary motion to the rollers d, and the latter and their frame
or cradle e are caused to revolve around the axle c with the balls a. If desired two
or more sets of balls a may be employed, in which case we preferably arrange them
so that the balls a of two adjacent sets shall not be opposite to each other. This
arrangement is represented at Figure 3.
In order to retain the balls a in proper position in the bearing we preferably form
a groove around the inner surface of the box b and a corresponding groove around
the bush so as to form a path in which the balls a are compelled to travel, and in
order to enable the parts readily to be removed and replaced when desired we divide
the bush in the centre of its groove or grooves, thus forming the bush into two or
more parts or rings meeting together at the centre of the path or paths travelled by
the balls.
The second part of the Invention relates to a novel mode of manufacturing the
"forks" of bicycles and other velocipedes, and is represented at Figures 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8.
For this purpose we take a strip of sheet iron or steel of the requisite dimensions
and bend it along each of its edges so as to turn the metal over till the edges touch
the web and thereby form a tube along each edge of the strip. The metal may be
so turned over that the edges may touch each other and the web f¹, as represented
at Figures 4 and 5, or the edges may be so turned over, as shown at Figures 6 and 7,
as to touch only the web f' and be separated from each other by a wider or
narrower portion of the web f' as may be desired, and we form the outer surface of
the fork of a convex shape so as to obtain the maximum of strength combined with
a neat appearance. We preferably braze the edges of the metal strip to the web
thereof.
The arms or branches of the fork, as shown at Figure 8, are provided with a solid
part brazed or otherwise rigidly fixed thereto to enable the same to be bolted or
screwed to the parts g¹ fixed to the bearings g, whilst the upper parts are brazed to
the head, as shown.
The third part of the Invention relates to improvements in wheels for bicycles
and other wheeled vehicles. This part of our Invention is represented at Figures 9
and 10. For this purpose we form transverse holes h' in the hub h, one for
each spoke, and, as shown, we form grooves or recesses in the side of the
hubh in connection with each hole, and extending therefrom to the periphery
of the hub so that the wires i can lodge in such grooves or recesses. We form
rivet heads as usual on the ends of the wire spokes i and pass the latter through
the holes p' in the hub h, preferably in a direction from the inside to the out-
side, until the rivet heads abut against the inside of the hub; the wires aro

page_text: then bent upwards in the direction of the felloe to which they are secured by
any suitable adjustable tension arrangement.
The wires lie in the grooves or recesses h in the hub h and thereby give strength
and rigidity to the wheel.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the mode in
which we carry the same into effect, we would have it understood that what wo
claim is,-
First. The mode of constructing ball-bearings so as to rotain the balls properly
spaced, substantially as herein shown and described.
Second. The mode of manufacturing the "forks" of bicycles and other velo-
cipedes, substantially as herein shown and described; and
Third. Forming the hubs of bicycles and other wheeled vehicles with transverse
holes and with grooves or recesses to receive the wire spokes, in manner sub-
stantially as berein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Harrington, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN HARRINGTON. (L.s.)