Improvements in and relating to Cycles and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 30th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Cycles and the like.
I, EDWARD HENRY CHAPPUIS, residing at Marysville, County of Yuba, State
of California, U.S.A., Miner, 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 a means for securing the saddle, saddle-post, handle
bar, steering posts, and handle-bars of cycles by the employment of cam locking
devices having means by which they are directly operated without the use of
screw-threaded bolts and nuts or wrenches; and it consists in devices and attach-
ments for said parts whereby the fastening or releasing and adjustment of any
of the parts may be effected at once and without the application of any separate
implement.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the
seat-post and attachments. Figure 2 is a rear view of the same, the saddle clamps
being in section in line of Fig. 1. Figure 3 is a detail of the locking block
in the seat clamp. Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line y-y of Fig. 2.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the steering post, on line ww of Fig. 6,
shewing the method of locking the handle-bar stem in the steering post socket
by means of a cam lever. Figure 6 is a transverse section of the same on line 2
of Fig. 5. Figure 7 is a view of the handle bar fastening. Figure 8 is a top
view of the same. Figure 9 is a view of one of the corrugated handle bar discs.
Figure 10 is a view of the top of the handle bar post.
In the adjustment and securing of saddle posts and handle-bar steering posts
to obtain the proper height for various riders and in the adjusting and securing
the seats and the handle-bars for similar purposes, it has been customary to
employ screw-bolts and nuts whereby the parts are clamped in place, but these
devices are unsatisfactory and annoying, because, first, the amount of compres
sion necessary to hold the parts in place, is so considerable that threads are often
stripped from the bolts and the angles of the nuts are twisted and torn away,
besides which it is not easy to maintain the parts in proper line and prevent their
being twisted out of place so as to occasion severe accidents.
My invention is designed to overcome this difficulty by the application of a
series of clamping devices for holding these parts in place.
In the present illustrations I have shewn the tubular seat-post socket A having
the seat-post B slidable within it, and the steering-post tubular socket C having
the handle-bar post I correspondingly slidable within it, both being adapted
to be adjusted up and down to suit the convenience of the rider.
Upon the top of the seat-post is the seat-bar or support E, and to this the
saddle is adjustably secured by a clamp and other clamps lock the saddle spring F
to this support at any desired point, as will be hereafter more fully described.
The handle-bar is turnable in suitable holders in the upper end of the post 1)
so that it may be adjusted to suit the rider and its post may also be raised or
lowered in the socket similarly to the seat-post.

page_text: All these adjusting devices are actuated by cams which immediately lock and
hold the parts to any point of adjustment.
The seat-post socket A and the handle-bar socket C are provided with lugs a
projecting as here shewn rearwardly, and between these lugs are fulcrumed the
cam levers G.
The corresponding portions of the post are transversely corrugated so that
when the post is raised or depressed, these corrugations are in line with the
slotted openings in which the cam levers operate.
These levers have blocks H pivoted to them, and these blocks have their faces
which are adjacent to the posts, correspondingly corrugated so that when the
cam is moved to lock the blocks against the seat-posts, the two will be held
firmly and prevented from sliding upon each other.
Upon each side of the corrugations in the seat-post or handle-bar post are
open channels shewn at I, see Figure 4, and the cam blocks H have flanges or
projections J see Figure 6, upon each side which enter these slots or channels
whenever the blocks are clamped against the posts.
These guides and channels serve to lock the parts accurately in line, so that
there will be no mistake when the adjustment is made of twisting either seat-post
or handle bar to one side or the other, and they serve additionally to prevent the
post from being twisted out of line by accident, thus relieving the rider of
the danger of serious accident from such a cause.
Upon the top of the seat-post B is the seat-bar or support E.
The seat-post has a head formed upon its upper end and this head is split or
channeled downward and adapted to receive the flattened correspondingly shaped
portion of the support E.
The inner faces of the two sides of the head B₁ of the seat post are formed
with radial corrugations and the flattened portion of the support E which lies
within the seat-post head is correspondingly corrugated so that when the two sides
are clamped together upon this seat support it will be held in the same manner
as previously described in a straight line and prevented from turning.
K is a bolt passing centrally through the seat-post head and the corrugated
portion of the seat support, and it has a washer K¹ and a thumb nut K² upon
one end.
Upon the other end is fulcrumed the cam lever G₁ which operates when turned
to either compress the sides of the seat-post head and clamp them firmly upon the
seat support, or by turning in the opposite direction to release and allow the sides
of the seat-post head to separate so as to free the seat support.
When the pin K has been put into place it is adjusted by means of the thumb
nut K2 until it is in the proper relative position to allow the cam lever G¹ to
operate.
After that adjustment has been made, no change in this part will be necessary,
the operation of securing and releasing being effected by means of the cam lever
as before described.
In order to prevent this cam lever from turning or revolving, the shaft bolt
or pin K is flattened or squared where it enters the seat post head, fitting into
correspondingly shaped openings which will insure the cam lever remaining in
its proper line of movement under all conditions and will not allow it be rotated
back or forward of the seat post.
The seat support or bar marked E is of sufficient length to allow the saddle
to be moved forward or back upon it and thus adjusted to suit the different
peculiarities of riders. It is movable from end to end without being removed
from the bar.
The upper surface of this bar is transversely corrugated, as previously described,
for the other locking surfaces, and it is adapted to be engaged by a cam block M
which fits into a channel in the top of a saddle support N.
Just beneath the upper corrugated surface and parallel therewith, grooves
or channels O are made longitudinally upon each side of the support E, and the

page_text: lower part of the saddle support N has inwardly turned flanges which fit and
are slidable in these grooves.
Upon each side of the part N are projecting lugs having holes made through
them to receive the saddle spring rods F, which may be adjusted therein and
afterwards locked by cam levers similar to G². In this case the springs F may
be corrugated or notched to be engaged by these cam levers.
Within the channel in the upper part of N is fulcrumed a cam lever G³ of
the same character as those previously described.
This lever is connected with the movable cam block M so that when turned
in one direction it will raise and release it from the corrugations upon the top
of E.
The block has similar corrugations so that when the parts have been moved
forward or back to the proper adjustment the cam can be again pressed down,
thus engaging and locking the block M with the corrugations of the part E and
holding it securely so that it cannot move in either direction.
The guide channels O and the corresponding engaging parts of N, insure the
saddle always remaining in a proper position transversely and preventing it from
being tilted to one side or the other.
The whole saddle may be tilted forward or back by turning the support E in
the head B of the steering-post, and adjusting it as previously described.
Gauge lines may be marked upon the sides of the seat bar to indicate the dis-
tance forward or back to which adjustment may have been made, and the seat-post
head and the extension which fits into it from the seat support E may also have
marks indicating the degree of inclination at which the saddle has been set.
The vertical adjustment of the seat-post and also the handle-bar post may, in
like manner, be indicated by marks or lines.
In order to properly secure the handle bar R it has formed upon or secured to
it two discs R¹ which are separated from each other a short distance. These
discs are radially corrugated on their inner faces, and the steering-post D) has
corresponding circular radially corrugated discs D₁ forming its head.
Holes are made centrally through the head D, and the two parts are separated
sufficiently to allow a rotary cam S to be fitted between them.
The post is split down a short distance in line with the open slot at the head,
so that the two sides D' may be moved to or from each other.
When the handle bar is in place it passes through the central holes in the
head D and the corrugated discs R¹ face the corresponding exterior corrugated
faces of D.
The disc S has two inclined or cam-shaped faces formed in it at opposite sides
as shewn at S, and it has a projecting lug or lever arm S by which it is turn-
able in the channel between the discs of the steering post head.
The discs R and the corrugated disc D' and interior parts are protected by
an enclosing rim T having inturned edges which engage the outer faces of the
discs R¹.
Lugs 12 project on the face of the slot or channel in the head D within which
the cam ring is turnable and when the inclined cam faces S₁ are engaged with
these lugs by the turning of the disc S, the action will be to spread or separate
the two corrugated parts D¹ and thus force them into locking contact with the
discs R¹ of the handle bar. When this is done the handle bar is locked in what-
ever position it may occupy.
If it is desired to change this position it is only necessary to raise the cam
lever G which will release the corrugated clamping faces and allow the handle
to be turned up or down.
The steering post D has lines of transverse corrugations upon opposite sides
of the line of the direction of travel of the machine.
If it is desired to change the position of the steering-post in order to allow
the handle bar to be reversed, the clamp G which locks the post in the socket C
may be lifted out and turned entirely around, reversing its position and bring-

page_text: ing the line of corrugation which were in front to the rear, the rear ones being
moved to the front. On Figure 5, the cam lever G is shewn in solid lines as
locking the stem in the steering post socket C, and in dotted lines in its alter-
native position, in which latter the stem I) is free to be withdrawn.
The interior of the steering post socket has a guide formed along the front
which serves to engage with either of the projecting corrugated faces of the
steering post, while the other face is engaged and locked by the cam block as
previously described.
These two guides serve to maintain a post absolutely in its proper line and to
prevent its being twisted out of place.
In order to regulate the position of the cam lever and maintain it at the rear
of the post whenever the latter has been turned around, the lever, itself, is
mounted upon a sleeve U see Figure which is turnable upon the exterior of the
socket C, turning between proper guiding ribs or flanges, and either of the
lines of corrugations of the post having been brought into line, the cam block H
which is actuated by the lever G enters through a slot in the rear of the socket
tube and engages the corrugations which may be brought into line with the
slot.
A circumferential slot is made in the enclosing collar T to allow the cam
lever to move in it, and in order to prevent dust from entering this slot, a
curved gate V is fixed to and movable with the cam lever, this gate sliding around
with the collar and always maintaining a dust tight joint.
It will be seen that by this construction, the machine may be practically so
dismantled as to render it impossible for a thief to steal it and ride away, as it
is only necessary to turn the cam and unlock the handle-bar post, which may then
be withdrawn and carried off, leaving the machine in such a condition that it
cannot be ridden away.
The adjustment is also of value because it allows the handle bars to be turned
instantly so as to stand in line with the frame and wheels, and thus enables the
machine to pass through narrow doorways or openings; it also makes it easy
to pack for shipments, and in many ways to handle it more readily than where
all the parts are rigidly secured together..
The cam heads G2 have holes at g for the fulcrum pins about which they turn
and curved slots g² through which the pins pass to connect the cams with the
plates or blocks H. Both the ends and the sides of the cams are slightly flattened
so that they press squarely against the adjacent face of the plate H, when the
lever G is turned to release the pressure, or to apply it to lock the parts, and this
prevents any accidental loosening of the cam from either position.
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. In a bicycle and the like, the vertically slidable seat and handle bar
posts having one or more transversely corrugated surfaces, cam blocks having
corresponding surfaces adapted to engage with those of the movable posts, cams
fulcrumed in the sockets in which the posts are slidable, and loosely connected
with the cam blocks whereby the latter are engaged with or disengaged from
the posts, guide flanges projecting from the sides of the cam blocks and corre-
sponding channels formed upon each side of the corrugations of the posts with
which said flanges engage whereby the posts are maintained in proper align-
ment with relation to the machine.
2nd. An adjusting and clamping device for handle bars of bicycles and the
like, consisting of discs fitting the central portion of the handle-bar having their
inner faces radially corrugated, a correspondingly shaped head for the handle
bar post having a slot formed in the upper end in line with the frame of the
machine, through which head the handle bar is adapted to pass with its corru-
gated discs exterior to the circular head discs of the post, a cam fitting the

page_text: channel in the head of the post and turnable about the handle-bar which passes
there through, a lever by which the cam is actuated projecting rearwardly, and
lugs with which the cam engages when turned, whereby the channeled post
head is separated and its outer faces interlocked with those of the discs upon
the handle-bar and the latter is locked in any desired position.
Dated this 18th day of February 1898.
וד
GEDGE & FEENY,
60, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent Agents.