Improvements in and connected with Devices for Coupling Bicycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1897
1000
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Devices for Coupling Bicycles.
I, FREDERICK NOEL MACKAY, of 4, Nicoll Road, Willesden, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to means for connecting two bicycles together so as to
enable them to be ridden as a sociable quadricycle; such means being more par-
ticularly although not exclusively applicable to rear driving safety bicycles.
The chief object of my invention is to provide suitable connecting devices that
may be readily and conveniently carried upon a bicycle, and which devices,
together with the duplicate devices carried by another bicycle, will enable the two
bicycles to be coupled and ridden together, even if they be of different makes or
sizes. A further object of my invention is to provide connecting devices that
shall be resilient and permit most or all of the driving power to be applied on one
of the bicycles only, while the combined machine will run steadily and accommo-
date itself to the inequalities of the road surface.
According to my invention I prefer to make the principal connection between
the two bicycles in the form of a spring that may comprise two similar overlapping
steel strips suitably connected together, or one or more coiled springs, adapted
when in use to be bent into the form of a semicircle; or this spring connecting
device may consist of two parallel rigid bars provided with coiled spring diagonals.
The extremities of this spring device are secured one to each bicycle; say, to the
rear portion of the lower back forks. I also provide one or more pairs of connecting
bars, one of which pairs may be attached to the heads of the machines and another
to, say, the upper back forks. Each member of these connecting bars may consist
of two overlapping strips of metal provided with slots and surrounded by a slotted
sleeve at their over-lapping portions. The two members of each pair are adapted
to cross each other, and a single bolt is employed passing through both sleeves and
the four strips, and thus serving to securely retain them in position after they
have been adjusted to suit the relative sizes of the bicycles which it is desired to
couple together. In some cases however it may be preferred to use the members
parallel instead of crossed and for this purpose I provide a pin or stud on each strip
adapted to engage with the slot of the opposite strip. In this case the sleeve may
be dispensed with.
These connecting bars are adapted to be hooked or otherwise secured in sockets
permanently fixed on the framing of the bicycles, or I may provide the said bars
with clips or other devices for clamping or otherwise securing the same to the said
framing.
I prefer to so construct these connecting bars that they shall be slightly resilient,
and so, while maintaining the separation and parallelism of the bicycles, permit
one bicycle to slightly advance or recede relatively to the other, the amount of such
advance being governed by the aforesaid spring connecting device.
The connection of the steering wheels may be effected by a rod formed of two

page_text: similar overlapping portions suitably connected together. The extremities of this
rod may be pivotted to the lamp bracket or to an extension or pin provided thereon,
or to a lug or arm on the steering forks. This connecting rod is adapted to be used
as a gauge rod to which to set the connecting bars before securing them in posi-
tion, by which means I ensure that the two bicycles are fixed parallel to each other.
When not in use each portion or half of the connecting devices is adapted to be
carried by a bicycle, being attached to suitable parts of the framing thereof by
clips or the like. I construct the detachable parts of every set of devices exactly
alike, so that any two bicycles that are fitted with my devices are capable of being
coupled together.
Dated this 21st day of October 1897
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.
Agents for the Applicant.
I, FREDERICK NOEL MACKAY, of 4, Nicoll Road, Willesden, 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:-
This invention relates to means for connecting two bicycles together side by side,
such means being more particularly although not exclusively applicable to rear
driving safety bicycles.
The chief object of my invention is to provide suitable connecting devices that
may be readily and conveniently carried upon a bicycle, which devices, together
with the duplicate devices carried by another bicycle, will enable the two bicycles
to be coupled and ridden together, even if they be of different types or sizes; such
connecting devices being resilient and permitting most of all of the driving power
to be applied on one of the bicycles only, while the combined machine will run
steadily and accommodate itself to the inequalities of the road surface.
According to my invention I make the principal connection between the bicycles
in the form of a spring or springs. I also provide connecting bars or rods adapted
to be hooked or otherwise secured to the framing of the bicycles. I prefer to so
construct these bars that they shall be slightly resilient or shall have a certain
amount of "play" in the sockets by which they are attached to the framing, so
that, while maintaining the separation and parallelism of the two bicycles, they
will permit one bicycle to slightly advance or recede relatively to the other, the
amount of such advance being governed by the aforesaid spring connection. By
this means also the two bicycles are enabled to swing or become inclined when
travelling on curves, in the same manner as a single bicycle. The attaching
devices, both of the springs and of the connecting bars, are so contrived as to be
readily sprung, into place and retained therein without the use of bolts or nuts.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lady's bicycle having my improved coupling
devices attached thereto.
Figure 2 is an end view and Figure 3 a plan, of two bicycles coupled together by
means of these devices.

page_text: Figures 4, 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3, showing a modified
arrangement of my coupling devices.
Figures 7 and 8 are respectively a fragmentary elevation and a plan of the
spring device, also showing the means for securing the ends of the said device in
the sockets on the bicycles.
Figures 9 and 10 are respectively a side and an end elevation of the socket
attached to the rear fork-end of the bicycle, for receiving the extremity of the
spring device and of a connecting bar or rod.
Figure 11 is a detail plan view of the pair of connecting bars I employ for con-
necting the bicycles, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. This view also shows the
socket or means for attaching the same to the heads of the bicycles.
Figures 11 and 11" are respectively a plan and an elevation of one portion or
half of a connecting bar.
Figure 11 is an end elevation of the socket; and
Figure 11 is a separate view of the hook thereon over which the extremities of
the connecting bar may fit.
Figures 12 and 13 are respectively a side and an end elevation of the arm or
lug secured to the front fork of the bicycle and carrying the rod for connecting
the steering wheels.
Figures 14 and 14* illustrate a device for connecting the steering connecting rod
to the said arm.
Figures 15 and 16 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a socket,
similar to that shown in Figures 9 and 10; employed on the head of the machines as
shown in Figures 5 and 6.
Figures 17 and 18 show two constructions of connecting rod end.
Figure 19 shows a device for holding the bicycle rigidly upright when desired;
and
Figures 19 and 19º are separate views of the two members thereof.
Referring first more particularly to the arrangement shown in Figures 1 to 3, A
is a spring forming the principal connection and attached at its extremities to
sockets B, B, on each bicycle. C, are the rear, and C1, C2, the forward connecting
bars or rods. D is a rod for connecting the front wheels and ensuring that they
are deflected simultaneously and equally. This rod is articulated by a universal
joint to arms E, E, secured to, and forming extensions of, the adjacent front forks
of the machines.
Any suitable spring may be employed, such as flat steel strips or a coiled spring
capable of being bent into the form of a semicircle; or parallel rigid bars form-
ing, with the frame, a parallelogram, and provided with spring diagonals. I
prefer however, to use either of the devices shown in Figures 1 to 6.
The device shown in Figures 1 to 3 and more particularly illustrated in Figures
7 and 8 comprises four strips of spring steel a, a¹, a², a³. The adjacent ends of
each pair of strips a, a², and a, a, overlap and are enclosed by a sleeve a³, a
the extremities of the strips being curled or bent to prevent their slipping out of
said sleeves. When not in use, the length of this spring device may be reduced,
for convenience of carrying, by sliding two strips, as a, a¹, through the sleeves.
The two strips at each end of the spring are connected together at a short distance
from their extremities by a rivet a. The end of each of the strips a, a², is formed
with a hole into which fits a pin a secured to the other strip (a¹ or a³). The ends
of the spring A are secured in the sockets B by separating the ends of the two
strips, so that the pin a' is withdrawn from the hole, and then passing the end
in which said hole is formed through the sleeve in the socket hereinafter
described, after which the end carrying the pin is allowed to spring back into
its normal position and thus hold the device in position.
I may dispense with the sleeves and employ pins or rivets for connecting the
inner ends of the steel strips comprising the spring in a pivotal or detachable
manner.

page_text: •
In Figures 4 to 6 I have shown spring devices consisting of single strips of
steel. The extremities of each strip preferably fit into separate sleeves in the
sockets B, and are firmly held thereby in such manner as to prevent their twist-
ing therein. A pin 65, passing through both springs and the sleeves, may be
employed to retain said extremities in the sleeves. To prevent said pin being
loosened by vibration, I may arrange that the inner extremity of the same
shall be held by a block of india-rubber or like material.
Obviously instead of arranging the springs in pairs I may employ only single
springs, or sets of three or more springs.
One form of the socket B is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, which show a
device suitable for fitting to a fork end of the so-called B.S.A. type. It consists
of a casting of metal, vulcanite or other suitable material having a flap form-
ing, in combination with the body of the casting, a recess within which the
fork-end fits; and of a sleeve 2 for receiving the end of the spring as above
mentioned. It is also formed with two lugs 6, 63, whose purpose will be herein-
after described. This socket is adapted to be secured on the fork-end by
screws b¹
Suitable modifications may obviously be made to adapt these sockets to fit
stay tubes of circular or oval shape in cross section; and the spring device may
be retained in the socket by a spring catch or stud adapted to pass through a
hole in the spring and enter a corresponding hole in a part of the socket.
The arrangement of the pair of crossed connecting bars C and C₁ is shown in
Figures 11, 11 and 11". Each member or bar consists of two overlapping strips
of metal c, e provided with slots ¹ and surrounded by a slotted sleeve at their
over-lapping portions. A single bolt, passing through both sleeves and the
four strips, is employed to securely retain them in position after they have been
adjusted to suit the relative sizes of the bicycles which it is desired to couple
together. This bolt grips the sleeves tightly, but the strips are sufficiently
loose in the sleeves to slide over one another, the extent of their movement being
of course governed by the length of the slot through which the bolt passes. I
thus provide for the lengthening of one and the shortening of the other bar,
which is requisite for instance in the connecting bars C when the bicycles become
inclined as in steering round a corner; or in the bars C¹ when one bicycle is in
advance of the other. I may provide a spring tending to maintain the bolt in
a central position in the slots of the strips through which it passes; but I have
found that the spring device A is sufficient for this purpose, especially where two
such devices are employed.
In some cases however it may be preferred to use the members parallel instead
of crossed and for this purpose I provide a pin or stud c4 on each strip adapted to
engage with a slot of the opposite strip. In this case the sleeve may be dispensed
with. One such bar Ca is shown in Figures 1 to 3.
These connecting bars or rods are adapted to be hooked or otherwise secured in
sockets permanently fixed on the framing of the bicycles. Figures 11 and 11
illustrate a form of socket suitable for connecting them to the head. It consists
of a straight piece f capable of being secured to the head by the clip f¹. At the
extremities of the piece f are arranged hooks f2 (see Figure 11") onto which the
pieces care adapted to be hooked by means of holes or eyes provided at their ends.
Figure 11 shows the manner in which the eye formed at the end of the strip c is
secured to this hook. After said strips are fixed together they cannot become
displaced from said hook. In some cases the point f of the hook may be made
in the form of a spring, bearing against the shoulder f³, so as to form an
additional security against displacement of the connecting bars.
The rear connecting bars C and the parallel bar ( may be attached to the
framing of the bicycles in a similar manner, or in the manner shown in the draw-
ings, that is to say by a separate clip for each strip c. The advance of one bicycle
beyond the other may be provided for by making the lugs 3 (see Figure 1)
between which the ends of the bars are hooked somewhat further apart than tho

page_text: thickness of the strips so as to allow of play between these parts. Or the con-
necting bars may be slightly resilient and thus accommodate themselves to such
displacement of the machines. The amount of this advance is, as before stated,
controlled by the spring or springs A, and it is only in exceptional circumstances,
such as one bicycle meeting a serious obstruction, that the limit of the play
allowed by the lugs or the slots in the strips c is reached.
The arm E, adapted to be fixed to one of the front forks and to carry the steer-
ing connecting rod D, is shown in Figures 12 and 13. The upper half of this arm
is formed to fit over the fork end, and a hole e is provided in the arm through
which passes the spindle of the wheel. The nut on this spindle is tightened up
outside the arm and thus serves to retain it in place. An additional attachment
may be provided in the form of a clip e embracing the fork and the upper
extremity of the arm. Beyond the fork end the arm is extended downwardly and
forwardly, and terminates in an eye e² to which may be hooked a connecting rod
which may be of the form shown in Figures 17 or 18 (to be hereinafter described)..
I prefer however to employ the arrangement illustrated in Figures 14 and 14ª°
This arrangement consists of a pin e having a suitable shoulder on which rests
an eye that is formed at the end of the rod D. A ring or band e³ of spring steel
is fixed to this pin, being secured between the shoulder and a washer e. The
normal shape of this spring is that shown in Figure 14, whereby it prevents any
displacement of the rod D. When however it is desired to connect or disconnect
the rod D the sides of the spring are compressed between the fingers and thumb
so as to cause said spring to assume the shape shown in Figure 14 and thus permit
the eye to be passed over the top of the pin e. The nut e' serves to secure both
the pin on the arm E and also the spring on the pin.
Referring now to Figures 4 to 6, according to the construction shown in these
figures, I employ two spring connecting devices A A¹ comprising single strips of
steel as already described. The second spring device A¹ is secured to the lower
parts of the heads of the bicycles, and is adapted to curve forwardly so as to be out
of the way of the riders' knees.
Figures 15 and 16 illustrate the socket B¹ to which the extremities of this second
or front spring are attached. It consists of a hinged clamp fitting on the lower
part of the head and secured in position by a bolt on each side of the main
tube of the bicycle frame. This arrangement of the bolts 6 prevents the
socket B from slipping either up or down on the head. The ends of the spring
may be secured in the sleeve 2 in any of the manners already described.
The rear spring A is shown as secured in sockets B attached to the upper back
forks instead of to the stays or fork ends.
It may be desired to couple a bicycle up with another sometimes on the right
side and sometimes on the left; and in order to render this possible without
entirely removing the sockets B and re-attaching them upon the opposite side of
the bicycle, I have designed a socket comprising two main portions one of which
is permanently secured to the frame of the bicycle, and the other of which com-
prises the sleeves or sockets for the spring and the attachment for the connecting
rod, and is capable of being temporarily secured to the first portion in any con-
venient manner. The first portion is duplicated, one of said portions being fixed
in the proper position on each side of the machine, so that the second portion of
the socket may be attached to either of the first portions according to which side
it is desired to arrange the bicycle.
This construction will be clearly understood on reference to Figures 4 and 6.
The first main portion comprises the blocks b, b, one of which is provided with a
recess fitting the fork or other part of the frame. These blocks are secured
together around the fork by the screws b¹. The second portion comprises & bent
piece 62, 63, in which the sleeves or sockets 68 for the spring are formed, and which
is adapted to be secured to the first portion by means of the bolt or stud b' over
which the end of the coupling rod is hooked, as hereinafter described.
The front socket B¹ may be similarly constructed, or this socket may be

page_text: made reversible so that the sleeves
of the head, as desired.
and bolt b may be arranged on either side
In this construction of coupling device, instead of arranging some of the
connecting bars or rods to cross each other I arrange them all parallel. These
parallel connecting rods G are constructed with ends adapted to hook over the
bolts 64 between the lugs 63 of the sockets B, B. Figure 17 shows the form of
connecting rod end I prefer to use. The extremity of the rod is bent into hook
shape at g and the mouth or opening of the hook is closed by the spring gl secured
to the rod at g². This arrangement permits the ready attachment or disconnec-
tion of the rods to or from the bolts & without the use of bolts, thumb screws, or
other separate devices that are liable to be lost; while the spring obviates any
liability of the said rods being displaced while riding.
Instead of employing a spring g¹ I may employ a loop of wire g³, as shown in
Figure 18. This loop is pivoted to the connecting rod at a point adjacent to the
shoulder of the hook portion g, and is adapted, when said hook is passed over
the bolt b, to be turned so that its free extremity lies in a recess provided for
the purpose. As soon as the hook is in position the loop g³ falls into the position
shown in dotted lines and thus prevents said hook becoming accidentally detached
from the bolt.
I arrange one of these connecting rods at the rear of the frame, attached to the
bolt fixed between the lugs on the socket B; and another at the front of the
frame attached to the bolt b4 of the socket B¹ at the bottom of the head.
If desired I may employ an additional connecting rod attached to sockets
arranged at the upper part of the head. These sockets may be similar to the
sockets B', but without the sleeves for receiving the extremities of the spring
devices.
As before stated the distance between the lugs 63 is greater than the thickness
of the bars or rods, so as to allow the same to become inclined to a limited extent.
The arrangement of the steering connecting rod D and arms E is the same as in
the previously described construction.
I sometimes find it advantageous to employ an additional connecting rod at the
front of the machines, such as a rod G¹ shown in Figures 4 to 6. Eyes e³ are
provided at the upper end of the arms E for the attachment of this rod Ġ¹.
In order to prevent noise I may provide rubber or leather washers or I may
cover either the sockets or the ends of the connecting rods with rubber or like
material.
By means of my invention two bicycles may be coupled in such a manner that
the combined machine will run with the same or greater ease than a single bicycle
and will incline to one or the other side in travelling in curved paths in the same
manner as a single bicycle, and that either bicycle will ride over obstacles without
raising the other; there being a constant tendency, by reason of the twist given
to the flat spring or springs (whose ends are rigidly held in the sockets parallel
to the vertical plane of the bicycles), for the two bicycles to be returned to their
upright and level position. Moreover my invention provides an efficient coupling
means by which one bicycle only may be the driving one, the other bicycle and its
rider being propelled thereby through the resilient action of the springs, the
strength or resilience of which is so arranged as only to permit a slight "lag" to
the non-driver. In fact, one of the coupled bicycles may be arranged and utilized
entirely as a carrier, and in this form my invention is especially useful for postal and
military purposes, any driving bicycle being capable of being quickly coupled
to or uncoupled from any non-driver or carrier. My invention is also extremely
useful for teaching bicycle riding. If desired the handle bar of one bicycle may
be made capable of being disconnected from its steering post so far as angular
motion is concerned, so that the steering of both machines may be effected by one
rider only.
In some cases I may employ springs arranged vertically, or inclined, and such
springs may be either in place of or in addition to the hereindescribed horizontally

page_text: arranged springs. In cases where both vertical and horizontal springs are
employed 1 prefer to so construct the sockets that both sets of springs shall be held
by the same sockets; and the sockets at the rear may, it desired, be attached both
to the stay tube and the upper back fork, so as to provide a very secure attachment
to the frame of the bicycle.
As my flexible and spring-controlled coupling devices may render it somewhat
difficult for inexpert riders to remain stationary while mounted, I prefer to pro-
vide a detachable device for temporarily rendering the connection between the
two bicycles rigid when desired.
Such a device is illustrated in Figures 19 to 19". It comprises two members
I, J, the middle portions of which are straight and slide one upon the other, being
held together by sleeves embracing both the said members. Each member has
one extremity i, j formed to partially embrace and bear against the inner adjacent
side of the head or other suitable part of one of the bicycles, and the other
extremity i, j, formed to partially embrace and bear against the outer or further
side of the head of the other bicycle; the arrangement being such that both the
extremities i, j, are somewhat above the middle portion of the device while both
the extremities i, j, are somewhat below the said middle portion, as shown in the
drawings. By means of a lever H that is pivoted by the pin h¹ between the two
members and engages the said members through the pins, and lugs, j,
the said members can be caused to slide laterally over one another, so as to cause
the lower extremities to be pushed outwardly and the upper extremities to be
drawn inwardly, as shown in full lines in Figure 19, and thus hold the two bicycles
rigidly connected; or to cause the lower extremities to be drawn inwardly and
the upper extremities to be pushed outwardly, as shown in dotted lines, and thus
leave the bicycles free to swing or become inclined. Stops or catches h², h², may
be provided on one of the connecting rods, as G, in order to retain the lever Hin
either of its positions. The device may be supported by means of the shoulders
or projections h³, h³, which bear on the sockets B¹, or by any other appropriate
means.
Although I have described my invention as employed for connecting together
two bicycles, it is obvious that it may be applied, by the use of an extra set of
coupling devices, to connect three or even more bicycles side by side. When
tandem bicycles are coupled together I may employ one or more additional springs
and connecting rods.
When the bicycles are disconnected the various parts of the coupling devices
are adapted to be carried by clips or other means arranged on, suitable parts of the
frame, but as these clips may obviously be varied and arranged in any manner
according to the construction of the bicycle to which they are applied it is
unnecessary to further describe them. As regards the spring devices illustrated
in Figures 4 to 6, when not in use, these may, in a lady's bicycle, be carried by
clips arranged on the rear mudguard, and in a gentleman's bicycle without mud-
guards the said spring devices may be secured between the diagonal and the
main tube or head tube of the frame.
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;-
-
1. A device for temporarily coupling two or more bicycles side by side by a
resilient connection substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. In a device of the kind referred to in Claim 1, the springs comprising one or
more steel strips, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3. The herein described means for attaching the resilient connection to the
framing of the bicycle as and for the purpose specified.
4. The construction and arrangement of connecting or coupling rods substantially
as herein described and for the purposes specified.
5. The combination with the aforesaid resilient connection of the device for

page_text: temporarily holding the coupled bicycles rigidly upright substantially as described
with reference to Figures 19 to 19".
6. A device for coupling twe or more bicycles, having its parts constructed
arranged and combined to operate substantially as herein before described with
reference to one or other of the constructions illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1990.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.