Improvements in or relating to Anti-vibration Devices for Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1899 -Accepted, 21st Oct,, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in or relating to Anti-vibration Devices for
Velocipedes.
We, JOHANN WELKER, of Zollerstrasse No. 35, Vienna VII, in the Empire of
Austria, Mechanician, and FRANZ HERRMANN, Junior, of Brueckengasse No. 12,
Vienna VI, in the Empire of Austria. Master Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of velocipedes,
which have for object to replace the now usual expensive and easily injured
pneumatic tyres by peculiar spring attachments to certain parts of the frame
of the machine for the purpose of taking up and, as far as possible, eliminating
the vibration and shocks caused by travelling over uneven or rough roads or
other similar surfaces. And in order to dispense altogether with the use of
pneumatic or other elastic tyres we intend further to construct the wheel rims in
such manner as to render them resilient, thereby affording additional means for
equalizing vibration and shocks.
In carrying out our invention in practice we make each shank or leg of both
front wheel fork and the driving wheel fork to consist of two separate parts
adapted to slide telescopically one into the other. The lower, preferably narrower,
parts are secured to the spindles of the wheels in any suitable manner, while the
upper and wider parts are connected with the respective upper portions, viz: the
steering head and the saddle post lug, of the frame of the machine. The aforesaid
telescopically displaceable component parts of the fork shanks or legs are main-
tained in a pre-determined relative position by means of suitably arranged double
volute or buffer-springs which surround or enclose the said parts and are com-
pressed to a certain degree by the weight of the rider.
The said double volute- or buffer-springs consist of two parts, joined at their
widest ends by means of a suitable ring or sleeve, while the narrower extremi-
ties of the spring-parts abut against and are held by suitable collars or sleeves
in such manner that the narrow end of the lower half of the double volute spring
bears against the wheel spindle while the narrow part of the upper half is held
by a collar or sleeve suitably secured to and adjustably displaceable upon the
upper and wider tube of the telescoping fork-shanks or legs. A guide pin or stud
provided on each of the narrow portions of the telescoping fork-shanks is adapted
to slide within a corresponding longitudinal slot in the wider fork-shank tubo,
for the purpose of limiting the stroke of the spring device and of preventing
axial displacement of the component parts of the said telescoping fork-shanks
The shocks or vibrations caused by the roughness or uneveness of the road do
not affect both wheels simultaneously but successively and with varied degrees of
force, necessitating independence of motion of the spring attachment to the front
wheel fork from that connected with the driving wheel fork, and vice versa.
order to admit of such independent motion, the horizontal stays connecting the
driving wheel spindle with the bottom bracket, are joined to the latter by means
In

page_text: of suitable hinges or turning joints, and the driving wheel fork is also connected
by similar hinges or turning joints to the respective parts of the machine.
With a view to further enhancing the vibration- and shock-equalizing capacity
of our improved cycle, the rims or felloes of the wheels may be made more or less
elastic or capable of a certain degree of resiliency, by manufacturing them from
long strips or bands of a suitable description of wood veneer, wound tape-fashion
over a convenient core so as to form a series of superposed layers and cemented
together with any moisture-resisting glue. The bands thus formed are then
shaped as to their cross section and the spokes secured thereto in suitable man-
ner. The wheel rim or felloe is provided with a tyre of convenient material to
prevent slipping, such as india rubber, leather, or the like. The improved wheel
rims have the advantage of being very light, very durable and elastic, and cannot
warp like the ordinary wooden rims now in use.
121
1
1000
Improvements in or relating to Anti-vibration Devices for
Velocipedes.
We, JOHANN WELKER, of Zollerstrasse No. 35, Vienna VII, in the Empire of
Austria, Mechanician, and FRANZ HERRMANN, Junior, of Brueckengasse No. 12,
Vienna VI, in the Empire of Austria, Master Cabinet Maker, 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 improvements in the construction of velocipedes,
which have for object to replace the now usual expensive and easily injured
pneumatic tyres by peculiar spring attachments to certain parts of the frame
of the machine for the purpose of taking up and, as far as possible, eliminating
the vibration and shocks caused by travelling over uneven and rough roads or
other similar surfaces.
And in order to dispense altogether with the use of pneumatic or other elastic
tyres we intend further to construct the wheel rims in such manner as to render
them resilient, thereby affording additional means for equalizing vibration and
shocks.
For the purpose of making the nature of our invention more readily under-
stood we have hereunto attached a sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 2 a plan view of a bicycle constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 3 illustrates the hub of the driving wheel and the shanks or legs of the
rear fork, one portion of this figure being in section and the other in elevation.
Fig. 4 is a cross section and
Fig. 5 a side view of a piece of the improved wheel rim.
In carrying out our invention in practice we make each shank or leg of both
the front wheel fork and the driving wheel fork to consist of two separate parts,
of which the pieces a a and co are firmly secured to the spindles e and f, while
the other preferably wider pieces bb and dd are connected with the respective
unner portions, viz: the steering head 7 and the saddle post lug h of the frame
of the machine. The aforesaid component parts of the wheel forks aa and ce

page_text: are adapted to be telescopically displaceable within bb and dd and are main-
tained in a predetermined relative position by means of suitably arranged and
secured double volute- or buffer-springs i and as hereinafter described.
The lower fixed parts aa and cc of the wheel forks are provided with
collars a¹a and clef upon which rests the said double volute or buffer spring.
The latter is preferably made to consist of two parts i and it joined at their widest
parts or ends by means of a ring or sleeve k. The upper end of the double spring
bears against collar b¹ or d', as the case may be, said collars being made adjust-
able upon the upper portions of the shanks or legs of the wheel forks in any
convenient manner.
A guide pin or stud v, provided on each of the adjustable collars, is adapted
to slide within a corresponding longitudinal slot or groove u of the second fork
shank portion for the purpose of limiting the stroke of the spring and of pre-
venting axial displacement of the component parts of the telescoping fork shanks.
It is obvious that, upon the cycle being loaded with the weight of the rider,
the springs are more or less compressed in proportion to the imposed weight,
and also that all ahocks and vibration caused the uneveness of the ground are
taken up and completely equalized by the said springs, so that the saddle bearing
the rider only receives a gentle up- and down-motion without however hurting or
inconveniencing the rider.
The shocks or vibrations caused by the roughness or uneveness of the road do
not affect both wheels simultaneously and to the same extent; it is therefore
necessary to render the motion of the spring attachment to the front wheel fork
independent from that connected with the driving wheel fork, and vice versa. In
order to admit of such independent motion, the horizontal stays m connecting
the driving wheel spindle with the bottom bracket, are joined to the latter by
means of suitable hinges or turning joints n and the driving wheel fork is also
connected by similar hinges or turning joints to the respective parts of the machine.
The rigidity and easy steering of the machine are not impaired by the des-
cribed arrangement and all shocks and vibrations being taken up the frame will
last much longer.
Practical experiments have demonstrated that pneumatic tyres may be dis-
pensed with altogether in machines constructed according to this invention.
It is obvious that existing cycles can easily be fitted with our improvements.
With a view to further enhancing the vibration- and shock-equalizing capacity
of our improved cycle, the rims or felloes of the wheels may be made more or
less elastic or capable of a certain degree of resiliency. For this purpose the
said rims are manufactured from long strips or bands pp (Figs. 4 and 5) of a
suitable description of wood veneer, wound tape fashion over a convenient core
so as to form a series of superposed layers which are cemented together with any
efficient moisture resisting glue. The rims so formed are finally turned off and
shaped as to their cross section. A tyre made of rubber, leather or other suitable
material to prevent slipping is provided. Or a pneumatic tyre may be used if
required.
The spokest may be secured by screw nuts a placed in recesses sunk in the
outer circumference of the rim and easily accessible for adjustment.
The improved wheel rim has the advantage of being very light, very durable
and elastic, and cannot warp like the ordinary wooden rims now in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
-
1) Improvements in the construction of velocipedes in which the shanks or
legs of both wheel forks consist of two parts, sliding telescopically in each other
and maintained in their predetermined relative position by means of double
volute or buffer-springs and collars, the horizontal stays connecting the hub
of the driving wheel with the bottom bracket being hinged to the latter and the

page_text: driving wheel fork being also moveably joined at both ends to the respective
parts of the machine frame, substantially as and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings
2) In velocipedes as claimed under 1), the wheel rims or felloes constructed of
concentrically or spirally superposed and cemented layers of wood veneer, with 5
tyre of suitable material to prevent slipping, substantially as set forth and illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th of August 1899.
CAMBIE & WINCKELSETT,
For the Applicants.