An Improvement in the Propelling of Cycles by Means of Springs Counterbalancing the Weight of the Legs.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date claimed for Patent under Sect. 103 of Act,
"
being date of first Foreign Application (in
France),
} 11
Aug., 1891
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 15th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Feb., 1892-Accepted. 18th June. 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in the Propelling of Cycles by Means of Springs
Counterbalancing the Weight of the Legs.
I the undersigned ROGER, BARON OF MAUNI, of Croisset near Dieppedalle,
Department of Seine-Inférieure, France, Inventor, 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 :-
The principle of this invention consists in the counterbalancing the weight of the
leg by means of an elastic spring which, when drawn, goes to raise the pedal and to
bring it to the top of its run. The mode of applying the said principle consists in
the tightening of a draw spring, made of steel or india-rubber, and fastened by one
of its ends to the side of the pedal and by the other end to some fixed point about
the upper part of the machine. It is so simple and so easy to understand and to
perform, that any drawing would be of no use. Moreover, the several parts of our
apparatus are subject to variation as to their dimensions and even as to their shape,
according to the various patterns of machines to which the said apparatus has to
be fitted, and also according to the various size, muscular strength and personal
convenience of cycle riders.
The following is the summary description of the apparatus which we adapt to an
ordinary square-framed bicyclette.
We take two bits of cylindrical solid best Para rubber elastic rod, bearing a
thickness of from 3 to 3 of an inch, and a length of from 20 to 25 inches (when
lying free on a table without any tension). Each of these bits should weigh from
about two to three ounces or little more, according to the required amount of power.
We fasten each of the said rubber rods to each of the branches of a piece of steel
forged in the shape of a letter Y, but opened down to the foot. The foot of that Y
is made as a socket, so as to be able to embrace the upper tube of the bicyclette's
frame, and to close upon it but slightly. The two arms of the Y are scarcely more
distant from each other at their upper part than near to the foot, and they fall back
slightly on the right and on the left, at a level with the rider's waist or there-
abouts. Thus the total height of the Y may go from twelve to sixteen inches.
That same piece could also be compared to a letter V, but very narrow and widened
at the top only. We have forged it out of a piece of flat steel of 35 millimeters
width (say one inch and a third of an inch) and 4 to 5 millimeters thickness.
The bar has been allowed its full bigness about the middle, and has been curved
there in the shape of a socket with a wide collar, so as just to allow the tube of
the frame to enter it with a moderate effort, and in making a light knock. Then
the branches have been thinned more and more to the end. The whole piece when
forged and filed weighs 500 grammes or nearly eighteen ounces, and the whole
apparatus weighs about twenty-six ounces.
Each branch has been ended by an olive-shaped button, in order to make easy the
fastening of the rubber: which last detail has, however, no importance at all.
The point of the frame where the socket has to be fixed ought to be nearly on

page_text: the vertical line which passes through the crank shaft, though it should be put
forward or backwards more or less, according to the rider's stature and fashion of
sitting, so as to prevent any rubbing of his thigh or leg by the rubber rod.
If the apparatus is to be fitted at first on the machine when the same is being
built, the builder will be able to make the before described steel piece in the shape
of a T instead of an Y: in which case, instead of two branches, there should be,
brazed on the top, an horizontal piece of iron or steel tube, which would permit to
have the two springs made of one single piece of rubber passing through the tube
and hanging on equal lengths right and left. The advantage of this system will be
to allow the equalizing of lengths afterwards, in the case of one of the bits extending
itself more than the other. The arms of the T should, however, be a little curved,
in order to prevent the rubber from being chafed by the steel, and there should be
a proper system of pressing, so as to render the springs independent from each
other. Nevertheless our former system of an Y or a long V allows the adapting of
our invention, very easily and without undoing anything, to all the existing
machines, which will be of capital importance for some years.
The fitting is proceeded with thus. Having opened to some extent, with a slight
effort of the hands, the two branches of the Y, draw them up round the upper piece
of the machine's frame, till that upper piece strikes the bottom of the socket. Then
take a little block of hard wood, and drive it between the branches against the
frame. The said bit of wood ought to enter easily and without much rubbing, and
when entered has to be pressed between the branches of the Y by means of two
little steel or iron plates fastened with a couple of screw-bolts which should pass
through them; and thus a perfect steadiness and immobility will be obtained. The
undoing the whole is as easy as the fitting.
The hanging ends of the rubber rods are fitted each with a ring made of steel or
iron.
Each of the pedals is fitted with a clasp forged out of cast steel and looking like
a milliner's clasp, with two eyes and a hook.
We suppose that the pedals on which we have to fit the clasps are ordinary
rubber-pedals. Having unscrewed, on that side of the pedal which goes nearest to
the crank, the little nuts of the bolts which pass through the pedal rubbers, we
adjust the ends of the said bolts in the eyes of the clasp, and we screw down the
nuts again. In the case of the bolts being too short, we altogether leave off the
nuts, and we clench the bolt ends on the eyes of the clasp by means of a hammer.
That last way of fitting the clasps, although not so neat, is, however, tolerable,
inasmuch as the clasp, once fitted, needs never being undone, even when the pedals
are taken off for a thorough cleaning.
The eyes of the clasps should have been bored so as to fit the most of pedals,
that is to say, a little wider than necessary. The hook's nib is turned towards the
crank, in order to avoid its catching the rider's foot, and the shank of the clasp is
slightly bent outside, so as to prevent any brushing of the hook or rubber against
the crank.
The apparatus, being thus completely fitted, may be brought into use, whenever
the rider chooses to mount, by simply grappling the hook of each clasp with the
ring of the corresponding rubber spring. In order to make sure that both springs
are equally tight, lift the machine slightly by its after part, and meantime let go
the driving wheel; then the two arms of the crank ought to stop on about parallel
lines, and the two rubber springs should show pretty equal lengths. Now an absolute
equality of tension is not necessary and besides would not be lasting nor even
attainable, though the greatest care would have been taken in measuring and
weighing the rubbers at first. The remedy to any inequality of consequence arising
from long use will be to shorten the longer bit.
In order to give the branches of the Ỷ greater fixity, the upper part of the said
piece of steel may be fastened somehow to the saddle or saddle-frame, or to the
shaft of the handle-bar. The necessity of such fastening has, however, not been
felt by us. It is enough that the Y be of good steel, that its arms be equally

page_text: curved and their ends at a level on both sides, and that the upper tube of the
machine's frame be well jammed between the said arms.
When the pedal is at the top of its run, the tension ought to be unperceivable
and the spring quite slack but straight.
When dismounting for a while it is advisable to unclasp the springs, in order to
avoid unnecessary straining.
The details of the apparatus may be arranged in other and different ways, so as
to suit the various descriptions of cycles in use. Thus, with cross-framed cycles,
the arms of the Y or V should be curved meantime sidewise and backwards.
The arms or branches of the Y could also be tied up together, near the top, by
a few rounds of wire, well dressed and blackened, in order to prevent their going
asunder from each other; which should be done before the thorough tightening of
the socket.
Thus again, the Y or V could be left away, and the springs fastened or hooked
somewhere to the after part of the saddle frame; the whole apparatus would thus be
made lighter, and the dead point of the springs would be felt a little before the
dead point of the legs, thus relieving that last dead point at the very best moment.
Now that last arrangement requires a strong saddle frame.
It is clear that helical suspension springs made of steel would do the same as
our rubber rods. We have preferred the rubber springs for their being easier to
fit, and to make shorter or longer.
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:
The use,
in the propelling of cycling vehicles, of draw-springs made of steel or
india-rubber, counterbalancing the weight of the legs, fastened by one end to the
pedal or to the end of the crank or some other adjacent point, and by the other end
to some point about the upper part of the machine, and combined with adjustable
clasps and hooks rings, so as to be easily fitted on machines of various makes.
and
or
Dated this Tenth day of February One thousand eight hundred and ninety-
Tathioune France