Improvements in or relating to Convertible Velocipedes.
Year: 1897

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Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Convertible Velocipedes.
I, JOSEPH SINCLAIR FAIRFAX, of 37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, in the County of
London, Patent Agent and Consulting 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, as communicated to me from abroad by Isadore Zwilling, of
Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, relates to bicycles, one object being to
provide an improved construction of framework whereby the machine can be changed
Another object of the
from a tandein to a single seat bicycle, or vice versa.
invention is to provide means for converting the frame into a drop frame structure
adapted for a lady rider, or for changing the frame into the well known type of
diamond frame (or its equivalent) suitable for male riders.
A further object of the invention is to improve the machine in details of
construction with a view to increasing its strength and making it stand the strain
and wear under the conditions which prevail in road riding.
With these and other ends in view, my invention consists first in a novel
construction of a separable and convertible frame comprising a front section
embracing a steering head and rearwardly extending bars, a back section adapted
for the support of the rear wheel and provided with a seat-post, and with forwardly
extending bars, and a removable middle section having a seat post and bars adapted
to be coupled to the bars on the front and rear sections of the frame, all as will
be fully hereinafter pointed out.
The invention further consists in a frame for a bicycle either a tandem or a single
seat machine, in which the seat post and a forwardly extending bar thereof are
braced by an inclined strut joined to said seat-post and the forwardly extending bar.
and provided with a threaded nipple, a pivoted bar attached to the upper part of
the frame and adapted to be adjusted in either a horizontal or inclined position
according as it is desired to make the frame a diamond frame or a drop frame, and
means for coupling the pivoted bar to the nipple when it is adjusted to an inclined
position or for attaching said bar to an upper part of the frame when the bar is
adjusted to a horizontal position.
:
The invention further consists in a novel form of coupling for the adjustable bar,
and in the novel combination of devices and in the construction and arrangements
of parts which will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.
To enable others to understand the invention, 1 append a preferred embodiment
of the same in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in
hiah

page_text: a tandem.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of the frame with the adjustable bar
attached or coupled to the nipple on the inclined strut.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted
line 1-1 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan view showing the pivotal joint for the adjustable
bar of the frame..
Fig. 5 is a detail cross sectional view on the plane indicated by the dotted
line 2-2 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a detail view in side elevation of the pivotal joint shown by Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is an elevation of the machine adjusted or adapted for a single rider, the
full lines showing the frame as a drop frame, but with the dotted lines, illustrating
the well known type of diamond frame.
Fig. 8 is a detail view of the removable middle section of the frame, illustrating
the bars thereof pivotally attached to the seat-post to adapt them to fold alongside
of said seat-post, as shown.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawing, referring to which;
A designates the front section or member of the frame, B is the rear section of
said frame, and C is the middle section of the frame which, when the machine is
designed to be used as a tandem, is adjusted between and coupled to the front and
rear sections, A, B, as shown by Fig. 1; but when the machine is to be used by a
single rider, said middle section C of the frame is detached and the front and rear
sections A, B, are connected together as shown by Fig. 7.
The front section A comprises the steering head, a, the bar a¹ which is joined
rigidly to the head a, and extends downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, the short
bar a united rigidly to the upper part of the steering head and extending rearwardly
therefrom in a horizontal direction, and the adjustable bar A¹ which is pivotally
connected, as at a³, to the bar a². Through the steering head a, of the front
section A passes the spindle of the steering fork E, in which is journaled the front
wheel F. The steering handle bar G, is attached to the upper end of the steering
spindle. The construction of the steering fork, the front wheel, and the steering
handle bar may be similar to the well known machines on the market.
The rear section B, of the frame is constructed to accomodate the rear wheel H, of
the bicycle, and to this end the rear section is constructed with the vertically inclined
seat-post b, the forked horizontal bar 61 extending rearwardly from the upper part of
the seat-post easting, and the forwardly inclined bars 62 which extend from the axle
of the rear wheel to the upper end of the seat-post b. The rear frame section B is
further provided at the lower end of the seat-post with the horizontal bar d, and the
upwardly inclined bar d', both of which project from the front side of the seat-post;
and said frame section B is further provided with the horizontal short bar d² which
projects forwardly from the upper end of the seat-post b. The free ends of these
short bars d, d¹, d², which project from the front side of the seat-post are screw
threaded, an example of which is shown by Fig. 3 of the drawing and indicated by
the reference letter e. The frame section B is strengthened by the strut which
has its ends joined to the seat-post b and the bar d¹, and this strut is provided with
means for the attachment of the adjusted brace, presently described, by providing said
strut with a nipple d*, which is externally threaded to receive the threaded coupling
by which the adjustable brace is attached to the strut d³. At the place where the
bars b', d, d', and the seat-post are joined, the crank shaft hanger and bearing is
provided for the reception of the crank shaft I, which has the usual pedal cranks and
a sprocket wheel over which passes a sprocket chain that runs around a similar
sprocket wheel on the hub of the rear wheel H, for transmitting power to said wheel
to propel the machine. In the seat-post is fitted the rod that carries the saddle H³.
The middle section C of the frame consists of the seat-post c, having a crank
hanger and bearing at the lower end thereof, and the bars c¹, c², c³, extending

page_text: .
"
rearwardly from the: seat-post, and the bars f, ft, extending from, the front side of the
seat-post c. The rear bar c of the middle section C extends in a horizontal direction
from the rear side of the seat-post at the lower part thereof. The bar, c' extends
rearwardly from the seat-post in a downwardly direction, and at the lower, free end of this
bat c is provided the coupling J, by which said bar c² may be rigidly attached to the
upper end of the inclined bar d of the rear frame section; the inclination of the
bar c² of frame section B. The bar c³ of the frame section C extends in a horizontal
direction from the rear side of the seat-post, near the upper end thereof, and to this
bar 3 is pivotally attached the adjustable brace C', the free end of which, has a
coupling sleeve C, by which said brace C' may be attached either to the nipple d' of
the rear frame section B or to the threaded front of the bar d² of frame section B
The adjustment of the brace C¹ is indicated by dotted and full lines in Fig. 1 of the
drawing, from an inspection of which it will be seen that the rear part of the tandem
may be adapted for use by either male or female riders.
are
The bar of the middle section C, extends upwardly and forwardly froin, the crank
shaft hanger of the section C, and the outer end of said bar f, is threaded, similarly to
the threaded ends of the bars d, d' and d². This barf is inclined in a plane coincident
with that of the rear bar a¹ of the front frame section A, and the two bars a', f, a
detachably united by the coupling K, which is fitted on the bar a, said coupling
being internally threaded to enable it to be screwed on the threaded; end of the bar f
of section C. The short bar f' projecting from the front side of the seat-post c at the
ipper end thereof, is externally screw threaded, and the adjustable brace A of the
front section A is provided with a coupling L, so that when the brace A is adjusted
to a horizontal position as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1 the brace, A' may be
rigidly attached to the bar f₁ of the middle frame section. The seat-post, and
inclined front barf of the middle frame section are braced by the inclined strutƒ³, which
is rigidly united to the parts e, f, and said strut is provided with a threaded nipple f³
to which the coupling L may be screwed when the brace A' is dropped down, as shown
by full lines in Fig. 1, when the front part of the tandem is to be ridden by a lady.
The horizontal rear bar c' of the middle frame section C is provided with a coupling M,
which is adapted to be screwed on the threaded end of the horizontal front, bar d of
the rear frame section.
In the banger or bearing of the middle frame section C is journaled the front
pedal shaft N, which has the usual pedals and is provided with a sprocket wheel,
around which passes the endless chain that extends rearward to and around an
additional sprocket wheel attached to the rear pedal shaft, whereby the two, pedal
shafts are connected together. In lieu of the gearing shown and described as one
embodiment of the invention for connecting the two pedal shafts, the said sprocket
wheels and chain may be dispensed with, and the cranks on the shafts coupled by a
pitman, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.
ء1
:
The bars a' and c³ of the front and middle frame sections A, C, are shaped as shown
by Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings for the attachment of the braces A', C. As
shown by Fig. 4, each bar a² and c³ is reduced to form the tennon o, and the
shoulders o', o', and these shoulders o' are curved in vertical planes to present the
convex bearing faces o shown by Fig. 6 of the drawing. The brace A or C'
is the forked or bifurcated, as at p in Fig. 4 of the drawing, and the bifurcations of
the brace are rounded as at p in Fig. 6. This construction of the frame section bar
and the brace enables the brace to be assembled snugly by fitting the forked end of
the brace to the tenon and the rounded end of the brace to the bearing faces of the
bar, after which the parts are joined by a transverse pin or pivot P, as clearly shown.
This construction provides a strong and close fitting joint between the brace and the
frame to which it is attached, and at the same time the necessary adjustment of the
brace is permitted without detaching it or weakening the joint between the brace and
the frame section.
at me
The couplings C³, J, K, L and M, employed to unite the various frame sections of
the tandem bicycle, are all similar in construction and mode of adjustinent, and a de-
scription of one of said couplings will answer equally for all of them. The bar of the

page_text: frame to
יד
Tig
which the coupling is fifted is enlarged somewhat to form a collar, asrat, quin
and externally this collar is sniðoth and cylindrical to enable the coupling
slide freely over the collar, back and forth according ashit is necessary to
drug the coupling to clear the threaded end of the frame bar, orato project, the
na sleeve beyond the collar so that it may be rotated toi screw said couplinge
threaded end of the adjacent frame bar.The coupling consists of an
is exaupen
Sleeve one end of which is internally screw threaded as at while the
elongated
eeve is sinooth and contracted to form the shoulder 1. The con-
943
other end of the sleeve is fitted úpon the frame barito have its .shoulder
tracted
9018 ie
•
but against the collar q and limit the endwise movement of the sleeve .in .one
direction, to prevent said sleeve from working off the frame bar.
When it
en it is desired to uncouple parts of the frame, the sleeve is rotated to unscrew
it from the threaded part of the frame, after which the sleeve is forced back to clear
said, threaded part of the frame. To couple the parts of the frame together, the
sleeve is adjusted
is, adjusted up to 'the'threaded part of the frame, and it is then rotated until
the parts are firmly united.
It will.
readily that the
entire middle section C, and all its attached parts, are
378
change
are operated to
section
from the frame sections A, B. When this is desired in order to
the tanden bicycle to a machine for a single rider, the couplings K and I
detach the section C from the section A, and the couplings C², J and M
to detach the section C from the rear section B, after which the entire
removed: The sections A and B may now be coupled together by bring-
ing them into
nto such a position that the bars and d² are aligned with the bar a¹ and
the brace
respectively, after which the couplings K and I. may be manipulated to
join the frame sections together, as shown by Fig. 7 of the drawing.
It will
that the machine may be readily adjusted for service either by a
gentleman rider by changing the position of the braces A¹ and C¹, or either of
them, and that such adjustment may be accomplished in the frame when used as a
tanden
den, as in Fig. 1, or when the machine is adapted for service as a single bicycle,
shown by Fig
It is preferred to construct the detachable middle section C of the frame in a
manner to enable its parts to fold up within a small compass convenient for storage or
transportation, and to this end. I make the frame section C in the manner shown by
Fig. 8 and join the parts or bars thereof to the seat-post by joints similar in construc-
As shown by.Fig. 8, the bar c² is
tion to the joint illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
pivoted to, the seat-post, as at s, to enable the bar to fold down against the seat-post;
attached at s¹ to the upper end of the seat-post and is adapted to be
the
B.
to against
the bar c², and the bar c¹ is pivoted to the crank shaft hanger or
,
bearing, as at s to fold upwardly against the bar or brace C¹, whereby the parts may
be folded compactly together.
It is considered that the construction and operation of the improved convertible
tandem
will be readily understood by those skilled in the art from the
foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings.
10
Di
.construci dere
tion
I am aware that changes in the form and proportion of parts and in the details of
shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my inven-
be made by skilled mechanics without departing from the spirit or sacri-
ficing the advantages of the invention and I therefore reserve the right to make such
modifications as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.
"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:
o quemtaniba
Y.
Ina, convertible tandem bicycle, a separable frame consisting of a front section,
a rear section, and a removable middle section having means for connecting the same
to the front and rear sections, as and for the purposes described.
2. In a convertible tandem bicycle, a separable frame consisting.of the front and
rear, sections constructed for attachment and detachment, a middle frame section

page_text: adapted to be interposed between said front and rear sections and to be reinoved
bodily therefrom, means for rigidly uniting the middle frame section to the front and
rear sections, and a propelling mechanism carried by the middle and front sections, as
and for the purposes described.
2. In a convertible tandem bicycle, a separable frame consisting of the front, rear
and middle sections having coincidently inclined bars and couplings for making the
middle section attachable to, and detachable from, the front and rear sections, and to
render said front and rear sections attachable to, and detachable from, each other, as
and for the purposes described.
4. In a convertible tandem and bicycle, a separable frame consisting of the front
section having the bar a¹ and A³, the rear section having the bars d¹ and d²
arranged coincidently with the bars a¹ and A¹, and coupling for uniting the front and
rear sections, as and for the purposes described.
5. In a convertible tandem bicycle the separable frame herein shown and described,
consisting of the front section having the bars a', A¹, the rear sections provided with
the bars d, d¹, d and the strut d³ the middle section C having the bars c¹, c² and C¹
on the rear side of the seat-post, and couplings whereby the various bars of the frame
sections may be coupled together detachably, as and for the purposes described.
6. The combination with a vertically inclined bar and a seat-post, of the inclined
strut having a nipple, and an adjustable brace carrying a coupling whereby the brace
may be attached to the nipple of the strut or to the seat-post, as and for the purposes
described.
7. The combination of a frame section having an inclined bar and a pivoted brace,
another frame section comprising a seat-post, a lower bar inclined. in a plane
corresponding to that of the first named frame section, and a horizontal bar, a
coupling for uniting the inclined bars on the two frame sections, another coupling for
uniting the pivoted brace to the horizontal bar of the last named frame section, and
an inclined strut on the second named frame section and provided with a nipple
whereby the pivoted brace, when lowered, may be attached to said nipple, as and for
the purposes described.
8. A frame section having a seat-post having a shaft bearing, a forwardly inclined
bar, a horizontal bar and a strut uniting the inclined bar and seat-post and provided
with a nipple, combined with a front section having an inclined bar in a plane
coincident to that of the first named bar on the frame section, a coupling for uniting
the inclined bars of the two frame sections, a pivoted brace attached to the front
section and adjustable to either, the said adjustable brace being adapted to connect
the same to the nipple on the inclined strut or to the horizontal bar on the first
named section, as and for the purposes described.
9. The combination with an adjustable brace having a smooth collar, and a threaded
bar on a frame section of a rotary sleeve, internally threaded to screw upon the
threaded bar and having a smooth end fitted on the collar of the adjustable brace to
slide and rotate thereon, as and for the purposes described.
10. The combination of a frame section having a fixed bar provided with a tenon and
the cone bearing faces, an adjustable brace forked to straddle the tenon and rounded
to fit the bearing faces, and a transverse pivot as and for the purposes described.
11. In a convertible tandem bicycle, an attachable frame section having its seat-
post and a forwardly inclined bar braced by an inclined strut which is furnished with
means for the attachment of a brace thereto, as and for the purposes described.
12. In a convertible tandem bicycle, an attachable and detachable middle section
having its parts constructed to fold when not in use, as and for the purposes
described.
13. In a convertible tandem bicycle having front and rear sections, a middle section
comprising a seat-post, an inclined arm projecting forwardly beyond said post, a strut
uniting the arm and the post, the bar c² C, pivotally attached to the post to fold
downwardly against the same, and a bar c' also pivoted to the post and adapted to fold
upward and having means on the ends of the bars whereby the middle section is

page_text: secured to the front and rear sections to form a tandem, as and for the purposes
described.
...
Dated this 29th day of September, 1897.
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
3 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London, Agents for the Applicant.
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