An Accessory to Bicycles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application 11th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th May, 1897-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1897
An Accessory to Bicycles.
EDITH ANNIE LAKE 10 Eversfield Place Hastings Sussex (Widow, no occupation) do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
An appliance by which a bicycle can be balanced in an upright position instantly,
with the rider still seated in the saddle, & which is hereinafter described.
A flat rod made of steel or other material fixed at the top end to the bicycle, &
extending to within a few inches of the ground; at the bottom end of this rod is
joined by hinge, or other method, a flat paddle of steel, or other material, which, when
not required, is folded flat against the rod before mentioned; but at the pressure of a
spring or other method folds outward, instantly balancing the bicycle in an upright
position. The use of this appliance is to make bicycling in crowded streets more safe
for beginners, & more enjoyable for practised riders.
Dated this 11th day of August 1806
EDITH ANNIE LAKE.
I, EDITH ANNIE LAKE of 10 Eversfield Place Hastings Sussex Gentlewoman,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Iuvention relates to balancing apparatus applicable to bicycles, and serving to
enable the cyclist, without dismounting, to immediately bring the cycle to or to
maintain it in an upright position, whereby or in consequence of which facility,
cycling in crowded roadways will be rendered safer, and the acquirement of the art of
cycling will be rendered easier to beginners and its enjoyment by practised cyclists
will be increased.
The device consists essentially of a paddle, wheel, runner or like means adapted to
serve as an additional support to the cycle, and which is normally, or when not
required for use, maintained closed towards its operating detail and the plane in
which the driving and steering wheels are coincident and out of operative position
and contact with the ground, and which, when required for use, is released and
distended or caused to distend laterally and into contact with the ground, thus
affording an additional point or points of support whereby the bicycle will be rendered
self-supporting or balanced in an upright position.
The apparatus may be arranged so as to operate only on one side of the cycle road
wheels, in which event, the cycle will have three points of support when the balancing
device is in operation, or, as if preferred, the device may be duplicated and connected

page_text: so as to operate on both sides of the cycle road wheels, in which event, the cycle will
have four points of support when the balancing device is in operation.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the device applied so as to operate on both
sides of the road wheels.
Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of a bicycle adapted with the balancing
device.
Fig. 2, represents a like elevation (but in part) on an enlarged scale.
Fig. 3, illustrates an end view, illustrating the device in operation.
And Fig. 4, represents a like view (but in part) illustrating the device out of
operation.
A, represents the aforesaid paddle, wheel, or runner which, by any suitable or
convenient connections operated by or under the control of the cyclist, can be caused
either to assume the raised, closed and inoperative position represented in Fig. 4, or
the lower, extended and operative position represented in Fig. 3. To permit of these
movements, the wheel A, or its carrying rod is pivotted, hinged or otherwise
equivalently connected to a rod B, which may be guided in or by a support C,
secured to the cycle frame D. The rod B, may be actuated directly by hand, but can
be most conveniently actuated from a hand-lever E, (arranged adjacent to the handle-
bar F,) by an arrangement of connecting rods G, and bell-cranks H. When a
wheel A, is applied on each side of the cycle, the two rods B, are preferably connected
by a jointed rod I, so as to cause them to close together when being raised, or to
extend outwardly when being lowered, to an equal extent. When the wheels A, are
out of operation, the hand-lever E, or other means operating them may be held by a
clutch J, or otherwise by any suitable means.
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 :-
A balancing or supporting device applicable to bicycles, consisting of paddles,
wheels or runners A, arranged to close inwardly on being raised, and to distend
outwardly on being lowered, and, when in operation, to balance or support the cycle
in an upright position, as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of May 1897
EDITH ANNIE LAKE.