Improvements in and connected with Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Velocipedes.
JOSIAH BROOKES, and HENRY JAMES BROOKES, Cycle Manufacturers, and
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, Cycle Works Manager, all of the Cape Cycle Works,
Smethwick, in the County of Staffordshire, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
By this invention the clearance on various parts of a velocipede may be
increased.
The usual stay connecting the bottom or crank axle bracket and the hub bearing
by running across the plane of the chain and between the driving chain wheel and
the tyre is omitted, but replaced by an endless stay of crescent section rigidly
connected to the main frame of the velocipede and surrounding the chain in the
same plane as the latter. This stay of crescent section may thus serve as a support
for a leather chain cover. Chain covers of this class are frequently liable to be
caught and damaged by the chain (especially by the junction bolt and nut) at the
back of the hub, as a double thickness is formed by the joint necessitated in that
part of the leather which has to be passed over the hub chain ring, and is situated
between the latter and the spokes. We therefore do not cut the leather through
from the aperture left for the hub to the outside, but cut a slit from this hole
towards the front part of the leather so that the hub may be passed through in the
same way as a button is passed through a button hole; and that the slit with any
necessary fastening crosses that part of the hub chain ring which is not covered by
the chain.
We also dispense with the usual chain bolt and the projecting nut (which is
liable to cause damage) by splitting one of the chain blocks horizontally, and
across the bearings of the rivets the upper half has three vertical holes, the lower
half three vertical studs fitting into the same, the central one being screwed.
When the two halves are placed together they form a complete block and are
fastened by a nut on the central stud. As this nut is on the top of the chain where
there is ample space, the chain is no wider at the junction than anywhere else.
The projecting pedal nut which is another source of danger by being close to the
chain or to the chain cover, is omitted, and the pedal pin locked by one of the
following devices which allow the inner side of the crank end to be flush. Some-
times the crank end is slit across, and at a right angle, to the hole tapped to
receive the pedal pin; the side near the pedal cone is bored to clear the same, so
that when the shoulder formed by the inner cone of the pedal (whether a fixture
to the same, or whether screwed on the same) is screwed firmly against the crank
end, the slit is partially closed and forms a lock. Sometimes the slit is tapped, and
a screw with a taper or wedging portion inserted with the same result. Sometimes
the hole in the crank end is conical and filled up with a conical nut split longi-
tudinally. When the shoulder of the pedal cone is wound against the face of the
crank end this nut will be closed in and binding inside the conical hole of the crank,
firmly clamps the pedal pin.
Where the hubs are made of tube with the hearing cups pressed in it is difficult
to insert the spokes, which have to be passed through these cups and through the
spoke holes in the tube owing to the depth of the cups. This depth we reduce by
letting only the bearing part of the cones fit under the cups, the parallel part of
the latter is used to afford a dustproof joint, lying outside the hub end as a covering
instead of inside the same as usual. On the driving hub we prefer to fasten the

page_text: spokes on the chain side by passing them through a flange on the chain ring or disc
which is brazed to the tubular centre, the spokes on the other side have to be fixed
through the holes in the tube by being first passed through the shortened ball
bearing cup as previously described.
The brake spoon or shoe is usually at a right angle to the plunger or compression
rod acting on it, and thereby has either to be well in advance of, and therefore
overhung from the fork crown, or else part of it being underneath the crown, a
very wide space has to be provided which is unsightly when the brake is removed
and necessitates extra long forks. We mount the brake so that the rear portion
is very much lower than the front thus allowing the back part to be partly under
the crown, without the latter having to be as high as the front part of the brake.
The hinder portion of the brake shoe (which is preferably of hard leather,
impervious to wet) is cut out to a V shape, so as to grip the tyre on the two sides
and before the front portion comes into contact with the tyre. For this purpose
the brake shoe is preferably fitted into a holder of triangular shape, being wider
at the heel and converging towards the front. By turning over the edges, or other
suitable formation, a ready grip is afforded by means of which the shoe is held in
such a way as to be readily detachable to replace when worn. By this means a
more powerful and closely built brake is obtained with ample clearance for mud.
The same effect is obtained both with regard to power and clearance by forming
the brake out of two short rods joined so as to form a V diverging towards the
rear of the wheel, and covered with leather, rubber, or other suitable material.
When the rear mud guard is detachable the clearance is usually obstructed by a
nut or by a bolt head which is liable to form a nucleus for mud etc. We keep the
inner part of the mudguards quite clear, the fastening being provided by light
bridges of half round or other section riveted over the guard and furnished with
round projections about 16" thick. These are sprung into suitable small holes
drilled in the back and chain stays, which may at the same time form the blow
holes required in the process of building.
Whereas the fittings of the brake and the mudguard are now mostly detachable,
they frequently interfere with the clearance between the front tyre and the fork
crown.
We therefore fit the fastening between the two bridges of the fork crown
making it out of a sheet metal band having two projecting eyes in front, pierced
to receive the brake rod, and two recessed or cupped ends at the back to receive
the grip bolt and nut; a small plate is preferably riveted on the end of the
mudguard, having two cupped ears which are sprung into the cupped ends of the
fastening, and fixed by the same grip bolt and nut.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1894.
JOSIAH BROOKES.
HENRY JAMES BROOKES.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Velocipedes.
We, JOSIAH BROOKES and HENRY JAMES BROOKES Cycle Manufacturers, 4
and PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, Works Manager, all of the Cape Cycle Works,
Smethwick, in the County of Staffordshire 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 :-
By this invention the clearance on various parts of a velocipede may be increased 5
and consequently the "tread reduced.
"
Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 shews the main frame of a safety bicycle. On
the chain side the usual stay directly connecting the bottom bracket and the

page_text: support of the hub axle is omitted, as it interferes with the clearance between the
front chain wheel and the tyre, but it is replaced by an endless stay of V or
semi-circular or crescent section. This stay is brazed to the frame at points a b c d
and e.
It lies in the same plane as the chain and therefore can also serve as a
framework to support a gear or chain cover disencumbered of the usual bolts, nuts,
slides and other fixings and projections used on detachable chain covers, all
involving loss of clearance for tyre, chain and crank. A section is shewn in Fig. 10
of this endless chainstay.
The chain cover of leather or other flexible material used in most detachable
gear cases is usually cut at the hub end in a line crossing the chain for the purpose
of allowing the case to be laced over the hub chain wheel; this lacing interferes
with the clearance of spokes and chain; we, therefore, merely provide a hole in
the cover large enough to admit the hub body, and cut a slit into the hole as in
Fig. II at F. The dotted lines and circles indicate the position of the rear or hub.
chainwheel and the chain. Each side of the slit in the cover is provided with two
or more studs through which a horseshoe-fashioned and thin sheet metal plate G
is passed, thus locking the two sides together, so that the cover can be laced over
the endless chainstay without the slit being spread or opened.
Another source of danger-the projecting nut on the chain bolt of the connecting
link in a chain, is avoided by using the detachable chainblock H shewn in
Fig. 111.
Where this is employed all the sideplates of the chain are undetachably riveted
up, the ends of the chain being connected by block H, this block being made in
two halves capable of embracing the two end rivets. As is shewn in the drawing
the block H is split longitudinally, the upper half being pierced by three holes a b c
and the lower half being furnished with three projections to pass through these
holes; the middle projection is threaded and provided with a nut d which locks
the two halves together. It will be readily seen that this nut only projects on the
top of the chain and therefore cannot interfere with the side clearance of the chain ;
the rivets of the chain are all alike in width as well as the sideplates. By the use
of two or more of these blocks consecutively a chain can readily be shortened or
lengthened for wear or for the purpose of altering the gear.
Figs. IV, V. VI shew the forms of crank ends to be employed for the purpose
of dispensing with the usual pedal nut and obtaining a flush or level face on the
chain or chainstay side of the crank and maintaining a narrow tread. In Fig. IV
the crank end is sawn through or split transversely through the hole which has to
receive the end of the pedal pin ; the hole is parallel on the side abutting on the
cone or hollow of the pedal pin but tapped at the other end; by screwing up the
pedal pin tightly the split is partially closed so that the threads are held in tension
and the pedal pin prevented from loosening by vibration. In Fig. V the hole for
the pedal pin is tapped right through and traversed by a sawcut or slit; tension is
put on the threads by the conical head of the expansion screw k. In Fig. VI the
hole for the pedal pin is coned out and filled by the conical nut which is split or
sawn through; by screwing up the shoulder on the pedal pin the conical nut is drawn
in tighter and the various parts are locked.
Where the hubs are made of tube the bearing cups are pressed in and there is
but little clearance to insert the spokes if the cups are of the usual depth and admit
of the usual shape of cone. We, therefore, shorten both cup and cone, and furnish
the cone with flanges covering the hub end for the exclusion of dust and grit. One
side of Fig. VI! shews the formation of the cup and cone and the other side
illustrates a spoke being passed through the cup and the spokeholes in the
tubular hub.
On a chain or driving hub the chainwheel is preferably brazed on the tube and
serves as the flange through which the spokes may be passed as shewn at m.
The brake spoon or shoe is usually at a right angle to the plunger or compression
rod and thereby has either to be well in advance of the fork crown and overhung
from it; or else part of it being underneath the crown a very wide space has to be

page_text: provided which is unsightly when the brake is removed and necessitates waste of
clearance and extra long forks.
Referring to Fig. VIII and IX, the brake end is mounted so that the rear
¡portion is much lower than the front, thus allowing the back part to be partly
under the crown without the latter having to be as high as the front part of the
brake. The hind portion of the brake shoe o (which is preferably made of hard
leather impervious to wet is cut out to a V shape so as to grip the tyre p on two
sides and before the front portion comes into contact with it. For this purpose the
brakeshoe o is preferably fitted into g, a holder of triangular shape and is wider at
the heel and converges towards the front; by turning over the edges of the
holder a ready grip is afforded by means of which the shoe is also readily
detachable and replaceable when wore.
By this means a more powerful though closely built brake is obtained with ample
clearance for mud.
In order to have full clearance under the rear mudguard and yet have the same
readily detachable we dispense with the bolthead or the nut usually found at the
bridge between the stays leading from the seat pillar to the hub axle. In Fig. IX
are the rearstays, the mudguard s is carried by a bridge t preferably of D section;
the ends of this bridge are pressed or shell cuttered in small projections shewn by
the dotted lines u " These ends are inserted into small holes in the tubes r r₁₁
by slackening the seat pillar holt and slightly spreading the tubes r r the ends u u¹
are released and the mudguard detached. The holes for receiving the bridge end
may at the same time act as the blow-holes drilled into the tubes when their ends
are closed or brazed in the process of manufacture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
-claim is ;
1. The endless chainstay of V or of crescent section mounted on a cycle frame
in the manner illustrated in Fig. I, and for the purpose described.
11. The particular method of closing an internal slot F by means of a plate G
(Fig. II) on a chain cover in the position and for the purpose described.
III. A split block for the purpose of joining up a cycle chain made or used in
the manner or for purpose as described.
IV. The block H (Fig. III) split and joined by the nut d or other equivalent
substantially for the purposes described.
V. A pedal end of a cycle crank split and threaded as shewn in Fig. IV and for
the purpose described.
VI. The pedal end of a cycle crank split and capable of expansion as by a screw k
(Fig. V) in the manner and for the purpose described.
VII. The combination of a split conical nut L (Fig. VI) with a crank end in
the manner and for the purpose described.
VIII. The driving hub of a velocipede as illustrated in Fig. VII.
IX. The shortened cones and cups in a tubular hub of the torm described and
as shewn in Fig. VII.
X. The tilted brake q of triangular shape containing the shoe O.
XI. The channeled brakeshoe O acting on a velocipede tyre as described.
XII. The bridge T (Fig. IX) for purpose of holding a mudguard between a
pair of stays of the form and in the manner substantially as described.
Dated this Twenty-third day of September One thousand eight hundred and
Ninety-five
JOSIAH BROOKES.
HENRY JAMES BROOKES.
PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF.