Improved Gear to Enable a Bicycle to be Left in a Standing Position.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Gear to Enable a Bicycle to be Left in a Standing
Position.
JAMES LOGAN WATKINS Engineer, 19 Hetley Road Uxbridge Road London W.
in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
A Set of Levers or Forks; with or without rollers, pivotted on the Axle of front
Wheel, with guide Rods, fitted from Forks to a Mud-Guard with a coupling fixed to
end of Mud Guard; carried round pillar, under handlebars. This coupling enables
Gear to be locked when down, by moving over an attachment fitted to spoon of Brake.
Springs are provided to bring Gear out of Action, on pressure of Brake Lever. This
automatic fitting will enable Bicycles to be mounted, and moved from a still position,
similar to that of a Tricycle.

page_text: Improved Gear to Enable a Bicycle to be Left in a Standing
Position.
I, JAMES LOGAN WATKINS, of 19 Hetley Road, Uxbridge Road, in the County
of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to a device for enabling a rear-driving safety bicycle to be left
in a standing position, and it consists of a forked frame pivotted to the axle of the
front steering wheel so that it may either be let down to come in contact with the
ground, or raised clear thereof. The mud guard is arranged to form part of this
forked frame, and an extension of the said frame is carried through or round the
fork carrying the steering wheel, to engage with a catch on the brake spoon to lock
the forked frame down in contact with the ground, suitable springs being employed to
restore it to, and keep it in, its normal position clear of the ground.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I will more particularly
describe it making reference to the accompanying drawing throughout the several
views of which similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Figures 1. and 2. are views in side elevation of a bicycle fitted with my invention,
the former showing the device constituting my invention in its normal position, and
the latter showing it in contact with the ground to keep the machine in an upright
position when unattended. Figures 3. and 4. are broken views on an enlarged
scale in elevation, of my device or parts thereof showing its construction more
clearly.
On to the axle of the front steering wheel X is pivotted a forked frame, con-
sisting of two legs A A splayed out at the ends and terminating either in knobs, or
rollers a. a, of a cross bar a¹ connecting these two legs, of a light fork A' encircling
the wheel X and carried by the legs AA, and of a mud guard A² connecting the
fork A with the the cross bar a¹ of the two legs A A. This frame is, as hereinabove
stated, pivotted to the axle of the steering wheel X or as near thereto as is con-
venient. To keep the forked frame in its highest, or normal, position one or more
springs B connect the said frame with the fork Y carrying the steering wheel X.
From the connection of the mud guard A2 with the light fork A¹, a slotted bar A³
extends forwards, passing either through the fork Y as illustrated, or round it in case
the machine is built too close to permit of it passing through it. This bar A³ is
slotted to allow it to embrace a projection or catch 2 on the brake spoon Z, when the
forked frame is moved down into contact with the ground. To enable the said frame to
be moved down into contact with the ground, a bar a² is mounted on the mud guard A²
in a convenient position to enable the rider to operate the frame by eitber of his feet.
When the frame is so moved down the free end of the bar A³ snaps over the projec-
tion z and so automatically locks the forked frame in the position to support the
machine, and enable it to be left in a standing position. To restore the forked

page_text: frame to its normal position the brake spoon lever is lowered by the usual brake
lever as in the action of applying the brake-when the catch . is disengaged
with the end of the slotted bar A' and the spring or springs B restore the frame
to the position illustrated by Figure 1.
As a modification I sometimes connect the forked frame by a rod a³-as shown
in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3-to a suitable hand lever pivotted on the handle
bar so that the forked frame may be operated by the hand instead of by the
foot.
Those parts of the machine which have not been specially referred to, or which are
not fully illustrated in the drawings, present no novel features and may be of the
usual type of construction.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I am aware that logs, spuds, and
stands have already been fitted to bicycles to enable them to be left in a standing
position, and that many Patents have already been granted for such devices. I
therefore do not broadly claim such a device, but having now particularly described
and ascertained the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed I declaro that what I claim is :-
1st. A device for enabling bicycles to be left in a standing position, constructed,
arranged and operating specifically as set forth.
2nd. The combination with the fork carrying the steering wheel of a bicycle, of
the forked frame consisting of the legs A A, the light fork A', and the mud
guard A, and of the slotted bar A' fixed to the said frame and adapted to inter-
lock with a suitable catch carried by the brake spoon, as and for the purpose set
forth.
3rd. In an upright standing gear for bicycles, automatically locking the gear
down, by means of a catch carried by the brake spoon, as set forth.
4th. In an upright standing gear for bicycles, carrying and combining the mud
guard of the front steering wheel with the said gear, as set forth.
4004
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, 71 & 72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.