Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as required
by the decision of the Comptroller General of the 27th day of July 1897.
Date of Application, 11th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE PICKERING of Mary Street, Carlisle, in the County
of Cumberland, Engineer and Cycle Maker do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in sociable bicycles, or such as are
constructed to carry two persons side by side, and consists, Firstly-Of a method
of constructing the frame of the machine in parts to enable the same to be quickly
and easily taken apart or divided into sections to economise space in packing for
transit, and for storing or housing when not in use, and to facilitate repairs when
needed. Secondly-Of an arrangement of the steering gear by the means of
which the machine may be guided by either rider. Thirdly-Of an arrangement
of the seat standards by the means of which either seat may be adjusted in a
lateral direction to facilitate the centralization of gravity when the machine is
carrying riders of different weights.
I carry my invention into effect by constructing in any number of detachable
parts a pair of suitably shaped frames, each of which in side elevation may
somewhat resemble that of an ordinary safety bicycle, both of which may be
arranged to carry gentlemen or lady riders, or one to carry a gentleman and the
other a lady, and each provided with a pivotally mounted handle bar, and bottom
bracket carrying a pedal spindle, pedals, and spocket wheels in the most approved
or convenient manner. The two said frames I connect together, side by side, by
the means of suitable ties or cross rods, engaging with both, and fixed thereto by
the means of nuts, pins, cotters or their equivalents.
The fork rod of the front or steering wheel is carried in a suitable bearing or
sleeve, connected to, or formed integrally with one or more cross rods, bolted or
otherwise connected to both of the said frames, the crown or other part of the
upper end of the said fork being provided with a projection or extension, to which
is pivotally connected one end of a short rod, the opposite end of which is connected
in like manner to a similar projection or extension upon the rod of the handle bar
of the left or right hand rider, whichever may be selected for steering, so that the
inovements of such handle bar rod may impart a like movement to the rod of the
steering fork. Each handle bar rod may be provided with a like extension or
projection for the reception of the one end of the said short rod, so that either
handle bar may be employed for steering, while both may be provided with a
locking device so that the one not in use for steering may be a fixture if desired.
The spindle of the back or driven wheel is borne by extensions upon the two
frames previously mentioned, and carries sprocket wheels connected by chains with
those upon the bottom brackets, and receives motion therefrom.
The seat standard of each rider may be provided with a T shaped saddle pin,
placed transversally, so that the saddle of either or both riders may be adjusted

page_text: laterally to accommodate riders of uneven weight, and centralize the gravity of
the load. The upper ends of the seat standards or pillars inay be connected by a
suitable cross rod or rods tie or ties, bolted or otherwise connected to both, and the
junction of the two said frames may be strengthened in any suitable manner by
additional ties or rods if desired.
I am aware that it has hitherto been proposed to construct a bicycle capable of
carrying two persons side by side, but I am not aware, that prior to my invention,
such a machine has been made or described capable of being quickly and easily
taken apart for repairs or divided so as to narrow its width, to facilitate its passage
through narrow places, and economize the space necessary for housing, or packing
the same for transit, which, in combination with the means for centralizing the
gravity of the load, and the means by which the machine may be steered by either
rider, is the object and purpose of my invention.
Dated this 11th day of June 1896.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
provem
I, FREDERICK GEORGE PICKERING of Mary Street, Carlisle, in the County
of Cumberland, Engineer and Cycle Manufacturer 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 improvements in sociable bicycles, such as are constructed
to carry two persons side by side, the novel feature of which is-A method of
constructing the frame of the machine in two parts, each in side elevation resembling
an ordinary bicycle, but which, whe connectel t gether by suitable cross stays or ties
constitute a sociable bicycle, the object of this arrangement being to facilitate repairs,
and to economise space in packing for transit or housing, and to enable either section
to be used as an ordinary bicycle by the simple means of providing an auxiliary back
or driven wheel.
Referring to the accompanying three sheets of drawings
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a side elevation of one of the two said sections, which, (by the
means hereinafter explained) may be used as an ordinary bicycle, or when
coupled together (as hereinafter explained) constitute my said improved sociable
bicycle.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the front or steering wheel of my said sociable
bicycle illustrating the manner in which Fig. 1 and its duplicate are connected
thereto.
Fig. 3 is an elevation of the back end of the said sociable bicycle.
Figs. 4 and 5 Sheet 2 are side elevation and plan respectively of my improved
sociable bicycle substantially as I prefer to construct and arrange it, Figs. 6 and 7
being enlarged views of the back rods, 'showing the manner of adapting these for
use with a sociable or ordinary bicycle.
I carry my invention into effect by constracting of the usual material a pair of
frames A substantially as at Fig. 1, both of which may be arranged to carry a
gentlemen or lady rider, or one to carry a gentleman and the other a lady, but for
the purposes of illustration' I have closen to show these adapted to carry a lady.
Each of the said frames has a hollow front tube B, carrying loosely a rod C,
surmounted by a handle bar D, similar to the steering rod of an ordinary safety
bicycle, and capable of oscillating in B.in like manner. The rods C. may be solid

page_text: or hollow aud each carries at its lower ead a clip or bracket such as E arranged to
Each of the said
receive the ends of the transverse rol hereinafter referréd to.
frames A is constructed with a botto n bracket A carrying a pedal spindle,
pedals F and sprocket wheel G in the mal way. The said batto:n brackets also
each carry a pair of rods II extea ling backwardly therefrom, the back ends of
which are forked or divided at a, and arrangel to form baarings for the axle of
the back or driven wheel in the usual way.
The steering rod of the fork J of the front or steering wheel K is carried in a
tube or sleeve I, which also carries a pair of tie rods b and b', the threaded ends
of which c engage with eyes d in a pair of collars e and el upon the tubes B of
each of the said frames A, and receive suitable nuts, by the means of which both
the said frames are firmly connected together and to the tube L of the front or
steering wheel K.
The crown of the said fork J is provided with a pin or other suitable
projections to which is pivotally connectel one end of a short rod whose.
opposite end is pivotally connected to the clip or bracket E of either frame A
according to which of the riders is to operate the steering of the machine, or the
said rod, (as shewn by g in Fig. 2) may be of such a length that its ends may be
connected to the portions E of both frames, while it contre engages with the
portion of the steering,fork J, which provides that both ridors-inay operate the
steering of the machine, the movements of the respective handle bars D'imparting
a like motion to the steering fork J, and I may provide a suitable locking device
in connection with both rods C, so that when one only is in use for steering the
other may be locked.
The seat pillar of each of the said frames is provided with an eye h which receive
the threaded ends of a tie rod M (Fig. 3) which, by the means of suitable nuts
form a riged connection between the said pillars, the said ends of M also carrying
the upper ends of rods N whose lower ends are connected to eyes m upon the ends
of the back forks H.
The axle of the back or driven wheel R is borne (as previously stated) by the
forked or divided ends a of the rods H, and upon the said spindle is mounted a
pair of sprocket wheels a and a', which gear with the sprocket wheels G and
receive motion therefrom by the means of suitable chains S.
The seat standards or pill irs of either or both of the said frames may each be
provided with a T shaped saddle pin p placed transversally of the machine, so that
the saddle of either or both riders may be adjusted laterally for centralizing or
balancing the load when the machine carries riders of unequal or different weights,
the frames of the said saddles being of course arranged suitable for mounting upon
the said pins p.
From the foregoing it will be understood that by simply disconnecting the said
frames A from the tie rods b b and M, and the back axle P the whole may be
housed or packed for transit in a small-space.
The rods C being removable froin their tubes B, and the rod of the front fork J
from its tube L, I may convert either of the said frames into an ordinary safety
bicycle by causing the said rod of the front fork to engage with either of the
tubes B, and have connected thereto one of the handles C, in the usual way, while
the back rods H are adapted to be further divided or parted so as to form a fork
for the spindle of an ordinary back wheel, and in order that such convertion of the
said back rods may be fully understood I have shewn enlarged views of these in
Figs. 6 and 7 Sheet 3.
For this purpose I construct the two rods constituting each pair H of tubular
metal, each bent or curved at a point r, from which to their lower ends these are
of D shape in cross section, and receive the divided ends a previously mentioned.
The tubular upper end of one of the said rods H of each pair is rigidly fixed to
the bottom bracket H', while the other is provided with a screw thread at 8, and
screws into a tubular extension upon H¹, and when both pairs of rods are used
for carrying the spindle P of the wheel R of the sociable, each pair of these

page_text: would be placed in the position shewn by Fig. 6, but when used as a back fork
for an ordinary safety bicycle, by giving one half turn to the threaded rod H
this may be placed as at. Fig. 7 and be retained in that position by the tightening
up of a nut t, the said rods with their ends a being then adaptable for carrying the
axle P¹ of the back or driven wheel R¹ of a bicycle, the rods N being also divided
and attached to the eyes M of the rods H, and by these means I am enabled to
convert both the frames constituting the sociable into a pair of ordinary safety
bicycle frames.
I am aware that it has hitherto been proposed to construct a bicycle capable
of carrying two persons side by side, provided with means for adjusting or balancing
the uneven weights of the riders and means by which the machine may be guided by
either or both riders, and I make no general claim to the elements thus indicated,
but I am not aware that prior to my said invention such a machine has either been
described in any publication, made or used, capable of being quickly and easily taken
apart to facilitate housing or packing, for the purpose of repair, or for convertion into
an ordinary safety bicycle.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said
Invention & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I'
claim is :-
1st. The sociable bicycle consisting of the combination of two like frames
connected together by removable stays or tie rods, with means for adjusting or
balancing the possible uneven weights of the riders, and means by which the
machine may be guided or steered by either or both riders, and means by which
the said sociable bicycle may be taken apart to facilitate housing or packing for
transit or both, substantially as herein described and shewn.
2nd. In a sociable bicycle, the combination of a pair of like frames A, connected
by removable rods or stays M and b b1, the latter carrying the tube of the steering
wheel K, each of the said frames being provided with a steering rod C and handle
bar 1), with means for using either or both for guiding the machine, and a bottom
bracket G with pedals, for each rider, the said bottom brackets having each a pair
of extending rods H adapted to collectively carry the axle P of the rear wheel R,
and connected by rods N to the seat pillars, with means such as a T shaped pin p
connected to each of the said pillars for carrying the saddles and adjusting their
positions laterally, substantially as herein described and shewn by the accompanying
drawings.
3rd. The sociable bicycle as set forth in the preceeding claim, adapted to be
converted in a safety bicycle by disconnecting the frames A from each other,
and utilizing the tube B of either for receiving the steering rod of the wheel K,
and dividing or further separating the rods H of the same frame so as to carry an
auxiliary back wheel R' as shewn in Fig. 7 substantially as herein described.
111 of Monah 1907
GEO. THO3. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.