Improvements in Velocipedes Adapted to Run on Rails or Tracks.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct.,
1898
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes Adapted to Run on Rails or Tracks.
We, HENRY EDWARD JONES, of 23, Rolland Road, Lozells, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Carpenter, and WILLIAM MANNING, of the Meriden Cycle
Works, Wells Street, Hockley, Birmingham, in the County aforesaid, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the improvements hereinafter described in velocipedes
and other cycles adapted to travel on a track and has for its object to provide
means whereby the wheels are arranged to readily take a curved path which is
effected by an arrangement of guide wheels or rollers which may be casily and
efficiently adjusted so as to retain the machine in a vertical position and permit
smooth travelling on the circular track.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct a cycle frame consisting
of the front forks which are in a vertical position or nearly so with the axle of
the front wheel. The said forks support the handle bar somewhat in the usual
way.
The top tube or stay being connected a little above the fork head is in a
horizontal position and connected to the back member terminating into the fork
for the back wheel which is of much less diameter than the front wheel. Over
the top of the back wheel is a cross piece terminating into an arc shaped tube
which encircles a portion of the front wheel and is connected to the top of the
front fork by a ball joint. Depending from the cross tube aforesaid is a metal
plate provided with two are shaped slots arranged to carry the frame of the
guide wheels or rollers. The said frame consists of two vertical tubular members,
into each lower end is screwed a socket carrying an axle at each end upon which
a roller freely rotates and takes its bearing on the floor of the track. A little
above the centre of the axis is a second set of rollers which take and rotate against
the under part of the platform of the track. To a convenient part between the
said rollers is a vertical axle carrying a roller in a vertical position which takes
and rotates against the edge of the platform thus forming an anti friction support
for the machine. The two vertical members are connected together at the top
by a crosspiece which is held in position by lock nuts screwed on the ends of
the said members. The frame carrying the guide rollers thus described is
attached to the machine by means of the quadrant plate aforesaid by passing
screw pins through the said plate and the cross piece. We cause the machine
to take a curved path first by adjusting the position of the guide rollers to take
their respective bearing on the track which is effected by the lock nuts on the
vertical tubular members.
We next adjust the driving and rearwheels to the curvature of the track by
means of adjusting or connecting rods the end of one side of the machine being
connected to the bearing or ends of the fork of the driving wheel, the other end
is connected to a convenient part of the guide roller frame, to which is also con-
nected a second rod, the other end of which is connected to the rear wheel fork.
A second set of connecting rods are arranged on the other side of the machine

page_text: thus securing the two wheels in a diagonal position with each other so as to
take the curved path of the track.
Dated this 14th day of October 1898.
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36, Temple Street, Birmingham, Applicants' Agent.
Improvements in Velocipedes Adapted to Run on Rails or Tracks.
We, HENRY EDWARD JONES, of 23, Rolland Road, Lozells, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Carpenter, and WILLIAM MANNING, of the Meriden Cycle
Works, Wells Street, Hockley, Birmingham, in the County aforesaid, Manu-
facturer, 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:
1
This invention relates to the improvements hereinafter described in velocipedes
and other cycles adapted to travel on a track, and has for its object to provide
means whereby the wheels are arranged to readily take a curved path which is
effected by an arrangement of guide wheels or rollers which may be easily and
efficiently adjusted so as to retain the machine in a vertical position and permit
smooth travelling on the circular track.
In carrying our invention into effect we construct a cycle frame consisting
of the front forks which are in a vertical position or nearly so, with the axle of
the front wheel. The said forks support the handle bar somewhat in the usual
way, the top tube or stay being connected a little above the fork head is in a
horizontal position and connected to the back member of the frame. This said
member terminating into the fork for the back wheel which is of much less
diameter than the front wheel. Over the top of the back wheel is a tube, a little
above the back fork, the said cross piece terminates into an arc-shaped tube which
encircles a portion of the front wheel, and is connected to the top of the front
fork by a ball-bearing joint.
Depending from the tube aforesaid is a metal plate provided with two arc-
shaped slots arranged to carry the frame of the guide wheels or rollers. The said
frame consists of two vertical tubular members carried on two screw supports,
into each lower end is screwed a socket carrying an axle at each end upon which
a roller freely rotates and takes its bearing on the floor of the track. A little
above the centre of the axis is a second set of rollers which take and rotate against
the under part of the platform of the track. To a convenient part between the
said rollers are two vertical axles each carrying a roller in a vertical position
which takes and rotates against the edge of the platform thus forming an anti-
friction support for the machine.
The two vertical members are connected together at the top by a crosspiece
which is held in position by lock nuts screwed on the ends of the said members.
The frame carrying the guide rollers thus described is attached to the machine
by means of the quadrant plate aforesaid by passing screw-pins through the said
plate and the crosspiece. We cause the machine to take a curved path first by
adjusting the position of the guide rollers to take their respective bearing on
the track which is effected by the lock-nuts on the vertical tubular members.
We next adjust the driving and rear wheels to the curvature of the track by
means of adjusting or connecting rods the ends of one side of the machine
being connected to the bearing or ends of the driving wheel the other end

page_text: is connected to a convenient part of the guide roller frame to which is also
connected a second rod, the other end of which is connected to the rear wheel
fork. A second set of connecting rods are arranged on the other side of the
machine securing the two wheels in a diagonal position with each other, so as
to take the curved part of the track.
The nature of our invention will be more clearly understood from the
accompanying drawings the same letters of reference indicating similar parts
throughout.
Figures 1 and 2 show in side and front elevation respectively, a velocipede
constructed in accordance with our invention. Figures 3, 4 and 5 represent in
side and front elevation and plan respectively the mechanism which carries the
guide rollers. Figure 5 is a detail part.
A represents the front forks which carry the front wheel, B, and the handle
bar D, the top stay E, is connected to the forks by a ball-bearing joint F, the
other end terminating into the back member of the frame G, which carries the
back wheel I. The tubular member H, is connected to the fork head K, by a
ball-bearing joint J, which terminates into the tube L, which is connected to
the back fork G. This said tube L, supports or carries the guide roller mechanism
shown on an enlarged scale at Figures 3, 4, 5, 5ª, connected by means of the
quadrant plate M, and cross piece N, by the screw pins n, n. The two
supports 0, 0, are screwed into the sockets P, P, connected to the axle Q, which
carries the rollers R, R.
The screwed parts S, S, of the supports 0, 0, are furnished with nuts T, T,
upon which rests the sleeves U, U, which are held in position by the screw
nuts V. V. The sleeves U, U, are provided with nuts,, and 10. w, between
which is held the cross piece N. To the lower end of the sleeves U, U, are
connected the brackets d, d, which support the axle q, this axle carries the
rollers r, r, and the vertical rollers t, t, the machine being driven by the wheel
gearing W
The mechanism thus described is arranged to be used on the track similar to
that shown in dotted lines at Figure 1 and Figure 2 the same being circular,
the wheels of the machine B, and I, take to the groove and the rollers R, R,
a bearing on the parts s, s, the rollers r, against the underside of the platform a, a,
and the vertical rollers t, t, against the edge of the platform. The machine is
adjusted to the curvature of the track by means of the connecting rods e, and f, e,
being connected to the ends of the forks at g by the screw nuts g¹ and to the
plate, and the rod f to the plate j, and the rear forks at k. I attach similar
rods to both sides of the machine and effect the adjustment first by arranging
the road wheels to the curvature of the track and then screw up the screw nuts.
It will be obvious that the machine being supported in a vertical position by this
arrangement cannot leave the track and, the risk of accident is reduced to a
minimum. We adjust the rollers to the curvature of the path by means of the
quadrant M and the screw pins n, n, the quadrant moving in the direction of
the arrows takes the whole of the rollers with it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim
is:-
1. The improvements in velocipedes adapted to run on rails or circular tracks
consisting of the tubular members of the frame arranged to support or carry
the cross tube L, which in like manner carries the guide roller mechanism sub-
stantially as described and illustrated and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a velocipede the combination with a tube L, carrying the quadrant M,
the cross piece N, to which is connected the supports 0, 0, and the sleeves U, U,
which carry the roller axles and the rollers substantially as described and for
the purpose set forth.
3. In the roller mechanism combined with a velocipede and arranged to travel

page_text: on a track substantially in the manner described consisting of the rollers R, R,
?, and t, t, and the axles Q and 7 supported or held by the supports 0, 0,
and the screwed sleeves U, U, and the quadrant M, substantially as described and
for the purpose set forth.
Total 101 J
CT 1
2000
WILLIAM HENRY BARACLOUGH,
36, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.