IMPROVE- MENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Wellesley Robinson, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Wellesley Robinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th August 1881.
ARTHUR WELLESLEY ROBINSON, of Birminghain, in the County of Warwick
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
My improvements consist first of a steering check spring, having for its object
to preserve the steering shaft of a bicycle or other velocipede in the position
necessary to the motion of the bicycle or velocipede in a straight line, thereby
releasing the hands of the rider excepting when he wishes to pursue a curvilinear
path.
The said steering check spring consists of a coiled spring contained in a strong
tube or hollow cylinder attached to the framing of the machine. A piston or
plunger pressed outwards by the said spring works in this tube, the said plunger
having a flat head. In tricycles tho said flat head bears preferably upon the collar
immediately above the pinion on the steering shaft, the said collar having a flat
plane upon it at that part on which the flat head bears when the steering shaft
is in such a position that the tricycle travels in a straight path. Or the said flat
head may press upon a flat plane made on some other part of the steering shaft.
In other velocipedes the square head is made to bear upon a flat plane on any
convenient part of the steering shaft, the details varying according to the nature
of the velocipede.
My improvements consist secondly in the following method of constructing the
seats of tricycles and velocipedes having seats similar to tricycle seats. On each
of the side rails of the seat I form two or more oblong loops, their greatest length
being parallel to the rails. Through each pair of loops, that is, through the loop
on one rail and the corresponding loop of the other rail I pass a leather strap, or a
[Price 6d1

page_text: strap or band of other non-metallic flexible material. The ends of the straps are
connected together by buckles, and each strap thus forms an endless band passing
through and supported by the loops on the side rails, the buckles by which the
ends of the leather or flexible bands are connected and more or less tightened being
on the underside of the said endless bands. The said bands are connected together
at their middle by a strong strap which preserves the parallelism of the bands
when pressed upon by the weight of the rider. The upper sides of the bands may
be covered by a soft fabric. Seats of velocipedes constructed according to my
Invention are very flexible, yielding readily to the muscles of the thighs in
pedalling. They have the further advantages that they permit of the ready escape
of wet, and are very cool in use. When desired the said bands may be removed,
and the seat by the addition of a cushion converted into an ordinary seat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Wellesley Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
10th February 1882.
--
ARTHUR WELLESLEY ROBINSON, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Mechanical Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
My improvements consist first of a steering check spring, having for its object
to preserve the steering shaft of bicycle or other velocipede in the position
necessary to the motion of the bicycle or velocipede in a straight line, thereby
releasing the hands of the rider excepting when he wishes to pursue a curvilinear
path.
The said steering check spring consists of a coiled spring contained in a strong
tube or hollow cylinder attached to the framing of the machine. A. piston or
plunger pressed outwards by the said spring works in this tube, the said plunger
having a flat head.
In tricycles the said flat head bears preferably upon the collar immediately above
the pinion on the steering shaft, the said collar having a flat plane upon it at that
part on which the flat head bears when the steering shaft is in such a position that
the tricycle travels in a straight path. Or the said flat head may press upon a flat
plane made on some other part of the steering shaft.
In other velocipedes the square head is made to bear upon a flat plane on any
convenient part of the steering shaft, the details varying according to the nature
of the velocipede.
My improvements consist secondly in the following method of constructing the
seats of tricycles and velocipedes having seats similar to tricycle seats. On each
of the side rails of the seat I form two or more oblong loops, their greatest length
being parallel to the rails. Through each pair of loops, that is, through the loop
on one rail and the corresponding loop of the other rail, I pass a leather strap, or
a strap or band of other non-metallic flexible material. The ends of the straps
are connected together by buckles, and each strap thus forms an endless band
passing through and supported by the loops on the side rails, the buckles by which
the ends of the leather or flexible bands are connected and more or less tightened,
being on the underside of the said endless bands. The said bands are connected
together at their middle by a strong strap, which preserves the parallelism of the
bands when pressed upon by the weight of the rider. The upper sides of the
bands may be covered by a soft fabric.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings
the manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation a portion of a bicycle to which a steering
check spring constructed according to my Invention is applied; Figures 2 and 3
represent underside views of the same partly in horizontal section.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
a is the framing or back bone of the bicycle, and b is the steering shaft, between
the fork c of which the driving wheel of the bicycle is situated, as is well
understood. The head of the steering shaft b carries the usual handle for turning
it, the said steering shaft moving upon the axis e, indicated in dotted lines, carried
by the frame or backbone a. The steering check spring consists of a strong tube
or hollow cylinder d attached in the manner represented to the backbone or
frame a. In the said tube or hollow cylinder d a piston or plunger f works, which
is pressed outwards by the coiled spring g. The outer end of the piston or
plunger has a flat head h, which is pressed against a flat plane at i made on the
steering shaft b. When the driving wheel of the bicycle is travelling in a straight

page_text: path, the flat head h of the piston or plunger takes a bearing against the flat
plane at i on the steering shaft, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The steering
shaft is thereby held with considerable force in that position, and the vehicle will
pursue a straight path without the hands of the driver gripping the handles on
the steering shaft. When the vehicle is required to travel in a curved path, the
steering shaft b is moved in one or other direction by directing the steering handle
of the vehicle. In this movement of the steering shaft it presses inwards the
piston f, and compresses its coiled spring g, the parts now occupying the positions
represented in Figure 3, the pressure of the spring piston f tending when the grip
on the handles is relaxed to return the steering shaft b to the position represented
in Figures 1 and 2, and to hold it in that position.
Figure 4 represents in side elevation and Figure 5 in plan a portion of a
tricycle to which my improved steering check spring is applied; k is the hind
wheel of the tricycle; b, the steering shaft of the said wheel; ; a portion of the
framing. The motion of the steering handle within reach of the rider is
transmitted to the steering shaft b of the hind wheel k by the vertical axis m
carrying at its bottom end a pinion n which gears with the rack p, the rack
bar på of which is jointed to the arm p³ on the top of the steering shaft b. The
transmitting mechanism described and represented is of the ordinary kind; d is
the tube or hollow cylinder containing the piston f and its spring, the said tube or
hollow cylinder being fixed to the frame 7 of the tricycle; i is the flat plane on
the steering shaft b, against which the head h of the piston f takes a bearing when
the vehicle is travelling in a straight line. The action of the steering check
spring as applied to a tricycle is the same as that described with respect to a
bicycle.
I do not limit myself to the position represented of the steering check spring on
the tricycle or velocipede as it may be applied to other convenient part; for
example, the flat head of the spring piston may be made to bear upon a collar
immediately above the pinion n on the axis carrying the steering handle, the said
collar having a flat plane for the flat head of the spring piston to seat itself upon
when the vehicle is travelling in a straight path, as before described.
Figure 6 represents in front elevation, Figure 7 in end elevation, and Figure 8
in plan the seat of a tricycle or velocipede constructed according to my Invention ;
Figure 9 represents the seat in perspective with the addition herein after
pointed out.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9.
a, a, are the inclined side rails of the seat; b, b, the back rails; and c, c, the arms
of the seat, the said parts being made of metal and constituting the frame of the
seat. The said frame is stayed at bottom by the curved rod d and bar or plate c.
To the middle of the lower bar or plate e the central axis f is fixed by means of
which the seat is secured to the tricycle frame in the ordinary way with or
without a spring. In each of the side rails a, a, of the seat frame open loops or
depressions at g, g, are made for receiving the doubled or endless leather straps h, h,
or straps or bands of other non-metallic flexible material, the said flexible bands or
straps h, h, constituting the seat proper upon which the rider seats himself. The
manner in which each of the straps h is passed around the end of each of the side
bars a, and the ends of the strap fastened together by the buckle i on the underside
of the band, so as to form an endless band, is best seen in Figures 6 and 9, and the
manner in which the straps or bands are supported in the open loops or depressions
at g, g, is best seen in Figure 7.
By means of the buckles at i, i (or similar fastenings), the ends of the flexible
bands or straps h, h, may be more or less tightened. The two endless bands or
straps h, h, of the seat are connected together at their middle by the strong crossing
strap k, through loops in which crossing strap ke the longitudinal straps h, h, pass.
By means of the said middle strap k the parallelism of the straps h, h, when pressed
upon by the weight of the rider is preserved.
To the back rails b, b, of the seat frame I prefer to arrange a leather or flexible

page_text: strap similar to those forming the seat proper, shoulders at m, m, being formed
on the said back rails b, b, for the endless strap 1 to take a bearing upon.
Instead of making the open loops or depressions at g, g, in the side rails a, a, of
the seat frame in the manner represented, the said side rails may be made broader
or deeper and slots or closed loops be made therein for the straps h, h, to pass
through.
Instead of securing the axis ƒ by which the seat is connected to the tricycle
frame, directly to the curved stay bar e of the seat frame a strong bow spring n of
the kind used with ordinary seats may be secured to the stay bar e, as represented
in Figure 9, and the axis be connected to the underside of the said bow spring.
An elastic support for my improved seat is thus provided, and by its use the
tremulous motion of the vehicle is not imparted to the seat or is considerably
reduced.
I do not limit myself to the number of straps or bands h, h, employed to form
the seat proper or to the width of the said straps, as more than two may be
employed.
Seats of velocipedes constructed according to my Invention are very flexible,
yielding readily to the muscles of the thighs in pedalling. They have the further
advantages that they permit of the ready escape of wet and are very cool in use.
When desired a cushion can be easily attached to the seat.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my Invention of
"Improvements in Bicycles and other Velocipedes,"
-
First. The new or improved steering check spring, constructed substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accom-
panying Drawings, for preserving the steering shaft of the bicycle or other
velocipede in the position necessary to the motion of the bicycle or velocipede in a
straight line.
Secondly. Constructing the seats of tricycles and other velocipedes having seats
similar to tricycle seats, in the manner herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the
Beat proper upon which the rider seats himself of two or more doubled or endless
leather straps or bands, or straps or bands of other non-metallic flexible material,
the said doubled or endless straps or bands being capable of adjustment and con-
nected with the frame of the seat and their parallelism preserved, substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Arthur Wellesley Robinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Ninth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.