Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 3rd Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 27th Sept., 1887.
I JOHN KEMP STARLEY of the Meteor Works Coventry in the County of Middlesex
Velocipede Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes and is designed to lessen
vibration from the steering wheel or wheels.
I will describe my invention as applied to such a bicycle as is known as the
"Rover" and made by me.
I connect the fork of the front steering wheel to the backbone or frame or a tube
attached to the same carrying the steering post by links or connecting rods placed
parallel one above the other and with a spring or springs which may be of looped
wire placed between such fork and such backbone frame tube or steering post.
I may mount the handle bar on such post and motion can be communicated to the
steering wheel irrespective of its rise and fall on striking obstacles or running on
rough ground.
Thus as the steering wheel rises it moves towards the driving wheel which can also
rise and fall on striking any obstacle.
"
I can adapt the above arrangement to velocipedes other than bicycles such as
Cripper" tricycles by connecting the steering post with the fork of the steering
wheel or wheels in such aforesaid manner.
If desired the handle bar might be on the steering fork itself and rise and fall
with it.
The jointed links between the steering wheel or wheels and the backbone frame or
tube are made to adjust.
Dated this 4th day of October 1886.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I JOHN KEMP STARLEY of the Meteor Works Coventry in the county Warwick
Velocipede 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes and is designed to lessen
vibration from the steering wheel or wheels.
I will first describe my invention as applied to such a bicycle as is known as the
"Rover" and made by me.
I connect the fork of the front steering wheel to the backbone or frame or a tube
attached to the same carrying the steering post by links or connecting rods placed
parallel one above the other and with a spring or springs which may be of looped
wire placed between such fork and such backbone frame tube or steering post.
I may mount the handle-bar on such post and motion can be communicated to the
steering wheel irrespective of its rise and fall on striking obstacles or running on
rough ground.
<
Thus as the steering wheel rises it moves towards the driving wheel which can also
rise and fall on striking any obstacle.
I can adapt the above arrangement to velocipedes other than bicycles such as
'Cripper" tricycles by connecting the steering post with the fork of the steering
wheel or wheels in such aforesaid manner.
If desired the handle-bar might be on the steering fork itself and rise and fall
with it.
The jointed links between the steering wheel or wheels and the backbone frame or
tube are made to adjust in any suitable manner.
I will now proceed more fully to describe the nature of the above invention
referring to the accompanying three sheets of drawings and to the figures and letters
of reference marked thereon.
On sheet I Figure 1 I shew an elevation of a bicycle of the "Rover" type fitted
with my invention.
On sheet II. Figure 2 I shew a tricycle of the front steerer and balance gear type
having my invention applied thereto.
On Figure 3 of the same sheet I also shew a modification of the said invention to
be more particularly hereafter referred to.
On Sheet III. Figure 4 represents a perspective view of a tricycle constructed with
two front steering and one rear driving wheel and to which my invention is
applied.
-
Referring to Figure 1. A is the front fork carrying the steering wheel and B is
the tube or part of the frame carrying the steering post C.
D. D¹ are links or connecting rods placed parallel or one over the other and
ointed to the steering post which may be effected by collars E. E' fixed to the said

page_text: post by clamp screws or nuts or otherwise and to which the said links or connecting
rods are jointed at F. F the other ends of the said links or connecting rods are
jointed to the steering fork A at G. G¹.
The steering post is turned by the handle bar as usual and thus the links or
connecting rods are turned swaying the fork carrying the steering wheel to
and fro.
I is the spring shewn as of the coiled wire, variety clamped to the tube or frame
carrying the steering post.
The action of the rising and falling fork on meeting obstacles will be readily
perceived.
Referring to the tricycle shewn in Figure 2 the same letters of reference apply.
In Figure 3. I make the links or connecting rods D. D¹ longer and joint the lower
one D¹ to the bottom end of the fork carrying the steering wheel or to its axle.
The spring I is clamped to the steering post and to the upper link or connecting
rod D or may go direct to the fork A.
may if desired so arrange the handle bar as to be mounted on the front fork or
frame.
On sheet III. Figure 4 I shew a tricycle of the two-front-wheel steering and rear
single driving pattern. In this the fork A in the other views is replaced by a tube
carrying the cross axle K on which the steering wheels are mounted or I may adapt
my invention to that class of velocipede in which the front cross axle is fixed and the
steering wheels turn on centres by means of connecting rods worked from the steering
handle or handle bar.
In this case the links D. D' are jointed to the tube of the steering post or to the
backbone or frame and to the rigid cross axle or to an extension therefrom and do
not sway but merely rise and fall.
It will be seen that more than one pair of links or connecting rods can be used and
more than one spring or the type thereof can be varied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
Mounting the steering wheel or wheels of velocipedes on a fork or frame jointed by
links or connecting rods to the steering post or mechanism or main frame in
combination with a spring or springs interposed between such fork or frame and
steering post or mechanism or main frame whereby the said fork or frame can rise
and fall with the links whilst steering the velocipede substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd do of An 1007