Improvements in Forks or Carriers for the Wheels of Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb.. 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th ed., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forks or Carriers for the Wheels of Velocipedes
and other Vehicles.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD 324 Cheapside Birmingham Agent do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the improvement of the fork or carrier which supports the
wheel and connects it with other parts of the vehicle, either velocipede, or other
analogous form.
I will describe my invention as applied to a bicycle.
Hitherto the wheels have been held by a straight or bent tubular fork resembling
very much in shape a two pronged eating fork from whence its name originated.
In my invention I do away entirely with this fork and substitute in its place a
circular or any other convenient shaped tube or rim. This tubular structure I divide
into two halves and join them again by a flat metal semicircular spring or some. other..
convenient spring as occasion may require or I may construct two halves or semi-
circles, without cutting and join in the same manner.
This structure forms one half of the carrier, and it is necessary to use one each side
the wheel in the same manner as the tubular fork before mentioned, and are fitted
into a crown which holds them together in a similar manner.
This circular tube then is used instead of the tubes or prongs on the side of the fork,
and the whole carrier or fork when so constructed is fitted to the bicycle in the,
ordinary way.
The advantages claimed are-(1) That the vibrations in travelling instead of
traversing direct through the forks to the rider are distributed around the circular.
tube or rim while the metallic springs placed at the extremity of each semicircle (as
before mentioned) have the tendency to completely destroy it (2) That the danger of
fracture during riding is very much reduced I bind myself to these details only so
far as not to depart from the general principles of my invention.
Dated this 13th day of February 1900.
"
Y
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Forks or Carriers for the Wheels of Velocipedes
and other Vehicles.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD 324 Cheapside Birmingham Agent 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 :-
The object of my invention is an improvement in the forks or carriers which hold
the wheel and connect it with the other framing parts of the velocipede or other
vehicle so as to reduce to a minimum the vibrations usually felt by the rider.
The method by which I accomplish this is by the application of circular or semi-
circular steel springs, by preference flat steel bow springs, in connection with rods or
tubes or by combination with the ordinary hollow fork side, or with semi-tubular
structures. And this carrier when so constructed I use in the position now held by
the prong or side of the fork, as usually constructed; doing away entirely with the
fork side as now used.
And in order that this my said invention may be more clearly understood, I will
now proceed to describe it by the aid of the sheets of drawing accompanying.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in each and every figure where
they occur.

page_text: Fig. 1. shews one side of the front portion of a rear driving safety bicycle, fitted
with one form of my improved fork or carrier in the front or steering wheel though
it may be attached to either wheel. a. a. shews the flat steel spring, by preference
a flat steel bow spring joined to the hub centre or spindle of the wheel, and thence
to the head or framing part of the velocipede by two fork sides b. b. similar to those
already in use as shewn in Fig. 2, c shewing the section.
Figs. 3. 4 & 5 shew my invention in connection with semi hollow or hollow tubes
or rods either straight or of a curved form. The springs a. a. are fixed securely into
the rod d. e. at d and e. The other ends of the springs being attached to the rods b..
in a similar manner. These are then connected to the head or framing portion of the
velocipede as shewn at f. or they may take the form of the dotted lines g. h. joined by
the tube or rod k. Figs. 4 & 5 shows the same application but with double rods.
Fig. 4 with straight rods. Fig. 5 curved ones. No special curvature is here clained.
Fig. 6 shews an inverted position of Figs. 3. 4 & 5 shewing the bottom rods e. d.
in connection with the bottom portion of the springs a. a.
Application. By the use of these springs thus connected, the obstruction met with in
travelling which would cause an upward jerk of the wheel from the centre Z, causing
the parts of the springs a. a. at e and d to ascend, and the parts of the springs a. a.
at x and y to descend, causing x. e. and y. d. to approach each other, so that the rider
would retain his normal position. By the use also of this combination the liability
to fracture is much reduced.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The application of springs, by preference flat bow springs in connection with
tubular or semi-tubular rods, to destroy the vibrations while travelling, which occur in
velocipedes and other vehicles.
2. The application of the above to any part of the vibrating portion of the
velocipede or other vehicle.
"
3. The general arrangement and construction of parts, the whole forming
Improvements in or relating to the forks or carriers of velocipedes and other
vehicles."
Dated this 12th day of November 1890.
FREDERICK WESTWOOD.