IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES” BICYCLES AND OTHER
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Mothersill, of New Maldon, in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
VELOCIPEDES”
BICYCLES AND OTHER
Sealed the 17th May 1878, and dated the 5th December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Mothersill at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th December 1877.
ROBERT MOTHERSILL, of New Maldon, in the County of Surrey.
MENTS IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
"IMPROVE-
The Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and other velocipedes,
whereby they are rendered capable of occupying less space in width than at
present when not in use, and whereby they are rendered capable of conveyance by
rail or other conveyance, with less liability to injury than heretofore, and whereby
greater security is obtained in their use.
According to the first part of my Invention instead of connecting the steering
handle to its axis, as heretofore, I connect it to the axis so that it may swivel half
or nearly half round, independently of the fork, or fold up either in a vertical or
horizontal plane, or nearly so, and I fix it in position for use by means of bolts and
nuts, or by a catch or catches.
According to the second part of my Invention, I provide means for the ready
removal and refixing of the pedals. For this purpose I form each crank with an
open-ended slot, so that by merely slackening the pedal pin nut by about half a
turn the pedal can be removed by simply sliding it out of the slot.
The sides of the slot or fork may be prevented from opening out or separating
from each other in any convenient manner; but according to one arrangement I

page_text: bevil their faces and make the collar on the pedal pin and the washer under the nut
to fit.
The advantage of swivelling or folding up the steering handle and removing the
pedals without difficulty is apparent in cases where these machines have to be kept
in a confined space, such for instance as a passage, and these improvements will
also enable them to be conveyed by railway or other conveyance, with less risk of
injury than when the aforesaid parts are allowed to project as heretofore.
According to the third part of my Invention I so arrange the roller, " spoon," or
"slipper" brake lever as to permit it to have a partial rotation at its fulcrum, which
allows within certain limits its acting end to move from side to side, as the rubber
tyre may carry it, thereby preventing the brake from loosening the rubber
tyre when from continued use and wear the wheel begins to wabble or run
untrue.
The rigidity of the ordinary brakes of every class has hitherto been a fruitful
cause of the loosening of the rubber tyres, which the plan above described will
obviate.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Robert Mothorsill in the Great Seal Patont Office on the 5th June
1878.
ROBERT MOTHERSILL, of New Maldon, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES.'
The Invention has for its object improvements in bicycles and other velocipedes,
whereby they are rendered capable of occupying less space in width than at present,
when not in use, and whereby they are rendered capable of conveyance by rail or
other conveyance with less liability to injury than heretofore, and whereby greater
security is obtained in their use.
According to the first part of my Invention instead of connecting the steering
handle to its axis, as heretofore, 1 connect it to the axis so that it may swivel half
or nearly half round, independently of the fork, or fold up either in a vertical or
horizontal plane, or nearly so, and I fix it in position for use by means of bolts and
nuts, or by a catch or catches.
According to the second part of my Invention I provide means for the ready
romoval and refixing of the pedals. For this purpose I form each crank with an
open-ended slot, so that by merely slackening the pedal pin nut by about half a
turn the pedal can be removed by simply sliding it out of the slot.
The sides of the slot or fork may be prevented from opening out or separating
from each other in any convenient manner, but according to one arrangement I
bevil their faces and make the collar on the pedal pin and the washer under the nut
to fit.
According to the third part of my Invention I so arrange the "roller," " spoon,"
or "slipper" brake lever as to permit it to have a partial rotation at its fulcrum,

page_text: which allows within certain limits its acting end to move from side to side, as the
ubber tyre may carry it, thereby preventing the brake from loosening the rubber
tyre when from continued use and wear the wheel begins to wabble or run
untrue.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying Drawings, more fully
to describe the same
DESCRITION VE
ATT MAMM
Figure 1 is a side 'elevation, and Figure 2 is a front elevation, both partly in
section of parts of a bicycle sufficient to enable me to describe one mode of applying
the first and third parts of my Invention, to that description of bicycle head known
as the "Stanley." Figures 3 and 4 are plan views of parts of the same
Figure 5 is an elevation, and Figure 6 is a cross section of another mode of
carrying the first part of my Invention into effect.
Figure 7 is a plan representing the first part of my Invention applied to a bicycle
in which the steering handle bar is required to revolve around its longitudinal axis
for operating the hind wheel brake.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation representing the first part of my Invention applied
to the ordinary socket steering gear; and Figure 9 is an elevation; and Figure 10,
a side view; and Figure 11 is a cross section of a crank with the third part of my
Invention applied thereto.
a
In all the Figures like parts are marked with similar letters of reference.
represents part of the rim of the driving wheel; b, portions of some of the spokes;
c, part of the rubber tyre; d, part of the "backbone;" f, part of the fork; k, the
brake lever; and g, the steering handle.
According to the first part of my Invention, instead of connecting the steering
handle g to its axis in the mode heretofore adopted, I connect it to the axis so that
it may, when required, be swivelled half, or nearly half round, independently of the
fork f, and I fix it in position for use by means of bolts and nuts, or by a catch or
catches.
In the arrangement represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the "backbone" d is
pivotted in the upper portion of the fork f, in the mode adopted in the "Stanley "
bicycle head, but the upper portion of the fork f is formed with a cross head or bar
fprovided with open ended slots f"; the steering handle g is made at its centre
to fit a boss or axis f³ formed on the upper face of the cross head or bar f', and it
is also formed with slots g', in line with but longer than the slots f2; bolts hare
passed through the slots f, gl, in the position shewn in the Drawings, and nuts h¹
are screwed thereon so as to fix the steering handle g rigidly to the slotted cross
head or bar f.
When it is desired to turn the steering handle g on its axis f³ independently of
the fork, the nuts h' are slackened, and the bolts h are slidden outwards until they
are free of the open-ended slots f in the cross head or bar f¹, when the steering
handle can be turned round independently of the fork so as to cause the machine to
occupy less space in width than heretofore.
is pin-
In the arrangement represented at Figures 5 and 6 the steering handle
jointed at gå to one pair of lugs or projections f* fixed to the cross head or bar f',
and the steering handle at its central part is made to fit accurately between the
lugs or projections f+ and a spring catch f³, or other suitable bolt or catch is
employed to retain the steering handle in position for use, whilst when required
the steering handle g can, after first clieving it from the spring catch, be turned
on its axis g² so as to enable the machine to occupy less space in width.
In the arrangement represented at Figure 7 the steering handle bar g is mounted
in sockets formed in projections ³ from a plate g*, which is secured to the cross

page_text: head or bar f¹, and is liberated so as to be enabled to turn thereon in a similar
manner to the steering handle described in respect to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4.
In the arrangement represented at Figure 8 the steering handle g is shown fixed
to a cross head or bar fr in a similar manner to that described with respect to the
arrangements represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7; but such cross head or bar f¹
is fixed on a square fo formed on the upper end of the axis f" of the fork f, which
axis works in the socket & fixed to the "backbone" d. It will be readily under-
stood that this part of my Invention may be carried into effect in various other
modes, without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention.
According to the second part of my Invention I provide means for the ready
removal and refixing of the pedals.. For this purpose, as represented at Figures 9,
10, and 11, I form each crank i with an open-ended slot i, so that by merely
slackening the nut j' of the pedal pin j by about half a turn the pedal can be
removed by simply sliding it out of the slot i¹.
The fork or sides of the slot may be prevented from opening out or sepa-
rating from each other in any convenient manner, but according to the arrangement
represented in the Drawings I bevil their faces and make the collar on the pedal
pin and the washer ³, under the nut j¹, to such bevilled faces.
The advantage of swivelling or folding up the steering handle and removing the
pedals without difficulty is apparent in cases where these machines have to be kept
in a confined space, such for instance as a passage, and these improvements will
also enable thein to be conveyed by railway or other conveyance, with less risk of
injury than when the aforesaid parts are allowed to project as heretofore.
According to the third part of my Invention I so arrange the "roller," "spoon,"
or "slipper" brake lever as to permit it to have a partial rotation at its fulcrum
which allows within certain limits its acting end to move from side to side, as the
rubber tyre may carry it, thereby preventing the brake from loosening the rubber
tyre when from continued use and wear the wheel begins to wabble or run untrue.
This part of my Invention is represented at Figures 1 and 2. k is the brake lever,
Ze is the slipper brake, and is a lever mounted on an axis of motion a, carried by
the steering handle for operating the same
The brake lever is mounted on an axis k³, carried by a forked piece m fixed to
a projection n, from the "fork" f. This forked piece m is fixed loosely in the pro-
jection n so as to permit the lever to have a partial rotation at its fulcrum for the
purpose stated, and in order to limit the amount of motion of such lever / the
front end n¹ of the projection n is forked and passes up on each side of the lever k
as shewn, so as to permit the said brake lever k to move a short distance from side
to side therein. Other modes of carrying this part of my Invention into effect
may however be employed without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention.
In the arrangements represented at Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, on turning the steering
handle round independently of the fork the nose of the lever will slide out of the
slot in the break lever k.
The rigidity of the ordinary brakes of every class has hitherto been a fruitful
cause of the loosening of the rubber tyres, which the plan above described will
obviate.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode in
which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim
is,
Firstly. Fixing the steering handle to the fork in such manner that it may swivel
or fold or turn up, oither
half, or nearly half round, independently of the "fork"
in a vertical or horizontal plane, substantially as and for the purpose herein shewn
and described.
Secondly. I claim the employment of means for facilitating the removal and
refixing of the pedals in manner substantially at herein shewn and described.
And, Thirdly. I claim arranging the "roller," "spoon," or "slipper" brake lever,

page_text: so as to permit it to have a partial rotation at its fulcrum in manner and for the
purpose substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Mothersill, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
R. MOTHERSILL. (L.S.)