Improvements in Devices for Coupling Bicycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 23rd May, 1896
Improvements in Devices for Coupling Bicycles.
I, THOMAS STODDARD TAYLOR, of San Rafael, in the County of Marin anl
State of California, United States of America, Gentleman, d hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to a means for coupling or rigidly connecting two
bicycles together for practical use and joint operation whereby a skilled rider on
one machine can afford assistance to a beginner or timid person on the other
machine, or two riders of limited experience can mutually support and encourage.
each other.
My invention consists essentially of an adjustable frame composed of trans-
verse brace-bars and a longitudinal middle-bar or reach; the ends of the brace
having clamps or coupling-means to secure them to the frame of the bicycles, and
both the braces and the reach being extensible in length, to adjust the device to
bicycles of different makers. In addition to these parts the device has an
extensible-bar, or connecting-rod, and clamping means for connecting the tillers of
the two machines rigidly together, so that the steering-wheels shall move regularly
together at all times.
The forward bar of the frame is composed mainly of a tube and a rod or tube of
smaller diameter movable in the first or large tube, but stiffly connected to it by
a screw-joint and provided with a check-nut, so that the bar formed of these two
parts can be lengthened or shortened as required. On the outer ends of these
are split clamps or clips of proper size to fit around the standards or bars of the
bicycle-frame and provided with screws for drawing them tightly together when
placed around the standards.
These couplings are attached or secured to the ends of the bar by swivel-joints
or connections, so that the clamp can be turned and adjusted axially to suit the
angle at which the standard of the bicycle-frame stands out of the perpendicular.
The rear brace is formed of two flat overlapping bars secured together at the
middle, where they overlap, by means of a loop or box and a set-screw, and the
outer ends of the bars are provided with clamps for securing them rigidly to
the standards of the bicycle-frame, these outer end-portions of the bars being bent
at right angles forwardly, so that the centre portion of the bar is thrown back
sufficiently to clear the heels of the rider while working the pedals. The reach is
formed of the rods one sliding on the other and united by the screw-joint in the
same manner as the parts of the lateral bar are joined, so that the distance between
the two bars can be regulated according to the make or style of the machines
being coupled.
Usually, the connection of the rear bar with the bicycle-frame is strengthened
by the addition of short angle-braces which are bolted to the brace and connected.
to the bicycle-frame at the rear bearings for the wheels; but these braces can
be left off in cases where the bar will give sufficient stiffness in the connecting
means.
The steering-wheels of the two machines are coupled together by an extensible
rod and short arms fixed on the tillers of the wheels. The arms have hook-shaped
clamps shaped to embrace the bars of the steering handles and provided with
clamp-screws for securing them rigidly to the tillers. The extensible rod is

page_text: attached at the ends to the outer ends of the arms by a pivot joint and the rod is
extensible in length. By this means the two tillers are rigidly coupled together
so that both wheels have simultaneous and uniform movement.
Dated this 17th day of June 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
I THOMAS STODDARD TAYLOR, late of San Rafael in the County of Marin,
Dow of No. 217 Davis Street, in the City and County of San Francisco, State of
California, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 a means for coupling or rigidly connecting two bicycles
together for practical use and joint operation whereby a skilled rider on one
machine can afford assistance to a beginner or a timid person on the other
machine, or two riders of limited experience can mutually support and encourage
each other.
My invention consists essentially of an adjustable frame composed of transverse
brace-bars and a longitudinal middle-bar or reach; the ends of the brace having
clamps or coupling-means to secure them to the frame of the bicycles, and both
the braces and the reach being extensible in length, to adjust the device to bicycles
of different makes. In addition to these parts the device has an extensible-bar,
or connecting rod, and clamping means for connecting the tillers of the two
machines rigidly together, so that the steering-wheels shall move regularly together
at all times.
The following description explains at length the construction and combination of
these parts and their operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,
in which
Figure 1 is a side-elevation of the right-hand one of two bicycles coupled
together according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan or top-view showing the two bicycles and the connecting frame
or coupling means, the seat of the right-hand machine being broken off to show
parts beneath.
Figure 3 is a perspective-view of the extensible coupling-frame.
Figure 4 is a detail-view of the coupling and a portion of the center of one of
the braces.
Figure 5 is a plan of the connecting means by which the two tillers are
rigidly connected together.
Figure 6 is a side-view in detail of one of the clamps on this part.
The forward bar of the frame is composed mainly of a tube A and a threaded
rod or tube A' of smaller diameter movable in the tube A, but stiffly connected to
it by a nut B swivelled in the end of the tube and provided with a jamb-nut C,
so that the bar formed of these two parts can be lengthened or shortened as
required. On the outer ends of these are split clamps or clips D of proper size
to fit around the standards or bars of the bicycle-frame and provided with
screws d for drawing them tightly together when placed around the standards.
These couplings D are attached or secured to the ends of the bar by swivel-
joints or connections, so that the clamps can be turned and adjusted axially to suit
the angles at which the standards of the different makes of bicycle-frames stand
out of the perpendicular.
The rear brace E is formed of two flat overlapping bars secured together at

page_text: the middle, where they overlap, by means of a box Ex and a set-screw E, and
the outer ends of the bars are provided with clamps F for securing them rigidly
to the standards of the bicycle-frame, these outer end-portions of the bars being
bent at right angles forwardly, as shown in Figure 3, so that the center portion
of the bar is thrown back sufficiently to clear the heels of the rider while working
the pedals. The reach G is formed of the telescoping rods G G² one sliding
within the other and united by the screw-joint 9 in the same manner as the parts
of the lateral bar are joined, so that the distance between the two bars A E can
be regulated or adjusted as described according to the make or style of the machine
being coupled.
The connection of the rear bars E with the bicycle-frame may be strengthened
by the addition of, short angle-braces H H which are bolted to the brace at *
and connected to the bicycle-frame at the rear bearings for the wheels.
The steering-wheels of the two machines are coupled together by an extensible
rod I and short arms K fixed on the tillers of the wheels, the construction and
arrangement of these parts being shown in Figures 5 and 6. The arms K have
hook-shaped clamps * shaped to embrace the bars of the steering handles and
provided with clamp-screws for securing them rigidly to the tillers. The
extensible rod I is attached at the ends to the outer ends of the arms K by a
pivot-joint m and the rod is extensible in length. By this means the two tillers
are rigidly coupled together so that both wheels have simultaneous and uniform
movement.
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 herein described device for coupling two bicycles together consisting of
a front transverse bar and a rear transverse bar, each composed of sections
adjustably connected, and means for detachably attaching the ends thereof to the
bicycle-frames, as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The herein described device for coupling two bicycles together consisting of a
front transverse bar and a rear transverse bar, each composed of sections adjust-
ably connected, and means for detachably attaching the ends thereof to the
bicycle-frames the same comprising clamps for embracing parts of the frames,
and pivotal connections between the clamps and the ends of the bars, substantially
as set forth.
3. The herein described device for coupling two bicycles together consisting of
a front transverse bar composed of telescoping sections, a rear transverse bar
composed of two flat sections overlapping at their inner ends and with their outer
ends bent at right angles and detachably connected with the bicycle-frames, a box
embracing the overlapping parts, and a set screw through the side of the box, as
and for the purpose set forth.
4. The herein described device for coupling two bicycles together consisting of
a front transverse bar composed of telescoping sections, a rear transverse bar
composed of two flat sections overlapping at their inner ends and with their outer
ends bent at right angles and detachably connected with the bicycle frames, a
box embracing the overlapping parts, means for clamping them therein, and angle
braces extending obliquely from the transverse part of each rear section to and
connected with the bicycle frames, as and for the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with two bicycles arranged side by side; of two arms K
having hook-shaped clamps k* for embracing the tillers of the bicycles, set screws
through said clamps, a cross-rod pivoted at its extremities to the front ends of
said arms, and means for connecting the frames of the bicycles, as and for the
purpose set forth.
6. The combination with two bicycles arranged side by side, and laterally
extensible means for connecting their frames; of the arms K having clamps
detachably embracing the tillers of the bicycles and extending thence forward

page_text: and a cross-bar pivoted at its extremities to the front ends of said arms and com-
prising a tubular section, a nut swivelled in the end thereof, a threaded section
passing through the nut, and a jamb nut on the threaded section, all as and for
the purpose set forth.
Dated this 17th day of March 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.