Improvements in and connected with the Steering Forks of Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
Improvements in and connected with the Steering Forks of Cycles
and other Vehicles.
We, ARTHUR WILLIAM LOTZ and JOSEPH HUZELSTEIN, Manufacturers, of
44 Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the French Republic, 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 which we have made in our novel type of
guide fork for cycles and other similar vehicles with a view to its ready and
economical manufacture, and also for the purpose of facilitating repairs if
necessary.
Our improved guide fork chiefly comprises two hollow bars of iron, of semi-
circular shape, suitably arched or spread apart at their lower ends, so as to afford
a free passage for the wheel. At the top the two bars are simply placed side by
side, with their flat faces in contact and securely held in this position, the two bars
being exactly alike in shape and interchangeable. They are permanently con-
nected and retained in position by means of a base or head piece consisting of a
species of metal cap which surrounds and tightly compresses the arched portion of
the two curved rods; being itself, moreover, firmly fixed in position by means of a
bolt or bolts and a screw nut, the upper portion of which forms a cup or dish (for
the balls). The top part of the tube, which is formed by the juxtaposition of the
two rods, with their flat sides in contact, is fitted within a strong collar, which may
be arranged in such a manner as to serve also for mounting the sleeve or socket
piece of the cycle frame and for tightening the rod which supports the steering
handle, as will be hereinafter more fully explained..
In order to enable our invention to be better understood, we have represented
an example of the improved guide fork in the accompanying drawings, in
which;-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section showing the whole arrangement of the fork.
;
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section, viewed from below, and illustrating the manner in
which the two semi-circular hollow rods are fitted together at their lower parts.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the upper part of the fork.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a modified forkhead.
As shown in the drawings, the two semi-circular hollow bars A A, suitably
curved and exactly alike in shape, are simply applied to each other with their
flat sides facing each other, so that their straight upper parts jointly form the tube
of the fork, which is to be located within the steering head or sleeve of the
machine-frame (not shown).
The two rods A A are firmly connected at the part where they branch off from
each other to afford room for the wheel, the connection being made by means of a
species of cap B, of metal, or by any analogous device, the lower portion of the
cap being nearly oval and covering the rounded portion of the hollow rods, to
increase their resistance, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.
The two faces of this cap are firmly pressed against the said rods A, by means
of screws or bolts, but preferably by means of one strong bolt D which, on one
side, carries an eyelet d serving as a guide for the brake-rod, and on the other
side, a washer d' forming the means of attachment of the mud-guard. The upper
circular portion of this cap (which may be split if desired) is also very firmly
tightened upon the two rods A by means of a screw nut C, the upper face of

page_text: which constitutes the cup or dish for the balls to roll in, and which is adapted to
receive or support the rolling cone or roller bearing of the sleeve of the cycle
frame.
This connection of the two hollow rods A A may be supplemented, moreover, by
other suitable devices, say by the addition of a metal stay placed within the angle
which they form above the tightening bolt D, or of a small pin or transverse key
adapted to resist any tendency of the hollow rods to shift in the longitudinal
direction. As will be seen from Figure 3, the upper ends of the hollow rods A A
are split at a, a, so that they may be used for clamping or tightly grasping the
vertical rod of the steering handle, as will be explained further on; and they are
there retained by the tightening collar E, which fits them exactly, and is split or
slotted, as usual, for part of its length, so that it may yield to the action of the
screw-thread on the transverse bolt or pin F.
The collar E carries at its lower part the ball cup or dish e, the top of which
corresponds in shape to the steering head or sleeve of the cycle frame, and in order
to enable this sleeve to be adjusted as required, there is fitted upon the end of the
hollow rod A a screwed ferrule G, on to which is screwed the adjusting nut H.
In the modification shown in Figure 4, which we employ by preference, the ball
dish e is independent of the collar E, and may be screwed on to its lower part, to
enable the sleeve of the cycle frame to be adjusted, while a counter nut h serves
to retain the said dish or cup in place, when it has once been brought to the required
position.
The rod I of the steering bar or handle K has in all cases a longitudinal slot i
on each side, in order that it may enter the partitioned tube formed by the
junction of the two hollow iron rods A. The said steering bar is thus prevented
from turning about its own axis, even though the collar E be insufficiently
tightened to keep it quite steady.
It will be seen, that our improved fork consisting mainly of two hollow semi-
circular bars in juxtaposition, and extending throughout its length, necessitates no
welding or brazing capable of affecting the metal in any way. It is therefore not
liable to break in consequence of shocks, and it may be readily taken to pieces,
when necessary for repairs or like purposes. Besides, its manufacture is simple and
inexpensive, as has already been mentioned before.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A guide fork or steering fork for cycles and analogous vehicles, chiefly com-
prising two hollow half-round bars, bent so as to afford room for the wheel, and exactly
similar to each other, the said bars being placed together at their upper part with
the flat sides facing each other, to form the fork tube, and securely joined together
at the root of their arched portion by means of a metal cap or analogous coupling|
which covers them at that part and is held by means of bolts and a screw nut
serving also as the lower half or cup of the ball bearing, the said half round bars
being connected also at their upper ends by a strong collar adapted to hold the
steering handle and to regulate the sleeve of the cycle frame, substantially as
described.
2. In combination with a guide fork of the type described, the collar E and
tightening device as represented by Fig. 4, the said collar being fitted on to the
slotted upper end of the partitioned tube formed by the prolongation of the two
bars A, A, and screw threaded at its lower part to receive the regulating nut for
the sleeve of the cycle frame, this screw nut being held in place by a counter nut
constituting the ball bearing or cup for the upper part of said sleeve, substantially
as described.
3. In combination with a guide fork of the type described, the collar E and
tightening device represented by Fig. 1, said collar forming at its lower part.a
ball cup and being combined with a regulating screw H mounted on a screw

page_text: threaded ferrule placed at the top of the fork bars A A, substantially as
described.
4. In combination with a guide fork of the type described, the arrangement of
the bolt D adapted to tighten the metallic cap B against the arched portion of the
two bars A A and also to guide the brake-rod and hold the mud guard, substantially
as described.
5. In combination with a guide fork of the type described, a handle bar or guide
bar, the vertical part or post of which is slotted and adapted to enter the fork
tube for a variable distance, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 24th day of March 1894
FAIRFAX & WETTER,
433, Strand, London, Agents.