Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Jure, 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, BOHN CHAPIN HICKS, of The Rookery, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois,
United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my 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 to provide a simple, economical and efficient
velocipede particularly adapted to absorb and minimize the shock incident to
riding the vehicle over obstructions; and the invention consists in the features,
combinations and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a velocipede
fitted with my improvements and Fig. 2 an enlarged elevation partly in section,
showing a portion of the main and auxiliary frames and mechanism for supporting
the saddle or seat in position.
In the use of velocipedes and safety bicycles, it is well known that in riding over
obstructions a shock is imparted to the rider and vehicle and which is likely-
when repeated a number of times-to injure the rider and result in the destruction
of the vehicle, or some of the various parts. My invention therefore, is designed
to overcome these objections by providing a velocipede that will permit of riding
over ordinary obstructions with the least amount of shock or vertical movement to
the rider.
In constructing my improvements, I provide a main frame, A, of the desired
size and shape and which as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, resembles the
ordinary "diamond" frame. This frame is provided with the usual fork, B, which
carries the front steering wheel; b, at its lower end and the handle bars, b, at its
upper end.
To the rear portion of the main frame is rotatably mounted the
driving wheel, C, which by means of the sprocket wheels, c, c', sprocket chain, c',
motion and power are transmitted from the crank axle, C, provided with
cranks c.
To minimize the shock when riding over obstructions, I provide an auxiliary
frame, D, the front arm of which is pivotedly connected at d, to the main frame
adjacent to the axle of the driving wheel and the rear arm of which is provided
with a supplemental wheel, I), arranged to "track" with the driving wheel.
This auxiliary frame is secured to the main frame by means of a connecting rod
or bar, E, which is pivotedly connected to the main frame in front of the driving
wheel at, e, and its rear portion pivotedly connected with the auxiliary frame by
means of links, el. The saddle, G, is secured to this connecting rod at, 9. almost
directly above the crank axle so that the shock or movements of the main frame
have very little effect on the rider.
In use, it will be seen when the front wheel strikes an obstruction, the front
portion of the main frame is lifted, but the pivotal connection of the connecting
rod prevents the saddle from being lifted to any material extent. When the front
wheel has passed over the obstruction and the rear wheel strikes the same, such
rear wheel is lifted or raised and being pivotedly connected with the auxiliary
frame and connecting rod, it is permitted to rise without raising the saddle portion
any appreciable extent. It will then be seen that the least amount of lift or
shock is imparted to the rider and the machine constructed so as to absorb a large
portion of the shock without materially injuring any part thereof.
By examining the drawings carefully, it will also be seen that these parts, the
auxiliary frame and connecting rod, may be secured to bicycles as now made, thus

page_text: converting them from a rigid frame into a flexible shock absorbing frame; or
when a machine is made in accordance with my improvement, by disconnecting the
connecting rod and auxiliary frame from the main frame, the wheel may be used
as an ordinary diamond wheel with a rigid frame.
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 :-
In a velocipede, the combination of a main frame having a front steering wheel
and a rear driving wheel, pedal cranks and shaft and means for imparting the
motion of the crank shaft to the driving wheel, with an auxiliary frame provided
with a supplemental wheel arranged substantially in line with the driving wheel
and pivotedly connected to the main frame adjacent to the axle of the driving
wheel, a connecting rod flexibly connecting the auxiliary frame with the main
frame in front of the driving wheel, and a seat portion on such connecting rod,
substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of June 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W:C.; Agents for the Applicant.