Improvements in and relating to velocipenes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 30th Nov., 1888
Improvements in and relating to velocipenes.
We, REGINALD GEORGE FLETCHER of the firm of Messieurs Fletcher, Son and
Fearnall of Union Docks, Limehouse in the county of Middlesex, Engineers, GEORGE
DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, Manager to the said firm, and ROBERT EDWARD PHILLIPS of
70 Chancery Lane London in the county of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer to the
said firm, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention relates to velocipedes capable of conversion from one type to another,
so as to form two or more different types of machines, and it consists in altering the
rake of the neck or socket of the steering head as required for the perfect steering of
the different types of machines.
In velocipedes driven by one or more rear wheels, and steered by a single front
wheel, it is usual to rake the steering head backwards from the lower centre thereof,
in order to cause the steering wheel, when turned for the purpose of steering the machine
out of a direct line, to cant or lean towards the centre of the curve in which the
machine is running; while machinos having a single rear driving wheel and a pair of
front steering wheels, it is usual and advisable to rake the steering head or heads-if
more than one is used-forwards from the bottom centre or centres thereof to cause
the driving wheel and the frame carrying both it and also the seat for the rider, to
cant or lean towards the centre of the path of motion when the machine is steered to
run out of a straight line.
To attain the object of our invention we mount the neck or socket pivotally in or
on the backbone or frame carrying it, the said pivot being a horizontal or approxi-
mately horizontal one, and being at any desired angle with the axial line of the
steering head other than a right angle. Consequently if the axial line of the neck or
socket of the head be arranged at any given angle-other than a right angle-with
the pivot by which the neck or socket is attached to the backbone or frame, so that
the neck or socket of the head rakes say backwards from the bottom centre, ihen
if the neck or socket be turned on its pivot through a space of 180° i.e. through half
a circle, until the positions of the centres, or their equivalents, of the neck or socket
be reversed, the rake thereof will be reversed, that is to say it will rake forwards from
the bottom centre.

page_text: It will be obvious that the amount of the rake of the neck or socket in both positions
may be varied, but kept constant with respect to each other, by varying the angle of
the said neck or socket with respect to the pivot, and keeping the said pivot in a true
horizontal plane, and furthermore that the amount of rake of the neck or socket in
either position thereof may be varied with respect to the other position, by moving the
pivot of the said neck or head out of the true horizontal plane.
This principle may be carried into practical effect in many ways, and as it is not
our intention to limit our claims in our complete Specification to any particular
method of carrying out our invention, but rather to claim our invention broadly we
shall in this our Provisional Specification merely describe one of the simplest methods
of practically carrying out our invention.
We fix the neck or socket at the requisite anglo to a short length of tube of such
a diameter that it will be a good fit within the tubular backbone or frame to carry the
neck or socket. The end of this backbone or frame is split for a short distance and
is provided with one or more clamps of any suitable construction, so that the tubular
extension of the neck or socket may be clamped within the backbone or frame, with
the contres in either position to give the rake required, suitable dowel pins or stops
being provided to define the true positions in which it should be fixed. If the back-
bone or frame consists of a single tube the axial joint or pivot may be made in any
position therein and at any distance from the neck or socket.
of January 1888.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.L.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
We, REGINALD GEORGE FLETCHER, of the Firm of Messrs. Fletcher, Son, and
Fearnall, of Union Docks, Limehouse, in the County of Middlesex, Engineers ;
GEORGE DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, Manager to the said firm; and ROBERT EDWARD
PHILLIPS, of 70, Chancery, Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer to the said firm, 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 :—
Our invention relates to Velocipedes capable of conversion from one type to
another, so as to form two or more different types of machines, and it consists in
altering the rake of the neck-pin or socket of the steering head, as required for the
perfect steering of the different types of machines.
In velocipedes driven by one or more rear wheels and steered by a single front
wheel as illustrated by Figure 1. of the accompanying drawing, it is usual to rake the
steering head backwards from the lower centre thereof, as illustrated, in order to
cause the steering wheel when turned for the purpose of steering the machine out of a
direct line, to cant or lean towards the centre of the curve in which the machine is
running; while in machines having a single rear driving wheel and a pair of front
steering wheels as illustrated by Figure 2. of the accompanying drawing, it is usual
and advisable to rake the steering head-or heads if more than one is used-forwards
from the bottom centre or centres thereof, as illustrated, to cause the driving wheel
and the frame carrying both it and also the seat for the rider, to cant or lean over
towards the centre of the path of motion when the machine is steered to run out
of a straight line.
To attain the object of our invention we mount the neck-pin or socket pivotally in
or on the backbone or frame carrying it, the said pivot being a horizontal, or approxi-
mately horizontal one, and being at any desired angle with the axial line of the
steering head, other than a right angle. Consequently if the axial line of the neck-
pin or socket of the head be arranged at any given angle-other than a right angle-
with a pivot by which the neck-pin or socket is attached to the backbone or frame,
so that the neck-pin or socket of the head rakes say backwards from the bottom
centre, then if the neck-pin or socket be turned on its pivot through a space of 180°,
.e., through half a circle, until the positions of the centres, or their equivalents, of
the neck-pin or socket be reversed, the rake thereof will also be reversed, that is to
say it will rake forwards from the bottom centre.
This principle is capable of being carried into practical effect in many ways some
of which are illustrated by Figures 3. 4 and 5. of the accompanying drawing. These
methods of construction are shown merely by way of illustration and not as specific
inventions.
Referring to Figure 3, of the accompanying drawing we form or fix the neck-pin
or socket A. at the requisite angle to a tubular extention A' of such a diameter that

page_text: it will be a good fit within the tubular back bone or frame B. arranged to carry the
neck or socket. The end of this backbone or frame B. is split for a short distanco
and is provided with one or more clamps, in the form of split sockets C. as shown, or
with any other equivalent device, so that the tubular extention of the neck or socket
may be clamped by means of the screws c. or their equivalent within the backbone or
frame, with the centres a. and a¹ in either position to give the rake required. Suitable
dowel pins or stops a are provided to engage with slots or recesses in the backbone
or frame B, or in one of the split sockets thereon, to define the true positions in which
the neck-pin or socket should be fixed.
It will be obvious that the amount of the rake of the neck-pin or socket in both
positions may be varied, although kept constant with each other, by varying the
angle of the said neck-pin or socket with respect to the pivot, and by keeping the
said pivot in a true horizontal plane, and furthermore that the amount of rake of
the neck-pin or socket in either position thereof may be varied with respect to the
other position, by moving the pivot of the said neck-pin or socket out of the true
horizontal plane as illustrated by Figure 4. of the accompanying drawing, which also
shows another method of constructing the pivot. The neck-pin or socket A. is formed
or fixed to a taper pin or plug A¹ set at the required angle therewith. This taper pin
or plug fits within a coned socket C. on the end of the backbone or frame B, and is
tightened and fixed by a nut a³ on the end thereof, and is locked in position by the
coned set screw a threaded in the socket C and engaging with one or other of the
counter sunk holes a' a' in the taper pin or plug Al
Figures 5. of the accompanying drawing shows another method of carrying our
invention into practical effect. The neck-pin or socket A. is fixed rigidly to a back-
bone A which is adapted to fit in a socket B' carried by the frame B. carrying the
driving wheel. The respective positions of the neck pin or socket A. are defined by
holes formed in the back bone A' adapted to receive the seat pillar a² passing through
the socket B at right angles to the said backbone. The backbone and seat pillar are
both locked in position by the one operation of locking the nuts a³ on the end of the
said back bone.
The front end of the back bone A' is supported and stayed by means of a split
socket, or other equivalent clamp, C. formed on or carried by the extension of the
frame B. from the pedal crank axle bearing.
In reference to Figures 3. and 4. of the accompanying drawing it will at once be
seen by comparing the dot and dash centre lines of the two figures, what difference is
produced in the angles of the neck-pin or socket with respect to the horizontal plane,
when the pivot of the said neck-pin or socket is set out of the true horizontal plane,
and it will be obvious that any desired rake of the neck-pin or socket may be obtained
by varying the angle thereof with the pivot.
#
Although our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing as applied to
what is technically known as an openhead, it will be obvious to any one connected
with the trade that it is equally applicable to "closed" or socket heads. Furthermore,
it will be apparent that the same effect can be produced by mounting the lugs of an
"open
head on the pivot, and the neck-pin on the steering post, or the socket pin of a
"closed" or socket head on the pivot and the socket on the steering post, so as to
reverse the usually adopted positions of these parts.
We would have it understood that we do not limit ourselves to the exact construc-
tion and arrangement of parts hereinbefore described and shown, but hold ourselves
at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly full within the spirit and scope
of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. Mounting the neck-pius or sockets of the heads of Velocipedes, in the manner
and for the unce housin and truth

page_text: 2nd. In a velocipede mounting the neck-pin or socket, or its equivalent, in such a
manner that it may be rotated on a horizontal or approximately horizontal pivot, so
as to reverse the positions of the centres of the said neck-pin, socket, or its equivalent,
to vary the rake thereof, as set forth.
3rd. In a velocipede having the neck-pin or socket formed in, or fixed to, an attach-
ment at any angle therewith other than a right angle, mounting the said attachment
pivottally on the back bone or frame adapted to receive the said neck-pin or socket, in
such a manner that the positions of the centres or ends of the neck-pin or socket can
be reversed, as and for the purpose set forth.