Year: 1887

page_text: I, JOHN ASBURY of Cheylesmore, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to a novel arrangement of parts for operating the steering
wheel of velocipedes. Hitherto it has been the practice to connect the steering fork
rigidly with the steering handle, and to obtain the requisite elasticity for easing the
wheel over obstructions in the road, by interposing springs between the fork and the
axle of the steering wheel.
Now, according to this invention, the steering fork is made independent of the
stem which carries the steering handles, and it is free to rise and fall together with
the wheel, which is mounted within it, without imparting a tremor or other motion
to the steering handles.
The fork is made with a short stem which passes up into a socket of two diameters,
formed in the steering handle stem. Interposed between the socket and the stem of
the fork, is a coiled spring, which ensures an elastic connection between the fork and
the steering stem. For convenience of construction, the steering handle stem is
secured to the socket by brazing, and before being secured in place, a nut is applied to
the fork stem at the upper end of the socket (the stem being threaded for the purpose),
by which means the fork is securely connected with the stem socket.
may find it desirable, in some cases, to fit in the bottom of the socket an oscillating
bush to receive the stem of the steering fork and give it free play in its vertical
movements.
Formed in one with this socket is the mud guard, which is made tubular to
increase its stiffness. The steering fork in which the steering wheel is mounted, is
provided at the end of its prongs with rear extension pieces reaching to the back

page_text: extremity of the mud guard, and serving to connect it therewith. To this extremity
of the mud guard, the extension pieces are pivotted, and as the wheel rises or falls
from irregularities in the road, and causes the fork stem to move longitudinally in
its_socket, the extension pieces will simply rock on their pivot pin or pins.
In the act of steering, the directing movement is imparted to the wheel through the
pivotted connecting pieces, which further serve to steady the fork in its longitudinal
movements in the steering stem socket.
The steering stem may be fitted to the backbone or frame of the Velocipede in the
usual, or any approved manner.

page_text: I JOHN ASBURY of Cheylesmore, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinist
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 novel arrangement of parts for operating the steering
wheel of velocipedes. Hitherto it has been the practice to connect the steering fork
rigidly with the steering handle, and to obtain the requisite elasticity for easing the
wheel over obstructions in the road by interposing springs between the fork and the
axle of the steering wheel.
Now according to this invention the socalled steering fork is made independent of
the stem which carries the steering handles, and it is free to rise and fall together
with the wheel which is mounted within it, without imparting a tremor or other
motion to the steering handles.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 shows in side elevation, and
Fig. 2 in front elevation a steering wheel mounted according to my invention.
In these figures A is the main framing connected as usual by centres to the steering
stem B. The stem B terminates in a curved tubular piece C which forms the mud
guard for the steering wheel D. Handles are fitted to the upper end of the stem as
usual for steering the wheel D.
E is a cranked strap which takes the place of the ordinary fork. The cranked
strap E is stiffened at its angles by means of a dead axle on which the steering wheel
runs freely and the extremities of this strap are pivotted to the extremity of the mud
guard C.
Forged on the sides of the strap E in the position of what would be called the
shoulders of the fork are two stud pins e which receive the heads of vertical rods e¹
that project upwards through lugs 6 made fast to the steering stem B. These rods
carry check nuts at their upper ends and they are free to oscillate on their stud pins e
in the direction of the travel of the vehicle.
Surrounding these rods are coil springs e³ which are compressed between the
lugs and e.
By this means an elastic connection is maintained between the steering stem and
the cranked strap E while at the same time the steering wheel is compelled to follow
the movements of the steering handles.. The advantage of this mode of mounting the
steering wheel is that it will be free to rise over any obstruction that is presented to
it on the road being traversed as indicated by the dots in Fig. 1 without imparting
any appreciable discomfort to the rider while at the same time the wheel is prevented
from tipping laterally by the combined action of the vertical rods ef and the
springe

page_text: I may remark that other modes of securing an elastic connection between the
steering stem B and the steering fork or its equivalent strap E in place of that just
described may be employed. Thus instead of the guide rods e¹ and the coiled com-
pression springs e², the lugs b and c may be connected together as shown in the partial
side elevation Fig. 3 where F is the well known hinge spring connected at its
opposite ends to the lugs be by tubular coupling pieces ff.
A further modification is shown in the partial section Fig. 4 where the fork E is
shown as retaining a short stem which enters a socket made in the lower end of the
steering stem. This socket is made of two diameters the smaller to receive the stem
of the fork and the other a coiled spring e² which surrounds the stem and ensures an
elastic connection between the fork and the steering stem.
For convenience of construction the steering handle stem is in this case secured to
the socket piece by brazing and before being fixed in place a nut e³ is applied to the
fork stem at the upper end of the socket the stem being threaded for the purpose.
To provide for the oscillating movement of the fork stem due to the rise and fall of
the steering wheel the hole through which the stem of the fork passes to receive its
nut is widened in the direction of the length of the main framing to an extent
sufficient to give free play to the fork stem.
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 2
claim is :-
As an improvement in mounting the steering wheel of velocipedes, hinging the
steering fork or its equivalent to the mud guard of the steering stem and connecting
such fork elastically to the steering stem so that the steering wheel mounted in
the fork will be free to rise and fall independently of the steering stem as above 2
explained.