Improvements in the Construction of Cycles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Cycles.
I, JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN, of 28 Rose Grove, Ardwick,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore bicycles have had the fork or framework of the front wheel pivotted
to the framework carrying the back wheel and the saddle, the wheels being usually
provided with pneumatic or other resilient tyres. Now according to my invention
I mount two wheels on axes carried by a rigid framework and around the said
wheels, I arrange between suitable flanges thereon an endless springy tyre that is
not secured to either of the wheel rims but which acts as a belt passing over them
and is moved or driven by rotating one of the wheels by means of the usual driving
mechanism.
The axis of one wheel is capable of adjustment by means of adjusting screws for
the purpose of varying the distance between the centres of the two wheels.
On the rigid frame is secured the pedal fixing; a vertically projecting post for
holding the fixed cross handle bar and a similar post for carrying the saddle. It
may be preferable in some cases to provide a horizontal bar projecting rearwardly
from the cross handle bar which would be free to partially rotate for carrying the
saddle, so that the weight of the rider can when turning a corner, be thrown, by
turning the steering handle bar, on either side of the vertical line or centre of
gravity of the machine thus causing it to slightly fall to one side, the machine
again regaining its vertical position on the handle bar being returned to its original
position when travelling in a straight line.
The endless band tyre may be variously constructed according to circumstances,
for example, it may comprise one or more endless bands of tempered steel, it may
be arranged in layers to which wooden lags or segments are secured on the side
coming in contact with the ground; or in place of the endless bands of tempered
steel pliable cane strips or wooden hoops may be employed provided they have a
tendency to form a circular hoop when removed from the machine i.e. when not on
the wheels, and that, when in position on the two wheels and more or less stretched,
they shall form approximately an ellipse.
The endless band tyre may be covered with a rubber or canvas casing to prevent
sand or the like penetrating between the joints of the lags or segments of wood, or
the tyre may be made of a hollow tube and inflated. The rims of the wheels are
shaped to take the section of tyre desired and may or may not be covered with a
thin rubber ring in the bottom of the rim. A machine constructed according to
this invention lays its own track and by the natural tendency of the endless band
tyre to form a circular ring when the wheels are not too far apart and the band
tyre strained too much, the upper and lower sides will form parts of an ellipse so
that only a portion of the lower side when the machine is ridden will become
flattened. It may be necessary in some cases to provide a holding down roller to
prevent the tyre flattening; this roller may be carried by a spring frame on the
machine frame.
I would have it understood that the two wheels are mounted in a direct line with
each other and that I may modify the construction of the endless band tyre to suit
different requirements, for example, by making it circular or flat in cross section.
When the machine is ridden at a high speed centrifugal force acting on the belt
tyre will cause the two sides of the ellipse to bulge out so that the band tyre

page_text: assumes a more circular form. Either of the wheels may be the driven one but it
is preferable to drive the leading wheel.
Dated this 10th day of November 1893.
Improvements in the Construction of Cycles.
1, JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN, of 28 Rose Grove, Ardwick,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Cycle Manufacturer, 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 chiefly to velocipedes or cycles and other light vehicles or
machines and consists chiefly in the use and arrangement of a flexible travelling
band or of bands in place of a wheel or wheels and also in the construction of the
frame-work and parts thereof and general constructive arrangement of a velocipede
or cycle, parts of my improvements being applicable to road skates and similar
carriages.
The object of this invention is chiefly to reduce vibration and to construct a
simple light and compact machine or carriage.
In order that my invention may be more readily understood I have attached
hereunto a sheet of drawings to which I will now refer.
In the said drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed
according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same and Figure 3 an end elevation.
Figure 4 illustrates the application of my invention to a machine framework of
well-known construction.
Figure 5 is an elevation of a modified construction of framework of rolling
flexible tyre. Figure 6 is a plan of the same.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are sectional views of different forms of tyre treads which I
may use.
Heretofore in bicycles one of the wheels was mounted in a fork or frame pivotted
to the framework carrying the other wheel and the saddle, the wheels being usually
provided with pneumatic or other resilient tyres. Now according to my invention
I mount two wheels a a on axes carried by a rigid framework and around the said
wheels, arrange between suitable flanges thereon an endless springing band or
tyre b that is not secured to either of the wheel rims but which acts as a belt passing
over them and is moved or driven by rotating one of the wheels by means of the
usual driving mechanism.
The axis of one wheel, the front wheel for instance, is capable of adjustment by
means of adjusting screws e for the purpose of varying the distance between the
centre of the two wheels.
On the rigid frame d is secured the pedal fixing d¹; a vertically projecting
post d for holding the fixed cross handle bar e, and a similar post d³ for carrying
the saddle f. It may be preferable in some cases to arrange the handle bar so that
it can swivel and connect it by rods and levers to an L shaped saddle carrier
likewise arranged so as to be free to partially rotate on the post d', or otherwise
Bupport the saddle so that the weight of the rider when turning a corner can be
thrown by turning the steering handle bar on either side of the vertical line or
centre of gravity of the machine, thus causing it to slightly fall to one side, the
machine again regaining its vertical position on the handle bar being returned to
the position it occupies when travelling in a straight line.
To the vertical post d³ (or d³) I attach an arm g' carrying a roller g pressing

page_text: upon the top of the band 6 in order to prevent its rising and running off the front
wheel when the bottom side of the band becomes more flattened through shocks to
the machine or otherwise. Preferably the arm g' is hinged to the post and the
roller g pulled down against the band by a spring g².
Fig. 4 shows the adaptation of the flexible band tyre to a bicycle of a well
known arrangement of frame. The front fork his formed with a horizontal part /¹
containing bearings for the wheels i round which the band tyre m is passed. The
back fork and horizontal stays are likewise formed with bearings for the
wheels round which the band tyre m¹ passes. Preferably in this case also
deflecting rollers n n' are applied running in bearings attached to or formed on the
forks, or on levers under spring pressure arranged similarly as described with
reference to parts g, g' and g² of Figure 1.
In the arrangement represented by Figure 5 the flexible band tyre o instead of
being passed round a pair of wheels is held between three rollers p p p² bearing
against it on the outside in combination with a pair of internal guide rollers r².
The several rollers are mounted on bearings in two parallel frame sides 8, which
are attached to the frame of the bicycle or other carriage to which the arrangement
is applied. The upper roller p' is supported in sliding bearings adjustable by
means of screws t. This arrangethent is intended to replace the idle wheel of a
bicycle or other wheels propelled by means of the frame in which they are mounted
such as the wheels of wheel or cycle skates.
The axles of the rollers and wheels used in the several arrangements described
are preferably supported in roller or ball bearings.
The endless band tyre may be variously constructed according to the uses to
which it is applied. Some of these constructions are shown in section by Figs. 7, 8
and 9. Fig. 7 represents a section of the band of circular form, consisting of an
endless tempered steel wire u or tempered steel wire rope embedded in a circular
rubber tyre u Fig. 8 represents a section of a band formed of a flat steel band v
encased in an india rubber covering vl, which may be formed on the tread side with
cross grooves or projections to prevent slipping. The band represented in section
by Fig. 9 consists of a flat steel band to to which a cover or jacket w' as used for
pneumatic wheel tyres is cemented or otherwise attached enclosing an inflatable air
tube w². Other forms and materials may be used, the essential feature being that
the band tyre must be flexible and elastic or resilient and so that it assumes a
circular form when left free or before being put on the wheels and, when put in
position on a pair of wheels and more or less stretched, an approximately elliptic
form, or where the upper side is flattened by a deflating roller, the lower side in
contact with the ground will assume the shape of a flat elliptical arc.
The rims of the wheels and rollers used in connection with the baud tyre are
made of concave, channelled or other section corresponding with the section of the
band tyre and may or not be covered with thin rubber rings or leather in the
bottom of the rim.
A machine constructed or fitted with band tyres made according to this invention
will lay its own track. By the natural tendency of the endless band tyre to form a
circular ring when the wheels are not too far apart and the band tyre strained too
much, the lower side will form an elliptical curve having a long contact with the
ground and being equivalent to a wheel of very large diameter as regards hold on
the road surface and absence of slipping.
At the same time the support of a cycle or its equivalent is very elastic.
When
the machine is ridden at a high speed the centrifugal force acting on the band tyre
will cause the underside to bulge out, so that the same assumes a more circular
form and reduces the arc of contact.
In some cases I may provide a holding down roller on the top of the bottom
band to prevent the band tyre being flattened too much on its tread; this roller
may be carried by a spring frame on the machine frame. Either of the wheels in
the arrangement represented by Figs. 1 to 4 may be driven but it is preferable to
drive the leading wheel.

page_text: Having now particularly-described_and_ascertained the nature of my said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed-1-declare that what I
claim is:
1. The use and arrangement of an endless flexible and resilient band or more
than one guided by wheels and rollers for supporting and propelling cycles sub-
.stantially as herein before described.
2. The use and arrangement of a single endless flexible and resilient band passed
round the pair of wheels or their equivalents for supporting and propelling a cycle,
substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the
drawings.
3. The construction of a cycle substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.
4. The use and arrangement of two or more endless flexible and resilient bands
each passed round a pair of wheels or their equivalents in place of the wheels of
cycles substantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 4 of the
drawings.
5. The use and arrangement of an endless flexible and resilient band controlled
by external rollers with internal guide rollers as a substitute for a wheel sub-
stantially as herein before described with reference to Figure 5 of the drawings.
6. The construction of band tyres substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 7 to 9 of the drawings and for the purposes set forth.
Dated the 8th day of September 1894.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.