IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEERING HEADS OF BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROBERT, JAMES, RUSSELL Stick and Cane Manufacturer of 141 Blackstock
Road, Finsbury Park, in the parish of South Hornsey in the County of Middlesex
do hereby declare the nature of my invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STEERING
HEADS OF BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND VELOCIPEDES, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
The manner of connecting the Back-bone and Neck or frame of Bicycles,
Tricycles, and Velocipedes as now made and used, being a considerable source of
danger through reason of so important a part of the said Machine having to bear so
great a portion of the strain and jerking always encountered on ordinary roads,
and especially on very bad roads so often met with, is a fruitful source of many
serious accidents, through the breaking of the Pin, or that portion at the end of
Neck, that is connected to the Head, by being passed through the aperture at the
back of Head and held in position by means of a screw passing down through
centre of Head; the top and bottom of the said pin is usually centred or pointed
to work in a seat or hollow at the bottom of the hollow interior, and the screw
passing down through the top of Head. Now through undue wear of this part
through dust and grit getting into the said centres, and the softness of the Steel or
Iron used, or inferior workmanship, or the sudden breaking of centres through
being to brittle, or sometimes a flaw, has often led to an accident through the
failure of what I believe to be the weakest part of a Bicycle, Tricycle, or Velocipede
on which such mode of connecting Backbone and Neck or frame to the Head is
used, and yet it is in almost univeral use through want of a better, several accidents
having come to my notice through failure of the part above described, has led me
to design a Safety Head and improved means of connecting the Backbone and
Neck or frame with the said Head, and containing many other improvements
herein described. It is usual to fix the Handle Bar holder to the Head of a
Bicycle, Tricycle, or Velocipede so that in steering, the Head and fork move as one
piece turning on the centres in the interior of Head. Now in my invention
I connect the Handle Bar Holder. H with the solid column of steel or other suitable
metal passing up through interior of Head and turning freely within the same as

page_text: seen at A Fig. 2. Fig. 1. is an elevation of the Head I have designed, on refering
to Fig 2 which is a section of Fig 1 the solid centre there shewn is of such a
thickness that it will bear a considerable strain, and again it is so designed, that
should it be in use for years it will have the same strength as when first made or
used, because there is no wear whatever on the central column to diminish the
strength. This solid column A Fig 2 is brazed on to the forks or otherwise secured
in the usual manner. At the base of A there is a ledge or shoulder of sufficient
breadth and suitably formed to take a row of steel balls or rollers. B is a tubelar
piece of steel or other suitable metal forming the exterior of Head, suitably formed
and in one piece or seperate with the neck. C. The tube is so formed and shaped
so as to fit, and run freely on the row of balls or rollers just mentioned The upper
portion of the said tube is also shaped or formed to take a row of balls or rollers.
A ring of metal, or leather, rubber or other suitable material is then put in the top
of tube, for what purpose will be hereinafter explained. The steel collar D is then
placed on the central column so as to rest on the top row of balls or rollers, the
steel collar is not intended to revolve but may be prevented from so doing by means
of a set screw after the said collar has been adjusted. A ring of leather or rubber
may then be put on top of tube to exclude dust as at E. The nut F is then
screwed down on to the collar so as to adjust the working parts, that one may
work freely around the other, without shake or undue movement. The handle bar
al
holder is then put on the central column, which is here left square or round as may
be desired, if left round it will require a key or screw to keep it in its place. When
the adjusting nut and collar are lowered the handle bar holder is also lowered and
held tight and firm by a nut in the usual manner. On refering to Fig 2 it will be
seen that the row of balls or rollers resting on the strong broad base takes all the
weight that this portion of a machine is intended to carry or sustain, while it allows
freedom of steering. Another important feature of this invention is the total
exclusion of dust and grit, and the convenience of oiling. And I also claim as new
the means and way of oiling and lubricating the working parts, and preventing oil
from getting on the outside of Head, which said means allows of the Head being
kept clean and bright, there being no oil on the outside to hold the dust. The
working parts are oiled at the oil hole G or one of the usual oil cups may be fitted
at the back or front of Head. The oil after lubricating the top bearing, escapes
slowly past the ring of metal, leather, or other suitable material, but I prefer
metal ring because the tremulent motion it would receive while the machine is in
use would allow of the oil escaping past, or it may pass by way of one or more
small passages cut in the shoulder of tubelar piece at I and running down the space
between tubelar piece and central column, reaches the bottom bearing and finally
escapes by way of a hole J drilled through the base of A and opening out over the
tyre of wheel, so that the waste oil is carried away and not allowed to leak about
the Head, as it does in Heads as now made and used. The oil is further retained
and guided in its course, by means of a ring of steel or other metal K which may
be a complete ring, or flanged and held together and tightened by a screw L,
underneath this band of metal, is a thin band of leather rubber, or other suitable
material so as to make all oil tight, this band of metal also serves to keep the balls
or rollers in their place while putting the Head together. This band of metal is
held in its place by one or more screws screwed through into the base of A, as
at M. The waste oil may be further guided so as to ensure its dropping where
required, by the waste oil hole being plugged with a piece of brass tube N, and
allowed to project below the base of Head and nearer the tyre of wheel. This
arrangement will prevent the waste oil from running where not required. Fig 3
is a vertical section of the tube B and the neck shewing the method of disconnecting
the backbone and neck from the Head, without takeing the said Head to pieces.
The method of connecting will be better understood by refering to Fig 5 A is the
central column B the tube, C, the neck which is continued round one side of B to
the front, and finished there with a flange, a corresponding piece O, is fitted to the
other side and held together by means of a bolt back and front as shewn in section

page_text: Fig 5. The neck and part holding the tube, is prevented from turning on the tube,
by the vertical flanges P. P. or instead of the flange, it may be held by screws or
otherwise secured. Fig 4 is a section of Fig 1 through Q. It will be seen that the
exterior of Head or tubelar piece is rigid with the neck and backbone, and does not
follow the motion of the handles as it does in heads as now made and used. In
steering, the handle bar holder, being fitted to the central column moves together,
with the nuts and collar as one piece, rolling round on the top and bottom bearings,
without in any way touching the exterior tubelar piece, thereby causing very little
riction, and filling all the requirements of a Head of a Bicycle, Tricycle, or
Velocipede, and with a very large margin of safety.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
nvention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
claim is.
1 A safety Head in which a stout column of steel or other metal, passes up
through interior of Head, and moves as one piece with the handles and forks
without touching the outer caseing of the said Head.
2nd The moving parts having for bearing two rows of balls or rollers as seen in
section Fig 2. substantially as herein before described.
3rd A dust proof Head of the form herein described.
4th The means and way of retaining the oil about the top bearing by means of
a ring of metal, leather, rubber, or other suitable material, and allowing of
the said oil slowly escapeing therefrom, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
5th The means and way by which the oil reaches the lower bearing substantially
as herein before described.
6th The means and way of providing for the carrying off of the waste oil by
means of a hole through the base of Head substantially as hereinbefore
described.
7th The means and way of finally disposing of the waste oil by means of a piece
of tube projecting from the waste oil hole, and causing the waste oil to drop
on the tyre of wheel, thereby disposing of the said waste oil while the
machine is in motion substantially as herein before described.
8th The mode and manner of connecting the backbone and neck, or frame with
the Head, and disconnecting without takeing the said Head to pieces.
substantially as hereinbefore described.
9 The general arrangement of the parts of the said Head and the mode and
manner of building up the same, substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 11th day of September 1884.
ROBERT JAMES RUSSELL.