Improvements in or connected with Bicycles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Le t, 2nd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 4th Mar.,
1893
5
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bicycles.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M. I. Mech. E. of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
of Bank Street, Manchester, Liverpool, and London, in the Counties of
Lancaster and Middlesex, respectively, Patent Agents (a communication from
abroad by Arthur Lotz, of Rue Hauteville, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Merchant) do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a jointed support or foot, to be applied to all kinds of
bicycles, which, when lowered, whilst the vehicle is not in use, maintains it in an
upright position, and when raised out of use will not incommode in any way its
movements.
The invention consists in applying on the horizontal bars of the frame of the
vehicle situated on each side of the hub of the driving wheel, two very light
metallic rods so fixed as to turn round at the point of attachment on the bar of
the frame in such a way that they can as desired be lowered to the ground or
raised alongside the wheel.
It will be understood that by making these rods a suitable length, they will
when lowered, sustain the wheel a short distance from the ground and thus
support the weight of the back part of the bicycle, thereby maintaining it upright
wherever desired.
When desired again to use the bicycle it will only be necessary to raise the
rods by rotating them on the bars of the frame until they lean against the oblique
bars of the frame, which prevents them under any circumstances catching the
spokes of the wheel.
It will be seen that by the use of this system of support, not only does it.
maintain the bicycle vertically when the rider dismounts for a few minutes, but
that it will maintain it in that position in any place where it is to be stored.
It also greatly facilitates the cleaning of the machine and its various parts, the
driving wheel being slightly raised above the ground when the bicycle rests on its
two supporting rods.
The means will now be described which it is preferred to employ in applying
the supporting rods to bicycles.
(1) The supporting rods which may be in flat iron, hollow, half round or of any
other suitable section are formed with a curved part in which lodges the bar of
the frame and is held therein by a corresponding part or plate attached to the
other side, forming a jaw.
A flat spring is fitted to the rod and is provided with a pin on the inside which
enters alternately two holes drilled for that purpose in the bar of the frame in
order that the rod may be maintained, in one or the other of the two positions when
so placed.
(2) The rod of half round iron is likewise curved at the top to fit the bar of
10 the frame, but the jaw forming the counterpart is made in very flexible steel so
that the friction exerted on the bar by means of the screws or bolts of the jaw
suffices to maintain the supporting bars in position when so placed.
(3) The rod properly flattened at its extremity simply receives a kind of clip of
thin steel which can be equally and sufficiently tightened by means of the screws
45 or bolts to keep the support in its place.
(4) The rod is slightly curved near its extremity, and the bar of the frame is
held in that curved part by means of a counterpart or plate secured by two bolts
or screws, passing through the opposite extremities of the plate.

page_text: It is understood that the invention is not limited to the several methods described,
and that the same may be varied according as it may be found necessary.
For example, if desired, the supporting rods could be applied to both ends of
the frame, or may be formed with a slide so that it should not be necessary to
rotate them about the point of attachment to the frame bar, but to telescope or
slide one upon the other or lengthen them more or less from their joints.
Dated this 1st day of April 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.
COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bicycles.
I, JOHN OWDEN O'BRIEN, M.I. Mech. E., of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Co.,
of 6, Bank Street, Manchester, Liverpool, and London, in the Counties of
Lancaster and Middlesex, respectively, Patent Agents (a communication from abroad
by Arthur Lotz, of Rue Hauteville, Paris, in the Republic of France, Merchant)
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 has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive arrangement
of hinged supports or feet, intended to be fitted to bicycles of all kinds, and which
are arranged in such a way that when they are raised vertically they do not at all
interfere with the motion of the vehicle, whilst when they are lowered their ends
rest on the ground in such a way as to hold the bicycle upright when it is standing
by itself.
The invention consists essentially in attaching to the bars of the frame placed on
each side of the axle of the driving wheel, two rigid metallic rods arranged so as
to revolve freely on or near their point of attachment on the above named bars, so
that they may be lowered onto the ground, or raised beside the wheel as may be
desired.
In order to allow the invention to be more clearly understood various modifica-
tions of these supports are shown on the accompanying drawing, as well as their
application to any suitable bicycle.
Fig. 1, is an end view of the apparatus attached to a safety bicycle.
Fig. 2 is a lateral elevation.
Figs. 3 and 4 are front and side views showing the mode of attaching the hinged
supports or feet to one of the bars of the frame.
Figs. 5 and 6, are front and side views of a modification of this hinge.
Figs. 7 and 8, are front and side views of another modification of the hinge.
As may be seen more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawing, two metallic hinged rods S are arranged on the horizontal bars B of the
frame of the vehicle, and on each side of the axle A of the driving wheel R, and
these rods are of such a length, that when let down in the position shown on the
drawing they rest on the ground, holding the wheel R slightly raised off it. In
this manner the bicycle is held upright, at any place where it is desired to do so,
and when it is wished to use it again, it suffices to raise the rods S causing them
to turn on the bar B of the frame until they rest against the oblique bars of this
frame, which prevents them from coming in contact with the spokes of the wheel R
under any circumstances.
It is seen therefore that the use of this system of support not only allows of the
bicycle being held upright during a few moments when dismounting, but also of
its being kept in this position in any place where it may have been left; and that
further it greatly facilitates the cleaning of the apparatus and its various parts, the
driving wheel R being slightly raised above the ground when the bicycle rests on
its two supporting rods,

page_text: The means preferably employed for attaching these supporting rods to the
bicycle will now be described.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the supporting rods S, which may
be made of flat, hollow, half round, or any other suitable section of iron, are pro-
vided at their upper end with a thin metallic strip C suitably curved in order to
clasp the bar B of the frame. This strip C is held in position by means of a
bolt D, which causes it to press strongly on the bar B, so that the friction between
these two parts is sufficient to maintain the foot S in any position in which it is
placed.
Any other equivalent method may be employed for connecting the support or
foot S with the bar B and if desired, a spring catch may be attached to the strip C
arranged in such a way as to hold the support of foot S in its elevated position
with absolute certainty.
It has been found in practice, that it is preferable to connect the foot S to the
bar B, by means of a fixed piece having a hinge on which the foot S can turn with
sufficient friction to hold it in the position in which it has been placed.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawing, the
intermediate piece is composed of two rigid metallic strips E E', bent preferably in
the manner shown on the drawing, which are connected with one another by two
screws F F which allows of their being pressed very strongly on the bar B of
the frame, so that they cannot become displaced.
On the other hand the corresponding extremity of the foot S is provided with a
stud or pivot G which is supported in a rounded part of one of the rigid strips E,
and which is held by means of a strong spring strip H which may be tightened as
desired by means of the screws F F in order that the friction exercised by this
spring H on the axis G may be sufficient to maintain the support or foot S in the
position in which it may be placed.
In the arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the same result is obtained by
making use of a rigid piece in the shape of a claw I having an external ridge.
intended to impart sufficient rigidity to it, this claw grips the bar B and may be
In this case as in the
solidly attached thereto by means of a tightening screw J.
preceding one, the foot S has a stud or pivot G also held with friction between a
rounded part of the body of the piece 1, and a spring H which may be tightened
more or less by means of the screw K. The stud or pivot G may be oval or
slightly flattened as shown in Fig. 8, in order to prevent the foot $ when raised
from falling down again accidentally by reason of sone shock encountered for
instance by the bicycle.
It is understood that I do not limit myself to the forms, arrangements and
devices herein before described, and shown as an example on the accompanying
Odrawings, but that any equivalent arrangement may be employed whilst remaining
included in the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what inanner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
from abroad I declare that what I claim is :-
1st. An arrangement of hinged supports or feet fitting on the bars of the frame
of a bicycle situated on each side of the driving wheel; these supports being
capable of being revolved at, or near, their point of attachment on the above named
bars, in such a way that when they are raised they in no wise interfere with the
movement of the vehicle, whilst when they are lowered they rest on the ground
O and hold the bicycle upright when left to itself.
2nd. The combination with the arrangement of feet or supports hinged on the
frame of a bicycle on each side of the driving wheel for the object of holding it
upright by itself, of a friction-spring joint for holding each foot in the elevated
position in which it has been placed substantially as hereinbefore described, and
5 shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
3rd. The combination with the arrangement of feet or supports hinged on the

page_text: bars of the frame of a bicycle for the object of keeping it upright by itself, of an
intermediate attachment piece fixed rigidly to each bar, and carrying the hinge of
the above named foot substantially as hereinbefore explained and shown in Figs. 5,
6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 31st day of December 1892.