IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES to be as follows:―
Year: 1885

page_text: I THOMAS HUMBER of Beeston in the County of Nottingham, Cycle Manu-
facturer and Machinist do hereby declare the nature of my invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRICYCLES to be as follows:―
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in tricycles and relates especially
to improvements on tricycles described in the specification of a former patent
granted to me N° 5583 in the year 1883.
I now apply the automatic steering spring and directing cams upon the head of
the Humber tricycle-This I do in connection with the joint coupling the head
with the frame carrying the saddle and which extends rearward to the small
following wheel.
The vertical stem of the head on which the steering handles are fixed is
surrounded by a tube forming part of the frame. This tube is pressed upwards by
a coiled spring so that its upper end bears against a stop piece on the stem imme-
diately beneath the steering handles. On these abutting surfaces cam like inclines
are formed.
The spring and the cam operate together to hold the frame in such a position
relatively to the axle that the small rear wheel remains parallel with the main
wheels when the spring is not overpowered by the use of the steering handles.
In place of making the frame and head of the Humber tricycle of bent tubes as
heretofore I employ straight tubes in short lengths set into junction pieces and
secured to these by a brazing. The head consists of a piece clipped upon the axle
and having a socket into which the stem receiving the steering handles is fixed.
It has also another socket receiving a straight tube inclining downwards and
having arms fixed upon it at its lower end to carry the axis for the chain wheels
and treadles. The frame consists of the tube already mentioned surrounding the
stem of the head, a socket into which this tube is set, a short rearwardly projecting
horizontal tube, a junction piece with a socket for the saddle and an inclined
length passing downwards from the junction and carrying the fork for the
following wheel. Or the joint between the head and frame may be made in the
usual way.
The frame for the automatic direct front steerer I form similarly of straight
tubes in short lengths and junction pieces brazed together in place of with bent

page_text: tubes. The bearing on the main axle carries a junction piece with sockets
receiving the stem to carry the saddle and a length inclining downwards and to
the front.
This latter is in like manner connected with a piece carrying the bearings for
the treadle axis and with a piece extending forward to the tube which receives the
stem of the steering wheel and this tube is further supported by a stay.
The tandem frames are also made in a similar way.
I THOMAS HUMBER of Beeston in the County of Nottingham, Cycle Manu-
facturer and 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 has for its object improvements in tricycles and relates especially
to improvements on tricycles described in the Specification of a former Patent
granted to me N° 5583 in the year 1883.
rt
I now apply the automatic steering spring and directing cams upon the head of
the Humber tricycle. This I do in connection with the joint coupling the head
with the frame carrying the saddle and which extends rearward to the small
following wheel.
The vertical stem of the head on which the steering handles are fixed is
surrounded by a tube forming part of the frame. This tube is pressed upwards
by a coiled spring so that its upper end bears against à stop piece on the stem
immediately beneath the steering handles. On these abutting surfaces cam like
inclines are formed.
The spring and the cam operate together to hold the frame in such a position
relatively to the axle that the small rear wheel remains parallel with the main
wheels when the spring is not overpowered by the use of the steering handles.
In place of making the frame and head of the Humber tricycle of bent tubes as
heretofore I employ straight, tubes in short lengthis set into junction pieces and
secured to these by a brazing. The head consists of a piece clipped upon the axle
and having a socket into which the stem receiving the steering handles is fixed.
It has also another socket receiving a straight tube inclining downwards and
having arms fixed upon it at its lower end to carry the axis for the chain wheels
II

page_text: stem of the steering wheel and this tube is further supported by a stay.
The tandem frames are also made in a similar way.
In order that my said invention may be fully understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the frame and some other parts of a Humber
tricycle as constructed prior to the date of my present patent.
Figure 2 is a like view of a tricycle constructed in accordance with my present
invention.
Figure 3 shows a modification of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the frame of an automatic direct front steerer as
I have constructed these machines prior to the date of my present patent.
Figure 5 is a like view of the frame of an automatic direct front steerer as
I construct it in accordance with my present invention.
.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the frame of a tandem tricycle as I have
constructed these machines prior to the date of my present patent.
Figure 7 is a like view (to a larger scale) of the frane of a tandem tricycle as I
construct it in accordance with my present invention.
In Figure 1 a is the axle of the main wheels, bb the tyres of these wheels, ca
bent tubular stem provided with steering handles on its upper end at c¹. d is an
arm fixed on the stem and clipping the axle a. e is another arm on the stem c
carrying the axis for the treadles and driving gear. f is a bent tubular frame
jointed to the stem c near its upper end, it carries the seat or saddle g and at its
hinder end a fork h in which the sinall wheel i is held.
In Figure 2 a, b, are the main axle and wheels as before. C is a straight tubular
stem fixed by brazing into a socket of the junction piece D which is clipped on to
the axle. C is another short straight length of tubular stem brazed into another
socket of the junction piece D. e is the arm carrying the axis for the treadles.
F1 and F are two short lengths of tube brazed into sockets in a junction piece F³;
together they form a frame corresponding to the frame f in Figure 1. The
saddle g is mounted upon a stem received into a socket in the piece F³. h is the
fork in which the rear wheel is carried as in Figure 1. At its fore end the tube F¹
is provided with an eye and is fixed fast upon a tube H within which the stem C
is received and is able to turn and so the joint is made. I is a coiled spring
compressed between the lower end of the tube H. and the top of the junction
piece D. H* is a cam piece on the top of the tube H it is pressed by the spring I
against the corresponding cam piece C* on the top of the stem C. The spring
tends to hold the parts in the position in which they are shown in the drawing
with the wheels bb and i in parallel planes. When force is applied to the steering
handles the spring is overcome and the incline on one cam piece rises up the
incline on the other whilst the wheels are set to any desired inclination. When
the steering handles are released the spring brings the wheels back to their
parallel positions,

page_text: In Figure 3 the frame is made of short straight tubes brazed in to socket pieces
as in Figure 2 but the automatic steering gear is not provided and the hinder
frame is jointed to the stem C. in the usual way; the seat or saddle g also is
applied as in Figure 1.
In Figure 4k is a bent tube forming the back bone of the automatic, direct
front steering tricycle as I have heretofore constructed it. is an arm fixed on
the back bone and clipped on the main axle. m is an arm carrying the axis of the
treadles and driving gear. n is a tube through which the stem of the steering
wheel passes and this is provided with .spring automatic steering gear as already
described. o is a stay to stiffen the frame.
In Figure 5 which shows the way in which I construct the frame of an automatic
direct front steering tricycle under my present Patent the arm L becomes part of
a junction piece with sockets in to which short lengths of tube K and K¹ are
brazed. Another straight piece K³ connects the lower end of K¹ with the bottom
of the tube n.
In Figure 6 a is the axle of the main wheels and c a bent tubular stem as in
Figure 1 and carrying like parts; in rear of it also is a frame f not represented in
Figure 1 p is a front frame to carry the second rider, the stem for the seat is
at p and the treadle gear for the front rider is at p³ on a bent tube p³ which at its
front end carries a small wheel which only occasionally comes on to the ground.
In Figure 7 which shows the way in which I make the frame of a tandem
tricycle under my present patent the bent tube p³ is replaced by a straight tube P
and this is brazed into sockets in the parts of the frame above and below it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A tricycle having a pair of main wheels an axle and a stem with steering
handles upon it projecting upwards from the axle also a frame carrying the seat
and rear wheel, and in which tricycle the said stem and frame are connected by a
joint with a spring applied tending to maintain the rear wheel parallel to the main
wheels.
2. Tricycle frames constructed substantially as illustrated by the Figures 2. 3. 5
and 7 of the annexed drawings with straight tubes in short lengths set into
junction pieces and secured by brazing.
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