Improvements in and relating to the Steering Wheel of Cycles, Cycle Cabs, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Steering Wheel of Cycles, Cycle
Cabs, and the like.
I, EDWARD BRICE KILLEN, of 38, Victoria Street, Belfast, Tea Dealer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
At present when constructing the frame of, say, a bicycle it is necessary, owing
to the fact that the steering wheel requires to be moved to the right or left when
steering, to carry up the bottom bar of the frame to the steering pillar and secure
it at or near the crown of the steering fork. My invention has for its object to
so make the axle of the steering wheel and the parts connected therewith that the
present diamond or other frame may be extended from the bottom bracket to the
axle of the steering wheel so as to give a much stronger frame than at present.
It is well known that at present the weakest part of a bicycle frame is at the crown
of the fork.
The
In carrying out my invention I make the axle of the steering wheel of a
diameter, by preference, equal to the length of the hub. The axle is preferably
made in three pieces which are enclosed within a ring of metal and held in place
therein by means of a central pin or pivot or in other equivalent manner.
hub runs on ball bearings on the aforesaid ring. Secured rigidly between the
upper and middle portions of the axle is a fork or its equivalent to which the lower
ends or prongs of the steering fork of the cycle are secured. Between the middle
and lower portions of the axle a cross bar is fitted in such a manner that the axle
is capable of turning on it and about the central pin or pivot. This cross bar
projects out laterally at each side of the axle and two stays or a fork extending
horizontally or at an incline from the bottom bracket are or is secured to it.
The whole arrangement is such that the steering fork and front wheel can be
easily turned to guide the machine without affecting the position of the cross bar
and the additional stays or fork of the frame.
The cross bar or the central part of it may be counter sunk within the axle which
may turn on ball bearings thereon.
The axle may be made of wood or metal and if metal is used aluminium or other
light metal would preferably be employed.
The amount of movement to the right or left of the axle and steering wheel is
limited by the diameter of the axle.
The invention is applicable to cycles, cycle-cabs, and the like.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to the Steering Wheel of Cycles, Cycle
Cabs, and the like.
I, EDWARD BRICE KILLEN, of 38, Victoria Street, Belfast, Tea Dealer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
-
At present when constructing the-frame of say, a bicycle it is necessary, owing,
to the fact that the steering wheel requires to be moved to the right or left when
steering, to carry up the bottom tube of the frame to the steering pillar and secure
it at or near the crown of the steering fork. My invention has for its object. to
so make the axle of the steering wheel and the parts connected therewith that the
present diamond or other frame may be extended from the bottom bracket to the
axle of the steering wheel so as to give a much stronger frame than at present.
It is well known that at present the weakest part of a bicycle frame is at the crown
of the fork.
The
In carrying out my invention I make the axle of the steering wheel of a
diameter, by preference, equal to the length of the hub. The axle is preferably
made in three pieces which are enclosed within a ring of metal and held in place
therein by means of a central pin or pivot or in other equivalent manner.
hub runs on ball bearings on the aforesaid ring. Secured rigidly between the
upper and middle portions of the axle is a fork or its equivalent to which the. lower
ends or prongs of the steering fork of the cycle are secured. Between the middle
and lower portions of the axle a cross bar is fitted in such a manner that the axle
is capable of turning on it and about the central pin or pivot. This cross bar
projects out laterally at each side of the axle and two stays or a fork extending
horizontally or at an incline from the bottom bracket of the cycle frame are or is
secured to it.
Fig. 1 is a front view, Fig. 2 is a section, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the axle
and hub of the steering wheel of a cycle.
In carrying out my invention I make the axle of the steering wheel of a diameter,
by preference, equal to the length of the hub. The axle is made of wood or other
suitable material and of three separate parts 1, 2, 3, with a pivot pin 9 down
through the centre. The three parts are enclosed within a shell or ring of metal 4
and upon this shell the hub 5 of the steering wheel runs as usual upon ball bearings.
The parts 6, 6, of the steering fork of the machine are connected rigidly together
by a cross bar 8 through which the pivot pin 9 passes.. The parts 10, 10, of the
additional lower fork extending from the bottom bracket of the frame are connected
together by a strong cross bar 11 which may be of rectangular section and have
a central circular part through which the pivot pin 9 passes. 12 is a slot made
in the axle and extending across it from side to side. The arrangement is such
that when the steering fork of the machine is turned the bar 8 is turned and as
a consequence the steering wheel and its axle is caused to turn to one side or other
as the case may be. The amount of movement, say up to 45°, is limited by the
slot 12.
It will thus be seen that the steering fork and front wheel can be easily turned
to guide the machine without affecting the position of the cross bar and the
additional stays or fork of the frame.
The cross bar 11 or the central part of it may be counter sunk within the axle
which may turn on ball bearings thereon.

page_text: The axle may be made of wood or metal and if metal is used aluminium or other
light metal would preferably be employed.
The invention is applicable to cycles, cycle-cabs, and the like. It is specially
applicable to cycles constructed and driven in the manner described in my prior
British Applications Nos. 12378 of 1897 and 14808 of 1897.
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 consider
novel and desire to claim is:-
:-
1. An axle for the steering wheel of cycles, cycle-cabs and the like which is
held in place by means of an additional lower fork on the frame of the machine
and which is provided with a pivot pin and slot arrangement whereby it and the
wheel can be turned from side to side within the lower fork so as to steer the
machine, substantially as set forth.
2. A horizontally movable axle for cycles, cycle-cabs, and the like made sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
Dated this 16th day of April 1898
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.