Improvements in Attachments for Bicycles, adapted to Support and Assist the Rider..
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1897-Accepted,. 13th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Attachments for Bicycles, adapted to Support and
Assist the Rider..
I, JOHN SAMEN VOITEK, of No. 53 Ann Street, in the City of New York, in
the County and State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to he particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The natural tendency of a bicycle rider, when riding at great speed or against the
wind or up an incline is to bend forward over the handle bar in a position which is
physiologically incorrect and harmful. This tendency is occasioned in large part by
the lack of a brace of any sort for the upper part of the body while the handle bars
are firmly grasped and pulled upon more or less. Any rigidly fixed and unyielding brace
for the body would be objectionable, because such brace should be capable of being
moved readily to permit it to be adjusted to different positions of the rider or according
to different conditions of use, and because it should be capable of being swung entirely
out of the way when not required. I have sought in the present invention to provide
a device which can be applied readily to any bicycle to afford a suitable brace for the
body of the rider and shall meet all the requirements of use of such a device. I have
fully shown the details of construction of a device which embodies my invention in the
accompanying drawing, in which,
-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle having my improved attachment in position
thereon ;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the attachment removed from the bicycle and
partly broken out to show a detail of construction ;
Figure 3 is a sectional, detail view of the upper part of the device;
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views, partly in section, illustrating different forms of one
feature of the device.
Inasmuch as my improved attachment is capable of use with any ordinary bicycle
and is independent of the construction of the frame of the bicycle, it is unnecessary
herein to enter into any description of the construction of a bicycle or of its
frame, and I have represented in Figure 1 of the drawing, a bicycle of ordinary
construction, having a frame A also of ordinary construction. The device in which
my invention consists comprises a support B for the body of the rider, an extensible
rod or stem C, ineans for connecting the support to the rod or stem and means for
attaching the rod or stem to the frame of the bicycle, as I will proceed to describe.
The rod or stem C comprises two parts, one a tube c, and the other a tube or
rod c, which is adapted to slide within the tube c. The latter is preferably formed
with a longitudinal slot c² to engage a pin c³ secured to the rod or tube c¹ so as to
prevent rotation of the latter while permitting longitudinal movement, and the
tube c is also provided near its upper end with a clamping collar or sleeve c* by
means of which the said tube c can be clamped firmly upon the tube or rod c
to retain the latter in whatever position of longitudinal adjustment is desired.
To the upper end of the tube or rod c is secured, by a movable hinge joint b, a
block b', which can be moved readily upon its pivot in a longitudinal direction,
although the joint is preferably made tight enough to retain the block against
accidental movement from the position in which it has been placed. To the block 6¹
are binged the two parts or wings 2 and 3, of the support B. These wings or

page_text: parts are formed and fitted to support the upper portion of the body comfortably
when they are opened out, as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 3, in which position
they are held from further spreading by stops which are formed as part of
the hinge joint. These wings are hinged to the block so that they may be
folded together when not in use and therefore take up less room.
The lower end of the tube c is connected to a clamp D by means of which the
attachment can be secured to the bicycle frame. This clamp is preferably in the
form of a split sleeve or collar, the two parts of which have lugs or ears d d for
the reception of screws d', by which the two parts are held together and clamped
firmly, either about the stem of the handle bar, as shown in full lines in Figure 1, or
about the upper brace or reach of the bicycle frame, as indicated by dotted lines in
Figure 1. The rod or stem is preferably connected to the clamp D so that it may
swing either fore and aft or laterally, and for this purpose the lower end of the tube c
is secured by a movable elbow joint cs, having a horizontal pivot, to a block c
and the latter is secured by a movable elbow joint c', having a vertical pivot, to
a block d² carried by the clamp D. In order to prevent accidental movement of
the rod or stem C, a friction block may be mounted in the lower end of the
tube and be pressed upon the ear of the block by a spring c³, as shown in
Figure 4, or the ear of the block may be serrated, as shown at co in Figure 5
and the block c¹ he pointed or toothed to engage the serrations in a manner to
prevent accidental movement but to permit intended movement.
When in use, my attachment occupies about the position represented in Figure 1
so that the rider may press his body firmly upon the support B, and thereby not
only maintain a reasonably erect position but obtain a brace which will enable
him to exert more power upon the pedals. Should it be necessary for him to
dismount suddenly, the brace will swing to one side or the other upon the joint c'.
The joints b and c, together with the fastening of the rod or stem C for adjustment
in length, permit the support B to be placed in that position in which it will be most
effective. When the bicycle is not in use, the wings 2 63 can be folded together and
the whole device placed approximately parallel with and close to the upper brace of
the frame where it will be out of the way. The whole device can be made very light
and yet strong and will be found extremely advantageous both for the purpose of
causing the rider to maintain a reasonably erect position and for the purpose of
enabling him to apply more force to the propulsion of his vehicle.
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
claim is,
1. An attachment for a bicycle comprising a clamp to be secured to the bicycle
frame, a rod connected to said clamp by a movable joint, and a support secured to the
upper end of said rod for the body of the rider.
2. An attachment for a bicycle comprising a clamp to be secured to the bicycle
frame, a rod connected to said clamp by a movable joint, and a support secured to the
upper end of said rod for the body of the rider, said support consisting of two wings
or parts secured to the rod by movable joints to fold together.
3. An attachment for a bicycle comprising a clamp to be secured to the bicycle
frame, a rod connected to said clamp by a movable joint, a block secured to the upper
end of said rod by a movable joint and a support secured to said block.
11
PHILIP M. JUSTICE,
Chartered Patent Agent, London,
For the Applicant.