Improvements in velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 27th May, 1895-Accepted, 13th July 1895
Improvements in velocipedes.
We, AUBREY FREDERICK SPENCER, Analytical Chemist and Brewer, and
ALGERNON HERBERT SPENCER, Engineer, both of 20 Montpelier Crescent,
Brighton, in the County of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The invention relates principally to the construction of safety bicycles of that
type known as front steering rear drivers.
In carrying our invention into effect we mount the front wheel in a fork, which
is connected to the handle bar by a steering tube passing through a ball head.
Two tubes pass
So far the machine is similar to many machines at present in use.
from the lower part of the head and are connected to two other tubes which pass
from the centre of the driving wheel in a vertical direction or thereabouts. These
four tubes form two forks, connected together at or near their lower ends and
carrying the bearings for the driving wheel. The upper part of the vertical fork
is connected to the upper part of the head by a single tube.
This single tube is divided about its centre by a partition provided with u
non-return valve. The front portion thus formed constitutes a compressed air
chamber. The rear portion of this horizontal tube is fitted with a piston and rod,
and is used as a pump for filling the compressed air chamber. The piston rod
passes between the tubes forming the vertical fork. The compressed air chamber
is provided with a flexible tube for connecting it to the tyres; it is also provided
with a suitable cock through which the air will pass into the tyres when open, and
when closed it will retain the air in the chamber. In some cases instead of using
the front portion of the horizontal tube as the compressed air chamber, we use the
two lower tubes of the frame for this purpose, in which case the horizontal tube is
merely used as the pump, and it is connected to the two lower tubes of the frame by
means of a small supplemental tube or tubes; or such pump chamber may be
connected direct to the tyres by a flexible tube.
The seat or pillar is formed with two vertical members which fit the upper
ends of the vertical fork, and said seat pillar may be retained in position by any
suitable means.
In some cases the saddle may be placed direct upon the horizontal
tube of the frame.
The rear wheel, which is the driving wheel, is fitted with any suitable form of
central driving mechanism, such, for instance, as that known as the Crypto Bantam
gear. Instead of driving this gear by the ordinary cranks, we use an extensible
crank in which the pedal is at a greater distance from the crank axis on its
downward motion than on its upward motion.
In constructing a tandem according to our present invention, we form the front
and rear parts of the frame in a similar manner to that of the machine hereinbefore
described, and we connect the said parts together. The front crank axle is
connected to the crank axle of the rear wheel by means of a chain and chain
wheels.
Dated this 97th dan of August 1904

page_text: ₪ 18
Fig, 4 is a side view and Fig. 5 is an end view of the adjustable seat support.
Fig. 6 is a side view of a tandem safety bicycle constructed' according to our
invention.
In carrying our invention into effect, as applied to a safety bicycle, we mount the
front wheel: a in a fork b, which is connected to the handle bar by a steering
tube passing, through a ball head 63: So far the machine. is similar to many
machines. at present in use. Two tubes c pass from the lower part of the head 6³.
and are connected to two other tubes c¹ which pass from the centre of the driving
wheel a in a vertical direction or thereabouts. These four tubes. form two forks
connected together at or near. their lower ends and carrying the bearings for the
driving wheel a!. The upper part of the vertical fork c' is connected to the upper
part of the head 63 by a single. tube . This single tube is divided about its
centre by a cross partition e provided with a non-return valve c¹. The front
portion thus formed constitutes a compressed air chamber e. The rear portion of
this horizontal tube c is fitted with a piston e and piston rode, and is used as a
pump for filling, the compressed air chamber e. The piston rode passes between
the tubes e forming the vertical fork. The compressed air chamber e is provided
with a flexible: tube e fitted with a suitable nozzle. for connecting it to the tyres.
A suitable cock is provided, through which the air will' pass into the tyres when
open and when closed it will retain the air in the chamber é.
In some cases, instead of using the front portion of the horizontal tube c³ as the
compressed air chamber, we use the two lower tubes c of the frame for this purpose,
in which case the horizontal tube is merely used as a long pump, and it is
connected to the two lower tubes c by a small supplemental tube or tubes e shown
in dotted lines; or such pump chamber without the partition may be connected™
direct to the tyres by a flexible tube e³.
The seat pillar is formed with a horizontal arm & and two vertical members &¹,
which fit the upper ends of the vertical tubes c¹ and are retained in position by any
suitable means. The rear wheel a¹ is fitted with any suitable form of central
driving mechanism d; such, for instance, as that known as the Crypto Bantam
gear.
In constructing a tandem, as shown at Fig. 6, we form the front and rear parts
of the frame in a similar manner to that of the machine hereinbefore described; and
we connect the said parts together as showu, or in any suitable manner. The
front crank axle is connected to the rear crank axle by means of a chain and chain
wheels.
Instead of employing ordinary cranks, we prefer to use extensible cranks in
which the pedals are at a greater distance from the crank axis on their downward

page_text: motion than during their upward motion, such as are described in the Specification
of Letters Patent granted to A. F. Spencer, No. 5556 of 1894.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
CLAIMS.
1. The improvements in velocipedes substantially as herein shown and described
with reference to Fig. 1.
2. The improvements in tandem bicycles substantially as herein shown and
described with reference to Fig. 6.
3. The improvements in means for inflating pneumatic tyres of velocipedes,
substantially as herein shown and described.
DLS
1
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.