Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, HARRY TEE, of 50 Castle Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to velocipedes, but more particularly bicycles;
and it has for its object, amongst other things, to provide an improved bicycle,
or improvements in such bicycles, whereby the vibrations and vertical movements
up and down, which the machine, or parts of the machine, receives in passing
over or along uneven surfaces, as bad or uneven roads or streets, are not imparted
to the rider or the saddle, or such motions are so much modified, or altered, as to
become unobjectionable, or to obviate or prevent the discomfort which riders undergo
owing to them, with the present ordinary forms of bicycles: the invention has
also for its object to render the use of pneumatic tyres of the present ordinary
kinds not such a necessity as they are, practically, now, and so eliminate from
the riding of velocipedes with pneumatic tyres, the liability of breakdown due
to the puncture or collapse of the tyres.
According to the present invention, the rear wheel of the bicycle is free to
move up or down in relation to a rigid or fixed part of the frame; and while it is
free to move in this direction, it is prevented from movement out of the vertical
plane, that is the plane of the frame and machine generally, by a suitable stay or
support; which also, in some cases, as hereafter described, serves to support,
or helps in supporting, the upper part of the frame. This support or stay moves
upwards also with the wheel and its main carrier.
In the case, say of a bicycle of the ordinary diamond pattern, the rear wheel
(assume it to be the driven wheel), will be supported from the base of the frame,
say from a point at or near where the upright or inclined up tube springs from,
by an arm or member at each side, extending from this part to the wheel axle;
and these members have movement at the axle end about or in relation to the
opposite end, which may be called the stationary or fixed end. The upwardly
extending support or stay extends from the outer ends, at or near the axle, of
the side bars or members, to a point above the wheel, where it has a moving or
sliding connection with a fixed or rigid part of the frame above; such movement
being up and down only, that is, it is immovable in the lateral direction to the
plane of the cycle. In the case of the machine being driven from the rear wheel
by the usual sprocket wheels and chain, the movement of the lower side members
does not interfere with the tension and proper action of the driving gear.
In one form, or according to one construction, under this Invention, the lower
movable side bars or members consist of flat or spring bars, preferably fixed to a
rigid part of the frame beyond the wheel tyre, and to the axle, or part carrying
the axle of the wheel, so that the movement of the wheel about the fixed end of
such spring bars is possible up and down, but impossible laterally, due to the
width of the bars being placed horizontally, or being in the horizontal direction.
The ends of these spring bars are fastened by rivets (or bolts and nuts) to suitable

page_text: sockets or fastening pieces or provisions on the rigid part of the frame or frame
tubes, and, in some cases, on such supporting brackets or parts at the wheel
axle ends.
The stay bar or support to prevent movement of the wheel out of the plane of
the bicycle frame, is in one case carried up in the form of a fork, and-having a
single tube at the upper part above the wheel periphery which passes through a
bearing carried by rigid castings, or tubes of or on the upper part of the frame;
and this bearing has axial movement, the axis lying horizontally across the part
which supports and carries it. These supports, as well as the parts on or through
which the fork tubes slides or moves, may be provided with adjustable ball
bearings, with adjusting nuts, glands, or the like. Between this bearing and the
fork outside the wheel, a spiral spring is fitted, which takes a material part of
the thrust on the frame due to the weight of the rider. Or, a curved or bent bar
spring or springs between a rigid part of the upper frame, and the fork, is in
some cases used.
The stay or upright bar or device is in one arrangement connected to the lower
movable bars or members, or to a bracket or fitting carrying the axle, or to the
axle direct, through a length of spring bars, similar to the side spring members
herein specified, so as to give or allow of movement of this stay or support device
about the lower parts thereof, when the road wheel moves up and down.
In some cases the lower spring bar members referred to are constructed and
adapted to serve as 'springs and carry a large part of the weight upon the
machine; or the whole of the weight.
When the parts specified are arranged, constructed, and connected, as above
described without hinged joints to allow of or provide the movements referred to,
a very firm or rigid construction is afforded in the directions required, and one
without liability to become lax or loose in use, while on the other hand it affords
movement in the required directions. But, at the same time, the invention is
not restricted to the particular rigid constructions and connections specified.
In the case of the application of this Invention to ladies' bicycles, that is bicycles
without the upper tube of the diamond frame, and having the movable lower
member, and the upwardly extending stay bar or member, a spring is used between
said member and the rigid part of the upper parts of the frame, and serves to
carry and support same and the main upward tube. In some cases, in lieu of a
simple tube as usual, duplex tubes would extend up from the lower part of the
frame to the part where the seat is usually mounted. In any case, the construction
enables the present manner and arrangement for carrying the seat or saddle to
be used.
As a modification of the above frame, in the case of spring side members being
used, such side members are continued up in the form of springs to the upper
part of the machine, near or towards the saddle part.
It is to be stated that the invention is not restricted as regards the form of
the different parts, or to those more particularly mentioned in the construction
above specified.
Dated this 1st day of September 1896
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.
I, HARRY TEE, of 50 Castle Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, 50
Engineer, da hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This Invention has reference to velocipedes, but more particularly bicycles;
and it has for its object, amongst other things, to provide an improved bicycle, or
improvements in such bicycles, whereby the vibrations and vertical movements
up and down, which the machine, or parts of the machine, receives in passing
over or along uneven surfaces, as bad or uneven roads or streets, are not imparted
to the rider or the saddle, or such motions are so much modified, or altered, as
to become unobjectionable, or to obviate or prevent the discomfort which riders
undergo owing to them, with the present ordinary forms of bicycles: the invention
has also for its-object-to-render the use of pneumatic tyres of the present ordinary
kinds not such a necessity as they are, practically, now, and so eliminate from
the riding of velocipedes with pneumatic tyres, the liability of breakdowns due
to the puncture or collapse of the tyres.
The Invention will be hereafter described mainly in connection with the accom-
panying drawings, which shew a bicycle of the ordinary safety type with a rear
driven wheel, provided with improvements hereunder. Figure 1 of the drawings
shews the bicycle in side elevation; whilst Figures 2 and 3 are side elevation,
and back view, of the upper part of the frame.
The cycle illustrated is of the general form and nature of an ordinary gentle-
man's diamond frame bicycle, of which the tubes and 3 constitute the
rigid portion of the frame, as usual. The back wheel or portion of the frame,
on the other hand, is of an elastic or
down, but in the lateral direction it is rigid. It comprises the spring blades or
yielding kind, that is, in a direction up and
bars a having. their widths-say about one inch-in the transverse direction, and
thickness which of course is small-in the other direction; they are thus rigid
laterally, and elastic vertically. These springs are rigidly secured, say by bolts
or rivets, to suitable seats or sockets b on the lower bottom bracket 61. The outer
ends of these springs a are turned round, and slotted, as shewn, to receive and hold
the axle c of the road wheel d in the usual way. One spring a, of course, would
be arranged on either side of the wheel, and would take the place of the tubes
which are usually employed at this part. This construction, in addition to giving
lateral rigidity, also gives rigidity longitudinally, that is, between the bracket bi
and the axle c, and so is able to take the strain of the gearing chain; and it also
affords elasticity vertically. Thus it provides a spring or elastic frame without
joints.
"
With respect to the upper part of this portion of the frame, the fork tubes e
are joined together just above the wheel periphery of d by a connecting piece e¹,
and on the centre part of this junction piece, there is a stem f, which extends
up, and passes through a sleeve or bearing g, which is carried by the brackets h
on the angle saddle pillar bracket h of the bicycle. The bearing 9 is provided
on each side with a hollow trunnion g', which fits and works in openings or holes
in the ends of the bearing plates h. The bearing g is provided internally with
balls g, which are held in position by the screw gland g. Between the upper
end of the junction piece e¹, and the underside of the bearing g, there is a spiral
spring i which takes the weight, or a part of the weight of the rider; and this
spring is normally kept in compression by a nut or collar j fitting on the end of
the shank f; between which and the bearing g, a rubber or other suitable cushion
washer comes. The springs a would also be so made and arranged that when
they are in the position shewn in the drawings, they would not be in their relaxed
or normal position of rest, which would be below that shewn, but would be held
up under a stress by the collar or nut j. The stress under which the springs
would be held would, preferably, be such that the weight of the rider, when on
the cycle, would be about just balanced.
The saddle pillar clip is fastened by a nut k and bolt k¹; and this bolt is also
carried or extended through the bracket plates h, and is provided on the outside
with nuts 2, by which means the adjustment of these brackets h up to the sides

page_text: of the bearing g is conveniently effected. The lower ends of fork tubes e consist
of a spring portion ; and, in the case shewn, these portions are formed in one
with the springs a, and are similar in form to them; and they are suitably held
in socket pieces or otherwise; by rivetting, brazing or other means, in the tube
ends e. This construction enables the fork to have movement in a rotative or
circular direction about the axis of the wheel d, when the springs a move up and
down about their fastening sockets or supports d; and the journalled support of
the bearing g in the brackets h enables this bearing to adjust itself in its supports
as the fork stem f changes its angle, as it moves up or down through the bearing g.
With regard to the spring fork e, this, in lieu of being of the construction
shewn, could be hinged to the end a of the springs a by a suitable bolt or pin
joints, and move upon these joints, instead of having movement by the bending
of the springs .
It will now be plain, that, while both rotative and rectilinear movements of
the frame forks are provided in the manner required, yet it is perfectly rigid in
the transverse direction; and as regards the springs a, while they are perfectly
free to move up and down by bending, they are, by reason of having their width
at right angles to the vertical plane of the frame, rigid in this direction; and
hence the wheel d is prevented from canting at all out of the true vertical plane
of the bicycle.
It is preferred, at present, that the carrying of the weight of the rider should
be distributed between the springs a and the spring i; but, if desired, the whole
of the weight of the rider may be borne by the springs a. Or, in the case where
it is not desired to use springs a between the bearing b', and the wheel axle c,
but to use tubes, the tubes would have radial movement about their hinges at
the bracket b', equivalent to the movement of the springs a, and the spring i, or
an equivalent spring would be made to take the whole of the weight. Never-
theless, when the parts of a bicycle are arranged constructed, and connected as
shewn, without hinged joints, a very firm or rigid construction is afforded in the
direction required, and one which is not liable to become lax or loose in use;
while, on the other hand, it affords free movements in the other directions required.
As a modification of the frame shewn in the drawings, substantially the whole
of the fork portion e could be of flat or blade springs, similar to a (namely, similar
to coach or perambulator springs), and bowed out as shewn by the dotted lines ex
in Figure 1.
In the case of the application of this Invention to ladies' bicycles, that is,
bicycles without the upper tube of the diamond frame, and having the movable
lower member, and the upwardly extending stay fork or member, a spring i is
used between said member and the stationary part of the upper parts of the frame,
as shewn.
In some cases, in lieu of a simple tube t as usual, duplex tubes extending up
from the lower part of the frame, to the part where the seat pillar is usually
fixed, could be used. In any case, the construction enables the present manner
and arrangement for carrying the seat or saddle to be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. A bicycle having the rear wheel capable of movement up and down, wherein
the said movement is afforded through the members connecting its axle with
the crank axle bearing, and the said wheel is prevented from canting out of the
plane of the bicycle by a fork or member extending from a point at or near the
axle to a point outside the wheel, and a sliding joint or bearing, by which said
fork or member is free to move up and down, and also to revolve or have circular
movement; substantially as described for the purposes specified.
2. A velocipede having the rear wheel capable of movement up and down, and
the axle of which is connected with the rigid bottom part of the frame by springs a,
and fork member é extending from said axle to the upper part of the bicycle,

page_text: and connected to said upper part by a sliding joint or connection; operating
substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. In a spring frame bicycle, having a fork connecting the wheel axle with the
upper part of the frame, a sliding joint or connection comprising a bearing
mounted upon an axis arranged in the transverse plane of the bicycle, and sup-
ported by the upper rigid part of the frame, and a stem upon the rear fork working
through said bearing; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. In a bicycle frame having a spring portion in which the rear wheel is
carried, and wherein the upper or rear fork is connected with the upper part of
the rigid portion of the frame, by a sliding joint, and the said fork is held up
against the action of the spring or springs thereof; substantially as set forth.
5. The spring frame bicycle, having springs arranged and adapted to operate
as set forth with reference to the drawings.
6. The construction and arrangement of springs a and e, as set forth with
reference to and shewn in the drawings.
7. The particular construction and arrangement of fork stem, sliding joint, and
the supporting parts, as set forth with reference to and shewn in the drawings.
Dated this 1st day of June 1897.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.