Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 29th Apr., 1887:
We, FRANK PETRIE PRINDLE, residing at Le Droit Park and CHARLES HERSCHEL
KOYL, residing at, 1416, Q, St. North West, both in the City of Washington, District
of Columbia, in the United States of America, gentlemen, 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 :-
Referring to the accompanying drawings:-
Figure, 1, is a perspective view of our lantern detached from a bicycle.
Figure, 2, is a side elevation of the same in position upon a bicycle, a portion of
the standard and of the wheel being removed.
Figure, 3, is a rear elevation of said lantern and bicycle the wheel of the latter
being partly in section.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
In the use of bicycles at night, much difficulty has heretofore been experienced in
securing sufficient light upon the road to enable the rider to see and avoid obstructions,
which difficulty has arisen from the swinging of the lantern as the wheels pass over
unequalities in the roadway, and the speed of the vehicle is thereby varied.
The design of our invention is to prevent the swinging of a bicycle lantern, and
thereby, to cause light therefrom to be thrown steadily forward at a predetermined
angle, and to this end our said invention
Consists principally, in the methods employed for preventing the swinging of a
bicycle lantern, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter specified.
It consists farther, in the mechanism used for steadying a lantern when the bicycle
is in motion, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown.
Our invention is applicable to any of the usual forms of bicycle lanterns, one
of which is shown in the drawings and exteriorly consists of a body, A, that is
rectangular in horizontal section, and substantially rectangular in side elevation, and
at its upper end is provided with a separable bearing B, which bearing is adapted to
be placed upon and closed around the central portion of the axle, C, of a bicycle, so as
to suspend the lantern from said axle.
Secured to the rear upper corners of the lantern, A, are the ends, d, and, d, of a
bifurcated rod, D, which rod extends upward as shown, and at or near its upper end is

page_text: adapted to receive a weight, E. Said weight is preferably, made adjustable lengthwise
of said rod, but may be permanently secured in place thereon, if desired.
The rod, D, is preferably made detachable from the lantern A, in order that it may
be readily transported and safely stored when said lantern is removed from the bicycle,
but if desired the ends of said rod may be pivoted or hinged to said lantern so as to
enable it to be folded back upon the lantern when not in use.
The office of the weighted rod is to counterbalance the lantern so as to prevent the
latter from swinging forward when ever the momentum of the bicycle is checked, the
tendency of said counterbalance under such circumstances being to move in the same
direction as said lamp. It will be obvious that the weight of the counterbalance must
be less than that of the lamp. In order that the latter may maintain its position
below the axle, and it has been demonstrated that the best results can be obtained by
the use of a long very light rod supporting a comparatively small weight, as by
placing the weight at as great a distance as is practicable from the point of suspension,
the moment of inertia of a light weight may be caused to equal the moment of inertia
of the greater weight of the lantern which is placed nearer the point of suspension.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is.-
1. The method employed for preventing the swinging of the lantern of a moving
bicycle, which consists in counterbalancing the lantern by means of a weight that is
connected therewith, and is located at a point above the suspensory bearing of the
same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The method employed for preventing the swinging of the lantern of a moving
bicycle, which consists in counterbalancing the lantern by means of a weight that is
connected there is located at a point above the suspensory bearing of said lantern, and
is capable of adjustment toward and form the same substantially as and for the
purpose shown.
3. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, a weighted
arm which is secured to and extends from a lantern above its suspensory bearing,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, an arm
which is secured to and extends from-a lantern upward above its suspensory bearing
and is provided with a weight that is adapted to be adjusted lengthwise of said arm
substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
5. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, a weighted
arm which is connected with a lantern and is located principally above the suspensory
bearing of the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, a counter-
balancing weight which is combined with a lantern at a point above its point of
suspension, substantially as and for the purpose shown.
7. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, a counter-
balancing weight which is combined with a lantern at a point above its point of
suspension and is adjustable toward or from said point, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
8. As an improvement in bicycle lanterns, and in combination therewith, a weighted
counterbalancing arm which is adapted to be connected or disconnected from a lantern
and when connected therewith is mainly located above the suspensory bearing of the
lantern, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
Dated this ann 1