Improvements in the Coupling and Traction of Bicycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Coupling and Traction of Bicycles.
I, The Right Honourable DoUGLAS MACKINNON BAILLIE HAMILTON COCHRANE,
Earl of Dundonald, of No. 34, Portman Square, in the County of London, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means of coupling bicycles parallel at some distance
apart and of effecting their traction when coupled so that they may be used for
military, social riding or instruction or for ambulance or transport purposes.
The coupling arrangements are such that any bicycle fitted with them can be
coupled to any bicycle also so fitted, without requiring anything that is not carried
by each bicycle.
On each side of the head tube for the steering axis, I clamp eyes in which I
hinge a pair of brackets or coupling stays each about eighteen inches long. These
brackets, when the bicycle is used alone, are both folded in so as to lie backward
mostly under the upper horizontal tube of the frame in which position they are
held. The ends of the brackets are made in such a manner that when a right
hand bracket is extended from one bicycle at right angles to its frame so as to meet
a left hand bracket extended from the other, their ends can be connected together
so that the two brackets together form as it were a girder connecting the fronts
of the two frames.
I also similarly hinge on the rear forks a pair of brackets, which when the
bicycle is used alone are held standing out directly rearwards over the hind wheel.
When a pair of bicycles are to be coupled the right hand rear bracket of the one
is turned out to meet the left hand rear bracket of the other, their ends being
fixed like those of the front brackets so that they together form as it were a.
girder connecting the rear parts of the two frames.
The two bicycles thus coupled fore and aft can be used by two riders who are
thus kept side by side, or can be used for instructing riders. Also by placing a
stretcher on the girders the coupled bicycles can be used as an ambulance, or by
stretching canvas or network or placing a floor on the girders, the coupled bicycles
can be used for transport of luggage or goods. When they are employed for
ambulance or transport purposes they may be drawn by a horse or other draught
animal.
In order to provide for the steering of the bicycles when coupled I fix on the
steering fork of each bicycle an arm projecting forwards and I connect these arms
by a steering rod made in halves, each bicycle carrying half.
When the coupled bicycles are to be drawn by a man or animal, I fix the rear
end of a pole to the centre of the girder formed by the two front brackets in such
a manner that the pole can be moved up and down and sideways. This pole is
so connected to the steering rod that when the pole is moved to right or left the
front wheels of the bicycles are also moved. The front end of this pole when used
for a draught animal can be inserted in a trumpet mouthed socket fixed on the
crupper of the animal which is yoked to the coupled bicycles by traces or shafts.
On the front part of the bicycle and on one or both of the rear brackets may be

page_text: provided hooks to carry a rifle or fowling piece in a position extending lengthwise
along the upper tube of the frame.
T
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1 1000
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Coupling and Traction of Bicycles.
I, The Right Honourable DOUGLAS MACKINNON BAILLIE HAMILTON COCHRANE,
Earl of Dundonald, of No. 34, Portman Square, in the County of London, 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: —
My invention relates to means of coupling bicycles parallel at some distance.
apart and of effecting their traction when coupled so that they may be used for
military, social riding or instruction or for ambulance or transport purposes.
The coupling arrangements are such that any bicycle fitted with them can be
coupled to any bicycle also so fitted, without requiring anything that is not carried
by each bicycle.
"I shall describe arrangements for this purpose referring to the accompanying
drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of two bicycles coupled. Figure 2 is a side view
of a single bicycle. Figure 3 is a front view and Figure 4 a rear view. The other
figures shew details hereinafter referred to that is to say Figure 5 is a side view
of one of the steering arms. Figure 6 is a section of the junction of the steering
rod. Figure 7 is an elevation of one of the front brackets and of the end part of
the other. Figure 8 is an elevation of one of the rear brackets and the end part
of the other. Figure 9 is a front view of the pole ring and its attachment.
On each side of the head tube a I clamp a pair of eyes band in either pair I hinge
a bracket or coupling stay c about eighteen inches long. This bracket, when the
bicycle is used alone, is folded in so as to lie backward mostly under the upper
horizontal tube of the frame as shown in Figure 2. The ends of these brackets
are made in such a manner that when a bracket hinged on the right side of the
head is extended from one bicycle at right angles to its frame so as to meet a left
hand bracket extended from the other, their ends can be connected together so
that the two brackets together form as it were a girder connecting the fronts of
the two frames as shown in Figure 3.
I also similarly hinge on the right or left side of the rear fork da bracket e
which when the bicycle is used alone may be folded in like the brackets c under
the upper tube or may stand out directly rearwards over the hind wheel as shown
by dotted lines e¹ in Figure 3. When a pair of bicycles are to be coupled the rear
bracket hinged on the right side of the fork of the one is turned out to meet
the left hand rear bracket of the other, their ends being fixed like those of the
front brackets c so that they together form as it were a girder connecting the rear
parts of the two frames as shewn in Figure 4.
In order that any bicycle may be coupled to any other I make the horizontal
tube of the bracket e interchangeable with that of the bracket c, the one being
made with a projecting end f which will slide into the socket end g of the other.
Thus when both bicycles have projections on their rear brackets e and sockets g
on their front brackets c, the horizontal tubes of both the brackets of one of the
bicycles can be interchanged and then they will join with the corresponding tubes
of the other bicycle.

page_text: In order that the rear brackets e of the one bicycle may present themselves on
the right or left hand as may be required to join those of the other bicycle, the
hinge clamps for them may be shifted from the one fork tube d to the other, or both
tubes of the fork & may have hinge clamps permanently fixed on them ready to
receive the bracket on either hand.
The two bicycles thus coupled fore and aft can be used by two riders who are
thus kept side by side, or can be used for instructing riders. Also by placing a
stretcher or its equivalent on the girders the coupled bicycles can be used as an
ambulance, or by stretching canvas h or network, the coupled bicycles can be
used for transport of luggage or goods. Each bicycle may carry half of the canvas
or net work h, the halves being laced together when the bicycles are coupled.
When they are employed for ambulance or transport purposes they may be drawn
by a horse or other draught animal.
In order to provide for the steering of the bicycles when coupled I fix on the
steering fork of each bicycle an arm 7 projecting forwards and I connect these
arms by a steering rod made in halves m, n, each bicycle carrying half.
In order to make the half rod m of one bicycle always connect to half rod n, of
another bicycle these rods are attached to the arms as shewn in Figure 5, that
is to say a short fork is pivotted in the arm and the rod m is pivotted in the
fork, then in order if necessary to bring m into position to fit to n as shewn in
Figure 6, m can be turned through half a circle in a vertical plane and then
through half a circle in a horizontal plane, the flattened part of its end being thus
inverted so as to lie over the flattened part of n as shewn in Figure 6.
When the bicycles are not coupled the half rods m, and i, are turned upwards
and lie against the steering heads as shewn in Figure 2.
When the coupled bicycles are to be drawn by a man or animal I fix the rear
end of a pole q, in a ring r, jointed to either of the two front brackets e in such a
manner that the pole can be moved freely up and down and also to a certain extent
sideways in the ring r. This pole is connected by chains or cords to the steering
arms, so that when the pole is moved to right or left the front wheels of the
bicycles are also moved. The front ends of this pole when used for a draught
animal can be inserted in a trumpet mouthed socket fixed on the crupper of the
animal which is yoked to the coupled bicycles by traces or shafts.
On the front part of the bicycle and on one or both of the rear brackets may be
provided hooks to carry a rifle or fowling piece in a position extending lengthwise
along the upper tube of the frame and the bracket e when it is extended rearward
to the position e¹ in Figure 2.
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. In combination with the framing of a bicycle a bracket hinged to either side
of the head tube and a bracket hinged to either of the rear fork tubes also an arm
fixed on the steering fork and a rod hinged to a fork pivotted on the arm, these
parts of one bicycle being adapted to join corresponding parts of another bicycle
placed parallel to it, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with a pair of bicycles connected as above set forth, a traction
pole connected by a hinged ring to one of the front brackets and by chains or cords
to the two steering arms substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of January 1800
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.