Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 4th June, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, HERBERT GEORGE HARRIS, Commercial Traveller, and WILLIAM BLACKMORE,
Clerk, both of Haslemere, The Crescent, Weybridge, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
By our invention we dispense with the necessity of employing a pump or
inflator separate from the machine itself. With this object we utilize the seat
pillar tube of the frame of the cycle as the cylinder of the pump or inflating con-
trivance and we lengthen or extend the tree or stem of the seat pillar to serve as
the piston rod or plunger, provision being made for the air inlet and outlet orifices
and the connections by flexible tubing with the tyre valves. The seat pillar is
secured in place by a clip or collar hereafter described so constructed that it can
be instantly released and the piston or plunger raised and lowered in the act of
inflating, the operator employing the saddle as the handle of the pump.
According to our invention the seat pillar tree or stem instead of being round
as is usually the case is formed with a flat side having several transverse grooves
or ridges. A spring collar or clamp situated at the mouth or top end of the bearing
tube or socket which receives the said stem is also either similarly shaped or fitted
or formed with a plug or rib corresponding with the grooves or ridges formed in
or upon the tree or stem of the pillar as above described. When the collar or
clamp is tightened up the aforesaid ridge is caused to close upon and engage with
the corresponding groove on the pillar stem. In order to permit of the instan-
taneous tightening or untightening of the clamp I provide it with a quick threaded
screw or an equivalent mechanical contrivance such for instance as an eccentric
lever or cam preferably so arranged that only half a turn of the latter would be
required to obtain the required grip on the seat pillar.
By this invention the existing parts of the cycle not only constitute the cylinder,
piston and handle of the pump but the special shape of the saddle tree ensures that
the peak of the saddle will always point in the required direction whilst the grooves
or ridges enable the saddle to be adjusted to any required height and also relieves
the pressure on the clamping screw.
T. B. BROWNE LIMITED,
Agents,
By Benj T. King,
Registered Patent Agent.
We, HERBERT GEORGE HARRIS, Commercial Traveller, and WILLIAM BLACKMORE,
Clerk, both of Haslemere, The Crescent, Weybridge, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
[Price 8d.1

page_text: described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference being had
to the accompanying drawing in which :--
Figure 1 shows diagramatically the adaptation of our invention to a cycle of
ordinary construction and Figures 2 to 9 inclusive details fully described hereafter.
By our invention we dispense with the necessity of employing a pump or inflator
separate from the machine itself. With this object as shown in Figures 1 and 2
we utilise the seat pillar tube A of the frame of the cycle as the cylinder of the
pump or inflating contrivance and we lengthen or extend the tree or stem of the
seat pillar B to serve as the piston rod and plunger or piston 0, provision being
made for the air inlet and outlet orifices and the connections by flexible tubing a
with the tyre valves. The seat pillar is secured in place by a clip or collar C, here-
after described, so constructed that it can be instantly released and. the piston or
plunger B raised and lowered in the act of inflating, the operator employing the
saddle or upper end of the seat pillar as the handle of the pump.
According to our Invention the seat pillar tree or stem B, shown in transverse
section Figure 4 instead of being round, as is usually the case, is formed with a
flat side or sides B and may have several transverse grooves bridges or perfora-
tions. The spring clip collar or clamp C is situated at the mouth or top end of the
seat pillar tube or socket A which receives the said stem B and is also either
similarly shaped internally as at C Figure 5 or it may be fitted or formed with a
plug or rib c corresponding with the grooves bridges or perforations formed in or
upon the tree or stem of the pillar B as above described. For ready attachment
to existing cycles the clip Cis formed with a sleeve or extension E secured in the
mouth of the seat tube A by suitable means such as the usual lugs and bolt d.
When the clip collar or clamp is tightened up the aforesaid flat side C¹ or plug or
ridge e is caused to close upon and engage with the corresponding flat side B or
grooves or perforations on the pillar stem B. In order to permit of the
Enstantaneous tightening or locking and untightening or unlocking of the clip or
clamp C we provide it with a quick threaded screw D or an equivalent mechanical
contrivance such for instance as an eccentric lever Figures 8 and 9 or cam and
wedge faces Figures 6 and 7 preferably so arranged that only half a turn or less
of the screw Dor lever would be needed to obtain the required grip on the seat
pillar. In some instances we may dispense with the grooves b and ribs c in which
case a graduated scale may be provided on the flat side of the seat pillar to
facilitate readjustment after the pumping operation has been completed. If desired
in lieu of the clip C we sometimes may employ an adjustable collar F Figure 10
for holding the seat pillar at the required height and supporting the weight of the
rider, in which case to prevent the seat pillar from turning, we form or provide
the mouth of the seat pillar tube with a flat side corresponding to the flat B on the
seat pillar B; or, an ear g on the adjustable collar F may be added for the same
purpose and secured by the lugs d. If convenient a longitudinal rib and corre-
sponding groove may be formed in the seat pillar and tube in place of the flat
sides B, C.
By this Invention the existing parts of the Cycle not only constitute the cylinder,
piston and handle of the pump but the special shape of the saddle tree or seat
pillar ensures that the peak of the saddle will always point in the required direction
and prevent the saddle turning or slipping round. In addition, the spring clip
or clamp enables the saddle to be instantaneously adjusted and locked at any
required height whilst the grooves or ridges in the seat pillar serve to relieve the
pressure on the clamping cam or screw.
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:-
1
As a means for inflating pneumatic tyres of cycles or velocinedes the employ-

page_text: ment of the seat pillar, stem or tree B or a prolongation thereof of a cycle or
velocipede to serve as the pump plunger or piston substantially as set forth.
2. The means herein described for adjusting and locking the seat pillar of a
cycle in position comprising a clip or clamp C formed internally with a flat side or
sides C or ridges e and a saddle tree B having a corresponding flat side or sides
such as B or grooves b substantially as and for the purposes specified.
3. The combination with a seat pillar B employed to serve as the pump piston or
plunger of a clip or clamp C or adjustable collar F and locking or clamping
mechanism substantially as set forth and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 6th day of May 1897.
T. B. BROWNE LIMITED,
Agents for the Applicants.