Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, STEPHEN MARTIN, of 23 Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham in the County of
Warwickshire, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to the frame of a velocipede, and it has for its object the
reduction of vibration. I attain this end by forming the frame carrying the driving
wheel or wheels in two parts, hinged or jointed together in the horizontal plane, at or
about the pedal crank axle, and controlling the relative movements of these two parts
of the frame by a suitable spring or springs.
The front part of the main frame carrying the driving wheel or wheels consists of a
triangular frame having a neck or socket at its apex, the base being the tube to receive
the seat pillar, and the pedal crank axle being at the junction of this said tube and
the lower of the tubes running to the neck or socket. The rear part of the main
frame consists of a double. fork carrying the driving wheel. The lower of these forks
is hinged to the front part of the frame at or about the pedal crank axle, and the upper
fork is hinged to the centre of an arm or lever pivotted to the tube which receives
the seat pillar at one end, and connected to a plunger rod working inside the top tube
of the front part of the main frame at the other. This plunger rod works against a
spring or springs concealed within the top tube of the front part of the frame and so
allows the two parts of the said frame to give with respect to each other when the
wheels of the machine are passing over rough ground. As a modification the free
end of the arm or lever, to which the upper fork of the back part of the main frame
is connected may be adapted to slide over an extension of the top tube of the front
part of the frame or its equivalent in which case the spring or springs would encircle
the said extension or the spring or springs may be placed in any other suitable
position to control the motion of the arm or lever and may be of requisite form or
construction to adapt it or them to do so. Nuts or their equivalents are employed to
adjust the strength of the spring or springs to adapt the elasticity of the frame to the
weight of different riders and also for the purpose of locking the two parts of the
frame rigidly together when necessary through the breakage of the spring or springs
or through other causes.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, STEPHEN MARTIN, of 23 Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwickshire, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained, in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to the frame of a velocipede and it has for its object the
reduction of vibration. I attain this end by forming the frame carrying the driving
wheel or wheels in two parts, hinged or jointed together in the horizontal plane at
or about the pedal crank axle, and by controlling the relative movements of these two

page_text: parts of the frame by a suitable spring or springs in the manner illustrated by the
accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1. Sheet No. 1. is a view in side elevation
of a rear driving bicycle the frame of which is constructed according to my invention.
Figures 2. and 3. Sheet No. 2. are broken views in side and end elevation respectively
of part of the frame showing the controlling spring and its connections, and
Figure 4. Sheet No. 2. is a broken view in side elevation showing a modification
thereof.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The front part of the main frame carrying the driving wheel or wheels consist of
a triangular frame A, having a socket or neck a at its apex, the base being the
vertical tube a¹ adapted to carry the seat pillar at its upper end and the pedal crank
axle X at its lower end. The tubes a² and a form the other two sides of the triangle.
The rear part of the main frame consists of a double fork B carrying the driving
wheel. The lower of these forks bis hinged to the front part of the frame A at or
about the pedal crank axle X, and the upper fork bis hinged to the centre of an
arm or lever pivotted to the tube a¹ at one end, and connected to a plunger
rod D working inside the tube a² of the front part of the main frame, at the other.
This plunger rod D works against one or more springs E contained within the tube a³,
and so allows the two parts A and B of the frame to give with respect to each other
when the wheels of the machine are passing over rough ground. As a modification
the free end of the arm or lever (to which the upper fork b¹ of the back part B of
the main frame is connected, may be adapted to slide over an extension of the top
tube of the front part of the frame, or over an arm or lever D¹ pivotted thereto, in
which case the spring E encircles the said extension, or arm or lever. To enable
the two parts of the frame to be locked rigidly together when necessary through the
breakage of the spring or springs, or through other causes, a set screw d or lock
nuts d d are provided to fix the lever to the part A of the frame indirectly either
through the plunger D or through the arm or lever D¹.
Those parts of a velocipede to which no reference has been made or which are not
fully illustrated by the drawings, present no novel features and may be of the usual
type or construction.
I wish it to be particularly understood that I do not limit myself to the exact
details of construction hereinbefore described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly
fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.
I am aware that prior to the date of my invention the main frames of velocipedes
have been made in two parts fulcrated together at or near to the pedal crank axle
and that the movement of the said parts had been controlled by one or more suitable
springs, and I therefore do not broadly claim such an arrangement, but having
now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that which I claim is ;-
1st. The improvement in the frames of velocipedes substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
2nd. Constructing the main frame of a velocipede in two parts A and B (the
former carrying the pedal crank axle, the saddle, and the neck and socket for the
steering head or joint, and the latter carrying the driving wheel or wheels) pivotted
together at or about the pedal crank axle, and controlling the movements of the two
parts of the frame with respect to each other by means of one or more springs con-
tained within, or carried on, one member of one part of the frame, and acted upon by
the other part of the frame through an arm or lever fulcrated to that part of the frame
carrying the spring or springs, as set forth.
3rd. In a spring frame for a velocipede the combination with the two parts A and B
of the frame fulcrated together at or about the pedal crank axle, of the lever C, the
plunger D, or its equivalent, the spring or springs E, and the set screw d, or
its equivalent, all combined, arranged and operating, as and for the purpose
set forth.

page_text: 4th. In a spring frame for a velocipede the combination with the two parts A and B
of the frame pivotted together at or near to the pedal crank axle, of the lever C
and the arm D¹ both fulcrated to the part A of the frame, and of the spring E and
lock nuts d' d', all combined, arranged, and operating, as and for the purpose set
forth.
Watch Day
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers, 70-72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.