Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1887
Specification Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1887
We CHARLES KINGSTON WELCH of High Road Tottenham in the county of
Middlesex, Engineer and FRANCIS BOYLE BALE of 4 Carson Road West Dulwich
in the county of Surrey Engineer 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 :-
Our invention has for its object improvements in velocipedes and relates to that
construction of velocipede where a joint, or joints, is, or are provided in the frame-
work or between the driving and steering wheel or wheels and controlled by a spring
or springs for the purpose of lessening vibration.
Referring to the accompanying two sheets of drawings and first to Sheet 1.
Fig. 1. shews a side elevation of a safety bicycle constructed according to our
invention.
Fig. 2. a transverse section of samo on line a-b of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. an enlarged sectional elevation through the handle bar and top of head.
Fig. 4. an enlarged front elevation (partly shewn in section).
Hitherto as far as we are at present aware in such velocipedes having a joint or
joints in the frame or between the driving and steering wheels there has been no direet
connection (independently of the jointed frame) between the handle-bar or its support
and the back part of the jointed frame.
We are well aware of a machine known as the "Whippet" having its handle-bar,
seat and pedals rigidly connected and oscillating in a main fixed frame connecting
the driving and steering wheels but our invention refers more particularly to that
type of velocipede patented by one Henry Laming and numbered 12901 of 1886
where the frame is itself jointed between the driving and steering wheels: however
in such a velocipede as that of the said Henry Laming no connection is made between
the handle-bar seat and pedals so that as the jointed frame rises and falls they may
move up and down together. Our invention is also designed to form an improved
method of construction of the spring joints.
In the Figure shewn as No. 1. a bicycle is represented approximating to that shewn
in the drawings accompanying the specification of the said Henry Laming but with

page_text: our improvements fitted thereio. A is the front and B the rear wheel. We joint
the back bone at C as in the said Henry Lamings specification. We mount the
handle-bar freely to oscillate rock, move or turn on the head as more particularly
hereinafter described and attach to the same a split (or other suitable) Ing D and
clamp it to the said handle-bar by having its ends drawn together by a screw E and
carrying a sleeve F.which is tapped to receive a screw G working freely therein and
having an eye H at its end to which is pivoted a lug or boss I. This is tapped and a
rod J screws into and works freely in it, see Figs. 3 and 4 or we may use suitablo
ball and socket or other universal joints for the purpose. The rod J runs into a sleeve
or tube K (see Fig. 1) screwing therein and which sleeve or tube K is pivoted on a
rocking arm L or other suitable lever pivoted on the neck or frame of the machine
as at M or where a neck is not used, on a corresponding or suitable part of the
frame work.
From the other or free end of the rocking arm or lever L proceeds a yoked lever N
crossing the backbone and carrying a crosshead O rigidly connected thereto. In this
crosshead is fitted a screwed spindle P connected to a spring or springs Q fastened to
it and to the backbone at R.
The spindle P can be adjusted in the crosshead and be secured by locknuts to vary
the tension of the spring or adjust the same.
The lower end of the yoked lever N is pivotted at S to the bearing case of the crank
pulley or the end of the back frame as shewn.
When the rider pulls on the handle bar he pulls on the lever J moving the rocking
arm or lever Land operating the yoked lever N which draws the back portion of the
machine towards the front portion consequently the handle bar and the rear-jointed
portion of the machine are always connected. Thus the handle, seat and pedals being
connected move together or in unison when either wheel meets an obstacle or any
unevenness in the road.
The universal joint between the handle bar and the rocking lever I could be easily
varied without departing from the principle of our invention.
The split lug D is preferably placed between collars T. T' on the head as shewn in
Fig. 4. and the handle bar has a degree of oscillation or twisting movement in these,
as the divided frame moves owing to the wheels going over obstructions or uneven
ground.
We show a convenient way of mounting the brake in using our invention though
not necessarily claimed. U is an universal joint connected to the brake lever V a rod
working in a thread in the lower portion of the joint and its lower end in a boss or
sleeve W pivoted to the brake spoon (see Fig. 1).
On Sheet 2. other variations of our invention are shewn.
In Fig. 5. the joints between the front and back portions of the machine carrying
the wheel bearing are made of plain flat or laminated springs A' B'. An arm C¹ is
rigidly fixed to the back frame D¹. A rod E¹ may. pass through this arm Cand
coiled or other suitable springs F¹ F are placed between the arm and tho
springs A B. Rod G is connected to the arin C₁and to the jointed or rocking
handle bar by universal joints as in Figs. 1 to 4. or in other convenient method but
as a practical arrangement for the purpose is shewn in the Figs. 1 to 4 we have not
thought it necessary to dilate further.
Fig. 6 is an alternative method A' B¹ being the bent or curved springs forming a
substitute for the joint, (as in the last figure) but the rod G¹ is connected directly to
the back portion of the frame shewn in triangular design and the spring F3 runs from
this back frame to the front fork and may be adjustable. The handle bar may be made
a fixture and the link or connection to the back frame may be dispensed with, the
springs alone uniting the frames, and thus taking the place of the jointed back-bone in
the said Laming's invention.
Fig. 7 shews another modification of our invention and refers more particularly to
Figs. 1 to 4. The joint C between the front and rear. portions of the frames is placed
above the wheel axes and at the junction of the apex or triangle forming the back-
wheel framing. The seat or saddle can thus be mounted on the front frame.

page_text: The rocking arm L has a hinged rod H' passing through it and having springs I' I'
on either side. The rod H¹ is hinged at one end to the frame as shewn. The rest of
the arrangement will be clearly understood by referring to Figs. 1 to 4.
Fig. 8 is a further modification of our invention. We place the joint C' about the
level of the wheel axes, and in extensions C C³ carried from curved tubes J¹ J'
advantageously following the wheel curves.
To the joint C³ we pivot a rod or stem K₁ carrying a spring L' which spring abuts
at its upper end against a collar on the rod or stem K¹ and at its lower end on a boss
or shackle M¹ jointed to links N2 N2 pivoted to the ends of the curved tubes J1 J2.
O is a long link pivoted to the back portion of the frame and suitably jointed to a
short link P¹ to the oscillating or jointed handle bar.
Of course universal joints to connect the back and front frames must be used as
before described. The joint (allows independent fore-and-aft motions of either
wheel as before.
Fig. 9 is another form of bicycle for reducing vibration and though in this and all
the before mentioned figures, safety bicycles are shewn, our invention could be fitted
to tricycles or like velocipedes as will be at once perceived.
In this last figure Q' is a fork embracing the periphery of the wheel A'. At its
lower end we joint a fork R¹ carrying at its end the bearings S¹ of the wheel A¹.
Pivotted to R is another fork T₁ (or a pair of rods or tubes connected at the top may
be used) and working in a guide U¹ on the fork Q¹ and compressing a spring Vi
between the guide and an adjustable collar W₁ on the fork or pair of connected
rods or tubes T¹.
The fork R¹ rises and falls on the fork Q₁ carrying the wheel with it and the
spring V governs the action.
We are well aware that joints have been interposed between the driving and steering
wheels of safety bicycles tricycles and like velocipedes and that the action of such
joints have been controlled or in some cases formed by springs and we do not claim
such broadly, and in reference to Fig. 9 we are aware that the front wheel bearings
of bicycles and tricycles have been carried by rising and falling connections from a
rigid fork but not as we believe in the precise manner as shown in Fig. 9.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what wo
claim is
I. In velocipedes in which a joint or flexible connection is used in the frame between
the driving and stooring wheels, the employment of a link or connecting device
jointed to an oscillating or rocking handle bar in or on the head or front portion of
the frame, the said link or connecting device being attached through universal joints
from the handle bar to the back portion of the frame whereby the said handle bar
seat and pedals can move up and down together substantially as described.
II. In velocipedes designed to reduce vibration, the employment of blade or
laminated springs as a direct means of connection between frames supporting the
driving and steering wheels substantially as described with reference to Fig. 5 and 6
of the accompanying drawings.
III. In velocipedes designed to reduce vibration the employment of blade or
laminated springs as a direct means of connection between frames supporting the
driving and steering wheels, in combination with rods or links connected with the
back portion of the machine and jointed to a rocking or oscillating handle bar
substantially as described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying
drawings.
IV. The arrangement of velocipede shewn in Fig. 7 wherein the joint C² between
the frames is placed at the apex of the triangle forming the back wheel frame thereby
allowing the seat to be mounted on the front portion of the frame substantially as
described.
V. The arrangement of velocipede shewn in Fig. 8 wherein the joint C³ is carried

page_text: from two oppositely curved tubes or bones J¹ J2 such joint being placed at or about
the level of the wheel axes and such joint being connected through a rod and spring
to links pivotted to the ends of the tubes or bones substantially as described.
VI. The arrangement of velocipede shewn in Fig. 9, having a fork Q¹ extending
behind the wheel A', fork R¹ pivoted thereto and carrying the bearings and fork or
tied rods or tubes T connected to fork R¹ and compressing a spring between such and
the fork Q' substantially as described.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.