Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1887
Complete Left, 28th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 4th May, 1888
1, JOHN ASBURY of Cheylesmore, Coventry in the County of Warwick, Machinist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:―
This invention is designed, firstly, to facilitate the stopping and starting of that
class of velocipedes which it is proposed to use at military manœuvres for reconnoitring;
and secondly, to neutralize the vibration caused by running over irregularities of the
ground traversed by the rider.
In explaining the nature of my improvements, I will assume, for the purpose of
illustration, that they are to be applied to a bicycle of the "Rover" type, which
carries the seat between the forward and back wheels.-This seat is mounted on a
stem which is vertically adjustable in a sliding tube fitting a pendent socket of the
bicycle frame. This tube is notched at its upper end, and also some six or eight
inchos lower down, to receive a spring clip or bolt for retaining it in either its raised
or depressed position. This spring bolt slides in lugs or guides fitted to the framing,
and between the lugs is a coiled spring for giving the clip or bolt a tendency to move
outwards and engage with the notched tube.
A tendency is given, by means of a coiled spring contained in the pendent socket,
for the tube to retain its highest position, and thereby to present its lower notch to
the spring clip or bolt.-A check rod passing down from the tube through the
pendent socket is employed for limiting the vertical movement of the tube.
By means of a lever connected with the spring clip or bolt, the rider is enabled,
while riding, to disengage the clip from the notched tube, and thereby throw his
weight upon the spring in the pendent socket.-The spring yielding to this pressure,
will allow of the easy descent of the seat until the upper notch of the tube is presented
to the spring clip.-The rider then, on releasing the lever from pressure, allows the
spring clip to engage the notched tube, and thereby hold the seat in a depressed
position.
This vertical descent of the seat is designed to allow the rider to stop and reach the
ground without dismounting, for the purpose of taking notes or sketches while
making a reconnaissance.-Should, however, occasion arise for instant retreat, the

page_text: rider has merely to disengage the spring clip, when the seat will rise to, and be
clipped in, its normal position, the weight of the rider being thrown for the moment
on the pedal shaft and handles.-The rise of the seat to its highest elevation, may, if
desired, be effected by the use of a hand lever or equivalent mechanical device.
To neutralize the vibration to which the steering wheel is subjected from being
transmitted to the steering handle, and thence to the arms of the rider, I now propose
to mount the axle of the steering wheel in a fork, which will be embraced by the
ordinary steering fork, and he connected thereto loosely at its opposite ends.-The
connection of the forks at or near the extremities of their prongs is by means of a
pair of springs, and at their upper ends by a short stem of the inner fork entering a
socket mado in the outer fork, such socket being sufficiently deep to allow of the stem
sliding up and down therein; while at the same same the stem is free to move axially,
or swivel to a limited extent in its socket, to neutralize any undue lateral strain which
may, by accident, be put upon the steering wheel.
The elastic coupling of the two forks provides for the vertical movement of the stem
in its socket, the effect of which will be to prevent the transmission to the frame of the
bicycle, of the concussions to which the steering wheel may be subjected.
Although I have described my improvements as applied to a bicycle of the
"Rover" type, I would remark that it is applicable, in whole or in part, to velocipedes
of other constructions.

page_text: I JOHN ASBURY of Cheylesmore, Coventry, in the County of Warwick, Machinis
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the samo is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention is designed firstly to facilitate the stopping and starting of that class:
of velocipede which it is proposed to use at military manoeuvres for reconnoitring and
secondly, to neutralize the vibration caused by running over irregularities of the
ground traversed by the rider.
In explaining the nature of my improvements I will assume, for the purpose of
illustration, that they are to be applied to a bicycle of the type which has wheels of
equal size (the hind one being the driving wheel) and the seat situate midway between
the wheels.
:
To enable the rider to stop running and remain at a given spot and then to restart
the bicycle without loss of time, the necessity for him to dismount must be avoided.
To this end, I provide for the lowering and raising of the seat by a simple operation.
The means for effecting this operation is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings
where
Fig. 1 is a side clevation of a bicycle constructed according to my invention.
:
A is the bicycle frame, B the driving wheel and the front steering wheel. Dis.
the saddle which is capable of being fixed either in the drawn or raised position, or in
the dotted or depressed position, the raised position being that for giving the rider the
proper control over the pedals, and the depressed position serving as a support for the
rider while his feet are resting on the ground.
The seat D is mounted on a stem D¹ which is vertically adjustable in a sliding
tube D2 fitting a pendent socket A' of the bicycle frame.
.
Fig. 2 shows, on a slightly enlarged scale, a portion of the frame A with the sliding
tube and pendent socket in section, and the seat or saddle as locked in its raised.
position. The tube D2 is notched at its upper end and also some six or eight inches
lower down to receive a spring clip or holt E for retaining it in either its raised or
depressed position. This spring bolt (see the detached plan view Fig. 3) slides in
lugs or guides a a fitted to the framing and between the lugs is a coiled spring e for
giving the clip or bolt a tendency to move outwards and engage with the. notched.
tube D².
a¹ is a coiled spring contained in the pendent socket Al and serving to give to the:
tube D³ a tendency to retain its highest position and thereby to present its lower.

page_text: notch to the spring-clip or bolt E.-D is a check rod screwed into the end of the
tube D², and passing down therefrom through the pendent socket A¹ to receive a
check nut, by which means the vertical movement of the tube is limited. To prevent
the tube turning in its socket, a pin a³ formed with a T-head is fitted to the socket A'
and caused to enter a longitudinal slot made in the sliding tube D².
The spring clip or snap bolt E is pivotted to a slotted radius arm E¹ (Fig. 1) which
is fulcrummed on a lug of the framing A. This radius arm E' is connected by a
link E³ to a hand lever E³ pivotted to the neck of the bicycle frame. The pin which
connects the snap bolt to the radius arm passes freely through the slot of that arm,
and on the rider pulling at the hand lever the radius arm will be locked and the bolt
withdrawn from the notch of the sliding tube. Supposing now the seat to be locked
in its highest position, as at Fig. 1, it will be understood that the rider, while riding
can readily disengage the bolt from the tube, and thereby throw his weight upon the
spring a contained in the pendent socket. The spring yielding to this pressure will
allow of the easy descent of the seat until the upper notch of the tube is presented to
the spring clip. The rider then on releasing the lever from pressure allows the spring
clip to engage the notched tube, and thereby hold the seat in a depressed position as
shown by dots in Fig. 1..
This vertical descent of the seat is designed to allow the rider to stop and reach
the ground without dismounting for the purpose of taking notes or sketches while
making a reconnaisance. Should however occasion arise for instant retreat the rider
has merely to disengage the spring clip E from the upper notch of the tube 12 when
the seat will rise to and be clipped in its normal position the weight of the rider being
thrown for the moment on the pedal shaft and handles to enable the spring a¹ to forco
up the tube D (with its seat) and present its lower notch to the sliding bolt.―The
rise of the seat to its highest elevation may, if desired, be effected by the use of a hand
lover or equivalent mechanical device.
In order to neutralize the vibration to which the steering wheel is subjected from
being transmitted to the steering handles and thence to the arms of the rider I now
propose to mount the axle of the steering wheel in a fork which will be embraced by
the ordinary steering fork and be connected thereto loosely at its opposite ends.
In Fig. 1 the mode of carrying out this part of my invention is also clearly
shown.
Fig. 4 shows in side elevation on a somewhat enlarged scale the steering wheel and
its fittings detached, and
Fig. 5 is a back view of the same.
In these Figures F is the ordinary steering fork, and G is the fork in which the
steering wheel is mounted-This fork it will be seen is embraced by the ordinary
fork F the stem of which is socketted as usual to receive the stem of the steering
handles.
The connections of the forks F and G at or near the extremities of their prongs, is
by means of a pair of springs H H and at their upper ends by a short stem of the
inner fork entering a socket made in the outer fork such socket being sufficiently
deep to allow of the stem sliding up and down therein while at the same time the
stem is free to move axially or swivel to a limited extent in its socket, to neutralize
any undue lateral strain which may by accident be put upon the steering wheel.
To give more freedom of action to the coupling springs I have introduced two
joints in the fork Gas g thus making the prongs in two parts and securing the
springs to the extension pieces of the prongs.
As the elastic coupling of the two forks provides for the vertical movement of the
stem of the fork G in its socket, the result will be to prevent the transmission to
the frame of the bicycle, of the concussions to which the steering wheel may be
subjected.
Although I have described my improvements as applied to a bicycle of one type
only I would remark that it is applicable in whole or in part to velocipedes of other
construction.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. Adapting to bicycles a seat which is capable of being locked in one or other of
two positions by a sliding bolt or its equivalent while the rider is on the bicycle such
locking serving to sustain the rider at the proper elevation for working the pedals and
for securing the seat in such a position as will enable him to reach the ground with
his feet and yet retain a proper position for re-starting the bicycle.
2. Mounting the steering wheel as above described in a fork embraced by the
steering fork and capable of rising with the wheel independently of the steering fork
for the purpose of absorbing the vibration of the steering wheel.
T
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.