Improved Means for use in Supporting a Cycle in a Standing Position.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improved Means for use in Supporting a Cycle in a Standing
Position.
I, FREDERICK FRANCIS PRICE, of 9, Wellington Street, Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Considerable inconvenience is experienced by a cycle rider when it is necessary
to leave the machine standing by itself, more especially when such is necessary
whilst on a journey, owing to the fact that for want of simple and efficient means of
a convenient character the machine usually has to be either leant against a wall
or other side support, with the risk of injury by abrasion, or has to be rested with
one of the pedals upon a kerbstone, with the risk of the machine tumbling over
owing to its instability.
Now, this invention has for its object means of a very simple and convenient
character, which are always ready to hand, for use in supporting a bicycle in a
standing position, and which are independent of any external sideway support,
or of any raised surface such as that of a kerbstone.
These means consist, according to this invention, of a short length of rod, bar,
or tube, constituting a prop, which is pivoted to a mounting carried by the forward
end of the lower back stay on one side of the machine (preferably on the dismount-
ing side of the machine), or by the bottom bracket socket into which such stay is
fixed, in such manner that the prop may lie snugly along underneath the stay.
when out of use, its free end being carried by a clip, of the character of the clips
used for holding inflating pumps, which is sprung into position around the stay
for the purpose. When it is desired to support the machine, the prop is moved
out from the clip which carries its free end, and is then used as a sideway sprag
or inclined support by resting its free end upon the ground.
The connection between the prop and the machine is by means of a universal
joint. When the prop is to be used with a machine which can be adapted to
receive it in course of manufacture, it may conveniently be pivoted within a jaw
which is itself swivelled upon a pin which is used in place of the ordinary pin
which passes through the bottoni bracket socket and forward end of the back
stay; but when the prop is to be used with an existing machine, it may con-
veniently be pivoted within a jaw which is swivelled to a clip which is fastened
around the stay.
Doted thin 10th
T
100

page_text: Improved Means for use in Supporting a Cycle in a Standing
Position.
I, FREDERICK FRANCIS PRICE, of 9, Wellington Street, Bilston, in the County of
Stafford, Merchant, 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: -
Considerable inconvenience is experienced by a cycle rider when it is necessary
to leave the machine standing by itself, more especially when such is necessary
whilst on a journey, owing to the fact that for want of simple and efficient means of
a convenient character the machine usually has to be either leant against a wall
or other side support, with the risk of injury, by abrasion, or has to be rested with
one of the pedals upon a kerb-stone, with the risk of the machine tumbling over
owing to its instability.
Now, this invention has for its object means of a very simple and convenient
character, which are always ready to hand, for use in supporting a-bicycle in a
standing position, and which are independent of any external sideway support,
or of any raised surface such as that of a kerbstone.
These means consist, according to this invention, of a short length of rod, bar,
or tube, constituting a prop, which is pivoted to a mounting carried by the forward
end of the lower back stay on one side of the machine (preferably on the dismount-
ing side of the machine), or by the bottom bracket socket into which such stay is
fixed, in such manner that the prop may lie snugly along the stay when out of
use, its free end being carried by a clip, such as a clip of the character of those
used for holding inflating pumps, which is conveniently sprung into position
around the stay for the purpose. When it is desired to support the machine, the
prop is moved out from the clip which carries its free end, and is then used as
a sideway sprag or inclined support by resting its free end upon the ground.
The connection between the prop and the machine is by means of a universal
joint. When the prop is to be used with a machine which can be adapted to
receive it in course of manufacture, it may conveniently be pivoted within a jaw
which is itself swivelled upon a pin which is used in place of the ordinary pin
which passes through the bottom bracket socket and forward end of the back
stay but when the prop is to be used with an existing machine, it may con-
veniently be pivoted within a jaw which is swivelled to a clip which is fastened
around the stay, or around the lug of the bottom bracket which receives such stay.
As a modification of the invention, the prop may be divided longitudinally into
halves, and the halves be connected to the jaw or mounting in a manner which
will admit of their lower ends being spragged or opened out from one another,
so as to form two points of support to the machine, and admit of their being closed
together to enable their outer ends to be placed within a clip for the purpose of
retaining the divided prop in its raised position similarly as the prop which is
formed in a single piece is retained. A spring may, if desired, be inserted between
the sides of the divided prop, so as to 'cause them to automatically open out when
they are released from the clip.
In order that the invention may be readily understood, I will describe it with
reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a side elevation of
a portion of the framing and back wheel of a cycle, and shews the prop in its
travelling position by full lines, and in its downward position, supporting the
machine, by broken lines. Figure 2 is a section on linear of Figure 1, but shews
the prop in its travelling position only. Figure 3 is a corresponding view to
Figure 2, but shews the prop in its supporting position only, and the cycle to be

page_text: tilted somewhat sideways so as to bring sufficient of the weight thereof upon the
prop to ensure stability. The drawings on Sheet 2 are drawn to a larger size than
those on Sheet 1, to clearly shew the details of construction. Of these, Figure 4
is a side elevation of the supporting appliance and a short length of stay to which
it is attached, the lower portion of the prop being broken away, for convenience
of illustration. Figure 5 is a front elevation of Figure 4. Figure 6 is a side
elevation of the bottom bracket of a cycle and of portions of the framing tubes
which are fixed thereto, and shews the upper portion of the supporting appliance
connected therewith in the manner in which it is preferred to do so when the
appliance can be fixed to a machine during the process of building; and Figure 7
is a vertical section, in its supporting position, through the modified form of the
appliance in which the leg is divided longitudinally so that the halves may be
opened out from one another and their lower ends rest some distance apart upon
the ground. The lower portions of these halves are broken away, for convenience
of illustration.
Referring first to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, a is the prop, which is preferably
formed of steel tube. The prop is pivoted at its upper end to a jaw b by means
of a pin c.
It is preferred to make the upper end of the tube solid, by brazing a
plug therein, and to flatten it at the sides to fit easily between the sides of the jaw.
The jaw b is itself swivelled to a clip d, by means of a pin e. The clip is, preferably,
formed of thin sheet steel so that it may readily be sprung around the forward end
of the back stay f of the cycle, and this clip may be secured in place by means of
a bolt g.
When the prop is in its raised position along the stay f, its outer end
is held within a clip i, which is conveniently of the character of the clips which
are used for holding inflating pumps, the prop being pushed between the open ends
of the clip. It will now be seen that when it is desired to support the cycle by
means of the appliance, the hinder end of the prop is first released from the clip 2,
and the prop is then turned down and the jaw turned a quarter turn or so.
Referring now to Figure 6, the clip d before described is dispensed with; and
the jaw b is swivelled with a pin e¹ which is passed through the socket or lug of
the bottom bracket which receives the forward end of the back stay f. A shoulder
which is conveniently formed by means of a collar k around the pin, forms a head
to the portion which passes through the socket, and this portion is riveted up to
hold the stay within the socket or lug until they have been brazed together, and
answers as the ordinary pin used for such purpose. The jaw b is passed over a
portion of the pin el which projects below the collar k, and the bottom of this
portion is then riveted over to retain the jaw but allow of it turning freely around
the pin.
Referring now to Figure 7, the prop is divided longitudinally into halves a¹a¹
each of which is, preferably, semitubular, as shewn, and the halves are pivotally
connected with a jaw b', which is similar to the jaw b, except that it is of a width
which will allow the outer ends of the divided prop to be opened out from one
another, as required, or say about six inches apart at their lower ends. The holes
through the upper ends of these halves are, of course, sufficiently large to allow of
the angular position of the halves, when open, in relation to the pin c. When
the prop is not in use, the halves are closed together, and their outer ends pressed
into the clip & similarly as is the outer end of the undivided prop; but when the
prop is in use, the portions a¹ a¹ are opened out from one another, as shewn, in a
direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the machine. It is preferred to
cause the portions a¹ a¹ to open out automatically when their outer ends have been
released from the clip, and for this purpose a spring 1 is inserted between them,
conveniently near to their inner ends, the spring being, preferably, of steel wire,
and of such shape, as shewn, that when the portions a¹ a¹ of the prop are closed
together the spring will be enclosed between them. The spring is held in place
by passing the ends m m thereof through corresponding holes in the portions a' a',
and slightly turning up the protruding ends to prevent them being accidentally
withdrawn from the holes. The jaw is shewn as swivelled to a clip for con-

page_text: nection with the back stay, but in lieu thereof it may, of course, swivel with a pin
which passes through the socket or lug of the bottom bracket, in the manner shewn
by Figure 6.
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. Means for use in supporting a cycle in a standing position, which consist of
a leg or prop which is connected to one of the lower back stays at or near to the
forward end thereof, or to the socket or lug to which the forward end of such stay
is fixed, in such manner that when not in use it may lie snugly along such stay
and when required for use may be turned down and spragged out sideways from
the cycle and its outer end rested upon the ground, substantially as described.
2. Means for use in supporting a cycle in a standing position, which comprise a
leg or prop which is connected to a pin which passes through the lug of the bottom
bracket which receives the lower back stay, in such a manner that when not in
use it may lie snugly along such stay, and when required for use may be turned
down and spragged out sideways from the cycle and its outer end rested upon the
ground, substantially as described.
3. Means for use in supporting a cycle in a standing position, which consist of a
longitudinally-divided leg or prop which is connected to one of the lower back
stays at or near to the forward end thereof, or to the socket or lug to which the
forward end of such stay is fixed, in such manner that when not in use its longi-
tudinally divided portions may lie snugly along such stay and when required for
use may be turned down and opened out from one another at their lower ends and
also spragged out sideways from the cycle and their outer ends rested upon the
ground, substantially as described; and, also, the modification of such longi-
tudinally-divided prop in which the divided parts are automatically opened out by
an elastic medium, substantially as described.
4. A leg or support for a cycle, constructed, and connected with the framing of
the cycle, substantially as described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 16th day of April 1898.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.