Improvements in Suspending the Bodies of Two Wheeled Vehicles.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Suspending the Bodies of Two Wheeled Vehicles.
I, FRANK WOODWARD BOWNE of 2003 G Street Lincoln in the County of
Lancaster, State of Nebraska, United States of America, Real Estate Dealer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
One of the greatest objections to the ordinary form of two-wheeled vehicles is, that
the motion of the horse is imparted to the vehicle body, and it is to overcome this
objection and provide for the easy hanging of the body that I have devised the present
system of mounting two-wheeled vehicle bodies.
The body of the vehicle is suspended by a pair of links near the front and a similar
pair near the back, from the side bars (carried upon the usual springs, and attached to
the shafts) the pivotal centres of the links being ball and socket joints. The point of
connection of the one pair of links of the body is made adjustable vertically to suit the
height of the horse so that the body shall be horizontal. It is preferred to provide
the links with the female members of the joints, i.e. with sockets at the ends which
embrace spherical headed studs fixed to the side bars and body and to make each link
of two longitudinal members bolted together.
F. H. BOWNE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Suspending the Bodies of Two-wheeled Vehicles.
I, FRANK WOODWARD BOWNE, of 2003 G Street, Lincoln, in the County of
Lancaster, State of Nebraska, United States of America, Real Estate Dealer, 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 :-
One of the greatest objections to the ordinary form of two-wheeled vehicle is that
the motion of the horse is imparted to the vehicle body, and it is to overcome this
objection and provide for the easy hanging of the body that I have devised the present
system of mounting two-wheeled vehicle bodies.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which figure 1 is a side view of a two-wheeled vehicle constructed in
accordance with my invention, the right-hand wheel being removed and the axle
being shewn in section taken on line x-x figure 2. Figure 2 is a rear view of the
vehicle.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view, illustrating the connection between one of
the forward supporting links and the vehicle body; and-
Figure is a still further enlarged view, taken on line - of Figure 3.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
In the drawings above referred to, 10 represents the wheels, 11 the axle, 12 the
shafts, which are connected to the axle in the usual well known manner, and 13 are
springs also connected to the axle, said springs being preferably of the kind known in
the trade as elliptic springs, but any other proper form of spring could be employed.
The springs 13 support side bars 14, said side bars being connected to the springs by
clips 15, while the forward ends of the side bars are connected to the shafts by other
clips 16, or in any other desired manner.
To each of the side bars 14. I connect two inwardly extending studs 17, that are
formed with spherical heads 18, similar studs 19, being connected to the rear end of
the vehicle body, while studs 20, are passed through slots 21, formed at the forward.
end of the vehicle body, winged nuts 22, being arranged to engage the threaded
shanks of the studs 20, as is shown in Figure 3.
Upon each of the studs 17 I suspend a link 30, that is made up of sections 2 and 3,
these sections being formed with hollow semi-spherical end projections 4, and the two
sections being united by bolts 5 as best shown in Figure 4; the upper projections 4
being arranged to enclose the spherical heads 18 of the studs 17, the projections being
apertured as shown at 6, to allow for the passage of the stud shank 17.
-
The lower projections 4 of the sections forming the links 30, are arranged to enclose
the spherical heads of the studs 19 and 20, the studs 20 being adjusted to a position
such that the vehicle body will be horizontal when the horse is harnessed to the
vehicle as unless some provision be made for the adjustment of the vehicle body, the
angle of the body will vary with the height of the horse.

page_text: By suspending the vehicle body in the manner above described, I provide for the
easy swinging of the body between the side bars, and although the motion of the horse
may be imparted to the running gear proper of the vehicle, the inertia of the vehicle
body and of the weight carried thereby will tend to hold such body in a central
position between the side bars.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination, with a side bar provided with studs having spherical heads, of
sectional links arranged for connection with said heads, and other heads also held
by the links and arranged for connection with a vehicle body, substantially as
described.
2. The combination, with a vehicle body having opposite slots in its sides near the
forward ends, studs adjustable vertically in said slots, and studs at the rear ends of
the sides, of the spring-supported side bars having inward projecting studs at or near
their front and rear ends, and links connecting said body and side bar studs,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination, with a vehicle body, of spring-suspended side bars, spherical
headed studs carried by the side bars, sectional links held upon the stud heads, and
other spherical headed links connected to the side bars and engaged by the lower ends
of the links, substantially as described.
4. The combination, with a vehicle body, of side bars, spherical headed studs carried
thereby, sectional links engaging with the stud heads, fixed spherical headed studs
secured at the rear of the vehicle body and engaged by the rear links of the side bars,
and other spherical headed studs that are adjustably connected to the forward portion
of the vehicle body and engaged by the lower ends of the forward side bar links,
substantially as described.