Improvements in Bicycles and like Vehicles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892;
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycles and like Vehicles.
I, Benjamin FiELD, Bicycle Fitter, of 9 Old Meeting Street, West Bromwich,
in the County of Stafford, 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 :-
My invention relates to bicycles, tricycles and like vehicles, and its object is to
support the frames on the wheels in such manner that jarring and shocks are
avoided, or are not transmitted to the rider, notwithstanding considerable irregu-
larities in the roads, over which the machines may be running.
In carrying my invention into effect I so suspend or mount the frame of the
machine on or by springs, that the wheels have considerable power of surmounting
obstacles in the road, without the rising motion or falling motion being sensibly or
materially communicated to the frame and rider. In one mode of constructing a
bicycle to which my invention is applied I arrange to support the frame on springs
or spring connections, both for front and back wheels.
Referring to the accompanying drawings;
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rear driven safety bicycle, to which my invention
has been applied.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of my novel arrangement of back spring fork on a
larger scale.
Figure 3 is an end view of Figure 2, and
Figure 4 shows the detail of the spring connection of the back spring fork to the
bicycle back bone or frame.
The bicycle frame A carries the saddle A' and the treadle axle B. The back
fork D is pivoted from the centre of the treadle axle B hinging either on the
treadle axle socket or on the axle itself. A second part of the fork is shown at D'
and it connects to the part D³ which forms part of D and carries the bearings for
the hind wheel axle. The two parts D, 'D' of the hind fork are also stayed
together by the stay D². The part D' of the fork passes over the back bone of the
frame A and is connected to the said back bone by a spring which I usually arrange
to be in tension. This is shown clearly at Figure 3 which is an end view of the
back fork in position on a larger scale, and shows clearly that the part D' passes
over and contains part of the frame A, and the spring E connects between the
upper part of D and A, and the weight of the rider and frame extends this spring.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the back fork D, D' on the same scale as Figure 3.
Figure 4 shows on a still larger scale the upper part of the fork D', the spring E
and the connection to D' and A.
The bicycle frame and rider, when the bicycle is in motion, are thus carried by
the spring E and the wheel C when it comes into contact with any irregularity in
the road, at once rises, as the fork D swivels from the axis of the treadle axle B,
this causes the end of D' to move further up relatively to the back bone of the
frame, and so further extends the spring E. Shock and jar to the rider is thus
avoided, and at the same time a constant distance is maintained between the treadle
axis and the saddle; and the axle of the hind wheel C being carried in D, radiating
from B, is kept at a constant distance from the axle B, so that the chain of the chain
driving gear is maintained at a constant degree of tension notwithstanding the rising
or falling movement of the hind wheel.
The leading wheel F is carried from the steering fork G by the fork or side
rods H which fork or side rod arrangement is connected to G by the links H¹, H¹
oscillating or pivoting from the fork G. Springs H³ connect the lower links H³ to
an extension G' of the fork G, and so the front part of the frame A is also

page_text: supported or suspended from the wheel F by a spring connection, and is yet firmly
held and kept in one plane, without twisting, just as would be the case when the
axle of the wheel F was run in the fork G¹. The upper link H is made broad and
in one piece when side rods are used, and springs may be applied to the upper as
well as the lower links.
In this manner I support both back and front ends of my bicycle frame on the
wheels by yielding or spring connections, and yet preserve all the rigidity of
plane required for effective action. It is evident that my invention may be similarly
applied to tricycles.
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) A spring supported bicycle as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
(2) A back spring fork as D, D' having a spring in tension as E, connecting the
upper part of the fork D' with the frame A, and swivelling or pivoting by the part D
from the treadle axis, substantially as herein before described and as illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
(3) A front steering fork with auxiliary fork or rods H, and spring placed as H³,
for supporting or suspending the front part of the wheel, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1891.
MARKS & CLERK,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents for the Applicant.