Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
GEORGE BERNARD COLE, 6 Fitzwilliam Road, Clapham, Schoolmaster,
SAMUEL JAMES OSBORNE 144 High Street, Clapham, Draper, and JOHN
FELDUS MC ANDREWS 51 Natal Road Streatham, Builder's Foreman all in the
County of Surrey do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention is an improved arrangement or combination of the parts of a
velocipede particularly applicable to safety bicycles and has for its object the
construction of a machine which shall be practically anti-vibratory and while being
of great strength to resist fracture is light in weight and free from complication of
parts. In carrying out the purpose of our invention we make the frame rigid
except that the stays connecting the pedal bracket and the hub bearings of the
driving wheel be hinged or pivoted at each end and the forks be springs made in
the following manner :-Each prong or side of the fork consists of a spring of
increasing strength and rigidity from the hub bearing to the fork bracket. This
increasing strength and decreasing flexibility may be obtained by making the
spring in one piece of graduated thickness or by making it up of a number of thin
flat springs of varied lengths all secured together at one end in the fork bracket
somewhat like one half of a carriage spring. The result of this graduation in
flexibility of the spring forks will be that the vibration taken up by the thin
flexible end of the spring will decrease in amplitude as it passes along the more
rigid portion of the spring till at the fork bracket it will be practically lost. This
form of spring frame is suitable and highly desirable for velocipedes fitted with any
form of tyre either pneumatic, cushion, or solid; but in making a solid tyred
machine we propose to use a special form of rim of a "C" or semi-elliptical
transverse section with the convex side as the periphery of the wheel which shall
be covered with a tyre of india-rubber or other suitable material for its protection.
This form of rim with the greatest economy in weight and material of solid tyre
secures a broad tread which shall but slightly sink into soft ground and which in
conjunction with the above described spring-forks will have the advantages of a
pneumatic tyre without danger of collapse. In attaching the rim of the wheel to
the hub we propose to replace the spokes commonly used by spokes made of fine
wire-rope and for the purpose of driving we propose to use a chain made of wire
or wire-rope passed round steel eyelets made of a shape and size suitable for
fitting.over and gearing with the teeth or spurs of the driving wheels.
:
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.
GEO. B. COLE.
SAMUEL JAMES OSBORNE.
J. F. MCANDREWS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
GEORGE BERNARD COLE of 6 Fitzwilliam Road, Clapham, Schoolmaster
SAMUEL JAMES OSBORNE of 144 High Street Clapham, Draper and JOHN
FELDUS MC ANDREWS of 51 Natal Road Streatham Builders Foreman all in the
County of Surrey 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 is an improved construction and arrangement of the parts of a

page_text: velocipede, especially of the parts that connect the frame of the machine with the
hubs of the wheels, commonly called the "forks" and is particularly applicable to
safety rear-driving bicycles its object being the construction of a machine the rigid
frame and rider of which shall be almost free from vibration and while being of
great strength to resist fracture shall be light in weight and free from complication
of parts. In carrying out the purpose of our invention we make the frame rigid
except that the stays connecting the pedal bracket and the hub bearings of the
driving wheel are hinged or pivoted at each end and the forks are springs made in
the following manner. Each prong or side of the fork consists of a spring of
increasing strength and rigidity from the hub bearing to the lug which holds the
fork. This increasing strength and decreasing flexibility may be obtained by
making each prong of one piece of spring steel of graduated thickness or of several
thin pieces of varied lengths all secured together at the lug end of the prong some-
what like one half of an ordinary carriage spring. When each prong is made of
one piece it may be grooved or corrugated, the grooves being made in the wider
sides of the prong and running in the direction of its length. The result of this
graduation in the flexibility of the spring forks will be that the vibration taken
up by the thin flexible end of the spring will decrease in amplitude as it passes
along the more rigid portion of the spring till at the lug it will be practically
lost. This form of spring frame is suitable and highly desirable for velocipedes
fitted with any kind of tyre either pneumatic, cushion, or solid; but in making a
solid-tyred machine we propose to use a special form of rim of a "C" or semi-
elliptical transverse section with the convex side as the periphery of the wheel
which shall be covered with a tyre of india-rubber or other suitable material for its
protection, which will give a wide tread with little weight. In attaching the rim
of the wheel to the hub we propose to replace the spokes commonly used, by spokes
made of fine wire-rope; and for the purpose of driving we propose to use a chain
made of wire or wire-rope passed round steel eyelets made of a shape and size
suitable for fitting over and gearing with the teeth or spurs of the driving
wheels.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is ;
1. The use of spring forks of the kind and made in the manner described in the
foregoing.