An Improvement in or connected with Velocipedes.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in or connected with Velocipedes.
I, MATTHEW STEEL, of 45 High Street, Gosforth, in the County of Northum-
berland, Plumber and Gasfitter, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improvement in or connected with velocipedes. .and
consists in a novel arrangement of parts whereby the tendency of the steering
wheel shall be always to go straight forward while by the arrangement of parts
greater rigidity and reduced vibration in the machine may be effected.
As is well known the steering wheel of velocipedes is steered and controlled by
the action of the handle on the fork of the machine so that unless the handle is
kept under control, the wheel is apt to go in any direction whether forward or to
either side.
Thus when a rider is walking and pushing his machine along with him on the road,
he has to hold the handle in order to ensure his machine going straight forward;
similarly when the rider dismounts and places his machine against a support, such
as a wall, very frequently the steering wheel will swing round which is not only
very inconvenient but the action frequently results in more or less damage to the
machine by scraping or bending its parts.
By my invention these objections are overcome in the simplest manner as a rider
can walk and push his machine on the road without the necessity for touching the
handle and when resting his machine against a support, such as a wall, the tendency
to swing round is avoided, while increased rigidity and reduced vibration of the
machine are effected by the improvement which I will now proceed to explain with
reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 shows in side
elevation as much of a machine as is necessary for the full explanation of my inven-
tion, Figure 2 being a part diagrammatic sectional plan view in further elucidation
thereof.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the following description.
Referring to the drawings, my improvement consists in so arranging and
adapting a springs and stay as that when the fork f of the machine is turned
either to the right hand or to the left not only shall the spring be extended and
exert its force to retract the fork to a straight forward position but increased
rigidity in the machine shall at the same time be effected.
12
In the figure one end of the spring is shown connected to the lug / fixed to the
fork while the other end is attached to a 1od r which is led downwards and
secured by a nut behind a lug 12 fixed either on the stay of the machine, or the
end of the rod may be fixed to the pedal bracket as may be desired. For easily
adjusting the tension of the springs, a simple swivel device d may be arranged
for example between the springs and the lug or an equivalent point of support.
Thus by turning the swivel which may have canted exterior surfaces for this
purpose by means of a key or equivalent device, the screwed end of the rod r can
be drawn in or allowed to run out to increase or diminish the tension of the spring
to any desired extent. The precise action of the mechanism will be more fully
understood by reference to the diagrammatic plan view shown in Fig. 2. In this,
the fork fappears in sectional plan and the lug and remaining parts in plan.
It is thus obvious that when the fork is turned so as to put lug into the positions
shown in dotted lines on either side, the springs must be extended and exert its
force to return the fork to its original position while at the same time due to the
extension of the spring there may be a tendency to quicken the action of the rear
wheel in following the line of travel of the steering wheel. The strength of the

page_text: spring has of course to be overcome by the rider when turning the machine, but
its strength as compared with the leverage of the handles is immaterial.
I need not necessarily arrange the spring and stay device exactly as shown in the
drawings. The rod r might be dispensed with and a chain might be substituted
therefor but I prefer to use the rod on account of its acting usefully as a spring
stay between the leading and rear wheels as above described at the very point
where the greatest strain is apt to come upon the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The combination with the steering fork of a velocipede of a spring one end
of wich is attached to the steering fork or to a lug or projection thereon while the
other end is attached to one of the main stays or to the pedal bracket substantially
as an for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
draw) igs.
2. The combination with the fork of the machine and lug of a spring s, rod r,
swivel device d and clip or lug all disposed and arranged to operate substantially
As and for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 9th day of October 1891.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent.