Improvements in Bicycle Frames.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bicycle Frames.
I, CHARLES F. LAVENDER, of 54 Murray Street, in the City of Toronto, in
the County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Manufacturer, 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:-
The object of this invention is to construct a frame for that class of vehiclė
commonly known as a safety bicycle, in such a manner that lightness, grace,
flexibility and resiliency will be combined with strength and durability, and to so
arrange the several parts constituting the vehicle that the head, crank axle
bracket, and driving wheel can be attached to or detached from the frame without
in any way impairing its strength or any other of its qualities, and the invention
consists essentially of constructing the frame of wood, preferably built up of
veneered sections, so arranged that the upper and lower reach bars, the rear forks,
the head and standard, are made continuous throughout; and of making an
independent bicycle head, and clamping it to the head of the frame in any suitable
manner, and of securing the crank axle bracket and the bearings for the driving
wheel to the frame in the same manner: the whole device being hereinafter more
fully set forth and more particularly pointed out in the claims.
In the drawings:
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a bicycle showing my improvements.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the frame.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the rear forks, standard, and a section of
the upper and lower reach bars.
Fig. 4 is a plan view of the frame before it is bent into the requisite shape.
Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the specification and
drawings.
A represents the upper reach bar, B represents the head of the frame,
C represents the lower reach bar, D-D¹ respectively, represent the lower rear
forks or side bars, E-E' represent the upper rear forks, and F represents the
standard.
It might here he stated that commencing at the lower end of the upper rear
forks E-E, the said rear forks, the upper reach bar A, the head of the frame B,
the lower reach bar C, the lower rear forks D-D', and the standard F, are made
integrally of veneer wood, or similar material. To form the upper rear forks, the
wood between these forks is partially cut away, and bent downwards to form a
portion of the standard F. The material between the lower rear forks D-D¹ is
similarly cut and bent upwards. The veneered sections are so arranged as to
form what is known as a broken joint. By this means the standard and the several
other parts of the frame are made integrally, and no joints, other than those in the
standard, are presented to weaken the structure. The veneered sections in the
standards are so arranged as to present a broken joint. To describe the detailed
construction of the frame we will assume that the woodwork is built up of five
sections of veneered wood, lettered respectively a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i and j. The
veneer section is cut to the requisite shape for the upper and lower reach bars,
the upper and lower rear forks and the head. The material of this veneer section
is so cut from between the rear forks that when it is bent to form the standard F
the joint will be in close proximity to the top of the standard. The material of
the veneer section is similarly cut, with the exception, however, that the joint

page_text: when the material is bent to form its portion of the standard F will be slightly
lower than the joint in the section j, this being continued throughout each veneer
section, until the joint in the veneer section a is in close proximity to the bottom
of the said standard. By this arrangement the joints of no two veneer sections
are opposed to each other. After the veneer sections have been cut to the
required shape they are placed on a form and bent to form the fra:ne of the
vehicle and are then securely glued together. G represents the saddle which is
supported on a saddle pillar H. To secure the vertical adjustment of the saddle
pillar H it is clamped to the standard F by any clamp suitable for the purpose.
Clamped to the lower reach bar C and to the lower rear forks D-D-and if
necessary to the standard F-is the crank axle bracket I. Clamped to the head B
of the frame is the head J of the bicycle. The clamps in each instance are so
arranged that they encircle the framework. By providing the clamps and securing
the parts to them in this manner the weakening of the frame is entirely avoided.
By constructing the frame of veneered sections a frame as strong, if not stronger,
than a frame constructed of metal tubing is produced, with less liability to
breakage on meeting an immovable obstacle, and in addition to the strength and
durability of the frame, it might be stated, that on passing over rough or uneven
surfaces the elasticity and resiliency of the frame causes it to yield sufficiently to
avoid any unnecessary jar or motion, thus making a more comfortably travelling
vehicle than if constructed of metal.
Whilst I intend to use a wood frame, and have particularly described this
construction in Connection with a wood frame, I may, if I find it convenient, use
the same system of structure in building a bicycle frame of any other material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, I hereby declare that what I claim is :
1. The bicycle frame bereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
2. A bicycle frame comprised of a head, upper and lower reach bars, upper
and lower rear forks, and a standard made of one continuous piece of material,
bent to the requisite shape, substantially as specified.
3. A bicycle frame comprised of a head, upper and lower reach bars, upper and
lower rear forks, and a standard made of one continuous piece of material built up
of veneer sections, and bent to the requisite shape, the parts constituting the
standards cut from between the upper and lower rear forks respectively, the
veneer sections so cut that when the opposite meeting edges are united no two
joints in the standard will be opposed to each other, substantially as specified.
4. A bicycle frame comprised of a head, upper and lower reach bars, upper and
lower rear forks, and a standard made of one continuous piece of material built up
of veneer sections, and bent to the requisite shape, the parts comprising the
standard cut from between the upper and lower rear forks, the veneer sections so
cut that no two joints are opposed to each other, a bicycle head clamped to the
head of the frame, a crank axle bracket clamped to the lower reach bar and lower
rear fork bars, a saddle post clamped to the standard, and bearings for the driving
wheel clamped to the lower rear fork bars, substantially as specified.
Dated the 4th day of August AD 1896
CHAS. F. LAVENDER.
George Barker,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent.
CHAS. F. LAVENDER.
George Barker,
77 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent.