Improvements in the Hinges or Steering Heads of Velocipedes and similarly Constructed Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Hinges or Steering Heads of Velocipedes and
similarly Constructed Vehicles.
I, GEORGE HOOKHAM, of 7 & 8 New Bartholomew Street Birmingham Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to diminish the wear, and consequent friction, and
generally to diminish friction in the hinges of velocipedes.
The form in which I prefer to use my invention is a modification of what is known
as the "Stanley Head "Instead of taking the downward pressure upon a point, I
suspend that part of the hinge or head, which is at right angles, or approximately at
right angles, to the 'back-bone' of the machine by a wire, wires, or other strong and
flexible material from a point above it fixed to the stem of the handle; the wire
lying either within the stem or in a line parallel with it. The two ends of this part
of the 'head' instead of terminating in cones may form reduced cylinders these
cylinders being provided with collars fixed on the stem, open top and bottom, in
which they can rotate, but by which they are confined from lateral shake. Or, for these
collars may be substituted half-round or V-shaped bearings, and for the cylindrical
ends knife-edges or intermediate forms.
The wire, by which the head is suspended, may form a strong spring, and act as an
antivibrator the bearings must then be made longer.
I may use rings of steel balls instead of simple collars. In that case, I prefer to
make the balls revolve round the axis of the hinge slowly in a uniform direction, to
insure even wear. I effect this by. means of rings, taking the pressure of the balls,
and caused to rotate as a ratchet-wheel by the steering motions, and proferably only
the larger motions, of the handle-bar. This device is applicable to other forms of
steering-heads, having ball-bearings, the ring being replaced by a plate having a
V-shaped circular channel, where the balls have to support a vertical, as well as a
horizontal pressure. 1 may place balls on both sides of the ring or plate.
Dated this 15th day of Monah 1920
•
GEORGE HOOKHAM.
.COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Hinges or Steering Heads of Velocipedes and
similarly Constructed Vehicles.
I GEORGE HOOKHAм of Nos. 7 and 8 New Bartholomew Street Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
-
The object of my invention is to diminish the wear and consequent friction and
generally to diminish friction in the hinges or steering heads of velocipodes and
similarly constructed vehicles.
22
The form in which I prefer to use my invention is a modification of what is known
as the "Stanley Head or socket head. Instead of taking the downward pressure of
the steering head upon a point I suspend that part of the hinge or steering head which
is at right angles or approximately at right angles to the backbone of the machine
by a wire wires or other strong and flexible material from a point above it fixed to
the stem of the handle the wire being either within the stem or in a line parallel
with it. The two ends of this part of the head instead of terminating in cones may
form reduced cylinders these cylinders being provided with collars open top and

page_text: bottom fixed on the stem in which they can rotate but by which they are confined
from lateral shake. The wire by which the head is suspended may form a strong
spring and act as an anti-vibrator the bearings must then be made longer.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents in side elevation a safety bicycle
provided with a socket steering head the parts of which head are constructed and
arranged according to my invention; Figure 2 represents partly in section and
partly in clevation portions of the said socket steering head drawn to a larger scale
and Figure 3 represents my invention applied to a modified Stanley steering head
drawn to the same scale as: Figure 2.
C
I will first describo the socket steering head represented in Figures 1 and 2; a ist
the backbone of the safety bicycle connected to the axle of the driving wheel, as
usual is the steering wheel and c the fork of the same d is the socket of the steering
head brazed to the fork c of the steering wheel. In the socket d the stem e of the
steering handle har fis adjusted and fixed by the screw clip g. Ordinarily the back-
bone a rests on the top of the fork c and great friction and consequent wear results
between the moving and fixed parts. I obviate this in the following manner.
The collar or fore end of the backbone a is made capable of a limited sliding
motion on the bottom of the socket. d. To the said sliding fore end of the back-
bone a an
armis brazed and to the said arm a long tubular bearing kis
fixed in which the socket d of the steering handle bar is capable of turning for
effecting the steering operation. The collar or fore end of the backbone a arm i
and tubular bearing k are suspended or supported in the following way. To the
socket d of the steering head an arm similar to the arm i is secured and the two
arms are connected together by the strong twisted wire m by which wire the parts
described are suspended to the fixed arm the said wire acting as a strong flexible
support for the said parts.
The wire m (or wires) may be secured to the fixed and sliding arms i and
tightened in a variety of ways.
l
I have represented in Figure 2 a method of fixing the wire which I have found to
answer well in practice. The bottom of the wire mi is soldered to a tubular screw
plug n and the latter is screwed into a screwed eye p in the sliding arm i. The fixed
arm is also provided with a tubular screw plug 7 through the axis of which the end
of the wire m is passed and soldered to the head or disc r. By screwing the screw
plug 9 out of its screw box g² the head may be raised and the height of the tubular
bearing or sleeve & adjusted. The head or disc » may either bear directly on the top
of the screw plug g or an elastic washer of india rubber or metal may be interposed
between the said head and the top of the screw plug q.
On the rider seating himself on the seat of the bicycle the back-bone a.h arm i
and tubular bearing or sleeve & slightly descend sliding on the socket d and additional
tension is thereby put on the wire m the said parts a hik being supported and
suspended by the said wire. It will thus be understood that the steering socket d
fixed to the fork c turns in the suspended long bearing k and collar h of the back-
bone a and consequently there is very little friction between the fixed and movable
parts of the steering head as the lower end of the tubular bearing-or. sleeve kis
prevented from bearing upon the upper part of the fork c. The said wire m reduces
the tremulous motion between the steering wheel and the steering handle.
I will now describe my invention as applied to a modified Stanley steering head
as represented in Figure 3'a is the backbone and a is the hinged pin of the same
the reduced or pivot end as of which turns in the clip or collar s fixed to the upright
or head of the fork of the steering wheel. The bottom of the hinge pin a is also
reduced and works in the bottom clip or collar s fixed to the upright or head of the
fork. The wire m is soldered or otherwise fixed at bottom to the hinge pin at a³ and is
connected at top to the head r above the adjustable screw plug q the said plug being
carried by the lever u on the clip a fixed to the steering head t.
When the rider seats himself on the bicycle the backbone a slightly descends
thereby removing the bearing shoulder at from the clip or collars and putting

page_text: tension on the wire m. The backbone is thereby suspended by the said wire m and
on the turning of the steering head t the only friction is that produced by the clips
or collars and 2 turning on the ends of the hinge pin a².
ог
The wire described may either be a single wire or a strand of wire or two or more
wires or strands of wires may be employed. Or in place of metallic wires
strands of metallic wires thongs of leather or cords of hemp or other flexible fibrous
material may be employed.
In place of a plain or closely twisted wire or wires a helical steel coil or an
undulating or zigzag steel wire or strip of steel constituting a spring may be
employed.
Although my invention
principally applicable to velocipedes yet it may be applied
to other vehicles of like construction such as Bath chairs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention
First The arrangements or combinations of parts hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for supporting or suspending the backbones
of velocipedes and other like vehicles thereby avoiding the friction produced by
downward pressure in the hinges and steering heads of velocipedes and other like
vehicles as ordinarily constructed that is to say by means of a wire or wires or a
strand or strands of wire or a cord or cords or other flexible support fixed at top to
the head of the steering fork and at bottom either to the fore end of the backbone
or to the hinge pin of the backbone the said suspending wire or wires or flexible
support being combined with the parts of the steering head substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated.
Secondly Employing an elastic helical coil of steel wire or an undulating or
zigzag steel wire or strip in place of the wire or wires or strand or strands of flexible
cord or support referred to in the first claim; also the combination of an elastic
washer with the inelastic supports referred to in the first claim.
Dated the Thirteenth day of December 1889.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.