Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, WILLIAM CORNER, Junior, Fern Lea, 26, Victoria Crescent, Eccles, in the
County of Lancaster, Stationer, 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My said invention relates to improvements in velocipedes and has reference more
particularly to the handle bars and brakes. of such velocipedes.
In an application for Letters Patent No. 13014 of 1897 I described inter alia a
method of mounting the handle bars of velocipedes so that, for convenience in
stowing, the handle bars might be turned parallel with the longitudinal axis of
the bicycle.
The object of my present invention is to simplify such method, and to provide
means whereby the brake rod may at all times be readily operated, and when
required locked so as to maintain the brake shoe in contact with the tyre.
And in order that my invention may be readily understood I have attached
hereto a sheet of explanatory drawings to which I will now refer.
Fig. 1 represents in front elevation part of the handle bar and head of a bicycle
partly in section.
Fig. 2 shows the handle bar turned at a right angle to the position shown in
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the handle bar and stem.
Fig. 4 shows the brake rod depressed and locked in this position.
Figs. 5 to 12 are detail views.
In carrying my invention into effect I cut a longitudinal slot a in the front of
the handle bar stem b clearly shown in Fig. 1. The back of the handle bar item,
is also formed with a slot a and this slot is suitably enlarged so as to permit of
the insertion of a bolt c (see Fig. 10). The bolt c is shown in plan view in Fig. 8.
I form circular holes dd in the handle bar for the passage of the tubular spindle c.
The tubular spindle e is secured to the bolt c in the following manner.
I first
place within the interior of the handle bar stem ba spiral spring e¹ and insert
the bolt e below the spring el. The tubular spindle e is then passed through the
holes dd in the handle bar and through the spiral spring e¹ and is screwed into
the bolt c. The spiral spring el abuts against the bolt c and the lower part of the
handle bar as shown in Fig. 5 and thrusts the bolt c to the bottom of the longi-
tudinal slot or key way a.
Upon the handle bar stem 6 I mount loosely a sleeve f which is maintained in
position upon the handle bar stem by means of a tubular stop or ring f¹ secured
upon the lower end of the handle bar stem b. To secure the stop or ring f¹ both
the stop and the lower end of the stem b are cut with corresponding opposite slots,
extending say half way through, so as to leave a gap or keyway through ring fi
and stem b. Within this keyway is inserted a disc key f* shown in plan view
Fig. 11.
The upper portion of the sleeve f is formed with four key ways f2 shown in the plan

page_text: views Figs. 7 and 8 Fig. 8 being a sectional plan of Fig. 2 through the line A .B.
Upon the upper part of the sleeve f is secured a collar f3.
When the sleeve f is placed in position upon the handle bar stem the bolt c
occupies two of the recesses or key ways f2 (see Figs. 7 and 8) and the handle bar
is thus locked to the sleeve. The sleeve is secured to the fork tube in the
usual manner and the handle bar, sleeve and fork tube are normally locked
together. Should it be desired however to turn the handle bar to a right angle
the tubular spindle e is raised by means of a suitable knob thus lifting the bolt c
in the slot a against the action of the spring e¹, out of the recesses in the sleeve f
as shown in Fig. 3. The handle bar stem 6 can then be revolved within the
sleeve f. As soon as the handle bar stem b has been revolved a quarter of a
revolution the bolt c is thrust by the spring e¹ into the opposite grooves or key
ways thus locking the handle bar parallel with the longitudinal axis of the
bicycle.
C
As in my former invention described in the Specification of Letters Patent
No. 13014 of 1897 the brake rod passes through the interior of the fork tube. In
the drawings annexed hereto the brake rod g passes through the tubular spindle
and may be connected to the locking arrangements for the steering wheel as
described in the specification of my former invention. This connection may be
effected by means of the coupling g' described in the specification of my former
patent or by means of a pinching screw g².
If desired however the brake rod and locking means for the steering wheel
may be dispensed with and the means for turning the handle bar to a right
angle as described be used alone.
The brake rod g is actuated by a suitable brake lever, not shown, and may
be locked with the brake shoe in contact with the tyre of the wheel so as to prevent
the revolution of the wheel, in the following manner.
As seen
Upon the brake rod g is mounted a short loose sleeve h formed with an external
and internal screw thread. The sleeve h is screwed a short distance into the
bolt and thereby secured to the bolt. Projections h¹ on the sleeve engage with
recesses e formed in the tubular spindle e so that when the spindle e is revolved
the sleeve h may be screwed further into the bolt c when required.
particularly in Figs. 4 and 6 the brake rod g is formed with a screw thread gl
normally in the position shown in Fig. 6. When the brake rod is depressed the
screw thread g is brought into engagement with the interior thread or the sleeve h.
By revolving the tubular spindle e by means of the projecting knob the sleeve h
revolving therewith is screwed upon the screw thread g¹ and the sleeve h being
secured to the bolt c as described holds the brake rod in its depressed position as
shown in Fig. 4.
The bicycle wheel is thus prevented from revolving by the brake block so as
to guard against the theft of the bicycle. I provide means also to prevent the
tubular spindle e from being raised and thus releasing the brake block on the brake
rod g. Upon the end of the sleeve h I mount a collar i free to revolve freely
thereon. This collar i is provided. with projections ¹¹ disposed on each side of
the bolt c see Figs. 3 and 8.
are
Normally the projections are a little distance below the bottom of the
handle bar tube as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. As the tubular spindle is
raised in screwing the sleeve h upon the screw thread g¹ the projections
brought to bear upon the under side of the tube of the handle bar as shown in
Fig. 3 and act as stops to prevent the lifting of the tubular spindle e.
In Fig. 12 I show an arrangement devised to prevent the unlocking of the
parts by unauthorized persons and thus effectually prevent the theft of the cycle.
The knob of the brake rod g is provided with a tubular extension into which
the brake rod is screwed.
The brake lever is turned up at the end and is provided with a jaw k¹ to
embrace an annular recess of the knob j and thus actuate the brake rod.
When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 12 the brake rod is depressed

page_text: and locked. By revolving the knob it may be detached from the brake rod g
and slipped out of the jaw of the brake lever k. The tubular spindle e may then
be unscrewed from the bolt c. and also withdrawn. The operating parts are
thus removed leaving the top of the brake rod y recessed within the handle bar and
rendering it impossible to unlock the brake rod except by means of the operating
parts in the possession of the rider.
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) The improved method of mounting and securing the handle bars of veloci-
pedes so that the same may, when required, be turned parallel with the longi-
tudinal axis of the velocipede, consisting of the spring actuated bolt e engaging
with recesses formed in the handle bar stem and a surrounding sleeve secured to
the fork tube, and arranged and acting in the manner by the means and sub-
stantially as described and shown.
2) The improved means of locking the brake block upon the wheel tyre of a
velocipede so as to prevent or retard the revolution of the wheel substantially as
described and illustrated.
3) The general arrangement construction and combination of parts comprising
the complete mechanism for enabling the handle bars of cycles to be turned at
right angles to their normal position, and the means of locking the brake block
upon the wheel tyre substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 1st day of April 1898.
For the Applicant,
E. K. DUTTON & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 5, John Dalton Street, Manchester.