improvements in the Construction of Bicycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1090
Complete Specification Left, 17th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
improvements in the Construction of Bicycles.
I, JAMES HIGHAM, of 35, Barton Road, Stretford, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of bicycles.
The objects of my invention are to facilitate the adjustment of the driving
wheel and the application of the break.
In the accompanying drawing
Fig. 1 is a side view, and
Fig. 2 an edge view of the rear end of the bottom stay of the frame of a
bicycle.
In this invention I construct the adjusting screw b so that the eye b¹ of said
screw may be clamped within and between the fork c either by forming a groove
as d in the top and bottom edge of the eye to receive the interior edges of the
fork, or by means of a groove formed in each of the interior edges of the fork,
and the edges of the eye b' inserted therein, or other equivalent means. When
the bearings in the driving wheel have been adjusted, the eye portion of a
chain adjusting screw as 6 herein before described is placed on each end of the
driving wheel spindle and the spindle nuts tightened thereon before the wheel
is placed in position in the frame, the adjusting screws remaining fixed to the
driving wheel spindle whether the wheel is either in the frame or taken from
the frame. In applying this part of my invention the wheel is placed in the
ordinary position between the rear ends of the two bottom stays, and the eye
portions 61 of each of the aforesaid adjusting screws are placed in between the
forks, c. A clamp as e is placed on the ends of the forks c, the screw portions
of the adjusting screws 6 passing through and projecting from said cramps; the
wheel is placed in line with the frame and the chain tightened by the nuts 2.
The eye of the adjusting screw is then gripped and firmly retained in position
between the forks c by turning the screws f.
In order that break power may be applied to the driving wheel without injury
to the rubber tyre, I affix one end of a steel band on the inside and at or about
the centre of the bottom bracket: the free end of said steel band may pass up
through the seat pillar and by means of a lever actuate the break automatically
by the rider relieving the seat of his weight when the aforesaid band will bind
on the gear wheel spindle: in a modification I pass one end of a bell crank lever
through a slot in the bottom bracket and apply the break on the gear wheel
spindle by means either of a band as hereinbefore named or a clutch connected
to a lever on the handle bar. By these means, break power is applied through
the chain to the driving wheel.

page_text: I, JAMES HIGHAM, of 35, Barton Road, Stretford, in the County of Lancaster,
Manager, 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 the construction of bicycles.
The object of my invention is to facilitate the adjustment of the driving wheel
without affecting the bearings when either from an alteration required in the
length of the chain or other cause said wheel has to be moved. I effect this
object by the means hereinafter described and as shown in the accompanying
sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 represents a side view and Fig. 2 an edge
view of the rear end of a bottom side stay with said end formed to receive an
adjusting link as shown in Fig. 3, which is a side view, and Fig. 4 an edge view
of said link, and a clamp as shown in Fig. 5 which is a side view and Fig. 6
a plan of said clamp. Fig. 7 is a plan and Fig. 8 a side view showing the
application of my invention. In these views similar letters refer to similar
parts.
In this invention I form the flat portion of the rear end 61 of the bottom
side stay in a bicycle of a thickness and strength that when the ends 63 of
said stay are pressed together, there may be sufficient spring to cause an object
placed within the jaw b to be gripped and firmly retained by said jaw: I make
an adjusting link c with parallel grooves d and d therein, formed so that said
link may be placed within and slide between the sides of the jaw 63: I form a
clamp e as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 which I place on the ends 62 of the aforesaid
bottom stay and which when the set screw el is screwed down contracts the
space within the jaw 63, causing the aforesaid adjusting link c or other equivalent
to be gripped thereby the screwed end c¹ of the link c passes through a hole
formed horizontally in the centre of the clamp.
.
In applying my invention I place an adjusting link c hereinbefore described
on each end of the spindle q of the driving wheel after the, bearings have been
adjusted, before placing said wheel in position in the frame, and immoveably
fix said links to the spindles by means of the nuts g. I then place the wheel
in the ordinary position between the rear ends of the bottom stays, with the
sides of the jaws 63 in the grooves d and d¹ of the adjusting links, passing the
screwed ends c¹ of said links through the clamps e. The set screws are then
tightened sufficiently to retain the clamps on the ends of the stays, and the
rectangular position of the wheel is set, and the slack of the chain taken up by
turning the nuts 2; when the position of the wheel has been, regulated and the
requisite tension put on the chain the set screws el are tightened by which the
adjusting links are clamped and thereby immoveably fixed.
By these means when it is required to alter the tension on the chain, or from 4
any cause to remove the driving wheel from the machine, the bearings are not
affected, as the eye of the adjusting screw remains locked against the face of
the cone of the bearing by the nuts 9, which do not require to be removed, the
release being effected by unscrewing the set screws e¹. In the accompanying
drawing I have shown the adjusting link c with grooved edges within which the 4
jaw end of the bottom stay is formed to slide. I may if preferred form bevelled
or other equivalent edges on said link to fit into corresponding grooves within
the jaw of the aforesaid bottom stay.
In the Provisional Specification that accompanied this application for a patent,

page_text: a part of my invention therein described included means for applying break
power to the machine. I do not desire to proceed with that part of my inven-
tion, but,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In bicycles the use of a clamp for binding and retaining the adjusting
link and the driving wheel spindle in a fixed position within the jaw formed at
the rear end of the bottom stay substantially as herein before described.
2nd. The adjustinent of the driving wheel and the tension on the chain by
means of an adjusting link as c formed with an eye, the outer edges of said
link being grooved for placing within a jaw formed on the rear end of the
bottom stay, in combination with a clamp as e for binding said eye within the
jaw substantially as herein before described.
3rd. In bicycles the adjustment of the driving wheel and the tension on the
chain by means of an adjusting link as which is formed with an eye, the outer
edges of said connecting link being bevelled or otherwise formed for placing
within the jaw at the rear end of the bottom stay, and retained by means of a
clamp in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before described.
4th. Securing the adjusting links in bicycles to the driving wheel spindle and
preventing any accidental alteration in the bearings after adjustment by locking
the eye of each adjusting link against the face of the cone bearings at either
end of said spindle by means of a nut, the outer edges of the eye of said adjust-
ing link being formed to slide within the jaw at the rear end of the bottom stay,
and retained in a fixed position by means of a clamp in the manner substan-
tially as herein before described.
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.