A Bicycle Attachment for Use by Learners and others.
Year: 1888

page_text: A Bicycle Attachment for Use by Learners and others.
I HERBERT JOHN HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patents Agents, of
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me
from abroad by Wilhelm Kumpfmiller of Munich in the Kingdom of Bavaria,
Empire of Germany Merchant and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists in an attachment adapted to be fixed to a bicycle for giving
greater stability thereto so that learners and others may accustom themselves to
riding such machines without danger of falling.
The attachment consists essentially of a frame having thereon two or more wheels
and adapted to be fixed to the backbone or other part of the bicycle for performing
the function of the single rear wheel of the bicycle (the latter being held temporarily
from contact with the ground) so that the bicycle is supported upon a more or less
stable wheel base.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the said attachment and part of backbone and rear
wheel of a bicycle to which it is attached.
Fig. 2 is a side view thereof.
The frame of the attachment comprises the parallel horizontal rails or bars s s¹
connected together at their outer ends by rods or bars m m. The lower rail is divided
centrally and connected to, or formed in one part with, a transverse frame or
receptacle e forming a guard for the rear wheel of the bicycle and also a means for
connecting the parts of the rail and preserving their rigidity as a whole.
On the respective parts of the rail s' or on sleeves sliding on said rail, are journalled
wheels and about said wheels pass the forks g g terminating in bosses sliding on
the rail s. On or near the boss of each said fork y is secured a rack = one on the
lower side of the one boss the other on the upper side of the other. The said racks
extend parallel with the rails towards and beyond the centre thereof where they
are received by suitable guides fixed to the rail. In the centre of the rail and
meshing with the said racks is the pinion having a crank handle whereby it may be
turned.

page_text: By turning said handle the forks g and therefore the wheels are moved together
or asunder so that the breadth of the wheel base may be varied being narrowed as
the learner acquires proficiency in riding. The distance of the wheels preferably
varies between about 750 mm and 100 mm- -On the back of the rail s is a clamp c of
suitable form for securing said rail transversely on the backbone.
The frame is further secured by the stays m² m² pivoted respectively at the outer
extremities of the rails to said rail or to the side rods m. The remote ends of said
stays carry counter part semi-cylindrical flanged plates adapted to meet (or nearly
to meet) around the backbone below the step g₁ and be secured by bolts as
indicated.
Having now particularly described & 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.) As an attachment for bicycles a frame carrying two or more wheels and adapted
to be fixed to the backbone so that the latter is supported by said frame for the
purpose set forth.
2.) A frame comprising rods m m³, rails s s¹ in combination with wheels 1 l forks g
racks and pinions & for the purpose set forth.