Improvements in Cycles or Velocipedės.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 31st Dec., 1991-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles or Velocipedės.
1, THOMAS ANDREW STEWART of No. 43 Shooter's Hill Road Blackheath in
the County of Kent Timber Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to safety cycles or velocipedes and by my improved
construction I am enabled at the same time to greatly diminish the amount of
vibration communicated to the rider when travelling over rough or uneven ground.
The machine is essentially a one track cycle the driving wheel being in the
centre and having a pilot wheel in front and a trailing wheel behind. The three
wheels are connected together by a suitable framework provided with springs or
other elastic parts in order always to ensure contact of all the wheels with the
ground and at the same time to lessen the vibration. The rider may conveniently
be mounted directly or nearly over the driving wheel and impart motion thereto
either directly by cranks or indirectly by other gearing for the transmission of
power. Steering is effected by pivotting the front wheel to the framework and
providing a suitable handle or handles in which case the hind or trailing wheel is
so pivotted as to be capable of freely following any curve taken, or the pilot and
trailing wheels may be connected together in such manner that the steering handle
or pillar acts upon both.
1
Monah, 1901
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles or Velocipedes.
1, THOMAS ANDREW STEWART of No. 43 Shooter's Hill Road Blackheath in
the County of Kent Timber Merchant 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 :-
My invention has reference to safety cycles or velocipedes and by my improved
construction the amount of vibration communicated to the rider when travelling
over rough or uneven ground, is greatly diminished.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is an elevation of one form of safety
cycle.
Figure 2. 3. 4 and 5 are similar views of modified constructions.
Figure 6 is an end view of the pilot or steering wheel of machine shown on
Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a detail sectional view of the arrangement of springs and connections
between the driving wheel forks and the backbone or framing of same machine
and
Figure 8 is an end view of the hind or trailing wheel also of same machine.
Referring to Figures 1. 6. 7 and 8 the machine is essentially a one track cycle
the driving wheel A being in the centre a pilot wheel B in front and a trailing or
hind wheel C behind. The three wheels are connected together by a suitable
frame D and as before mentioned in order to lessen the vibration communicated to
the rider springs or other suitable elastic media are introduced in such manner as
to ensure contact of all the wheels with the ground when the rider is mounted.
The driving wheel A is mounted between the forks E (Figures 1 and 7) which

page_text: forks are surmounted and connected by a cross head F. This cross head has near
each of its outer ends a hole (indicated in dotted lines on Figure 1 through which
goes the corresponding leg of a fork G which is bolted or otherwise secured to
the backbone or frame D. The fork G further slides in guide lugs H on the
forks E which are continued down below the centre of the wheel A and slide
vertically in guides I on the frame D. The necessary elasticity between the
frame D and forks E is given by means of the springs K which are hung from the
cross head F on the forks and connected to the fork G by the correspondingly
shaped cross head I fixed at the bottom of the fork G. The rider may con-
veniently be mounted on the saddle M over the wheel A and impart motion thereto
either directly by cranks N as shown or indirectly by other gearing for the
transmission of power.
The steering wheel B Figures 1 and 6 is mounted on forks O which are pivotted
to the steering fork P in such manner that the wheel may ride casily and
elastically over any obstruction or unevenness on the road against the action of
the tensional springs Q. The steering is effected by pivotting the pillar P to the
frame D and surmounting the pillar with ordinary handles P2 The lower pivot is
strengthened by means of a stay p and stays d d serve to render the frame more
rigid. The trailing wheel C (Figures 1 and 8) is so pivotted to the frame D by
means of pivotted forks R as to allow of freely following any curve taken by
the pilot and driving wheels while the vibration to the frame is lessened by means
of the springs S.
Although I have not shown any such arrangement it is evident that stops such
as set screws or lugs may be put on or fixed to the forks or frame so as to
prevent the collapse or failure of the machine in case of one or more springs
breaking.
When there is no weight in the saddle M or on the step T the driving wheel is
lifted from the ground by the action of the springs more or less as found con-
venient and according to the taste of the rider and the wheel A. consequently
only touches the ground when a weight comes on the frame so as to give the
necessary adhesion for driving and steering purposes.
In Figure 2 the frame D is made rigid as far as the driving wheel A is con-
cerned and the saddle M is mounted on a spring. The construction of steering
fork is similar to the arrangement shown on Figures 1 and 6 the only difference
being that it rakes back instead of forward. The trailing wheel C and its parts
connected thereto are practically the same as just described at length.
Figure 3 shows a machine where the frame D is made very much in the same
way as that shown on Figure 2, the chief difference being the tie or stay rod pl
between the parts of the frame where the steering pillar P is pivotted. The
front fork P rakes forward and the wheel B is mounted on the fork the
spring being in compression and surrounding a spindle 7 pivotted on each side
of the wheel and going up in a vertical direction through lugs or guides in the
sides of the fork P. The hind wheel is pivotted to the castor shaped fork R' by
means of forks R, the spindle pivotted on each side of the wheel and going
through the ends of the fork R' has a spring S also in compression which prevents
the communication of most of the vibration to the frame D from behind.
Figure 4 shows a modification with a ball head for the steering or pilot wheel B.
The fork P has mounted pivotally on it the fork O and the spring works
similarly to that shown in Figure 1. The trailing wheel is similarly connected by
ball bearings to the frame D and has a fork R pivotally mounted so as to follow
freely any curve taken by the wheels A and B. The action of the spring or
springs S is apparent without further explanation.
On Figure 5 have shown a machine in which the pilot and trailing wheels are
connected together by means of a rod P having a rack into which gears a
pinion P3 at the bottom of the steering pillar P which latter has ordinary
handles P2 in such manner that both wheels are acted upon at the same time.
The forks are in the example shown with considerable rake and having on

page_text: each side forks O, O¹ and links or forks O² with springs Q. The forks R of the
trailing wheel are arranged in the same way with forks R' R' and links or
forks R³ on each side and springs S connecting the links R³ and the forks R.
It is evident that I do not limit myself to the exact arrangements shown as with-
out departing from my invention I may apply spring forks of other constructions
to the pilot and trailing wheels B, and C. and other forms of frames D may be
employed equally well.
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.
First. A one track velocipede or cycle having three wheels which wheels are
always kept in contact with the ground when the rider is mounted by means of
springs attached to hinged forks moving in a direction more or less vertical
substantially as described and shown.
Second. The constructions of one track velocipedes or cycles as shown on the
drawings.
Third. The constructions of spring forks as shown on the drawings.
Dated this 31st day of December 1801
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.