Improvements in connection with Forks and Steering Mechanism for Cycles and the like Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in connection with Forks and Steering Mechanism for
Cycles and the like Vehicles.
FRANCIS BEAUCHAMP, Sunny Side, The Green, South Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer. I do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:―
Its chief object is to provide means for steering, and supporting forks of cycles.
The parts that bear all the strain of steering and receives the shock of every
obstacle of cycles as at present constructed is the steering post and the ends of
the forks attached to the crown.
In this invention I provide rods or tubes flat, square or any convenient shape for
supports connected to the spindle of the hub or any convenient part of the forks
and carried up to bear against the lower frame tube connected to the head of a
cycle. The top ends of said rods or tubes are provided with screwed ends for
adjustment and are attached to a conveniently shaped piece of framework the
other ends of the shaped piece of framework are fixed each side to the top of the
forks connected to the crown, but at the same time allows the shaped piece of
frame work to move freely under the lower frame tube of the cycle. The said
lower frame tube is provided with a friction roller or rollers for the purpose of the
said shaped piece of framework to bear thereon. The said piece of framework is
shaped to allow the steering wheel to be moved freely.
The steering post has a V shaped slot cut therein, for the purpose of keeping
the steering wheel in track. When the rider wishes to move the steering wheel
out of the straight line he turns the handlebars which are attached to the steering
post, to the right or left or vice-versa.
Inside the steering post I place a piece of tube which is provided with a pin
which passes through the V shaped cam the said pin is provided with a friction
roller the said friction roller fits into a vertical slot cut in the head of a cycle.
The lower end of the said piece of tube I provide with a coiled spring for the pur-
pose of pulling the said pin and friction roller into the lower point of the V shaped
cam cut in the steering tube, or any other mechanical device for pressing or
pulling the pin and roller into the lower point of the V shaped cam, on the out-
side of the head tube which has the vertical slot cut therein I provide a cover to
enclose the said friction roller and pin.
Dath 9th dan of Tanunu
1000

page_text: Improvements in connection with Forks and Steering Mechanism for
Cycles and the like Vehicles.
FRANCIS BEAUCHAMP, Sunny Side, The Green, South Tottenham, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer, I do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with forks and steering;
mechanism for cycles and the like vehicles, and has for its chief object to pro-
vide means for steering and supporting forks of cycles. And in order that this
invention may be more fully understood and readily carried into effect I will pro-
ceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, is a side elevation of the forks and the fork supports with the head
of the cycle partly broken away to show the cam mechanism in the steering post.
Also part of the steering post broken away to show the piece of tube with the pin
passing through the cam said pin provided with a friction roller bearing against
the vertical slot cut in the head and the spring attached to the pin.
Figure 2, is a back view of the head of a cycle broken away to show the cam in
the steering post and the friction roller at the lower point of the cam and showing
the supports attached to the back of the fork blades and the upper end of the said
supports provided with the piece of shaped framework as shown underneath the
lower frame tube in dotted lines.
In Figure 1, A is a vertical slot cut in the back of the head of a cycle for the
friction roller marked B to bear against and work therein, which also at the
same time passes through the V shaped cam cut in the steering post said cam
marked C the roller marked B runs on a pin marked D) the said pin is fixed to a
piece of tube inside the steering post the said post marked E.
Inside the piece
of tube marked F is provided with a coiled spring and marked G one end of the
said spring is hooked on to pin D the other end is hooked on to a plate marked H,
underneath the crown. The said vertical slot marked A is provided with a cover
and marked A 1. I is a piece of the lower frame tube said tube is provided with
a friction roller marked J, K is a piece of tube forming one of the supports one
end of the said support is provided with a screw marked L and an adjusting nut
marked M to adjust the piece of shaped framework marked N against the friction
roller J the lower end of the piece of tube K is fixed to a projecting lug O brazed
into the back of the fork blades marked 1'. The piece of shaped framework N
is provided with stays marked B 2, for the purpose of holding the piece of frame-
work rigid.
Figure 2 shows the two supports marked K, K. And the shaped piece of frame-
work marked N, N, and the two screwed ends marked L, L, for the adjustment
also part of the lower frame tube marked I.
Figure 3 on Sheet 2, is the steering post marked E showing the V shaped cam
cut therein and marked C. Figure 4 shows the spring G hooked onto pin D,
the other end of spring G is hooked onto plate H the pin D is provided with a
friction roller marked B for the purpose of working into the V shaped cam
marked C the pin D is fixed across a piece of tube marked I the said piece of tube
works inside the tube of the steering post E and the friction roller B fits into the
vertical slot A cut in the head tube in Fig. 5. A 1, is the cover for covering the
said slot.
Figure 6, shows the shape of the framework NN looking down on the same and
the stays attached to the forks blades marked P, P, and lettered as before described
in Figures 1 & 2, Sheet 1, of the drawings.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st A bicycle fork provided with stays or supports at the back of the fork blades
or from the hub.
2nd Adjustable stays or supports underneath the lower frame tube and bearing
against a friction roller substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1 & 2.
3rd The steering mechanism consisting of a cam or cams cut in the steering
post and a vertical slot in the head of a cycle and the combination of a spring
connected to a sliding tube inside the steering post substantially as described and
set forth in Figures 1 & 2.
4th A selfsteering combination and fork supports substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 28th day of October 1898.