An Improved Bicycle-stand and Home-trainer.CY
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bicycle-stand and Home-trainer.
I, HENRY JUDSON CURTIS, Merchant, of No. 98 Asylum Street, Hartford, in
the County of Hartford and State of Connecticut, United States of America,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for SAFETY STAND AND TRAINER
FOR BICYCLES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The invention relates to the class of devices that are used for the purpose of
retaining a bicycle, or similar machine, in an upright position for storage, the object
being to provide such a device which is simple, cheap and can be at any time
adjusted so a rider can exercise and train on the machine under practically the same
conditions as in actual use. The invention consists in the combination of a base,
clamps. braces and supporting parts as hereinafter set forth.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device in position for use as a trainer.
Figure 2 is a detail view of one of the braces.
Figure 3 is a detail view illustrating the method of using the braces and showing
some of the parts in vertical section.
In the views the letter a indicates a bicycle of the safety type in which the rear
wheel is geared up with the crank by a flexible connection, and forms the driving-
wheel b which is borne by the axle & supported by a substantially horizontal part c¹
of the frame c. The base d is preferably made of wood with transverse arms d' and
an upright yoke d² which embraces the felloe of the front wheel e at about midway
of its height. The wheel e rests on the base, preferably in sockets, and braces f
terminating at the upper end in a clamp f¹, are hinged to the outer ends of the
arms d¹ and arranged to be clamped to the machine, preferably a little below
the handle bar. Directly below the driving wheel one or more rollers y are jour-
nalled in suitable bearings g¹ secured to the base. The friction or brake roller
has a peripheral groove g² and may be made of cast metal, rubber or other suitable
substance. The braces each consist of a rod of metal, as iron or steel, having a
point at the lower end and a fork at the upper end. The fork is adapted to
engage the part of the frame c¹ immediately adjacent to the axle 1 of the driving-
wheel in such manner as to prevent the brace from slipping, while the lower pointed
ends are adapted to be driven into the floor or earth upon opposite sides of the base.
The braces are utilized to regulate and adjust the vertical position of the driving-
wheel with relation to the friction roller by regulating the distance between the
centre of the base and the points of the braces. When the pointed ends of the
braces are in the position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings they hold
the driving wheel against side swaying and permit the larger part of the weight
of the rider to bear on the roller; but by bringing the pointed ends of the braces
nearer together the wheel is lifted and the pressure removed from the roller so that
but little resistance is offered to the rotation of the driving-wheel, the pressure and

page_text: resistance being quickly regulated by changing the distance between the points of
the braces. The stand is of simple and cheap construction and the simplicity of the
braces that adapt the machine to be used as a trainer are elements of decided advan-
tage to the use of the device.
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 what I claim is :
1. A stand having a base with lateral arms with braces attached to the arms and
terminating at the upper end in a clamp adapted to be secured to the frame, an
upright support for the front wheel secured to the base, a roller journalled to the
base beneath the rear wheel, and braces having pointed ends and forked heads
adapted to engage the frame of the bicycle adjacent to the axis of the driving wheel,
substantially as specified.
2. A stand having a base provided with braces and clamps for securing the front
wheel of a bicycle, a friction wheel mounted on the base, and adjustable braces
adapted to be attached to opposite sides of the frame near the axle of the driving-
wheel, substantially as specified.
Dated at Hartford, Connecticut UI SA this 26th day of Sentember 1890