Improvements in the Construction of Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS, of 55, Winterscale Street, off Fishergate, York,
England, Confectioner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
The invention which relates to cycles and other vehicles has for its object to
construct these in the manner and for the purpose of obviating the use of pneumatic
tyres, in place of which cushion or solid rubber tyres may be employed.
In carrying my invention into practice I distribute elastic cushions or pads in
such manner that the weight of the frame at the hubs of both wheels and the sup-
porting bracket of the saddle shall be carried on balls or spheres, or short cylinders
of rubber, either solid or hollow, with or without the ordinary pressure of the atmo-
sphere, highly inflated or not.
To attain these ends I propose to construct the hub of both driving and steering
wheel at their outer ends with a slightly overhanging bracket extension terminating
upwardly with cups or caps. The said cups or caps form a seat for receiving the
balls, spheres or short cylinders before mentioned. The rear ends of the forks
would be correspondingly provided, and between the cups or caps formed on the
hub bracket and the cups or caps formed on the fork ends, the said balls, spheres,
or cylinders would be inserted.
To allow of free up and down motion consequent upon the unevenness of the
roads over which the cycle would have to travel suitable guides and guide pins
would be provided.
At the hub of the rear or driving wheel it may sometimes be found convenient
to have a set of two balls, spheres or cylinders on either side of the wheel as opposed
to only one being used on either side of the steering wheel which has to support
much less weight.
The saddle bracket may have a set of three balls, one in front and one on either
side thereof in the rear.
As an alternative method of carrying out my invention I may have the nave of
both wheels formed with a disc of rubber, solid or inflated and of suitable diameter.
The said rubber nave, which would receive all shocks communicated to the cycle,
would be prevented from lateral displacement by virtue of a suitable number of
studs or pins radially secured to the hub, after the manner of spokes, passing loosely
through the rubber disc and similarly through the rim of smaller diameter of both
steering and driving wheel.
Dated this 11th day of June 1897

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS, of 55, Winterscale Street, off Fishergate, York,
England, Confectioner, 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:―
The invention which relates to cycles and other vehicles has for its object to con-
struct these in the manner and for the purpose of obviating the use of pneumatic
tyres, in place of which cushion or solid rubber tyres may be employed; or both
pneumatic tyres and my improved cushions may be used when a maximum effect
of ease and spring power is desired.
1
In carrying, my invention into practice I destribute elastic cushions or pads in
such manner that the weight of the frame at the hubs of both wheels and the sup-
porting bracket of the saddle shall be carried on balls, spheres, hemispheres, short
cylinders, or cubes of rubber either solid or hollow, with or without the ordinary
pressure of the atmosphère, highly inflated or not.
In order that my invention may be better understood I have hereunto annexed
an accompanying sheet of drawings.
Figure 1, is a portion of the fork and hub of the steering wheel of a bicycle, to
which my invention pertaining to that part of a velocipede, is applied.
Figure 2, is an end view of the same showing only one member of the fork.
Figure 3, illustrates the fork end of the frame of the rear or driving wheel of a
bicycle to which my invention is also applied.
Figures 4, and 5, illustrate two alternative methods of carrying my invention
into practice. Figure 6, is a further modification in which spheres or balls take
the place of sectional pieces of rubber.
Figures 7, and, 8, are respectively side elevation and end view of an elastic or
spring hub made in accordance with my invention. Figure 9, is a perspective
view of a velocipede saddle to which my invention is applied. Figure 10, is a plan
of the underside of the same. Figure 11, is a detail view of one of the elastic balls
or spheres for supporting the saddle and, Figure 12, is a similar view of a hollow
sphere or ball, all hereafter more fully described.
In Figure 1, the fork end A, terminates with a forked or bifurcated extension
each member of which constitutes an overhanging bracket of box-like form.
Within the receptacle A¹, is contained a cube or rectangle B, of rubber, or
analogous elastic material or compound; and a similarly shaped piece of rubber B¹,
is contained in the lower receptacle A*, and held in position by a screw bolt or
guide pin F, as will be hereafter referred to. In the bifurcated extension C, formed
in the forward end of the fork aforesaid, an arm D, is placed which is pivoted at
its upper end by a screw stud and bolt E, whilst its lower end is so constructed as
to constitute a bearing for the hub spindle of the steering wheel. The said arm D,
is free to move up and down within the limits of the division C, of the fork.
mid-distance or thereabouts, of the length of the said arm D, is formed an eye or
lug E¹, which is tapped or screw-threaded. Within the hole formed in the said
lug E, a screw guide pin or bolt F is inserted. Any movement imparted to the
said arm D, will be communicated to the screw guide pin or bolt F.
At
The said pin or bolt F, passes loosely through the cube of rubber B¹, and retains
it in position.
The opposite end of the said bolt F, which may be provided with a head or pro-
2

page_text: jection, presses against the cube of rubber B, so that when any obstacle or uneven-
ness of the track or road, over which the cycle is travelling, occurs any jerk, shock,
or upward movement imparted to the wheels is absorbed by the said rubber cubes.
The lower cube B¹, being compressed, and the upper cube B, receives and cushions
the impact of the bolt end F.
Referring to Fig. 3, the cube piece of rubber B, and the arm or lever D, are
contained within the receptacle A³, as shown-the cap or cover being removed for
that purpose. The cube piece of rubber B¹ supported by the head of the pin or
bolt F is on the outside thereof. The said receptacle A2 is formed in the fork end
of the rear framework of the driving wheel. The arm or pivoted lever D, terminates
in a slotted extension for receiving the hub spindle of the driving wheel and allows
the proper adjustment in the length of the chain to be made as is well understood.
In lieu of cubes as already described, cylindric pieces B2, and B³, may be
employed as shewn in Fig. 4.
Figure 5 illustrates hemispheres of rubber B+, and B5, the apexes b, receive the
thrust or impact occasioned by any impediment during cycling.
In Figure 6, balls or spheres G, and G, conveniently take the place of rubber
sections as have been already described.
The arrangement illustrated in Figures 7, and 8, consists of a disc H, of rubber
held circumferentially in the rim I. A ring or collar h, supports the said disc of
rubber H and revolves with it. The hub spindle J passes through the centre of
the said ring or collar h, which may or may not be provided with an arrangement
of ball bearings in order to reduce friction. Short metal spokes H¹, are secured to
the ring or collar h, aforesaid which said spokes pass loosely through the rubber
disc H, and the rim I by which means the said disc is prevented from lateral dis-
placement from the rim.
The elastic area is contained within the space formed by the said inner circum-
ference of the rim and the outer circumference of the hub spindle. The saddle
illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, is supported on a triangularly formed frame or
cradle K, between which and the frame K¹, of the saddle are interposed three balls
or spheres B6, B7 and 138-one in front and two in the rear as shown in Fig. 10.
Screw bolts L pass loosely through the centre of the said balls or spheres in the
vertical plane, which are secured against displacement by the square headed nuts M,
at their lower ends. By the weight of the rider the framework K¹, connected
immediately to the saddle tends to approach the cradle K, through the elastic com-
pression of the said balls or spheres.
Consequent upon the unevenness of the road the triangular frame or cradle K,
tends to approach the saddle frame K', with the like compression of the balls. By
the said precise and triple arrangement of ball cushions a very easy and resilient
seat is obtained.
The detached ball or sphere illustrated in section at Fig. 11, is a solid one;―that
illustrated in section at Fig. 12, is a hollow one with a solid core in order to permit
of the rod or screw bolt being inserted loosely through the centre. The last named
may if required be inflated.
My invention is applicable to vehicles which have a front steering fork as in some
form of motor cars; also to those whose wheels are supported in a depending
bracket as in tram cars.
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:-
1. In the construction of cycles and other vehicles, the interposition of balls or
sectional pieces of rubber or analogous elastic material so arranged as to receive
and absorb vibration and impact occasioned by the unevenness of the road over
which the cycle is travelling and operating substantially in the manner as described
and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.

page_text: 2. The general arrangement and combination of parts operating substantially,
in the manner as described and shown on the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1898.
JOHN CALDWELL ROBINS,
Applicant