Improvements in Vehicles for Carrying Light Loads.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Vehicles for Carrying Light Loads.
1. LAWSON ADAMS, of 1385 West Avenue, Buffalo, County of Eric, State of
New York, United States of America, Inventor, 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 relates to certain improvements in vehicles for carrying light loads,
for instance, mail matter, store parcels or other matter, all of which will be fully
and clearly hereinafter described and claimed reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1, represents a bicycle having my invention connected therewith.
Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section on or about line aa, Fig. 3, through the
parcels or load carrier, showing a side elevation of the interior construction of the
same.
Fig. 3, represents a detaclied rear end elevation of the load or parcels carrier.
Fig. 4, represents a portion of the bicycle wheel rim and tire, and a part of the
package or load carrier showing a portion broken out to expose the brake, and a
section through the brake shaft.
Fig. 5, is a cross section through the tire and wheel rim in or about line a à,
Fig. 4, all parts beyond the section being omitted, showing also an inner underside
clevation of the forked bicycle, and a side elevation of the brake shaft and a portion.
of the handle for operating the brake.
The invention is chiefly designed to be used within an ordinary bicycle, the frame
pieces 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, being constructed and secured together in the usual manner,
6 represents the saddle,, 7, the pedals, 8 and 8, the chain and sprocket gear, 9 is
the rear wheel, and 10, the steering handles, all of which are of well known
construction and consequently require no further description here.
The bicycle fork 11, is also constructed in a similar manner as an ordinary
bicycle fork, with the exception that it is made shorter and is rigidly secured to
parcel holder or load carrier by bolts 11ª.
The front wheel 12, is made in the form of a rim 13, provided with a rubber
tire, 14.
Within the rim 13, is secured by grooved rollers 15, 16 and 17, the package
holder, or load carrier.
The load carrier consists of a box or receptacle 18, of any suitable form, the
preferred form being represented in the drawing, but it may be square, or of any
desired shape, with the exception of that portion adapted to fit within the rim of
the wheel.
The lower grooved roller 17, is mounted in suitable bearings in the package
holder, the rollers 15 and 16, are also mounted in the package holder but in
adjustable boxes 18, which are adjusted by the set screws.19, see Fig. 2.
The object of the adjusting screws 19, is to provide the means for adjusting the
rollers 15 and 16, so that they may be adjusted to fit the wheel rim and run
smoothly therein, and also to provide a suitable means for the removal of the
package holder when required.
The rollers 15, 16 and 17, may be mounted in ball bearings if desired and thereby
made to run with as little friction as possible.
At the top of the package holder is hinged either one or two covers 20 and 20ª,
but one may be used if desired, these covers are provided with a lock and key,
aspring lock. being preferred.

page_text: On one or both sides of the package holder is secured by holding pieces or
slideway boxes 21, so as to be easily moved up or down therein, a eupporting
foot 22, which is let down to support the bicycle in an upright position when at
rest.
At the top of the supporting feet 22, is pivoted by a pin 23, a substantially
horizontal arm 24, an end view of the mate to the arm 24, is shown in Fig. 3,
and is indicated by the character 24*, for reasons which will appear further on.
These arms 24 and 24", are rigidly secured to a shaft 25, which extends through
the package holder and is mounted in suitable well known boxes.
The arm 24, is provided with another arm 26, which extends upward and is
either made in one piece with the armm 24, as shown in Fig. 1, or it may be rigidly
secured to it. It is provided at the top with a handle 27, for operating it.
In or about the centre of the package holder is rigidly secured to the shaft, 25,
a forked brake 28.
The forked portions 29, of the brake 28, is adapted to pass through the side of
the package holder and clutch over each side of the wheel rim track 13,
substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and thereby hold the wheel securely when
the handle 27, is pulled toward the operator.
The operation of the device will be easily understood from the foregoing
description and drawings, the bicycle being propelled in the usual way. When
it is desired to stop it, lower the supporting feet, and set the brake; all that is
required to be done is to stop the movement on the pedals and draw the handle 27,
forward as hereinbefore described.
The parcels carrier may be easily taken from the wheel when required by
adjusting the boxes 18, so as to bring the rollers away from the rim track 13°, and
it may be moved from the bicycle fork by removing the bolts 11ª.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination with a vehicle for carrying light loads, of a package holder
mounted on rollers adapted to run within one of the wheel rims, means for holding
it in position with said rim and to the vehicle, and means for driving and guiding
said vehicle, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a bicycle, of a package holder secured to the bicycle
fork and mounted on rollers adapted to run on a track extending entirely around
the inner side of the rim of the wheel, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a bicycle, of a package holder having its top rigidly
secured to the bicycle fork, and provided with a series of grooved rollers which run
and are supported on an inner endless track forming a part of the hubless rim of
the wheel, and means for adjusting a portion of the series of said rollers,
substantially as and for the purposes described.
4. The combination with a bicycle, having a forward hubless wheel or rim,
a track extending the entire circuit of inner side of said rim, a package holder
secured to the bicycle fork and provided with a series of grooved rollers mounted
in suitable boxes thereon, and adjusted to fit and run on said inner rim track, a shaft
mounted transversely in said package holder in suitable boxes, a forked brake
rigidly secured to said shaft and adapted to clutch the rim track, and means
substantially as above described for operating it.
5. A package holder provided with a cover and means for locking it, and a series
of grooved rollers mounted in suitable boxes at the bottom and sides thereof, in
combination with a vehicle wheel rim having an inner rim track extending around
the inner side of the same upon which the grooved wheels are mounted and support
the package holder within the rim, and means for securing the package holder
to the vehicle, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a bicycle, of a package holder secured to the bicycle
fork, a series of grooved rollers mounted on said package holder, a wheel rim having

page_text: an inner endless track upon which the grooved rollers are mounted and support the
package holder, vertically movable feet on the package holder for keeping the
bicycle in an upright position when at rest, and means substantially as described
for operating them.
7. The combination with a bicycle, of a hubless wheel at the front of the same,
an endless track extending around the inner side of the wheel rim, a package
holder secured to the bicycle fork and mounted on grooved rollers adapted to run
on the endless track within said rim, a shaft extending transversely through the
package holder, a forked brake rigidly secured to said shaft adapted to clutch the
said endless track, two substantially horizontal arms rigidly secured to said shaft,
two vertically movable feet having their upper ends pivoted to the free ends of the
said arms, and an upright arm provided with a handle adapted to be grasped by the
hand, whereby when said handle is moved toward the operator, the brake is brought
into action and the feet are lowered down at the same time, for the purposes
described.
Dated the gond Anr of Merah 1905
LAWSON ADAMS.