Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 6th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 9th Mar., 1889
I JOHN SHELDON of No. 10 St. Augustine's Road Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be
as follows:-
My invention consists First in the following methods of constructing the wheels of
bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes.
I take oblong strips or plates of sheet steel and by means of piercing or cutting
tools I form a circular perforation or hole at the middle of the strip or plate which
hole or perforation constitutes part of the bearing or hub in which the axle of the
wheel works.
Around the said hole and concentric therewith I strike a circle of the size of the
hub of the wheel. I form a series of parallel slits at each end of the said strip or
plate. The inner ends of the said slits open into piercings or perforations made on
either side of the middle opening the uncutaway parts between the piercings constituting
arms or branches of the same width as the arms or branches formed by the parallel
slits but situated tangentially to the central portion or boss of the wheel. When the
parts formed by the parallel slits are bent outwards so as to be in line with the
uncutaway portions of the strip or plate of which they are prolongations there is
formed a series of equi distant radial spokes made in one piece with the central hub
portion of the wheel. I give to the hub and spokes thus made a slightly concave
figure and in building up a wheel employ two of the said combined hubs and
spokes described their concave faces being presented to each other. In fixing the
two series of concave combined hubs and spokes together and fixing the spokes in the
rim of the wheel I so fix them that the two sets of spokes broak joint that is the set.
of spokes at one side of the wheel is connected to the rim at points midway between
the points at which the other set of spokes at the other side of the wheel are
connected to the rim.
Instead of forming the spokes by means of the parallel slits described and
afterwards bending them outwards the central portion that is the boss and those
portions of the spokes which cross each other may be stamped or cut out of a circular
plate of steel and the necessary tangential prolongations to form the spokes bo
connected thereto by screwing or otherwise.

page_text: My invention consists Secondly in the following method of making and attaching
the india rubber tyre to the rim of the wheel. Instead of employing a continuous
ring of india rubber I employ a series of detached pieces or short lengths of india
rubber having the curvature of the wheel and with their sides slightly inclined to one
another. These india rubber pieces are pressed base forward into the trough of the
rim of the wheel the sides of which trough are similarly inclined to the india rubber
pieces that is contracted outwards. The said india rubber pieces are supported in
Between the ends of the adjacent
their places in the rim in the following manner.
pieces thin metallic plates crossing the trough of the rim are fixed the said plates
being secured in their places by pins crossing the trough near its middle. The ends
of the said india rubber pieces are provided with semi cylindrical depressions in
which when the said pieces are in position the said pins engage. Any part of the
india rubber tyre thus built up can be readily removed and replaced when necessary.
My invention consists Thirdly in the following construction and arrangement of
parts for steering bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes.
I will describe this part of my invention in connection with a safety bicycle.
On the bottom of the seat post situated between the two wheels of the bicycle I
form two snugs on opposite sides of the said bottom and inclined at an angle of
about 45 degrees to the axis of the said post. At the top of the seat post is a
horizontal bar in the normal plane of the wheels or in the plane in which the wheels
of the bicycle are situated when the bicycle is travelling in a rectilinear path. The
ends of this horizontal bar are provided with inclined snugs parallel respectively to
the inclined snugs at the bottom of the seat post. Each snug on the ends of tho
horizontal bar forms a pair with the snug parallel to it on the bottom of the seat post.
The two parts of the frame carrying the wheels are respectively connected to the two
pairs of snugs described. When the seat post is vertical the two wheels of the
bicycle are in the same vertical plane and the bicycle travels in a rectilinear path.
When the rider wishes to direct the bicycle to the right or left he has only to incline
his body in one or other direction at the same time pressing the steering handle in
the same direction when the two wheels of the bicycle become slightly inclined to one
another and the bicycle travels in a curved path to the right or to the left. By
means of springs at the bottom of the seat post the wheels are brought and maintained
in the same vertical plane when the rider does not incline his body to one side or the
other side.
1000

page_text: I JOHN SHELDON of No. 10 St. Augustine's Road Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my 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 consists First in the following methods of constructing the wheels of
bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes.
I take oblong strips or plates of sheet steel and by means of piercing or cutting
tools I form a circular perforation or hole at the middle of the strip or plate through
which hole or perforation the axle of the wheel passes.
Around the said holo and concentric therewith 1 strike a circle of the size of the
hub of the wheel. I form a series of parallel slits at each end of the said strip or
plate. The inner ends of the said slits open into piercings or perforations made on
either side of the middle opening the uncutaway parts between the piercings
constituting arms or branches of the same width as the arms or branches formed by
the parallel slits but situated tangentially to the central portion or boss of the wheel.
When the parts formed by the parallel slits are bent outwards so as to be in linė
with the uncutaway portions of the strip or plate of which they are prolongations there
is formed a series of equi-distant tangential spokes made in one piece with the
central hub portion of the wheel. I give to the hub boss and spokes thus made a
slightly concave figure and in building up a wheel I employ two or more of the said
combined hubs and spokes described, their concave faces being presented to each other.
In fixing the two series of the concave combined hubs and spokes together and
fixing the spokes in the rim of the wheel, I so fix them that the two sets of spokes
break joint, that is, the set of spokes. at one side of the wheel is connected to the rim
at points midway between the points at which the other set of spokes at the other side
of the wheel are connected to the rim.
Instead of forming the spokes by means of the parallel slits described and afterwards
bending them outwards the central portion that is the boss of the hub and those
portions of the spokes which cross each other may be stamped or cut out of a plate of
steel or other hard and ductile metal or alloy and the necessary tangential prolonga-
tions to form the spokes be connected thereto by screwing or otherwise.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents in part elevation and edge view
a portion of a combined hub boss, and spokes of the kind which I use in building up
a wheel according to the first described arrangement, the part on the side A of the
central hub boss exhibiting the finished spokes and the part on the side B of the
central hub boss exhibiting the arms or branches from which the spokes at that side
are to be made.
The central hub boss and the spokes are made from an oblong strip of sheet steel
by piercing it at b, b, b, so as to form therefrom the disc or boss a having a central
hole a through which the axle of the wheel passes and the parallel arms or branche, c, c

page_text: together with the diagonal arms or branches d, d situated tangentially to the central
boss a.
The parts at e, e of the pierced plate are next slit longitudinally so as
to separate the diagonal arms or branches d, d from the parallel tangential
branches c, c.
The prolonged parts at e, e of the diagonal branches d, d, are next bent
outwards so as to cross the parallel branches c, e as indicated in dotted lines. By a
drawing process the branches or arms c, c and d, d are drawn down or elongated and
reduced in thickness to form with the thicker central portions of the boss a series of
equi-distant radial or tangential spokes in one piece with the central hub boss a as
shown at the side A Figure 1.
The combined boss and spokes are made slightly concave and two pairs of them are
used for building up the wheel, the concave sides of the said combined bosses and
spokes being presented to each other and so arranged that the sets of spokes break-
joint as illustrated with respect to the spokes of the wheel next described.
Figure 2 represents in front elevation and Figure 3 in edge view a wheel constructed
according to the second described arrangement of this part of my invention. Figure 5
represents a portion of the wheel drawn to a'large scale.
This wheel and the wheel first described may be used with a hub of the kind repre-
sented in Figure 3 or with that represented in Figure 4. In the wheel-Figures 2, 3,
and 5, the hub boss fand the crossing arms g, g at the edge of the boss are stamped
or cut out of a plate of steel or other hard and ductile metal or alloy. The combined
central boss and arms y, g may be made by the casting process instead of by a
stamping or cutting out process from sheet metal.
To the ends of the arms g, g of the central boss f the tangential prolongations to
form the spokes h, h are connected.
"I have represented in Figure
two arrangements for connecting the spokes to the
arms 9, g of the bossf but I do not limit myself to those arrangements.
According to one arrangement the ends of the arms g g are expanded and made into
sockets with open sides as represented in the section at k, Figure 5, and into the said
open sided sockets & the heads of the spokes are passed, the other ends of the spokes
being secured to the rim of the wheel in any convenient way.
In another arrange-
ment the ends of the arms g, g of the central boss fare made into screw sockets of
the kind shown at l Figure 5. In the screwed sockets the inner ends of the spokes h
are screwed the outer ends of the spokes having heads which take a bearing in or are
connected to the rim in the ordinary way. Two of the central bosses described with
their spokes are used one on each side of the wheel. The bosses f, fat opposite sides
of the wheel are so arranged that their arms g, g to which the spokes are secured are
not situated exactly opposite one another but cross cach other at a small angle so that
the spokes at one side of the wheel break joint with. those at the other side of the
wheel as will be understood by an examination of Figure 2, where the spokes at one
side of the wheel are marked and those at the other side are marked i, i the arms of
the boss to which the said spokes i, i are connected being broken away in Figure 2 to
prevent confusion in the drawing.
My invention consists secondly in the following method of making and attaching
the india rubber tyre to the rim of the wheel. Instead of employing a continuous
ring of india rubber I employ a series of detached pieces or short lengths of india
rubber having the curvature of the wheel and with their sides slightly inclined to
one another. These india rubber pieces are pressed base forward into the trough
of the rim of the wheel the sides of which trough are similarly inclined to the
india rubber pieces, that is, contracted outwards. The said inclined india rubber
pieces are supported in their places in the rim by semi-cylindrical depressions in their
ends engaging with pins crossing the trough but the india rubber pieces may be fixed
in the troughs by being engaged with flanges in the troughs as hereinafter described.
Any part of the india rubber tyre thus built up can be readily removed and replaced
when necessary.
I do not limit myself to any particular sectional figure of the short lengths of india
rubber as the sectional figure may be varied, the sectional figure of the rim being
made to correspond with that of the base of the india rubber pieces.

page_text: This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 6 to 25, both inclusive, of the
accompanying drawings.
Figure 6 represents in side elevation (partly in section) and Figure 7 in cross
section, a portion of a wheel rim containing an india rubber tyre made and attached
according to this part of my invention. Same letters of reference indicate the same
parts in Figures 6 and 7. a is the metal rim having a trough form with inclined
sides contracted at its outer edges as represented. Situated within and crossing the
trough rim a at equal distances apart are tubes or rods b rivetted in their places;
c, c are the short lengths or pieces of which the india rubber tyre is composed; the
sides of the said short lengths or pieces c, c are inclined similarly to the sides of the
rim a and in the ends of the said pieces c, c semi-cylindrical depressions d, d are
made. In securing the short pieces or lengths of india rubber c c in the open trough
of the rim a they are pressed base forward into the said trough so as to compress them
and completely fill the said trough, the semi-cylindrical depressions d, d in the ends
of the india rubber lengths springing upon or engaging with the cross rods or tubes b, b
and thereby effectually retaining the said india rubber lengths in the rim.
Instead of retaining the pieces or lengths of india rubber forming the tyre in the
metallic rim by the cross tubes or rods b, b they may be fixed by the edges of
the rim or by flanges formed in or made from the rim itself.
Figure 8 represents in side elevation and plan of upper side and cross section a
portion of a rim and Figure 9 in side elevation and Figure 10 in cross section
a rim with the pieces of india rubber forming the tyre secured in it according to
this modification of my invention; Figure 11 represents one of the pieces of india
rubber of which the tyre is made.
The metallic rim e in this case is made of a closed tube semi-cylindrical in cross
section with a flat top the flat top being perforated with holes fat equal distances
apart through which holes the base parts of the pieces of india rubber are passed.
Each of the pieces of india rubber g (one of which is shown separately in Figure 11)
has a groove at about its middle the lower part of the said india rubber piece
having a semi cylindrical figure and fitting in the semi-cylindrical rime. The upper
half of the india rubber piece constitutes the bearing part or tyre proper and has a dome
figure. The edge of the holes in the top of the rim e, are rounded and constitute.
flanges (see the cross section Figure 10) under which the shoulder at h of the
pieces of india rubber spring when the said pieces are pressed into the rim.
The pieces or lengths of india rubber may have the shapes represented in
Figures 12, 13, and 14. That is to say the top of the piece in Figure 12 is nearly
oblong or square and the upper and lower parts of the piece Figure 13 have the
same figure so that when one half is worn it can be reversed and the unworn half
used outwards. In Figure 14 a long piece is used having a series of nearly dome
shaped (or other shaped) projections upon it. In this case a series of rectangular
openings is made in the top of the rim.
The bottom of the semi-cylindrical trough of the rim e may either be strengthened at
the part where the spokes are to be fixed to it as seen in Figures 8 and 10 or the
bottom of the rit need not be strengthened as represented in Figure 15. Or the rim
may be made with elastic sides as represented in side elevation, plan, and cross section
in Figure 16. This rim has a separate bottom closing plate i the elastic sides being
pressed together and held in their places by the spokes 1, 1 of the wheel connected to
the flanges on the said elastic sides of the rim. Or the rim may have the form
represented in side elevation, plan, and cross section in Figure 17.
In this modi-
fication oblong holes with rounded ends are made in the top of the rim and pieces of
india rubber of the kind represented in Figure 18 are used to form the tyre.
The flanges or edges of the holes or openings in the rim for retaining the pieces of
india rubber in the said rim may be made in the manner illustrated in side elevation
and cross section in Figure 19 and plan in Figure 20. In this modification the
rectangular openings are cut in the top of the rim tube as seen at m Figure 20 and
longitudinal piercings are made at n, n. The parts at m², m², are bent inwards to form
the retaining flanges p,p for the india rubber pieces (see Figure 19) and the piercings

page_text: l
at 1, are bent inwards to give rounded edges 9, 9 to the longer sides of the openings.
After the flanges P, p and rounded edges 7, 9 have been made the opening has the
form represented at Figure 20.
The india rubber pieces s to be used with this form of rim have the shape represented
in Figure 21. Or the rim may be made of two longitudical pieces having the
sectional figures represented in side elevation and cross section in Figure 22 and the
top portion detached, in section, side elevation, and plan in Figure. 23. When
the rim tube is made in two pieces the lengths of which the top portion is made may
be connected together and to the lower portion in the manner represented in cross
section, side elevation and plan in Figure 24. For this purpose a middle knuckle
or eye t is made at the end of one length w and side knuckles t, 2 at the end of the
adjacent length. By passing a pin through the engaged knuckles and rivetting it the
two pieces are connected together. By means of lugs u, u on opposite sides of
the lengths of the top part of the rim and a cross rivetted pin u² the said lengths are
connected to the lower half of the rim. Or each length of the top portion of the rim
may be provided with two pairs of lugs y, y as represented in cross section and plan
in Figure 25 and the two portions be connected to the lower portion of the rim by
means of set screws at z passed through the said Ings and screwed into the said lower
portion of the rim as seen in the cross section.
My invention consists thirdly in tlie following construction and arrangement of
parts for steering bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes.
I will describe this part of my invention in connection with a safety bicycle or
tricycle.
:
On the bottom of the seat-post situated between the two wheels of the bicycle I
form two snugs on opposite sides of the said bottom and inclined at an angle of about
60 degrees to the axis of the said post. At the top of the seat-post is a horizontal bar
in the normal plane of the wheels or in the plane in which the wheels of the bicycle
are situated when the bicycle is travelling in a rectilinear path. The ends of this
horizontal bar are provided with inclined snugs parallel respectively to the inclined
snugs at the bottom of the seat post. Each snug on the ends of the horizontal bar
forms a pair with the snug parallel to it on the bottom of the seat post. The two parts
of the frame carrying the wheels are respectively connected to the two pairs of snugs
described. When the seat post is vertical the two wheels of the bicycle are in the
same vertical plane and the bicycle travels in a rectilinear path. When the rider
wishes to direct the bicycle to the right or left he has only to incline his body in one
or other direction at the same time pressing the steering handle in the same direction
when the two wheels of the bicycle become slightly inclined to one another and the
bicycle travels in a curved path to the right or to the left. By means of springs at
the bottom of the seat post, the wheels are brought and maintained in the same
vertical plane when the rider does not incline his body to one side or the other side.
This part of my invention is illustrated in Figures 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30, of the
drawings.
Figure 26 represents in side elevation, Figure 27 in plan and Figure 28 in end
elevation, a tricycle containing steering mechanism constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 29 represents a plan of a portion of the same.
Figure 30 is a diagram illustrating the position of the wheels of the vehiclo when
steering in a curved path.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 26, 27, 28, 29,
and 30.
a is the driving wheel and b, bare the steering wheels but the wheel a also acts as
a steering wheel as hereinafter pointed out. In the case of a safety or other bicycle
one wheel is used in line with the driving wheel a as is well understood: c is the
combined scat and steering post to the bottom of which the snugs d, d on opposite
sides of the limbs of the said post are situated the said snugs having the positions with
respect to the limbs of the post represented in Figure 26. The two limbs of the
steering and seat post c are connected together by the horizontal bar c which bar

page_text: when the vehicle is travelling in a rectilinear path is in the plane of the driving
wheel a (see Figure 27). Near the ends of the said bar c³, inclined snugs d², d² are
situated the said snugs d², d² being parallel respectively to the inclined snugs d, d on
the bottom of the post e, each snug d² making a pair with the snug d parallel to it.
Between the front pair of snugs d, d² the frame e carrying the axle and steering
wheels b, b swivels by means of the pivots represented and between the pair of back
smugs d, the frame carrying the driving wheel a swivels by means of the pivots
represented. The frames e, f, of the steering and driving wheels are coupled together
by means of the inclined rod g, jointed to them so that the two parts e, f and their
wheels turn in opposite directions when motion is imparted to one of them; and the
axis of the steering handle i and the frame f, of the driving wheel a are connected
together by the connecting rods h, k (shown in plan in the detached view Figure 29)
jointed to short arms l, on the said axis of the steering handle and wheel frame. It
will be seen that by the connections described when the steering handle is turned in
one direction the wheel frame f, is turned in the opposite direction and through the
connecting rod 9: the wheel frame e is turned in the opposite direction to that in
which the wheel frame is turned. Thus the movement of the steering handle in one
or other direction tends to cause movement in opposite directions in the wheel frames e,
and f.
Instead of supporting the seat from the post c as represented the pivotted part of
the frame may be extended upwards and the seat be carried by the said extended
part of the frame f.
When the vehicle is travelling in a rectilinear path the combined seat and steering
post c and those parts of the wheel frames e, f connected to it are in the same vertical
plane as the driving wheel a as seen in the plan, Figure 27. When the rider wishes
to direct the vehicle to the right or left he inclines his body to the right or left at the
same time pressing the steering handle in the same direction; the steering wheels b, b
and driving wheel a of the vehicle are thereby made slightly to incline to one another
and the vehicle travels in a curved path to the right or left. In figure 28 the seat
post and parts carried by it are indicated in dotted lines inclined to the right hand so
as to deflect the wheels into the positions indicated in dotted lines in the said Figure 28
and shown in the diagram Figure 30.
On the body of the rider resuming its upward or vertical position and the handle
bar being returned to its normal position the driving wheel and steering wheels are
brought into the positions represented in Figures 26, 27, and 28, and the vehicle again
travels in a straight path.
The returning of the seat posts and parts connected to it to their normal or vertical
positions may be assisted by springs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as
my invention of "Improvements in bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes."
First. Making the central hub bosses and the spokes of the wheels of bicycles,
tricycles and other velocipedes from strips or plates of sheet steel by first forming the
boss and portions of the spokes near the boss by piercing or cutting out, slitting and
bending operations and afterwards completing the spokes by a drawing or elongating
operation substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Making the central hub bosses together with crossing arms to which the
spokes of the wheels of bicycles tricycles and other velocipedes are to be attached,
from plates of steel or other hard and ductile metal or alloy by a stamping or cutting
out operation or by the casting process and connecting the spokes to the crossing
arms of the said bosses substantially as herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. Making the india rubber tyres of the wheels of bicycles, tricycles, and
other velocipedes of a series of detached pieces or short lengths and attaching the said
pieces or short lengths to the metallic rims of the wheels substantially as hereinbefore

page_text: described and illustrated in Figures 6 to 25, both inclusive, of the accompanying
drawings.
Fourthly. The construction and combination of the parts of the steering mechanism
of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes, herein before described and illustrated in
Figures 26, 27, 28, 29, and 30 of the accompanying drawings that is to say,
constructing the seat post or combined seat and steering post with pairs of snugs
inclined to one another and the combination therewith of the two parts of the frame
carrying the wheels of the vehicle together with the coupling or connecting rods
described and illustrated whereby the inclining of the body of the rider to the right or
left accompanied by motion of the steering handle in the same direction causes the
wheels of the vehicle to be inclined to one another and the vehicle to travel in a
curved path to the right or left substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of January 1889..
JOHN SHELDON.