IMPROVE- MENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES COMMONLY KNOWN AS VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Wyndham, of Southover, near Lewes,
in the County of Sussex, Esquire, for the Invention of “IMPROVE-
MENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES COMMONLY KNOWN AS VELOCIPEDES."
Sealed the 1st January 1870, and dated the 9th October 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Wyndham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
9th October 1869.
I, CHARLES WYNDHAM, of Southover, near Lewes, in the County
of Sussex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES COMMONLY KNOWN AS VELOCIPEDES,"
to be as follows:-
These improvements relate to an arrangement of apparatus to be
connected to velocipedes with two wheels, whereby the rider can mount
and dismount while the vehicle is standing still without the risk of
falling over to one side or the other.

page_text: The Invention consists in fitting to either side. (preferably the left side)
of the backbone or main frame of the velocipede a bar, to the lower
end of which I fit or form a step; below the step and on a portion of the
bar I joint a leg or foot formed with a carriage head joint. When
the leg is in a vertical position it rests upon the ground and retains the
vehicle in an upright position, and enables the rider to mount without
the risk of the vehicle running forward from him; but when the rider
wishes to travel he draws up by means of a cord or strap leading to the
handle the leg or foot, which turns upon its joint pin. The cord is guided
by rollers or pulleys fitted to the frame, and is out of the way of the
rider's legs, so that its motion is not interfered with. The fore end of the
cord is fitted with a ring, which when released from a spring fitted on or
in the handle is free to slide upon the handle to near the central part to
give sufficient play for the leg or foot to act. There is a spring fitted to
a projection secured to the step and to the front of the leg to bring the
leg into a vertical position when the ring is released. The lower part of
the leg or foot is spread out or inclined outwards to form a strut.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Wyndham in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th April 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
WYNDHAM, of Southover, near Lewes, in the County of Sussex, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Charles Wyndham, Her special
licence, that I, the said Charles Wyndham, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles Wyndham,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain

page_text: "
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
" IMPROVEMENTS IN WHEELED VEHICLES COMMONLY KNOWN AS VELOCIPEDES,*
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Wyndham,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Scal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Wyndham, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that
is to say:-
These improvements relate to an arrangement of apparatus to be
connected to velocipedes with two wheels whereby the rider can mount
and dismount while the vehicle is standing still without the risk of
falling over to one side or the other.
The Invention consists in fitting to either side (preferably the left
side) of the backbone or main frame of the velocipede a bar, to the
lower end of which I fit or form a step; below the step and on a portion
of the bar I joint a leg or foot formed with a carriage head joint. When
the leg is in a vertical position it rests upon the ground and retains the
vehicle in an upright position, and enables the rider to mount without
the risk of the vehicle running forward from him; but when the rider
wishes to travel he draws up by means of a cord or strap leading to the
handle or guiding bar the leg or foot, which turns upon its joint pin.
The cord is guided by rollers or pulleys fitted to the frame, and is out of
the way of the rider's legs, so that its motion is not interfered with. The
fore end of the cord is fitted with a ring, which when released from a
spring fitted on or in the handle is free to slide upon the handle to near
the central part to give sufficient play for the leg or foot to act. Thero
is a spring fitted to a projection secured to the step and to the front of
the leg to bring the leg into a vertical position when the ring is released.
The lower part of the leg or foot is spread out or inclined outwards to
form a strut.

page_text: The manner in which I carry my Invention into effect is represented
in the accompanying Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of
a bicycle velocipede with my improved apparatus fitted thereto.
a is the bar, which may be secured to the backbone or beam of the
main frame of the vehicle by bolts, or in any suitable manner. The
lower part of this bar has a step plate c welded or rivetted to it to
enable a person to mount or dismount with ease and freedom, and
without vaulting on to the saddle as is usually the case. Below the
step and on a portion of the bar I form one-half of a joint d, the other
half being on the upper end of a leg or foot e, as shown. This joint is
what is commonly known as the carriage head joint, that is, one in
which the moveable piece is allowed to be drawn away from the vertical
line in one direction only, an abutment being formed by the lips f,f, which
meet when an attempt is made to move them in the reverse direction.
This will be well understood by referring to Figure 1 of the Drawings.
I prefer that the leg should be brought into a vertical position by a
spring g; the spring is fitted on a stud or pin on the bar a, and its
free end embraces another pin h on the leg. When the leg is lowered,
as shown, the vehicle will stand upright and alone, as the leg forms one
point of support and the two wheels the other two points. The lower
part of the leg is enlarged or spread outward to give sufficient bearing
surface at that part. This spreading out may be accomplished by
making the end thinner and wider, and then turning it up under the
action of the hammer as found most convenient. The cord is led up to
one of the handles p, and has attached to it a ring q, which slides upon
it, passing under and over small pulley rollers 7, 8, on its way to keep it
clear of the rider's legs. The ring when pushed towards the outer edge
of the handle takes over a spring catch t; the spring is secured in the
handle as shown, and can be depressed by a slight pressure of the finger
to release the ring and allow of the leg being lowered when the rider
wishes to stop. The rotation of the handles and bar
break w does not in any way interfere with the ring.
are employed I can connect the two cords near the saddle, and so
operate both legs at the same time by the movement of one ring, or I
can have a ring on each handle, and so operate the leg on either side
independently.
to put on the
When two legs
In Figure 2 I have shown in dotted lines a second step and bar, and

page_text: when I fit the vehicle with two of such legs and bars I prefer to connect
the bars by a strap or tie x to hold them rigid. Of course it will be
understood that I do not confine myself to placing the bar at the part of
the beam as shown, as it may be fitted more forward or more behind as
circumstances may dictate; nor do I confine myself to the exact manner
of drawing up the leg as shown.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be be performed, I declare that I claim,
fitting to the backbone or beam of bicycle velocipedes a bar and a
jointed leg capable of being raised and lowered in the manner and for
the purposes herein-before described and represented in the Drawings
hereunto annexed.
I also claim the employment of a ring and the means of holding the
same upon the handle, as herein-before described and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Wyndham, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street,
London.
CHARLES WYNDHAM. (L.S.)