Improvements in Steering Mechanism for Velocipedes.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by CARLO CARLONI, of Via Giulini 5, Milan, in the
Kingdom of Italy, Mechanical Engineer.]
Improvements in Steering Mechanism for Velocipedes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to steering mechanism for velocipedes.
In the ordinary arrangement for steering velocipedes the transverse handle-bar,
serving to control the steering wheel is mounted at the upper end of the vertical
front fork, carrying the steering wheel.
When it is desired to drive the velocipede around a curve of small radius, the
handle-bar inust be turned through a very large angle thus bringing one of the
steering handles in a position which interferes with one of the rider's legs,
the rider being obliged to remove his leg in order to allow the handle-bar to turn
freely.
This is a frequent cause of annoyance and danger to the rider, which it is the
object of the present invention to remove.
For this purpose I mount the handle bar on a separate axis parallel or concentric,
or even inclined, to the axis of the front fork and so connect both these axes with
each other that it will only be necessary to turn the handle-bar through a very
small angle to effect the necessary angular displacement of the front fork and the
steering wheel connected therewith.
In addition to the advantage above alluded to the invention also affords
the means of bringing the saddle nearer to the handle-bar whereby the handles
are brought within easy reach of the rider's hands, even if he rides quite
upright.
In carrying the invention into practice the handle-bar is fixed to a separate
shaft which fits in a socket within which it is allowed to turn. The upper end of
the front fork is adapted to turn in a socket arranged at the rear of the said handle
socket and a double clamping piece connects the said handle socket with the socket
for the fork. A disc crank is fixed at the upper end of the front fork and the
crank pin thereof slides in the slot of an oscillating lever keyed to the handle
shaft. It will be understood that on causing the handle shaft to turn through a
small angle a much wider rotation of the front fork is effected.
According to another form or modification I fix on the handle shaft an internally
toothed sector gearing into a pinion which is keyed to the front fork; in this case
the transmission of movement between the handle shaft and the front fork goes on
with constant speed, the ratio of speeds equalling the ratio of the radii of the
pitch surface. Both the front fork and also the handle shaft may be fitted with
externally toothed wheels, not gearing into each other, but connected by a link
chain embracing both of them.
I do not desire to limit myself to any of the above described arrangements as
my invention comprises any contrivance whereby the necessary amount of

page_text: oscillation of the steering wheel is obtained by slightly turning the handle-bar as
above set forth.
Dated this 16th day of August 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Steering Mechanism for Velocipedes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
In ordinary velocipedes the steering or handle bar turns around an almost
vertical axis through an angle equal to that through which it is desired the front
or steering wheel should move when changing the direction.
In passing round curves of very small radius the change of direction must take
place very abruptly, and the handle bar will consequently be turned round to a
considerable extent, and under certain circumstances will occupy a position which
is very inconvenient to the cyclist and which will compel him to turn his legs
aside, whereby he may easily lose his balance.
In the device forming the subject of the present invention, the handle bar is not
mounted directly upon the steering tube which forms the prolongation of the fork
but upon a steering rod or axis which is parallel and adjacent thereto, or even in
certain cases upon an axis concentric to the said steering tube but always
independent of the same.
The rotary movement of the handle bar is transmitted to the steering tube by
means of a mechanism, which may be varied indefinitely, but which is in all cases
60 arranged that the angle through which the handle bar moves only forms a
fraction of the angle through which the fork is required to move.
In this manner
the extent of oscillation of the handle bar arms is greatly reduced and the
cyclist is not compelled to turn his legs aside in order to effect an abrupt steering
motion.
I am aware that it has previously been proposed to mount the handle bars of
velocipedes upon an axis independent from that of the fork and to interpose a
multiplying mechanism between the two axes. The object however in that case
was different from that of the present invention the idea being to compel the
cyclist to assume an erect or vertical position of the body as in velocipedes of
the "ordinary class having front driving wheels. For this purpose it was
necessary to place the handle bars very close to the saddle and to mount the two
axes, that of the fork and the supplementary or steering axis-at a considerable
distance apart.
"
On the contrary however, according to this invention, I retain unaltered the
construction of the ordinary velocipede, and the position of the cyclist upon the
vehicle and I arrange the axis of the handle bar very close to the axis of
the fork, or I may even arrange the one of these axes to engage within the other
or concentric.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown by way of example, some of the
devices which may be adopted for carrying my invention into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan of a steering mechanism constructed according to my said
invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a section on the line of Figure 2.

page_text: Figure 4 is a plan and
Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified form of the said
steering mechanism.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of steering mechanism.
Figure 7 is a plan view of the steering mechanism illustrated in Figure 10
showing the device in its central position and Figure 8 is a similar view showing
the same when turned through a certain angle, the cap upon the socket N being
removed.
Figure 9 is a front elevation of the steering tube.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the device applied to the head of a bicycle
and
Figure 11 is a vertical section of a modified form of device in which the steering
rod and steering tube are arranged concentrically.
A is the steering or handle bar, the height of which can be adjusted in the
ordinary manner. B the steering rod to which the handle bar is attached, guided
in the socket C F is the steering tube terminating below in the fork and guided
in the socket E; D is a clamping piece for connecting the two sockets C and E
which may be made separate and connected together as shown, or cast forged or
stamped in one piece. The steering tube F is surmounted with a crank disc G
provided with a crank-pin H. To the steering rod B is secured a lever I having
a slot I with which engages the crank-pin H. It will be evident that under these
conditions any rotation of the handle bar A and consequently of the steering rod B
will cause a rotation of the crank-disc G and steering tube F through the medium
of the crank pin H and that the angle through which the said steering tube F
moves will be larger than that through which the steering rod is moved.
In the modified form of steering mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5, the
steering rod B carries an interually toothed sector 12; to the steering tube F is
secured a pinion G' which engages with the internal teeth of the sector I. The
movement of the steering rod B is transmitted by the steering tube F with a
R
constant proportion of velocity ratio, represented by F
In some cases I secure a chain or sprocket wheel to the steering tube F and a
similar wheel to the steering rod B and connect them by means of an endless
chain.
In the modified form of device illustrated in Figures 6 to 10 recourse is again
had to a flexible intermediate mechanism.
To the extremity of the steering rod B is secured a symmetrical piece or
lever M which terminates in two curved arms. The steering tube F is surmounted
by a plate G, provided with a pin H. indicates the extent of eccentricity of the
pin H relatively to the centre of the plate G and of the socket N, which is open
in front; in the lateral surface of the said socket are provided the grooves m
and n.
Between the adjustable pins a and b a metal band, cord, chain or the like
is stretched which band passes from the point 1 on the left hand arın of the lever M
around the lower groove n of the socket N to the point 2, thence to the pin H to
which it is fastened. From this pin the band or the like rises as at 3 and passes
around the upper groove m to the point 4 on the right hand arm of the lever M
where it is attached to the adjustable pin b.
As the band is invariably connected to the pin H, the lever M while turning
with the steering rod B, operates the steering tube F, the extent of the respective
angles of rotation being determined by the dimensions of the several parts.
The rotation of the lever M is limited, as will be seen from the dotted lines in
Figure 7 by the meeting of one or the other of the arms of the said lever M with
the walls p or g of the front opening of the socket.
The cyclist cannot therefore turn the handle bar as heretofore, beyond a certain
point which was one of the most frequent causes of falls to cyclists.
The arrangement shown in Figures 6 to 10 can be advantageously applied not
only to bicycles but also to tricycles, automotive vehicles and the like.

page_text: In the device shown in Figure 11 the axis of the handle-bar and that of the
fork are concentric and the latter describes an angle always double as large as
that described by the former.
The movement is transmitted by the aid of three bevelled tooth-wheels engaging
with one another as hereinafter described.
The pinion P is secured to the frame of the velocipede by the aid of ears or
lugs so as to retain it in a position which is absolutely invariable with regard to
the said frame.
The pinion Q is rigidly secured to the steering tube F.
The
The pinion R gearing with the pinions P and Q simultaneously is mounted upon
the socket S keyed upon the hollow steering rod B of the handle bar.
pinion R turns around its axis T and around the hollow steering rod B
simultaneously.
It will be understood from the well known theory of the differential-gear
that under these conditions the rotation of the pinion Q and consequently that of
the steering tube F is exactly twice as great as that of the hollow steering
rod B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A steering mechanism for velocipedes consisting of a socket or sleeve for the
steering rod carrying the handle bar, secured to the head of the machine by means
of a clip or bracket immediately in front thereof, or cast, forged or stamped in
one piece therewith, the said handle bar being connected to the steering tube and
fork by means of a slotted lever and crank arrangement substantially as herein before
described with reference to the drawings.
2. The modified form of steering mechanism in which the handle bar is connected
to the steering tube by means of an internally toothed segment engaging a pinion
on the said tube substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
3. A steering mechanism for velocipedes in which the movement of the handle
bar is transmitted to the steering wheel by means of a two-armed lever secured to
the steering rod and a band cord or chain attached to said lever and passing around
the upper part of the steering tube substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
4. A steering mechanism for velocipedes in which the steering rod carrying the
handle bar is arranged within and concentric to the steering tube operating the
steering wheel, the said steering rod having secured thereto a bevel wheel which
engages on the one hand with a corresponding bevel wheel secured to the steering
tube and on the other hand with a bevel wheel arranged concentrically around the
steering rod but secured to the frame of the machine to prevent its rotation, so
that the extent of movement of the steering tube will be always greater than that
of the handle bar substantially as herein before described and shown in the
drawings.
5. A velocipede provided with steering mechanism constructed and arranged as
shown in Figures 1 to 3 or in Figures 4 and 5 or in Figures 6 to 10 or as shown
in Figure 11 substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 2011 1
c A
11000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.