Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, JULIEN SIMON, Mechanician, and VICTOR DUSSAULT, Clerk, both of
5bs Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of Fiance, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction or manufacture
of velocipede or cycle frames; and consists mainly of a kind of lunged or linked
arrangement, enabling the frames of bicycles or other cycles, to which it is applied,
to be folded up in a compact form for purposes of storage or shipment, with a view
to saving space; and also to be readily converted into tandem frames, whilst in no
way impairing the rigidity or strength of the machine.
The improved frame, instead of being formed, as hitherto, in one rigul body oi
structure, consists of two main parts-the fore-frame and the rear-frame-hinged
or linked together, so that the two frames may be either extended or opened out
in the same plane or folded up and have their size or bulk reduced.
The hinges which it is proposed to employ are constructed in the following
manner.
The lower or rear part of each of the hinges comprises two sleeves or tubes,
through which the hinge-pins or pivots are passed. Upon the said pivots aro
further passed the sleeves of the upper portion or fore part of the hinge. Both
of the last-mentioned sleeves are slotted on one side so as to form a kind of hook
adapted to engage laterally with their respective hinge-pins, by being, each,
BW ung ronud the other bolt. The joint between the sleeves on one side is ball
or pear shaped, while the joint between the sleeves on the other side is formed
by embedding or encasing the said sleeves into each other, they being so shaped
The hook-
(preferably bevelled) as to accurately fit one within the other.
"
shaped or slotted sleeves of the fore part terminate, each, at the top, in a truncated
cone, these conical top-parts being adapted to receive nuts screwed, respectively,
of which are made to fit the
on the bolts, the polygonal sides or "squares
spanner. By tightening the nuts the two frames are consequently joined and
made, as it were, integral with each other, while at the same time the sleeves or
Bochets are exactly centred; the effect of the tight fitting of the sleeves being,
inorcovei, to resist any tendency on their part to cut or abrade the hinge-pins
or pivots.
The operation of the improved arrangement is as follows:-
By slightly loosening the nut one of the sleeves of the fore piece, by reason of
the resilience of the metal, may be disengaged from one of the sleeves of the rear
part and the former sleeve may, in consequence, be turned round by means of the
Jatter sleeve and pivot so as to be disengaged from the pivot. It will be seen that
a very effective joint is here obtained through the medium of the pivot or hinge-
pin, owing to the fact that the sleeves on one side are fitted together by means of
When the frame is thus folded as
conical bearing surfaces, as before stated.
mentioned above one wheel takes up its position upon the other, and the handle-bar
18 moved into the same plane with the wheels; with the result that the length of
the machine is materially reduced, so that it may, with increased facility, be
carried from place to place, and requires less room for its location, than it otherwise
would do.

page_text: Now if the two nuts be loosened at the same time, the whole of the fore piece
may be lifted off its counterpart, when the connection between the two portions of
the fiame may be severed altogether.
When the "fore-frame" is thus separated from the "rear-frame," an inter-
mediate portion or "frame" may be inserted between them for the purpose of
a11anging the machine for use as a tandem, where it will be seen that the upper
or lower hinges are situated in the same vertical lines, and the two upper and two
lower hinges in the same horizontal lines, respectively. And it will further be seen
that the arrangement is such (for example) that the fore-frame comprises the
"male" portions of the upper and lowei hinges; the intermediate frame, the
"female" portions of the said hinges and the "male" portions of the upper
and lower rear hinges; and the rear fiame, the "female"
hinges.
portions of tho said
It will thus be understood that the tandem arrangement may be carried out with
great ease, the same machine being adapted for use as a bicycle or as a tandem, as
may, in any given case, be desirable.
The central part of the frame may, in the latter case, be fitted with a seat or
Baddle, a handle-bar, a treadle-shaft and all the accessory attachments requisite for
the accommodation of a second nider.
Dated this 10th day of
100K
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
We, JULIPN SIMON, Mechanician, and VICTOR DUSSAULT, Clerk, both of
5 Rue du Louvre, Paris, in the Republic of France, do hereby declaro 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.-
-
This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction or manufacture
of velocipede or cycle frames; aud consists mainly of a kind of hinged or linked
arrangement, enabling the frames of bicycles or other cycles, to which it is applied,
to be folded up in a compact form for purposes of storage or shipinent, with a view
to saving space; and also to be readily converted into tandem frames, whilst in no
way impairing the rigidity or strength of the machine.
T
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing,
in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bicyclo provided with a fiame or "backbone"
improved in accordance with this invention, and
Figure 2 is a plan thereof.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the hinges of the improved frame;
Figure 4 is a plan of the spanner specially devised for use in connection with
such hinges,,
Figure 5 is a vertical section of the hinge at right angles to Figure 3, while
Figue 6 is a plan of the hinge;
Figure 7 is a plan of the bicycle in the compact on folded condition) the same
machine being shown fully displayed or
66 cpen in Figure 2), and,
Figure 8 is an elevation illustrating the method of extending a bicycle, provided
with the improved folding frame, to form a tandem.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A 18 the steering wheel of the bicycle; B, the
driving wheel, fitted with chain gearing at C; B, the steering or handle-bar;
and E, the backbone or frame.

page_text: The improved frame, instead of being formed, as hitherto, in one rigid body or
structure, consists of two main parts-the fore-frame and the rear-frame-hinged
o linked together, as at a a', so that the two fiames may be either extended or
opened out in the same plane (Figure 2), or folded up and have their size or bulk
reduced (as shown in Figure 7).
The hinges which it is proposed to employ are constructed in the manner
illustrated in Figures 3, 4 5 and 6.
The lower or rear part of each of the hinges a a' comprises two sleeves or
tubes dd', though which the hinge-pins or pivots v ' are passed. Upon the said
pivots d' are further passed the sleeves bb' (Figures 3, 5, and 6) of the upper
portion of the hinge. Both of the last mentioned sleeves are slotted on one side
so as to form a kind of hook (Figure 6) adapted to engage laterally with their
respective hinge-pins, by being, each, swung round the other bolt, as indicated in
dotted lines, in respect of one of them, in Figure 5. The joint between the
sleeves d and b 18 ball or pear shaped, while the joint between the sleeves and b
is formed by embedding oi encasing the said sleeves into each other, they being 80
shaped (preferably bevelled) as to accurately fit one within the other. The hook-
shaped or slotted sleeves terminate, each, at the top, in a truncated coue, these
couical top-parts being adapted to receive nuts e e', screwed, respectively, on the
bolts n', the polygonal sides or "squares" of which are made to fit the spanner G
(Figures 3 and 4). By tightening the nuts e e' the two frames are consequently
joined and made, as it were, integral with each other, while at the same time the
sleeves or sockets are exactly centred, the effect of the tight fitting of the sleeves
being, moreover, to resist any tendency on their part to cut or abrade the hinge-pins
or pivots.
The operation of the improvod arrangement is as follows:--
By slightly loosening the nut e, the sleeve b of the piece f¹, by reason of the
resilience of the metal, may be disengaged from the sleeve d of the part f and such
sleeve may, in consequence, be turned round by means of the sleeve b¹ and
pivot vl, so as to be disengaged from the pivot v, as indicated in dotted lines in
Figures
and 6. It will be seen that a very effective Joint is here obtained
through the medium of the pivot or hinge-pin v', owing to the fact that the
sleeves d' and bare fitted together by means of conical bearing surfaces, as before
stated.
Referring now to the folding of the frame, mentioned above, the manner in
which it is effected will be readily understood by reference to Figure 7. When
the frame is thus folded one wheel takes up its position upon the other, and the
handle-bar is moved into the same plane with the wheels; with the result that the
length of the machume is materially reduced, so that it may, with increased
facility, be carried from place to place, and requires less room for its location, than
it otherwise would do.
Now if the two nuts e e' be loosened at the same time, the whole of the pieco f
may be lifted off its counterpart t, when the connection between the two portions
of the frame may be severed altogether.
When the "foie-frame" is thus separated from the "rear-frame," an intermedinte
portion or "frame" may be inserted between them for the purpose of arranging
the machine for use as a tandem, as shown in Figure 8, where it will be seen that
the hinges numbered 1, 2 and 3, 4, are situated in the samo vertical lines, and the
huges 1, 3 and 2, 4, in the saine horizontal lines, respectively. And it will
further be seen that the arrangement is such (for example) that the fore-frame
compuses the "male" portions of the lunges 1 and 2, the intermediate frame,
the "female" portions of the said hinges 1 and 2 and the "malo" portions of the
hinges 3 and 4; and the rear frame, the "female" portions of the said hinges 3
and 4.
It will thus be understood that the tandem arrangement may be carried out with
great ease, the same machine being adapted for use as a bicycle or as a tandem, as
may, in any given case, be desirable.

page_text: The central part of the frame may, in the latter case, be fitted with a seat or
saddle, a handle-bar, a treadle-shaft and all the accessory attachments requisito for
the accommodation of a second rider.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is: :―
(1.) In velocipedes or cycles of any type or construction, a frame consisting of
two parts connected by a series of hinges, such as are shown in Figures 3, 5
and 6 of the drawing; such hinge-connection enabling the two halves of the
frame to be either separated from, or folded over, each other, substantially as
specified.
(2.) The complete arrangement of a tandem machine with hinges placed as
above indicated, with the object of converting such macbine into a bicycle, sub-
stantially as specified and illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawing.
Dated this 10th day of February 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C, Agents for the Applicants