IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM HILLMAN of Binley Road Coventry Velocipede manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
to be as follows:―
This invention relates chiefly to that kind of velocipede known as a safety
bicycle and in my improved arrangement thereof the rider is enabled to use a
machine with pedal axis near the ground thereby rendering it safer, easier to
mount and dismount without any loss of speed or power.
The wheels are arranged as in the ordinary bicycle but the driving wheel is
preferably much smaller and the trailing wheel somewhat larger than in the
ordinary bicycle as used at present.
I make the front fork of round tube and extend it on each side below the centre
or axis of the driving wheel as near to the ground as the throw of the pedal cranks
will permit and in each end of the extension of the fork I fit a long bearing which
carries the pedal crank axles or shafts.
The two fork tubes are advantageously arched over and cranked to carry the
handles and are connected together by brackets brayed or secured thereto which
carry the steering centres the upper brackets having adjusting nuts. This
arrangement gives a long and steady bearing. The pedal crank axles have each
on their outer ends the ordinary crank levers and on their inner ends chain pulleys
from which motion is communicated to corresponding chain pulleys which are fast
on the driving wheel hub or its shaft. The driving wheel shaft or axle runs in
bearings which are fixed to brackets projecting before the fork the brackets having
a capability of sliding up or down the legs of the fork which they encircle
Those portions of the brackets encircling the fork are split in directions parallel
with the legs of the fork and having a screw bolt at right angles to the split or
saw-cut they can be locked in any required position on the fork leg so that any
desired tension may be given to the chains on either side. The lower extension of
the fork, that is from about the centre of the driving wheel to the pedal shaft
bearings is constructed of a double section that is, a piece of oval tube or flat
metal is inserted and brayed or otherwise fastened in such a way as to prevent the
lateral spring of the legs of the fork when pressure is applied to the pedals.
I am well aware that other chain driven bicycles with extended forks have been
made by myself and others but have proved unsatisfactory from the want of lateral
strength in the lower extensions of the fork which is obviated by my invention.
The arrangements above described also provide for the very ready adjustment of
the driving chain.
Dated this sixth der of Memb 1881

page_text: I WILLIAM HILLMAN of Binley Road Coventry Velocipede Manufacturer do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
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 the kind of velocipede known as a safety bicycle and
to the modification thereof which would result from turning the machine into a
tricycle in the manner hereinafter mentioned.
The safety bicycle as heretofore manufactured is a machine in which the pedal
axles are brought as near to the ground as possible, in order to render the machine
safer and easier to mount and dismount, the motion of the pedal axles being
transmitted to the driving wheel axle by means of gearing or otherwise.
By my invention I provide an improved arrangement of the safety bicycle in
which the above mentioned advantages are retained without any loss of speed or
power, and I also secure greater rigidity of the fork extensions than has been
heretofore obtained and I further provide in a simple and advantageous manner for
the adjustment of the pitch chains.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings annexed to this specification
Fig 1 is a side elevation of my improved bicycle, the spokes, brake saddle and
other well known parts which may be of any ordinary construction being omitted.
Fig 2 is a front view of the same.
Fig 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one side of the fork with its fittings.
Fig 4 is a front elevation of the same partly in section.
Fig 5 is a section on the line a x in Fig 3 showing a portion of a split bracket
as hereafter described in plan.
Fig 6 is a section on the line y y of Fig 4.
In my improved bicycle the wheels are arranged as in the ordinary bicycle but
the driving wheel is preferably much smaller and the trailing wheel somewhat
larger than in the ordinary bicycle.
A A. are the fork tubes which extend on each side below the centre of the driving
wheel as near to the ground as the throw of the pedal cranks will conveniently
permit.
The fork tubes are connected together by brackets B, B, brazed or otherwise
secured thereto, and these brackets carry the steering centres C C, the upper
bracket being provided with an adjusting nut. By this arrangement a long and
steady bearing is provided.
The upper ends of the fork tubes may be advantageously provided with crank-
shaped extensions to carry the handles. The axle or shaft of the driving wheel to
which the hubs J J are secured runs in bearings carried by the solid ends F of the
brackets D D and upon this axle are placed the upper chain wheels K K. The
brackets D D may be also furnished with bosses G G which support the rods HÍ
carrying the footrests I I in a very convenient manner.
To the lower extensions of the forks are attached the long bearings L L of the
pedal crank axles or spindles N N.
The pedal crank axles have each on their outer ends the ordinary crank levers
and upon their inner ends are secured the chain pulleys M M which communicate
motion by means of pitch chains to the chain pulleys K K upon the shaft of the
driving wheel.

page_text: The relative sizes of the chain wheels as shewn in the drawings are such that
the speed of the driving wheel shaft exceeds that of the pedal crank shafts but the
sizes of the wheels may be proportioned, if desired, so that the speed of the cranks
may be equal to or greater than that of the driving wheel.
In the course of ordinary wear and tear pitch chains are found to stretch and
require re-adjustment.
In my improved bicycle I provide for the adjustment of the pitch chains in a
simple convenient and efficacious manner.
Referring to the brackets D, D, upon one end of each bracket I carry the bearings
of the upper chain wheels and in the other ends of these brackets I form splits or
saw cuts, so that the brackets can be secured in position by means of the screw
bolts E E, passing through the split ends or lugs as shown most clearly in Fig 5.
Upon slackening these bolts E E, the brackets DD can be instantly adjusted by
sliding them along the fork tubes and then locked in position by tightening the
screw bolts thus, giving the desired tension to the pitch chains.
For the purpose in view it is obviously only necessary to provide for the
adjustment of either the upper or the lower chain wheels, and in the drawings
hereto annexed I have shewn this arrangement of bracket applied to the upper
chain wheels. But the arrangement I have described is equally applicable to the
lower chain wheels the bearings of which may be carried by sliding brackets with
split lugs such as I have described and the required adjustment may be obtained
as above described by such lower brackets.
I prefer however in my improved bicycle to obtain the required adjustment by
means of the upper brackets as in this case I can arrange the lower bearings as
hereinafter described.
Heretofore in bicycles of the kind to which this specification refers it has been
found that the lower extensions of the fork have been apt to spring and give
unsatisfactory results from want of insufficient lateral strength and rigidity.
In my improved bicycle I obviate this defect by constructing the lower extensions
of the fork tubes (that is to say the portions of the fork tubes below the centre of
the driving wheel) of a double section. For this purpose I insert into each fork
tube a stiffening piece P which is preferably a tube of oval section as shewn in
Figs 5 and 6 but which may be a metal strip or rod of any convenient form which
fits the fork tube and I secure this stiffening piece in the lower extension of the
fork tube by brazing or in any other suitable manner.
I find that the use of these stiffening pieces gives greatly increased rigidity to
the lower extensions of the fork tubes. In my improved bicycle as illustrated by
the drawings hereto annexed.
I make the lower ends of the stiffening pieces P run into tubular extensions O
of the lower bearings, which tubular extensions O are inserted into the ends of the
fork tubes as clearly shown in Fig 4 the junctions being tightened up and secureḍ
by means of split clamps QQ which encircle the ends of the fork tubes.
If, desired I may use two small rear wheels in place of one rear wheel and so
convert the machine into a tricycle, the construction of such tricycle being in all
other respects as above described and my improvements being equally applicable to
such a machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly. A bicycle (or tricycle) constructed and arranged as illustrated by the
drawings hereto annexed and hereinbefore described.
Secondly. In velocipedes of the kind to which this specification refers, the use
of stiffening pieces inserted into the lower extensions of the fork tubes substantially
as hereinbefore described.

page_text: Thirdly. In velocipedes of the kind to which this specification refers, the method
of providing for the adjustment of the pitch chains by carrying the bearings of the
chain wheels upon brackets provided with split lugs and capable of sliding upon
the forks substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 97th day of November 1884