Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan.,
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, ISAAC WATTS BOOTHROYD, manager, and PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, engineer,
both of 47 Farringdon Road in the City of London do hereby declare the nature of
our said invention to be as follows:-
We construct velocipedes which are of the rear-driving type, by supporting the
front wheel in a pair of tubular or other kind of stays or forks joined by two
bridges which carry the steering centres or neck; the lower one is straight between
the two forks, the upper one is slightly in front, 30 as to give the proper angle of
steerage. This top bridge is therefore provided with three holes, one to take the top
contre, and a pair to embrace the top of the forks; these latter two are provided with
slits and transverse holes to take screws or bolts: the steering handle instead of one
down piece has two, which pass through the above holes and are locked in position by
the screws or bolts. The back wheel is mounted in a pair of stiff double stays
terminating in a pair of metal joints so formed that the lower part of each of the
same forms a slide for the bearings (for the purposes of adjusting the chain) and
that the upper part of the same forms a split lug for locking the chain adjustment.
The bearings are thus mounted on the extremities of the forks or stays and not inside
the driving hub as is generally the case, but whereas in some instances single row
bearings have been used in a similar position and necessitate the employment of very
heavy forks to relieve the balls of the twisting strain, we use double row bearings.
The spindle which revolves inside them is solid with the driving wheel and carries a
key and a nut on each side of the hub by means of which chain wheels are held in
position but can be readily detached and replaced when wear or change of gear
requires it. We often mount two wheels in this way with a different number of
teeth, so that the rider can alter the gearing by taking the wheel out and reversing
its position between the forks, which operation is carried out without affecting the
adjustment of the bearings. Where the velocipede is required to carry two riders we
do not employ two chains, nor do we employ two adjustments as are usually required.
We mount both pedal bracket chain wheels in advance of the driven chain wheel in
such a manner that the central wheel lifts the upper side of the chain to such an extent
as to clear the slack or lower side of the chain; by this arrangement the action of
the most advanced driving chain wheel is to keep the chain in gear with the second
one, instead of throwing it off as has been the case whero attempts have been made to
use one chain only for two riders. We sometimes mount a safety roller just above
the second chain wheel to render a dislodgement of the chain impossible.
This arrangement is also applicable to velocipedos with two steering or two driving
wheels. The plungers which carry the saddles are preferably stiffened by the insertion
of an oval tube. The chain wheel bracket consists of two threaded bearing recesses,
connected by a bridge which is traversed by holes to take the back stays; these holes
as well as the bearing recesses are provided with slots which are closed in by means of
transverse bolts or screws.
Dated this 9th day of February 1889.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON & CO.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We, IBAAC WATTS BOOTHROYD, Manager, and PHILIP LOUIS RENOUF, Engineer,
both of 47 Farringdon Road in the City of London, 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 :-
We construct velocipedes, which are of the rear driving type, by supporting the
front wheel in a pair of stays or forks of tubular or other section, which are tied at
their lower extremities by the pin or holt which passes through the wheel, and at their
upper extremities by two bridges (or one bridge of greater tortional resistance); the
middle of these bridges or this bridge supports the steering centres or the steering
cone and socket of the velocipede, and the ends are perforated to receive rods tormi-
nating in the steering handles. Where there is one rear and driving wheel, the back
stays terminate in a pair of metal lugs, the lower halves of which form a slide to
receive the support of the back wheel pin or spindle and the upper halves of which
are split to form the adjusting and locking apparatus for the chain. We prefer to use
instead of the usual back wheel pin with bearings inside the driving hub, a pair of
double row hall bearings placed at the end of the back forks and as far apart from
each other as possible: the object being, by means of an additional row of balls on
each side, to compensate for the loss of tie between the forks occasioned by the absence
of the transverse pin or bolt.
Where two riders are seated in front of the driving wheel or wheels, we employ
only one chain; the chain wheel of the rearmost rider is preferably so mounted as to
lift the upper or driving half of the chain to such an extent that the lower or stack
half does not come in contact with it: a safety or guide wheel may be placed above
this central chain wheel to prevent the chain from jumping off when there is no even
tension on it.
of
Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 shows a tandem velocipede in which the front
wheel is supported, as shown better in front elevation in Figs. 2 and 3, by a pair of
forks a, a' connected at their lower extremities by the wheel pin at b, and at the upper
extremities by a double bridge c (or a single bridge e' in Fig. 3); the ends d,
this bridge are pierced and provided with sot screws or nip screws for the purpose of
vertical adjustment of the steering handles, e. If the forks be straight as shown in
the drawings and not curved as they are often made the centre hole of the upper
bridge should project slightly forwards; it will be found that this will render the
stoering easier.
The arrangement at
the extremities of the back forks is shown full size in Fig. 4,
whore g is a metal block bored out to receive the tubular forks. h is the case of a
double row ball bearing with a cylindrical shank i fitting and sliding in the lower half
of g; the upper part of g is provided with a longitudinal slit or aperturo, through
which a shoet metal arm 7 is inserted and secured by a transversu bolt m; the top of
the shank is sorrated and the inner or lower end of arm is circular and toothed,
and also in gear with the serrated or toothed part of shank ; it will be understood
that by moving the arm 1, the bearing 4 will be moved in a horizontal direction and
that the chain can bo thus adjusted; when the adjustment is mado the transverso
bolt m is screwed up and the shank i firmly embraced by the fork end g.
In Fig. 1 the chain wheel N is raised so as to miss the lower or slack side of the
chain a safety or guida roller o is placed above to keep the chain from being thrown
off when there is no tension on it.
We are aware that one chain only has been used by two riders where the driven
chain wheel was placed between the two driving chain wheels; but great difficulty
was experienced owing to the fact that the first driving wheel tonded to slack that
part of the chain which led to the second driving wheel.

page_text: 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. Mounting the steering wheel of a velocipede in a pair of forks carrying tho
steering neck or socket on a top bridge and carrying the steering handles without
the intervention of the T piece usually employed, in the manner described and shewn
in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
2. Mounting a pair of double row ball bearings on the end of the forks of a rear-
driven velocipede in the manner and for the purpose described.
3. The fork end g with the sliding adjusting arrangement substantially as described
and shewn in Fig. 4.
4. On tanden velocipedes mounting two driving chain pulleys in advance of the
driven chain pulley in the manner and for the purpose described.
5. The guide or safety roller o placed against the driving chain pulley on a
tandem velocipode for the purpose of employing one chain instead of two chains.
Dated this 9th day of December 1889.