Crowns of Bicycles and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Crowns of Bicycles and the like.
I, LUIS DE LOMA, of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Very serious accidents have been caused owing to the breakage of the forks or
steering tubes of bicycles and various means have been devised to prevent such
accidents.
The present invention has for its object the construction of unbreakable forks and
the use of which enables accidents caused by breakage of the fork or steering tube
to be completely avoided.
As is well-known, the frame of a bicycle is brazed on in front to a head-tube in
the interior of which the steering tube connected to the fork is placed and into
which the handle-bar stem enters and to which it is secured by any suitable means.
Ball-bearings are generally arranged at the upper and at the lower end of the
head tube in order to decrease friction between the steering tube and the head
tube.
The accident which most frequently occurs is caused by the rupture of the steering
tube at the point where it issues from the head tube under the ball bearings, at
what is called the crown of the fork.
In order to avoid breakage of this tube I employ, instead of only one tube, three
tubes placed one over the other.
Each of these tubes is connected to the branches of the fork by means of plates
similar to those at present in use, in connection with many fork-crowns. At their
upper end the three tubes are brazed so as to be secured to each other, and the
handle bar stem will enter into the inside tube and be secured to the whole three
tubes.
At their bases where they come out from the head tube the tubes may be
strengthened as is now done in the case of a single tube.
In the preceding the application of the new fork has been described as applied
to a bicycle, but it must be understood that it may be applied to all cycles. In
certain cases the number of strengthening tubes may be modified.

page_text: It should be pointed out that a characteristic feature of the new construction
consists in the strengthening tubes not being secured to each other except at the
top so that if one of them breaks the other two, remaining in place, prevent
accidents and enable the machine to be steered.
Dated this fith: don of November 1900
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in or connected with the Steering Tubes and Fork
Crowns of Bicycles and the like.
I, LUIS DE LOMA of 95 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris in the Republic of France,
Engineer, 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:-
Very serious accidents have been caused owing to the breakage of the forks or
steering tube of cycles and various means have been devised to prevent such
accidents.
The present invention has for its object the construction of strengthened and
practically unbreakable forks and the use of which enables accidents caused by
breakage of the fork or steering tube to be completely avoided.
As is well known the frame of a bicycle is brased on in front to a head tube such
as A in the accompanying drawing showing the application of my invention in the
interior of which the steering tube connected to the fork is placed and into which
the handle har stem enters and to which it is secured by any suitable means.
Ball-bearings are generally arranged at the upper and at the lower end of the
head tube in order to decrease friction between the steering tube and the head
tube.
The accident which most frequently occurs is caused by the rupture of the
steering tube at the point where it issues from the head tube A under the ball
bearings at what is called the crown of the fork.
In order to avoid breakage of this tube I employ instead of only a single tube
three tubes B B¹ C placed one within the other.
Each of these tubes is connected as indicated on the accompanying drawing to
the two downwardly extending branches of the fork by means of plates a b c
similar to those at present in use in connection with many fork crowns. At their
upper ends the three tubes B B C are brased or otherwise secured together and the
handle bar stem enters into the inside tube C and is thus secured to the whole
three tubes.
. At their bases where they come out from the head tube A the tubes may be
.strengthened as is now done in the case of a single tube.
In the preceding description the application of the new fork has been described
as applied to a bicycle but it must be understood that it may be applied to all
cycles. In certain cases the number of strengthening tubes B B C may be
modified.
It should be pointed out that a characteristic feature of the new construction
consists in the strengthening tubes or rods B B C being only secured to each other
at the top so that if one of them breaks the other two remaining in place prevent
accidents and still enable the machine to be steered,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a cycle or similar frame two or more tubes placed one within the other and
connected at their lower ends to the fork by distinct crown plates the three tubes
being unconnected to each other over the whole of their length except at their
upper ends where they are secured together the handle bar stem entering into the
central tube substantially as described.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
construction of steering tubes and fork crowns substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.