Improvements in Safety Bicycles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 12th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 2nd July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Bicycles.
I, EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR of 622, Main Street, in the City of Springfield,
Hampden County and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Blacksmith, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention relates to improvements in safety bicycles the object of the
invention being to improve the construction especially with respect to spring
bearings between the front fork and the forward wheel, to the driving mechanism
and appliances for employment in connection with the driving mechanism, and
to the construction and arrangement of spring appliances and the frame of the
machine.
The novel engagement between the front fork is constituted thus:
On each end of the axle there is an angular or Y-formed lever which at the
portion adjacent or slightly extended from the junction of the branch members has
its bearing upon the axle.
The extremity of each of the fork legs is back of the axle and one member of
each of the angular levers extends upwardly and rearwardly and has a pivotal
connection with one of the fork legs above its end. The fork leg end has an eye
or aperture through and beyond which the rearwardly and more or less downwardly
extended branch arm passes, the latter having a stop at its end between which and
the fork leg extremity the spring is applied. The weight on the frame or head
causing the front legs to exert a downward force at the pivotal connection thereof
with the angular lever members ensures the swinging of the lever until the spring
is compressed in a degree equal to the force applied.
It will therefore be understood that the bearing between the front wheel and the
front portion of the machine frame is such that jolting and vibration will be largely
reduced. The frame of this safety bicycle has a back bone or member which is
pivotally jointed through the portion which is just forward of the rear wheel fork.
There is radially of the pivotal line a downwardly extended lug hung on the pivot
bolt for a slight swinging motion in the longitudinal vertical plane.
The extremity of the lug constitutes a yoke through which the intermediate
portion of a plate or leaf spring is held and supported. The forward end of the
spring is held under stress by a link or clevis which is hung upon the back bone
somewhat in advance of the aforementioned pivotal point.
The rear end of the spring is also constrained by a clevis which is connected
thereto and to the forging or part of the frame just at the rear of said pivot.
This bicycle is propelled from the crank axle by a shaft geared thereto
and to the rear wheel axle, the particular arrangement of which gearing for an
advantageous purpose constitutes invention, and will be now described.
The part of the frame next to the rear of the back bone is jointed thereto by the
same bolt which supports the yoke for the aforementioned spring and the said frame
part, preferably a forging, comprises parallel and separated cheek-pieces with an
intermediate opening, the cheek-pieces being however at their ends transversely
united. Longitudinal ways are formed horizontally along the cheek-pieces which
ways are wider at their rear portions, and the crank-shaft passes through them and
through slides movable in the said ways. The shaft supporting slides are held in
confinement by suitable clamping devices and each slide is constructed to form
parts of the ball-bearing surfaces, coacting with which are bearing surfaces
properly formed on or attached to the outwardly projecting extremities of
the crank.
A bevel gear is secured on the middle of the crank between the check-pieces,

page_text: and there is another bevel gear secured on the hub of the gear wheel the said gear
being in a plane parallel with but at a short distance laterally off-set from the
plane of the forward gear. The axle for the rear wheel is fixed against rotation
and towards its ends has enlargements or collars for forming parts of the ball
bearings which bearing parts at one end of the axle coact with adjacent bearing
parts at one end of the rear wheel hub, while the axle bearing surfaces at the other
end coact with the inclined peripheral bearing surface internally formed upon
the rear hub gear. A connecting shaft is properly supported for rotation and
has at its forward end a bevel gear which engages the bevel gear between the
cheek-pieces.
This shaft is extended rearwardly beyond and close to the end of the rear axle,
and carries at its rear end which is opposite the rear portion of the toothed rim of
the rear hub gear a bevel gear which meshes with said hub gear. I am aware that
it is not, broadly speaking, a novelty to apply a bevel gear on the crank shaft and
another on the rear wheel hub and to apply a shaft with bevel gears thereon to
engage with the crank shaft and rear wheel gear, but heretofore the rear wheel
gear has been applied about coincident with the outer end of the axle and the gear
on the connecting shaft has engaged the rear wheel gear forward of the axis
instead of at the rear, and the line of the connecting shaft has therefore necessarily
been widely laterally extended; and now it will be understood that the connecting
shaft may be enclosed in a tubular formed leg which constitutes part of the rear
fork. A bracket is connected upon the extremity of the rear axle which forms
the rear support for the connecting shaft. Suitable ball bearings are constituted
between the rear of said bracket and the hub of the rear gear wheel of the
connecting shaft. Ball bearing surfaces are also constituted between the forward
bevel gear of the connecting shaft and the adjacent supporting surface of the
frame or forging, and enclosing devices for all of the bevel gears are preferably to
be employed.
The rear fork leg opposite the one enclosing the connecting shaft is supported at
its forward end on the forging and at its rear end has a bracket lug which is firmly
held upon the rear axle this leg being detachable to permit of the assemblage of
the parts. To the rear axle brackets or supporting members are connected braces
which upwardly and forwardly extend to connection with the saddle-post which latter,
as usual, rises in advance of the forward wheel from the supporting part of the
frame therefor.
The bevel gear on the crank shaft may be removed and substituted by another
of greater or less diameter, the position of the crank shaft being readily changed
to accord with the difference in diameter by loosening the confinement at the
bolts and forcing the slide either forward or backward, the gears may be enclosed
by suitable casings.
Dated January 6th 1899
EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Safety Bicycles.
I, EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR, of 622, Main Street, in the City of Springfield,
County of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
Blacksmith, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in velocipedes, especially safety bicycles,
the object of the invention being to improve the construction especially with
respect to spring bearings between the front fork and the forward wheel, to the

page_text: driving mechanism and appliances for action in connection with the driving
mechanism, and to a spring frame.
The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts all sub-
stantially as will hereinafter more fully appear and be set forth in the claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety bicycle showing certain of the present
improvements embodied therein.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on a larger scale of the driving mechanism taken
on line 2-2, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of a part of the driving mechanism as seen at the
opposite side from that of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective illustration comprising views of different parts embodied
in the machine about the pedal and driving mechanism, and which will be herein-
after more particularly referred to.
In the drawings A represents the head of the machine which is to be constructed
in any usual or improved manner the same comprising the fork legs, a a.
b represents the axle for forming the bearing for the front wheel.
The novel engagement between the front fork and the front wheel axle is
constituted thus :--On each end of the axle there is an angular or Y-formed lever
which at the portion, d, adjacent, or slightly extended from the junction of the
members and g is engaged with and has its bearing upon the axle. The extremity
of each fork-leg is back of the axle, and the member, f, of each of said angular
levers extends upwardly and rearwardly and has a pivotal connection with one of
the fork legs somewhat above its end. The fork leg end has an eye or aperture at h
through and beyond which the rearwardly and more or less downwardly extended
arm or member, g, passes, and the arm g, has a stop, i, at its end between which and
the fork leg end the spring, j, is applied.
The weight on the frame or head causing the fork legs to exert a downward
force at the pivotal connection thereof with the angular lever member, f, ensures
the swinging of the lever until the spring is compressed in a degree equal to the
force applied, and it will be understood that the bearing between the front
wheel and the front portion of the machine frame is such a one as will render
insignificant the jolting and vibration which may be directly imparted at the
front wheel.
It will be noticed that the member, y, of each of the angular levers is of arc
form as generated from the point, e, on the member, f, of pivotal connection
with the front fork, so that there will be no bind between the arm, g, and the
fork eye, h.
This form of spring fork connection at the head of the machine while highly
efficient for the purposes for which it is designed may be of a comparatively light
and very inexpensive construction.
For the purposes of clearness of illustration in the drawings Figures 1 and 5 the
members, of each of the angular levers of the front fork bearing is shown as
having a considerable fore-and-aft rake or inclination greater than that of the fork
but in practice such a great inclination is not necessary, and the structure in design
will be neater and more compact and yet as efficient when the members, ƒƒ, are
almost parallel with the fork legs.
B represents the back bone of the machine-frame and the rear of the back bone
proper is pivoted or jointed to the portion of the machine frame forward of the
rear wheel fork, D, as indicated at k. There is radially of the pivotal line, k, a
downwardly extended lug, 4, which is hung on the pivot-pin or bolt applied at
for effecting the joint.
Said lug has a slight swinging motion in the vertical plane longitudinally of the
machine and the extremity thereof is in the form of a yoke, 1, (see Figure 4) through
which the intermediate portion of the leaf or plate spring, m, is held and supported.
The forward end of the said spring is held under stress, being connected to a link
or clevis, n, which is hung upon the clip, o, secured on the rear portion of the back

page_text: bone. The rear end of the said spring, n, is also held under stress by being
connected to the clevis, p, which is hung on the forging or part, C, of the machine
frame just at the rear of the joint, A. The weight on the frame, either at the fore
or after part thereof, which would tend to cause the same to collapse in view of the
joint, &, is resisted in an easy and gradual manner, by the spring appliance just
described; and the single spring applied in the manner described is susceptible
of insuring a distribution of the stress or weight which is brought thereon
through the frame uniformly throughout a considerable portion of the length of
the spring.
While the features of construction above described are applicable to velocipedes
which may be driven through any of the usual or approved forms of mechanism, I
have illustrated in the drawings bevel-gear and shaft connections between the
pedal crank shaft, c, and the axle, r, of the rear wheel, the particular arrangement
of which for a particular purpose, and also constructions most particularly illustrated
in Sheet 2 of the drawings, which are designed with respect to this particular
gearing, constitute inventions for improvement; and they will be now described.
The part, C, of the frame next to the rear of the back bone is jointed thereto by
the same bolt, k, which supports the lug, l, for the spring and the said part, C,
which is intended to be a forging properly finished comprises parallel and separated
cheek pieces or bars, t't', with the opening, s, between said parts, t, which latter
are however at their ends united by the cross webs, u and u'.
The said part of forging C, has opposing longitudinal ways, vv, formed hori-
zontally through the cheek pieces, tt, which ways as shown are wider at their rear
sections, and the pedal crank shank, 7, passes through them, the same being
extended outwardly at either side of said casting. The said shaft, 7, is supported
upon the slides, G G, which fit and also lie outside of the said ways, v, v, said
shaft-supporting slides being movable forward and rearward and are held in con-
finement by the screw bolts, w, which have at one end a clamp block, w', and
at the other a confining nut, w².
Each of the slides for the shaft, 9, is provided with a boss, a, having a flaring and
internal peripheral ball seat, r, with which for the confinement of the balls
cooperate the screw collars, y, having the peripheral and curved or conical
bearing surfaces, y', the said internally threaded collars, y screwing on to properly
threaded portions of the shaft, q, as clearly indicated in Figure 2-the said collars
are held in place by the check nuts, y³.
H represents a bevel gear wheel which is secured on the middle of the crank
shaft by the screw, 10, passing obliquely through the hub of the gear wheel and
into the shaft, and as plainly seen the said gear wheel lies between the cheek
pieces t¹, t'.
J represents a gear wheel which is secured in the hub, I, of the rear wheel, the
said gear, J, being in a plane parallel with and but a short distance off-set from the
plane of the gear, H.
The axle, r, for the rear wheel is fixed against rotation and towards its ends it is
provided with the fixed collars or enlargements, 12 12, with the peripheral and
conical bearing surfaces for the balls of the rear wheel bearing, which collar
bearing surfaces at one end of the axle, r, coact with those 15, at one end of the
hub, I, while the axle bearing surfaces 13, at the other end coact with the inclined
and peripheral bearing surface 16, internally formed upon the said gear, J, which is
secured to or is in substance as one with the said hub. K represents a shaft which
at its forward end is approached and supported in proximity to the rear toothed rim
of the said gear, H, and carries, fixed thereon a bevel gear wheel, L, which meshes
with the one H, at the rear of the crank shaft; and the said shaft, K, is extended
to and beyond the end of the rear axle, ", and carries at its rear end which is
opposite the rear portion of the toothed rim of the gear, J, fixed thereon, the bevel
gear wheel, M, which meshes with the one, J, which is set upon the rear wheel
hub, I, a considerable distance inside of the extreme outer end, r', of the axle, r.
The forward driving of the crank shaft, 9, thus forwardly drives the rear wheel

page_text: through its hub. I am aware that it is not a novelty to apply a bevel gear on the
crank shaft and another on the rear wheel hub and to apply a shaft with bevel
gears to engage with the crank shaft gear and the rear wheel gear, but heretofore
so far as I am aware the rear wheel bevel-gear has been applied about coincident
with the outer end of the axle and the gear on the connecting shaft has engaged
the rear wheel gear forward of the axis instead of at the rear, and the line of the
connecting shaft has therefore necessarily been more inclined to the common longi-
tudinal line of the machine and more widely or outwardly distended and cumbersome
opposite the rear bearing then here illustrated, for it will be seen that under the
construction shown in Figure 2 the connecting shaft, K, may be enclosed in one of
the rear fork legs z, which may be tubular and the shaft extend closely past the
end of the rear wheel axle, r, to have its gear, M, inwardly disposed to mesh with
the gear, J.
There is screwed upon the extremity of the rear axle a tubular bracket or fixed
part, P, which forms the support for the rear portion of the connecting shaft, K,
and the gear thereon and to which part the tubular fork leg,, is connected at its
rear end.
Between the rear orifice of the said tubular bracket, P, and the adjacent end
portion of the hub of the gear, M, which parts are suitably peripherally formed,
the hardened bails, 18 are disposed. The hub, I, at its end is flanged or cupped
for the disposition and confinement of the gear, J, and the bracket, P, is formed to
partially enclose the gear in said cupped hub and a casing web, u, of the part or
forging, t, constitutes suitable supports or brackets for the rear fork legs, 2, 2, and
said part, u', as indicated at 3, is provided with an inclined and peripheral ball
bearing surface between which and the properly formed portion of the hub of
gear L, the hardened balls, 22 are applied.
Under the construction set forth the bevel gear, H, on the crank shaft may be
removed and substituted by one of greater or less diameter, the position of the
crank shaft being readily changed to accord with the difference in diameter by
loosening the confinement at the bolts, w, and forcing the slides either forward or
backward as the case may be. R, Figure 3 indicates a shell or casing for enclosing
the gear
wheel H, the same being supported on the forging or part, C.
The rear fork leg, 2, opposite the one enclosing the shaft, K, is supported at its
forward end on the forging, C, and the leg, by the rear bracket-lug 35, at its rear
end, is firmly held upon the rear axle, r, the bolts 36, 36, serving as the means for
a detachable confinement of the fork-leg which is necessary to permit the
assemblage of the parts when constructed and arranged as described. Both the
bracket, P, and the bracket-lug 35, at the opposite end of the axle are provided
each with an upwardly and forwardly extended boss axially bored and tapped,
each lug receiving the lower end of one of the oblique braces 32, the upper end of
which is by a suitable form of joint confined to the upper end or portion of the
saddle supporting post or upright, 30.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a velocipede in combination the wheel axle and the fork extended adjacent
the axle and a lever having angularly extended arms or members and mounted for
bearing at or near the junction thereof, on the wheel axle, one of said members
having a pivotal connection with the fork leg at a suitable distance from its end
and the other extended in proximity to and beyond the extremity of the fork leg
and having thereon a stop and a spring between the stop and the fork leg extremity
for the purpose set forth.
2. In a velocipede in combination the wheel axle and the front fork legs
terminating at the rear of the axle and each provided with the eye, h, and a pair of
angular levers each comprising the members, and g, mounted for bearing at or
near the junction on the axle and each member f, extended upwardly and

page_text: rearwardly and pivotally connected to a fork leg above its end and each member 9,
being of arc form concentric with said pivotal connection at the fork leg and
extended through the fork leg eye and having the stop, i, and the spring 9, sub-
stantially as described and shown.
3. In a velocipede, in combination, a frame intermediately pivotally jointed, and
a lug extended from the pivot, a spring intermediately thereof supported on said
lug, and links uniting the ends of said spring with portions of the frame which are
forward and to the rear of the joint for the purpose set forth.
4. In a velocipede, in combination, a frame intermediately and pivotally jointed,
and a lug hung upon the joint pivot, and at its outer portion of yoke form, a plate
or leaf-spring intermediately thereof embraced by and supported on said lug-yoke,
and links or clevices uniting the ends of said spring with portions of the frame
which are forward and to the rear of the joint, substantially as described for the
purpose set forth.
5. In a velocipede the combination with an intermediate part of the frame
having opposing cheek pieces, t', t, with longitudinal ways therein, of slides
supported on said cheek pieces and movable in said ways and having confining
bolts therefor and said slides having the opposing openings through them with the
peripheral ball bearing surfaces, ¹, and the crank shaft passed through said slides
and having the screw collars, y y, with the peripheral bearing surfaces, y', and the
balls substantially as and for the purposes described.
6. In a velocipede the combination with the crank-shaft having a bevel gear
thereon, and the hub of the rear wheel having a bevel gear fixed thereon within
the end of the rear axle, of the connecting shaft, K, suitably supported and having
at its forward end a gear wheel which meshes with the crank shaft gear and by its
rearward portion extended next to and rearwardly beyond the end of the rear
axle, and having a gear wheel thereon which meshes with the rear wheel gear for
the purpose set forth.
7. In a velocipede, in combination the rear wheel axle having the enlargement
with a peripheral_bearing surface, 13, the wheel-hub surrounding the axle and
having the gear, J, fixed to move as one therewith, the hub of said gear being
internally formed to constitute a ball bearing surface opposite the surface, 13, and
the balls, the driving shaft and a shaft geared thereto and by its near portion
supported by the rear wheel axle and having a gear geared to said hub-gear, as
set forth.
8. In a velocipede, in combination, the rear axle with the enlargement and
peripheral bearing surface, and the hub with the gear, J, and intermediate balls, 16,
the tubular bracket, P, supported at the extremity of the axle which is extended
outwardly beyond said gear and having its rear orifice formed to constitute a ball
bearing surface, the shaft, K, having a gear wheel thereon with a portion of its
hub opposite the orifice of the bracket formed to constitute a ball bearing surface
and the balls, 18, substantially as described.
9. In a velocipede the combination with an intermediate part of the machine
frame having a transverse wall or part as u³, apertured and provided with a peri-
pheral ball bearing surface as a, of the crank shaft mounted on said intermediate
part of the frame and provided with a gear, a gear on the rear wheel and a shaft
having a gear on the rear thereof engaging the rear wheel gear, said shaft projected
forwardly through the aperture in the part u, and having a gear thereon which
engages the crank shaft gear and the balls, 22, substantially as described.
10. In a velocipede the combination with the crank shaft having a bevel gear
thereon the rear axle and the hub of the rear wheel having a bevel gear wheel
fixed thereon within the end of the axle of a bracket screwed and supported upon
the end of the rear axle, the connecting shaft, K, by its rear portion supported on
said bracket and extended rearwardly past the axle and provided with the bevel
gear and said shaft at its forward end suitably supported and having the bevel gear
wheel to mesh with the crank shaft gear substantially as described.
11. In a velocipede, in combination, with the part C, having opposing and

page_text: separated cheek pieces and the crank axle passed through and having a support
thereon, and said part, C, having at its rear end the transverse portion, u, apertured
as described, the rear wheel axle having the bracket, P, on its end and the wheel
hub surrounding the axle and having the gear, J, inwardly from the end of the
axle, the tubular fork, 2, supported on and extending between said bracket and the
part, u, and the connecting-shaft passed through said tubular fork and said
bracket P, and the part, u', and having the gears L, and M, arranged substantially
as described for the purposes set forth.
Dated this Cowenth des of March 1802
EDWARD JAMES O'CONNOR.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.