Improvements in and relating to the Means for Connecting Carriages, Bassinettes, and other Vehicles to Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
Improvements in and relating to the Means for Connecting Carriages,
Bassinettes, and other Vehicles to Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C., Consulting Engineer (being a communication from Joseph
Planes, of Duclair, in the Republic of France), do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to cycles and vehicles and has for its object to provide
effective means for connection of a carriage or bassinet or other vehicle part to a
bicycle, tricycle or motor cycle or vehicle, in order that such carriage or bassinet
may be carried and drawn thereby and so that the relative movement of the
cycle or driving part shall be permitted in the incidental change of direction,
while also the vertical movement due to the passage over irregular or uneven
surfaces may be permitted in order that thereby the carriage or bassinet may
be entirely free to follow and be drawn by the cycle or driving part.
The invention consists of a connection between the cycle or driving part and
the rear vehicle or bassinet that is drawn, which connection is provided with
vertical and horizontal hinges or joints, so that the change of direction of motion
and slight vertical movement due to the irregularity or unevenness of the road
may be permitted.
In carrying the invention into effect a rear vehicle or bassinet is provided
preferably carried upon two wheels and having its frame extended in front so
as to be carried and drawn by a cycle, tricycle, motor cycle or vehicle.
The frame of the rear vehicle or bassinet is preferably constituted of a part
which is connected to the wheel axle and terminates in a tubular extremity pre-
ferably immediately beneath the foot-board. This tubular extremity is con-
nected to another front tube which may support the front or splash board, and
by which the vehicle may be connected to the cycle or driving part. The con-
nection of the front and rear parts of the frame of the rear vehicle or bassinet
is preferably effected so that it can be readily unfastened, and may consist of
a collar formed upon the tubular extremity of the rear frame, while the front
tube or part may be screw threaded so as to permit of adjustment, a screw collar
being employed which may be adjusted into any position upon the screw threaded
extremity of the front tube or part, and the connection effected by means of
screw threaded nuts embracing the respective fixed and adjustable collars. The
front tube or part is connected to say the cycle by a connection which is the
main subject matter of this application.
This connection consists of a tube or part which is inserted into the upper
extremity of the front tube or part of the rear vehicle frame, and is embraced
by a collar secured at the extremity thereof, while at the other extremity a hinge
or joint is provided which permits of movement in a horizontal direction so as
thereby to permit of change in direction of motion of the driving and drawn
parts. The jointing or hinging piece is provided at its opposite extremity with a

page_text: transverse horizontal hinging or jointing pin serving for the connection thereto
of lateral connecting pieces whose opposite extremities are fixed to say the cycle
so that relative vertical movement may be permitted about such horizontal pin.
The opposite extremity of the lateral connecting pieces are preferably bolted to
the usual junction piece immediately beneath the saddle of the bicycle, or in the
alternative these lateral connecting pieces may be substituted for a fork at
whose extremity say two semi-circular jointed clipping jaws are provided which
are caused to tightly embrace the saddle supporting pin by means of nut and
bolt.
In the connection of a rear vertical part or bassinet to a motor tricycle or
vehicle two lateral supporting pieces are preferably fixed to the rear vertical
tubular parts of the frame or to any other convenient parts, and the opposite
extremities of such lateral supporting pieces hold the horizontal hinging or
jointing pin whose ends are preferably secured by means of nuts, such horizontal
pin permitting of relative vertical movement to permit of the passage of the
combination over irregular and uneven surfaces while the horizontal pin is con-
nected to a vertical jointing or hinging pin by means of which a change of
direction may be permitted, such vertical jointing pin being preferably connected
by means of a connecting part or piece which is introduced and secured within
the front tubular extremity of the rear vehicle part or bassinet as hereinbefore
described..
D
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1000
ו הירו
VICTO
5th day o
T1 1000
JAGAT
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., and
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, Agents.
Improvements in and relating to the Means for Connecting Carriages,
Bassinettes, and other Vehicles to Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, GEORGE CROYDON MARKS, of 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
London, W.C., Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention 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 an arrangement for attaching a basket, bath-chair
or the like tandem fashion to a vehicle whether the same be a bicycle, tricycle
or motor cycle.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which merely serves
as an example of how the said invention may be carried into practice.
Figure 1 shows the general arrangement of a basket chair coupled to a safety
bicycle by means of the attachment constructed in accordance with this invention.
Figure 1 and 1 shows a side elevation and plan respectively of a portion of
the frame shown in Figure 1.
Figures 2 and 3 show a modified form of attachment.
Figures 4 and 5 show on a larger scale a side elevation and a plan respectively
of the principal member of my improved attachment, and
Figure 6 is a detail view hereinafter referred to.
In order that the draught vehicle may not be impeded in its movements when
moving forward and steering, it is indispensable that an attachment or coupling
be provided which will readily yield to any unevenness of the road.
Now this attachment or coupling shown separately in Figures 4 and 5 are

page_text: also applied in slightly modified form in Figures 1, 2 and 3, completely fulfils
these conditions.
As will be seen from the various figures the coupling comprises:
A rod A either hollow or plain for insertion into the hollow tree or draw bar B
of the chair vehicle in which it is retained by a locking collar C integral with
the diawbar B. The outer end of the rod A is formed with a fork D in which
is pivotted a short link E secured by the pivot pin F. This articulation is.
arranged in a horizontal direction, that is to say it enables changes in the direc-
tion i.e. the steering to be carried out. The link E is provided with a stud G
which passes centrally through a cross-head H, said cross-head being capable
of turning on the stud G. This arrangement permits of the independent move-
ments of the two vehicles thus coupled together and allows them to adjust them-
selves to the unevenness of the road.
The cross-head H is formed at each end with a stud H¹ to each of which is
secured one end of a draw-link I or J attached by the other end to the draught
vehicle.
The draw bar or pole consists of two portions B, united together by means
of a socket a which is internally screw threaded to receive the extremity of the
fork attached to the rear wheel axle. This fork which is removable is intended
to give an extra amount of stability to the whole. The portion of the draw-
bar is connected to the socket a by means of a double or universal joint similar
to that of the upper end of the draw-bar (see Figure 1).
The point for attachment of the links I and J, to the draught vehicle, may
obviously vary to suit the particular vehicle to which it is connected but in every
case it must be at such an elevation as to ensure the stability and equilibrium
of the entire system. I have by preference chosen the point for attachment
to be immediately beneath the saddle, using either the bolt P of the receiving
socket for the saddle stalk as shown in Figure 1, or the stem itself of the saddle
as shown in Figure 2, as the point of attachment.
If the bolt P is chosen to serve as point of attachment the connecting links
remain the same as those herein before described with reference to Figures 1, 4
and 5, their ends being mounted against the head and the nut of the bolt but
outside the lugs of the socket.
If it be desired to attach the coupling to the saddle stem, the links I J require
to be modified to the shape represented in dotted lines in Figure 4, in which
case they are formed with a collar K by which they can be secured to the vertical
stem as shown in Figure 2.
In Figure 3 is shown in plan a suitable attachment for use in connecting the
carriage to a motor cycle for instance or to a tricycle.
In this modified arrangement the point of attachment is taken on the two
upright pieces or forks M M which unite the motor to the frame of the motor
cycle and in this case the links I and J are curved to pass freely around the
sides of the motor and they terminate in straps N N respectively which are
secured to the said upright pieces M M by screw bolts 0 and 0¹
With a view of securing the carriage against the consequences of an accident
to the motor cycle through loss of its equilibrium or through the overturning
of the cycle, the draw-bar of the carriage or chair is made in two portions 6 b₁
which are connected together, as shown in Figure 1 and also in detail in
Figure 6, in such a manner as to enable them to turn freely the one on the
other. In the connection, shown by way of an example, the female part b is
provided at its extremity with a flange or collar n, while the male part 61 is
screw-threaded externally onto which is screwed a loose collar 2 which is so
adjusted on the screwed part b¹ as to allow it to sufficiently penetrate the part b
to form a secure coupling; it thus serves as a flange or stop to the part b
The parts are united together by means of a loose socket or union d¹
having a flange adapted to press against one of the collars above mentioned and

page_text: acting in conjunction with a screw nut
or collar by screwing it into the union.
which presses against the other flange
This arrangement permits of free play of the part in the part b, or if desired
the parts may also be rigidly secured together by this means by screwing the
screw nut a far enough on to grip the collars. The seat of the carriage is made
in open work and an opening is provided at h for the introduction of a folding
seat on which sits the person occupying the carriage. This seat may be taken
out to serve as an ordinary seat if desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
(1) A device for coupling for attaching carriages bath-chairs or the like. to
bicycles, tricycles or motor cycles constituted by a draw-bar made in two por-
tions adapted to turn one with respect to the other in the longitudinal direction;
the said draw bar, one end of which is connected to the carriage, is provided
with a bar carrying connecting links for attachment to the bicycle, tricycle or
motor cycle and is formed, with three articulations which permit of the inde-
pendent movements of the latter due to the road and to the steering and which
at the same time are a guarantee for security from a point of view of stability
of the carriage and its attachment to the draught vehicle.
(2) The arrangement of the lower safety fork in conjunction with the draw-
bar as a means of attachment of the two parts to consolidate the coupling.
Dated this 5th day of April 1899
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.