IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Dutton Templer
Sparrow at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th March
.1880.
THOMAS DUTTON TEMPLER SPARROW, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Bicycle Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
My Invention relates to improvements in bicycles, whereby their efficiency is
increased, and they are rendered particularly suitable for ladies as well as for
general use.
In carrying out my Invention I place the smaller wheel in front, and utilize the
same as the steering wheel, the larger or hind wheel being the driving wheel. The
steering is effected through the intervention of a lever and connecting rod, arranged
either on one side only or on both sides, the height of the connecting rod being
about level with the top of the steering wheel, or by other similar mechanical
arrangements, such as turning a handle or raising and depressing instead of working
a lever. The propulsion is effected by the aid of treadle levers which are connected
by cranks with the driving axles, the said lovers being depressed by the feet of
the rider. I also propose to employ in substitution for the ordinary socket and
fork spindle, and the arrangements known as centre steering a plate or plates
which are placed in close proximity to the front end of the back bone and fork
with antifriction balls, or other similar antifriction devices interposed between the
contiguous surfaces, the plates being suitably extended to provide the necessary
leverage, and connected with the fork by means of a pin or bolt and nut. In those
cases where the larger or driving wheel is placed in front, I arrange the steering
handles at the side below the steering pivot, and in such a position as not to
incommode the legs of the rider.
By means of my Invention I accomplish the desideratum of avoiding the
existence of impeding parts or projections in the front of the bicycle that may tend
to interfere with the rider mounting or dismounting, especially in the case of an
accidental or unintentional dismount.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Dutton Templer Sparrow in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th September 1880.
THOMAS DUTTON TEMPLER SPARROW, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex,
Bicycle Maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES."
My said Invention relates to "Improvements in Bicycles," whereby they are
rendered particularly suitable for ladies as well as for general use, further objects of
the Invention being to facilitate the attainment of high speeds, and to accomplish
the desideratum of avoiding the existence of impeding parts or projections in the
front of the bicycle that may interfere with the rider dismounting, especially in the
case of an accidental or unintentional dismount.
In carrying out my said Invention, as applied, for example, to bicycles for the use
of ladies, I place the smaller wheel in front, and use the same as the steering wheel,
the larger or hind wheel being the driving wheel. The steering and balancing
are effected by means of devices at the side of the bicycle in lieu of at the top of
the main fork. These devices may consist of a lever or levers, and connecting rod
or rods arranged either on one side only or on both sides of the bicycle, or of similar
mechanical contrivances, or of two or more of such contrivances employed in
conjunction, the arrangement being such that the bicycle is steered and the
balance is maintained with facility by the act of turning or raising and depressing
a handle or its equivalent, which is placed in such a position that it will not
interfere with riding or dismounting, especially in the case of an accidental or
unintentional dismount. It is obvious that bicycles fitted with my improved
steering and balancing devices as hereinbefore described may be arranged so as
to be ridden with the driving wheel first, the small wheel still being the steering
wheel.
In those cases where the larger or driving wheel is placed in front, and used also
as the steering wheel, I attach the steering handles at the side of the fork below
the steering pivot, placing them in such a position as not to incommode the legs of
the rider, and so as to obtain a more direct pull on the handle, the latter being an
essential object. Another feature of my said Invention consists in the employment
in substitution for the ordinary socket and fork spindle, and the arrangements
known as centre steering of horizontal bars or plates connected with the back
bone, or an extension therefrom, and the fork, and having if deemed desirable
antifriction balls or other similar antifriction devices interposed between the
contiguous surfaces, the plates or bars being suitably extended to provide the
necessary bearing, and connected together by means of a pin and bolt or nut.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings represents a side elevation of a bicycle
constructed according to one mode of carrying out my said Invention, and intended
more particularly for the use of ladies.
Figure 2 is an end view of the same corresponding to Figure 1; Figures 3 and 4
are details (drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1 and 2) of the upper bearing
hereinbefore referred to for the steering apparatus, Figure 3 being a longitudinal
section, and Figure a plan of the same, Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a side
and end elevation of a portion of a bicycle, illustrating another modification;
Figure 7 is an end elevation illustrating a further modification; Figures 8 and 9
are respectively a side and an end elevation of a portion of an ordinary bicycle
(that is to say, a bicycle in which the larger wheel is the front wheel, and serves
both for the propulsion and steering) having my said Invention applied thereto.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is the small front wheel serving as the steering
wheel; B is the larger or hind wheel forming the driving wheel; C is the steering

page_text: fork of the small wheel A; D is the back bone carrying the rider's seat a; D¹ is
the fork (in this case stationary) of the large wheel B; D2 is a horizontal forked
piece to which the back bone D and fork D¹ are connected, the three parts D, D¹, D²,
together constituting the frame.
In the example illustrated the propulsion is effected by means of treadle levers b, b,
pivotted at c to the fork D', and connected by means of rods d, d, and cranks e
with the driving axle f, so as by being depressed by the feet of the rider to impart
rotary motion to the axle, and thus propel the bicycle. Any other suitable
method of propulsion may, however, be employed, and no claim is made to the
arrangement for propulsion shewn in the example as forming any part of my
present Invention.
The essential feature of the Invention consists of improved apparatus for steering
and balancing, which according to the modification illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
is arranged in the following manner, videlicet :-
E' is a curved or semi-bell crank lever which is pivotted at g to the stationary
fork D¹. One arm h of this lever is connected by a side rod i with the steering
fork C, so that when the lever E is turned upon its centre g in one direction or the
other, the fork C is moved around a vertical axis, and the wheel A is turned with
it according to the direction in which the lever is operated. The other arm h' of
the lever E is connected by a rod.or bark to a crank or projection which is formed
on a handle n, the latter being mounted loose on a pin m carried on the stationary
fork D¹.
By the act of turning the handle upon its axis in a suitable direction the
lever E is operated, and the bicycle is steered in the required course.
F is an improved upper bearing, which I may employ in substitution for the
ordinary socket and fork spindle, and the arrangements known as centre steering.
This bearing is shewn most clearly in the details Figures 3 and 4.
On the top of the fork C I form an elongated horizontal plate o, and on the
extremity of the horizontal forked piece D², I form a counterpart horizontal plate o¹,
the two plates being connected together by a screw bolt and nut p, which bolt may
if desired be made in one piece with the fork.
The plate o is provided with a raised surface at q which enters a corresponding
recess at q' in the upper plate o'; the lower plate o is moreover recessed at 7, 8,
and the upper plate o¹ is provided with a lip t, so as to form cavities for the
reception of antifriction rollers u or balls, which are interposed between the
contiguous surfaces, as shewn, and may be carried by either plate as found most
convenient.
By means of this arrangement I secure the required length of bearing with
diminished friction, and thus facilitate the operation of steering..
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate another modification of my Invention for steering
and balancing bicycles by the employment of devices at the side thereof. In
these Figures so much only of the bicycle is shewn as is required to elucidate the
Invention,
The rod i (connected at its fore end to the steering fork, as herein before described
with reference to Figures 1 and 2, is attached at its rear end to the arm h of the
bell crank lever E, the other arm h¹ of which is connected by a rod or bar k to the
arm of another bell crank lever G pivotted to the stationary fork D¹ at w,
the other arm² of such lever G being jointed by a slotted connection to a cranked
arm or projection of the handle-n. A similar set of devices is arranged at each
side of the bicycle, as shewp, and the two handles n are together pivotted to the
back bone D and fork by a vertical bolt and nut y, the whole arrangement being
such that by the act of moving the handles backwards and forwards the bicycle is
guided in the required course.
By mounting the handles n on a horizontal pivot y, as shewn in Figure 7, and
connecting the rods or bars k direct to the cranked arms or projections x, the
steering may be performed by an upward and downward motion in lieu of by a
backward and forward motion of the handles n.

page_text: Under the arrangements. herein before, described with reference to Figures 5, 6,
and 7, the steering is effected by a pulling action on either side according to the
direction in which the steering wheel is to be turned, but it is obvious that the
levers, rods, and connections, may be so modified that motion may be imparted to
the steering fork by a thrust in lieu of by an act of traction.
The bicycles hereinbefore described may also be ridden with the driving wheel
first by substituting ordinary pedals attached to the cranks in the usual manner
for the levers b illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
In those cases where the larger or driving wheel B is placed in front and used
also as the steering wheel, I arrange the steering handles n at the side of the fork D'
below the steering pivot y, as shewn in Figures 8 and 9, so as to admit of a more
direct pull being obtained, the position of the handles being suitably chosen, and
their shape being so designed that they shall not incommode the legs of the rider,
whilst at the same time they will offer no impediment in dismounting, especially in
the case of an accidental or unintentional dismount. The handles may be hinged
or made telescopic, so as to admit of their being turned aside or shortened if required
for the facility of mounting the bicycle.
I also may apply my improved upper bearing F, herein before described in detail
with reference to Figures 3 and 4, to ordinary bicycles, as shewn in Figures 8 and 9,
and either alone or (as indicated in those Figures) in conjunction with my other
improvement. When the upper bearing is so applied the connecting pin or bolt may
be extended so as to carry ordinary bicycle handles.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. In bicycles in which the smaller wheel is used as the steering wheel
effecting the steering and balancing of the bicycle by the employment of devices at
the side or sides thereof, the said devices being constructed and arranged so as to
operate substantially in the manner herein before described and illustrated by
Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7, of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. In bicycles in which the larger wheel is used both as driving wheel
and steering wheel, placing the steering handles at the side of the fork below the
steering pivot, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and as
illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the Drawings.
Third. The employment in bicycles of upper bearings, constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and as illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, J, the said Thomas Dutton Templer Sparrow, have to this
my Specification set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of September, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
THO³. D. T. SPARROW. (L.S.)