Certain Improvements in the Construction of Velocipedes and other like Vehicles.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1887
Complete Left, 17th Oct.. 1887
Complete Accepted, 18th Nov., 1887
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Certain Improvements in the Construction of Velocipedes and other
like Vehicles.
SAMUEL WATTS, Cycle Manufacturer, Newark Street, Bath and RICHARD JOHN
POWELL, Inland Revenue Officer, Bath, Somerset do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF VELOCIPEDES AND
OTHER LIKE VEHICLES to be as follows:—
An improved method of making that portion of the ordinary Bicycle, and other
velocipedes, called the Head & Neck ; such Head & Neck forming the joint or swivel
by which the requisite movement for steering the machine is obtained.
Instead of the forgings or stampings now in general use, we use :-
(1) For the head, a tube of steel or other metal of a suitable diameter and thickness,
and expand one end to form the shoulder and outer part of the lugs to which the forks
are attached, and contract the other end to receive the screw or setpin; on this end
we also fit a lug or bracket to receive the Handlebar or steering rod. This lug or
bracket may be fixed by brazing, or by a collar and lock nut, keys, or cottars, or other
suitable means so as to be detachable. A piece of steel or other metal is then shaped
to fit under the shoulder and to form the inner portion of the lugs, before named, to
which the forks are attached; the superfluous metal is then cut away, and a slot cut
to receive the neck.
By this method a Head may be made of any desired length or size without the use
of expensive dies as in the present mode of stamping.
The above method may also be applied to the making of Heads for dwarf Bicycles,
Tricycles, and other Velocipedes, and also for the junctions of Safety Bicycle forks,
and other like purposes.
We may use a tube of any diameter and expand or contract such portions as may
be necessary to bring about the desired end.

page_text: (2) For the neck. The improvement in the construction of the neck consists in
making it of two or more pieces as desired, instead of the solid stampings as now
in uso.
The portion of the neck which is fixed in the Backbone or Frame, is made of iron,
tough steel, or other suitable metal, and the front end of the same is bored through in
a vertical direction to receive the pin, the ends of which pin forms the centres or
points of bearing on which the Head swings or swivels; thus allowing the said pin to
be removed in case of fracture, or for other purposes, without disturbing the joint of
the neck and Backbone or Frame.
This method admits of the better and easier fitting and hardening of the bearing
surfaces, and the employment of more suitable material for the separate parts.
100円

page_text: Certain Improvements in the Construction of Velocipedes and other
like Vehicles.
We, SAMUEL WATTS of 7 and 8 Nowark Street, Bath in the county of Somerset-
shire, Cycle manufacturer, and RICHARD JOHN POWELL of the Inland Revenue Office,
Bath in the county aforesaid, Revenue Officer, 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved method of constructing the heads and necks
forming the steering joint or swivel of Velocipedes, whereby the requisite movement
for steering such machines is obtained.
Figures 1 and 2 are sectional elevations of our improved head, Figure 3 is a plan
of the under plate thereof, Figure 4 is a plan of the underside of the head showing
the construction of the lugs to receive the hollow forks, Figure 5 is an elevation
of the neck partly in section, and Figure 6 is a section on line x, x. Throughout
these views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
Our improved head is constructed out of a piece of tube A of steel or other suitable
material, of any desired gauge and of any suitable diameter. One end of the tube is
expanded to form the shoulder a and the outer parts a¹ al of the lugs to which the
prongs of the forks are attached. The other end of the tube A is contracted to
receive a screw thread a³ for the top centre set screw, and is turned down to receive
the bracket A¹ that carries the transverse handle bar. This bracket may either be
brazed or otherwise permanently fixed to the top of the head, or it may be detachably
fixed thereto by a taper cottar a or by any other equivalent device.
Under the bottom of the shoulder a of the tube A is fitted a plate A2 shaped to
accurately fit under the shoulder and form the inner parts a², a² of the lugs to which
the prongs of the forks are attached. The plate A' is then rivetted to the shoulder a
of the tube A by rivets a a and then brazed or sweated together. The snug a to
carry the spoon brake lever-when one is necessary-is fitted between the shoulder a
of the tube A and the plate A2, and is fixed by one of the rivets a' and by brazing or
sweating. The usual slot to receive the neck having been cut away, and all superfluous
metal removed, the head is complete and may be fitted with the ordinary coned centres
or with centres of any other desired pattern.
By constructing a head in this manner all expensive dies are avoided and the length
or size of the head may be varied as desired.
It will be obvious that heads constructed as hereinbefore described may be applied
to all types of velocipedes and may also be used for the junctions of the steering posts
or sockets and the forks for carrying the steering wheels of velocipedes.
Our improved neck is constructed as illustrated by Figure 5 of the accompanying
drawing. The centres b, b are formed on a taper steel pin B fitted in a taper hole in

page_text: The
the vertical spindle 6' of the neck B' which may be made of iron, tough steel, or other
suitable material. The hole in the spindle b' is tapered from the bottom towards the
top so that the centre pin B is inserted from the lower side thereof whereby the weight
of the rider will prevent it working loose should it have a tendency to do so.
pin B is simply driven into the spindle of the neck B₁ so that it may readily be
removed for repair or to be replaced, should occasion demand, without the necessity
of putting the neck in the fire. The centres b, 6 of the pin B are formod to coincido
and engage with the centres of the head A.
By this construction of neck we are enabled to employ more suitable material for
the respectivo parts, while of easier fitting and more perfect hardening of the centres,
with facility for repairing or replacing them in case of damage or fracture.
We are aware that the heads of velocipedes have already been formed from pieces
of steel tube, and also that the centres of the neck have been formed of separate pieces
fixed thereto, and we therefore do not claim these particular methods of construction
broadly, but having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Constructing the heads and necks of Velocipedes, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and shown.
2. A head for a Velocipedo consisting essentially of the tube A, and the under-
plate A³, constructed and arranged as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
3. A head for a Velocipede consisting essentially of the tubo A, the bracket A2, and
the underplate A³, all constructed and arranged, as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
4. In a head for a Velocipede, constructing tho lugs to receive the prongs of the
fork, of the parts a¹, a¹ and a², a² forming parts of the tube A and the plate A²
respectively, or any mere modification thereof.
5. In a neck for a Velocipede, forming the centres on one taper pin fixed in the
spindle of the said neck, as and for the purposo hereinbefore set forth.
6. In a Velocipede the combination of a head and neck constructed substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown.
7. In the steering hinge or joint of a Velocipedo the combination with the head
thereof, of the neck B and the taper centre pin B fixed thereto, as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of October 1897
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
Royal Courts Chambers,
70-72, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.