Improvements in Cycle Forks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Forks.
I HENRY GREEN, Manufacturer of 42 Clifford Street Aston, in the county of
Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention consists in making a cycle-fork in the following manner.
I provide any ordinary hollow oval tube such as is used for making cycle-forks.
In some cases I provide a neck-pillar, which consists of a vertical rod or tube, the
base of which is flanged horizontally and extended to a suitable horizontal configura-
tion and dimensions; preferably of a disc shape, the diameter of which would be
about two inches; on the lower side of the disc are formed, arms or receiving
projections, one piece of hollow tube is secured to one of the arm-receiving-projections,
thus forming one fork-side, a second piece of hollow tube is secured to the other arm-
receiving-projection thus forming a cycle-fork.
I next provide a spiral-spring, and pass it (concentrically) over the neck-pillar,
until one end of the spring rests and bears on the disc or fork-root.
I next provide a handle-bar-bracket, which consists of a piece of metal or material
formed with a central boss, pierced to fit over the neck-pillar and also provided with
gland-shaped side projections, one side-projection being pierced with a hole to
receive break-mechanism, the other side-projection being formed into a suitable shape
to receive the upper end of hinged suspension-plate. I next provide a suspension-
plate, which consists of two or more parts jointed together by hinged joints. The
handle-bracket is next placed concentrically over the neck-pillar and the suspension-
plate is connected to the handle-bracket and also to the edge of neck-pillar-flange.
In using my improved fork, the fork would be connected to a bicycle, tricycle,
or other vehicle, in the usual way; handle-bars and break gear would then be
connected to the handle-bar-bracket. The upward thrust usually conveyed to a
riders hands in contact with a handle-bar of the old pattern, would (by the use of
my improved Spring-thrust-receiver) be avoided; the force of upward thrust will by
my improved arrangement be expended in compressing the spiral spring; the jointed
suspension plate would move from its normal vertical position forming an angle, the
acuteness of which would vary in accordance with the compression of the spring.
By a second modification of the invention I dispense with the stem or pillar that
passes through the spring and in lieu thereof, use two or more hinged suspension-
plates, in such cases the one end of spiral-spring would be fastened to the upper face
of fork-neck and the other end of spring would be fastened to the under side of
handle-bar-bracket, the fork would thus be suspended, or hinged to the handle-bar-
bracket, by means of the suspension plates.
Dated this 14th day of November 1889.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings, Corporation Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Forks.
1 HENRY GREEN cycle fork manufacturer of 42 Clifford Street Aston in the County
of Warwick 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 consists in making a cycle fork in the following manner.
I provide any ordinary hollow oval tube such as is used for making cycle-forks.

page_text: In some cases I provide a neck pillar, which consists of a vertical rod or tube, the
base of which is flanged horizontally and extended to a suitable horizontal configu-
ration and dimensions; preferably of a disc shape the diameter of which would be
about two inches on the lower side of the disc are formed, arms or receiving
projections, one piece of hollow tube is secured to one of the arm-receiving-projections,
thus forming one fork-side, a second piece of hollow tube is secured to the other arm-
receiving-projection thus forming a cycle-fork. I next provide a spiral spring and
pass it (concentrically) over the neck pillar, until one end of the spring rests and
bears on the disc or fork root.
1 next provide a handle-bar-bracket which consists of a piece of metal or material
formed with a central boss pierced to fit over the neck pillar and also provided with
gland-shaped side projections, one-side projection being pierced with a hole to receive
brake-mechanism, the other side-projection being formed into a suitable shape to
receive the upper end of hinged suspension-plate. I next provide a suspension-plate,
which consists of two or more parts jointed together by hinge joints. The handle-
bracket is next placed concentrically over the neck-pillar and the suspension-plate is
connected to the handle-bracket and also to the edge of neck-pillar-flange.
In using my improved fork, the fork would be connected to a bicycle, tricycle or
other vehicle in the usual way; handle-bars and break gear would then be connected
to the handle-bar-bracket. The upward thrust usually conveyed to a riders hands in
contact with a handle-bar of the old pattern, would (by the use of my improved
spring-thrust-receiver) be avoided; the force of upward thrust will by my improved
arrangement be expended in compressing the spiral spring; the jointed suspension
plate would move from its normal vertical position, forming an angle, the acuteness
of which would vary in accordance with the compression of the spring.
By a second modification of the invention I dispense with the stem or pillar that
passes through the spring and in lieu thereof nse two or more hinged suspension-
plates, in such cases the one end of spiral-spring would be fastened to the upper face
of fork-neck and the other end of spring would be fastened to the under side of handle-
bar-bracket, by means of the suspension-plates.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my invention is constructed and used. Similar letters refer to
similar parts throughout the several views.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of handle-bar-bracket, neck-pillar spiral spring
and suspension-plate.
Figure 2 represents a view of figure 1 in the direction of the arrow a a.
Figure 3 represents a plan of figure 1.
Figure 4 represents a side elevation of handle-bar-bracket connected to spiral
spring and also to two suspension-plates.
Figure 5 represents a plan of figure 4.
Figure 6 represents a side elevation of handle-bar-bracket, spring and pair of
suspension plates formed to move on two joints or centres.
Figure 7 represents a side elevation of handle-bar-bracket, spring and pair of
suspension-plates-formed to move on one pivot-joint and one slotted-joint.
In carrying out my invention 1 proceed in the following manner. 1 provide a
neck-pillar a wbich in some cases would be formed with a flanged base-jaw b, in
other cases the pillar would be a separate piece of rod or tube, secured to the base b
by means of a nut c, or by means of any other equivalent fastenment. The upper
face of the base-jaw b is formed into a knuckle-joint or other suitable shape to
receive the lower end of hinged suspension plate, the lip b¹ being provided to prevent
the suspension hinge g from travelling over or beyond its vertical axial centre; on
the lower side of the base-jaw b are provided projecting arms d, each projecting arm d
is then secured to a fork-side which would by preference consist of a piece of
hollow oval tube such as is usually used for making cycle fork sides; although I
prefer to use oval hollow tube in conjunction with the arms of my base-jaw b
nevertheless I can in some cases use" tubing or solid rods of any other suitable
transverse section.

page_text: I next provide a spiral spring e I next provide a handle-bar-bracket f which
consists of a piece of metal or material formed with a central boss f¹ and also
provided with gland shaped side projections one side projection f being pierced with
a hole f to receive brake mechanism, the other side projection f being formed
into a knuckle-joint or other suitable shape to receive the upper end of hinged
suspension plate.
I next provide a suspension plate g which may consist of two parts hinged together
in the manner illustrated at figures and 2 or which may consist of three or more
parts jointed together in any suitable man.:er.
In connecting the various parts together, the pillar would be secured to the base
bracket 6 by means of the nut c or other equivalent fastenment, the spring e would
then be lowered over the pillar a until the bottom end of said spring e rested on the
base-jaw b, the lower end of suspension-plate 9 would then be connected to the
knuckle-joint of base-jaw by means of the axial pin h, the handle bar bracket f
would then be lowered over the pillar a on to the top end of spiral-spring e, the top
end of suspension plate would then be connected to the knuckle joint of handle-bar-
bracket by means of the axial pin j.
By a second modification of my invention I dispense with the stem or pillar a and
in lieu thereof use two or more hinged suspension plates as represented at figures 4
and 5; the bottom end of the spiral spring e would then be fastened to the upper
face of the neck base-jaw by means of the headed bolt k and nut l, or by means of
other equivalent fastenments; the top end of spring being fastened to the under side
of handle-bar-bracket by means of the bolt m and nut n or by means of other equiva-
lent fastenment, the fork would thus be suspended to the handle-bar bracket; although
only two hinged suspension plates are illustrated at figure 4 nevertheless I can in
some cases provide three or more plates, in such cases the plan figure 5 would shew
a sufficient number of knuckle-joints on the neck-base jaw and also on the handle-
bar bracket to correspond with the number of suspension plates used. Instead of
using the particular shape of suspension plate illustrated at figures 1-2-3-4 and 5
I prefer in some cases to use the neck-pillar, the base-jaw and the handle-bar bracket
in conjunction with one or more suspension plates such plates being jointed to move
on axial pins in the manner represented at o p figure 6, in such cases the bottom link
crosses the vertical axial-centre of neck-pillar and is jointed at q thus dispensing with
the stop-lip b'. I can also in some cases use a suspension plate (or suspension plates)
formed with a slot working on an axial pin or stud, as illustrated at figure 7, the slot
taking the place of the axial pin p.
In using any improved fork, the fork would be connected to a bicycle, tricycle, or
other vehicle in any usual convenient manner; a handle-bar and break gear would
then be connected to the handle-bar-bracket.
The complete bicycle or tricycle fitted with my improved fork would when in use
pass over uneven ground without conveying to the riders hands "in contact with the
handle-bar" that upward thrust and jerkey action usually experienced by users of
cycles fitted with forks of the old style or pattern; the force of upward thrust would
by my improved arrangement be expended in compressing the spiral spring the jointed
suspension plates (or the crossed lover suspension plates) moving to suit the compression
or expansion of the spiral spring.
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
1st. The making of a cycle-fork in the manner illustrated and described, for the
purpose described.
2nd. The application and utilization of a spiral spring between the base-jaw
and handle-bar bracket of a cycle fork in conjunction with a neck-pillar and
jointed suspension-plate, as illustrated and described in reference to figures 1-2-
and 3.

page_text: 3rd. The application and utilization of a spiral-spring between the base-jaw and
handle-bar bracket of a cycle fork in conjunction with two or more jointed suspension
plates. as illustrated and described in reference to figures 4 and 5.
4th. The application and utilization of a spiral-spring between the base-jaw and
handle-bar-bracket of a cycle fork in conjunction with one, two or more jointed
suspension-plates such jointed suspension-plates (or pair of jointed suspension-
plates) being connected crossways, as illustrated and described in reference to
figure 6.
5th. The application and utilization of a spiral-spring between the base-jaw and
handle-bar bracket of a cycle fork in conjunction with a slotted suspension-plate or
pair of slotted suspension-plates as illustrated and described in reference to figure 7.
Dated this 16th day of December 1889.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings, Corporation Street, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.