Improvements relating to Steps for Velocipedes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 6th Jan., 1888
[Communicated from abroad by THOMAS BENFIELD, of Newark, New Jersey, United
States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements relating to Steps for Velocipedes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
My invention relates to velocipede-steps, and has for its object to provide a device
of this character, which after the rider has seated himself in the saddle and removed
his foot from the said step will automatically adjust itself to an upright position
against the "back bone" of the machine, and retain this position out of the way of
the rider when dismounting, and overcoming all danger of injury therefrom in case
of accidental falling. With this end in view, my invention comprises certain novel
features of construction and combination of parts as will be hereinafter fully
described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved bicycle step in position for the rider to
mount thereon.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same showing in dotted lines the position of the
step when adjusted against the backbone of the machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional view thereof taken on the line x, x of Figure 1.
Referring to the drawing, A represents a collar encircling the backbone, and
adapted to hold the step in the proper position thereon, the bolt a passing through
the free ends of said collar, and through the piece 6 inserted between the said ends,
and holding the said collar in its proper position. The collar A is formed with
outwardly projecting lugs or bearings c through which is passed a pintle or bolt B.
On the pintle or bolt B is hinged the step C, the rear end of which is formed with the
lugs or projections d fitting in between the lugs c, and through which passes the
pintle or bolt B, the sides of the rear portion of the step extending out beyond said
lugs d, and flush with the sides of the lugs e, forming shoulders e bearing against the

page_text: outer ends of said lugs C. The rear end of the step is curved downwardly and
rearwardly, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, and when in its horizontal
position, bears against the backbone of the machine, the extreme end of the said step
being hollowed out to conform to the cylindrical shape of the backbone D. The step C
is provided with an elongated opening e for the reception of the lever E pivoted
to the said step and preferably of the shape shown in Figure 3 of the drawing; to
this lever is rigidly secured the plate F, the sides g of which are bent downwardly to
embrace the sides of the step G, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, thereby giving
to the device a neat and finished appearance, the upper surface of the plate F being
corrugated to prevent the foot from slipping therefrom.
Around the bolt or pintle B is coiled the spring G, one end of which bears
against the collar A, and the opposite end passing into the opening in the step and
fitting against the under side of the lever E and forward of the bolt which pivots
said lever to the step. It will therefore be seen that the tendency of this spring is to
raise the forward end of the lever E and F, and to depress the rear end of said lever
which latter, when the step is in its horizontal adjustment, fits against the shoulder /
formed in the bolt or pintle B. When the plate F and lever E are depressed against
the step the rear end of the lever will be raised out of engagement with the
shoulder formed on the pintle B. The spring G immediately raises the step and
its connecting parts to the upright position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the rear
end of the said lever E, riding on and around the bolt or pintle B. When the step
is lowered which is accomplished by pressing downwardly and rearwardly the curved
end of the step, the lever E, rides on and around the bolt B, until the extreme end
of said lever registers with the shoulder h, thereon, whereupon the spring ´G, acting
on the forward portion of the lever lowers the rear end of the lever into engagement
with said shoulder, and retains such step in its horizontal position. It will be under-
stood that the rider in placing his foot upon the plate F, lowers the same and at the
same time raises the rear end of the lever out of engagement with the shoulder h, and
the bolt B, and after seating himself on the saddle and removing his foot from the
step, the latter immediately adjusts itself against the back bone, as before described,
the weight of the rider when standing on the step being distributed between the
bolt and the rear curved end of the step bearing against the back bone.
My invention is exceedingly simple in its construction; is durable and effectual
in use can be manufactured at a small cost and is automatic in its operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent 1 declare that what I claim is
First. An automatically folding bicycle step.
Second. A horizontal bicycle step adapted to adjust itself to a vertical position
when the foot is removed therefrom.
Third. A step adapted to be secured to the back bone of a bicycle, and constructed.
with a spring for automatically adjusting itself against the said backbone, substan-
tially as set forth.
Fourth. A step for a bicycle hinged to the backbone of the machine, and
constructed with a spring for holding it in its horizontal position and automatically
adjusting it to a vertical position, substantially as set forth.
Fifth A step hinged to the backbone of a bicycle, and constructed with a
spring actuated lever adapted to hold the step in horizontal position, substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. A step hinged to the backbone of a bicycle and constructed with a lever
pivoted to the said step and adapted to engage with the pintle of the hinge for holding
the step in a horizontal position, and a spring for automatically throwing the
step into a vertical position when the foot is removed therefrom, substantially
as set forth.
Seventh. A step hinged to a collar encircling the backbone of a bicycle and
constructed with a lever pivoted to the step, a plate secured to the said lever,

page_text: and a spring engaging with said lever, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Eighth. A step hinged to the backbone of a bicycle and constructed with a lever
pivoted to the said step, and adapted to engage with the pintle of the hinge
for holding the said step in a horizontal position, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. A step hinged to the back bone of a bicycle, and constructed with a lever
pivoted to the said step, and adapted to engage with the pintle of the hinge, a plate
secured to the lever, a spring coiled around the said pintle, and engaging with the
said lever and collar, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Tenth. A step for a bicycle consisting of a collar encircling the backbone of the
machine, a step hinged thereto, the pintle of the said hinge being provided with a
shoulder, a lever pivoted to the step and adapted to engage with the said shoulder
and having a plate secured thereto, a spring wrapped around said pintle and engaging
with a lever for automatically throwing the step into a vertical position when the foot
is removed therefrom substantially as set forth.
Eleventh. A bicycle step hinged to a collar encircling the backbone of a machine,
and constructed with the step A, the lever E pivoted thereto, engaging with the
pintle B, and having the plate g secured thereto, and the spring G wrapped around
said pintle and engaging with the said lever E, substantially as set forth.
Twelfth. In a bicycle step the collar A, step C, hinged thereto, lever E, pivoted to
the said step, and engaging with a shoulder formed on the pintle B, spring G wrapped
around the latter, and engaging with the said lever E, and plate g, the above parts
being combined and adapted to operate substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.