Improvements relating to Cycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
Improvements relating to Cycles.
I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS, of 55 Chancery Lane, in the County
of London, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a com-
munication to me from abroad by William De. Lany, of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada,
Jeweller) to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide means whereby a damaged fork can
be readily removed for repair without disfiguring the crown plates.
The invention consists in providing each arm of a fork with an enlargement or
flange at its upper end.
At the lower end of the fork stem is a plate, of approximately oval shape, and
having apertures at its smallest ends for the insertion therethrough of the fork
arms; the flanges thereof resting upon the plate.
A similar plate is provided, and has a central aperture to enable the plate to
pass over the fork stem.
This plate has depending projections which coincide
with and enter the hollow fork arms.
The fork stem is screw-threaded to receive a nut, by means of which the two
plates are held firmly together with the upper plate bearing upon the flanges of
the fork arms resting upon the lower plate.
Dated this 5th day of November 1895.
PERCY R. J. WILLIS.
Improvements relating to Cycles.
I, PERCY RICHARD JULIUS WILLIS, of 55, Chancery Lane, in the County
of London, Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a com-
munication from William De Lany, of King Street, in the Town of Cobourg, in
the County of Northumberland, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Jeweller,)
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 particularly to the steering gear of bicycles, and my
object is to provide a simple and strong connection between the fork-stem and the
forks and also, to provide a ready means for disconnecting and removing the
forks from the parts to which they are normally connected should one or both
become injured.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the fork-stem and forks showing the device
which employ for connecting these parts.
Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view of the fork-stem and forks and connecting
device.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same portions showing them separated.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A are the forks, which are made of the usual construction. At the upper end
of each fork, however, is formed an enlargement a preferably corresponding in

page_text: :
general contour to the contour of the fork and beneath the enlargement a is formed
a supplemental enlargement a'. The forks are connected at the lower end to the
axle of the front wheel in any suitable manner.
B is the fork-stem, which I show intermediately broken away in Fig. 1. The
fork-stem B is preferably tubular and is designed to form means for turning the
front wheel as is generally the case in bicycles. C is an annular flange attached
to or forming part of the lower end of the stem B and situated near its lower end
as indicated and C is a ring formed above the flange of greater diameter than
the stem B and threaded as shown.
D is a crown plate having a central opening d, which is internally threaded to
correspond with the external thread of the ring C. The laterally extending
portions D of the crown plate D are provided with downwardly extending
sockets D. The crown plate D is provided with a downwardly extending flange d¹
to strengthen the plate around the central opening d and such crown plate is
designed to be screwed down upon the ring 'C', so that the flange d' abuts the
annular flange C on the hollow stem B.
E is a collar, which is provided with a face groove for the reception of the ball
bearing and a central circular opening E', which is threaded. The collar E is
designed to be brought down against the top of the crown plate, being screwed
upon the upper end of the threaded ring C¹.
F is a hold-fast plate, which is provided with a central circular opening f and an
upwardly extending reinforcing flange surrounding such opening. F¹ are the
laterally extending portions of the plate F. The portions are provided with
elongated openings f substantially corresponding to the contour and size of the
supplemental enlargement a¹ at the upper ends of the forks. The hold-fast plate
is designed to be placed on the stem B, so that the lower end of such stem extends
through the opening f and the flange abutts the annular flange C. Before,
however, placing the hold-fast plate in position the forks are of course inserted in
the sockets D³.
I may here state that the depth of the enlargements at the upper ends of the
forks is made the same as the depth of the sockets D and shoulders a are
necessarily formed at the bottom of the enlargement a. It will thus be seen that
when the hold-fast plate is inserted upon the forks that it will slide easily over
them until it reaches the supplemental enlargement a¹ over which the holes f* in
the plate may be passed. As the holes f' are substantially of the same diameter
as the supplemental enlargement a¹ it will be readily seen that the edges of the
plate around the holes will abutt the shoulders a².
To secure the plate F in position I preferably make an internal thread b at the
lower end of the stem B and provide a screw plug G having a lower flange g nut-
shaped. By screwing the plug home as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 in the drawing
it will be seen that the hold-fast plate F will be firmly held in position, s0
that the edges of the plate around the holes will abutt the shoulders a³ as
herein before premised and securely hold the upper ends of the forks in position.
Should one of the forks become injured through collision or any other unforeseen
accident it will be understood that by unloosening the plug G and removing the
hold-fast plate F from off the forks that a new member of such fork may be
substituted very readily and quickly.
I thus provide a strong, steady and rigid means between the fork-stem and the
forks and one which permits of the ready separation of the parts and removal of
the forks without unsoldering, cutting, distorting or any way injuring any of
the parts.
In the construction shown all the parts are so made so as to hold the hold-fast
plate at a predetermined distance from the crown-plate, all the parts being so
organized as to fit snugly and prevent any movement or springing after the parts
are tightened up.
In separating the parts it will be noticed that it will not be necessary to disturb
the crown-plate or the ball-bearings in which the stem turns.

page_text: 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.
1. In a bicycle, the combination with the forks of a bicycle, of the fork-stem,.
the crown plate provided with downwardly extending sockets at the opposite ends
and means for retaining the upper ends of the forks in such sockets as and for the-
purpose specified.
2. The combination with the fork-stem and crown plate, of the forks, the
connecting plate having openings through which the forks extend and detachable
means for connecting the plates together as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with the fork-stem of a bicycle, of the forks, plates.
connecting the fork-stem with the upper ends of the forks and a screw plug nut
at the bottom of the fork-stem for tightening the connections between the forks.
and the plates as and for the purpose specified.
4. The combination of the fork stem, the forks having enlarged upper ends, the
plates separated from each other as described by the heads of the forks and a
screw plug nut at the lower end of the fork-stem for tightly connecting the
two plates and holding the forks rigidly in position as and for the purpose
specified.
5. The combination of the fork-stem, the forks having enlarged upper ends,.
the crown-plate secured to the stem and provided with sockets extending over
the heads of the forks, the hold-fast plate having openings at the opposite
end, the edges of which abutt the shoulders formed at the bottom end of the
enlargement of the forks and means for connecting the plates together as and for
the purpose specified.
6. The combination of the fork-stem having the lower annular flange and
threaded ring situated above the flange, the crown-plate provided with sockets,.
the collar internally threaded to fit over the top of the threaded ring on the stem,
the forks provided with enlarged upper ends to fit into the sockets, the hold-fast.
plate provided with openings, the edges of which abutt the shoulder formed on
the lower end of the enlargement at the upper ends of the forks and the flange
screw plug designed to fit into the interiorly threaded lower end of the stern as
and for the purpose specified.
7. In combination the stem, crown plate secured thereto provided with sockets,.
the forks provided with the enlarged upper ends a and supplemental enlargements a
and the hold-fast plate provided with openings corresponding in diameters to the
supplemental enlargements on the forks and means for securing the hold-fast plate.
in position as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 5th day of August 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant..