Improvements in and connected with Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 19th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 3rd Apr., 1897
Improvements in and connected with Velocipedes.
I, BRUCE GREEN of Nos. 65 and 66 Chancery Lane in the County of London,
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to velocipedes in which pneumatic cushions are interposed
in such a manner as to lessen or deaden vibration, and it consists in the improve-
ments hereinafter described.
The forks carrying the front wheel of a bicycle or other velocipede in which
the said wheel is employed for steering in the same manner as a bicycle, or the
crown connecting said forks carry two or more parallel tubes intended to be
parallel to the steering head, and the steering post carries at its lower end a
plate usually similar to the fork crown in which holes or sockets are made in or
through which the aforesaid tubes may slide. These tubes after passing upwards
through the said holes or sockets project into or around other tubes fixed in a
plate attachable to the upper end of the steering post and usually fixed to or
made a part of the clip which surrounds the upper split end of the steering post
and by which the handle bar is fixed in the steering post. The lower tubes
may thus have a telescopic sliding movement with regard to the upper tubes
aforesaid and the front forks thus have a sliding movement with regard to the
steering head without interfering with the arrangement of the bearings of the
steering post in the steering head, while the steering post is nevertheless
effectively secured with the forks for steering purposes. The pneumatic cushions
are applied to the aforesaid sliding tubes, that is to say such tubes and the fixed
tuhes in or around which they slide are severally provided with flanges or the
like between which annular or other pneumatic cushions are placed.
When pneumatic cushions are applied to the front forks by forming each of
the latter in two parts sliding respectively one in the other in a telescopic manner
such parts having flanges between which the pneumatic cushions are placed, the
said cushions need not be annular, but may be made of such form that they lie
on the outside of the forks, though they may be contained in an annular or other
casing or made to form part of such a casing in order that they may be con-
veniently held in place by the forks passing respectively through such casing.
By this means such cushions may be effectively secured in place while the
distension required when the air cushion or part of it is inside the forks is
avoided, and consequently the forks need not be further separated than they are
in bicycles as now made.
To enable pneumatic cushions to be effectively placed in relation to the rear
forks of a bicycle, or, as they are usually termed the upper back tubes; I form
a hinge or joint close behind the pedal crank shaft bracket for the attachment
of the lower back tubes which are connected together and are adapted to swing
together in a vertical plane about the said hinge or joint as a centre.
The upper
back tubes are divided as aforesaid with regard to the front forks, one part
sliding within the other part; and to avoid such parts falling apart I may insert
a reducing collar in the larger part through which collar the smaller part slides,
said smaller part having a flange or boss inwards of the collar, of larger diameter
than the passage way in the collar.

page_text: Where such parts slide I prefer to curve the tubes in order that they may
easily move one in the other, such curvature having the aforesaid hinge or joint
for its centre, and in order to provide for accurate adjustment to permit of easy
sliding the lower parts of the divided upper back tubes are secured to the ends
of the lower back tubes, or to the axle holding fitting there usually provided,
by means of a bolt or screw in such a way that said upper back tube parts may
be adjusted back or forth about such bolt or screw as a centre.
It will be understood that the parts of the upper back tubes have flanges or
plates made on or secured to them between which are annular or other pneumatic
eushious in order to cushion one sliding part with regard to the other according
to the principle shown in the Specification of my former Letters Patent No. 3837
of 1894.
Dated this 19th day of May 1896
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
I, BRUCE GREEN, of Nos. 65 and 66 Chancery Lane in the County of London,
Gentleman, 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 relates to velocipedes in which pneumatic cushions are interposed
in such a manner as to lessen or deaden vibration, and it consists in the improve-
ments hereinafter described.
The forks carrying the front wheel of a bicycle or other velocipede in which the
said wheel is employed for steering in the same manner as a bicycle, or the crown
connecting said forks carry two or more parallel tubes intended to be parallel to
the steering head, and the steering post carries at its lower end a plate usually
similar to the fork crown in which holes or sockets are made in or through which
the aforesaid tubes may slide. These tubes after passing upwards through the said
holes or sockets project into or around other tubes fixed in a plate attachable to
the upper end of the steering post and usually fixed to or made a part of the clip
which surrounds the upper split end of the steering post and by which the handle bar
is fixed in the steering post the lower may thus have a telescopic sliding movement
with regard to the upper tubes aforesaid and the front forks thus have a sliding
movement with regard to the steering head without interfering with the arrange-
ment of the bearings of the steering post in the steering head, while the steering
post is nevertheless effectively secured with the forks for steering purposes. The
pneumatic cushions are applied to the aforesaid sliding tubes, that is to say such
tubes and the fixed tubes in or around which they slide are severally provided with
flanges or projections between which annular or other pneumatic cushioning devices
are placed.
When pneumatic cushions are applied to the front or rear forks by forming each
of the latter in two parts sliding respectively one in the other in a telescopic
manner such parts having flanges between which the pneumatic cushions are placed,
the said cushions need not be annular but may be made of such form that they lie
on the outside of the forks though they may be contained in an annular or other
casing or made to form part of such a casing in order that they may be conveniently
held in place by the forks passing respectively through such casing or attached
thereto. By this means such cushions may be effectively secured in place while the

page_text: distension required when the air cushion or part of it is inside the forks is avoided,
and consequently the forks need not be further separated than they are in
bicycles as now made.
To enable pneumatic cushions to he effectively placed in relation to the rear
forks of a bicycle or as they are usually termed the upper back tubes; I form a
hinge or joint close behind the pedal crank shaft bracket for the attachment of the
lower back tubes which are connectel together and are adapted to swing together in
a vertical plane about the said hinge or joint as a centre the upper back tubes
are divided as aforesaid with regard to the front forks, one part sliding within the
other part.
To avoid such parts falling apart I may insert a reducing collar in the larger
part through which collar the smaller part slides, said smaller part having a flange
or boss inwards of the collar of larger diameter than the passage way in the collar.
Where such parts slide I prefer to curve the tube in order that they may easily
move one in the other such curvature having the aforesaid hinge or joint for its
centre, and in order to provide for accurate adjustment to permit of easy sliding,
the lower parts of the divided upper back tubes are secured to the ends of the lower
back tubes, or to the axle holding fitting there usually provided, by means of a bolt
or screw in such a way that said upper back tube parts may be adjusted back or
forth about such bolt or screw as a centre.
These improvements are illustrated in the annexed drawing in which
Fig. 1 is a section through the steering hend and adjacent parts of one form of
the improved pneumatically cushioned bicycle.
Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through one limb of the front fork with an elastic
cushion thereon.
Fig. 4 is a cross section thereof on line 4-4.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly in section showing the rear end of a bicycle frame
with driving axle bracket, lower back tubes and upper back tubes.
Fig. 6 is a similar side elevation showing a hinged joint connecting the lower
back tubes to the pedal crank shaft bracket, and Fig. 7 is a plan view of the
hinged joint.
Fig. 8 is an alternative method of carrying out the invention with regard to the
steering head.
Fig. 9 is an alternative form of joint for the lower back tubes.
The forks A carrying the front wheel of a bicycle or other velocipede in which
the said wheel is employed for steering in the same manner as a bicycle, or the
crown B connecting said forks A carry two or more parallel tubes C intended to
be parallel to the steering head D, and the steering post E carries at its lower end
a plate F usually similar to the fork crown B in which holes or sockets Gare
made in or through which the aforesaid tubes C may slide. These tubes C after
passing upwards through the said holes or sockets G project into or around other
tubes II fixed in a plate J attachable to the upper end of the steering post E and
usually fixed to or made a part of the clip, K, which surrounds the upper split
end of the steering post E and by which the handle bar L is fixed in the steering
post. The lower tubes C may thus have a telescopic sliding movement with
regard to the upper tubes H aforesaid and the front forks A thus have a sliding
movement with regard to the steering head D without interfering with the
arrangement of the hearings M and N of the steering post E in the steering
head D, while the steering post is nevertheless effectively secured with the forks
for steering purposes. The pneumatic cushions are applied to the aforesaid sliding
tubes C. H. that is to say in Fig. 1 the tubes C and the fixed tubes H in or around
which they slide are severally provided with flanges or the like O. P. between which
annular or other pneumatic cushions Q are placed.
The cushions Q may be rubber hollow sleeves encased in covers of canvas or
other material as at Q1 or be enclosed in metal casings and be provided if desired
with valves as at R of any convenient form as at present applied to pneumatic tyres

page_text: for the purposes of inflation. The lower flange O may be secured higher or lower
upon the tube C by fitting it upon a clip S which surrounds the tube C and can be
secured by bolt and nut T.
In Fig. 8 the pneumatic cushion Q1 is placed in or between cups or
casings 2 P 2 carried by arms 01 PI attached to tubes C and H respectively.
In place of one pneumatic cushion Q1, two may be used one secured in the upper
cup O 2 resting on the other in the lower cup P 2.
When pneumatic cushions are applied to the front forks by forming each of the
latter in two parts sliding respectively one in the other in a telescopic manner such
parts A A1 having flanges g h between which the pneumatic cushions are
placed the said cushions need not be annular but may be made of such form that
they lie on the outside of the forks, though they may be contained in an annular
or other casing or made to form part of such a casing in order that they may be
conveniently held in place by the forks passing respectively through such
casings in a manner that will be readily understood. By this means such
cushions may be effectively secured in place while the distension of the forks
required to afford space for the wheel when the air cushion or part of it is inside the
forks is avoided and consequently the forks need not be further separated than
they are in bicycles as now inade.
To enable pneumatic cushions to be effectively placed in relation to the rear
forks of a bicycle or as they are usually termed the upper back tubes, I form a
binge or joint close behind the pedal crank shaft bracket U for the attachment of
the lower back tubes V which are connected together at W and are adapted to
swing together in a vertical plane about the said hinge or joint X as a centre.
Joints with solid bearings of this nature are shown in Figs. 67 and 9 but any
desired form of ball bearings may be placed at this joint. The upper back tubes
are divided as aforesaid with regard to the front forks; one part Y sliding within
the other part Z: and to avoid such parts falling apart I may insert a removable
reducing collar a in the larger part Z through which collar the smaller part Y slides,
said smaller part having a flange or boss B inwards of the collar of larger diameter
than the passage way in the collar. Where such parts slide I prefer to curve the
tubes at their upper ends as at d in order that they may easily move one in the
other, such curvature having the aforesaid hinge or joint X for its centre, and in
order to provide for accurate adjustment to permit of easy sliding the lower parts Z
of the divided upper back tubes are secured to the ends of the lower back tubes V
or to the axle holding fitting e there usually provided by means of a bolt or screw f
in such a way that said upper back tube parts Z may be adjusted back or forth about
such bolt or screw f as a centre.
It will be understood that the parts Y Z of the upper back tubes have flanges
or plates O P made on or secured to them between which are annular or other
pneumatic cushions Q in order to cushion one sliding part with regard to the other
according to the principle shown in the Specification of my former Letters Patent
No. 3837 of 1894, the upper plate P being here adjustable and the lower plate O
resting on the flange of the collar a.
In place of this construction the cushion or cushions Q1 may be used with the
cups or casings O2 P2 and arms 01 P1 attached to the two parts of the back
forks as hereinbefore described with regard to the sliding tubes of the steering
head and to enable this to be done without requiring a separate cushioning
for each fork, the place of connection of the sliding is placed higher up the forks,
in fact, above the wheel, and can be preferably cluse behind the saddle pillar
bracket.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The construction for application of pneumatic cushioning devices to or between
the steering head and front forks substantially as herein described.

page_text: 2. The combination of the front forks and fork crown and steering post of a
bicycle with tube C extended upward from the forks or fork crown parallel with
the steering post, a plate F on the steering post below the steering head Da
plate J connected to the upper part of said steering post above head D, tubes H
extending downward from plate J and enclosing or enclosed by tubes C, flanges or
arms on tubes C and H respectively and a pneumatic cushioning device or devices
between the same for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with the front fork, each limb of which is made in two parts,
the one sliding in the other, having flanges on said parts of pneumatic cushions
between said flanges exterior of the fork contained in or forming part of casings or
attachments embracing the limb of the fork or attached thereto by arms for the
purpose set forth.
4. The construction of a bicycle frame in which the upper back tubes consist
each of two parts, the one sliding in the other with an enlargement b at the
end of the inner part and a reducing collar a in the outer part, a flange or
arm resting on collar a, or attached to one part, a flange or arm attached to
the inner sliding part, and pneumatic cushioning devices between said flanges
or arms and a pivotal attachment of the lower part to the rear axle bracket and
a hinged joint connecting the lower back tubes V to the pedal crank shaft
bracket.
5. The construction of a bicycle frame in which the upper back tubes consist each
of two parts the one sliding in the other, the lower back tubes being connected
together and attached by a joint close behind the pedal crank shaft bracket so that
said lower back tubes may move in a vertical plane.
n..
10
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, Agents to Applicant.