Year: 1898

page_text: We, ARTHUR HOUGHTON ROGERS, Cycle Manufacturer, and HENRY WILLIAM
PATRICK, Manager, both of 58, Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
_
This invention relates to the back fork ends of a cycle, and has for its object
such a construction of the back fork end that the back wheel can easily and
speedily be taken out of its position within the slotted back fork ends and replaced
again with equal promptitude and ease, so that in case of punctures or any repairs
requiring to be effected to the back wheel the same can be instantly unlocked
from its engaged position, thereby affording a much greater facility for examina-
tion and ease in handling than is the case with existing constructions of back
fork ends.
According to this invention the lower member of the slotted fork end is
jointedly connected to the lower part of its unslotted portion, its other end being
held in its locked position by means of two lugs, having screwed holes therein, on
its outer end taking onto a projection formed on the top slotted member of the
fork end, which latter has a screwed hole through which an affixing screw takes
and through the said screwed holes in the projecting lugs of the lower jointed arm
to lock the same in position.
The unslotted part of the fork end is formed with projecting and horizontally
disposed outer lugs on its inside face, in which the jointed lower member of the
fork end works by means of a joint pin taking through the said projecting lugs.
The end of the unslotted portion of the fork end on which these projecting lugs
are formed is enlarged in thickness and breadth, and its inner face between its
projecting lugs is hollowed out to receive the rounded end of the jointed lower
slotted member of the fork end, so as to make a good joint when the latter is in
its locked position.
Situated on the extreme outer and top end of the lower jointed arm of the
slotted back fork end are two projecting and vertically-disposed lugs, having
screwed holes therein for affixment to the top member of the slotted back fork end,
and which said lugs have a hollowed-out semi-circular portion between them in
which the bottom part of the chain adjustment pin rests when the said slotted end
is in its locked position. The top member of the slotted fork end has a projecting
and vertically-disposed part formed on its extreme outer and lower end in which
a semi-circular hollowing is formed, through which the chain adjustment pin
takes, the semi-circular hollowing on the jointed member coming coincident,
when in its locked position, with this like semi-circular hollowing formed in the
projection on the top member, and constituting, jointly, a circular hole through
which the chain adjustment pin is travelled in the one or the other direction.
Situated above the projection formed on the top member is a screwed hole through
which a locking screw takes, the screwed holes formed in the lugs on the jointed
071

page_text: lower member coming coincident with this screwed hole, and being fixedly and
rigidly connected to the top member by the locking screw taking therethrough.
When it is desired to take the back wheel away from its framing all that is
necessary to be done is to unscrew this locking screw connecting the top and
lower members of the slotted back fork end, whem, the lower member being
hingedly connected will drop down and the wheel will be instantly freed It is
intended to make the lower members of both the fork ends on either side of the
back wheel jointedly connected, so that the wheel may be instantly freed, but the
same may be only fitted to one side of the said wheel leaving the other fork end
of the usual construction
P
1
1000
101
VITAD
130 wordE
1808.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.
We, ARTHUR HOUGHTON ROGERS, Cycle Manufacturer, and HENRY WILLIAM
PATRICK, Manager, both of 58, Ludgate Hill, Birmingham, 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 relates to the back fork ends of a cycle's frame in which hori-
zontal slots are formed for the reception traverse, and connection of the ends of the
spindle or axis of the rear wheel.
Such fork ends as now constructed are formed with slots which are permanently
closed at their top, bottom, and inner edges, but which are open at their outer
ends in order to introduce thereinto the ends of the back wheel spindle and certain
parts of the chain adjusting means. With such a construction of slotted fork ends,
considerable time is taken, and trouble is caused, in putting in and taking out
the rear wheel--especially the taking out as the drive chain has in this case first
to be removed from the driven chain wheel; further, if the tire of the rear wheel
is to come wholly off and away-as, for instance, to locate a puncture, or to fit a
new tire the wheel must be first taken out of the frame.
According to this invention the slotted back fork ends are constructed and
fitted in such a manner, and so arranged in conjunction with the ends of the rear
wheel's spindle and certain parts of the chain adjusting mechanism, that the said
wheel can be put in and taken out with the greatest case and speed, and the tire
bodily removed and taken away from the wheel without the latter being taken
out of the cycle's framing.
In the annexed sheet of drawings the improvements according to this inven-
tion are shown as applied to the back fork ends of an ordinary diamond frame,
and to well known chain adjusting elements., In the said sheet an outer side
elevation is shown in Fig. 1, a horizontal section of the one side only in Fig. 2,
an end elevation of one side only in Fig. 3, a vertical section of Figs. 2 and 3 in
Fig. 4, taken partly upon the line in Fig. 2; a similar side elevation as
Fig. 1 in Fig. 5 but with the parts comprising this invention in a different
position; an end elevation in Fig. 6 showing both fork ends with the rear wheel
hub in position between them and dropped on, the one side; and in Figs. 7 and 8
detail views of the principal parts.
.

page_text: In the said figs. a² are the horizontal and a³ the vertical members of the back
fork a,
and a are the latter's slotted ends. These slotted ends are identical
in their construction and fitting, and each comprises a rigid top branch or jaw c
and a jointed or hinged lower jaw d; the latter being hinged to the former so
as to leave a space e between them to constitute the usual horizontal slot for
the engagement of the back wheel's axis ends. The inner end da of the lower
jaw is attached to the lower inner part 3 of the top branch by a joint pin e³, so
that the said jaw, when disconnected therefrom, can swing away in an outwardly
and downwardly direction, as indicated by Fig. 5 and the left hand side of Fig. 6.
This swinging away admits of the slot e being opened both longitudinally and
endwise. The said lower jaw is prevented from moving upwardly and inwardly
by a stop shoulder 3, formed on its inner extremity, coming against the inner
back edge of the slot e as an abutment, so that ordinarily (as in Figs. 1 and 3)
the rigid top member c is stayed from a upward strain by being connected to the
hinged jaw.
The outer end of the hinged jaw is constructed with a bifurcated post or
lug do, and the outer end of the top rigid branch is formed with a depending
lip or projection, the said post or lug and lip or projection engaging and fitting
one over and within the other and being connected by a cross pin which takes
through cross holes d, e, in the parts, and which is fitted with an affixing nut.
The bifurcated lug and the lip or projection are formed with semi-circular seat-
ings d, e, which come together when the parts engage and form a guide
hole and bearing for the shank 2 of the drawbolt h.
The said bolt which is the element for taking up the slack of the drive chain
is of the ordinary construction, and its eyed end h³ engages the end of the axis
or spindle of the back wheel so as to govern its sliding movement in the slot e
in the ordinary manner, whilst its outer screwed end is fitted with a pulling-up
nut h, but it is so connected to the slotted fork end a that immediately the
hinged jaw d is disconnected and swung away from the rigid branch it is free
from the said fork end and can be taken away upon the end of the axis i and with-
out removing its screwed nut h³; or, if the wheel is not required to be taken out,
but its axis be only dropped on the one side. (as for taking off a tire) it can hinge
down with the jaw d in the way shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The manner in which
the seatings, e, of the parts d, e, come together and form a bearing for the
shank of the draw-bolt, and also an abutment for the working of its nut h³, is
clearly shown in Fig. 3 and on the right hand side of Fig. 6.
It will be obvious from Figs. 5 and 6 how easy a matter it is to remove the tire
without bodily taking out the wheel the affixment nuts on both ends of the
back wheel axis are loosened, but the hinged jaw d is dropped only upon the one
side, which opens the slot e longitudinally and allows the axis end on that side
to leave the slot sufficient to admit of the passage of the tire.
If the rear wheel is required to be bodily removed from the back fork ends.
the hinged jaws upon both sides of the back fork are disconnected from the rigid
branches and swung down, and the frame is either lifted bodily from the wheel,
or the said wheel is allowed to drop away out of the opened slots of the fork ends.
The usefulness and advantages of this easy method of putting in and taking
out of the rear wheel will be easily appreciated by 'cycld manufacturers and
finishers, and by cycle dealers who buy component parts and fit together them-
selves; also the advantages will be appreciated by those who buy cycles without
tires, as the fitting of the latter to the rear wheel is made much more easy, and
this without taking out the rear wheel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In cycles whose back fork framing ends are longitudinally slotted for
the recention and connection of the ends of the book wheel axio farming the said

page_text: slotted ends by rigid members or jaws and hinged members or jaws, which are so
connected the one to the other or to the unslotted parts of the back fork ends that
the ones are fixtures with the framings, and the others shifting and capable of being
swung outwardly to open the said slots longitudinally and endwise but of being
rigidly fixed with the slots closed, for the purpose substantially as described and
set forth.
Second. In cycles, the combination with the spindle or axis of the rear wheel
and the back fork of the framing, of slotted back fork ends built up of a rigid
member or jaw and a hinged member or jaw, so connected together and arranged
that they form between them, when closed, the usual horizontal slot for the recep-
tion, connection, and traverse of the ends of the back wheel's axis, the said hinged
jaw being capable of swinging away from the rigid jaw to open the slot longi-
tudinally, but being prevented from swinging inwardly by suitable abutments,
substantially as described and set forth.
Third. In cycles, the combination with the spindle or axis of the rear wheel
and the back fork of the framing, of slotted back fork ends at, which are built
up of a rigid top member or jaw c, and a hinged lower member or jaw d, the
said jaws being connected together jointedly at 3 so that the hinged one can
swing downwardly away from the rigid one after being disconnected therefrom,
but which is capable of connection to the rigid jaw through a suitable lug and
connection ping when closed, substantially as described.
Fourth. In cycles, the combination with the rear wheel axis i and the back
fork of the framing, of slotted back fork ends a, which are built up of a rigid
top jaw e, and a hinged lower jaw d, connected at e², so that the hinged jaw can
swing downwardly away, the said jaws having a projection and a bifurcated
lug upon them for connection at their free ends by a cross pin g, and which
are formed with seatings d, c, and a stop shoulder d³ and an abutment c³, and
draw bolts h whose shanks take their bearings between the said seatings, and
whose screw-up nuts abut against the face thereof, and whose eyed ends ha engage
the ends of the wheels axis i, substantially as described.
Dated this 8th day of Octation 1908
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,,
Also of Liverpool, London, and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicants.