Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 4th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 4th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 10th Apr., 1897
We, JOSEPH EDMUND WEBB, Engineer, and MARMADUKE FRANCIS
PURCELL, Civil Engineer, both of 52 Queen Victoria Street, in the City of
London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved form of construction of cycle or velocipede,
and consists in the relative arrangement of the parts of the frame to one another,
and of devices to contain and operate pneumatic cushions combined therewith, to
afford a high degree of resilience and elastic movement of the carrying wheels
relatively to the rider, so as to prevent communication of shock, jar, or vibration
to the latter, even when the wheels are not provided with pneumatic tyres.
It has been found that the comfort and ease to the rider, when riding over
rough roads, depends upon the provision of a very considerable amount of resilient
play, which should also take up the thrust in the ratio of the weight of the rider, in
a much more perfect manner, and to a larger extent than occurs in a cycle fitted
with pneumatic tyres ;-and further it is found that pneumatic tyres have specific
disadvantages, compared with solid rubber or other wheel rims, in the form of
liability to puncture, to side slip, on a muddy or greasy road, and to destruction
under brake action.
.
We have found also that this desirable large and easy resilience, can only be
obtained from a pneumatic cushion, of which the natural play is multiplied at the
movement of the wheel axles, or frames supporting the same, by an indirect lever
or link connections between the wheel carrying frames and the said pneumatic
cushions.
We effect these improvements by pivetting one of the lower members of the
frame carrying the back driving wheel to the lower corner of the rigid part of
the frame carrying the saddle, and connect the other part of the rear frame to
the saddle post, by a short pivotted link, acting as a toggle lever, between the
saddle-post and the trailing diagonal member. Upon the trailing diagonal member
we fit an expanding & contracting retainer such as a telescoping metallic
cylinder, containing the pneumatic cushion, of which the top pressing surface is
connected to the saddle-post, either direct, or by way of levers.
Upon any shock at the driving wheel, these various connections produce a
differential effect upon the pneumatic cushion, which relieve its compression under
normal conditions, and bring it into full play and resilience upon any sudden
shock on either wheel, and in proportion to the weight of the rider, the effect being
a resultant action of the various directions of the forces from the shock and
reactions, and that of the weight of the rider.
We arrange the front fork so as to slide telescopically in the head of the steering
post, and cause the vertical movements of the fork under shock to react, in the first
place, by means of a pivotted lever upon the pressing face of an expanding and
contracting retainer, having within it a pneumatic cushion, arranged externally to
the pillar, and resting upon a bed-plate attached to the steering post.
By the arrangement of these respective pneumatic cushions and their operative
connections and links, a shock from obstruction upon either one of the wheels is
transmitted to, and received by, both of these pneumatic cushions, as a combined

page_text: resultant action of the lines of forces set up, thus entirely relieving the rider from
any uncomfortable transmission of shock, jar, or vibration from the wheels, by
opposing obstacles or rough roads.
Dated this 30th day of Mar 1896.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.
An Improved Cycle or Velocipede.
We, JOSEPH EDMUND WEBB, Engineer, and MARMADUKE FRANCIS
PURCELL, Civil Engineer, both of 52, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of
London, 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 an improved form of construction of cycle or velocipede,
and consists in the relative arrangement of the parts of the frames to one another,
and of devices combined therewith, to contain and operate pneumatic cushions by
indirect lever or link connections, to afford a high degree of resistance and elastic
movement of the carrying wheels, under shock, relatively to the rider, so as to
adapt the machine to travel over rough roads and obstructions (even when the
wheels are not provided with pneumatic tyres) without continuous jar or vibration
to the rider, and without disturbance to his foot-pressure upon the treadles, whilst
at the same time the necessary articulation of the main parts of the frame for the
above purpose, enables them easily to be dismembered for packing in a small
compass.
In our machine the inertia of the rider is utilized as the passive mass of
resistance, and it is found that such effect as may ensue upon the rider, is rather
a horizontal movement, (not effecting the distance between the rider and the
pedals) than a vertical blow or vibration, which is so discomposing to the rider.
The horizontal resultant of the disturbing shock upon the rider is due to the
connection of the back wheel frame to the saddle posts by links, permitting the
saddle to move backwards under shock.
We are aware that both springs and pneumatic. cushions (with holes there-
through surrounding the main tubes of the front and hinder frames) have been
used for this purpose, but without practical advantage; and we have found that
the desirable large and easy resilience, on meeting considerable obstructions,
combined with an absence of after vibration upon the rider, and the resolution
of such minimum disturbance into a horizontal, rather than vertical displacement
of the rider's body, can only be obtained by the use of pueumatic cushions
external to the frame (and these without central hole or walls) of which the
natural play may be multiplied as regards that of the wheels and axles, by
indirect lever or link connections between the wheel carrying parts of the frame
and the said pneumatic cushions.
And in order that my invention may be the better understood, we now proceed
to describe the same with reference to the drawings hereto annexed and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a general elevation of our improved cycle.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of the front pillar and fork with the cushion
container removed.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan of the lower hinged member supporting the back
wheel.

page_text: Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the pneumatic cushion and container.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevation of the attachment devices from front fork to
front cushion container.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevation of the attachment devices between the back.
frame and back cushion container.
The lower member A of the cycle, carrying the back driving wheel, is pivotted'
to the main frame by a double fork joint B, and a pin therethrough b, to ensure
lateral stiffness; and the other double member C of this back part of the frame-
is connected to the top of the saddle post D by a pair of short pivotted links a.
The apex of the members A and C, carrying the hind wheel, is thus free to move
up and down relatively to the fixed saddle post D and the rider thereon.
Upon the double member C we mount pivotably upon a bridge E (Fig. 6) an
expanding and contracting container F F shown as a telescoping metallic cylinder,.
containing a pneumatic cushion Q (see Fig. 4). This cushion, composed of india-
rubber, with canvas support or cover, is inflated with air through the pipe and
valve g as in the case of a pneumatic tyre. The upper part of the container F
is connected to the saddle post D by a pivotted stirrup bar e, or by levers if
desired,
Upon any shock on the hind wheel the wheel tends to rise relatively to the
saddle post and the rider, whose inertia is not thus disturbed, and the shock is
received by the resilience of the pneumatic cushion between the bottom and top
covers of the container F F¹. The action of the toggle levers a and the indirect
action between the frame C and the saddle post D upon the pneumatic cushion-
and container F, relieves the compression of the latter under normal conditions,.
and brings its resilience into full play upon any sudden shock to either wheel, and
in proportion to the weight of the rider, enabling the rider to maintain uniform.
effect upon the treadles G.
We arrange the front fork H so as to slide telescopically in a crosshead K fixed.
to the front steering post k, Figs. 2 and 5. The tops of the fork members slide in
an upper cross-head K fixed to the steering post and a cross-bar at the lower level
of the fork also telescopically engages around and slides on a downward pro-
jection of the steering post which gives great rigidity to the front fork Hand
ease of sliding movement.
The tops of the fork members H H are connected by links or levers L pivotted
at upon a bracket and these links or levers L transmit any vertical shock upon-
the front wheel to the top cap F1 of the, front pneumatic cushion coutainer,.
arranged externally to the front pillar frames M, where it is absorbed by the
resilience of the said pneumatic cushion.
By the arrangement of these said respective pneumatic cushions and their
operative connections and links, a shock upon either one of the wheels is trans-
mitted to and received by both of the pneumatic cushions, as a resultant action of the
lines of forces set up, without ensuing vibration, thus relieving the rider from the
jar and vibration, or loss of pedalling power so common to other forms of cycles
when traversing rough roads or obstacles.
The articulation also of the main members of the frame by bolts or pins as to the
fork joint B at the upper link a of the back frame, and the connection of the
fork H to the links L'allows the pins of these several joints to be removed with.
ease for packing the dismembered parts in a small compass.
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 :-
1st. A cycle frame consisting of, in combination, a central rigid triangular
frame, carrying the saddle bar, the peda! axle and the steering spindle; a double
triangular rear frame carrying the rear wheel adapted to pivot vertically upon the
said rigid frame, with maintenance of lateral rigidity; and a front fork carrying
the front wheel, adapted to slide vertically to the front pillar with maintenance of

page_text: lateral rigidity; both the moving wheel-carrying frames being connected to the
rigid part of the frame by the intervention of resilient pneumatic cushions, in
expanding and contracting retainers, external to the tubular framing, operating by
means of connecting pivotted levers or links substantially as described.
2rd. In a cycle frame the combination of a pneumatic resilient device external
to the frame, re-acting through a pivotted lever upon the upward sliding thrust of
the front wheel, with a further pneumatic resilient device external to the frame
between the rigid saddle carrying frame and a pivotable rearward wheel-carrying
frame, to resolve by their combined action, (under shock from either wheel)
upward jarring blows upon the wheels, into a more nearly horizontal disturbance of
the inertia of the rider, and without interference with his uniform pedal action, for
his greater ease and comfort when riding over rough roads, substantially as
described.
3rd. In a cycle frame, pneumatic cushions adapted to act resiliently between an
upper and lower face of an expanding and contracting retainer, situated externally
to the tubular frame, one part of the retaining case being attached to, or connected
with, the frame, and the other to a pivotted wheel-supporting-frame, by pivotted
levers or links, adapted to convey shocks from wheels to said cushions and to
permit easy dismemberment of chief parts of main frame for packing, substantially
as described.
4th. In such a cycle frame, as claimed in Claim 1, the front wheel-fork H
connected by a cross-piece, sliding on a projection of the steering post and also,
as to the ends of H, in a double bracket K, securing necessary rigidity, and
carrying the bottom case F of the cushion-container; and the lever L pivotted
at E, forming the connection between the sliding fork H, and the case F¹ of the
cushion-container, adapted to give easy sliding of, and resilience to, the fork in the
front bracket, and ease for dismemberment of fork for packing, substantially as
described.
5th. In such a cycle frame as claimed in Claim 1, the hind-wheel-carrying-
frame A, C, pivotted at B, and connected to the saddle post by toggle levers a,
and carrying by a cross-piece E, the lower case F of the cushion-container; the
upper case of the said container being connected by the pivotted piece e to the
saddle post, to permit resilient movement of hinder frame to the saddle post under
shock, and easy dismemberment of back frame for packing, substantially as
described.
Dated this 4th day of March 1897
FELL & JAMES,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.