Improvements in Cycles with Flexible or Folding Frames, and Means of Steering them, and Having Springs, and Propelled both Front and Rear, or Front or Rear, by Means of Levers and Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles with Flexible or Folding Frames, and
Means of Steering them, and Having Springs, and Propelled
both Front and Rear, or Front or Rear, by Means of Levers and
Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
CHARLES HASSEL 20, Parlington Street, Harpurhey, near Manchester,
Lancashire Pattern Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
I construct of glucinium or aluminium and copper and tin and steel, or an alloy
of these metals, either cast or wrought, either solid or hollow, and indiarubber and
cork, a cycle or vehicle by means of which one or more persons may readily
travel from place to place, and I construct it in the following manner.
I construct a bracket I. I. Fig. 1 which has a round boss, with a round hole iu
it, to receive the seat bar pillar R. This boss has four ears or flanges to receive
two hinged or swivel bosses marked J. J. Fig. 1. These two hinged or swivel
bosses are held in position by means of steel spindles H. and U. Fig. 1. passing
through the ears of I. I. Fig. 1. and bosses J. J. Fig. 1. forming a double hinge as
shown. On the ends of swivels J. J. Fig. 1 there are sockets to receive springs S.
On the other ends there are round bosses to receive the front and back forks D. D.
Fig. 1. At the bottom end of spindle H. Fig. 1. and spindle UI secure two small
pinions, which are geared together by means of keys. I secure the two spindles H. U.
to swivels J. J. Fig. 1 by means of steel set screws as shown. On spindles H. Fig. 1
I attach adjustable steering handles as shown at G. Fig. 1. At the top end of the
seat bar pillar R. Fig. 1. I attach a swivel hinge P. Fig. 1. which I attach to
another boss N. Fig. 1. in the manner shown. This boss N. Fig. 1 has a hole
through it. Through this hole I insert a steel bar or tube marked L. Fig. 1.
forming the seat bar. On this seat bar I attach handles M. M. Fig. 1. by means
of which the riders steady themselves on the machine, and I also attach saddles as
shown. On the back handle M. Fig. 1. and to back fork D. Fig. 1. I attach two
light adjustable rods or stays K. with long nuts X in the manner shown. The
bosses N. Fig. 1. and the saddles are secured to the seat bar by means of a steel
pin passing through the holes in the bosses N. These pins are cut out to fit partly
round the seat bar, as shown B. Fig. 2., and drawn tight by means of a nut.
swivel J. J. Fig. 1 I attach back and front forks. These forks have sockets to
receive springs S as shown. On the front of fork D I construct a break as
shown E. F. Fig. 1. On the ends of forks D. D. I attach mangle wheels A. A.
Fig. 1 and levers C. C. Fig. 1. On these levers C. C. Fig. 1. I attach pedals as
shown. These mangle wheels are geared into pinions B. B. on each side of driving
wheels W. W. Fig. 1. The mangle wheels have paths V. V. Fig. 1. to guide the
mangle wheels A. A. Fig. 1 round the pinions B. B. Fig. 1. The ends of
levers C. C. Fig. 1 work into slots in the back and front forks as shown and are
held in a working position by means of a pin passing through a boss at the ends
of mangle wheels, and levers, and a friction roller in the slots at the end of
forks D. D. Fig. 1 as shown.
To
Or I may make a folding arrangement as shown Fig. 2 & Fig. 3 by casting or
attaching two hinged pieces C. C. Fig. 2. 3. ou bracket I and another hinged piece
on boss J. that carries the seat bar pillar R. On boss J. there is a socket to

page_text: receive a spring S., and a hinged nut and bolt A. which secures bracket I. & J.
in position as shown 1. A. C. Fig. 2. To bracket J. I attach the back fork D.
which has a corresponding socket to receive a spring S as shown S. D. Fig. 3.
My present application consists chiefly in parts lettered G. H. I. 1., J. J.,
0. O., N. N., Fig. 1. & I. A. F. B. C. Fig. 2. 3. and substantially consists in
making this machine flexible and folding, so that the two wheels can be brought
together without deranging any part of the machine, so that when it is opened out
again it is ready for riding. I steer this machine Fig. 1. by deflecting both front
and back wheels to the line of the curve the machine is running round, throwing
the axles of the wheels radial to the centre of the curve. By means of handles G
and spindle H. operating the front fork and pinion O. O. operating the back fork D.
at the same time.
The improvements and advantages claimed for this invention are
1st. That it can be more easily stored, when not in use, or carried on the rider's
back if required.
2nd. That no part requires detaching when folding it; and that it is ready for
riding again by simply unfolding it.
3rd. That it is simpler and cheaper in construction.
4th. It does not require pneumatic tyres.
5th. Less liable to get out of order.
COME LULE DI BUIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles with Flexible or Folding Frames, and
Means of Steering them, and Having Springs, and Propelled
both Front and Rear, or Front or Rear, by Means of Levers and
Cranks and Toothed Gearings.
I, CHARLES HASSEL of 20 Parlington Street Harpurhey, Manchester in the
County of Lancashire, Pattern Maker 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 :-
I construct of glucinium or aluminium, or copper, or steel, or zinc, or tin or a
suitable alloy of these metals, either solid or hollow either cast or wrought, and
india-rubber and cork, a cycle or vehicle by means of which one or more persons
may readily travel from place to place, and I construct it in the following
manner.
I construct a bracket III I Fig. 1. This bracket has a round boss, with a
round hole through it, to receive the seat bar pillar R. This boss has four ears
or flanges IIII Fig. 1 to receive two hinged or swivel bosses J. J. Fig. 1. These
two hinged or swivel bosses J. J. are held in position by means of steel spindles H. U.
Fig. 1. passing through the cars I I I I Fig. 1. and the swivel bosses J. J. Fig. 1;
forming a double hinge as shown I I I I J. J. Fig. 1. On the top of bracket I I I I
there is a split boss N. which grips the seat bar pillar R. by means of a nut and
bolt, and another small boss and set screw used to hold the seat bar pillar in the
proper position, and a small boss on each side at the bottom of III I. To these
bottom bosses 1 attach foot rests. On one end of these swivel bosses J. J. Fig 1.
there are sockets S. to receive springs S. S. and on the other ends there are round
bosses to receive the front and back forks, D. D. Fig. 1 forming a hinged joint.
At the bottom ends of spindles H. U. Fig. I secure two half pinions 0.0. Fig. 1
which are geared together as shown. Or I may cast these pinions O. O. and
spindles H. U. of a suitable metal in one piece. I secure these two spindles H. U

page_text: to swivels J. J by means of two steel set screws as shown forming a double hinge..
Ou spindles H. Ü Fig. 11 attach adjustable hinged steering handle bars G. G.
Fig. 1. These steering handle bars are formed out of thin steel tubing, having
end hinge pieces brazed into them as shown T. T. Fig. 1. These steering handle
bars G. G. are hinged to adjustable split bosses on spindles H. U., and are secured
in their position by means of steel bolts passing through the bosses of the handle.
bars, and the hinged adjustable split bosses on spindles H. U. as shown. They are
drawn tight by means of a nut on each end of the said bolt, the whole forming
double binged and adjustable handle bars, so that they can be adjusted either.
upwards or downwards or turned flat against the side of the machine when the
machine is folded.
At the top end of seat bar pillar R. Fig. 1. I attach a double swivel hinge P..
Fig. 1 which I attach to another hinged split boss N. Fig. 1. This hinge split
boss N has a round hole through it. Through this hole I insert a steel har or
tube L Fig. 1. forming a seat bar. On this seat bar I attach a handle M Fig. 1,
by means of which the rider steadies himself on the machine. I also attach
saddles as shown. From split nut N to back fork D Fig. 1. I attach two light
adjustable stays K on stays K I may form a spiral spring or straight as shown with
long adjustable nuts X Fig. 1 which has a right and left hand thread. These stays
are secured at each end with steel set screws to split nut N on the seat bar, and to.
fork D Fig. 1 as shown. All the split bosses N. Fig. 1 and the saddles are
secured to the seat bar by means of steel bolts passing through the holes of the split
bosses N. These steel bolts are cut out to fit partly round the seat bar. They are.
drawn tight by means of nuts on each end of the said bolts.
To swivel J. J. Fig. 1. I attach back and front forks D. D by means of a binged
joint and a steel pin. These back and front forks D. D have corresponding
sockets S. S. to those on swivels J. J. In these sockets S. S. I insert suitable
springs, and a set screw to adjust the springs as shown on the ends of bosses. On
the front and back forks D. D I construct brakes as shown E. E. F. F. Fig. 1,.
which is operated by the feet, and also forms foot rests. The brake shoes are
lifted off the wheels by means of spiral springs inserted in the sockets in the brake
shoes, and pressing on the bosses of forks D. D. as shown. The foot rests E. E.
and the brake shoes F. F. are connected by light rods as shown E. E. F. F. Fig. 1..
On the ends of front and back forks D. D. I attach toothed maugle wheels A. A.
and levers C. C. C. On these levers C. C. C. I attach pedals as shown. These
mangle wheels A. A. are geared into toothed pinions B. B. on each side. of the
driving wheels W. W. pinious B forming part of the hub of the wheels. These
pinions B. B. I may make excentric or concentric to the centre of axles of driving
wheels W. W. and make the mangle wheels A. A. suitable to work into the
pinions B B Fig. 1.
These mangle wheels A. A have paths V. V. Fig. 1. which work on to steel pins
and friction rollers which are attached to back and front forks D. D. Fig. 1, and
guides the mangle wheels A. A. round the pinions B. B Fig. 1. The ends of
levers C. C. C. Fig. 1. work into slots Y. Y. in the back and front forks D. D. as
shown Y. Y. Fig. 1. and are held in a working position by means of steel pins passing
through the bosses at the ends of mangle wheels and levers and friction rollers in the
slot Y. Y., at the ends of forks D. D. Fig. 1. as shown.
I may extend mangle wheel levers C. C from boss Y long enough to receive
another pedal. This extended lever I may screw to bosses Y. or cast it on the
mangle wheels, so that I can pedal upwards as well as downwards thus transmitting
a continuous power to pinions B. B. on the driving wheels W. W. Or I may
attach hand levers Z. to each side of fork D. so that the rider can propel the
machine by both hands with the levers and both feet by pedaling in the manner-
shown Z. Fig. 1.
Or I may make a folding arrangement as shown Figs. 2. 3 on the drowings filed
with the Provisional Specification by casting or attaching hinge pieces C. C
Figs. 2. 3 on brackets 1 Figs. 2. 3. and another hinged piece on boss J Figs. 2. 3.

page_text: which carries the seat bar pillar R. Figs. 2. 3. being about the centre or midway
between front and rear wheels. On boss J Figs. 2. 3 there is a socket to receive a
spring S. and a hinged bolt aud nut A. Figs. 2. 3. which secures bracket I and J.
in position as shown I. A. C. Fig. 2. To bracket J I attach the back fork D.
which has a corresponding socket to receive a spring S. as shown S. D. Fig. 3. The
whole forms a double hinged and spring joint as shown Fig. 3 on the drawing sent
in with the Provisional Specification.
My present application consists chiefly in the parts lettered G. G. H. U. I. I. I. I.
J. J. O. O. N. N. T. T. P. Z. Fig. 1. on drawing I now send in with this my
Complete Specification, and I. A. F. B. C. Figs. 2. 3. on the drawing sent in with
my Provisional Specification, and substantially consists in the general arrangement
of this machine and in making this machine flexible and folding, so that the two
wheels can be brought together without deranging or detaching any part of the
machine so that when it is opened out again it is ready for riding, and in steering
this machine Fig. 1. by deflecting both front and back wheels to the line of the
curve the machine is running round, throwing the centres of the axles of back and
front wheels radial to the centre of the curve, by means of the handles G. G. Fig. 1.
and spindles H. U. and pinions O.O. operating the back and front forks D. D. Fig. 1.
at the same time. All the other parts of this machine are protected by a Patent
granted to me No. 21858 and dated Nov. 13th 1894.
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 is :
1st. In making this machine flexible and folding as shown and described.
2nd. That no part of this machine requires detaching when folding, and that it
is ready for riding again by simply unfolding it.
3rd. Substantially in the general construction of the machine as shown and
described.
4th. That it is more simple and cheaper in construction.
5th. It does not require pneumatic tyres.
6th. Less liable to get out of order.
7th. Less vibration on rough roads.
8th. More easily stored when not in use.
9th. In handle bars being hinged so that they can be turned flat against the
machine.
Dated this 16th September A.D. 1896.
CHARLES HASSEL.