Improvements relating to Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements relating to Cycles and other Road Vehicles.
I, CHARLES HENRY MARSILALL, of 68, Chelmsford Street, in the City of Lincoln,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
This invention consists of improvements relating to cycles, and other road
vehicles, my object being to provide effective means for absorbing the vibration
when in service whilst preserving the lateral rigidity or stiffness of the complete
framing of the vehicle.
In the application of my invention to a cycle frame I pivot the back portion of
the frame upon ball bearings around the bottom bracket. The upper ends of such
rear portion of the frame are rigidly secured together by a bolt or other connection
passing through a slotted guide plate secured within the top bar. The pneumatic
sac or chamber is placed between a thrust plate upon the upper end of the pivotted
frame and a similar plate secured to the top bar. The pneumatic sac or chamber
will absorb the vibration arising from the movement of the rear wheel over an
uneven road, whilst the guide plate and cross bolt or other connection passing
through the same will effectually preserve the lateral rigidity or stiffness of the
complete framing, without obstructing the elastic movement of the pneumatic sac
or chamber under the varying stresses imposed upon it.
Upon the steering head of the machine I mount a pair of pneumatic sacs or
chambers, preferably arranged fore and aft of the head in one frame or casing.
To such frame or casing I connect extensions from the front or steering wheel fork
which I pivot at the lower end of the steering head. By thus employing pneu-
matic sacs or chambers in combination with a pivotted fork I provide in a very
effective and convenient manner for the absorption of the vibration arising from
the front or steering wheel.
I sometimes employ steel or other springs in connection with the front fork in
place of or in conjunction with a pneumatic sac or chamber, and make other modi-
fications in the application of my invention to meet the requirements of varying
services.
i

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention consists of improvements relating to cycles, and other road
vehicles, my object being to provide effective means for absorbing the vibration
when in service whilst preserving the lateral rigidity or stiffness of the complete
framing of the vehicle.
In the two accompanying sheets of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter
referred to:-
Figure 1 on Sheet 1 is an elevation of a cycle frame constructed and arranged in
accordance with my invention.
Figures 2 to 7 inclusive on Sheet 2 are detail views to a larger scale of some of
my improved frame parts.
Figure 2 is a side elevation and Figure 3 an end elevation showing the connection
of the upper end of the back portion of the frame to the main part of such frame.
Figure 4 is an end elevation with part in section showing the connection between
the lower end of the rear portion of the frame and the bottom bracket.
Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation showing the locking and connecting device
for the upper end of the rear part of the frame, and also for the upper end of the
steering fork.
Figure 6 is a sectional side elevation showing the thrust plate for the steering
fork projections.
Figure 7 is a part sectional end elevation of the steering fork crown.
The same reference letters in the dirent views indicate the some parts.
In the application of my invention to a cycle from I pivot the back or rear
portion of the frame A around the bottom bracket B as illustrated at Figures 1
and 4. The rear portion A of the complete frame consists preferably of a pair of
triangular frames, (one of which is shown at Figure 1), the upper ends of such
frames being rigidly secured together by the bolt C passing through a slotted
guide plate D¹ forming part of the abutment bracket D secured to the seat tube E.
The pneumatic sac or chamber F is placed between the outer part or end plate of the
bracket and a thrust plate G fixed to the upper end of the pivotted rear part A.
The pneumatic sac or chamber will absorb the vibration arising from the move.
ment of the rear wheel over an uneven road, whilst the guide plate D¹ and cross
bolt C passing through the same will effectually preserve the lateral rigidity or
stiffness of the complete framing, without obstructing the clastic movement of the
pneumatic sac or chamber under the varying stresses imposed upon it.
Instead of making the rear pivotted part of the complete cycle frame from a pair
of triangular frames A as herein before described, I sometimes dispense with the
tube a (Figure 1) of each of such frames, the thrust plate G being then carried
only by the back stay tubes as a². The bracket D and pneumatic bag F can be
arranged at the back of the seat pillar instead of in front of same as illustrated.
The pivot connection between the lower part of the rear frame A and the bottom
bracket B I form by means of conical rings as Bª Figure 4, in conjunction with
conical faces as B₁ on the bottom bracket itself, the rings B being screwed on to
the ends of the bracket as illustrated.
At the steering head of the machine I mount a pneumatic sac or chamber F¹
in a combined bracket and guide plate similar to the bracket D at the rear end as
herein before described. The front fork tubes H are carried up above the ball head
of the machine and are connected in the same manner as are the upper ends of the
rear pivotted frames; a thrust plate G¹ is arranged for the same purpose as
the plate G at the rear end. The fork tubes H have a pivot connection with the
crown J as illustrated at Figure 7. By thus employing a pneumatic sac or
chamber in combination with a pivotted steering fork I provide in a very effective
and convenient manner for the absorption of the vibration arising from the front
or steering wheel.
In the event of a collapse of the pneumatic sacs the rear end and the steering

page_text: fork can be rigidly attached to the frame by tightening the connecting bolts C
and C¹.
The application of my invention to motor-cars and like road vehicles having
frames of similar construction to cycle frames is essentially the same as its applica-
tion as hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The improved arrangement and combination of the pivotted rear part and a
pneumatic sac or chamber with a cycle or other road vehicle frame, substantially
as and for the purpose described and as illustrated.
2. The improved arrangement and combination of the pivotted steering fork and
a pneumatic sac or chamber with a cycle or other road vehicle frame, substantially
as and for the purposes described and as illustrated.
3. The improved combination of pneumatic sacs or chambers with the pivotted
rear part and pivotted steering fork of a cycle frame, substantially as and for the
purpose described and as illustrated.