Improvements relating to Bicycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 24th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Bicycles.
1, LOUIS COTTEREAU, of Dijon, Côte d'Or, in the Republic of France,
Velocipede Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to means for regulating the driving chains of safety
bicycles in such a manner that the axis of the driving wheel shall always retain
the same position relatively to the axes of the branches of the rear fork and the
said fork, jointed as usual to the upper part of the saddle-supporting tube,
can be moved upon its joint without it being necessary to unscrew the nuts
which secure the wheel axle so that it becomes unnecessary to interfere with the
hub adjustment.
In carrying out my invention I secure a screw at each end of the axle of the
driving wheel and to the end of each branch of the fork, such screws passing
through eyes in the ends of the lower tie-rods, the position of the said screws in
the tie-rods and consequently the distance between the axes of the driving wheel
and pedal-axle being adjusted by means of two nuts, one on each side of the eyes
of the tie-bars so as to allow of altering the distance of the pinion carried by the
rear shaft from the axis of the pedals.
Dated this 1st day of January 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to Bicycles.
I, LOUIS COTtereau, of Dijon, Côte d'Or, in the Republic of France,
Velocipede 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 :-
My invention relates to means for regulating the tension of the driving chains of
safety bicycles without removing the axis of the driving wheel from the branches
of the rear fork, so that the distance between the said fork, jointed as usual to the
upper part of the saddle-supporting tube, and the pedal-axis, can be altered to
increase or diminish the tension of the chain without it being necessary to unscrew
the nuts which secure the wheel-axle or interfere with the hub adjustment.
In carrying out my invention I secure a screw at each end of the axle of the
driving wheel and to the end of each branch of the fork, such screws passing
through eyes in the ends of the lower tie-rods, the position of the said screws in
the tie-rods and consequently the distance between the axes of the driving wheel
and pedal-axle being adjusted by means of two nuts, one on each side of the eyes
of the tie-bars.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can be
carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which :—
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a safety bicycle with my improvements applied
thereto; and,
Figures 2 and 3 are respectively a side elevation and rear view drawn to a
larger scale shewing the connection of the back fork with the lower tie-rods.

page_text: The tubes A which constitute the back fork and the tubular tie-rods B are
flattened at the ends a and b respectively where they are connected, the end of the
rod B being also bent as shewn; the said ends may, however, be made separate
from the said tubes and be brazed to the ends thereof.
The end of the axle C of the hind wheel is located in a fork formed in each
part a of the tubular fork A, a nut e entering a circular recess o in the said part a,
serving to secure the axle of the wheel.
r is the screw having an eye in which is located the axle C, which screw passes
through the flattened and bent end 6 of the tie-rod B and is secured by nuts f, f
which fix it in the position to which it has been adjusted. These nuts are by
preference conical as shewn.
It will be obvious that by unscrewing or
the hind wheel or of the pinion thereon can
the pedal-axle the position of which is fixed.
thus be easily regulated.
screwing up the said nuts the axis of
be moved nearer to or farther from
The tension of the driving chain can
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 :-
1. The improved means for regulating the tension of the driving chains of safety
bicycles consisting essentially of a screw secured at each end of the axle of the
driving wheel, eyes in the ends of the lower tie-rods through which the said screws
are passed and a nut on each side of the eyes of the tie-bars, whereby the position
of the screws in the tie-rods and consequently the distance between the axes of the
driving wheel and pedal-axle can be altered and fixed without it being necessary
to unscrew the nuts which secure the wheel-axle or interfere with the hub adjust-
ment, the branches of the rear fork being open below for allowing of the ready
removal of the wheel-axle therefrom substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The improved safety bicycle hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 24th day of May 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.