An Improved Joint or Connection for the Frames of Folding Bicycles and other Folding Velocipedes
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan.,
1897
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec.,
1897
"An Improved Joint or Connection for the Frames of Folding
Bicycles and other Folding Velocipedes."
I, SAM THOMAS RICHARDSON, of 3A, Rea Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Cycle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of the hereindescribed improved joint or connection for
the tubular frames of folding bicycles and other folding velocipedes.
In a folding safety bicycle as at present in use the frame is, broadly speaking,
made of two main portions hinged or jointed together near to the crank axle, the
front part of the frame with the front wheel turning on its hinge and folding back
against the back part so that the two wheels will then be side by side and the
bicycle occupy less space.
The hinge has to be so constructed so as to be perfectly rigid when the frame is
extended for riding and so as to allow for a certain space between the two parts of
the frame when the bicycle is folded as stated above. My improved hinge joint
answers these requirements and is arranged as follows:--
The adjacent ends of the two tubes which are required to fold are jointed to
what I call a parting plate which is a flat steel or other metal strip of about the
same width as is the outside diameter of the tube and is made of convenient length
and fits in longitudinal cross slots in the two adjacent ends of the two tubes which
are jointed to the parting plate by cross pins or pegs passing respectively through
the tubes and parting plate. Fitting on one of the tubes I provide a socket which
The parting plate is slightly enlarged at one end
is screw threaded at one end.
and screw threaded at its edges these.screw threads projecting beyond the sides of
the tube so as to screw into the socket.
When the two tubes are turned so as to be in line with each other and with the
parting plate, the socket is moved along the tube so as to enclose the ends of the
two tubes and the parting plate and the socket is secured in this position by being
screwed on to the screw threaded end of the parting plate thus rigidly securing
When it is desired to fold the
the two tubes together in line with each other.
tubes so that they will lie together side by side at the proper distance apart the
socket has to be unscrewed from the screwed end of the parting plate and moved
along the tube so as to uncover the jointed ends of the tube and the parting plate
and then the tubes can be turned where they are jointed to the parting plate and
be folded side by side the distance between the two tubes when thus folded parallel
with each other being equal to the distance between the two joint pins of the part-
5 ing plate where it is jointed to the tubes.
Dated this 14th day of January 1907
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY.
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: "An Improved Joint or Connection for the Frames of Folding
Bicycles and other Folding Velocipedes."
I, SAM THOMAS RICHARDSON, of 3A, Rea Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Cycle Manufacturer, 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:-.
י
This Invention consists of the herein described improved joint or connection
for the tubular frames of folding bicycles and other folding veloci pedes.
In a folding safety bicycle as at present in use the frame is, broadly speaking, made
of two main portions hinged or jointed together near to the crank axle, the front
part of the frame with the front wheel turning on its hinge and folding back
against the back part so that the two wheels will then be side by side and the
bicycle occupy less space.
The hinge has to be so constructed so as to be perfectly rigid when the frame is
extended for riding and so as to allow for a certain space between the two parts
of the frame when the bicycle is folded as stated above. My improved hinge joint
answers these requirements and is arranged as I will now describe by referring to
the accompanying drawing on which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved
hinged joint applied to two tubes of a cycle frame; Fig. 2 is a plan and Fig. 3
is a side elevation of the said joint unfastened ready for folding the tubes; Fig. 4
is a plan of the said joint with the tubes folded; Fig. 5 is an end view of the
same; Fig. 6 is a side élevation of a bicycle with two of my hinged joints applied
to the frame of the same so as to enable the bicycle to be folded as represented
by Fig. 7.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all
the Figures of the drawing.
In carrying out my Invention the adjacent ends of the tubes A B which are
required to fold are jointed to what I call a parting plate C which is a
plate of
steel or other metal strip of about the same width as is the outside diameter of
the tubes and is made of convenient length and fits in a longitudinal cross slot a¹
in the tube A and in a corresponding cross slot in the tube B and these two
tubes A B are jointed to the parting plate C by the cross pins or pegs & and e
passing respectively through the tubes A 13 and through the parting plate C. On
the tube AI provide a socket F which is made taper internally and is screw
threaded internally at its larger end f'. The adjacent ends of the tubes A Bare
each made with a taper collar marked respectively a² 2 of the same taper form as
is the interior of the socket F so as to fit within the same, that is to say, the
collar a fits in the smaller part of the socket F and the collar fits
in the larger part of the same. The collar is screw threaded to
correspond with the screw threaded part fl of the socket F and the parting
plate C is correspondingly screw threaded at the edges c¹ c² of its larger end so as
to screw into the socket F.
When the two tubes A and B are turned so as to be in line with each other and with
the parting plate as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the socket F is moved along the tube A
so as to enclose the taper ends of the tubes A B and the parting plate C, and
the socket F is secured in this position by being screwed on to the collar 62 and onto
the screw threaded ends of the parting plate C thus rigidly securing the two
tubes A B together in line with each other as represented in Fig. 1. When it
is desired to fold, the tubes so that they will lie together side by side at the proper
distance apart as represented in Fig. 4 the socket F has to be unscrewed and
noved along the tube A so as to uncover the jointed ends a² 62 of the tubes A B

page_text: Wo
TUDE
to the
nd the parting plate C represented in Figs. 2 and 3 and then the
the parting plate C and be
an be turned where it is jointed to
A the distance between the
folded by the side of the other tube
tubes A B when thus folded side by side being equal
distance between the two joint pins d and e of the parting plate
jointed to the tubes A B. The ends of the tubes A and B are made to abut
together as shewn and they have each to be rounded off at a³ ³ as shewn to clear
each other when being folded.
where it is
The bicycle represented by Figs. 6 and 7 has the top horizontal tube made in
two parts marked A and B which are jointed together as above described and
secured by the socket F and the bottom tube which extends from the bottom
bracket G to the bottom lug H of the bicycle head is also made in two parts
marked A¹ B which are hinged together as above described and represented by
Fig. 6. To fold the bicycle the socket F on the top tube has to be unscrewed and
slided back towards the saddle and the other socket F on the bottom tube has to
be unscrewed and slided back towards the bottom bracket and then the front
wheel and fore part of the bicycle can be folded. back against the back wheel as
represented by Fig. 7.
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. Hinging and jointing together the adjacent ends of two tubes of a folding
cycle frame by the parting plate C fitting in cross slots in said tube ends and
jointed thereto by cross pins in combination with the internally tapered socket F
screw threaded at its larger end and adapted to enclose and fit and screw on to
the tube ends and parting plate which are made to fit the socket so as to make a
rigid joint when the cycle is unfolded for use substantially as described.
D-1.1 shin 20th day of November 1897.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY
Agent for the Applicant.