Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 18y6
Improvements in and relating to Velocipedes.
I, TOM NORTON of Commercial Street Newtown in the County of Montgomery,
North Wales, Cycle Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved frame for rear-driving bicycles and some
types of tricycles, and it consists essentially in the use of a double diagonal" the
object being to obtain a strong and rigid frame of the open type suitable for the use
of ladies.
In the frames of cycles for the use of ladies it is usual to dispense with the top
member of the ordinary diamond frame, and to strengthen the front part of the
said frame which then only consists of the "diagonal" member and the member
extending between the pedal-crank axle bracket and the steering head, by means
of another member placed over the aforesaid tube, which auxiliary member is
sometimes straight and sometimes curved.
Now according to my invention I not only duplicate the member extending
between the pedal-crank axle bracket and the steering head, but I also duplicate
the member known as the "diagonal" extending upwards from the pedal-crank
axle bracket to carry the seat pillar, and I brace the points of junction of these
two auxiliary members to the ordinary members by a suitable piece which
may be either a continuation of one of the aforesaid auxiliary members, or an
independent piece arranged either vertically, horizontally or in any other convenient
manner.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, TOM NORTON of Commercial Street Newtown in the County of Montgomery,
North Wales, Cycle Agent, 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 frame for rear-driving bicycles and some
types of tricycles and other velocipedes and it consists essentially in the use of a
double "diagonal" the object being to obtain a strong and rigid frame of the open
type suitable for the use of ladies.
In the frames of cycles for the use of ladies it is usual to dispense with the top
member of the ordinary diamond frame, and to strengthen the front part of the
said frame, which then only consists of the "diagonal" member and the member
extending between the pedal-crank axle bracket and the socket of the steering

page_text: head, by means of another member placed over the aforesaid member extending
between the pedal-crank axle bracket and the socket of the steering head which
auxiliary member is sometimes straight and sometimes curved.
Now according to my invention I duplicate the member known as the "diagonal"
extending upwards from the pedal-crank axle bracket and usually employed to carry
the seat pillar, and I brace the points of junction of this auxiliary diagonal to
the other members by one or more suitable pieces arranged in any convenient
manner.
In the accompanying drawing which shows-by way of example-some methods
of carrying this invention into practice in bicycle frames, A designates the socket
of the steering head, B the usual diagonal extending upwards from the pedal-crank
axle bracket, C the member connecting the pedal-crank axle bracket with the
lower end of the socket of the steering head, C' the auxiliary member connecting
the pedal-crank axle bracket with the socket of the steering wheel which may
either join the said socket at the lower end thereof or at the upper end thereof
as shown by dotted lines in Figures 2 and 3 and 7, D the members of the lower
back fork and E the members of the upper back frk forming togethe the rear
part of the frame adapted to receive the driving wheel and X designates the
auxiliary diagonal forming the subject of this invention.
This auxiliary diagonal may either extend past the member C and join the
member as shown by Figure 1 or it may stop at the member C¹ as shown
by Figure 3. When it extends beyond the member C¹ and joins the member C the
member C may not be carried through to the "diagonal" B but stop at the
auxiliary "diagonal" X as shown by Figure 2.
As a modification both the auxiliary "diagonal "X and the member C¹ may
stop where they meet and their points of juncture be stayed to the "diagonal" B
and to the member C¹ by a piece such as F arranged in any convenient manner as
shown by way of example by Figures 4, 5 and 6.
It will be obvious that this invention may be applied to either the front or the
back part of a tandem or to both parts. Its application to the front part will be
apparent from Figures 1 to 7 showing its application to a single bicycle, while one
method of applying it to the rear part of a tandem or to both the frost and the rear
part of such machines is shown by Figures 8 and 9.
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.) In a frame for bicycles and other velocipedes, the use of an auxiliary
diagonal" extending from the top, or near the top, of the ordinary diagonal
to the lower front member or auxiliary lower front member or its equivalent, as
set forth.
(2.) The improved construction of frame for bicycles and other velocipedes
as illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 12th day of December 1896
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.