AN IMPROVEMENT IN BICYCLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Fournier, of Melksham, in the County of Wilts, for
the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BICYCLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Fournier at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st July 1876.
JOHN FOURNIER, of Melksham, in the County of Wilts.
BICYCLES."
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN
My Invention relates to an improvement in bicycles whereby the rider's seat may
be thrown back (and the brake applied by the same movement) when descending a
hill so as to preserve the same relative position of the rider to the fore or driving
wheel as when travelling on level ground. With an ordinary bicycle it is well
known that when descending a hill the rider is tilted forward over the fore wheel
and is in danger of being pitched forward should the vehicle encounter an obstacle
when travelling at speed; but by my Invention the rider is enabled to readily
adjust the position of his seat to the gradient he is descending, and at same time to
apply the brake if necessary.
According to my Invention the "back fork" in which the hind wheel turns is
not forged in one with the "backbone" as usual but is separate, and has a lever
action, being fulcrumed or pivoted at about the middle of its length to the back-
bone, which is forked at the lower part to receive the hind wheel and its fork.
This back fork is connected at the front end by a cord or chain, with a lever handle
working over a quadrant rack in a convenient position in front or near the steering
handle, so that the rider can adjust his seat without dismounting. The rear end of
the backbone is supported on the lever fork at a certain height, according to the
position in which the lever handle is set, and the lower end of the backbone may
either be prolonged sufficiently to form a brake acting on the ground, or an arm
provided with a brake shoe may be fixed to the backbone in such a manner as to
press upon the wheel itself when the backbone is lowered and the seat consequently
thrown back, as above mentioned.
JOHN FOURNIER, of Melksham, in the County of Wilts.
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN

page_text: twofold object is attained by a simple and effective arrangement whereby a back-
ward and downward movement may be imparted to the rider's seat when
descending a hill so as to preserve the same relative position or nearly so of the
centre of gravity of the rider to the axis of the fore or driving wheel as when
travelling on level ground, the brake being by the same movement applied either
to the ground or to the hind wheel with a pressure due to the weight of the rider
himself. The rider is thus enabled to regulate his position over the driving wheel
to suit the gradient of the road on which he is travelling whilst the vehicle is in
motion, and also to apply the brake if necessary. With an ordinary bicycle it is
well known that when descending a hill the rider is tilted forward over the fore-
wheel and is in danger of being pitched forward should the vehicle encounter an
obstacle when travelling at speed, but by shifting the centre of gravity of the
rider backwards, as above-mentioned, this danger is entirely avoided.
According to my Invention the "back fork" in which the hind wheel turns is
not forged in one with the backbone as usual but is separate, and has a lever
action being fulcrumed or pivoted at about the middle of its length to the back-
bone, which is forked at the lower part to receive the hind wheel and its fork.
This back fork is connected at the front end by a cord or chain with a lever handle
working over a quadrant rack in a convenient position in front or near the steering
handle so that the rider can adjust his seat without dismounting. The rear end
of the backbone is supported on the lever fork at a certain height, according to
the position in which the lever handle is set, and the lower end of the. backbone
may either be prolonged sufficiently to form a brake acting on the ground, or an
arm provided with a brake roller may be fixed to the backbone in such a manner
as to press upon the wheel itself when the backbone is lowered and the seat
consequently thrown back, as above-mentioned.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a bicycle with the brake out of action when
travelling on a level road. Figure 2 represents the same with the brake applied,
and shows the position of the frame when travelling down a steep hill. Figure 3.
shows the brake as applied to the hind wheel instead of to the ground, and Figures 4
and 5 show side and top views of the centre head of the bicycle carrying a modified
arrangement of the gear by which the brake is worked and the position of the
saddle and framework regulated. The same letters of reference indicate the same
parts in all the Figures.
A is the backbone of the bicycle forked or looped at the lower part for the hind
wheel and its fork to work in. If the brake is to be applied to the ground the
forked part of the backbone is sufficiently prolonged backwards past the hind
wheel and united at the extremity to carry the brake block B near the surface
of the ground. If, however, the brake is to be applied to the hind wheel the
backbone is merely forked, as in Figure 3, and has a rigid arın C fixed to it, as
represented, carrying a roller brake B at its extremity just above the hind wheel.
The axle of the hind wheel does not turn in bearings in the fork of the backbone
as usual but in a separate fork E, which is jointed by centres at F to the fork or
loop of the backbone A. This fork E is connected by a chain G or other flexible
connection passing over pulleys on the backbone to a ratchet and lever attachment
at the fore part of the bicycle. By the tension of the chain G the backbone A and
fork E are maintained rigidly in the relative positions shown in Figure 1 for
ordinary travelling, but on slackening the chain the two parts A and E are by the
weight of the rider caused to work on the centres F thereby bringing the brake B
down on the ground or upon the hind wheel, as, the case may be, and throwing
the rider's saddle backwards, as represented in Figure 2. The part of the fork of
the backbone or the arm which carries the brake block or roller is preferably
made of spring steel to avoid any sudden jerk when the brake is applied. In
Figures 1 and 2 the attachment by which the position of the parts is regulated

page_text: consists of a fixed quadrant rack H provided with ratchet teeth and carried by
the centre head of the bicycle. I is a movable quadrant having a grooved periphery
to receive the chain G which is connected thereto. The quadrant I is pivoted
at K to the centre head, and it is provided with a lever handle L having a ratchet
tooth M which engages with the teeth of the quadrant rack H. The lever L is
fitted to turn round sufficiently to connect and disconnect it with said rack, but
cannot turn beyond a certain distance, so as to keep the chain G in tension to
retain the parts in their raised position Figure 1. By releasing the lever L. the
parts are brought to the position Figure 2, and by raising the lever they are
returned to their former position; Figure 1.
In the modified arrangement Figures 4 and 5, which is the one I prefer, N is
the centre head of the bicycle. The movable and fixed quadrants H and I are
replaced by a wheel O with ratchet teeth on one face mounted on a pivot P carried
by the part N. L is the lever handle working on the same pivot P and provided
with a tooth M to engage with wheel O, which has a grooved periphery to receive
the chain G which is connected to said wheel. This wheel is locked to retain the
parts in the position Figure 1 by means of a pawl R engaging with the teeth of
the ratchet O. This pawl is pivoted to the curved arm N¹ carried by the centre
head N of the machine, and the pawl is provided with a tail R¹ extending down
between two studs S, S, carried on a short arm projecting from the lever L.
pawl R is curved to an arc described from centre P on which the lever L works.
By raising lever L and engaging its tooth M with the ratchet wheel the pawl R
is put out of gear, and by lowering the lever the ratchet wheel turns with it and
slackens the chain thus applying the brake. T is a stop to prevent lever L
descending too far. By placing the brake at a sufficient distance from the ground
or wheel, as the case may be, and by making two or more strokes with the hand
lever, the chain may be slackened sufficiently to allow of the rider's seat being
moved any desired distance backwards.
The
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is--
1st. Making the hind wheel fork separate from, and jointing it to, the back-
bone, substantially as herein shown and described, to permit of the backward
and downward movement of the framework carrying the saddle, as and for the
purpose specified.
2nd. Supporting the rear end of the backbone of a bicycle by an adjustable
connection with the hind wheel axis in such manner that a backward and down-
ward movement is by the rider's own weight imparted to the saddle when necessary,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
3rd. In combination with the backbone jointed to a separate fork for the hind
wheel so as to have a backward and downward movement as described, the brake
block or roller affixed to or carried by an extension or arm of the backbone itself
so as to be applied with a pressure due to the rider's own weight either to the
ground or hind wheel, as specified.
4th. The arrangement of gear, substantially as described and represented in
Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, for regulating the position of the rider's seat and applying or
removing the brake, as specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Fournier, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
JOHN FOURNIER. (L.S.)