Improvements in or relating to Folding Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application 16th Mar., 1897.-Accepted, 3rd July; 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Folding Cycles.
I ANTOINE ALBAREL, of Commune de Pennautier par Carcassone, in the Republic
of France, 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 :-
Folding cycles as hitherto constructed, having as a rule flat frames are not
sufficiently light and rigid and require special additional parts whereby they are
made too complicated and heavy; the use of divided tubes is a source of weakness
and folding and unfolding require considerable time and trouble. Further the
front fork is a weak point of the existing machines.
Many attempts have been made to construct the fork and the fork-crown in
various forms; these parts being strengthened and designed with great care
regardless of increasing the weight or cost of the machines. But in spite of this,
the fork in consequence of its weakness owing to its form remains the cause of
many of the serious accidents on the road as well as on the track.
The expressions 'strengthened fork' and 'unbreakable fork' so often used afford
proof of the insufficient strength of this part.
In the accompanying drawings
Figures 1 and 2 show a folding frame according to this invention.
Figures 3 and 4 an ordinary safety frame.
Figure 5 a complete folding bicycle.
Figures 6 and 7 a modification in its open and closed position.
Figure 8 a detail and
Figures 9, 10 and 11, views of different constructions of folding cycles.
It is well known that the weight of the complete fork (Figure 4) is considerable
relatively to that of the other parts of the machine, for the fork itself the stem A B
and the crown plates CE G H with its holes cannot be properly joined unless said
parts are strong and thick; the whole must be connected by pins and brazed
together with great care, for if the fork-sides already weakened at I J by bending,
were to be weakened still more by burning them breakage would easily take place.
Moreover all shocks received by the front-wheel are transmitted through the fork
which of necessity must be long, and which is always inclined so that it is subject
to a bending strain tending to break the fork-crown.
The fork is both heavy, fragile and complicated and is difficult to make, and is
very expensive.
The frame of my new folding forkless bicycle (Figure 5) is constituted by ;—
1. A frame o k m n which may differ from the usual frame (Figure 3) only in the
shape of the quadrangle l k mn; the length of the head-tube m n is increased and
that of the tubes k―m, l-n reduced; the weight and the manner of construction
remain the same.
2. By a part replacing the fork which is simpler lighter, stronger and more
reliable;
this part which I call hereinafter the Delta' has the shape of two
letters A joined together as shown in Figure 2. The delta is mainly constituted
by five weldless cold-drawn steel tubes arranged in two triangles which have the

page_text: steering or head tube a b as a common base and points d and ƒ for apices; the
four other tubes are connected in pairs at these points and their ends are provided
with holes df after they have been beaten out cold and brazed.
The steering tube terminates in its lower part in a cast-steel part 6 provided with
two tubular lugs with which are joined the tubes b d and b f.
The upper ends of the tubes a d, af likewise beaten out cold and provided with
holes are connected by a bolt a to the top-collar, for clamping the handle-bar stem.
Finally the steering tube is provided with an adjustable cone, and the cup for the
second lower ball bearing is a part of the connecting piece b. A strengthening
cross-piece may be provided as c.
After having placed the fixed spindle carrying the hub of the wheel, so that its
screw-threaded ends pass through the two openings d and f and having fixed the
whole by nuts df and a, the whole of the delta and the fixed spindle will form an
absolutely rigid and strong frame.
In figure 5 the delta is shown in the position which it will occupy when in use;
the steering tube a b turns in the tube m n which forms a ball bearing socket.
•
The delta frame, steered easily and quickly by the handle-bar, can make any
desired angular movement about its axis of rotation, and the plane of the fork which
is also the plane of the front-wheel may if necessary be placed at an angle of 90°
with the plane of the rear-wheel. The long base or bearing m n ensures smoothness
and sensitiveness of steering owing to the great distance between its ball-bearing
surfaces.
There being no overhanging tubes, the delta transmits to the front wheel without
bending any shocks given to the back-wheel and to the whole of the back-structure
by the action of the cyclist; the vibrations caused by the use of a fork, are avoided
and consequently an important part of the energy developed by the rider is no more
wasted.
Thus constructed the machine has a symmetrical and graceful appearance and is
rigid, light and simple; it has somewhat the appearance of the strong upper
structure of a bridge connecting o and d.
The cranks always move in planes parallel to that of the quadrangle l k mn;
and they cannot be interfered with, even during steering operations.
The base or head tube m n may be either vertical or inclined towards the front
or towards the back.
The crank mechanism and driving gear may be any desired; by way of example
we will assume it to be chain-gearing; as is at present generally used.
The advantages of my new forkless folding bicycle are as follows;-
The rigidity of delta enables the machine to be constructed in the form shown in
Figure 6, in which the driving gear is applied to the front-wheel.
The operation necessary to convert the machine from a rear driver to a front
driver and vice versa can be completed in two minutes and is extremely simple.
It is sufficient to loosen the bolts on a and k, to remove the handle-bar stem and the
seat-pillar, and to replace one for the other, to adjust the angle of inclination of the
saddle and to tighten up the nuts.
The upper part of the seat-pillar or rod, having the shape of an inverted L, may
be placed at the front or back of the machine, the saddle being placed either at the
back as in Figure 5, the machine then being a rear-driver, or on the delta frame, as
in Figure 6, thus constituting the machine a front driver.
This new arrangement is very advantageous. The front wheel becomes both a
driving and steering wheel; the back wheel which simply supports the weight and
is loose on its spindle and follows the movements of the front wheel, the movements
of which about its axis may be made as small and as quick as desired by the rider,
who operates the handle-bar and also the pedals which are to a certain extent
steering parts thereby causing the whole front part to turn about its axis a b as
desired; the machine is steered in the same manner as a high bicycle but in a more
convenient manner, as the rider always remains in the plane of the front-wheel but
is not exposed to contact with the rim when turning.

page_text: The angle of steering is not restricted and may be a very sharp one, and the
cyclist can turn in a very small circle. The machine readily rights itself after
accidental deviations.
Great stability and security is obtained the cyclist being seated between the two
wheels and the bottom-bracket remaining low although nearer to the front driving
wheel.
Unlike existing machines the adhesion of the driving wheel to the ground is
increased exactly at the moment the propelling effort is applied, when going up hill
or starting, for at this moment the cyclists leans forward and his centre of gravity
moves forward with him.
Whether the front or the back-wheel be used as the driving wheel, the machine
may be folded in an instant and then unfolded again without any preliminary
operations and without necessitating any additional parts such as pins, latches,
sleeves, collars, thumb-screws, etc., which would render it heavy and complicated,
and without weakening the tubes by cutting them. This machine is as light and as
rigid as machines with frames.
The folding and unfolding operations are thus very simple and quick and do not
require any more exertions than would be necessary to close and to open a cock the
plug of which is supported in ball-bearings.
In the delta in Fig. 7, the wheel and the saddle are shown folded through an
angle of 180° about the steering stem as an axis.
To prevent the tube top a k from interfering at any time with the folding, the
following device, for instance, may be adopted: The tubes a d, af are connected
to a (Fig. 8) on only one side of the bolt a. The pedal on the side opposite to that
on which the chain is situated, is turned to lie (at Fig. 7) between two of the
spokes.
The folded machine which is very light and easily handled may be carried by
hand, as a bag would be, and carried to the place where it is to be stored or placed;
it may be hung on a hook, taken into a carriage, cab or boat; it is of little trouble
to a tourist who has to get over ditches or to climb bad hills.
A soldier can carry the machine on his back or shoulder when going over a
difficult piece of road or when on the march. The lengthy operations of taking to
pieces and fitting up again with or without special joints, are avoided, and the
mobility the most important desideratum for troops-is brought to its maximum.
The soldier can fire, keeping the machine between his legs; for this purpose it is
sufficient to make the machine so that the upper tube k m is at a less distance from
the ground than the extended legs of the rider. The latter will be thus able to
touch the ground at the same time remaining in the saddle and start at once from a
stationary position so as to avoid dismounting and consequent disorder in the
cyclist-battalion.
The folding machines for army requirements are not sufficiently patronised by
the general public. If the present "forkless" folding bicycle becomes very much
used, cyclists will join the corps with this machine, and the Government will be able
whenever necessary to obtain a large number of these folding machines.
Various accessories may be used the only condition to be observed being that
they must be mounted so as not to prevent the machine from being folded. Any
brake may be used, but it must be easily detachable, as it must be capable of being
changed together with the handle-bar.
Of course the present folding machine can be constructed as a lady's bicycle
(Fig. 9) as a tandem (Fig. 10), or as a geared bicycle (Fig. 11) of the Crypo class,
for instance, etc., etc.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
P

page_text: steering tube which forms the common basis of two triangular frames-extending
one on either side of the front wheel-which is carried at the apices of said
triangular frames, this framing and wheel being capable of being turned through an
angle of 180° about its axis so as to lie adjacent to the other wheel, substantially as
described.
2. In a cycle a folding frame substantially as described and illustrated in
Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete folding
cycles substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 5, or in Figures 6 and 7,
or in Figure 9, or in Figure 10 orsin Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.
by:
Dated this 16th day of Mach1907
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.