US518411A - Bicycle - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) a SheetS- Sheef 1 H. LA GASSE.

BICYCLE.

No. 518,411. Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. LA GASSE. BICYCLE;

'8 SheetsSheet' 3'.

H. LA OASSE.

(No Model.)

BICYCLE.

Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

ATTORNEYflT (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

v H. LA GASSE.

BICYCLE.

I Patnted Apr. 17, 1894.

8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

H. LA 'AOASSE.

BICYCLE.

No. 518,411; Patented Apr. 17,1894.

R 0 I N E V N 8 SheetsSheet 7. H. LA OASSE.

v BICYCLE.

(No Model.)

Y E N (N9 Model?) a Sheets-Sheet s. H. LA OASSE.

- BICYCLE.

No. 518,411. Patented Apr. 17,1894.

" ITE STATES PATENT v accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and r To all whom it maycon'bern; p

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. ,H NRi'LA oAssno RocHns'rEa Ew roan BICYCLE.

' SPECiFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 518,411, dated April 1*), 1894.. Application filed "September-16,1891. Renewed November 5,1862. sexism, 451,023. (No model.)

Be it known that I, HENRY LA CASSE, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe,'i1i the State ofNew York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in- Bicycles, of which the following, taken in connection with the exact description. p I

My'invention-relates to improvements in bicycles, and has for its object the produc tion of a. simple and efiective device, which is economicallyproduced, and is extremely easyin use, obviating the customary jar ex- 1 perienced when passing over rough surfaces; and to this end it consists; essentially, in 'a frame having front'and rear. wheels, atront fork, a link between the lower end of the fork and the front axle, amovable support for the pedal shaft hinged to' the frame, and a seat supporting framecarried by the pedal shaft support whereby both the seat and'the pedal move with the same vibration. o p

The invention also consists in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts of my bicycle, all as *here'inaftermore fully described and pointed out in the claims.-

In describing this inventiomreferenceis had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificatiomin which, like letv .ters indicate corresponding parts in-all the views.

. Figure lrepresents aside elevation of my improvedbicycle illustrating'the general .con-. struction and arrangement of its parts. Fig. 2. is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of the detached frame, portions thereof being broken'away for the purpose of increas-j' ing the scale. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal v'ertical sectional'view of the. steering-rod and a.

portion of the front fork. Figs. 4' and 5 aredetail views illustrating the construction of-' the handle bar sections and the armor leverv secured thereto for operating the brake. Fig. 6 is an isometricperspective of the detached plate secured to the front'fork for supporting one of the lovers of the brake actuating mechanism and the forward end of the front, mud guard. Fig. v7 is an inverted plan view of the front bracket in which the steering rod is journaled. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional View, taken on line -8 -8- Fig. 1. Fig. 9'

iis an elevation of the detached lower endof the front fork and thelink for connecting the same to the front axle. ,Fig.1f0 is anelevation of the inner faceof the detached link, L shown atFig. 9. Figs. 11. and 12 are-e1eva tions of the detached brake shoe, its support, and a portion of its actuating mechanism,

' the shoe being'shown in its inoperative position at Fig. '11, and as in its operative position at Fig. 12.: Fig. 13 isa horizontal seetional ,view, taken on line "1-3'-13-, Fig. 2.

Figs-14,15 and 16 are isometric perspectives of the detached parts of the. knuckle between theimovablepedal shafttand the frame, and ;th;e suppor t for. said knuckle. Fig. 17' is a sectional view, taken on line 1'7 '17 Fig. 1, representing the'relative construction and arrangement of the' "parts mounted on the pedal slfaft. Fig; 18 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line l8 -18-, Fig."1,illustratingt-he clipfor adjusting the tension of the springs for supporting the ipedalshaft.

Figs. 19and 20 arerespectively front eleva- Ztion and top'plan view of the bracket for sup-V "portingthe for'wardendof the rear mud guard, ,-a portion of "the. frame barsib'eing shown as inoperative position at Fig. 20. Figs. 21iand 22 are respectivelytop' plan andrsid'e elevation of a detached, portion of the frame'bars and the rearsupport for the rearjmud guard.

Fig. 23 is a horizontal sectional view cfth'e. rear axle. Fig. 24 is a transverse sectional view,'taken on line 24=24-.i;-Fig. 1. Fig] 25 is a transverse Sectiorialview, taken on line '25--25-, Fig, 1,-illustratingthe clip. for supporting the -l --...shapedv seat supporting the bracket, and Fig. 26' is a trans-L verse sectional view, taken on line -262 6--, Fig.'.l.

-" Bicycles-,rwhich are now coming into some;

what general use, are preventedffrom more by the rider in passing overrough roads and obstructions. Ehis jar is either transmitted bar or; directly to. his feet and body by the vib ration of the pedal shaft. Moreover the extended use by reason ofthejar' experienced,

- to the riders hands engaged withthe handle ri-der isu suallyseated-ona yield ng seat hat/1;

ing moreo'r less movement, and,,as his feet Io o iare'monnted bn the pedals secured to a rig'- idly moufrited pedal.shaft,-great ditficulty is minimum the transmission of jar to the riders body and feet, and causes said parts to move uniformly and simultaneously. 7

A-- represents the frame of my bicycle composed preferably of a pair of similarly arranged bars or tubes ahaving their" front extremities bent upwardly at a' and approximated a greater distance than the rear extremities -'"a The front bracket -'-B' is adapted to support the steering rod C, and is formed with a rearwardly extending arm b. having sockets b"in which the front endsof the frame bars a-aare suitably secured as by brazing. The outer sleeve D- for the lower end of the steer-- ing rod ---C is adapted to receive at its lower end the upwardly projecting nipple-erigidly secured to the front fork -E-. This sleeve D-- is formed with a bearing face -dbetween which and a likebearing face 7 ZJ2- on the front bracket B- are interposed anti friction balls -D- for reducing .to a minimum the friction efiected when turning the steering red -O. The upper end of the outer sleeve -D- is also formed with a roller bearing d' between which and a corresponding bearing b on' the upper end of the bracket. 'B areinterposed anti'friction balls --D and the said upper extremity is further supported by a nut --D screwing upon the sleeve -D- and formed with a depending flange D adapted to cap over the upper end of the bracket B--. The extreme upper end of the'sleeve -D' is slightly tapered andis slotted at 'd?- and screwing thereuponis a n nt--d which is formed with a slightly tapering innerper 'riphery and clamps the separate sections of said extreme'upper end ofthe sleeve -D-. against the. periphery of the steering ro'd -C- inserted: within said sleeve.

At the extreme upper end of the steering rod -(J- is a cap formed with upturn ed ears --fthrough which is passed the handle bar F' consisting of separate sections having their adjacent extremitiesprovided with'oppositely turned threads and engaged with a socket -f'- in the lever presently described, in connection with the brakemechanism; said oppositely threaded. ends being held in position bya pin F passed th rough an aperture in said lever, and a corresponding aperture in the, handle bar formed by a groove in the adjacent facesof its separate sections. The opposite arms -'-e' of the fork E- are arranged on opposite sides of the front wheel'-G.

with a central aperture =g in which are I rigidly secured the opposite metallic sections g --g having their outer ends formed flaring and provided with ball bearing seats ablyless diameter than the sections --g and is supported in position by means of anti friction. balls h-r-interposed between the bearings g and corresponding bearings h-- secured. to the axle l-I, or, as illustrated, to the inner face of the huh I'- formed on thelinks -I- for yieldingly supporting the lower ends of the fork arms e'- upon said front axle; The upper ends of the'links -I- are formed on their inner face with a recess -ihaving inner and outer flanges t"- and -t*- in which is mounted a spring-1 having one end t' secured to the link, and the other ito the lower end of the fork arms e'-. arms are formed with a hub -e*-- movable in The front axle H is of consider- These lower ends of the fork a slot -I in the outer flange 'i and .with a hollow boss e journaled withinthe innerflange --'i' of ,the link .I- and secured in position bya suitable clamp as a nut and bolt --I. The huh I of .the links -I, which, as previously stated, is formed with the ball bearing face h, is rigidly secured to the axle .-l-I being preferably screwed thereon and held in position by a locking nut--H', the end of the shaft -H being formed with a slot H for enabling the same to be firmly held wb 11 the nut-H'- is screwed in position.

In the use of my bicycle the spring -1 constantly forces the front face of the fork arms -e'-against the front wall or shoulder i of the slot i as best seen at Fig. 2, and, as the wheel encounters an obstruction, the axle moves upwardly against the action of the spring until the rear face of the fork encounters the rear wall or shoulder t'" of the slot, which can only happen when the wheelie excessivelyjarred so .as to entirely overcomethe force of the spring '-z.- The fork and its flexible connection reduce to a minimum the amount of jar ordinarily transmitted to the handle bar and renderthe riding of the bicycle much more pleasurable and healthful than when the same is c0ntinually jarred by passage over obstacles.

fro5

J-- represents any suitable construction of front. mud guard,.which may be su'itably supported, as by means of a suitable brace J'-- and downwardly projecting ears jupon a support j" for one of the brake 'actua'ting levers, presently described.

-K is. the pedal shaft, which is yieldingly mounted on a knuckle-L and alink -M", and is held in positionby an upper spring R-- and a lower spring S-.

, 3 i friction balls Z Q held in position by shoularms Z andtheir rearward ends capping 6o 7 rests upon a movable fadj n'ster o'rfclamp O"'-'-,

As best seen at Figs; 1,, 2, 1 1,12,14,15, and 16, the'knuckle .L- consists of a pair of levers --L"'-- and L having their adja;

cent extremities formed with eyes Z-l'-' hinged togetherby a pin +1 the free end of the lever L.' being formed with eyes '--Z and hinged to'corresponding eyes -l* on a bracket L secured to; the frame +-A, and the free-end of" the lever L shaft -K.

being'formed with eyes Z hinged to corresponding eyes "Z on the forward arm -F of alever -L journaled on the pedal The bracket 'L is formed at its upper face with suitable eyes Z for receiving the opposite frame bars'a-a-, and is preferably brazed thereto. The lever -L when in its normal position extends upwardly and forwardly from the lower arm --F- of the leverL and the'lever -L' extends rearwardly from the forwardend of said lever -L as best seen at Figs. 1, and

2, thus requiring the smallest possible space for said knuckle, and causing the same to be extremely firm, although capable of instantly yielding to preventtransmission of jar to the The rider as more clearly shown hereinafter.

lever L is ,formed' with a box or hub L through which passes the pedal'shaft -K, and at its, free ends is formed, with ders -'-Z' is rigidly held in positionby a,

bearing faces Z against which bear anti ders -Z andZ Oneof the shoulders suitable key Z and on its, outer face is rigidly secured the front sprocket wheel N, and on the outer'face of'thesprocket wheel the hubof the pedal crank n'. T The other shoulder j-L is formed with screw threads, and is adj ustable' upon the axle -K- for taking-up all wear andfirmly drawingthe parts against the friction balls -Z -,On the outer face of this adjustable nut is the opposite pedaLcrank -n'- having its hub rigidly secured to the" axle bya suitable -Rigidly secured in any suitable manner to the rearwardly extending arm Z of the lever --L is the link -M consisting preferably of two parallel .tubes nt -122+ having-their forward ends capping over said over nipples on a support --m' hinged at Extending upwardly from: the h'ingepoint' of the levers L and ,L is an arm --O- having a'projecting shoulder -0;

'adaptednto be engagedby the rearend of the spring "R-; for yieldinglylsnpp'orting the" front. bracket -B' previously described.

The lower spring -S.is arrangeds-with' its rear end beneath the hinge point of jsaid' levers L and IP--., and its upper end also bears upon the clamp *'O and is rigidly of the bracket, B-'. moved lengthwisely of the frame bar a foradjusting the springs R and S, and-as best seen at Fig. -18-, consists of an upper plate o having a bearing o fortheupper spring 7 5 R,, a lower plate ,0 having a bearing" face --0 "for the lower spring -S ,curve d' l bearing faces 0"- on the inner faces of -the I opposite'extremities of said platesforenga'gw ing the upper end of "the frame bars .-a-a, 8o and a 'suitable clamping screw, 0.,- for drawing said plates together and clamping the support.O.' in position. It will read ily be apparent from the foregoing that, when the wheels'strike an obstruction and'raise"8 5. theframe, the pedal shaft remains in subtion of the springs -B; and S, and the. go 7 link M swings on its pivot m T-- represents any suitable construction of seat; -'-t a pin or other suitable support upon which said seat is secured bya suitable' I clamp -T'-; -,t a'clamp for securing the s 5 pin -t to spring bars 'u "presently described, andU the seat supporting frame Y of my improved bicycle, This frame-U- consists of a pair of front tubes .u u

brazed to a pair of projecting nipples';, O "1 0 on the arm O', a pair of rear tubes.,-u/+ L brazed to a corresponding pair of nipples ,w.- upon the support W secured to therear axle; and a pair of spring connecting bars u g/, The forwardends of the x05 bars u?u are hinged at u to the front fraine bars .u u., and are formed at their rear extremitywith the coils u, -'and with the projecting ends aadj ustably mounted within'the hollow rear bars 'u,-- no u' andsecured in position by screws --u v carried by a cap u rigidly secured on the I is formed comparativelystifi in order to add I15 to the rigidity of the frame, its-forwardend I being secured to a bracket 522 rigidly secured to the frame bars -a-i'dand its rearward end to the cap su --I upon the spring] is alsotforme'd witlia woodenh'ub -w"- ha w Q ing a centralcavityf w -in which are"rig idly secured, sleeves or Linings w having rear axle W- composed preferably of two 7 sections firmly secured together, one beingformed with a screw threaded nipple -,-W --rand gshe otherw ithasjcrew'threaded socket- I 30 ."W

p The extremities'of the-axle extend i beyond the hub '''w'-'--, and are formed-with eyes .-W} inwhich are ad-j ustaibly monnted,by means of'clamping nuts w the --M for the treadle axle, and the rear seat supporting frame bars -uu-. The rear.

sprocket wheel --X is rigidly secured to the adjacent sleeve w' and is engaged by a nut X' formed with an inwardly extending hub .r having a bearing face a" for the adjacent anti friction balls 'w and is also formed with a flange X on the outside of the hub w'. Upon the opposite section of the axle is adj ustably mounted a shoulder Y having a bearing face yfor the anti friction balls w-- and formed with a series of apertures y-- with which is engaged at suitable stop Y' for preventing the retraction of said shoulder.

It will be readily noted that, by means of the. nuts -w the supports -W may be readily adjusted for taking up all slack in the sprocket chain X In order to facilitate mounting of the bicycle one extremity of therear axle is extended outwardly and formed with a foot engaging portion W. V I

The brake mechanism P- consists of a suitable shoe P' jo'urnaled onj the hub L- of the pedal supporting lever -L and suitable connections between the upper extremity of said shoe and the lever 'f secured to the handle bar -F---. As preferably constructed these connections consist V of a lever ;p',- pivoted at Pp to a support '-p upon the frame -A, and coni 1 nected by a link -p passed through the arm f 0- to the brake shoe.P- a I lever pivoted to a lug -p'*- on the rear arm of the front bracket -B-, and connected: to the lever p' by a link ---.p"

passed through the spring S- ahd a third lever --p pivoted to the support -;7"- previously described, and connected by a horizontally jointed link -p to the lever ;-p and by a link p to the end of the ,lever tween said arms -p and a shoulder ,-p

on the link -p constantly forces said link p 9-- downwardly and throws the shoe out of engagement with the rear wheel -W-.

7 When desired to utilize the brake the rider bears downwardly in a natural movement of stronglyigr'ipping the handle bar when danger is apparent, and the connections between the brake shoe and the lever secured to said handlebar force the brake shoe firmly against the rear wheel against the act-ion of thespring ---P. This forms a particularly simple and eflfective style of brake, and is an essential feature of my invention.

The'operation of my invention will be readilyper'ceived from the foregoing description and upon reference tothe parts. It will be particularly noted that the handle bar is almost entirely preventedfrom' jar, and that, when the frame-is jarred, this motion is not transmitted to the rider, as both his feet and his body are supported yieldingly upon the frame by means of the yielding support for the treadle shaft and the seat supporting frame, which is carried upon the support for the treadle shaft. J

It will be understood that the detail construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention may be somewhat varied from those shown and described without departing from the spirit thereof, hence I donot herein limit myself to such detail construction and arrangement.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a fork, a wheel having an axle, a'link having one extremity secured to the axle and having a recess in its oppositeextremity provided with a slot in 1ts side wall for receiving the adjacent end of the fork, and a spring mounted in said recess in the link between the inner wall of the tocess and the adjacent face of the fork and having one end connected to the link and the other to the fork, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a frame and a steering rod, a cap at the extremity of said rod provided with a pair of cars, a-lever interposed between said earsand formed with a threaded socket, a handle bar composed of separable extremities having their adjacent ends screw threaded and passed through said socket, and a lock for preventing turning of said handle bar extremities, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I 3. The combination of a frame, a steering rod provided at its upper end with a projecting shoulder fixed thereto and with upwardly projecting ears, a handle bar journaled in said ears for operating the steering rod, a brakeshoe hinged to the frame, a lever 10 pivoted tosaid frame, a jointed connection p hinged to the lever 19 and connected, substantially as described, to the brake-shoe, a lever f having one end rigidly secured to the handle bar and the'other projecting outwardly beyond the steering rod, a link having one end pivoted to the lever o and the other to the projecting end of the lever f 2 and provided with a spring engagingshoulder, and a spring interposed between the projecting shoulder on the steering rod and. the spring engaging shoulder on said link, substantially as and 'for the purpose specified.

pivoted to each other and also to the pedal' -a'knuekle -K in'terposed'between the pedal shaft and the frame and comprising levers pivoted to' each. other and also to the pedal shaft andto'the'fram 'a spring for supports 1ng said knuckle in its normal position, a link I tially as described.

having one end hinged to the pedal shaftand the other to the rear portion of theiframe, and

a seat connected to said knuckle, substan- 7. The combination of a frame, a seat, a-seat support, a, knuckle jo'intbetw'een the frame andthe seat supprt,a spring'secured to said frameand to said seat support, and anv ad-.

ju'ster for adjusting the tensionof-the spring, substantially as andfor the purpose specified. 8. The combination ofa'frame, alever L having its rear end hinged to the frame, alever. L -arranged beneath the lever L and having its front end hinged tothe corresponding I endof the lever Li, a' pedalsliaft, a lever L having the pedal shaft journaled therein and" having its front end hinged to the rear end of the lever L av springconnected, substantially'as descnibedto said levers for support- 7 ngthe same 1n operative positiomanda seat :conn'ectd'to said levers, substantially as specified. v, =9... The combination of a frame, a lever L having its rear end hinged to the frame, a le- Q ver L arranged beneath the lever L and having its front end hinged to the corresponding end of the lever L, a pedal shaft, a lever L having the pedal "shaft "3' ourn'aled therein and having its front end hinged to the rear end .of the lever L a seat, a seat support having its lower end hinged to the pivotal pin of the levers L L ,,and a spring connected, substantiall'y'as described, to said levers for supporting the same, substantially as descr1bed.

" 12. The combination of a frame, a pedal shaft, a pair of hinged levers having their cor.-

responding extremities hinged together and the opposite end of one lever hinged to the frame-and the opposite end of the other lever to said pedal shaft, an upwardly pro ecting arm secured to .the hinge pin of one of said levers and formed with an engaging shoulder,

and a spring having one end secured to said frame and the other engaged with said engaging shoulder, substantially as specified.

13. The combinationof a frame, a shaft, a knuckle K interposed between the pedal shaft and the frame and comprising levers pivoted to each other and also to the pedal shaft and to the frame, a brake-shoe journaled on one ofthe levers, a handle bar connected to the -brake-shoe,.a spring for supporting said knuckle in its normal position, and aseat supported-on said knuckle, substantially asand for the purpose set forth. y 14. The combination of a frame, a leverL having its rear end hinged to the frame, alever L? arranged beneath the lever L and having its front end hinged to the corresponding end of the lever L, a pedal shaft, a lever L having the pedal shaft journaled thereln and having its front end hinged to the rear end of the lever L a brake-shoe journaled on the lever L a handle bar connectedto the brakeshoe, a spring connected, substantially as described, to said levers for supporting the same 5o hinged levers having their corresponding ex-,

1': end of one lever hinge'd to thel'ranre, a seat,

"40' having the pedal shaft'journaled therein and I having its front end hinged to the rear. end

f of thelever L a spring connected, substan- I tially as described, to saidlevers for supporting the same in."operative position,,a seat 45',connected.to saidlevei's, and a link M having it's-rear end hinged to the fraine'andits front end rigidly secured to'therear end ofithe-lever'L substantially as set forth.

10. The com-bi ation of a frame,

in operative position, and a seat connected to said levers, substantiallyas andfor the .purpose described. v

15. The combination of a frame, arear wheel having anaxle, a projecting arm ad ustably secured to said axle,.a link having one end hinged tothe forward end of the arm, a pedal shaft journaled'in the front end of the link, a knuckle joint between the pedal shaft and theframe, and a spring for supporting the pedal shaft, substantially as and for the purpose specified. r

In testimony whereof I e have hereunto signed my name, in'the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Rochester, in the county of '55 'levers into operative-position, substantially- Monroe, in the State of New York, this 12th .:i-i s p ifi ed a= -.f' -f 1. day of August, 1891. a 1 e com ,ln'ation o 'a' rame,a ever t I h v g itsrear'end hinged to the frame, a le H NRY LA CAeSE .1 ever 1'1 arrangedbeneath'thelever L and hav-' 6ov ingiits front end' hinged to the'corresponding I -'end'of the lever L', a pedalshaft'alever-L' a pair of I I tremitiesfhingedtog'ether and the opposite aseat support hinged tothe opposite end of i the other lever,"and a spring for holding said I I5 Witnesses: 5 HAMPDEN HYPE,

' GEO. H, HUMPHREY.

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