US576512A - Sleigh attachment for bicycles - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) A

P. P. TUCKER. SLEIGE ATTACHMENT PGR- BIGYGLES.

No. 576,512. Patented Peb. 2, 1897.

Fi g1,

UNTTED STATES PERRY F.

PATENT OFFICE,

TUCKER, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK.

SLEIGH ATTACHMENT FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 576,512, dated February 2, 1897.

Application tiled March 21,1896 Serial No, 584,216. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PERRY F. TUCKER, of Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycle Attachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the reference-letters marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide an attachment for cycles, more particularly bicycles, whereby they may be ridden over rough, frozen, or soft snow or uneven iceA and the unpleasant jar usually incident to the use of such contrivances and the labor required to propel the bicycle are decreased to a minimum, and the attachment overcomes the difculty heretofore existing of riding on a single-track road where a ridge of unpacked snow remains in the center of the track, leaving a broken path on either side; and to these and other ends the invention consists in the hereinafter-described device adapted to be applied to an ordinary bicycle-frame by an unskilled person, and, further, in the several constructions and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter described, and the novel features pointed out in the claims at the end of this specilication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation showing my attachment applied to a bicycle-frame of the ordinary or any preferred construction; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view taken on the line :r a; of Fig. l Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part of the attachment; Fig. 4, a crosssectional view on the line y y of Fig. l.

Similar reference-letters in the several figures indicate similar parts.

My attachment is adapted for application to any of the ordinary forms of bicycle-frames, the rear portion of such a frame being shown in the accompanying drawings, A A indicating the rear forks, connected, as usual, at their rear ends, the connecting portion being provided with the slot a for the accommodation of the rear axle.

The attachment constituting my invention embodies generally a shoe or support adapted to run upon snow or ice and connected to the rear of the bicycle-frame, a spurred drivingwheel having an elastic connection with said frame or shoe and adapted to be driven by a suitable sprocket-chain from an ordinary sprocket-wheel O, mounted upon the bicycleframe.

The frame of the attachment in the present instance embodies generally two brackets or forgings D, adapted to be secured by bolts D to the rear fork of the bicycle-frame, the heads of said bolts being countersunk in the inner sides of the brackets and projecting through the slots a in the rear fork of the bicycle, to which they are secured by nuts D2 inthe same manner that the rear axle of a bicycle wheel is ordinarily secured. The outer portions of the bolts D2 are iiattened and shouldered, as usual, where their ends pass through the fork of the bicycle-frame to prevent turning therein, but the parts passing through the brackets D are round, so that said brackets may turn on theln and permit the frame of the attachment to tilt slightly and accommodate itself to inequalities in the snow or ice. Washers d are also provided to prevent binding between the brackets and fork. Extending from the lower side of the brackets D are the bifurcated braces or supports E, connected by suitable fastenin gs with the supporting shoe or runner F, adapted to run on the ice and to support the rear of the bicycle. In the present construction this shoe or runner is preferably composed of sheet metal having its forward end curved slightly upward, and is provided with a central aperture F' for the passage of the lower portion of the spurred driving-wheel G. The runner is also formed with a longitudinal groove or recess in its under side for the reception of a removable rib or shoe F2, preferably concave on the under side to obtain a firm hold upon ice or snow and prevent slipping sidewise, said rib being held in position by screws e or other suitable fastenings. If desired, ribs F2 of other shapes than that shown could be employed, but I find that this one answers all purposes.

It will be understood that the removable rib or shoe E2 is substantially in line rwith the central aperture in the main runner, and is of course made in two sections, the forward end of the section in rear of the aperture being curved upward slightly, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, to permit'its easy movement over the snow or ice and preventing its catching.

Connected to the forgings or brackets D is IOO a vertical frame II, composed of a tube, the under side of the upper portion being cut away, as shown, and the tubular standards serving as bearings or guides for the fork J, in which the driving-wheel G is mounted. The fork J is preferably composed of the vertical rods sliding in the tubular bearings and the connecting bridge or yoke J at the top, between which latter and the transverse portion or cross-piece of the frame II is arranged a spring H', the tension of said spring being capable of adjustment by a thumb-screw h, passing through said cross-piece and engaging a washer h2 on the top of the spring, as shown in Fig. 2. The lower ends of the fork .I are provided with eyes for the accommodation of the ends of the axle G of the wheel, which is secured, as usual, by nuts G3, suitable ball-bearings being arranged between the wheel and axle, as usual. The hub of the drivin g-wheel G is provided with a sprocketwheel G2, arranged to be connected, when the attachment is in use, by a `sprocket-chain C with the corresponding sprocket C on the crank-shaft C2 on the bicycle-frame, and the rim of the wheel G is provided with teeth or spurs G4 for engaging the snow or ice.`

The attachment may be applied to an ordinary bicycle-frame, when desired to ride upon ice or snow, by first removing the rear wheel of the bicycle from the frame, disconnecting the driving` sprocket-chain by slipping it oit the small sprocket on said wheel or otherwise. The chain is then passed around th'e sprocketwheel G2 either by disconnecting the end of the axle G from the fork J and connecting it again or otherwise, and the brackets D are then attached by the bolts D and nuts D2 in the slot a in the bicycle-frame, the chain being tightened by the usual screws ax, or other means may be employed for the purpose.

In using a bicycle provided with my attachment the tension of the spring I-I is preferably adjusted by the screw h, so that the periphery of the wheel G will project below the runner or shoe F, the weight of the rider being supported upon the shoe rigidly attached to the bicycle-frame, the spring holding the wheel G down in proportion to the adjustment given the spring 1-1.

This attachment is very cheap and simple in construction and can be applied to an ordinary bicycle by an unskilled person, thereby permitting the use of the machine on snow or on ice, and the front or steering wheel of the machine can be retained in position, or a shoe or runner could be substituted therefor, if desired.

The arrangement of the fork J, carrying the wheel in the tubular frame or support H, gives me a long bearing for said fork and permits the ready adjustment of the spring by means of a single screw. Of course any other suitable shape could be given to the under side of the removable rib or shoe F2 instead of concaving it, as shown, but I prefer this form because, as it projects below the bottom of the runner F, the attachment is well adapted for use either on soft snow or ice, the main runner being broad enough to prevent sinking too deeply in the snow and the rib or shoe having the sharp edges and preventing lateral slipping on ice.

I claim as my inventionl. In a cycle attachment, the combination with the frame having the ruimer and adapted for attachment to the fork of a cycle, of the spurred driving-wheel., the fork in which said wheel is mounted, and a spring connection between said wheel and runner-frame, substantially as described.

2. In a cycle attachment, the combination with the frame having the runner, means for connecting it to the fork of a cycle, and the tubular frame on the runner-frame, of the spurred driving-wheel having the fork operating in the tubular frame, and the spring arranged between said fork and the tubular frame, substantially as described.

3. In a cycle attachment, the combination with the frame having the runner, the bolts connecting it to a cycle-frame, and upon which it is pivoted, of the spurred drivingwheel, the fork carrying the wheel, and an adjustable spring connection between the runner-frame and fork, substantially as described. 1

4. In an attachment for cycles, the combination of the brackets adapted for attachment. to a cycle-fork, the standards, and the runner secured to their lower ends, the vertical tubular frame, the fork movable therein, the spring between the fork and frame and the driving-wheel journaled in the fork and having the sprocket-wheel thereon, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a cycle frame having a fork, a driving sprocket-wheel thereon, and a sprocket-chain, of a frame pivoted to the fork of the cycle, having a runner, a spurred driving wheel having a drivingsprocket, and a spring connection between said driving-wheel and the frame in which it is mounted, substantially as described.

6. In a cycle-attachment, the combination with the runner having the recess in its under side, and the removable shoe or :rib secured therein, substantially as described.

7. In a cycle attachment, the combinationwith the runner formed of sheet material with the recess in its under side, of the rib or shoe removably secured in said recess1 substantially as described.

8. The combination with the frame having the slotted runner, of the driving-wheel operating in the slot and having the spurs and the sprocket-wheel, the 'fork in which said driving-wheel is mounted, the tubular supports for the fork, and the spring between the fork and frame, substantially as described.

PERRY F. TUCKER.

Witnesses:

GEO. WHITE, THos. H. SWEENEY.

TIO

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