GB2200604A - Bicycles for two persons - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembly is provided which converts a standard bicycle into one which can be ridden by two people sitting side by side. The handlebar assembly comprises a cruciform steering head 13 having two laterally extending bars 14, 15 to which handlebars 30, 33 are attached. One of the latter, 30, has a linkage 23-26 enabling the front wheel to be steered. The two saddles 52, 53 are mounted on a T-shaped assembly comprising a stem 40 and two lateral bars 45, 46. These two assemblies mount in a conventional manner as a standard bicycle frame and are connected by a strengthening bar 57 of adjustable length. Two pairs of pedals are provided; one either side of the bottom bracket, both driving the single standard chain wheel (Fig 2, not shown). <IMAGE>

Description

BICYCLES This invention relates to bicycles and particularly to a bicycle that is suitable for two people to ride sitting side by side and to an arrangement that is suitable for converting a standard bicycle into a bicycle that is suitable for two people to ride sitting side by side.

A bicycle which enables two people to sit side by side was proposed as long ago as 1895. However the previously proposed bicycles of this type have been specially built for the purpose and were not converted easily from a standard bicycle. The present invention enables an easy conversion from a standard bicycle to be made.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a pedal, handle bar and seat assembly that is suitable for use- with a standard bicycle.

Referring to the drawing there is shown a pedal assembly which employs the normal pedals 1 and 2 attached to modified cranks 3 and 4 of a standard bicycle.

The pedals 1 and 2 are mounted on extended axle rods 5 and 6 to the ends of which are fitted cranks 7 and 8 to which pedals 9 and 10 are mounted respectively. The left and right hand pedals of the standard bicycle thus become the right and left hand pedals of the persons sitting side by side respectively and they are operable in the usual way by the riders. The chain drive itself is driven by the normal chain wheel without modification.

The normal steering head is replaced by a steering head comprising cross tubes 11 and 12 extending from a vertical tube 13. Cross bars 14 and 15 extend from within the tube 11 and 12 respectively and carry at their ends T-shaped tubular assemblies 16 and 17 which provide handle bar support tubes 18 and 19.

The vertical tube 13 of the steering head carries a steering stem 21 to the upper end of which there is brazed a figure of eight shaped bracket 22. The steering head assembly is held in place by the usual collet 23 and headed stem bolt 24. A link 25 is pivotally connected at one end to the figure of eight bracket 22 by means of a bolt 26 and at its other end the link 25 is pivotally connected to a figure of eight bracket 27 by means of a bolt 28, the bracket 27 being attached to a post 29 which supports handle bars 30. The post 29 is rotatably supported in the support tube 18.It will be understood that rotation of the handle bars 30 causes the post 29 and the figure of eight bracket 27 to be rotated thereby transferring the-rotational movement via the link 25 to the bracket 22 and causing a corresponding rotation of the stem 2 and the associated front wheel of the bicycle (not shown). A post 32 carrying a second pair of handle bars 33 is supported by the support tube 19 and may or may not be rotatable therein.

It will be appreciated that the brackets 22 and 27 and the link 25 may be positioned to face forwardly instead of behind the line of the cross bar 14 or that the linkage may be replaced by some other form of coupling, for example, a rack and pinion linkage between the rotatable post 29 and the rotatable steering stem 21 may be employed.

The saddle assembly of the standard bicycle is replaced by a seat post assembly which includes a T-shaped coupling piece 41 having a cross tube 42 and a leg portion 43 which is designed to be mounted upon a post 40.

From the opposite ends of the cross tube 42 there extend respective bars 45 and 46 which carry at their other ends respective tubes 47 and 48 through which there extend tubes 49 and 50 supporting respective saddles 52 and 53.

Extending'rearwards from the tubes 11, 12 and 13 of the steering head is a bracket 55 and extending forwards from the coupling piece 41 is a bracket 56. Between the brackets 55 and 56 there is an adjustable bar 57 comprising a tubular portion 58 and a pair of threaded rods which extend into the portion 58 in co-operation with threaded nuts 59 and 60 situated at the opposite ends of the tubular portion 58. The threaded rods have heads 62 and 63 which carry extension pieces 64 and 65 respectively which are bolted by means of bolts 66 and 67 to the brackets 55 and 56. It will be appreciated that the length.of the bar 57 is adjusted by screwing one or both of the threaded rods into or out of the tubular portion 58. The adjustable bar 57 strengthens the frame of the bicycle and prevents the saddle and handle bar assemblies from rotating relative to one another.

It will also be understood that the bar 57 may be made adjustable in length in other ways, for example by employing oppositely threaded rods, which co-operate with oppositely threaded nuts at the ends of the tubular portion 58, or by employing two tubes of unequal diameters, one inside the other.

Other variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. It will be understood that the particular embodiment has been described by way of example only. For example, struts and stays may be employed as required.

The invention enables a standard bicycle, with or without a cross-bar to be converted with comparative ease to accommodate two riders siting side by side, simply by removing the handlebars, saddle, chainwheel and cranks and fitting a double handlebar assembly, with a linkage between the rotatable handlebar and front wheels, a double saddle assembly, a linkage between the steering assembly and the saddle assembly, and double pedals with cranks.

The handle bar assembly and the saddle assembly may be stabilised against rotation in other ways than by using the adjustable bar 57 and should it be required each of the handle bars may be coupled for rotation with the steering stem.

Claims (5)

1. An assembly for use in converting a standard bicycle, suitable for one person, to a bicycle on which two persons are able to ride side by side, the assembly including a steering head having a cross bar arrangement for carrying a pair of members, upon each one of which members the hands of a respective tides may be placed the steering head being constructeto replace the steering head of a standard bicycle, means to couple the rotational movement of one of the pair of members to the rotatable steering stem of the standard bicycle, and a seat post arrangement including a cross member for carrying a pair of saddles, the seat post arrangement being constructed to replace the saddle assembly of the standard bicycle.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 in which the one of the pair of members having means for coupling rotational movement is a handle bar.

3. An assembly as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 including means for connection between the steering head and the seat post arrangement for strenghtening the frame of the bicycle.

4. An assembly as claimed in claim 3 wherein the connection means is adjustable.

5. An assembly as claimed in claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.