US2308371A - Front fork assembly for cycles - Google Patents

Description

Jan-12,1943, 5H. I .kR'AEFT 308,371

FRONT FDRK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Filed May 1,l 1959 s sheets-sheet 1 INVNTOR /fE/E/m/v L. King/f7 ORNEYS Jan., l2, 1943., H. L KRAEFT 2,308,371

` FRONT FORK ASSEMBLY FOR cYcLEs m Filed May is, 19:59 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR HERMA/v L. PAE/fr ATrRNEYs 111112,1943. 1 11.1KREi-T `v 308,111

FRONT FORK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Filed My 16. 19:59 s sheets-sheet s B @K11/ffm y@ Patented Jan. 12, '1943 UNITED vsm'rizs mranr OFFICE FRONT FORK ASSEMBLY FOR CYCLES Herman L. Kraeft, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Vassignor to The Murray-Ohio Manufacturing grlilinpany, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Application May 16, 1939, Serial No. 273,942

(Cl. 'i4-551.4)

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a front fork and handle-bar assembly for cycles. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an improved handle-bar mounting 'for cycles, and especially for velocipedes. These, therefore, are the general objects Iof the present invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cycle, or more particularly, a velocipede with an improved front fork and handle-bar construction, which will enable the production of an extremely rigid cycle, capable of withstanding rough usage to which a childs cycle is subjected.

A more specific object of the-present 'invention is the provision of a handle-bar mounting for cycles which will free the fork post from the effects of the .steering torque, as well as those strains usually existing when the handle-bar or handle-bar mounting is secured to the post. A further object of this' invention is to provide a combined handle-bar mounting and front fork construction for cycles, which will enable accessories, such as signal devices, lamps and the like to be mounted on the fork post without interference with either the handle bar or the handle-bar mountings of the cycle.

A more specific object of thisinvention is to provide an improved mounting rfor the handlebars of cycles.

Other objects of this invention will become more apparent from the following description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings i-n which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated. The novel features of the invention will be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a Velocipede, having my improved front fork and handle-bar assembly incorporated therein; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of one formv of fork and handle-bar assembly; Fig. 3 is a sectional detail illustrating one form of mounting member for the handle-bar, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 3 3 on Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional detail, as indicated by the line 8 4 of Fig. 3; Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8 are enlarged, fragmentary side elevations of modied forms of my improved front fork and handlebar assembly; and Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are fragmentary iront elevations of the forms of the invention shown in Figs. 5, 6, 7 and l8, respectively.

The front fork and handle-bar assembly of the front fork I 0 comprises a cross-member Ii.

provided with an upstanding post I2, and a :pair of downwardly extending fork members I4. 'I'he post I2 is adapted to be secured to the frame of a cycle in any well known manner. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the front of the 'cycle frame I5 is provided with a substantially vertically extending sleeve I'B, through which the post I 2 extends. A shoulder II formed on the fork, adjacentthe base of the post I2, together with .a collar or washer I8, which is ysecured to the post I2 by a bolt I9, serves 'to'prevent relative axial movement between the fork 'and the cycle frame. Anti-friction bearings, not shown, may be disposed between the frame and post in the usual manner, if desired. The fork members I4 are spaced apart to embrace and support the front wheel o'f a cycle, and which are secured to the fork members in the usual manner.

Cycle forks, as above described, are in general use at the present time and are either cast, forged or made oi pressed or welded metal constructions. Generally such forks are provided with hollow posts, adapted and .arranged to receive a downwardly extend-ingV post of a handlebar, or, as is more often the case, the post oi a handle-bar mounting member. In the present invention, however, the handle-bars are secured to the fork at a point below the post l2, as, for instance, to the cross-member `I I of the fork. This relieves the post of the steering torque and such other strains resulting from the handle-bar or handle-bar mounting clamps or wedges, thus materially increasing the life of the cycle and enabling the use of a solid post with its attendant ruggedness, or, in the case 0f pressed metal forks, the use of internal post reinforcements, as desired.

The handle-bar may, as shown in the drawings, ccmprise two separate bar members 25, each bar being secured to the fork I0 at a point below the'top of the post I'2, and extending generally upwardly and rearwardly therefrom to a position where the bars may be conveniently grasped by the rider of the cycle.

A preferred mounting of the handle bars is shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. As there illustrated, ra. pair of substantially horizontally extending handle-bar seats for sockets, in the form of sleeves 26, are Vsecured as by weldingr to the upper surfaces of the cross member I'I of the fork and on `opposite sides of the post l2. Ii desired, however, the sleeves may be formed or cast integral with the cross-member II. The internal diameter of each sleeve 26 is such that it will receive the end of its respective handle-bar 2 j a member 25. Secured to each handle-bar member 25 and spaced from one end thereof is a second sleeve 21, arranged and adapted to abut one end of its respective sleeve 26. Within each bar and at the sleeved end thereof is a snugly fitting plug 28. The sleeve 21 and plug 28 are secured to the bar, as by a pin 29, which passes through the sleeve, plug and bar, as shown in Fig. 3, and/or by suitable welds, one of which is indicated at 3E! in Fig. 4. The plug 23 has a threaded portion 3| which, when the handle bar CTI is in position in its sleeve 26, extends beyond theend of the sleeve 26. The handle-baris secured in place against axial movement relative toV the sleeve by a nut 32, which .engages the threaded portion 3l of the plug and a collar 33, loosely mounted on the plug but of a diameter which is greater than the internal diameter 4of the sleeve 26.

Relative rotation between the handle-bar mem- 'bers and thesleeves 26 is prevented by complegaging seat` of the front fork, extends in a direction normal to .the extent of the cross-member of the fork, that is, in direct parallelism with the wheels of the cycle. The handle-bars secured in these seats extend forwardly from the seats, thence upwardly and rearwardly, so that their unsupported ends are in position to be conveniently grasped by the operator. It will also be noted that shipment of the cycle is facilitated without requiring the removal of the handle-bars by merely loosening them and swinging them about the axis of the sleeves 26 into a position shown, where they lie closely adjacent to the front wheel of the cycle, thus facilitating the shipment of the cycle.

In Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, I illustrate modified forms of front fork and handle-bar-assembliesl Figs. 5 and 9 show a construction wherein the sleeves or handle-bar sockets 2B, instead of being separate members, are formed integrally with the front fork cross-bar lla, of the front fork a. In this instance, the cross-bar is provided with suitable serrated bosses a arranged to engage respective sleeves 21a, secured to the handle-bars. in the same manner as the sleeves 21, heretofore described. The handle-bar 25a of Figs. 5 and 9 extends forwardly and then rearwardly and outwardly to ya convenient position, as do those heretofore described.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 10, the handle-bar sockets may comprise either separate sleeves which are welded to the cross-member IIb of the fork lDb, or they may be an integral part thereof. In this instance, however, the handle-bar receiving sockets are mounted so that their axes extend at an acute angle relative to the axis of the post 12b of the fork; In this form relative rotary movementbetween the 'handle-bars and the sockets may be prevented, as heretofore described in connection with Figs. 1 to 5, or as shown by a strut 4E). This strut extends between the two bars and the ends thereof are wrapped around each bar to form a sleeve, each of which, as indicated in Fig. 10, is secured thereto, as, for instance. by bolts 4l. The strut is provided with a suitable opening whereby it may be secured to the post by the bolt I9, heretofore described, thus taking the place of the cap I8. Such a spacing member may also be used, if desired, in the construction heretofore described, in connection with Figs. 5 and 9.

The form of the invention shown in Figs. 7 and 11 is especially adaptable for pressed metal fork constructions. As there shown, the handlebars are each mounted in a socket or sleeve, which extendsvertically through the cross-bar llc of the fori; Inc and is substantially in alignment with the fork members Mc. In this construction, the handle-bar socket is preferably a metallic sleevecapable of being welded, as, for instance,

at fill` to the cross-bar of the fork.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 8 and 12, is especially adaptable for use with anembodiment wherein the handle-bar comprises one continuous tubular metal member. In this instance, a transversely extending seat 5l)4 is formed in a forwardly facing surface of the cross-barV lid-of the fork and the handle-bar 25d is held in position inthis seat by a cap 5|, through which suitable bolts 52 extend to secure both the cap and bar in position on the fork.

From the foregoing description it willbe seen that I have provided a rugged cycle construction, such as relieves the fork post of steering strains and permits the use of such post for the attachment of accessories and the like.

I claim:

1. A front fork assembly for a cycle comprising a pair of tubular handle-bar members, a fork having a cross-member provided with a pair of downwardly extending wheel-supporting prongs and an upwardly extending post.V for attachment to a cycle frame, a pair of handle-bar receiving sleeves secured to said cross-member and arranged and adapted to receive the ends of respective handle-bar members, each handle-bar having -a sleeve secured thereto and spaced from one end thereof, each of said last-named sleeves being adapted and arranged to abut one end of its respective rst-named sleeves, a plug in each handle-bar member, means including a pin passing through the plug, sleeve and handle-bar member to prevent relative movement between the same, and means carried by said plug to retain said sleeves in their abutting relationship.

2. A front fork assembly for a cycle, comprising a fork having a cross-member provided with a pair of downwardly extending wheel-supporting prongs and an upwardly extending post for attachment to a cycle frame, said cross-member having a pair of forwardly opening seats, said seats being disposed on opposite sides of the wheel plane of said forks, a pair of handle-bars one mounted in each seat, the minor portions of said bars extending forwardly from vsaid seats and the major portion ofsaid bars extending upwardly, outwardly, and rearwardly, and cooperative means carried by said bars and seats to secure said bars in saidv seats againstfmovement relative to said fork and in a position such that all portions of each bar lie on the same side of the Wheel plane as the seat to which it is connected.

HERMAN L. KRAEFT.

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