History: Schwinn's Notebook on Kickstands

 

Inventors and companies often turn to making detailed notebooks as a way of supporting a patent application and developing marketing strategies for new inventions. Bicycle inventors and companies are no exception to that. 

 In this case, let's look at Frank W. Schwinn's notebook, made during World War II, in preparation for a type of kickstand mounted directly to the frame for after the war. This project ultimately blossomed into the well-known Schwinn kickstand units that were directly attached to the chain stays of bicycles.

 Project "C14A" shows us that Schwinn had been working on a kickstand unit directly attached to the frame (rather than bolted on) for some time. C14A is a refinement of the original idea (C14) and was drawn out in September 1943. Even in the depths of WWII, Frank W. Schwinn had practical bicycle construction in the back of his mind. This design is somewhat similar to the post-war kickstands, but different in a few ways as well. The kickstand idea underwent a gradual evolution.

 

 

Not quite happy with C14A, Schwinn continued to work on the idea. By 1944, it had evolved into C14B, which looks increasingly like the Schwinn kickstands we know from the post-war period. C14B has the familiar triangular part that slides into the frame and serves as the guide for the kickstand sprag and spring/pin unit.

Page 2 of C14B shows us the sprag with some dimensions. It is a little different from what eventually becomes the post-war kickstand, but is remarkably similar to what eventually was produced. 

Page 3 shows us the shell that is welded onto the frame and holds the unit. This is quite similar to what was eventually produced.

Page 4 shows us the pin and additional refinement to the internal parts - the triangular cam unit with pin guides and the sprag/bushing pin. 

Page 5 gives a short look at the bushing retaining pin.

Around the same time, the kickstand unit continued to evolve in Frank  W. Schwinn's mind. Project C14C shows us how the kickstand should sit on the bike frame. In this case, Schwinn used a rounded frame similar to what one would find on a balloon tire bike. However, this kickstand set up would work just fine on a bike with straight chain stays, such as a diamond frame "lightweight" three speed. 

One other interesting item is that Schwinn even considered the effect of the stand on shipping the bikes to shops. He notes that the kickstand should not protrude sideways more than the length of the rear axle. The reason for this is to prevent the kickstand from punching through the shipping box while the bike was in transit to the store.

 

What should we make of all this, other than interesting history? Too often today, the company executive class is composed of managerial-financial people rather than engineers, or at least people with a passion for engineering their products. Frank W. Schwinn was clearly very much interested in what his company was producing, down to the level of designing kickstands, hubs, and rims. This is the kind of manager you want in a company - someone who understands the design and manufacturing processes to ensure quality and precision. If you have a person running your company who has no idea how the products are designed and made, what good are they doing, other than milking the company for profits at the expense of your products and customers? Frank W. Schwinn rightfully is remembered as one of the old time titans of American bicycle manufacturing. 

 [Above - photo of a built-in kickstand of a 1959 Schwinn Traveler three speed]