Re: [CR]Seiber-Sturmey Archer question...

Having a 1951 S-A FM hub with similar markings to that FW, a while back I searched the European patent database ( http://gb.espacenet.com/ ) and found almost all of these patents available to view. Most, if not all, related to improvements made to "Epicyclic change-speed gears" - Although they can't be used in getting a specific date for the hub (better than "47" on the FW does) the individual patents make fasinating reading however, and provide a good insight into the production changes made and are complete with drawings. Note these download in PdF format. From the above link, enter the patent number from the hub shell, prefixed by GB for the British and CH for the swiss patents. Some may not be found as they are actually registered design numbers and not patents.

If I'm not mistaken, the newer STURMEY ARCHER logo was introduced in 1945 along with the list of patents and stamping of all the components "S-A" . this was specifically introduced in November 45' to identify genuine S-A parts and protect the company from the flood of fake hubs/parts (at least from one advert it appears to be). I had always assumed that the duplication of the UK patents in Switzerland was done to combat their manufacture in that country (torpedo ?).

best regards.

Bob Reid.
> From: OROBOYZ@aol.com
> Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2001 00:24:53 EDT
> To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: [CR]Seiber-Sturmey Archer question...
>
> I have now just started scrutinizing the wonderful Seiber bike I got a month
> ago from list member John Barron (thanks John!) I will post pictures of this
> bike later but take my word for it, it is very beautifully made...
> In any case, I am not an ace on Sturmey Archer so I wondered if anyone can
> clue me in.. The hub is a model "FW" and for markings on the chrome barrel
> has a 20 line list of patents stamped including those applicable in Great
> Britain, USA and Switzerland (all separately listed.) Then there is the
> Sturmey Archer logo with FW in part of it.. And below that logo to the left
> is stamped "47", then quite a bit of space and then "I". I would first
> assume that this is a 1947 hub but that seems hard to believe as the
> conditions is amazing.. Plus, the patent numbers are prefixed with what
> could be interpreted as a date and start with 47 and go to 54. I would have
> guessed, before looking at any of this, that this is about a 1954 manufacture
> bicycle...
>
> Anybody know what is up here?
>
> Thanks
>
> Dale Brown
> cycles de ORO, Inc.
> 1410 Mill Street
> Greensboro, North Carolina
> USA 27408
> 336-274-5959
> Fax 336-274-6360
> <A HREF="http://www.cyclesdeoro.com">cyclesdeORO.com</A>
> <A HREF="http://www.classicrendezvous.com/main.htm">Classic Rendezvous</A>