IMPROVED MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER TO THE DRIVING WHEELS OF VELOCIPEDES.
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Starley of Coventry in the County of Warwick
Mechanician, for the Invention of “IMPROVED MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING
MOTIVE POWER TO THE DRIVING WHEELS OF VELOCIPEDES.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Starley at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th September 1877.
JAMES STARLEY of Coventry in the County of Warwick Mechanician "LM-
PROVED MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER TO THE DRIVING WHEELS Or
VELOCIPEDES."
This invention relates to a mode of equalizing the amount of power transmitted
from a common source to a pair of driving wheels whether of traction engines
velocipedes or of other self impelled vehicles.
Hitherto it has been found difficult, except when two steam cylinders are
employed one for each driving wheel to impart an equal amount of driving power
to a pair of wheels. I now propose to transmit motion from a common source to a
pair of driving wheels through an arrangement of gearing of such a character that
the power imparted to the wheels shall be equally divided between them.
In fitting a velocipede with my invention I mount a pair of driving wheels on
independent hollow axles and fit the inner ends thereof with bevil wheels. These
hollow axles serve to carry the axle of a central driving pulley or chain wheel
which receives its motion through a chain from a double crank or treadle shaft.
Within this chain wheel I mount one or a pair of bevil pinions on radial shafts and
gear the same with the bevil wheels fitted to the axles of the driving wheels. On
rotary motion being imparted to the chain wheel the pinions locked in the teeth of
the bevil wheels will acting with equal force on both apply the driving power in
the most efficient way and ensure the straight running of the vehicle.
When however it is desired to steer the vehicle the driving wheels being inde-
pendent will offer no obstruction to the steersman the inner wheel remaining for

page_text: the moment quiescent or the driving pinions will run over the face of its bevil
wheel.
In applying the invention to a traction engine where one cylinder only is
employed I mount the gearing above the boiler and on the hollow axles (instead
of driving wheels) I mount chain pulleys which pulleys I connect by chains with the
driving wheels. The chain pulley carrying the bevil pinions will in this instance
take its motion from the crank shaft of the engine and an equal driving power will
be transmitted to the driving wheels at the opposite sides of the engine.
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Starley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
March 1878.
JAMES STARLEY of Coventry in the County of Warwick, Mechanician "Iм-
PROVED MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTIVE POWER TO THE DRIVING WHEELS OF
VELOCIPEDES
"
This Invention relates to that class of Velocipedes which has a pair of loose
driving wheels, and consists in a mode of equalizing the amount of power trans-
mitted from a common source to those wheels, and of driving the outside wheel
when turning a curve, instead of as heretofore driving the inside wheel, which,
being the pivot wheel, should while the velocipede is turning remain comparatively
quiescent.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig: 1 shows in side elevation; Fig: 2 in plan
view, and Fig: 3 in front elevation, a velocipede fitted according to my Invention.
In these Figures, A is the axle of the driving wheels, and to it the wheel B is
made fast. C is a sleeve shaft loose upon the shaft A, and to it the wheel B¹ is
attached. D is the treadle axle having its bearings in the side framing E. F is the
hind steering wheel, and G a front safety wheel, which is brought to the ground
when the rider is mounting or dismounting, and offers an additional support in case
of meeting with any obstruction on the road.-Keyed to the treadle axle is a chain
wheel H which transmits rotary motion through an endless chain H' to a chain
wheel I mounted loosely on the axle A. This chain wheel is shown in side eleva-
tion at Fig: 4 and in cross section at Fig: 5. It is provided with a radial pin i,
which extends from its nave to its periphery, and forms an axle for a bevil pinion K.
This pinion gears into two bevil wheels L M, the former of which
keyed to the
axle A and the latter to the sleeve shaft C. When therefore rotary motion is
communicated from the treadle axle D to the chain wheel I, the pinion K will
revolve around the axle A and carry round with it the bevil wheels L M, thereby
driving the wheels B B¹. So long as the course of the velocipede is in a direct
line, the power transmitted to the two wheels B B¹ will be equal, but when, by
reason of the shifting of the steering wheel, the course is changed to the right or
left, the wheels B B will not only be free to follow that course, but the outside
wheel will be driven with greater velocity than the inside wheel, the increased strain
on the latter causing the pinion K to turn on its axis, and thereby run forward
over the face of the bevil wheel, which is connected with the resisting running
wheel. As soon however as this unequal resistance ceases, by the steering lever
being brought to a right angle with the course to be run, the amount of power
.

page_text: transmitted from the chain wheel I to the driving wheels B B'₁ will be again
equalized, and no jerking or irregular sideway motion will be given to the vehicle,
even though the rider may have little experience in working the treadle axle.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved means for
transmitting motive power to the driving wheels of Velocipedes," and explained
the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim :-Transmitting motion from the
treadle axle of a velocipede to the loose driving wheels of the same in the manner
and for the purpose above set forth.
my hand
In witness whereof I the said James Starley have hereunto set
and seal the Fourth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy eight.
JAMES STARLEY (L.B.)