A New or Improved Cyclometer.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Cyclometer.
I, GUSTAV EMIL KÜHN of 232 Radegasse, Schmölln, in the German Empire,
Chimney-Sweeper, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to instruments for measuring and indicating the distance
travelled by wheeled vehicles such as velocipedes and cabs and its objects are to
simplify such instruments and to render them more reliable.
An instrument constructed as hereinafter more particularly described is attached
or secured to some convenient part of the vehicle and is operated by a suitable
excentric or other projection on the hub or other rotating part. Pivoted upon
the axis of the instrument is a bell crank lever one end of which is lifted by the
excentric projection. The other end of the lever carries a pawl which engages with
a ratchet wheel and moves it through the space of one tooth upon each revolution
of the vehicle wheel. The motion thus set up is transmitted to a suitable train
of wheels by means of which the unit and multiples of the unit of distance are
indicated.
The accompanying drawings to which I hereinafter refer illustrate a form of the
apparatus designed for use with a velocipede and adjusted to measure and indicate
the distance travelled in meters.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the instrument attached to one of the forks of a
velocipede the casing being removed to shew the operating mechanism.
Figure 2 is a side view of the complete apparatus with part of the casing
removed.
Figure 3 is a representation of the dial and indicating fingers or pointers.
Figure 4 illustrates the train of wheels by which motion is transmitted to the
indicating fingers.
Figure 5 is a front elevation of the operating mechanism.
Figure 6 shews the front cover plate of the instrument.
Figure 7 represents in front and side elevations the actuating excentric
projection.
Figure 8 is an illustration of a modified form of the apparatus, and
Figure 9 shews in three different views a locking arrangement to prevent the
instrument being operated.
For the purposes of description the instrument may conveniently be divided into
two parts, the operative mechanism and the indicating mechanism. The former of
these is contained in the back of the casing and the latter in the front. As will be
seen by reference to the drawings the instrument is affixed to one of the forks of a
velocipede. A spindle B at the back of the cyclometer has pivoted upon it an
angle or bell crank lever one arm of which A is operated by an excentric
projection L secured to the spindle or hub N of the machine. The other arm C
carries a pawl which engages with the ratchet wheel D furnished with one hundred
teeth. The wheel D is secured to the spindle B and is moved through the space of
a single tooth for each revolution of the wheel of the velocipede. The return
motion of the pawl and the bell crank lever is accomplished by the spring E.
Also secured to the spindle B is the exchangeable crown or similar wheel F
furnished with as many teeth as there are centimeters in the circumference of the
velocipede wheel. This wheel F gears with the pinion G which in turn gears with
the wheel H of the indicating device and which is also furnished with one
hundred teeth. The spindle of this wheel carries the finger or pointer I to indicate
up to one hundred meters. By means of suitable gearing in the ratio of one to

page_text: ten motion is communicated to the rest of the wheels 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, of the indicating
device each wheel thus accomplishing only one revolution to ten revolutions of the
next preceding wheel. Each of the wheels carries a finger or pointer to indicate
respectively kilometers and tens, hundreds, thousands and tens of thousands of
kilometers.
The apparatus is preferably made in halves which are secured together by the
ring K Figure 2. This division is for the purpose of easily allowing the wheel F
to be exchanged.
In the modified form of the apparatus shewn by Figure 8, the wheel F and the
pinion G are replaced by the friction disc P and the friction bowl Q. The distance
of the bowl Q from the centre of the disc P, and consequently the effective ratio
between the two may be varied and adjusted by means of the screw E. This
screw works into a nut formed in the centre of the bowl Q, which is mounted
upon the guides R R, which with the frame R' enclosing the head of the screw,
form a prolongation of the spindle R2. The head of the screw E' is toothed and
has gearing with it a pinion on the lower end of the spindle which carries the
milled head E. By rotating the screw E¹ through the head E, a very fine adjust-
ment can be obtained. The spindle R is cranked as shewn to make room for the
head E, and the guides and adjusting devices E E', R R', rotate together with
the bowl Q.
This modification, compared with the form previously described offers the
advantage of greater correctness, as it is applicable to a wheel which cannot be
finally divided by centimeters, but on the other hand, the previously described
form provides security against accidental derangement and does not need
regulation.
If it be intended to use the instrument as a check or indicator on carriages
or cabs which are hired out, the bell-crank lever arm A must be covered in to
prevent tampering..
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Upon the revolution of the axis
or hub N of the vehicle wheel, the excentric projection L actuates the bell crank.
lever A C, and moves the wheel D, this motion being transmitted through the
toothed wheel F and pinion G, (or as shewn by Figure 8, through the friction
disc P, friction bowl Q and pinion G,) to the first wheel H, of the train of wheels
composing the indicating device.
Should it be desired to run the vehicle without operating the cyclometer, a cam
or stop M, is suitably mounted so as to be moved against the arm A of the bell
crank lever and hold it out of contact with the excentric projection L. One form
of this arrangement is illustrated by Figure 9.
It will of course be obvious that this instrument may be easily adapted for
measuring distance in miles or by any other system.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
A cyclometer or distance measuring and indicating device constructed arranged
and operated substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of January A.D. 1893.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.