Improved Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 17th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
We, FREDERICK GEORGE ADAMS, of St. Helena Villa, Chestnut Road,
Plumstead, in the County of Kent, Engineer, and FRANCIS TOMLIN HENSHAW,
The Limes, Geraldine Road, East Hill, Wandsworth Common, in the County of
Surrey, Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
:-
The object of this invention is to provide simple mechanism whereby the ratio
of the angular velocity of the crank-shaft to that of the driven wheel of the
velocipede may be readily varied within suitable limits to suit the convenience of
the rider.
According to the said invention we secure to the crank-shaft of the velocipede
an arm or arms, upon which is mounted a hollow shaft or spindle which is free to
rotate upon the said arm. A toothed wheel is firmly secured to the said hollow
shaft or spindle and gears with a non-rotatable toothed wheel or toothed ring
secured to one of the forks of the velocipede or to any other suitable part thereof,
and co-axial with the crank-shaft. The said arm turns with the crank-shaft and
rolls the toothed wheel upon the aforesaid stationary toothed wheel or ring, so as to
rotate the hollow shaft or spindle.
Upon the said hollow shaft or spindle is adjustably secured a pinion, and to the
hub of the driven wheel of the velocipede is secured a crown wheel or other
toothed wheel or wheels constituting a series of concentric rings of teeth; the said
pinion may be caused to gear with any one of these wheels by moving it endwise
along the hollow shaft or spindle which may be of rectangular cross-section for
example, so that the said pinion may rotate with but not upon it. Suitable means
are provided whereby the said pinion may be rapidly and firmly secured at any
point upon the said hollow shaft or spindle. The angular velocity of the driven
wheel of the velocipede relatively to that of the crank will manifestly be inversely
proportioned to the diameter of the particular ring of crown-wheel teeth for
example with which the pinion may be engaged, for the number of revolutions
made by the said pinion during one revolution of the crank shaft is constant.
The said crown-wheel or other toothed wheel and the toothed wheels in gear
therewith are enclosed in a casing to prevent dust and other dirt from obtaining
access to the gearing.
The said improved driving mechanism is cheap, compact, light and simple and is
not liable to derangement.
1
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes.
We, FREDERICK GEORGE ADAMS, of 84 York Road, Battersea, in the County
of Surrey late of St. Helena Villa, Chestnut Road, Plumstead in the County of
Surrey, Engineer and FRANCIS TOMLIN HENSHAW of The Limes, Geraldine
Road, East Hill, Wandsworth Common, in the County of Surrey, Professor of
Music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide simple mechanism whereby the ratio
of the angular velocity of the crank-shaft or driving shaft to that of the driven
wheel of the velocipede may be readily varied within suitable limits to suit the
convenience of the rider.
According to this invention we gear the crank-shaft or driving-shaft to the
driven wheel of the velocipede by means of an arrangement of toothed gearing
similar in the principle of its action to an epicyclic train, but differing from
epicyclic trains as hitherto constructed, in certain essential features which are
hereinafter clearly set forth.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate
one of the forms in which our invention may be put into practice. In the said
drawings
Figure 1 is a section on the line of the axis, of the central portion of a velocipede
wheel to which improved driving mechanism according to our invention is applied,
and
Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1, certain parts of the mechanism being
omitted for the sake of clearness.
A is the crank-shaft or driving-shaft of the velocipede. B B are the bearings in
which the said shaft rotates.
C is the hub of the wheel, and C¹ is an extension thereof, which, with the cover-
plates C, secured thereto forms a casing for containing the gearing hereinafter
described and for preventing the access of dirt and dust thereto.
Ball bearings are provided at D between the hub C and the crank-shaft A to
permit of the free relative rotation of these parts.
E is a disc, secured to the extension C₁ of the hub and provided with three
concentric rings E' of teeth. F is a frame firmly secured to the crank-shaft A,
and turning therewith. G is an arm, the end G' of which is screwed into the
frame F as shown and bears upon a flat formed upon the crank-shaft so as to
prevent the frame from moving relatively to the said crank shaft. The opposite
end of the arm G is provided with a squared portion G' to which a spanner or other
tool is applied when the said arm is screwed into place. F¹ is a boss which is provided
with a central orifice and is passed over the end of the arm G and screwed into the
frame F so as to bear upon a shoulder G on the said arm G and thus assist in
retaining it in place. H is a sleeve rotatable upon the arm G and I is a bevel
wheel firmly secured to the sleeve H and gearing with a stationary bevel wheel J
which in the present example is attached to one of the crank-shaft bearings B.
K is a toothed pinion, adjustable end wise along the sleeve H which in cross section
is rectangular the boss of the pinion K having a central orifice of corresponding
form, so that the pinion may rotate with but not relatively to the said spindle.
Hare notches upon the sleeve H and K' is a screw provided in the boss of the pinion K
for the purpose of engaging with the said notches so that the said pinion when
suitably adjusted on the sleeve H may be retained in proper position to engage
with any one of the three rings E' of teeth. The teeth of the pinion K are curved
on their working faces as shown in order that they may gear equally well with
either of the said rings E'.
If the crank-shaft A be rotated, the arm G will be carried round with it, and the
sleeve H and pinion K will always receive a constant amount of rotation about the
arm G during each revolution of the crank-shaft, because of the rotation imparted
to the bevel wheel I as it is rolled by the arm G over the teeth of the stationary
bevel-wheel J, the amount of the said rotation depending upon the proportions of
the wheels I and J. The angular movement imparted to the hub C by the pinion K
during one revolution of the crank-shaft A will be inversely proportioned to the
diameter of the particular ring of teeth on the extension C₁, with which the said

page_text: pinion may be engaged, and as the said pinion may readily be moved by hand along
the sleeve H into gear with either of the three rings E' and retained in the position
on the sleeve by causing the screw K¹ to engage with either one of the notches H',
it will be seen that this gear affords a very simple and convenient means of varying
5 the angular velocity of the driven wheel relatively to that of the crank shaft or
driving shaft.
0
Without departing from this invention we may employ two or more arms G and
wheels I and K, and the number and proportions of the rings of teeth upon the
hub or upon an attachment thereto may be varied as may be deemed desirable.
Moreover we do not limit ourselves to the use of a sleeve H of rectangular cross
section it being essential only that such a sleeve should be employed as will permit
of the pinion K being readily moved along it and firmly secured thereto. For the
wheel I and the pinion K we may substitute a single wheel adjustable upon an arm
secured to the crank shaft, the teeth of the said wheel and of the aforesaid stationary
5 wheel and the toothed rings being so arranged that by moving the said single wheel
along the arm it may be brought into gear with any one of the said rings while
remaining always in gear with the stationary wheel.
Instead of fixing the wheel J permanently to the forks or crank-shaft bearings
it may be mounted so as to be rotatable upon a bearing on which it is normally
prevented from rotating by means of a friction strap brake or equivalent device,
and when desired the wheel J may be released from the influence of the said brake
and the crank-shaft kept stationary by the feet of the rider while the machine is in
motion running down hill, for instance.
It is obvious that the arrangement of the gear might be reversed, without
altering the relative positions of its parts, that is to say the concentric gear-wheels
or rings of teeth might be made non-rotatable and fixed to the frame or body of
the machine, in which case the gear-wheel herein before referred to as fixed to the
frame or body would be secured to or formed as part of the hub of the driven wheel
BO as to rotate therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
First. In driving mechanism an epicyclic train consisting of a non-rotating gear
wheel, a series of concentric gear-wheels or rings of teeth secured to or forming
part of the driven body, and an intermediate wheel carried upon an arm secured to
the driving shaft and adapted to gear with the said non-rotating wheel and with
any one of the said concentric gear wheels or rings of teeth substantially as described
and for the purpose specified.
Second. In driving mechanism, an epicyclic train consisting of a non-rotating
gear wheel, a series of concentric gear-wheels or rings of teeth secured to or forming
part of the driven body, an intermediate wheel carried upon an arm secured to the
driving shaft and adapted to gear with the said non-rotating gear wheel, said
intermediate wheel carrying a pinion which may be made to gear with any one of
the said concentric gear wheels or rings of teeth, substantially as described and for
he purposes specified.
Third. In driving mechanism the combination of the non-rotating wheel J, the
series of concentric rings of teeth E secured to the driven wheel, the arm G
ecured to the driving shaft A, the intermediate wheel I mounted on the said arm,
aid wheel I having a sleeve H which carries a pinion K, and means for securing
he pinion K in various positions to cause it to gear with any one of the said
oncentric rings E', substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In an epicyclic driving mechanism the combination with the stationary
heel and driven wheel of an intermediate compound wheel constructed in two
arts one part of which is adapted to slide axially on the other, said compound
heel being supported by a frame F substantially as described, and for the purpose
pecified.

page_text: Fifth. The modification of our invention wherein the non-rotating gear wheel
and the concentric rings of teeth are interchanged, so that concentric rings of teeth
are made non-rotatable and the herein before-mentioned gear wheel is secured to, or
formed as part of, the driven wheel or body and rotates therewith, substantially as
described, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 9th day of February 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.