Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles, and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aug.. 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles,
and other Velocipedes.
I, AUGUSTE FLORAN DE VILLEPIGUE, of 11, Rue Lepelletier, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
:-
My invention relates to an improved arrangement of driving mechanism for
velocipedes and has mainly for object to dispense with the endless chain ordinarily
employed and which as is well known is open to serious objection.
My improved driving mechanism consists essentially of a helicoidal wheel keyed
on a shaft driven directly from the pedals, and of another wheel provided with
radial pins or studs firmly fixed thereon and serving as axes of rotation for rollers
which form the teeth of the wheel. A similar arrangement of mechanism is placed
on the axis of the driving wheel and the two roller toothed wheels are mounted on
an intermediate shaft. These two systems of wheels are enclosed in boxes which
serve as supports, and also to protect the mechanism against dust, mud and water;
these boxes are firmly fixed on the frame of the machine.
The operation is as follows:-
The shaft operated by the pedals drives the helicoidal wheel which turns the roller
toothed wheel and consequently the intermediate shaft on which the latter wheel is
keyed, whereby the roller toothed wheel of the other' two wheels is also operated
and turns the helicoidal wheel and with it the shaft on which it is mounted which
is also the driving wheel shaft.
By forming the boxes with tight joints they can be partially filled with oil
whereby practically perfect lubrication is ensured.
Dated this 28th day of November 1893.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Driving Mechanism of Bicycles, Tricycles,
and other Velocipedes.
1, AUGUSTE FLORAN DE VILLEPIGUE, of 11, Rue Lepelletier, Paris, in the
Republic of France, Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved arrangement of driving mechanism for
bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes, and has mainly for object to dispense
with the endless chain ordinarily employed and which, as is well known, is open to
serious objection.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawing, in which:-
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of part of the driving wheel and frame of a bicycle
with my improved driving mechanism applied thereto :

page_text: Figure 2 is a vertical section of one portion of the mechanism, of which the
other portion is a duplicate; and,
Figure 3 is an elevation partly in section taken at a right angle to Figure 2, the
two latter figures being drawn to an enlarged scale.
My improved driving mechanism consists essentially of a helicoidal wheel a
keyed on a shaft p driven directly by the pedals, and of a wheel 6 provided with
radial pins or studs e firmly fixed thereon. These pins or studs c are mounted upon
the body of the wheel ball in the same plane which is perpendicular to the axis of
rotation or, preferably, in two parallel planes also perpendicular to the axis of
rotation, as shewn in the drawing. The pins or studs c serve as axes of rotation
for rollers d which form the teeth of the wheel b. A similar arrangement of
mechanism is placed on the axis of the driving wheel. The wheel & is keyed
upon a shaft which carries at its other end the corresponding roller toothed
wheel which drives the helicoidal wheel keyed upon the shaft of the driving
wheel.
These two systems of wheels a and b are enclosed in boxes e and e' which serve
as frames or supports for the same, and also protect the mechanism against dust,
mud and water; these boxes e and e¹ are firmly fixed on the frame of the machine,
as shewn in Figure 1.
The shaft extends through and can move freely in the boxes e, e¹ and it is
arranged to turn upon the screws v, v forming centres and allowing of regulating
the relative positions of the wheels a and b.
It will, however, be obvious that the centres v. v¹ can, if required, be dispensed
with.
The operation is as follows:-
The shaft p, operated by the pedals, drives the helicoidal wheel a of one system,
which wheel turns the roller toothed wheel band consequently the intermediate
shaft on which the latter wheel is keyed, whereby the roller toothed wheel of the
other system is also operated; this latter toothed wheel drives the helicoidal wheel
keyed upon the shaft of the driving wheel, and the latter turns and carries the
machine along.
By forming the hoxes e, el with tight joints they can be partially filled with oil
whereby a continual lubrication of the mechanism is ensured and friction con-
sequently diminished, although this friction is very slight, it being only that
resulting from the contact of the teeth with the rollers.
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 :-
1. An arrangement of driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes for replacing the usual chain driving-mechanism and consisting of two
similar systems of two toothed wheels the teeth of one of which are helicoidal while
the teeth of the other are formed by rings or rollers turning upon pins or studs
arranged radially upon the said second wheel; one of the said systems being driven
hy the pedals and transmitting its movement through an intermediate shaft to the
secoud system which actuates the shaft of the driving wheel, substantially as
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
2. In the arrangement of driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes claimed in the first claiming clause, the employment of wheels consisting
of a body and radial pins or studs c in one series, or in two parallel series (as
shewn in the drawing) the said pins or studs being provided with rollers & which
come in contact with the sides of the helicoidal teeth of the wheel a keyed on the
pedal crank-axle, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3. In the arrangement of driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and other
velocipedes claimed in the first claiming clause mounting the shaft which connects
the two systems of wheels a, b upon centres v, v substantially as herein before
described.

page_text: 4. The improved driving mechanism for bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes
hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 25th day of August 1894.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.