Improvements in Odometers for Velocipedes and other similar Vehicles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th June, 1889-Accepted, 27th July, 18-9
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Odometers for Velocipedes and other similar
Vehicles.
I, WILLIAM LUND of Victoria Road Whalley Range Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an improved construction of apparatus for registering the
distance travelled by bicycles, tricycles and other similar vehicles, by means of the
action of the driving crank.
For this purpose I propose to attach to a convenient fixed portion of the frame of
the machine, a small registering apparatus provided with a train of wheels geared
together with dials and indices showing units, tons, hundreds and so forth, the position
of the apparatus being such, that a lever bar, which projects or hangs down from a
pivot on which the latter is arranged to swing shall at oach revolution of the crank be
struck or moved by the latter (or by a pin or projection attached thereto) so as to cause
the lever bar to oscillate upon its pivot.
To the lever bar, near to its pivot or fulcrum is fixed a catch or spring which takes
into the teeth of a ratchet or notched wheel carried by the pivot or stud upon which
the lever bar hangs and it is so arranged that at each revolution of the crank the catch
is caused to take up one tooth of the said ratchet or notched wheel.
Upon this same pivot is keyed a spur pinion which gears into the first wheel of the
registering train, and thus the latter is caused to register accurately the number of
revolutions made by the driving crank. The lever bar after each movement as soon as
released from the crank or piu falls back by its own weight (or by a spring) into its
original position and takes hold of the next tooth ready for another revolution of the
crank.
The lever bar is jointed at or near the centre with a "butt" joint so that when the
crank is turned backwards it simply bends the joint of the lever and has no action upon
the counting apparatus.
To ascertain how far a bicycle or other velocipede has travelled it is necessary to
measure correctly the exact distance moved by the machine in one complete revolution
of the crank.
This measured distance so passed over will be taken as the unit of distance. and this
multiplied by the number, indicated on the dials of the counting apparatus will give the
distance travelled.
Each index is provided with a movable ring or disc of brass or other material on
the face of which is ingraved or marked the numerals 1. 2. 3 &c. an opening being
made in the centre through which the movable index finger is visible the latter being
protected by a glass so as to prevent the admission of dust &c.
It will not be necessary therefore on starting for a journey to open the glasses and
set the index fingers or even to take any note of their position, but if the loose rings
are cach moved until the 0 or zero is opposite to the index finger the record will be taken
correctly, or if the record is desired to be cumulative the index rings must be set to
correspond with the record at the end of the last journey.
Dated this 5th d... 1980

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in "Odometers" for Velocipedes and other similar
Vehicles.
I WILLIAM LUND of Victorin Road Whalley Range Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Merchant, 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 consists of an improved construction of apparatus for registering the
distance travelled by bicycles, tricycles and other similar vehicles by means of the direct
action of the driving crank.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed
or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the sheet of
drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof. Fig. 1 on the
drawing is an external elevation of my improved "Odometer." Fig. 2 is a similar
view with the front plate removed, and Fig. 3 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 1 is
a side elevation of a "safety” bicycle showing the application of my invention
thereto.
The invention consists principally of a case a containing a small registering
apparatus provided with a train of wheels geared together with say four dials,
(Fig. 1) showing the number of furlongs, & showing unit-, d³ tens, and d² hundreds
of miles.
This I propose to attach to any convenient fixed portion of the frame of the machine
the position of the apparatus being snel that a lever har e (see Figs. 1. 2 and 3) which
hangs down (or which may project horizontally see Fig, or otherwise) from a pivotƒ
on which the bar is arranged to swing shall at each revolution of the crank
struck or moved by the latter (or by a pin or projection g* attached thereto) so as to
cause the lever lar to oscillate upon its pivot.
he
I prefer to make the lever bare of stout wire screwed in the end of the part and
to provide the latter with a guard to cover the opening in the case a necessary
for the action of the lever e².
To the lever near its pivot or fulerum is fixed a spring catch which takes into
the death of a ratchet or notched wheel i carried by the same pivot or stud upon
which the lever hangs, and it is so arranged that at each revolution of the crank g
the catch is caused to take up one tooth of the said ratchet or notched wheel i.
Upon this same pivot is fixed or formed a spur pinion & which gears into the first
wheel of the registering train b and thus the latter is caused to register accurately tho
number of revolutions made by the driving crank g.
The lever har e after each movement as soon as released from the crank or pin fulls
back again by its own weight (or by a spring Fig. 2) into its original position and
takos hold of the noxt tooth ready for another revolution.
.
The lover bare may be jointed as shown detached at Fig. 5, at or near the centre
with a buttjoint r so that when the crank is turned backwards as indicated by the
arrow it simply bends the joint r of the lover and has no action upon the counting
apparatus otherwise of course the backward revolutions will be added to the distance
actually travelled, as in the case illustrated at Figs. 2 and 4 when the lever bar e morely
projects beyond the extent of the stroke of the pin g* on the crank.
The number of teeth on the ratchet wheel i and of the pinion & which drives the first
wheel of the train & must be so proportioned to the circumference of the driving
whicel in an ordinary machine (or to the exact distance traversed by the machine at
each complete revolution of the crank in a geared-up machine) that the index of the
first diul c shall move ono sixteenth of a revolution for each half furlong travelled.
One revolution therefore of this index will be completed for oach mile travelled and
the corresponding indication of units, tons, and hundreds of miles will be shown on the
other dials in the usual manner,

page_text: In this case it will be of course necessary to take note of the indication at the
commencement of a journey and deduct this from the indication given at its end so as
to obtain the actual distance travelled.
If preferred however each dial may be provided with a movable ring upon which
its figures are marked, and which may he set to zero before commencing a journey, or
if the record is desired to be cumulative the rings of the several dials may be set before
starting to correspond with the record of the last journey.
If preferred also the apparatus may be made to record only the number of revolu-
tions of the crank, cards with the necessary calculation for various sized wheels and
gearings printed thereon being supplied with the odometers.
The apparatus may be attached to the frame of the machine in any suitable manner.
On Fig. 3. a hinged clip m is shown which is passed round the tension bar n of the
machine (see Fig. 4) and secured by the thumb screws o.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I make no claim whatever
to any particular construction of counting or registering apparatus for indicating the
distance travelled by a velocipede or other similar vehicle per se, but what I claim as
my invention is
The combination of such counting or registering apparatus, mounted on a fixed
part of the frame of the machine, with the driving crank of the same in such a
manner that at each revolution of the crank the latter (or a projection therefrom)
shall come into direct contact with and give motion to a lever or bar hanging or
projecting from the said counting or registering apparatus such lever or bar carrying
near its pivot a ratchet or catch which actuates a ratchet wheel connected directly with
the first wheel of the counting or registering train substantially as herein before
described and illustrated by the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 7th day of June 1880
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.