Improvements in and relating to Speed and Power Gear for Safety Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1888
Complete Left, 14th Mar., 1888
Complete Accepted, 20th Apr., 1888
Improvements in and relating to Speed and Power Gear for Safety
Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I, JOHANN WALCH of Munich in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is the arrangement of an improved speed and power
gear on so called safety bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes to which it may be
applicable. On the shaft or hub of the driving wheel are two spur wheels preferably
of unequal sizes and, one on each side thereof-or otherwise with said spur wheels
are geared by chains or other suitable gear, two other spur wheels loosely revolvable.
on a shaft carrying the treadle cranks.
Centrally between the latter spur wheels is a sleeve feathered to the shaft and.
having at each end clutch teeth adapted to engage with similar teeth integral with the
respective spur wheels when the sleeve is moved towards the respective spur wheel,
the sleeve revolves in a ring bearing having on one side an extension with a prismatic
groove extending in a direction across the shaft, in said groove slides a prism having
a socket in which engages a pin eccentrically placed upon a crank or disc revolvable
with a shaft or rod carried to within convenient distance of the rider and terminating
in a suitable lever or handle. The bearings of the crank shaft, clutch sleeve or other
part may be plain bearings or those known as ball or roller bearings.
In applying the invention to. safety bicycles in which the treadle crank shaft is
journalled in the bifurcated end of a frame bar projecting downward from the back-
bone, the lever shaft for operating the disengagement and respective engagement of
the clutch is preferably passed through said frame bar.
-
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: mprovements in and relating to Speed and Power Gear for Safety
Bicycles and other Velocipedes.
I JOHANN WALCH of Munich in the Kingdom of Bavaria, Manufacturer 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:—
gear on
The object of this invention is the arrangement of an improved speed and power
so called safety bicycles, tricycles and other velocipedes to which it is
applicable so that the same may be driven or propelled with greater or less power and
consequently with less or more speed at the will of the rider."
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention as applied to a safety
bicycle.
Fig. 1 being a section of the clutch and parts relating thereto.
Fig. 2 an elevation of the bicycle.
On the hub of the driving wheel or on a shaft geared therewith are formed or fixed
two spur wheels preferably one on each side of the driving wheel; with these said
spur wheels are respectively geared by chains, two other spur wheels R R loosely
revolvable on the treddle crank shaft. The proportion between the sizes of the aforesaid
spur wheels is such that the one pair may drive the wheel with greater speed than the
other pair.
Centrally between the spur wheels R R is a sleeve H feathered to the shaft and
having at each end clutch teeth adapted to engage with similar teeth z. integral with
the respective spur wheels R R¹ when the sleeve is moved towards the respective spur
wheel, the sleeve revolves in a ring bearing K having on one side an extension f with
a prismatic groove extending in a direction across the shaft, in said groove slides a
prism having a socket in which engages a pin E eccentrically placed upon a crank
or disc E revolvable with a shaft or rod h carried to within convenient distance of the
rider and terminating in a suitable lever or handle h. The bearings of the crank
shaft, clutch sleeve or other part may be plain bearings or those known as ball or
roller bearings.
The following is a convenient mode of applying the invention to the bicycle shown
in the drawing. a is the backbone of the bicycle forked in the rear to carry the
driving wheel b.
c is a limb of the frame and extending down and forked at the
lower end to sustain the treddle crank shaft d.
The saddle is supported by springs in the usual manner on the angle bar e and
since it is not vertically over the treddle crank shaft but to the rear of the same the
rod is enabled to pass up through the limb e to terminate in the handle h¹ in front
of the rider.

page_text: The central portion of the shaft d for a space somewhat greater than the width
of the sleeve H added to the amount of lateral displacement thereof is plain and
carries the feather N. From this central portion the shaft is shouldered down and
screw threaded for receiving the sleeves gg projecting washers i being placed
between the sleeves g g and the shoulders formed by the edges of the central portion
of the shaft. The inner or nearer portions of the sleeves g g are turned to receive the
spur wheels R R respectively and the outer or further portions of said sleeves form
the journals of the shaft & supported by the bearings ll fixed to the forks m m of the
limb c.
To the outer projecting ends of the shaft d the treddle cranks are fastened in the
known manner. The clutch teeth integral in with the hubs of the spur wheels R R¹
respectively project over the washers ii and the sleeve H having a groove to engage
with the feather N may be moved on the shaft d so that the clutch teeth on the ends
thereof may mesh with those on the wheel R or R¹ or be held out of engagement with
either. The exterior surface of the sleeve H is threaded for a certain distance to
receive the two angular rings n n the opposed faces of which form the tracks for the
balls of the bearing.
The counter part of the bearing is formed by the ring K having the central web o
the lateral surfaces of which form the bearing track for the balls. The ring K carries
the shears or walls inclined towards each other above so as to form between them a
prismatic slot in a transverse direction to the shaft d. In this slot slides the prism f¹
into a slot of which projects the pin E on the crank E of the rod or shaft h. It will
be obvious that by revolving the shaft h the pin E moves in a circular track causing
the prism to slide in its slot and at the same time to move the ring K and therefore
the sleeve F to the right or left.
To prevent dust, etc. from arriving between the clutch teeth an annular flange p
may be provided on the hub of the wheel R and R' respectively and on the sleeve may
be fixed also annular covering plates q adapted to slide over said flanges.
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 what 1
claim is
1. In velocipedes having a speed chain gear and a power chain gear and a clutch
therefor the mechanism substantially as herein set forth for operating said clutch.
2. The combination with a safety bicycle substantially as set forth of two cluin
pulleys on the driving wheel, two chain pulleys having clutch teeth and loose on the
treddle crank shaft chains gearing said wheels and a clutch sleeve on said crank shaft
as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The combination with a safety bicycle having a limb c supporting a treddle
crank shaft of speed and power gear in connection with said treddle crank shaft and
rod h adapted to operate said speed and power gear said rod passing through limb c
substantially as set forth..