Improvements relating to Detachable Cranks for Velocipedes, and to Methods of Securing Pedals thereto.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Detachable Cranks for Velocipedes, and to
Methods of Securing Pedals thereto.
I, TIMOTHY SHEPHERD, of Kenilworth, Oakfield Road, Birminghamn, in the County
of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to detachable cranks for velocipedes and to methods of
securing pedals thereto. The objects in view are to provide a simple means of securing
cranks to their shafts or axles so that they can be readily and securely held in position
thereon, or easily removed therefrom, without the necessity of having to drive or
force in or out wedges, cotter pins or the like, which driving or forcing frequently
results in injury to such wedge or pin and is therefore objectionable, and to simplify
the construction and parts hitherto deemed necessary.
According to my said invention I bore out the crank end to the size of the axle
upon which it is to be secured and I form a slot extending from this hole either towards
the end or towards the centre of the crank or in the former case I may make the
crank with a split end. I provide at that portion of the said hole nearest the slot, a
triangular, or approximately triangular, key-way, into which a correspondingly
shaped key or wedge piece is adapted to fit. I form this key or wedge piece with
a tail piece or extension adapted to fit into the above mentioned slot or split end.
The crank is, at its slotted or split portion, bored to receive a bolt or the like and the
tail piece or extension may have a suitable hole or slot through which such bolt or
screw passes and operates to tighten the arrangement.
To secure the crank upon an axle, the latter must have formed upon it a flat to
correspond with the base or one of the sides of the triangular key or wedge piece.
The crank is then slipped in position upon the said axle, and the slotted portion or
split end of the crank brought together by tightening up the bolt or screw, thereby
bringing the sides of the hole against the axle, and also forcing down the triangular
key or wedge piece thereon, so as to tightly fix or clamp the said crank in
position.
It will be obvious that the crank can he readily removed at any time by simply
slackening the nut or screw. The tail piece upon the triangular key or wedge
piece serves to hold the latter in position when the crank is removed from
the axle.
Instead of forming the slot through the crank end I may cut it lengthwise of the
crank, the clamping or tightening bolt or screw being likewise in this case passed
through the split portions of the crank at each side of the said slot and the triangular
key or wedge piece being correspondingly arranged.
The herein described arrangement can also be used to fasten the pedal spindle to
the opposite end of the crank by putting a flat on the spindle as in the case of the
axle. But I prefer for simplicity to put a plain circular hole in the crank and split
its end as herein before described but dispensing with the wedge-shaped piece. Near
this hole I fix a small pin so as to project sufficiently to go into a small hole which
I bore into the pedal cone nearest the crank so as to prevent it turning after being
adjusted and placed into the crank end. A screwed nut then draws the split ends of
he crank together and fastens securely the pedal spindle thereto.
Dated this 11th day of March 1896
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements relating to Detachable Cranks for Velocipedes, and to.
Methods of Securing Pedals thereto.
I, TIMOTHY SHEPHERD, of Kenilworth, Oakfield Road, Birmingham, in the County
of Warwick, 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 detachable cranks for velocipedes and to methods of
securing pedals thereto. The objects in view are to provide a simple means of securing
them to their shafts or axles so that they can be readily and securely held in position
thereon, or easily removed therefrom, without the necessity of having to drive or
force in or out wedges, cotter pins or the like which driving or forcing frequently
results in injury to such wedge pin and is therefore objectionable, and to simplify
the construction and parts hitherto deemed necessary.
or
In the accompanying drawing which shows an end view of a crank secured upon
its shaft or axle, A indicates the crank arm or lever, and B the shaft or axle.
The end or boss of the crank A is bored out to the size of the axle B upon
which it is to be secured, and the said boss or end is split from this hole towards
the end and formed with extensions A' as shown. B is a flat or key way formed
upon the shaft or axle B, and C is a triangular, or approximately triangular, key
fitting into a correspondingly shaped keyway formed in the above mentioned hole.
I, in some cases, form the key or wedge piece C with a tail piece or extension C¹
adapted to fit into the space or clearance between the extensions A'. D is a bolt
or screw passing through apertures formed in the said extensions A' and the
extension or tail piece C", and by means of which the said extensions can be
firmly clamped together so as to grip the shaft or axle and force the key C against
the same.
It will be obvious that the crank can be readily removed at any time by simply
slackening the nut or screw D. The tail piece or extension Cupon the triangular
key or wedge piece serves to hold the latter in position when the crank is removed
from the axle.
Instead of forming the slot through the crank end I may cut it lengthwise of
the crank, the clamping or tightening bolt or screw being likewise in this case passed
through the split portions of the crank at each side of the said slot and the triangular
key or wedge piece being correspondingly arranged.
The herein described arrangement can also be used to fasten the pedal spindle to
the opposite end of the crank by putting a flat on the spindle as in the case of the
axle. But I prefer for simplicity to put a plain circular hole in the crank and split
its end as hereinbefore described but dispensing with the wedge-shaped piece. Near
this hole I fix a small pin so as to project sufficiently to go into a small hole which
I bore into the pedal cone nearest the crank so as to prevent it turning after being
adjusted and placed into the crank end. A screwed nut then draws the split ends of
the crank together and fastens securely the pedal spindle thereto.
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. The improved method of securing detachable cranks or the like upon their
shafts or axles comprising a triangular shaped key or piece with or without a
tail piece or extension, and a split and extended crank forming a clamp or clip,
substantially as specified.
2. The combination of the key or wedge piece fitting between the shaft or axle

page_text: and the split or slotted crank, retained and tightened by a bolt or screw or the
equivalent substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination with a shaft or axle having a flat or key thereon and a split
or slotted crank, of the key or wedge piece with a tail or extension adapted to fit into
the split or slotted portion of the crank, and means for clamping the same together
substantially as set forth.
4. The construction, arrangement and combination of parts constituting my
improved means for securing cranks or the like upon their shafts or axles and the
methods of securing pedals to their spindles substantially as set forth and as illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 11th day of December 1896.
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.