Improvements in Ball Bearings for Bicycles, Tricycles, and Veloci- pedes, which Improvements are also Applicable for other Machinery.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar.; 1889.
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for Bicycles, Tricycles, and Veloci-
pedes, which Improvements are also Applicable for other
Machinery.
SILAS JOSEPH LEACH 28 Westhall Road Camberwell S.E. do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
Consisting of a cylindrical case or ring solid with a channel or groove in the inner
circumference for the balls to revolve in two collars or discs plain on their edges to
fit case and one of their sides.bevelled the section of the balls the sides of the collars
pierced to receive screws or pins to adjust the collars to each other and hold the. balls
in their seats thereby producing true adjustment or contact.
3M 1880U
SILAS JOSEPH LEACH.
1
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Ball Bearings for Bicycles, Tricycles, and Veloci-
pedes, which Improvements are also Applicable for other
Machinery.
SILAS JOSEPH LEACH 28 Westhall Road Wyndham Road Caimberwell S: W. 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 consists in the construction of a bearing for bicycles and other
machinery having for its object among other things simplicity, and cheapness, and is
carried out in the following manner.
1 provide a ring or outer casing of iron, steel or. other suitable material and on the
inside of this casing, at a suitable position I cut or..otherwise form a groove for the
balls to run in, of a suitable depth and width. This groove may be of a.V or
U shaped section as is most convenient. I then provide two collars or rings of iron
steel or other suitable material of such a size as will fit in the inside of tho said outer
casing. These two collars or rings are chamfered, bevelled or grooved on: one of their
outer edges; and, on such edges as shall (when the collars or rings are placed
together) come together and form a V or U shaped groove. These grooved edges
are called the inner side of the larger diameter of the said collars or rings. These
collars are placed.in the outer casing in such a way as to support the balls on their
cbamfered, bevelled, or grooved edges. and in this way retaining the balls in the
groove in the outer casing. I employ 2 or more set screws to keep the collars in
place. It will be understood that owing to the friction the bearing surfaces would
become worn away to a certain extent, and to compensate for this, some adjustment is
necessary. This is effected by drawing,the two collars.or rings closer together in a
parallel, direction by, means of. the set screws operated by an annular ring in con-
nection with one of the collars, namely, the outer one by preference. This annular
ring when revolved operates 2 or more set screws thus drawing the collars together.
In this method of adjustment the heads of the set screws are made with a series of
teeth cut on their outer diameter. They may be conveniently made out of what
is known as pinion wire." By this adjustment the balls are forced (owing to the
chamfered,, bevelled or grooved.edges of the collars) radially outwards into the groove
in the outer casing, by this means compensating for wear and increasing the diameter
of-the bearing surface, thus giving greater steadiness to the bearing..
<

page_text: In order that my invention may be more fully understood I now refer to the
accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. shows longitudinal section of the hub of a bicycle according to my inven-
tion. b, b, collars, m, set screws on same, fannnlar adjusting cap, d, balls c, grooves
on collars e, groove in hub or outer casing a.
Fig. 2. shows plan of collars b b, c, chamfer bevell or groove.
Fig. 3. Internal view of annular adjusting cap f, showing teeth g, on same, and pin
or set screw, for retaining same in position.
Fig. 4. shows a modification of adjustment in plan, by means of a ring or washer i,
which is slotted at j as shown. When the balls become slack through wear the ring
or washer i, may be revolved so as to present a fresh and true surface to the heads of
the set screws, (which may be round or hexagonal in this case) the set screws are
then tightened up and the collars b, b, are drawn together with a parallel motion.
Fig. 5, shows in plan a further modification of my invention. I cause inclined
planes, to be cut or filed on the ring i, or washer in such manner that the ring or
washer would appear to have 3 or more wedges or inclined planes k (according to
the number of set screws preferably 3) fixed over the slots on the ring or washer
the slots are cut through the wedges or inclined planes and the ring or washer i.
The thin ends of the inclined planes k start from corresponding ends of each slot j
and the thick ends of the inclined planes k terminate at the opposite end of each
slot j. By revolving this ring or washer i, the two collars can be drawn together or
separated equall and parallel to the inner faces of the collars bb. In both modifica-
tions a set screw or pin o may be employed to retain the ring i, in position after
adjustment.
Fig. 6, End view of annular adjusting cap f.
Similar letters refer to similar parts.
a. Hub, or outer casing.
b Collars.
c Grooving or chamfer on collars.
d Balls, (spherical).
e Groove in hub or outer casing.
f Annular adjusting cap.
g Teeth in annular adjusting cap.
Set screw on same for retaining it in place.
iRing or washer.
j Slots on same.
k, Wedges or inclined planes.
1 Set screw on collar b. (or pin).
m Set screws in collars bb, for drawing them together and holding balls.
n Spindle or shaft.
o pin on ring or washer.
I am aware that bearings have been constructed with collars and spherical balls in
which the balls are retained between the collars and the axle or its equivalent, by
means of a groove in the axle and corresponding grooves in the collars. The adjust-
ment of the bearing is effected by the tightening of one or the other of the said
collars, by which means the balls are tightened round the groove in the axle. This
takes up the wear of the bearing and at the same time reduces the diameter of the
bearing or steadying surfaces, which is a disadvantage in as much, as; the larger the
diameter of a bearing surface the more steady would be the action of a spindle or axle
revolving in the same.
According to my invention, instead of contracting the halls around the spindle or
axle and in this way reduce the diameter of the bearing surface; I expand the balls
radially thus increasing the diameter of the bearing surface and at the same time
taking up the wear as will be readily understood by the description given in the above
Specification.
Again, the jamming of the spherical balls, by my invention is rendered impossible,
as the adjustment for wear tends to free the balls from one another.

page_text: 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. In Bearings for bicycles, tricycles and velocipedes, the particular construction
of the collars bb, with bevells or grooves c as shown in the annexed drawing, and the
outer casing a, in one piece with the groove e, whereby, when the collars bb, are
brought nearer to each other to take up wear, the Sphericals balls d are forced in an
outward direction from the axis of the spindle into the groove e in the outer casing a,
and thus the bearing surface is increased in diameter substantially as described.
2. In bearings for bicycles, tricycles and velocipedes, the combination therewith
of an annular adjusting cap f; all substantially as describe and for the purpose set
forth.
تيمم
Santember 1889.
E. EATON & Co.,
Agents for Applicant.