AN IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCEPEDES WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OR BAND
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 30th June, 1887
Complete Left, 15th Sep., 1887
Complete Accepted, 25th Oct., 1887
We MORRISS WOODHEAD and PAUL ANGOIS Cycle Manufacturers of Russoll Street
in the town and county of Nottingham do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for AN IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCEPEDES WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN OR BAND
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that type of Velocepede wherein the power is transmitted
from a crank or pedal axle, to the driving wheel or shaft, by an endless chain or
band.
And our object is to provide an improved and simple means, whereby, the relative
proportion of speed (or revolutions), as between the crank axle, and the driving wheel
or shaft, may be altered, without having to detach the crank or other fixed parts,
which it is both difficult injurious to remove.
We carry this out, by constructing the wheel that is fixed on the crank axle, in
two separate parts, the inner part (fastened to the axle) constitutes, a common centre
or hub to which we secure, any one, of a set of interchangeable, outer parts, of
different diameters (or number of teeth). Any one of these outer parts, may be
detached, and changed to produce, the required alteration of gear (or speed), the
internal diameter of the outer, or removable part of the wheel is made sufficiently
large to admit of it being passed over the crank and fixed to the inner part, by screws
or other fastenings, which are so constructed and arranged that thoy will suit any one
of the set of outer parts. In some cases we make the outer part in sections to allow
it to be passed inside the bearing bracket.
Dated this 29th day of June 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement in Velocepedes which are Driven by a Chain or
Band.
We MORRISS WOODHEAD and PAUL ANGOIS, of Russell Street in the town and
county of Nottingham Engineers and Machinists do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN VELOCEPEDES WHICH ARE DRIVEN BY A CHAIN
OR BAND and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to that type of Velocepede wherein the power is transmitted
from a crank or pedal axle, to the driving wheel or shaft by an endless chain or
band.
And our object is to provide an improved and simple means, whereby, the relative
proportion of speed (or revolutions) as between the crank axle and the driving wheel
or shaft, may be altered, without having to detach the crank or other fixed parts,
which it is both difficult and injurious to remove.
We carry this out by constructing the wheel that is fixed on the crank shaft, in two
seperate parts, the inner part (fastened to the axle) constitutes a common centre or
hub, to which we secure, any one of a set of interchangable outer parts, of different
diamoters (or number of teeth). Any one of these outer parts, may be detached and
changed to produce the required alteration of gear (or relative speed), the internal
diameter of the outer or removeable part of the wheel is made sufficiently large to
admit of being passed over the crank, and is fixed to the inner part, by screws or
other fastenings, which are constructed and arranged so that they will suit any one of
a set of outer parts. In some cases we make the outer part of the wheel in sections
to allow it to be passed inside a bearing bracket. We apply this invention preferably
but not exclusivly to the dwarf (or safety bicycle), and we are aware that various
forms of differential gear have already been applied to this and other velocepedes,
being arrangements of two or more wheels carried on the machine and worked by
clutches or other gear, we are also aware that chain or band wheels for velocepedes
have been made in parts, but merely for convenience of construction or manufacture,
the several parts of such wheels being permanently secured together to make only one
complete wheel. Now by this invention only one wheel is carried on the crank-axlo
at a time causeing no additional weight and the wheel or series of wheels are so
constructed and arranged that one gear may be readily substituted for another, without
interferance with the permanent fixtures upon the crank axle. And in order that our
invention may be clearly understood referance is hereafter made to the accompanying
drawings in which simalar letters of referance indicate the respective parts. Figures 1
and 2 show the usual arrangeinent of a crank axle and chain wheel of a safety bicycle,
the wheel B and the crank being firmly fastened to the axle A, so that to change
the proportion of speed (or gear), it is necessary to remove both the crank and wheel
from the axle, before another wheel of the required demensions can be substituted,

page_text: which must along with the crank be refitted to the axle. Figures 3, 4, and 5
illustrate the manner in which we construct the chain wheel, for the the purpose of
carrying out this invention whereby we avoid this removal and refitting of fixed parts
when altering the gear. Fig. 3. illustrates a suitable boss or inner part of wheel,
which we fix permanently on the axle (or analogous part, such as the crank) instead
of the entire wheel B (Figures 1 and 2). This boss may be made any suitable shape to
match the outer part. This outer part, as illustrated by Figure 4 is constructed with,
a gap or blank in the centre, large enough to permit of its being passed over the
crank, we join this outer part to the boss or inner part (Figure 5) by any suitable
fastenings such as bolts screws or clips, or the two parts may be threaded and the
outer part screwed on, but any such means of fastening must be capable of easy
removal, as distinct from rivits or other permanent fastenings. In some cases such
as when the gear wheel is placed between the arms of a bracket, as in Figure 7 we
modify the construction of the outer part by making it in sections which are joined
together (figure 6) or may be each independantly secured to the permanent boss. We
further carry out this invention by providing in combination with, one inner part, a
set or series of two or more outer parts, illustrated by Figures 8, 9, and 10, of such
different diameters or number of teeth as may be in any particular case required, to
effect the desired alterations of gear, so that a single inner part (or boss) may serve
as the common centre of a series (or set) of any number of interchangable and
removable outer parts, of selected diameters, it is obviously preferable that the means
of fastening should be arranged, so that one set of screws (or other fastenings) may
suit an entire series of outer parts, although each outer part may have its own distinct
fastening to the common boss.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1st. The improvements in and relating to the means or devices, for changeing the
relative speeds of the crank axle and the driving wheel or shaft of a velocepede,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated, and for the purposes
specified.
2nd. A variable driving gear for velocepedes consisting of one common centre (or
boss) fixed to the crank axle (or analogous part) in combination with a set of
removable chain or band wheels, without centres (described herein as outer parts) of
different diameters or number of teeth, but made interchangable in relation to the
said common centre or boss, substantially as described and illustrated herein, and for
the purpose specified.
3rd. The improvement in and relating to the construction of the chain or band
wheel fixed to the crank axle of a velocepede whereby the said wheel is made in two
parts (described herein as, inner and outer parts) the outer part carrying the chain or
band, fixed to the inner part by removable fastenings, substantially as described
and as illustrated by figures 3. 4. and 5 of the drawings herewith and for the purposes
specified.
4th. The modification relating to the construction of a chain or band wheel whereby
the device called herein, the outer part of the wheel, is made in parts or sections
substantially as described and as illustrated by figures 6 and 7 of the drawings
herowith, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 14th day of Santamber 1887