Improvements in Velocipede Pedal Clips.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1897-Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
1 p
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
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Improvements in Velocipede Pedal Clips.
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"I, GEORGE ALEXANDER WHEELER, of Room No. 76, Gerken Building City of
New York, County of New York, State of New York, United States of America,
Architect, 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 automatic or self-righting pedals having adjustably attached
toe-clips for use in propelling bicycles, or other velocipedes.
The object of my invention is to provide a compact arrangement of self-righting
pedal having a toe-clip adjustably attached within the outline of the pedal; by the
use of my improvements a toe-clip may be attached to produce the self-righting
capacity in any pedal.
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I provide a toe-clip having a contact surface for the foot which extends. a suitable
distance in advance of the front side of the pedal line; one end of the clip is hinged
or pivoted to a bracket located inside the pedal outline; a vertical plunger slides in
a passage in this bracket; the upper end of the plunger-projects slightly above the
contact surface of the pedal; its lower end engages the end of the clip, and when
the foot is placed upon the pedal the plunger is depressed and the free end of the
clip is thus elevated or carried into position to receive the foot. There is a point 'or
stop on the bracket and a point on the pivoted clip makes contact with it, thus
limiting the drop of the clip to such an angle with respect to the center of gravity
of the pedal, when the clip, and its bracket is attached thereto, that the contact
plane of the pedal, when the pedal is free, will be carried into a position substantially
at right angles to the line in which the force of gravity acts. In attaching clips to
pedals by connecting a bracket to the inside of the side strip or plate, and providing
means for varying the distance between the hinge and side strip, I may produce any
balance, in any pedal, without varying the angle of drop assumed by the freed clip:
This adjustable means of attachment, again, permits the attainment of a neater and
more compact arrangement as the shoulder on the clip may always be made to lie in
close proximity to the front side plate of the pedal:
The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention. "
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pedal with the toe-clip attached; Fig. 2 is a
cross-section on the central line of Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and 4 are views of the bracket
and plunger; and Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are detail views of modifications. **
The pedal P, is of any usual construction, has side plates, a and b, and is connected
with the pedal crank C, as, usual. I provide a bracket B, having perforated ears 30
and 32. The plunger D, is preferably--formed of stamped sheet-metal; as shown
in Figs. 4 and 5 and moves in the passage in the bracket B, formed by the pro-
jections 51 and 52, Fig. 3. T, is a toe-clip, preferably of sheet-metal, as steel, and
is formed substantially as shown, the pivoted end being turned to form a small
cylindrical passage for a pin p, and terminates in a projection 8, doubled upon itself
to reinforce its strength. The pin p, unites the clip to the bracket, passing through
the hole 30, the described passage in the clip, and the hole 32, while the projection 8,
passes into the perforation 60, in the plunger D. The weight of the clip T, operates

page_text: to raise the plunger D, to a position such that it projects slightly above the foot
contact surface of the pedal, between the side plates, a and b. When the clip T, is
free, a point 50, on the clip engages with a point 40, Fig. 2, on the bracket and the
curvature.or.form of the clip at or about therpoint 50, and the projection of the
point 40, from the bracket B, is such that the clip when in its lowest position will
place the center of gravity of the combined clip and pedal at a predetermined point;
that is, a point such that the contact surface of the pedal may be caused to assume a
position substantially at right angles to the line of action of the. force of gravity.
This position may be made that deemned the most favorable for the ready application
of the foot to the pedal, and the pressure of the foot when applied to the plunger D,
operates to elevate the free end of the pedal into position to easily receive and
engage the toe of the rider. The bracket B, is attached to the inside of the plate a,
at a point between said plate and the, bearing or axle of the pedal; the means for
attachment consists of a screw 21, in length about one-half the distance from the side
plate to the pedal-axle or bearing, and for the purpose of varying the location of the
hinge or pivot p, I provide a series of washers, like 22, 23, 24, which may be placed
on, either.. side or partly on both sides of the plate a, to vary the location of the
pivot p, or in other words, the, suspension. point of the clip T. The utility of this
means of adjustment is two-fold; I am thus enabled to slightly shift.. the center of
gravity of the complete structure to produce any desired poise or balance, and I am
thus enabled to secure a neat and compact-arrangement and appearance of the clip,
when applied to pedals of any-width. The distance' from the pivot p, to the angular
point 18, being fixed, the shoulder S, is curved to an arc of which the distance from p,
to 18, is the radius. This clip: may be placed on pedals of any dimension and by
adjustably locating the hinged support within the front and rear blades of the pedal'
I find it necessary to provide for only half the extent of adjustment that would be
necessary in a clip if supported on the outside of the pedal; therefore, the allowance
for adjustment between the hinge or pivot p, of my clip and the point 18, is one-half
what would be necessary if the hinge were located outside the pedal or behind the
rear blade. The distance between the angle 19, and the point 20, 1 call the contact
surface of the clip, and the distance may be and preferably is at least equal to the
distance between the plates, a and b, and it is to be noticed that the attainment of a
balance, such as described by me for the pedal' and clip is much 'more difficult when
the contact surface is substantially equal to the width of the pedal than when such
coutact is shorter and therefore insufficient.
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"Heretofore others have added clips to pedals and secured a balance by adding extra
weight where required, or, in other cases, by setting the pedal on an axis out of
center, and in yet another case by shortening the clip and hinging it below the
central line or axis of the pedal, this, however necessitates shortening the clip or the
provision of means for folding the clip to avoid contact with the ground. My
improvement provides for the use of a full sized clip which may be of a single
integral piece, depending on no extra counterbalance, but upon the location and
limit of drop under free movement to secure the desired balance, while the clip in
its lowest position is always free of the ground.
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In Fig. 5 I have shown a flat spring 70, fixed to the clip T, at or near the point 71;
this spring makes contact with the axle of the pedal and tends to force the toe-clip T,
away from the pedal whenever the clip is freed by the foot, and I thus obviate the
possibility of sticking or lodging due to the presence of mud or dust.
...
In Fig: 6 I have shown a detail of the washers 23, these are provided with ears e,
which set down upon the edge of an adjacent washer, as 24, and thus hold the
position given them in the process of adjustment and in'use.
1.
In Figs. 5 and 7, I have shown a modification of the bracket B, which consists in
providing lugs m, integral with the bracket, projecting toward the axle of the pedal
when the bracket is in position, the object being to thus prevent the movement of
the bracket and secure it in its position.
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Having now. particularly described, and ascertained, the nature of my said

page_text: invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a velocipede, a pedal combined with a toe-clip and means for supporting the
clip on the pedal to produce a predetermined balance of both, such means consisting
of a hinge upon a support located between the rear blade and the axis of the pedal
and a fixed stop for limiting the position of the clip, when free, to an angle such that
the contact plane of the pedal assumes a position substantially at right angles to the
line of action of the force of gravity, substantially as described.
2. In a velocipede, the combination with a pedal of a toe-clip and means for
utilizing the weight of the clip to normally maintain the foot contact surface of the
pedal substantially at right angles to the line of action of the force of gravity and for
shifting the position of the clip, such means consisting of a hinge for the clip located
between the axis and the rear blade of the pedal, with a stop to limit the drop of the
clip, and a vertically reciprocating plunger engaging one end of the clip, substantially
as described.
3. An adjustable toe-clip for velocipede pedals consisting of a bracket, means for
attaching said bracket to the inside surface of the rear blade of a pedal, a toe-clip
having an extended contact surface and an elongated shank conforming to the outline
of the under side of such pedal, a hinge joint between one end of said shank and
said bracket, a vertically reciprocating plunger in the bracket engaging the end of
said shank, and a fixed stop on the bracket to limit the drop of the clip when free,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1807