Improvements in Clutch Wheels applicable to Cycles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clutch Wheels applicable to Cycles.
CHARLES INwoon, Gledholt Cottage, Sim Lane, Gravesend, in the County of
Kent, Mechanical 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 has for its object improvements in clutch wheels for bicycles and
other velocipedes namely: The production of a wheel in which friction set up by
its clutching device between its driver and driven parts, shall, when disconnected
ve reduced to the lowest limit. Obtaining a positive clutch practically noiseless
and of the utmost simplicity in the method of manufacture. According to my
invention I produce a wheel of three essential parts, namely: A metal disc, a
chain or gear tooth ring and one or more balls. It should be understood the disc
is the fixed or driven, the gear ring the driver and the ball the locking members
of the combination. The chief features of my invention are that positive locking
is obtained between the fixed and loose portions of a clutch wheel by one or more
balls, which are peculiarly disposed in round holes produced tangentially from a
point in the periphery of the disc, that upon rotary action being imparted
thereto they are carried by centrifugal motion and by gravitation in contact with
the inner face of gear ring, around which is provided a number of indentations of
spherical formation and approximately the same radii as the ball and about one
lialf its diameter in depth. Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings
are plans and sectional views representing the principles of my invention whereon
my aforesaid claims are made. Fig. 2 is a transverce section of Fig. 1. A is
the gear ring B the disc and CC to C7 balls used as locking members. It will be
observed the gear ring contains 24 indentations whilst the disc has 8 holes or
pockets but it must be understood I do not limit myself to any number, preferably
the indentations should be a multiple of the holes in disc. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal
section of A. Fig. 1, and B Fig. 4 is a top view of disc, each view illustrating
the arrangement of holes and indentations. Fig. 5 is a portion of an enlarged
section of Fig. 2 demonstrating the action of ball clutch when the chain ring is
with or without motion and disc at the same time revolving in the direction of
arrow. In this drawing the principles of my invention are clearly shown.
Assuming B is revolving and A is at rest, the ball C is immediately lifted
and carried over the indentations through a pressure imparted to the ball by the
acute angle h. If however the ring A is turned in the direction of arrow A and B
are immediately locked as the ball is brought into contact with the inclined curvi-
linear plane by which the ball is then held between two oppositely disposed
circular surfaces, and being smaller in diameter at the points of contact than
itself it cannot become disengaged until the velocity of A is less than B. Hitherto
it has been the practice to employ springs in forcing the locking medium up to
its position in clutch wheels, but by my method they are carried thereto by contri-
fugal motion rendering the device practically noiseless. Further the utmost sim-
plicity is obtained in the process of manufacture; in that the ball recesses and
locking angles are produced in one operation by ordinary drilling.

page_text: 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
I claim is :-
1. A bicycle, or other velocipede clutch wheel, wherein balls are used as the
locking medium, peculiarly disposed in round holes drilled from the periphery
of its central disc and at an angle of about 30° to its radius which so combines
a ball pocket and locking angle, substantially arranged that upon rotary motion
being applied thereto the balls shall be carried outward by centrifugal motion
against the inner face of gear wheel ring, wherein indentations of approximately
the same curvature are formed.
2. A clutch constructed substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of November 1899