Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1394
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 19th Jan., 1895
Improvements in Velocipedes.
I, CHARLES ACTON IVES, of Newport, in the County of Newport and State
of Rhode Island, United States of America, Attorney at Law, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that kind of velocipede driving gear wherein the pedal
axle passes eccentrically through the hollow nave of the driving wheel which it
works by multiplying gear, the parts being arranged according to my invention as
follows. I mount the pedal axle in bearings formed in the framework on each side
of the driving wheel, and on the pedal axle within these bearings I fix a pair of
internally toothed wheels, one on each side of the nave of the driving wheel. This
nave is in the form of a hollow cylinder having at each end external teeth which
gear with the internal teeth above mentioned. As the pedal axle revolves the
nave is caused to revolve at increased speed, taking its bearing on its underside
against bosses on the pedal axle and on its upper side against the internal gear of
the wheels on the pedal axle. Instead of toothed gear, friction gear may be
employed, the wheels on the pedal axle having grooved flanges projecting over
flanges of the nave which fit in the grooves.
Dated this 6th day of March 1894.
ABEL & IMKAI,
Agents for the Applicant."
Improvements in Velocipedes,
:
I, CHARLES ACTON IVES, of Newport in the County of Newport and State of
Rhode Island, United States of America, Attorney at Law, 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 :-
This invention relates to that type of vehicles, particularly bicycles, wherein a
drive-shaft or axle extends eccentrically through a hollow nave having teeth or
pinions near its ends which engage internal gears mounted on the drive-shaft or
axle in such manner that when the drive-shaft or axle is rotated the internal gears
rapidly rotate the nave.
In prior driving mechanism of the character alluded to the drive-shaft is
journalled in bearings on the main frame, and the ends of the hollow nave are
supported by and turned within ring bearings forming parts of such main frame, in
consequence of which the friction is so excessive as to render the construction
objectionable instead of advantageous.
The objects of my invention are to dispense with all bearings for the hollow nave;
to materially reduce the friction to throw the weight of the main frame and rider
or load solely upon the drive-shaft, and indirectly upon the upper portions of the
two opposite ends of a hollow nave: to materially simplify and economize the
construction; and to provide a desirable elasticity of motion in travelling over
rough roade

page_text: •
To accomplish these objects my invention consists in the features of con-
struction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and
claimed.
'
I have illustrated and described my invention in connection with the wheel of a
bicycle or other vehicle of the velocipede type wherein the drive-shaft or axle is
operated by pedal-carrying cranks, but I wish it clearly understood that the
invention may be used in connection with the traction wheels of any vehicle, such
as a locomotive or traction engine.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which :-
Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my invention applied to the hind wheel of a
bicycle. Figure 14 shews it applied to the front wheel.
Figure 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line N-N of Figure 3.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line M-M of Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a detail sectional view of a modification hereinafter explained.
In the said drawing the outer wheel a, represents the driving wheel of the
bicycle, represents a hollow nave composed of a cylinder which is made of a
single piece of thin metal sufficiently strong and rigid to have attached to it and to
firmly hold the metallic or other kind of spokes of said wheel. Said hollow nave b
may be of any size, provided only it be sufficiently large inside to permit the
insertion through it from end to end near its lower inner surface and below its
central line of the axle c. This axle c, is enough longer than the hollow nave b to
carry outside of each end of said nave b, the internal gear or friction wheels d, d,
the frame of the bicycle e, e, said frame supporting the rider, and the cranks, crank-
pins and pedals f, f, f, as indicated in the said drawings. The axle has the
internal gear or friction wheels d, d, firmly attached to it by means of spokes or
plates g g, so that as the axle c is revolved, these wheels d d will turn with it. The
gear or friction wheels d d are not attached to the spokes or plates g g in the line
of their direction, but are attached to the inner edges of said spokes or plates_by
means of the flanges ii so as to overhang the outer ends of the nave b. The
wheels d d are proportionately larger than the rings h h, hereinafter mentioned, as
the axle c is farther below the centre of the hollow nave b. The spokes of the
bicycle wheel a are fastened to the nave sufficiently far from its outer ends to
allow the attachment to and around each outer end of the rings hh, which may be
cogged or otherwise fitted to engage the geared or frictional peripheries as may be
desired, of the outer gear or friction wheels d d. If desired, these rings h h with
their cogged, geared or frictional peripheries may be made in one piece with the
nave b; but it is intended, and it is only important first that the rings h h shall be
of equal size and the outer rings or wheels d d of equal size; and, second, that
whether gearing or frictional bearing surfaces be used, the inner and outer gearing
or frictional surfaces be so made as to accurately engage one another with as little
drag or slip as may be, the aim being to drive the nave b, and with it the driving
wheel a, by the revolution of the axle c, and its connected internally geared or
frictional wheels d d working upon the rings h h. The axle c is held in place by
its contact with and bearing upon the upper surfaces of the rings h h as above
described, and by the frame of the bicycle or other machine on which is the weight
of the rider or other load, as the case may be. The usual or any suitable
connections of the frame with the other wheel or wheels and parts of the bicycle
or other machine may be made. In a bicycle, suitably mounted above the driving
wheel, the weight of the frame of the machine and of the rider falling upon the
axle c, and through it, as above described, to the driving wheel, the latter, and
with it the whole machine, is propelled by the action of the rider on the pedals in
the ordinary manner. In a locomotive the principle and construction involved is
the same, except that in a locomotive wheel, as indicated in Figure 4, friction
instead of toothed gears will be preferable. In a locomotive the hollow nave b
will be solidly connected with each wheel of each pair of driving wheels; the
weight of the engine will fall on an axle, or axles c c connected by connecting rods,
and these will be driven from the cylinders in the usual, or any approved manner.

page_text: The particular form of gearing or frictional surfaces to be employed, and the
particular form or size of the rings d and h and of the plate or spokes g is
immaterial.
In the practical use of my invention the best results and the highest efficiency
are attained by the use of gear or friction wheels of such size or diameter that the
outer wheel possesses a radius approximately equal to the length of the pedal
which is employed.
The advantages which I claim for my invention are these; First, by its aid, the
centre of gravity in a bicycle, locomotive, or other traction engine or machine, may
be materially lowered. Second, by the use of internal gearing or frictional wheels,,
as described, the velocity of the driving wheels may be materially increased
without any appreciable increase of frictional resistance to the operation of the
bicycle, locomotive or other engine, with less pedal or leg motion, or less crank and
piston speed, as the case may be, and therefore with less wear and tear and
greater economy of power to the rider or to the locomotive engine and whole
machine.
A consideration of the foregoing will show that while I employ elements of
construction in my machine which are not new, namely, a hollow nave with an
inner axle and external and internal geared or friction wheels, I use these
elements in a manner wholly new. The principle underlying the mechanism I
have described is the holding of the geared wheels together by imposing the weight
to be carried by the driving wheel directly on the axle c, and only indirectly on
the opposite ends of a single nave by the resting of the outer internally geared_or
frictional wheels d d upon the upper surface of the rings h h around the hub. By
this means the advantages of the gearing are obtained without the loss by friction
which results from holding the geared wheels together by a frame and journals,
and increase of speed becomes possible with a minimum of friction, otherwise
impossible. Moreover the free play which is allowed to the driving-wheel by its
not being held in a frame or journals and having but two points of contact with any
part of the machine, namely, the points of contact of the gearing or frictional
surfaces on the top of the hollow nave, results in the machine having an elasticity
of action in going over rough ground or small obstructions, which no machine with
a rigid wheel can have. At the same time the centre of gravity of the machine is
lowered and the advantages of the ordinary safety bicycle, so called, are obtained
along with as high gearing as the safety wheel permits with good results.
By the construction and arrangement described the machine is materially
simplified, in that the hollow nave is composed of a single integral structure and
can in fact be made of a single piece of thin metal. The bearing or supporting
of the weight on the axle and on the toothed or friction gears at or near the ends
of the hollow nave, and the application of power from one toothed or friction gear
to the other are desirable features of my invention. The function of the toothed
or friction gears is two-fold; they are weight bearing or supporting as well as .
power-transmitting or driving.
In the practical use of my machine, the driving wheel is held sufficiently firm
without other means than the weight upon the gears themselves, and thus I am
enabled to materially simplify the machine.
In travelling over rough roads at high speed the gears remain in engagement,
and substantially all the jars are taken up by the forward and backward oscillation
of the toothed or friction gears within and without one another. This oscillation
while seemingly objectionable, is in fact advantageous, as it provides an elasticity
of motion to the machine which would otherwise be absent.
I am aware that there is nothing novel in the use of internal gearing, or of
internal frictional wheels, or in the application of power through them, or in the use
of a hollow Dave with gearing operated by an outer internally geared wheel connected
with and operated from an axle within the hollow nave, and 1 make no claim for
the use of any one of these forms of mechanism alone.
In my invention the driving-hub is free to play within a larger outer wheel, and

page_text: the driving wheel and have are maintained in place when the machine is in motion
and the power being applied by imposing the weight to be carried by the driving
wheel not directly upon the nave of the driving-wheel but upon an axle playing
free within the hollow nave, whereby the outer internally geared or frictional
wheels, are the means by which the weight, as well as the power, is transferred
from the inner axle to the upper portions of the opposite ends of the nave.
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 driving gear of the kind described, the combination of a hollow nave, a
driving axle bearing the weight to be carried by the driving-wheel playing freely
within said hollow nave below its centre and having attached wheels overlapping
and resting upon the upper sides of the two opposite ends of the said nave,
substantially as described.
2. The combination of a hollow nave, formed as an integral structure from end
to end, and having each of its two opposite ends provided with a gear, a driving
axle, bearing the weight to be carried by the driving-wheel, playing freely within
said hollow nave, below its centre, and having attached wheels overlapping and
engaging the upper sides of the gears on the two opposite ends of the said hollow
nave substantially as described.
3. The combination of a hollow nave, a driving axle arranged within the nave
and freely movable to and fro during the travel of the vehicle and having attached
wheels, which engage the upper side portions of the two opposite ends of the nave
substantially as described.
4. In the driving wheel of a bicycle, or other machine, the combination of a
hollow nave b having its two opposite end portions provided with toothed rims h,
engaged by the toothed surfaces of outer overlapping rings d connected with an
inner axle c extending through said hollow nave b and directly below its central
line, with said outer geared wheels d resting upon and engaging the toothed rims h,
and said axle c freely movable to and fro in the nave and bearing by any suitable
· means the weight to be carried by the driving-wheel, substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of December 1894.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.