Improvements in or relating to the Construction and Application of Pedals for Cycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1891
Comp ete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
Improvements in or relating to the Construction and Application of
Pedals for Cycles.
We, GEORGE PILKINGTON, Works Manager, and BENJAMIN DONE, Chairman
of the firm and trading as Allard & Co. Limited Cycle Manufacturers Earlsdon
Cycle Works Coventry do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be
as follows:-
Our invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described in the con-
struction and application of pedals for cycles.
We will describe our invention thus :-
We make the pedal of one piece either solid or hollow of suitable material, by
preference "caoutchouc" or india rubber or other plastic substance, or any material
combining strength and lightness. The shape of the pedal thus formed is very
similar to that of an ordinary pedal with rubbers, except that the space ordinarily
occurring between the rubbers is completely filled up in a pedal made according to
our invention.
We make both top and bottom of the pedal of suitable shape or configuration in
cross-section and to suit the sole of the shoe of the rider, and we make the surfaces
of the top and bottom either smooth, corrugated, or otherwise roughened as may be
desired. At each side of the pedal, both on the top and the bottom, we form a
projection standing vertically (upwards) so as to prevent the foot of the rider from
slipping sideways. Through the centre of the pedal from side to side we form a
round hole cupped or recessed at each side, into this hole we force a piece of tube
slightly turned at the ends, over each end of the tube is slipped a suitable cup
which fits in the recessed ends of the hole through the pedal, and receives the
One at least of these
usual balls to form the bearing in which the pedal pin runs.
cups must be placed on the tube after the latter is fixed in the hole through
the pedal.
The cups are fixed on the ends of the tube, by the edges of the latter being
turned over, by a suitable tool, or in any proper manner well known to
the trade.
After the tube with its cups, and the balls have been placed in position, the
usual pedal pin with its cones is threaded through and completed in the usual
manner.
Instead of making the pedal perfectly solid we also make it of the same outward
appearance but with the outside rubber or other air tight material thin, the inside
being hollow, and distended or inflated with air on the well known principle of the
pneumatic tyre.
Or the pedal may be hollow without its walls being so thin as to render inflation
necessary. If toe clips are required we make a suitable groove at the front of the
pedal, with a hole at each side near the front so that a toe "clip" made wholly or
in part of elastic wire may be "sprung" into position.
Pedals made by our invention can be made very much cheaper and lighter, than
by the ordinary methods, the simplicity is very much greater, and the number of
parts as compared with ordinary pedals being very much lessened.
Dated 12th October 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Construction and Application of
Pedals for Cycles.
66
We, GEORGE PILKINGTON, and BENJAMIN DONE, of the firm and trading
as Allard and Co. Ld." Cycle Manufacturers, Earlsdon Coventry, do hereby
declare the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Our invention consists of the improvements herein after described in the con-
struction and application of pedals for cycles.
We will describe our invention thus ;
We make the pedal of one piece, either solid or hollow of suitable material by
preference "caoutchouc" or india rubber or other plastic substance, or any material
combining strength and lightness. The shape of the pedal thus formed is very
similar to that of an ordinary pedal with rubbers except that the space ordinarily
occurring between the rubbers is completely filled up in a pedal according to our
invention.
We make both top and bottom of the pedal of a suitable shape or configuration
in cross-section, and to suit the sole of the shoe of the rider, and we make the
surfaces of the top and bottom, either smooth, corrugated, or otherwise roughened
as may be desired. At each side of the pedal, both on the top and the bottom we
form a projection standing vertically (upwards) so as to prevent the foot of the
rider from slipping sideways.
Through the centre of the pedal from side to side we form a round hole cupped
or recessed at each side, into this hole we force a piece of tube slightly turned at
the ends. Over each end of the tube is slipped a suitable cup which fits in the
recessed ends of the hole through the pedal, and receives the usual balls to form
the bearing in which the pedal pin runs. One at least of these cups must be placed
on the tube after the latter is fixed in the hole through the pedal.
The cups are fixed on the ends of the tube, by the edges of the latter
being turned over, by a suitable tool, or in any proper manner well known to
the trade.
After the tube with its cups, and the balls have been placed in position, the
usual pedal pin with its cones is threaded through, and completed in the usual
manner.
Instead of making the pedal perfectly solid, we also make it of the same outward
appearance but with the outside rubber or other air tight material thin, the inside
being hollow, and distended or inflated with air, on the well known principle of the
pneumatic tyre.
Or the pedal may be hollow without its walls being so thin as to render inflation
necessary.
If toe clips are required we make a suitable groove at the front of the pedal
with a hole at each side near the front, so that a toe-clip made wholly or in part of
elastic wire may be sprung into position.
Pedals made by our invention are mnch cheaper and lighter than by the ordinary
methods, the simplicity is very much greater and the number of parts as compared
with ordinary pedals being very much lessened.
And in order that this our said invention may be more thoroughly understood,
we shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
we shall refer to the several figures on the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts, throughout all the
figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of a pedal, one piece, solid, with hole through its centre, for

page_text: tube as bearing for pedal-pin, and projections to prevent side slip of the foot, and
toc-clip sprung thereto, constructed according to our invention.
Fig. 2, is an end view as Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view as Fig. 1, one piece, solid shewing hole through its
centre, and tube as bearing, with pedal-pin, and the ball bearings as usually
employed, but without toe-clip constructed according to our invention.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section as Fig. 3, shewing projections to prevent
side slip.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a pedal, one piece, but hollow, or chambered,
shewing hole through its centre for tube, to receive the pedal pin, and bearings,
constructed according to our invention.
Fig. 6 is a transverse section as Fig. 5, shewing projections to prevent
side-slip.
Fig. 7 is a sectional view of tube and cap detached.
a, is the pedal, shaped as b, to accommodate itself to the foot when in applica-
tion. c, c, are projections upon both surfaces to prevent the foot of the rider from
slipping sideways. d, is the hole or aperture through the pedal a, from side to
side cupped or recessed as e e. f is the tube fitted into d, and 9, 9, are the
cups securely connected to f, and fitting into the recesses e, e, as illustrated by
Figs. 3, 6.
In Fig. 3 we shew our mode of arranging the pedal pin and its component parts,
(as usually constructed) to our pedal, is the pedal pin, in connection with h¹
forming the bearing surfaces for retaining the balls h³, set up and compensated for
wear, laterally by which is screwed and works on the end of h, and locked by
the nut. In Figs. 1, and 2, we shew our solid pedal a, with a toe-clip ↳, made
from elastic wire and fitting into a groove m, the ends of l, so formed as n, that they
admit of being sprung and engaging in holes, at each side and near the front, or we
may employ the holes at each side of a, and near the front dispensing with the
groove m, as shewn in Figs. 3 and 4, in either case admitting of the connecting or
the disconnecting of I, according to the preference of the rider.
In Figs. 5 and 6, we shew our pedal a, in one piece, but hollow or chambered
as a' the outward appearance substantially being the same as Fig. 1, in this case it
may be used as formed, or distended, or inflated by air pressure.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings and on each of the figures we shew our
one piece pedal, as having its surfaces plain, but we may in some cases prefer to
have the surfaces roughened for imparting a firmer grip to the foot, when in appli-
cation such as corrugating, chequering, studding and various other ways, effected in
the process of manufacture, and by which an ornamental effect is obtained.
By preference we should construct these pedals according to our invention of
"caoutchouc" or india rubber, but we may employ any suitable material that is
light and plastic, and will admit of moulding or shaping to this purpose. It is
obvious that a pedal constructed according to our invention, on account of its
simplicity, and lightness, durability, and cost, is of the greatest advantage, and
meets all the requirements.
The above being our said invention we wish to observe in conclusion that we do
not limit ourselves to the precise detail, construction or arrangement of parts
as shewn on the accompanying sheet of drawings, but that we hold ourselves at
liberty to alter or modify the same without departing essentially from our said
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:
1st. Constructing a pedal for a cycle, in one piece, and solid, provided with a hole
to receive a tube, to bear a pedal-pin, and parts in connection therewith, from
india-rubber or other plastic or formable material, substantially as herein before
set forth and described

page_text: 2nd. Constructing a pedal for a cycle, in one piece, and hollow or chambered,
provided with a hole to receive a tube, to bear a pedal-pin, and parts in connection
therewith, from india-rubber or other plastic or formable material, substantially as
herein before set forth and described.
3rd. Constructing a pedal for a cycle in one piece, solid or hollow with a groove,
and two holes, or two holes without the groove, to receive a toe-clip of elastic wire;
when required, from india rubber or other plastic or formable material, substantially
as herein before set forth and described.
4th. The general construction combination and arrangement of parts, substan-
tially as herein before described in the foregoing Specification, and shewn on the
accompanying sheet of drawings.
AT
1001
THOS. KENDRICK,
Agent.