IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Warwick Peirce, of Cochrane Street, St. John's
Wood, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
$5
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Warwick Peirce at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th January 1880.
JAMES WARWICK PEIRCE, of Cochrane Street, St. John's Wood.
IN VELOCIPEDES."
"
IMPROVEMENTS
This Invention relates to the construction of bicycles or tricycles in such manner
as to enable the rider to communicate a greater speed than that of one revolution
of the driving wheel to each revolution of the central crank spindle as
usual.
now
For this purpose I fit a combined hub and bevil toothed wheel in one piece
(which I will term A) so as to revolve freely on the crank spindle, the bevil toothed
wheel being on the inner side of the hub.
At and over the other and opposite end of the crank spindle I fit a long collar
or sleeve so as to revolve freely thereon. On the said loose collar or sleeve I place
the hub (which I will term B) so as to revolve freely on the said loose collar or
sleeve. On the inner side of and close to the hub B and on the loose collar or
sleeve I fix by keying or otherwise a bevil toothed wheel similar to and facing that
of the opposite hub A, but not in one piece with the said hub B. The loose collar
or sleeve is provided at its outer end with feathers which are let in and project from
its exterior circumference. A clutch is made to slide over such feathers and take
into corresponding projections and recesses in the hub B, thus fixing the same to
the long collar or sleeve, and when the clutch is withdrawn from contact with the
said hub B it takes into and becomes locked to the corresponding projection and
recesses which are fixed to the inside end of the bicycle fork, and fixes the wheel
on the loose collar or sleeve firmly to the bicycle fork. The clutch is operated by
means of a small lever fixed to the cross handle in front of the rider and held in its
required position by a spring, or it may be operated in any other suitable manner.
At a point equidistant between the faces of the two bevil toothed wheels the crank
spindle is made with a part projecting radially therefrom, on which projecting part
is fixed a bevil toothed wheel similar, or somewhat similar, to each of those before
mentioned, thus making an assemblage of three bevil toothed wheels of similar
pitch.
Therefore, when it is desired to operate the bicycle in the usual manner, that is

page_text: to say, one revolution of the driving wheel for each revolution of the crank spindle,
then the clutch is slid and locked into the hub B, when the crank spindle being
driven in the usual manner causes the bevil toothed wheel on its projecting part to
carry round with it the bevil toothed wheel fixed to the loose collar or sleeve, and
with it the hub B, and also the driving wheel A.
When it is desired to operate the bicycle at a greater speed than that of one
revolution of the driving wheel to each revolution of the crank spindle the clutch is
withdrawn from contact with the hub B and comes in contact with the corre-
sponding projections and recesses on the bicycle fork, and so makes the wheel
and the loose, sleeve becomes fixed to the bicycle fork, and then it becomes a
fulcrum on which the centre or driving wheel is compelled to revolve, so that in
order to revolve with the axle the centre wheel is compelled to turn once on its own
axis in going round the fixed or fulcrum wheel as well as turning once with the
crank spindle, and therefore turns the wheel A, or bicycle wheel proper, twice to
every revolution of the crank spindle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Warwick Peirce in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th July 1880.
JAMES WARWICK PEIRCE, of Cochrane Street, Saint John's Wood, in the County
of Middlesex, Cab Driver. "IMPROVEMENTS IN VELOCIPEDES."
This Invention relates to the construction of bicycles or tricycles in such manner
as to enable the rider to communicate a greater speed than that of one revolution
of the driving wheel to each revolution of the central crank spindle as is now
usual. For this purpose I fit a combined hub and bevil toothed wheel in one piece
(which I will term A) so as to revolve freely on the crank spindle, the bevil toothed
wheel being on the inner side of the hub.
At and over the other and opposite end of the crank spindle I fit a long collar
or sleeve so as to revolve freely thereon. On the said loose collar or sleeve I place
the hub (which I will term B) so as to revolve freely on the said loose collar or
sleeve. On the inner side of and close to the hub B and on the loose collar or
sleeve I fix, by keying or otherwise, a bevil toothed wheel similar to and facing
that of the opposite hub A, but not in one piece with the said hub B. The loose
collar or sleeve is provided at its outer end with feathers which are let in and
project from its exterior circumference. A clutch is made to slide over such
feathers and take into corresponding projections and recesses in the hub B, thus
fixing the same to the long collar or sleeve, and when the clutch is withdrawn
from the contact with the said bub B it takes into and becomes locked to the
corresponding projection and recesses which are fixed to the inside end of the
bicycle fork, and fixes the wheel on the loose collar or sleeve firmly to the bicycle
fork. The clutch is operated by means of a small lever fixed to the cross handle in

page_text: front of the rider, and held in its required position by a spring, or it may be
operated in any other suitable manner. At a point equidistant between the faces
of the two bevil toothed wheels the crank spindle is made with a part projecting
radially therefrom, on which projecting part is fixed a bevil toothed wheel similar,
or somewhat similar, to each of those before mentioned, thus making an assemblage
of three bevil toothed wheels of similar pitch. Therefore when it is desired to
operate the bicycle in the usual manner, that is to say, one revolution of the driving
wheel for each revolution of the crank spindle, then the clutch is slid and locked
into the hub B, when the crank spindle being driven in the usual manner causes
the bevil toothed wheel on its projecting part to carry round with it the bevil
toothed wheel fixed to the loose collar or sleeve, and with it the hub B, and also the
driving wheel A.
When it is desired to operate the bicycle at a greater speed than that of one
revolution of the driving wheel to each revolution of the crank spindle the clutch
is withdrawn from contact with the hub B and comes in contact with the corre-
sponding projections and recesses on the bicycle fork, and so makes the wheel
and the loose sleeve become fixed to the bicycle fork, and then it becomes a fulcrum
on which the centre wheel is compelled to revolve, so that in order to revolve with
the axle the centre wheel is compelled to turn once on its own axis in going round
the fixed or fulcrum wheel as well as turning once with the crank spindle, and
therefore turns the wheel A, or bicycle wheel proper, twice to every revolution
of the crank spindle.
Having now described the nature and object of my Invention, and in order that
it may be fully understood, I will now describe the same by reference to the
accompanying Drawings, which represent only so much of a bicycle as comprises
my improvements, similar letters and figures of reference indicating the same
parts throughout all the Figures. Fig. 1 is a view in section of bicycle wheel as
constructed according to my Invention; Fig. 2 is a detached view of the crank
axle C, stem C₁, and bevil wheel C'; Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of the
loose collar or sleeve B¹, bevil wheel B³, and clutch D; Fig. 4 is a view of the
lower end of the forked lever F.
The opposite
To the inner side of the hub A I fix solidly the bevil wheel A³.
hub B has a central hole drilled through it sufficiently large to allow the loose collar
or sleeve B' to pass through it, and on that end of the sleeve which projects inside
the hub B I fix a bevil wheel B2 exactly similar to the one attached to the hub A.
The said loose collar or sleeve and bevil wheel B' runs perfectly loose on the axle
and through the hub B.
On the centre of the crank axle C I forge solid the stem C¹, which projects
radially, and on the said stem I place the bevil wheel C, thus forming an assem-
blage of three bevil wheels, as shewn on Figure I. On the outer end of the loose
collar or sleeve, and between the outside of the hub B and the inner side of the
fork end E, I place the clutch D, which works on feathers "d, d," which are keyed
into and project from the outside of the loose collar or sleeve, so that it may be
slid along the collar or sleeve from left to right, or vice verad; but the said clutch
compels the collar or sleeve with its bevil wheel to rotate when it rotates, and
prevents them from rotating when it is itself fixed by being engaged in
the fork.
On the outer diameter or surface of the clutch D I make projections or teeth, and
on the outside of the hub B and on the inner side of the fork end EI make
corresponding projections or teeth and recesses. It will be obvious that when the
clutch D is pushed in and against the hub B it locks the sleeve B' and bevil
wheel B to the said hub B, and when the said clutch D is withdrawn from contact
with the hub B it takes into the recesses and projections on the inner side of the
fork end E, and locks the sleeve B' and bevil wheel B2 to the said fork end E.
In a groove on the outer diameter or surface of the clutch D the ends of a forked
lever Fare placed and work therein, which lever is at its other end connected to

page_text: the handle bar by a rod actuated by a lever placed on the said handle bar, or by
any other suitable means.
It will be understood from this arrangement that when the person driving wishes
to go in the ordinary manner he moves the forked lever so as to push the clutch D
into and against the recesses on the hub B, and locks the loose collar or sleeve B1
and bevil wheel B to the hub B, and so causes the whole of the apparatus to
become locked to the bicycle wheel, and to rotate with it with no more friction
than in an ordinary bicycle. And when the driver wishes to change to the double
or multiplied motion he moves the forked lever so as to withdraw the clutch D
from the hub B, and to push it into contact with the recesses on the fork end E,
so that the clutch D, loose sleeve B¹, and bevil wheel B³ become firmly locked to
the fork end E, and are held stationery by it while the axle continues to revolve,
carrying round with it the wheel C³, which is thereby compelled to rotate on its
own axis C¹ at the same time that it is turning round with the crank axle, and
thus it causes a double or multiplied motion to be given to the wheel A³, hub A,
and the entire bicycle wheel.
I wish it also to be understood that by doing away with the clutch D and forked
lever Farrangement, and by fixing the loose collar or sleeve B¹ and bevil wheel B*
immoveably to the bicycle fork-end E, I get the double motion only if that alone
is required (suitable, as for instance, for racing purposes).
Although I have described my improvements as applied to the driving wheel of
a bicycle, it will be readily understood that they may be easily applied to the
driving wheel or driving wheels of tricycles or other velocipedes.
And now having described the nature and object of my Invention, and the
method of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
I claim as the Invention to be secured to me by the herein before in part recited
Letters Patent,―
The improvements herein before described and shewn in the Drawings hereunto
annexed, or any mere modification thereof, whereby I am enabled to cause the
driving wheel or wheels of velocipedes to rotate more rapidly than the driving
axle, either without or in combination with the apparatus herein described for
throwing the same in and out of gear.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Warwick Peirce, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
above named James Warwick
Peirce, in the presence of
JNO. LEA RIVOLTA,
Solr.,
22, Southampton Street,
J. W. DREW, of same Place,
JAMES WARWICK PEIRCE. (L.S.)
Bloomsbury.
Clerk to Messrs. Cronin & Rivolta.