Improvements in Velocipedes and in Driving Mechanism therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 24th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes and in Driving Mechanism therefor.
I, JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS, of No. 102, Orange Street, in the City of Waltham,
in the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Mechanic, 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 improvements in bicycles and driving mechanism
therefor.
This invention relates to improvements in that class of bicycles in which
pivoted levers connected with clutch mechanism on the driven wheel, are used
as driving devices.
The object of the invention is to improve the bicycle frame, with reference to
the mounting and supporting of the levers.
Another object of the invention is to more thoroughly support the levers at
the lower portion of the stroke and to overcome the downward impulse thereof
at this point.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means for more rapidly return-
ing the clutch and rewinding the lever connection thereon.
Another object of the invention is to improve the construction of the clutch
and the mechanism co-acting therewith.
The invention consists in the frame, the levers pivotally mounted thereon, and
the cushion stops for the levers.
The invention consists in the construction of the cushion lever-stops.
The invention consists in the tubular members of the rear fork, and the retract-
ing device contained therein.
The invention consists in the rear fork having tubular members, clutch devices
rotably mounted between the ends of said members, and tension devices con-
tained within said fork members and connected with the clutch mechanisms and
adapted to exert a reverse action thereon.
The invention consists in the construction of the clutch mechanisms and in
the manner which they are mounted.
The invention consists in the frame, the driven wheel and clutch mechanisms
rotatable therein, the levers pivoted on the frame, the connections between the
levers and the clutch members, and the means for reversing the action of the
clutch mechanisms to retract the lever connections.
The invention consists in such other novel features of construction and com-
bination of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and pointed out in
the claims.
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the improved bicycle, indicating the
operation of the levers.
Figure 2, represents an enlarged view of the lower portion of the frame, partly
broken away, showing one of the retracting device contained within the tubular
Sal.

page_text: Figure 3, represents an enlarged rear elevation of portions of the frame showing
the cushion lever-stops.
Figure 4, represents a side elevation of the same portions, partly in vertical
section.
Figure 5, being a perspective view of the lever-stop guide.
Figure 6, represents a plan view of the rear wheel hub and at its clutch
mechanism, partially in section, and in relation to the rear fork arms.
Figure 7, represents an end view of one of the clutch adjusting disks and
bearings.
Figure 8, represents an end view, partially in section of one of the clutch
members.
Similar numbers of reference designate corresponding parts throughout.
In the drawings, the frame comprises the head 5 connected by the members 6
and 7 respectively with the upper and lower portions of the member 8 rearwardly
from which extend members 9 and 10 connected by the fitting 11 and forming
one side of the rear fork. These various members are of the usual tubular con-
struction, but in addition the member 8 is furnished with the depending
casing 12; and the member 10 is open at its ends, being provided at its forward
end with the screw cap 13.
In the fitting forming the juncture between the members 6, 8 and 9 is
mounted a cross shaft 14 on which a pair of idle pulleys as 15 are journaled, and
in the member 8 is secured at each side, a rotatable buffer as 16. Within the
casing 12 is screwed the cap 17 perforated at its center and having the inwardly
extending sleeve 18; the bolt 19 and its sleeve 20 are reciprocal in the perfora-
tion of this cap 17 and has at its upper end the washer 21 and the nut 22
between which washer and the cap 17 is located the coiled spring 23, at the
lower end of the sleeve 20 is secured the guide plate 24 having a U shaped
portion which partially embraces the member 8, and the lower end of the bolt 19
is formed in the shape of a cross sleeve in which is mounted the shaft 25 carrying
the buffer rolls 26-26.
Within the lower member 10 is secured the forward end of the coiled spring 27,
the rear end of which is fastened to the tube 28 contained within the convolu-
tions of the spring, and against the forward end of this tube bears the nut 29
having the tubular extension 30 having the enlarged rear end into which the
take up screw 31 engages, whereby the turning of the nut 29 causes the taking
up or letting out of the screw 31 to adjust the tension of the spring 27 on the
flexible band 32, forming a connection with the clutch mechanism as will herein-
after be described.
On the side members as 10 are fittings as 33 in which are pivotally mounted,
preferably by means of anti friction bearings, the operating levers as 34 which,
in the retracted position, extend upward to the buffers as 16 and then curve
slightly forward, on the forward ends of these levers are mounted any suitable
construction of pedals designed to engage the foot of the rider, and to these
forward ends of the levers are secured connections, herein shown as chains 35,
which work over the idle pulleys as 15 and are connected with the clutch.
mechanisms.
The fittings 11-11 are in the nature of side plates having angularly disposed
sockets for the members 9 and 10 located wholly within the general vertical
outer surface plane of the plates that is towards the vertical center of the frame
from that plane, whereby the lateral dimensions of the frame at this point are
reduced, the rear line of the socket for the member 9 coincides with the rear line
of the plate, thus bringing the members as 9 in line with the slots as 11, in which
the shaft for the rear wheel may be secured in the usual manner, forming a
strong structure as all the pressure brought on this member 9 is supported
directly by said shaft.
The rear wheel shaft 36 is secured in the slotted portions of the fittings 11 by

page_text: means of the cones as 37 screwed on the shaft between said fittings and the
nuts 38 38 screwing on the ends of said shaft, also mounted on this shaft at
each end portion are the double cones as 39 and 40, the cone 39 having the
pins 41 and 41, while the cone 40 has the sleeve 42 extending through the
larger bore of the cone 39 to meet the sleeve of the cone 37 and having
the slot 43 engaged with said pin 41'.
Bearing on the inner ways of the cones as 40 are series of balls as 44 on which
the internal ways of the clutch members 45 rotate, these clutch members have
the screw sleeves as 46 on which the wheel hub 47 is screwed the outer ends
of the clutch members are enlarged in diameter and, in the peripheries of these
portions are formed clutch step pockets 48, more clearly shown in Figure S,
which are concave on cross section.
Embracing the contracted portions of the clutch members, are the chain
pulleys 49 19 to which the rear end of the connections or chains as 35 are
secured, these pulleys have the collars carrying, in perforations the spring
pressed pins 51, and having the inner ball ways 52 which bear on the balls 53
in the clutch pockets.
The adjusting and journaling member 55 has the annular ball way 54 which
screws into the collar 50 of the chain pulley 49 and has a surface bearing against
the balls 53, at the centre of this member 55 is the sleeve 56 fornuing a long
bearing which works on the small balls disposed between the cones 37 and 39
and those between the cones 39 and 40. The outer ends of the sleeves 56 form
band pulleys having the flanges 57 and provided with pins 58 on which the ends
of the bands or strips 32 are secured, and the peripheries of the members 55 are
furnished with notches 59 in which the pins 51 may engage.
When the chains are alternately drawn from the chain pulleys 49, by the
depression of the free ends of the levers 34, the balls 53 are carried along by
frictional contact with the ball ways 52 and 54 until the outward inclination of
the clutch pockets prevents their further independent movement and they, the
balls form locking devices between the chain pulleys and the clutch members with
the rear wheel, thus causing the forward rotation of the wheel, and winding up
the bands 32 on the sleeve 56 against the stress of the springs 27. At the
release of the levers, the retractive action of the springs 27 tends to reversely
rotate the member 55, with the chain pulleys, causing the rewinding of the
chains on their respective pulleys.
The downward movement of the levers continues until they, alternately, strike
the buffer rolls 26 and carry the same downward against the resistance of the
spring 233, until the momentum is overcome, when this spring assists in the
recovery at the beginning of the up stroke of the levers. The spring buffer also
serves to limit the downward movement of the lever when the chain breaks, or
is thrown from the pulleys 14, thus holding the free cad of the lever from
striking the ground. The guide 24 prevents the turning of the bolt 19 to a
position where the buffers 26 would not intercept the levers.
Increased strength and action is obtained in the retracting device by locating
the same in the frame members as 10, and a longer stroke and more prompt
response may be obtained thereby.
By the tightening or loosening of the cone 37 the double cones 39 and 40 are
adjusted simultaneously to bring more or less friction on the small balls as well
as on the large balls between the inner end of the cone 40 and the inner ballway
of the clutch member.
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:
-
Claim 1. A lever bicycle having a frame, levers pivotally mounted on the
frame, and spring buffers mounted on the frame and adapted to limit the down-
ward movement of the levers.

page_text: 2. A lever bicycle having a frame provided with a rearwardly extending wheel
fork, levers pivotally mounted on said fork, and stops mounted on the frame at
a point forward of the lever pivots and adapted to intercept the levers.
3. A lever bicycle having a frame member as 8, a casing on said members, a
spring supported slide in said casing, and laterally extending buffers mounted
at the lower end of said slide.
4. A lever bicycle having the frame member 8 furnished with the casing 12,
the cap 17 secured in the lower end of said casing, the spring 23 mounted on
the cap, the bolt 19, reciprocal through the perforation in the cap and provided
with the washer 21 bearing on the spring, and having a cross sleeve at its lower
end, and a shaft supported in said sleeve and carrying buffers.
5. In a lever clutch-operated bicycle, a spring tension device, adapted to exert
a reverse action on the clutch, mounted in the frame independent of the clutch
and connected therewith.
6. In a lever clutch-operated bicycle, a tubular frame member, and a spring
tension device contained therein and connected with the clutch.
7. In a bicycle having a rearwardly extending fork formed of tubular members,
a friction clutch rotatably mounted between the fork members, a lever pivotally
mounted on one of said members, a connection between the lever and the clutch,
and a tension device contained within one of said tubular members and con-
nected with the clutch.
8. The combination with the frame member 10, of the spring tension device
contained therein and comprising the spring 27 secured to said frame member,
the tube 28 secured to the opposite end of the spring the nut 29 bearing on the
forward end of the tubular portion 30, the screw 31 screwed into said tube and a
clutch connection extending from the screw 31.
9. A clutch for a lever driven bieyele, comprising a clutch member secured
to the wheel hub and having ball pockets in its periphery balls in the pockets,
a chain pulley having a collar embracing the clutch member and having a ball
way bearing on the balls, a face plate secured in said collar and having a ball
way, complemental to that of the collar, and a laterally extending sleeve, and
bearings on which said sleeve may rotate.
10. In a clutch for a lever driven bicycle, the combination with the shaft 36
the cone 37 screwed thereon and having a sleeve, the double cone 40 sliding on
the shaft and having a sleeve, the double cone 39 mounted on the sleeves of the
cones 37 and 40, means for preventing the independent rotation of either cone,
and balls between the cones, of the plate 55 having the laterally extending
sleeve 56 bearing on said balls, and a clutch with which said plate is adapted to
co-act.
11. The combination with the shaft 36, the cone 37 screwed thereon, the
double cone 40 free to slide thereon, the double cone 39 mounted on the sleeves
of the cones 37 and 40, balls between the cones, the plate 55 having the sleeve
mounted on said balls and having the end flange 57, said plate 56 also having
the notched periphery and the annular ball way 54, and the chain pulley 49
having the collar 50, adjustably secured to the plate 55, having the ball way 52
and means for engaging the notched periphery of the plate 55, of the wheel hub,
the clutch member secured thereto and embracing a portion of the sleeve 55 and
having at this portion a pocketed periphery, balls in the pockets bearing on the
ways 52 and 54, and balls between the inner face of the cone 40 and the
inner surface of the clutch member, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
12. The combination with the frame having the upper member 6, the inclined
member 8 and the fork members 9 and 10, the shaft 14 secured in said frame
adjacent to the upper end of the member 9, the idle pulley 15 on said shaft, the
stop 16 secured to the member 8, and a stop or buffer at the lower portion of
the frame, of a clutch mounted in the rear fork, a lever pivotally mounted on the
member 10 and adapted to swing between the stops, and a flexible connection,

page_text: between the lever and the clutch, which works over
described.
Dated this Thirteenth day of March 1899.
the pulley 15, as
JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
JOHN CHARLES ROBBINS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.