A New or Improved Driving-mechanism for Cycles and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec, 1897-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1898
A New or Improved Driving-mechanism for Cycles and the like..
:
I, ERNST AUGUST WILHELM ENGELBERT HEBERLE, of Sala, Sweden, 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:-
This invention relates to a new or improved driving-mechanism for cycles and
the like by means of which it is possible to keep the force acting on the pedals
constant by changing the ratio of the transmission at will whilst riding, lowering
the ratio in travelling up bill, & raising it when on a level or when going down
hill.
In the annexed drawings which show the application of the invention to a bicycle,
the same pedal motion is illustrated in both Figures 1 and 2 but different means
for transmitting the power from the pedals to the driving wheel and different
arrangements for raising the pedals are shown in the two figures.
The treadles & which move angularly through the arcs shown in dotted lines and
which are arranged at each side of the frame are movable angularly around the
axle b and are adjustably connected to the fore end d¹ of the connecting rod e
(a chain may be employed as an equivalent) by which the movement of the pedals
is transmitted to the driving wheel. The point of connection d¹ may be adjusted
nearer to or farther from the axle b or the line o-p, drawn through the said axle
and the axle of the driving wheel g; the angle a¹ being thus decreased or increased.
The connection between the treadle a and the connecting rod e (which in the
drawing is shown as being composed of a rod e and a chain, cord or belt f) may be
formed by a link c, the ends of which are movably connected to the treadle and to
the end d¹ of the connecting rod. The end d of the link c may be raised or lowered
by any suitable device as, for instance, by a rod n, which is movably connected to
the said link at d and is made to slide in and may be clamped to a socket, not
shown in the drawings, rotating on the axle b. The link c is thus brought nearer
to or farther away from the axle b of the treadle, the angle x thus being decreased
or increased and the end d¹ of the connecting rod e being brought nearer to or
farther away from the line o-p (Figure 1). By thus changing the position of the
connecting rod e with relation to the said line, the force transmitted from the
treadle to the connecting rod e, and so to the driving wheel, may be increased or
decreased.
Further, the point d¹ is adjustable in a circle about the axle b, it being thus
possible with the same movement of the pedals to obtain a smaller or greater
initial velocity of the connecting rod e or of the driving wheel by moving the
point d¹ forward (towards d) or backwards (towards 1). For instance, if the
point be moved so far back (towards ) that in the highest position of
the pedal, at m, it will fall on the line o-p (the angle x then being = 0),
the initial sliding motion of the connecting rod and motion of the driving wheel will
be equal to zero: and it will become greater the greater the angle r¹ be made.
It is thus possible by means of this mechanism to produce all combinations
desired. Both in the highest and in the lowest position of the pedal it is possible
while maintaining the angular velocity of the pedal constant to cause the velocity of

page_text: the means of transmission to the driving wheel either to increase or to decrease and
the force applied to the driving wheel to be correspondingly increased or decreased
In order to return the depressed pedals to their original position the said pedals
may in the above arrangement be connected to each other in some well known
manner as for instance by means of a cord or chain running over a pulley so as to
cause the descending pedal to raise the other one. A better plan is, however, to
make the two pedals independent of each other and, as shown in Figure 1, to attach
around the axle ba spring i the tension of which is increased when the peda
descends, thus causing the latter to return automatically. In the arrangement shown
in Figure 1 there is fastened to the back portion of the connecting rod e a chain,
belt or cord which is carried over a chain wheel or roller g, attached to the driving
axle, and also over a guide roller h journalled on the frame. The said chain, belt
or cord is finally so secured adjustably to the rear end of the connecting rod e that
the proper tension can be given to the said chain or cord. As the connecting
rod e reciprocates, the chain wheel or roller is rotated alternately in one direction
and the other, but it is so connected to the driving axle by means of a ratchet or
friction arrangement (as will be well understood) that the said axle is set in motion
only when the pedal is being depressed. The rear end of the connecting rod (at
the driving wheel) is suitably made U-shaped in cross section and supported on the
driving axle in suitable manner by means of its flanges.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 2 the pedal motion is the same as that
described above, but the chain f on leaving the driving roller g is carried over and
attached to a spring box with spring , so that the chain always is in tension and
tends to raise the pedal. With this arrangement the connecting rod e may be
dispensed with, the chain f being allowed to act directly on the link c at the
point d¹.
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. The new or improved driving mechanism for cycles and the like substantially
as set forth.
2. An improved driving mechanism for cycles and the like in which the motion
of the pedals is transmitted to the driving wheel by means of reciprocating
connecting rods, chains or the like (e) the forward end of each connecting rod or
chain or the like being jointed to the treadle (a) in such a manner that the
angle (1) between the connecting rod or chain or the like and a line (o-p) passing
through the axle (b) of, the treadles and of the driving wheel (g) may be varied, and
the fore end of the connecting rod or chain or the like thus caused to approach to
or recede from the axle (b) of the treadles for the purpose of varying the motion of
the machine at will by giving a greater or less movement to the pedals and by
varying the angle (¹) before mentioned to obtain a greater or smaller ratio of
transmission.
3. In combination with the connecting rod (e), an arrangement for changing the
reciprocating motion of the said rod into a rotating one of the driving-axle, consist-
ing in a chain or cord (f) attached to the rear portion of the rod and passing
backward over a wheel (g), arranged on the driving-axle so as to become coupled
to it when the rod is moving in one direction and run loose on it when the motion
of the rod is in the opposite direction, said chain or cord further running over a
roller (h) fixed to the frame and finally being adjustably attached to the rear portion
of the rod.
4. In combination with a mechanism as specified an arrangement for raising the
pedals or returning the connecting-rods, consisting of a spring (l) secured on the
one hand to the treadle (a) or its hub and on the other hand to the axle (b) of
the treadle, said spring being adapted to be brought into tension when the pedal
is being depressed, so as to cause the pedal to rise again, when the pressure on the
pedal ceases and to bring the connecting-rod into its returned position.

page_text: 5. A modification of the mechanism specified in the third claim, consisting in
substituting for the roller (h) a spring box (¹) to which the chain or cord is secured
the other end of said chain or cord being connected with the treadle, in which case
the connecting-rod may be omitted.
6. In a mechanism as specified in the second claim, making the point of connec-
tion (d) of the connecting-rod (e) on the link (c) adjustable relatively to the point
of attachment of the said link on the treadle.
1007
J. G. LORRAIN,
Chartered Patent Agent.