Appliances for Utilising the Vibration of Cycles in Motion as an Auxiliary Propelling Power.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1897-Accepted, 5th Feb., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Appliances for Utilising the Vibration of Cycles in Motion as an
Auxiliary Propelling Power.
We, AUGUSTIN FIDDES and FRANCIS AUGUSTIN FIDDES, both of Water Lane, Bristol
Mechanical Engineers, and ALBERT WILLIAM DEACON, of Rosemary Street, Bristol,
Timber Merchant, 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:-
Our invention relates to. appliances for dealing with the vibration known to all
riders of cycles and utilising the same as an auxiliary power, whereby persons will be
able to travel long distances with less fatigue and labour than is experienced with
ordinary cycles; and where speed is a consideration, allowing a higher gear to be
used with the same power at present required for a lower one.
Our invention consists in fitting a toothed or ratchet wheel on the axle of the
bottom bracket, and connecting a rod from the saddle to the wheel actuating it either
by conveying the vibration of the saddle frame direct by the rod to the ratchet on the
bracket axle, or by connecting the rod to one of a series of wheels in conjunction
with a powerful clock spring, forming a means whereby the force of the vibration is
stored and distributed as required.
Our invention and the means adopted for carrying the same into effect, will be
fully described in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a view of part of the near side of a bicycle, fitted with a complete set of.
appliances for utilising, storing, and distributing the power; Fig. 2 is a view of a
smaller part of a cycle, on an enlarged scale, showing a simple form of applying the
power direct to the ratchet; Fig. 3 is a view of part of the off side of a cycle,
showing the toothed wheels and other appliances in their position, and Fig. 4 is an
end view of the same.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
As the essential feature of the invention is most clearly shown in Fig. 2, this will
be described first; on the bracket axle W a ratchet wheel A is keyed, at the back of
this a circular disc B with a projecting arm is placed to rotate on the axle, attached
to the arm is an elongated pawl C engaging in the ratchet wheel A; a rod D pivotted
to the end of the pawl is connected to the frame of the saddle, thus every vibration
or movement of the saddle causes the rod D) to rise and fall according to the extent.
of the vibration and to operate the ratchet accordingly; to assist the rise of the
arm B, and to keep the pawl C away from the ratchet wheel when not in actual use,
a spring E is attached to the arm B and the down tube U, which prevents the lever D
from pushing down the pawl too suddenly and controls the position of the arm in
such a manner that the pawl is held in the best position for actuating the ratchet
wheel; a projecting lug on the disc B comes against a stop F to prevent the spring
raising the arm to such an extent that the pawl will be out of reach of the ratchet,
but will always be held in readiness for use when the rider mounts the saddle and
presses down the rod D..
In Figs. 1, 3, and 4, G is an elongated frame, fastened to the down tube U by a
bracket . H is a toothed wheel keved to the axle W of the bottom bracket; I is a

page_text: toothed wheel engaging in the wheel H; J is a pinion keyed against the wheel I,
both being fixed on the spindle R; K is another toothed wheel engaging in the
pinion J, and attached to the spindle S; L is a toothed wheel fitting loosely on
the same spindle; M is a rod pivotted to the frame of the saddle having a number
of teeth formed on the lower end; this rod is passed between the flanges of a
grooved wheel N on a spindle T to keep it in position against the wheel L; one
or more pawls on the side of the wheel actuate a ratchet wheel O which is keyed to
the spindle S; a powerful clock spring is coiled round this spindle and enclosed in
a drum P, and as the ratchet wheel is actuated, this spring is wound up, and thus
a reserve force is obtained, to be distributed by means of the wheels K, J, I and H
and the spindle of the bottom bracket, and thence by the driving chain to the cycle
wheels.
Instead of the rod operating the wheels by means of a rack on the loose wheel L,
this wheel may be made without teeth and have an arm projecting (like the arm
on B, Fig. 2,) and this arm actuated by a rod m direct from the saddle frame; or to
more fully utilise the vibration, a bell-crank lever may be attached to the arm land
a bracket on the down tube U, a rod m' from the saddle operating the arm by means
of the crank lever.
To still further utilise the vibratory motion, a rod may be attached to the brake
lever, and conveyed to the actuating parts, by 'this means, considerable power will
be stored in the spring when the brake is in action, available for assisting to propel
the machine when the action of the brake is removed.
The necessary clicks or stops are provided, although not shown in the drawings,
to retain the ratchets in the position to which the pawls have advanced them.
The various appliances as described and shown being provided and fitted to a
cycle, their operation is as follows:-immediately the rider mounts the saddle, his
weight causes the rod M or D to descend and thus to partly force round one of the
ratchet wheels, which either propels the machine or accumulates a certain amount of
power in the spring, and as the machine travels, every vibration is communicated
by means of the rod and ratchets either direct to the bottom bracket, or to the
spring and indirectly to the bracket and thence by the chain to the driving
wheel of the machine.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The construction of cycles with a toothed or ratchet wheel on the axle of the
bottom bracket and connecting the same by a rod to the frame of the saddle or other
part of the machine, whereby the vibration generated by pedalling or the travel of
the cycle is cominunicated to the bottom bracket to increase the speed or lessen the
energy required for propelling the machine, substantially as herein described and
set forth.
2. In the construction of cycles with appliances for utilising the vibration as
herein described, the arrangement of rack, ratchets, and clockwork for the
accumulation and distribution of the power acquired, substantially as and for the
purposes herein set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 27th day of February 1897.
Dated this 27th day of February 1897.
J. G. WESTLAKE,
Applicants' Agent, 2, John Street, Bristol.