Improvements in Cycle Chain Adjustments.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 29th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycle Chain Adjustments.
We, CHARLES THOMAS BROCK SANGSTER, Works Manager for The Cycle
Components Manufacturing Company Limited, of Bournbrook near the City of
Birmingham, and LAURENCE WILLIAM HUBER, of Rednall Villa Bournbrook
aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to cycle chain adjustments for bringing up taut the chains
of cycles, and has for its object, a quick and simple adjustment, and consists in the
employment of a helix located within a slotted end of the chain stay or hack fork,
and through the coincident slots of the helix and slotted fork end, the spindle of
the back wheel laterally passes.
Thus, in carrying out these improvements, the outer end of each of the chain
stays is horizontally straight slotted or gapped to any suitable distance, and fitted
and rotating within the said slotted end is a helically slotted tube, sleeve or liner
with the slots coming upon the two opposite sides and with an outer cap which
forms a closure to the open end of the stay, having upon the outer end means for
effecting its rotation, such as a nut or holes for a forked spanner, or its edges may
be milled for the same purpose.
When the helically slotted liner or sleeve is rotated, the spindle passing through
the coincident parts of the straight stay slots and helical liner slots is traversed
backwards or forwards consequent upon the inside edges of the helical slots acting
as inclined planes and successive parts of the helical slots travelling over the spindle
which is constrained to move in a straight or right line by the stay slots within
which it traverses.
Instead of employing a helically slotted sleeve a skeleton helix or helices may be
used for the same purpose.
It must be observed that the twist of the helix is not so quick as will admit of
the pull of the chain rotating the sleeve.
If necessary, the sleeve which holds the spindle may be locked in its adjusted
position by any suitable device.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1896.
CHARLES THOMAS BROCK SANGSTER,
LAURENCE WILLIAM HUBER,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.
Improvements in Cycle Chain Adjustments.
We, CHARLES THOMAS BROCK SANGSTER, Works Manager for The Cycle
Components Manufacturing Company Limited, of Bournbrook, near the City of
Birmingham, and LAURENCE WILLIAM HUBER of Rednall Villa, Bournbrook
aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to cycle chain adjustments for bringing up taut the chains
of cycles, and has for its object, a quick and simple adjustment, and consists in the
employment of helically slotted liners or sleeves located at the longitudinally
slotted ends of the chain stays or back forks, and through the coincident slots of
which liners and fork ends the spindle of the back wheel laterally passes and is
traversed longitudinally on the said sleeves being rotated.
In carrying out these improvements the outer end of each of the chain stays is
horizontally straight slotted or gapped to any suitable distance, and fitted within
the said slotted end, so as to be capable of being rotated therein, is a tube, sleeve
or liner, helically slotted on its two opposite sides, and having an outer cap which
forms a closure to the open end of the stay, and has formed upon or within it, means
for effecting its rotation, such as a nut, or holes for a forked spanner, or its edges
may be milled for the same purpose.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation of a portion of
the fork end of a safety bicycle, fitted with a chain adjustment constructed according
to our invention.
Figure 2 is a back elevation of the fork ends of the chain and seat stays of a
safety bicycle fitted with our said adjustment, with the wheel hub iu position upon
the axle.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the fork end and chain adjustment upon the
dotted line, Figure 1, but with the hub removed.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same upon the dotted line el, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the axle separately.
Figure 6 represents sections, edge views and elevations of the washers which are
threaded upon the spindle ends and embrace the slotted parts of the chain stays,
thereby contracting or gathering in the same around the helically-slotted axle-
carrying pieces located therein, thereby locking the same in their adjusted
positions.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of one of the helically slotted sleeves or pieces
separately.
Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same.
Figure 9 is an inner end elevation and Figure 10 another elevation of the sleeve,
the latter view exhibiting more clearly the helical character of the slots.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
a are the seat stays of the framing of a safety bicycle and a² the chain stays or
back forks thereof, the outer ends of which are preferably reinforced by an internal
liner a³, and are longitudinally slotted at a', upon their opposite sides for a suitable
distance inwards from their outer ends, whilst located within the said slotted part
of each of the chain stays is a sleeve, tube or equivalent piece b, the sides of which
are pierced with helically formed slots 1, 2, whilst its outer end 53, is closed by a
disc or cap ', sunken with holes, to take a forked tool, or provided with a nut-
head or other means whereby its rotation within the fork end eau be effected.
The hub c, of the back wheel is mounted upon the axle d, the screwed end
parts d', of which pass through coincident parts of the straight slots a' in the fork
ends and the helical sluts b', 62, whilst the said slotted parts of the fork ends are
embraced at one side between the coucaved presented faces e', e, of loose gripping
washers or cheeks e, strung or threaded upon the axle or spindle and at the other
side between the concaved face d of the cone on the said spindle and the
similarly formed face e³, of the loose washer e, threaded thereon, so that on the
uuts g, screwed on the extreme outer ends d', being wrung up tight, the slotted
ends of the chain stays are gripped and gathered in or contracted upon the helically
slotted sleeves fitted within them, thereby effectively preventing their rotation and
the disturbance of the adjustment of the chain.

page_text: When the helically slotted liners or sleeves are rotated both to the same extent,
the spindle passing through the coincident parts of the straight stay slots and
helical liner slots is traversed backwards or forwards, according to the direction of
rotation of the said sleeves consequent upon the inside edges of the helical slots
acting as inclined planes and the successive parts of the said slots travelling over
the spindle which is constrained to move in a straight or right line by the
longitudinal slots within which it traverses.
Instead of employing a helically slotted sleeve a skeleton helix or helices may be
used for the same purpose.
It must be observed that the twist of the helices is not so quick as will admit of
the pull of the chain rotating the sleeve.
The sleeve which holds the spindle may be locked in its adjusted position by any
suitable device other than by the particular arrangement of gripping washer or
cheeks described and illustrated.
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:-
First. In chain adjustments for cycles, the employment within the slottel fork
ends of the chain stays, of helical bearings or helically slotted liners, sleeves or
equivalents constituting bearings, in which and the coincidcut straight slots in the
ends of the back forks or chain stays, the ends of the spindle are carried and are
adjustable longitudinally by the rotation of the said liners or the like.
Secondly. In cycle chain adjustments, the combination with the helically-slotted
liners or equivalent means constituting the bearings for the ends of the spindle, of
the concave faced washers, cheeks or pieces, located at the outsides of the slotted
fork ends, and which, when closed together by the rotation of a nut or equivalent
means, lock or secure the said bearings in their adjusted positions, substantially as
described and set forth.
Dated this 14th day of April 1897.
CHARLES THOMAS BROCK SANGSTER,
LAURENCE WILLIAM HUBER,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.