Improvements in Chain Driven Cycles, Motor Cars, and like Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 4th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Chain Driven Cycles, Motor Cars, and like Vehicles.
I, HERBERT BEESTON, of 44, Merridale Road, Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements relating to chain driven cycles, motor
cars, and like vehicles, whereby I am enabled to provide simple and convenient
means for effecting a parallel adjustment of the driving chain, and to so carry
the crank spindle with its ball bearings and locking devices in a detachable shell
or casing as to permit of ready attachment and detachment without disturbing
the adjustment of the bearings.
In the application of my invention to a cycle I dispense with the ordinary back
fork ends of the cycle frame and mount the rear wheel axle in castings or frame
ends having plain circular apertures formed through them. The bottom bracket
of the cycle frame has its main or central portion of an elongated or oval form
and is made of such dimensions as to receive the crank axle casing and to give
The casing consists of a
space for an endwise sliding movement of the same.
tubular body of such a diameter at certain parts as to make a sliding fit within
the bottom bracket, and of such a length as to extend right through the bracket.
The casing can be secured at any desired position within the range of its move-
ment in the bottom bracket by a lock nut screwed on to the projecting end
of the body part, the opposite end of the body being provided with a fixed head
or flange.
To adjust the tension of the driving chain the lock nut of the axle casing is
slackened and on then operating a screw which engages with a tapped hole
formed through a projection from the body of the casing, the complete casing,
with the contained crank axle having the driving chain wheel and cranks mounted
thereon and the ball bearings of such axle, is caused to slide within the bottom
bracket until the chain is adjusted to the required degree of tension when the
casing is secured in position by its lock nut.
By this method of adjustment I am enabled to obtain a perfectly parallel move-
ment of the crank axle and that without any alteration of the distance of the
pedals beneath the saddle.
The ball bearing cups are screwed within the ends of the crank axle casing
and are locked in the desired position by means of nuts which are also screwed
into the casing ends and caused to abut against the outer ends or faces of the cups.
Thus the complete casing with the contained crank axle can be attached to the
cycle frame or detached therefrom without disturbing the adjustment of the
bearings.
1
1908

page_text: improvements in Chain Driven Cycles, motor wars, and ICIES
I, HERBERT BEESTON, of 44, Merridale Road, Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Mechanical 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 consists of improvements relating to chain driven cycles, motor
cars, and like vehicles, whereby I am enabled to provide simple and convenient
means for effecting a parallel adjustment of the driving chain, and to so carry
the crank or driving chain wheel spindle with its ball bearings and locking
devices in a detachable shell or casing as to permit of ready attachment and
detachment without disturbing the adjustment of the bearings.
to.―
In the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings to be hereinafter referred
Figure 1 is a side elevation (with the outer cover plate removed) of the bottom
bracket of a cycle, as constructed and arranged in accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is an external and elevation and Figure 3 a sectional end elevation
through the line a 6 (Figure 1).
b
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the bracket with the outer cover plate in
position.
The same reference letters in the different views indicate the same parts.—
In the application of my invention I dispense with the ordinary back fork enda
of the cycle or like frame and mount the rear wheel axle in castings or frame ends
having plain circular apertures formed through them. The bottom bracket or
crank spindle supporting bracket of the cycle frame I make of the form shown
in the illustrations, its main or central portion A having a slot or aperture of
an elongated form as shown, of sufficient dimensions to receive the crank spindle
casing and to give space for an endwise sliding movement of the same.
said casing consists of a tubular body B having enlarged ends to receive the ball
bearings, and with projections as B¹ from such ends which are made a sliding
fit within the bottom bracket. The casing extends right through the bracket
and can be secured at any desired position within the range of its sliding move-
ment by a lock nut C screwed on to a projecting end, the opposite end being
provided with a fixed head or flange B³.
The
To adjust the tension of the driving chain the lock nut C of the spindle casing
is slackened and on then operating a screw D which engages with a tapped hole
formed through a projection B3 from the body of the casing, the complete casing,
containing the crank spindle having the driving chain wheel and cranks mounted
thereon, and the ball bearings of such spindle, is propelled or caused to slide
within the bottom bracket until the chain is adjusted to the required degree of
tension, when the casing is secured in position by tightening the lock nut C.
By this method of adjusting I am enabled to obtain a perfectly parallel move-
ment of the crank spindle and that without any alteration of the vertical distance
of the pedals beneath the saddle.
The ball bearing cups are screwed within the enlarged ends of the crank
spindle casing, and the cup as E at the side opposite to that on which the chain
wheel is fixed to the spindle, is provided with a square or annular head as e for
adjustment purposes, and is secured in position after adjustment by the look
ring which screws into the casing and abuts against the cup E.
Thus the complete casing with the contained crank spindle can be attached
to the cycle or like frame or detached therefrom without disturbing the adjust-
ment of the bearings.

page_text: The open ends of the bottom bracket are closed by cover plates as G provided
with flanged or embracing ends as shown.
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 combination with a cycle or like bottom bracket or spindle supporting
bracket having an aperture of an elongated form through its main or central
portion A, of a casing fitted with the spindle bearings and arranged for sliding
horizontally within the said elongated aperture through the bracket, substantially
as and for the purpose described and as illustrated.
2. An adjustable casing for the crank or driving chain wheel spindle of a
cycle or like vehicle, consisting of a tubular body provided with enlarged ends
to receive the ball bearings and the locking device therefor, and having a fixed
head or flange 13 at one end and a lock nut C at the opposite end, the completo
casing being made a sliding fit within the bottom or supporting bracket of the
cycle or like vehicle frame to permit of its movement therein on the slackening
of the said nut C, substantially as and for the purpose described and as illus-
trated.
3. The combination with a cycle or like bottom bracket or spindle supporting
bracket having an elongated slot or aperture receiving a crank or driving chain
wheel spindle casing such as claimed in the preceding claims, of a propelling
Crew D arranged substantially as and for the purpose described and as illus-
trated.
4. The construction and general combination of parts for a chain driven
cycle, motor car, or like vehicle, substantially as and for the purposes described
and as illustrated.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1899.
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, & 25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.