Improvements in Gear Cases or Guards for Cycles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1894
A
1005
10th Out 1006
Improvements in Gear Cases or Guards for Cycles.
I, THOMAS HENRY HILL, of the Firm of Sellman and Hill, of Stewart Street,
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, Sheet Metal Workers and Japanners,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:--
This invention relates to cases or guards for the chains and chain wheels of chain
geared cycles; and has for its object improvements in means of building same in
position so that portions thereof may be readily removed to expose the entire
length of the chain and be readily replaced to cover same, and so that the entire
case or guard may be readily removed from the framing of the machine, if
required, and be refixed thereto; and has the further object, also, of increasing
the strength of certain portions of the case in proportion to the weight of the
material used.
A gear case constructed according to this invention is formed in four main
portions each in sheet metal, namely, of two side plates which, in the case of a
bicycle, are permanently though removably fixed to the bottom stay of the framing,
and of top and bottom channel-pieces which have portions of their edges grooved
to fit over the edges of the side plates. The channel-pieces are longer than the
side plates, and portions thereof project beyond the plates at each end. These
portions have their ends closed, and such ends project inwards and meet together
when the channel-pieces are placed in position, and in order that they may fit one
another the edges of the projections of one channel-piece are grooved to fit over
the corresponding edges of the projections of the other. The ends of the channel-
pieces are shaped so that when the channel-pieces are put together such ends form
semicircular ends of the case. The stay passes, as is usual, diagonally through the
case, and each of the side plates is formed with a channel or groove pressed
outwards at the part thereof where the stry enters the case, such channel or groove
following the sideway inclination of the stay and consequently dying out at its
inner end into the surface of the plate. To the inner face of each side plate, and
preferably just opposite to where the stay emerges from the groove formed in the
opposite plate, is fixed a stud or shank which is formed at its outer end as one half
of a clip, that is to say, with a U-shaped portion formed with ears. This U-shaped
portion is placed around one side of the stay, and the other plate is then placed
against the ears thereof, and a half clip formed of a U-shape with ears is placed
around the other side of the stay and is screwed to the ears of the U-shaped
1ortion formed with the stud or shank. The plate which carries one of the studs is
thus fixed to the stay near one end thereof, and the opposite plate is held between
the ears of the two portions of the clip; and the latter plate is also fixed to the
stay near its other end by means of the clip of which the stud or shank projects
from such plate, and the other plate is held between the ears of the two portions of
such latter clip.
The openings in the sides of the case for the driving wheel axle may be formed
in the portions of the channel-pieces which project beyond the hinder end of the
side plates, parts of the openings being formed in the upper and parts in the lower
channel-piece; and the corresponding openings for the crank axle and bottom
bracket may be formed partly in the forward ends of the side plates and partly in
each of the portions of the channel-pieces which project beyond the forward ends
of the side plates.

page_text: The grooves in edges of the metal of the case which pass over opposite edges
thereof may be formed by soldering strips of metal inside the portions of the case
where the grooves are required, such strips being suitably bent in cross-section for
the purpose; and such strips may conveniently project somewhat beyond the edges
of the portions of the metal which form the other sides of the grooves, so as to act
as guides in putting the parts together. The upper and lower channel-pieces may
he fixed, after being placed together upon the side plates, by a screw at each end
passing through the end of one of such parts into a nut screwed inside the
corresponding end of the other of such parts.
In order to strengthen the side plates, they are formed with longitudinal flutes
or grooves, which die out into the plane of the metal at each end so as to leave a
flat surface of metal at the ends to fit within the grooves of the corresponding
portions of the channel-pieces. These ends, however, and also a plain margin
along the top and bottom of each plate, have the edges doubled or folded back
to stiffen them.
Dated this 16th day of November 1894.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in Gear Cases or Guards for Cycles.
1, THOMAS HENRY HILL, of the Firm of Selhnan and Hill, of Stewart Street,
Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, Sheet Metal Workers and Japanners,
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 cases or guards for the chains and chain wheels of
chain geared cycles; and has for its object improvements in means of building
same in position so that portions thereof may be readily removed to expose the
entire length of the chain and be readily replaced to cover same, and so that the
entire case or guard may be readily removed from the framing of the machine, if
required, and be refixed thereto; and has the further object, also, of increasing the
strength of certain portions of the case in proportion to the weight of the material
used.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will proceed to describe
it with reference to the drawings herewith, of which :--
Figure 1 is an elevation of the outer side of a gear case constructed according
to this invention, shewing the parts to be put together as when in use.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan taken through the longitudinal centre of the case.
Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1, but shews portions of the case
removed from the remainder, as when it is desired to expose the entire length of
the chain.
Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the vertical line of Figure 1, looking
in the direction of the arrow a*.
Figure 5 is a transverse section taken on line y y of Figure 1, looking also in the
direction of the arrow a*.
Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line y' y' of Figure 1, looking in the
direction of the arrow bx.
Figure 7 is a transverse section taken on line ax of Figure 1; and,
Figure 8 is a longitudinal vertical section through the forward end of the case,
taken through the centre.
The views on Sheet 2 are shewn to an enlarged scale.

page_text: The case is formed in four main portions each in sheet metal, namely, of two
side plates A A' which are permanently though removably fixed to the bottom
stay of the framing, and of top and bottom channel-pieces B B' which engage
with the edges of the plates A A'. This engagement is effected by forming
either the edges of the plates or of the channel-pieces grooved to receive the
corresponding edges of the channel-pieces or plates, or the grooves may be formed
partly in the edges of the channel-pieces and partly in the edges of the plates.
In the illustrations, the longitudinal edges of the plates A A are shewn to be
formed as grooves, by soldering metal tongues a to the inner sides of the plates.
The tongues a are beut to a form which leaves a space between themselves anl
the margins of the plates which are outwards from the point of fixture of the
tongues a. The edges of the margins of the plates are strengthened by doubling
the metal over inside, as shewn. The sides of the chaunel-pieces B B are,
preferably, strengthened, for a distance therealong corresponding to the length of
the side plates, by soldering strips of metal c inside, thus forming a double thickness
of metal. These double thicknesses of metal forming portions of the sides of
the channel-pieces are passed down into the grooves or spaces formed between the
In the
tongues a and the bent-over edges of the margins 6 of the plates A A.
illustrations the ends and rounded corners of the plates A A', that is to say,
the portions of the edges of such plates which are beyond the ends of the
tongues a a, are passed into grooves in the corresponding portions of the edges
of the channel-pieces B B' formed by soldering curved strips of sheet metal to
the outer faces of the channel-pieces. For convenience in fitting the channel-
pieces to the plates it is preferred that the edges of the tongues a shall project
beyond the edges of the plates A A', and that the edges of the strips d forming the
outer sides of the grooves into which the ends of the plates A A' fit shall stand
back somewhat from the edges of the channel-pieces, as shewn. The channel-
pieces B B project at each end beyond the plates A A'.
The projecting
portions e e meet together, as shewn. The edges of the projections ee at the
forward end of the case are fitted together by means of tongues f soldered to
the inner faces of the sides of the upper projection and projecting below the edges
of such sides, and of grooves formed between the sides of the lower of such
projections e and tongues f¹ soldered along their lower edges to the inner faces of
such sides. The tongues fpass down into the grooves as the channel-pieces are put
together. It is preferred that the upward edges of the tongues of metal f' shall
The
project above the corresponding edges of the sides of the lower projection e.
channel-pieces are formed at their ends so that when put together such ends form
the usual closed-in semicircular ends of the case. The channel-pieces are securely
fixed together and around the edges of the plates A A' by a joint at each end
corresponding to that illustrated by Figures 7 and 8. A tongue of metal g,
soldered inside the end of the channel-piece B, is made to project beyond the
bottom of such channel-piece, and a nut is soldered thereto.
A set-screw i is
passed through a hole formed in the end of the channel-piece B' and is screwed into
the nut when the same together with the tongue g has been passed down inside
the channel-piece B¹.
The openings in the sides of the case, for the driving wheel axle, are formed in
the portions e of the channel-pieces, parts of the openings being formed in the
upper and parts in the lower channel-piece, as shewn; and the corresponding
openings k, for the crank axle and bottom bracket, are formed partly in the forward
ends of the side plates A A' and partly in each of the projections e of the channel-
pieces. The holes are elongated (as usual with gear cases), as indicated by
broken lines Figure 1, and shewn by full lines in Figure 3, to allow of the chain
adjustment; and the portions of the openings to the rear of the axle are closed in
with sliding plates t capable of sliding within grooves in the usual manner.
These sliding plates tend to keep the sides of the portions e¹ of the top and bottom
channel-pieces properly in position, and render it unnecessary to fit the edges of one
portion into grooves of the other.

page_text: The plates A A' are fixed to the lower back stay which passes diagonally
through the case, entering the inner side thereof towards the front of the case and
passing out through the opposite side thereof towards the back of the case.
In order to avoid forming long openings along the portions of the plates through
which the stay passes, the plate A¹ is formed with a channel or groove
(Figure 2) pressed outwards at the part thereof where the stay enters the case,
such channel or groove following the sideway inclination of the stay and con-
sequently dying out at its inner end into the surface of the plate; and a
corresponding channel or groove 1 (Figures 2 and 3) is pressed outwards at the
part of the plate A where the stay passes out from the case. To the inner face
of the plate A, and preferably just opposite to where the stay emerges from the
groove formed in the opposite plate A¹, is fixed a stud or shank m, which is formed
at its outer end as one part of a clip, that is to say, with a U-shaped portion n
formed with ears o. This U-shaped portion is placed around one side of the cycle
stay, and the plate A' is then placed against the ears o thereof, and a half clip p,
having a concave portion to fit against the cylindrical surface of the stay, is
placed around the other side of the stay and is screwed to the ears o by means of
set pins, all as clearly shewn by Figures 2 and 6. The shank m has a long foot s
by means of which it is soldered or otherwise fixed to the plate A. A corresponding
shank m (Figures 2 and 5) is used to fix the plates A and A' to the cycle stay at
their hinder ends. This clip, however, is modified somewhat in construction from
the clip m, to facilitate putting the plate A¹ and stud m³ into position, by avoiding
the necessity for passing the stud between the upper and lower lengths of the chain
from the inside of the chain, as would be necessary if the shank m' were fixed to
the plate A' as the shank is fixed to the plate A. The shank m¹ is formed
separately from the foot », and has a portion t¹ turned to fit accurately within a
hole bored therefor in the foot s'. The shank m¹ is formed also as one portion of a
clip n' at its outer end, having ears o'; and the parts are put together and fixed to
the stay by passing the shank m' between the upper and lower sides of the chain
from the outer side until the turned portion t' is within the hole formed therefor in
the foot s'. The part n¹ is theu brought properly around the inner side of the stay,
the plate A is then placed against the ears o¹, and the other portion p' of the clip is
screwed up against the outside of the stay and of the plate A by screws which
pass through holes in the ears o' and are screwed up into lugs u' formed therefor on
the foot s The shank m in order to clear the chain wheel on the crank axle,
which is larger in diameter than the chain wheel on the driving axle, needs to be
fixed further back from the forward ends of the plates A A than the shank m
needs to be fixed forwards from the rear ends of such plates, and consequently an
open slot (Figure 2) is formed from the open end of the channel to the forward
end of the plate A¹ to clear the cycle stay; and the U-shaped portion of the
forward clip is deeper than the portion n' of the hinder clip, and the portion q' of
the hinder clip correspondingly deeper than the portion 7 of the forward clip. The
cycle stay is clipped by the fastenings at the parts thereof which are just beyond
the ends of the channels or grooves ll, respectively, the portions p and p' of the
fastenings forming, in effect, continuations of such channels or grooves.
It will be seen that, according to this invention, the plates A. and A¹ are
permanently but removably fixed to the cycle stay, and that the channel-
pieces B B may be readily removed and replaced without disturbing the
plates A A
In order to strengthen the plates A A', they are formed with longitudinal flutes,
corrugations, or grooves, as indicated by the longitudinal lines shewn thereupon
Figures 1 and 3, and shewn in section by Figures 4 and 6. These longitudinal
flutes die out into the plane of the metal at each end, as shewn, so as to leave a flat
surface of metal at the ends to fit within the grooves formed by the aid of the
strips d of the channel-pieces. A plain flat margin is also left along the top and
bottom of each plate A A' to form the outer sides of the grooves into which the
longitudinal edges of the channel-pieces fit.

page_text: The method of strengthening the otherwise flat sides of gear cases for cycles by
means of flutes, corrugations, or grooves, is applicable, of course, generally to such
cases constructed of sheet metal.
The half clip w shewn by Figures 1 and 3 is the usual fastening for steadying
the case by attaching it to the upper stay.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A gear case or guard for a cycle formed in four main portions each in sheet
metal, namely, two side plates and a top and bottom channel-piece, the side plates
being provided with means by which they may be permanently but detachably fixed
to a portion of the cycle framing in position opposite to one another, and the
channel-pieces constructed to fit on to the side plates and be detachably fixed
thereto so that they may be readily removed therefrom without disturbing such
plates, substantially as described.
2. A gear case or guard for a cycle formed in four main portions each in sheet
metal, namely, two side plates and a top and bottom channel-piece, the side plates
being formed each with an inclined channel or groove to fit around the outer side
of a stay passing diagonally through the case and provided with a pair of fastenings
each of which is fixed, when the side plates are attached to the stay, to both the
plates and to the stay and the plates thus detachably fixed to the stay, and the
channel-pieces constructed to fit on to the side plates and be detachably fixed
thereto so that they may be readily removed therefrom without disturbing such
plates, substantially as described.
3. In a gear case or guard for a cycle, means for detachably fixing the side
plates to the stay which passes diagonally through the case, which consist of
appliances each of which is fixed, when the side plates are attached to the stay, to
both the plates and to the stay, substantially as described.
4. A gear case or guard for a cycle having its sides strengthened by longitudinal
flutes, corrugations, or grooves, formed in the sheet metal thereof, substantially as
described and shewn.
5. A gear case or guard for a cycle constructed to be built up upon the machine
substantially in the manner described and shewn by the drawings herewith.
Dated this 16th day of Amoust 1895
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.