IMPROVEMENTS IN CYCLOMETERS
Year: 1885

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by George H. Gould, of Somerville, Massachusetts,
in the United States of America, Engineer, and the Pope Manufacturing
Company, of Boston, Massachusetts, aforesaid, Cycle Manufacturers.]
I, EDWARD GARDNER COLTON, of the firm of Popplewell, Colton & Co, of
Victoria Chambers, Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, Fellow
of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of the invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CYCLOMETERS" (a communication to me from abroad by
George H. Gould, of Somerville, Massachusetts, in the United States of America,
Engineer, and the Pope Manufacturing Company, of Boston, Massachusetts
aforesaid, Cycle Manufacturers) and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-:
Referring to the accompanying drawings which show a cyclometer adapted for
use on a bicycle or tricycle containing my improvements in one form, Figure 1
shows in elevation part of the shaft, head, spoke and fork of a bicycle, and a side
view of the cyclometer as attached to a spoke of a traveling wheel thereof;
Figure 2 shows in front elevation the case, dials, and pointers; Figure 3 shows in
elevation the interior of the case, with the crystal and dials removed; and
Figure 4 shows in sectional view on line x-x in Figure 3, the interior and
exterior of the cyclometer with all the parts in place.
Z is an axle, Y is a hub or flange attached to the axle, X is the bearing box,
W is a fork or part of the frame of a velocipede, V is a spoke; and U is a crank
by means of which the shaft Z is made to revolve in the bearing X, and to carry
with it the hub Y, and spoke V of a traveling wheel and with it the cyclometer as
attached.
A is a lever arm, the outer end of which a may be covered with a cushion, or
muffled with a roller, in any desirable form, and the inner end of which is inserted
in the outer end b, of the rock shaft and the head 6¹ thereon; the rock shaft B may
also have between the head b' and the case C a felt washer 2 or other device for
keeping out the dust, and a groove 63 in which the stud c² operates to prevent
longitudinal movement of the rock shaft, and also a step or bearing b in the stud E
and a bent arm 65; B₁ is a presser arm fixed in the rock shaft and extending
between the inclines f², f in the lever F; C is a cylindrical metallic case with a
complement C¹, holding a crystal O for completing and covering the cylinder; c is

page_text: a clamp held by small screws c¹, between which and the back of the case C the
spoke V is clamped; c³, is a strengthening piece or bar on the inside of the case to
give a hold for the screws; D is a spiral spring upon the rock shaft B, having its
ends brought nearly together and extending at right angles to the rock shaft so as
to enclose the pin c¹, projecting from the case C, and the vertical part of the bent
arm 6; E is a stud set centrally at e in the case C, having a smaller part e¹, to
which certain parts are held by means of the screw, e as will be afterwards
described; F is a lever fulcrumed at fat one end, and free to move at the other
end in the slot f¹, in the bracket f³, held by the screw f' to the case C; the
lever F has also a notch with two inclined surfaces f², f, and sufficient bearing
surfaces on the side in which the notch is for the presser arm B' to turn upon
when it is depressed, and the spring H bearing upon the stud E to keep it up
against the presser arm; G is a spring pawl fixed in the lever F, and extending to
and operating upon
the teeth in the ratchet wheel I; this ratchet wheel I is axled
in the bracket, which is fixed to the case C; J is a spring pawl fixed at one end
to the brackets, ³, and operating over the teeth i, i; K is a small pinion fixed to
revolve with the ratchet wheel I; Lis a toothed wheel, fixed by means of screws
to the dial plate N with which it freely revolves on a sleeve, m; M is another spur
wheel, fixed on the sleeve m, with which it revolves freely on, the spindle e', pro-
jecting from the stud E, both being kept on the spindle by the screw e²; O is a
glass disc or crystal; P is a pointer or inile hand fixed on the sleeve m, and p is a
small stud or spur also fixed to the sleeve; the face of the dial plate N is depressed
or cut away to allow this stud p to be revolved therein about the axis of the
stud E, and also by a larger cylindrical eccentric depression for the annular cam-
piece Q; this latter may be split and sprung slightly into place as shown where
the form of the meeting edges and the spring of the piece will keep it in the plane
of the face of the dial plate but allow it to revolve by means of the pressure of the
spur p on either of the teeth y. R is a scale on the circumference of the dial
plate N, on the face side, visible through the crystal O, and is graduated to a
certain number of points relative to the mechanism within and the size of the
wheel whose revolutions on the ground are to be taken in measure of the distance
traveled, which points are indicated by lines, and the half points are indicated by
dots, the points or certain of them being numbered with figures for ready reading,
as shown, for instance, in Figure 2. S is another graduated scale on a smaller
circle around the cam-piece Q, the points being indicated by numerals as shown in
the same Figure.
LM 1
This particular cyclometer which I have shewn and described, is adapted for a
bicycle front or driving wheel of fifty-eight inches in diameter, which will revolve
347.73 times in a mile traveled; and in the mechanism described the arm A will
be moved once for each revolution of that wheel, and will move the ratchet
wheel I forward one tooth. The ratchet-wheel I has 22 teeth; the pinion K six
leaves; the dial wheel L has 102 teeth, and the pointer wheel M has 100 teeth.
Assuming t = the number of revolutious of the traveling wheel on the ground,
which is the number of movements of the lever A or F, in a mile, and the
number of mile spaces in the scale R, and the reference letters for the other wheels
to represent their respective numbers of teeth, we have the formula = = K (L-M)
for determining the number of mile marks on scale R as a general one, and
as the specific formula for this mechanism, whatever the value of t
Taking this latter at 347.73 (for a 58 inch wheel), z = 54 with a very small error,
hence the scale R is divided into 54 parts by lines, and when the pointer P has
passed over the circuit the bicycle has traveled 54 miles. For a 52 inch wheel
the value of t would be taken at 395.19 and then = 48 nearly and the scale R
would be divided into 48 parts or mile points.
=≈
18700
t
Thus the pointer P and scale R, in this cyclometer indicate distance, or
revolutions of a wheel entirely outside the mechanism, instead of revolutions of
wheels inside of it,-

page_text: The operation of this instrument may be further explained as follows; with each
revolution of the wheel to which the cyclometer is attached as shown (by means of
the clamp c, c³ and screws and a groove in the back of the case, C) the lever A
comes in contact with the fork W of the bicycle and turns the rock-shaft B on its
axis, carrying the presser arm B₁ round with it through a greater or less arc: when
the lever A has passed the fork, the spring D acting by one of its ends upon the
bent arm and held by the other end against the pin c, restores the rock-shaft,
the presser arm and the lever A to their former position and readiness for another
stroke; the movement of the presser either way against the incline f³ depresses the
free end of the lever F, which forces the pawl G forward the distance of a ratchet
tooth, and the spring H returns the lever F to its position, while the catch J holds
the ratchet I with its gain of one tooth; thereby the pinion K and the dial, and
pointer wheels have been advanced; and so on, until the pointer P is at the space
marked on the scale R at which it was in the beginning. On this cyclometer, in
putting it together for actual use the pointer P would be placed so as to
indicate 54 and the pointer q¹ to indicate 10 on the smaller scale and the click p
to be under the pointer P. Then as the pointer P comes round (or rather the dial
plate N falls back) to the point of beginning the click p engaging with one of the
teeth q will impel the annulus Q and the pointer q₁ forward one space, indicating
that the machine has travelled once fifty-four miles and is on another; and so on.
As the hands stand in Figure 2 they show a distance travelled of 54+28 = 82 miles;
and the scale will indicate altogether 540 miles, and then begin again.
Ten is a convenient number for the scale S, though any other may be taken
within the practical limit of the number of teeth that may be operated in the
annulus.Q, which may be enlarged for the purpose of carrying more teeth.
I make a series of dial scales on the above formula for each inch of variation in
the diameter of bicycle and tricycle wheels from 46 to 62 inches inclusive, the mile
spaces being in numbers from 42 to 58 inclusive; and no other part of the mechanism
needs to be changed therefor. This advantage and also the other advantages offered
in this instrument, of positive action, least error, economy of construction, safety
against accidental impairment, equal operation whichever side or part of the ground
wheel it is attached to or whichever direction the lever A is moved in, and others,
will be obvious to those skilled in the subject.
Certain formal changes, as the use of a thimble and shoulder instead of groove b³
and screw c² or the construction of presser B¹ and bent arm 65 in one piece, may
obviously be made without departing from the spirit of my invention; and I do
not mean to be limited to the precise forms and arrangements and proportions
herein shown and described, or to the application of this instrument to velocipede
wheels, as it is equally applicable to others.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me from abroad, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
'
First. In a cyclometer, the annulus Q, teeth q, catch p connected with the
working mechanism, and scale S or their equivalents, constructed and combined to
operate essentially as set forth.
Second. In a cyclometer, a dial plate constructed with a cylindrical depression or
cavity and a moveable cam-piece therein, with a graduated scale on the dial plate
around the cavity, and a pointer on the cam-piece, and means of connection with
the working mechanism, constructed and combined essentially as set forth.
Third. In combination with the dial plate of a cyclometer having a scale, as R,
marked around its face and a pointer applied thereto, a secondary scale, as S, and
devices for connecting the two together and with the working mechanism, so as to
indicate on the secondary scale multiples of the other, essentially as set forth.
Fourth. Combined with a pinion, as K, and its actuating mechanism, in a cyclo-
meter or distance register, two toothed wheels revolving about the same axial line
in the same direction, one carrying a dial plate and the other a pointer, with a

page_text: differential motion; a scale concentric with said toothed wheels and another scale
eccentric to them; a secondary pointer for the eccentric scale, and devices for
connecting and operating the secondary pointer with the mechanism for operating
the first; essentially as set forth.
Fifth. The combination with a travelling wheel and a part of or projection from
the frame in connection with which it revolves, of a cyclometer dial plate, pointer
and scale and actuating mechanism, and a vibrating arm, as A, suitably connected
with said actuating mechanism and impinging upon said part or projection of the
frame, essentially as set forth.
Sixth. Constructed and to be operated as a part of the positive actuating
mechanism of a cyclometer, a vibrative lever arm, as A, projecting therefrom to
engage with the frame if the cyclometer rotate with the wheel, or with the wheel
or a projection from it if the cyclometer be attached to the frame, essentially as set
fortli.
Seventh. The combination with the spoke of a traveling wheel of a positive-
motion cyclometer and a vibrating arm to actuate the cyclometer by successive
connections with a part of the frame, as W, essentially as set forth.
Eighth. Combined with the case, C, of a cyclometer, a clamp consisting in a
moveable part c, screws, c', c¹³, and fixed inner piece o³, constructed to operate
substantially as shown and described..
Ninth. In a cyclometer, a rock shaft B, combined with means outside the case for
partially rotating it, and with ineans inside the case by which it may work a léver
and train, and a spring-device whereby it may be restored to its idle position,
essentially as set forth.
Tenth. Combined in a cyclometer a lever arm A, a rock shaft B, a spring D,
tending to restore it when, rocked, a presser arm B', a lever F, an incline f³, a
spring H, and pawls G, J, all constructed to actuate a train and pointer,
essentially as set forth.
Eleventh. Combined with a rock shaft and case of a cyclometer, essentially as
set forth, a spiral spring D, free on the rock shaft, having its free ends set out
from the rock shaft and both engaging a projection from the case and a projection
from the rock shaft so as to restore the rock shaft to one position when deflected
either way.
Twelfth. Combined in a cyclometer with mechanism for operating it from
without the case, a lever as F, hinged at one end and free in a guide slot at the
other, a spring to return it after each depression, and a pawl as G, and catch as J,
constructed to actuate a ratchet wheel and train, essentially as set forth.
Thirteenth. The combination in a cyclometer or distance register of a vibrative
lever arm outside of the case for actuating the mechanism within the case;
connecting mechanism consisting in a rock shaft and spring, a presser arm, a
hinged lever and spring and a pawl and spring or their equivalent for communi-
cating the reciprocating motion of the vibrative lever arm to the first wheel of a
train; and a registering train consisting in a ratchet or first toothed wheel, a
pinion, and two other toothed wheels häving nearly equal numbers of teeth and
revolving in the same direction about the same axial line; one carrying a pointer
and the other a dial plate having a graduated scale, essentially as set forth.
Fourteenth. An interchangeable dial plate as N, constructed for attachment to
the dial wheel of a train consisting of a dial wheel, a pointer wheel, a pinion, and
a ratchet wheel, and to operate in combination with said train and a pointer and
with positive actuating mechanism connected with a travelling wheel and its frame
and intermediate positive converting mechanism, and with a circular scale as R,
marked upon its face into mile points equal in number to the nearest whole
number found by dividing the number of revolutions of the assumed travelling
wheel in a mile travelled into a constant obtained by multiplying together the
numbers of teeth in the dial wheel, pointer wheel and ratchet and dividing this
product by the difference in numbers of teeth of the dial and pointer wheels
multiplied by the number of leaves in the pinion, essentially as set forth:

page_text: Fifteenth. The combination in a cyclometer or distance register with a suitable
case and means of attachment to a travelling wheel and with positive actuating
mechanism, of a train consisting of a ratchet or first wheel, a pinion, a dial wheel
and a pointer wheel, and a dial plate a pointer and a circular scalo on said dial
plate marked into equal divisions or mile points to a number equal to the nearest
whole number found by dividing the number of revolutions of said travelling
wheel in a mile travelled into the quotient obtained by dividing the product of
the number of teeth in the pinion multiplied by the difference in numbers of tecth
in the dial and pointer wheels into the produce of the numbers of teeth in the
ratchet and dial and pointer wheels multiplied together, essentially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1885.
E. GARDNER COLTON.