Improvements in or relating to Friction Clutches.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Friction Clutches.
I, GEORGE JAMES REYNOLDS, of 32, Battledean Road, Highbury, Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to friction clutches especially friction clutches for "free
wheel" velocipedes, and consists essentially in providing a ball and incline
clutch in which one set of balls is used for affording a grip in driving and also
for carrying the outer ring of the clutch, and in which the adjustment of the
bearing also adjusts the clutch so as to compensate for wear.
According to one method of carrying out my invention as applied to the hub
ring of a rear driving safety bicycle, I form the inclined surfaces on the inner
ring, that is, the ring which screws or is otherwise fixed on the end of the hub.
I groove the perimeter of the said inner ring, making the groove of the same
radius as the balls or of other suitable formation. I make the outer ring, which
carries the chain teeth, in two portions one of which is adapted to screw into
the other. The inner portion is provided with an inclined or curved bearing
surface with which the balls are adapted to make contact; and the said inner
portion may be screwed farther or less far into the outer portion and may be
locked by a claw clip or other suitable means. When the chain ring is rotated
forward in propelling the machine the balls run up the inclines on the inner
ring and wedge against the above mentioned bearing surface, and the inner part
of the outer ring also impinges against an inwardly directed flange or equiva-
lent on the outer part of the said outer ring. When, after considerable use,
the parts have become worn, the inner part of the outer ring is screwed further
in and the wear is taken up so that the clutch bites promptly as when new.
There is an inwardly directed flange on the inner portion of the outer ring as
well as the flange above mentioned, and these two flanges enclose the sides of
the clutch. When the inner ring tends to over run the outer ring the balls
drop down the inclines and the parts cease to grip, and the outer ring being
mounted on the balls friction is reduced to a minimum. The two parts of the
outer ring against which the balls make contact may be of similar form.
According to another method of carrying out my invention I form the outer
ring in one piece and make the inclined surfaces therein. The inclined sur-
faces are preferably grooved to the same radius as the balls, as before described.
The inner ring is formed in two portions the peripheries of which form a divided,
grooved, bearing surface. One part of the said inner ring is screwed onto the
hub end and the other part may be mounted in a similar manner or may be
screwed on to a collar on the first part. When the two parts of the inner ring
are brought nearer together, the effective diameter of the divided bearing
surface is increased and the clutch is tightened. Suitable means are provided
for moving and locking the adjustable part or parts. The inclined surfaces
being on the outer ring, will be arranged in the opposite direction to those
previously described as being on the inner ring.

page_text: In both cases there may be any suitable number of inclined surfaces and any
suitable number of balls in each clutch space. At present I prefer to use at
least three inclined planes and to insert several balls in each space. The in-
clined surfaces are alternated with concentric surfaces so that the friction may
be borne by all the balls of each space when the inner ring is overrunning.
I do not confine myself strictly to the above description which is intended to
indicate the nature of my invention without excluding modifications and other
suitable applications thereof.
DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, M. Cy. E.I.,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham, and
Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Friction Clutches.
I, GEORGE JAMES REYNOLDS, formerly of 32, Battledean Road, Highbury,
Middlesex, and now of 49, Foxham Road, Holloway, Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to friction clutches especially friction clutches for "free
wheel" velocipedes, and consists essentially in providing a ball and incline
clutch in which one set of balls is used for affording a grip in driving and also
for carrying the outer ring of the clutch, and in which the adjustment of the
bearing also adjusts the clutch so as to compensate for wear.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I will describe
the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figures I and II are a broken side elevation and a vertical section respectively
of a
"free wheel" clutch, for a rear driving safety bicycle, constructed accord-
ing to my invention.
Figures III and V are views similar to Fig. I, and Figures IV, VI and VII
are views similar to Fig. II, showing modifications.
Figures I, II, V, VI and VII show the clutches gripping; in Figs. III and IV
the clutch is free.
Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the drawings.
According to the method of carrying out my invention shown in Figs. I
and II, I form the inclined surfaces 2 on the inner ring 3, which screws or is
otherwise fixed on the end of the hub 4. I make the outer ring which carries
the chain teeth 7 in two portions 8, 8¹ of which 81 is adapted to screw into 8.
The inner portion 81 is provided with an inclined or curved bearing surface 10
with which the balls are adapted to make contact; and the said inner portion
is provided with peg holes 16 or otherwise so that it may be screwed farther or
less far into the outer portion, and it may be locked by a claw clip 11 or other
suitable means. When the chain ring is rotated forward in propelling the
machine one or more of the balls 6 run up the inclines 2 and wedge against the
bearing surface 10. When, after considerable use, the parts have become worn,
the inner part 81 of the outer ring is screwed further in and the wear is taken
up so that the clutch bites promptly as when new. There are inwardly directed
flanges 12, 13 on the outer and inner portions of the outer ring, and these two

page_text: 0
anges enclose the sides of the clutch. When the inner ring 3 tends to overrun
he outer ring 8, 8¹ the balls drop down the inclines 2 and the parts cease to
rip, and the outer ring being mounted on the balls friction is reduced to a
ninimum.
According to the method of carrying out my invention shown in Figs. III
and IV, I form the outer ring 8 in one piece and make the inclined surfaces 2
therein. The inner ring is formed in two portions 3, 3¹ the peripheries of which
form a divided, grooved bearing surface 10. The part 3 of the inner ring
is screwed onto the hub end 4, and the other part 31 may be mounted in a similar
manner, as shown in the lower part of Fig. IV; or the said part 31 may be screwed
on to a collar 14 on the first part 3, as shown in the upper part of the same
figure. When the two parts of the inner ring are brought together the effective.
diameter of the divided bearing surface is increased and the clutch is tightened.
Any suitable means are provided for moving and locking the adjustable part
or parts as before described or otherwise according to ball bearing practice.
The inclined surfaces 2, being on the outer ring are arranged in the opposite
direction to those previously described as being on the inner ring.
There may be any suitable number of inclined surfaces 2 and any suitable
number of balls 6 in each clutch space. In Figures I and III, I have shown
three inclined planes with several balls in each space and the inclined surfaces 2
are alternated with concentric surfaces 15 so that the friction may be borne
by all the balls of each space when the inner ring is overrunning. The inclined
surfaces 2 are preferably grooved to the same radius as the balls (Fig. II) but
the concentric surfaces 15 are preferably grooved deeper than the balls (Fig. IV)
so that the balls are suspended, and thus left free to rotate about their hori-
zontal axes, when the clutch is running free.
In practice I prefer the construction shown in Figures V and VI in which
the inclined surfaces 2 are formed on the inner ring 3 and the outer ring is
made in two portions 8, 8¹ forming a divided, similar surfaced, bearing
groove 10, the part 81 being adjustable as before. There is a comparatively
large number of spaces with only one ball (6) in each. Where great lateral
steadiness is required two rows of balls may be employed as shown in Fig. VII;
and in this case the outer ring is built up of one outer part 8 and two adjust-
able inner parts 81, 82.
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. A ball and incline clutch in which one set of balls is used both for afford-
ing a grip in driving and for carrying the outer ring of the clutch.
2. A clutch of the kind referred to in Claim 1, provided with means for ad-
justment which are adapted to adjust both the bearing and the clutch.
3. A friction clutch constructed, arranged, and adapted to operate substantially
as herein described and as severally illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1 of Tune 1900
DOUGLAS LEECHMAN, M. Cy. E.I.,
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Patent Agents,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry,
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham, and
75. Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agent for the Applicant.