IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: We JOHN COCKBURN of 28 George Street Richmond in the county of Surrey,
Goldsmith and Jeweller and WILLIAM COCKBURN, Corn Merchant of 71 Church
Road Richmond aforesaid do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY
BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to apparatus for registering the revolutions of the wheels
of bicycles, tricycles and other vehicles and ascertaining the distance travelled and
it has for its object to provide a device of simple and inexpensive construction
which may be readily attached to and removed from the axle and which may be
set back to zero whenever required without difficulty or delay.
The apparatus consists of a train of count wheels contained in a casing suspended
freely by hinged straps or clamps from the hub of the wheel and actuated by
a wiper or cam upon the latter which at each revolution strikes a pawl or driver
engaging with the pins or teeth of the unit wheel. The pawl may be jointed to an
oscillating arm pivoted loosely and acting by gravity or by a spring or the driver
may be a sliding rod provided with a head adapted to be struck by the cam
or wiper on the wheel hub and moved in the opposite direction by a spring.
To enable the mechanism to be reset to zero at any time the count wheels
are made movable along their arbors or otherwise capable of being shifted out of
their working plane so as to no longer gear with each other in order that each may
be turned independently of the others, the necessary distance to bring it back to
the zero point. The casing is suitably constructed to give access to the mechanism
for this purpose.

page_text: We JOHN COCKBURN of 28 George Street Richmond in the County of Surrey
Goldsmith and Jeweller, and WILLIAM COCKBURN, Corn' Merchant of 71 Church
Road Richmond aforesaid do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE DISTANCE TRAVELLED BY
BICYCLES, TRICYCLES AND OTHER WHEELED VEHICLES 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 apparatus for registering the revolutions of the wheels
of bicycles tricycles and other vehicles and thereby ascertaining the distance
travelled; and it has for its object to provide a device of simple and inexpensive
construction, which may be readily attached to and removed from, the axle, and
which may be set back to zero whenever required without difficulty or delay.
The apparatus consists of a train of countwheels, contained in a casing suspended
freely, by hinged straps or clamps from the hub of the wheel and actuated by a
wiper, cam, or other suitable device, fitted to the hub, and which at each revolution
actuates a pawl or driver or equivalent device attached to or forming part of the
unit wheel.
To enable the mechanism to be reset to zero, at any time the count wheels are
made moveable along their arbors, or otherwise capable of being shifted out of their
working plane, so as to no longer gear with each other, in order that each may be
turned, independently of the others, the necessary distance to bring it back to the
zero point. The casing is suitably constructed to give access to the mechanism for
this purpose.
.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood reference is hereby
made to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts; in which drawings a simple projection or cam is shewn as the
means of imparting the impulse.
Fig. 1. is an elevation of our invention complete as it appears when fixed to the
hub or revolving axle of a velocipede; Fig. 2 shews the method of putting on or
taking off the invention;-Fig: 3 is a front view, and Fig 4 is a front view shewing
the collar opened. a is the axle or hub of the wheel or the space provided
therefor. bis a collar which is firmly fixed to the axle, and revolves therewith.
This collar has a projection at c which acts as a cam or single tooth-The collar b
is shewn by dotted lines in Fig 1.-in Fig 2 it is shewn closed partly in section ;-
in Fig 5 it is shewn open; in Fig 6 it is shewn fixed in position upon the axle a
(front view); and Fig 7 is a side view-d is a cap which is attached to the
cyclometer and by which it is sustained. This cap fits the axle easily so that the
cyclometer may always swing freely in a vertical position-The cap d is jointed
at e for attachment and detachment, and is secured by the screw fand nuts f¹-
The cap is hollowed out to accommodate the internal revolving collar 6 and
g is the case of the cyclometer in which are any convenient number of
wheels gearing into each other, and having hands fitted to their arbors or axles.
The star wheel h is fitted with teeth as shewn in order that the cam c may actuate
it only when travelling forward.
cam c.
The toothed wheels are so mounted on their arbors that they may be readily slid
out of gear, in order to set the hands at zero.
We also sometimes fit inside the cyclometer a bell or gong which is struck
at suitable intervals by a hammer actuated by one of the wheels, to give notice
when certain distances have been travelled.
The whole of the apparatus is so fitted as to be practically dust proof.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would have it
to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise method herein
described, of imparting the impulse to and actuating the star wheel h, as an impulse
may be imparted thereto by other means; and we declare that what we claim is :-
1. The manufacture and use of cyclometers or instruments for calculating the
distance run by the number of revolutions of one or more of the wheels of
velocipedes and other wheeled vehicles substantially as hereinbefore described and
shewn on the drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of the several and respective parts together
forming our improvements in apparatus for registering the distance travelled by
Bicycles, Tricycles, and other wheeled vehicles, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shewn on the drawings.