Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 12th Nov., 1898
We, FREDERICK HAROLD NIES, Gentleman, a citizen of the United States,
WILLIAM DUNN, Engineer, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and THOMAS
HENRY DIBBINS, Machinist, a citizen of the United States, and all of Number
114, William Street, in the City of Brooklyn, in the State of New York, United
States of America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a separable gear-case for housing the chain and
sprocket-wheels of a velocipede and especially of a bicycle, the purpose being
to provide a light and dust-proof case which will afford ready access to the
gearing, and one which shall have facilities for adapting it to frames which
vary to a considerable extent in shape and proportions.
The gear-case is formed of thin, stiff sheet material, preferably sheet metal,
as steel, and is, in the main, composed of two sections hinged together at
the end which encloses the larger sprocket wheel, and on a horizontal hinge-
axis, the rear ends, when brought together, being covered with a housing-piece
which slips over the rear extremities of the hinged main sections and holds them
closed about the axle or hub of the rear wheel.
The gear-case has at its respective ends the housings for the sprocket-wheels,
and these housings are connected by an upper channel and a lower channel for
the respective upper and lower runs of the driving chain, and each of the main
sections of the gear-case-that is, the upper and lower hinged sections, com-
prises a half of a sprocket-wheel housing at each end and one of the U-shaped
chain-channels. The openings in the channels are closed by strips fitted over
the edges of the channels so as to form dust-tight joints. At the rear end of
the gear-case are fitted sliding, dust-excluding plates which close up about the
axle or hub of the rear wheel and yet, by sliding, permit of the adjustment of
said axle and hub in taking up slack in the driving chain.
On the chain-channel, and preferably. on the plate which closes the upper
face of the lower U-shaped channel, is an oil receptacle or chamber having in
it a wick which is adapted to apply oil in small quantity to the chain. Means
are provided for admitting the oil in proper quantity to said wick.
The gear-case is secured adjustably to the frame of the bievele or velocipede
through the medium of the upper one of the two main sections, which is the
fixed section. The means of securing the gear-case to the members of the
frame comprise clips which embrace the members, and slotted connections
between these clips and the upper members of the gear-case, these connections
being of a character to allow of the attachment of the gear-case to the frames

page_text: of bicycles or velocipedes which vary considerably in the proportions and angle
of the frame.
In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of this inven-
tion and the details of construction thereof, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the
gear-case, the lower section being shown in dotted lines as dropped down.
Figure 2 is a plan of the gear-case seen in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a trans-
verse section at line in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a transverse section of
the housing of the rear or driven sprocket-wheel.
Let a and a represent the frame members of a bicycle; b the hub of the
rear wheel; the crank-hanger; d the cranks; e the rear or driven sprocket-
wheel, seen in Figure 4; f the driving sprocket-wheel, seen in part in Figure 3,
and g the chain.
The gear-case is composed of two sections, 1 and 2, hinged together at the
front end, at 3, and divided along the middle, where the edges overlap at 4, on
the housing of the front sprocket-wheel. There is an oblong opening, 5,
between the chain-channels through which opening extends the member a¹ of
the frame at that side, and closing the margins of this opening 5, are two
closing plates, 6 and 7. the former closing the opening in the lower face of
the upper chain-channel and the openings into the two sprocket-wheel hous-
ings, and the latter closing the opening into the lower chain-channel. These
plates are flanged at their edges (see Figure 3) which take over the edges of
the housing sections 1 and 2; and when the said sections are brought together
as in Figure 1, they hold the plates 6 and 7 in place.
The rear ends of the sections of the gear-case, when brought together about
the rear sprocket-wheel, are held in place by a housing-piece, 8, which slips
over the ends of the sections and is secured by some simple means, as apertured
spring clips, 9, on the housing-piece engaging suitable studs, 10, on the edges
of the respective sections of the case.
The sections have suitable slides to fit over the rear axle and hub, to keep
out dust and permit the rear axle to be adjusted along the slots or forks in the
frame for tightening the chain.
The upper section 1 of the gear-case is secured adjustably to the frame by
a clip, 11, at the rear end, and by a slotted plate, 12, and screws, 13, to clips, 14,
at the front end so as to allow of some adjustment to suit the slight variations
in the forms of the frames.
On the plate 7 is formed or secured an oil-reservoir or holder, 15, having a
wick, 16, leading down to the chain g, to keep the latter well lubricated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. A gear-case for a velocipede comprising two sections, 1 and 2, hinged
together at their front ends, a separable housing-piece adapted to embrace their
free, rear ends, when the gear-case is closed, slides in said housing-piece to
embrace the rear axle and permit of its adjustment, and movable cover-plates
adapted to close the openings in the gear-case about the aperture 5, all con-
structed and arranged to operate substantially as shown and specified.
2. A gear-case for a velocipede comprising the two hinged sections, the clos-
ing plates for the aperture 5, the housing-piece for the rear end of the case, and
means for mounting the upper section adjustably on the cycle-frame, substan-
tially as shown and specified.
3. The gear-case for a velocipede having the cover-plates 6 and 7, and having
the lubricating device for the chain mounted on one of said plates, substan-
tially as shown and specified.
4. The means for securing the gear-case to the frame of the cycle, the same
comprising the clips on the frame, the screws, and the slotted plate on the case,
substantially as shown and specified.

page_text: 5. The devices for securing the housing-piece to the rear ends of the sections
when in place, the same consisting of the apertured springs on one part and
the studs on the other part to engage therewith, substantially as shown and
specified.
Dated this 19th day of Santamban 1000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicants.