Improvements in or relating to Motor Cycles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in or relating to Motor Cycles.
I, JOHN KEMP STARLEY, Managing Director of the Rover Cycle Company Ltd.,
Meteor Works, Garfield Road, Coventry, Warwickshire, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to cycles of the kind known as the "Coventry Chair" in
which a passenger chair or body is arranged in front, and which is propelled by a
rider seated behind; and my said invention consists in the hereinafter described
means for applying a motor to the said Coventry Chair.
In carrying out my invention I take a suitable motor, say that known as the "de
Dion et Bouton," and suspend it by the top or back of the cylinder behind the rear
saddle tube. To each side of the crank chamber of the motor I secure the rear end
of an approximately horizontal tube. These horizontal tubes run forward to near the
foot of the said rear saddle tube where one of them terminates and where they are
connected by a transverse tube. This transverse tube is also secured to the foot of
the rear saddle tube. The horizontal tube continued beyond the transverse tube may
be all in one piece or the continuation may be of larger diameter; in either case the
continuation is provided with a longitudinal feather and carries a (first) split-clamp
sleeve which is suitably grooved to receive the said feather. Projecting upwardly,
and preferably rearwardly parallel to the saddle tube, is a short length of tube provided
with a longitudinal feather and carrying a second grooved split-clamp sleeve. This
second sleeve is formed in one with, or has attached to it, a bearing in which is mounted
a countershaft. On this countershaft are mounted two chain wheels, one large and
the other small. The large wheel is geared by a (first) endless chain to the chain
wheel on the crank shaft of the motor; the sinall wheel is geared by a second endless
chain to the chain wheel situated above it on the main, balance geared axle of the
cycle. Motion is thus transmitted from the motor shaft, through the countershaft, to
the main axle of the cycle and the relative speeds are determined by the relative sizes
of the various chain wheels.
An important part of my invention relates to the means for adjusting the tension
of the two chains. The plane passing through the axes of the motor shaft and
countershaft and the plane passing through the axes of the horizontal tubes are
approximately parallel; consequently the first chain may be tightened or loosened by
moving the first split sleeve forward or backward, as the case may be. The counter-
shaft and main axle being in a plane approximately at right angles to the plane in
which lies the axis of the first split sleeve, the tensioning of the first chain has little
effect on the tension of the second chain which may be tightened or loosened by moving
the second split sleeve downward or upward as the case may be. If the two planes
containing the countershaft and motor shaft, and the countershaft and main axle
respectively be arranged at right angles to each other, and the axes of the two split
sleeves be arranged in or parallel to such two planes respectively the tensioning of
the two chains will be rendered practically independent.
The present pedal driving gear is dispensed with, but cranks and pedals may be
fitted to the countershaft, with a clutch action or otherwise, if desired.

page_text: Suitable means are provided for starting and controlling the vehicle, but these
form no part of my present invention.
Dated this lot day of October 1908
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18, Hertford Street, Coventry, 75, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
9, Exchange Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
I, JOHN KEMP STARLEY, Managing Director of the Rover Cycle Company Limited,
Meteor Works, Garfield Road, Coventry, Warwickshire, 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 cycles of the kind known as the "Coventry Chair," in which
a passenger chair or body is arranged in front, and which is propelled by a rider
seated behind; and my said invention consists in the hereinafter described means for
applying a motor to the said Coventry Chair.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I will describe the
same with the aid of the accompanying drawings wherein,
Figure I is a side elevation of a part of a Coventry chair showing the application of
a motor thereto.
Figure II is a plan of part of the structure shown in Figure I.
Figure III is a side view in elevation of a detail.
Like numerals indicate like parts in all the Figures.
In carrying out my invention, I take a suitable motor, say that known as the "de
Dion et Bouton," and suspend it by the top or back of the cylinder 2 behind the rear
or main saddle tube 3 by the bracket 23. To each side of the crank chamber 4 of
the motor I secure the rear end of an approximately horizontal tube 5, 6. These
horizontal tubes run forward to near the foot of the said rear saddle tube where one of
them (5) terminates and where they are connected by a transverse tube 7. This
transverse tube 7 is also secured to the foot of the rear saddle tube 3, by the lug 25.
The horizontal tube 6 may be all in one piece, but the continuation 6¹ is preferably
of larger diameter, as shown; in either case the continuation is provided with a
longitudinal feather 8 and carries a split clamp sleeve 9 which is suitably grooved to
receive the said feather. Projecting upwardly, and preferably rearwardly parallel
to the saddle tube 3, is a short length of tube 10 provided with a longitudinal
feather 11 and carrying a grooved split clamp sleeve. 12. This second sleeve is
formed in one with, or has attached to it, a bearing 13 in which is mounted a
countershaft 14. On this countershaft are mounted a large chain wheel 15 and a
small chain wheel 16. The large wheel is geared by an endless chain 17 to the
chain wheel 18 on the crank shaft 19 of the motor; the small wheel is
second
geared by a
endless chain 20 to
21
the chain wheel
situated
above it on the main, balance geared axle 22 of the cycle. Motion is thus
transmitted from the motor shaft 19, through the countershaft 14 to the main
or driven axle 22; and the relative speeds are determined by the relative sizes
of the various chain wheels.
An important part of my invention relates to the means for adjusting the
tension of the two chains 17 and 20. The plane passing through the axes of
the motor shaft 19 and countershaft 14, and the plane passing through the axes of the

page_text: horizontal tubes 5, 6, are approximately parallel; consequently the chain 17 may
be tightened or loosened by moving, forward or backward as the case may be, the
split clamp sleeve 9 carrying the short tube 10. The countershaft 14 and main axle
22 being in a plane approximately at right angles to the above mentioned plane
in which lie the axes of the motor shaft and countershaft, the tensioning of the
chain 17 has no material effect on the tension of the chain 20, which may be
tightened or loosened by moving, downward or upward as the case may be, the split
clamp sleeve 12 carrying the bearing 13. If the two planes containing the counter-
shaft and motor shaft and the countershaft and main axle respectively be arranged at
right angles to each other, and the paths in which move the two split sleeves or
corresponding devices be arranged in or parallel to such two planes respectively, the
tensioning of the two chains will be rendered practically independent and this may be
readily accomplished by arranging the tube 10 at right angles to the tube extension 6¹,
as shown in dotted lines in Figure IV, though I find the angle represented by the full
lines great enough for all practicable purposes. It will be obvious that the split
clamp sleeves inay be replaced by swinging brackets or other well known mechanical
equivalents, without departing from the essence of this part of my invention.
The present pedal driving gear is dispensed with, but cranks and pedals may be
fitted to the countershaft, with a clutch action or otherwise if desired.
Suitable means are provided for starting and controlling the vehicle, but these form
no part of my present. invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be perforined, I declare that what I claim,
is:-
1. The means for applying a motor to a cycle of the kind known as the Coventry
Chair substantially as herein described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. In a motor cycle comprising a crank shaft carrying a chain wheel, a main or
driven axle carrying a chain wheel, and a countershaft carrying two chain wheels one
of which is geared to the crank shaft chain wheel by a first chain, and the other of
which is geared to the main axle chain wheel by a second chain, adapting the
bearing which carries the countershaft to move in a plane at right angles or approxi-
mately at right angles to the plane in which lies the axes of the said countershaft and
main axle, for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the first chain without
inaterially affecting the tension of the second chain, substantially as set forth.
3. In a motor cycle comprising a crank shaft carrying a chain wheel, a main or
driven axle carrying a chain wheel, and a countershaft carrying two chain wheels one
of which is geared to the crank shaft chain wheel by a first chain, and the other of
which is geared to the main axle chain wheel by a second chain,-arranging the two
planes passing through the countershaft and motor shaft and the countershaft and
main axle respectively, and the two paths of motion for adjusting the respective
chains, at such an angle that the adjustment of either chain does not imaterially affect
the adjustment of the other chain, substantially as set forth.
4. In a motor cycle, the means for adjusting the tension of the two chains connect-
ing the countershaft with the motor shaft and the main axle respectively, substantially
as herein described and mustrated.
S neten uescribed and lustrated.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1899.
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.