Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 26th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
We ARTHUR JOHN BLACK of 13 Bloomfield Place, Pimlico Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Artist, and WILLIAM RADFORD of Chilwell near Nottingham, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
This invention relates to that class of velocipedes in which the driving wheels are
actuated by clutch mechanism through drums driven by straps connected with recipro-
cating pedal levers, the object being so to construct the driving mechanism, that an
increase of speed can be obtained beyond the limit usual in this class of machine.
In carrying out this invention, the lower end of each prong of the fork is provided
with a sleeve projecting inwards, and in which is secured a fixed axle. Upon opposite
ends of this axle, is mounted loosely a double drum, which extends over the sleeve,
and is provided with clutch mechanism which enters a recess formed in, and acts upon
the hub of, the wheel, also mounted loosely on the fixed axle.
The drums are formed of two diameters, the smaller to receive, on its external
periphery, a driving strap, and the larger to contain a coiled spring for the purpose of
returning the drum to its normal position after each stroke, one end of this spring
being secured to the drum, and the other to the sleeve.
The external periphery of the smaller drum is formed with an increasing radius,
like a snail cam, and the strap is attached by one end to its smallest radius, and
wrapped round one and a half times, or more or less, according to the diameter of
drum employed, the other end of the strap being attached to the pedal lever.
The drum may be cast in one piece, or made in two parts, the smaller being inter-
changeable for drums of less or greater diameter, to enable the machine to be
geared up" to suit the wishes of the rider.
As the rider depresses the pedal lever, the strap will be drawn off, thereby rotating
the drum, which, through the clutch mechanism, communicates motion to the wheel.
Simultaneously the spring is wound up, and as the rider raises his foot, the energy of
the spring will return the pedal lever to its normal position.
By the use of this invention, it is possible to obtain an increase of speed to a con-
siderable extent, by decreasing the diameter of that part of the drum which receives
the driving strap, at the same time maintaining or increasing the larger diameter
necessary to contain an efficient coiled spring.
When applying our invention to tricycles, it will only be necessary to arrange the
driving and clutch mechanism, constructed on the principles above described, so as to
act through the balance gear of such vehicles, or direct on the driving wheels,
according to the construction of the machine to which the invention is to be applied.
Dated this 26th day of June 1880
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in, Velocipedes..
We ARTHUR JOHN BLACK of 13 Bloomfield Place, Pimlico Road in the County of
Middlesex, Artist, and WILLIAM RADFORD of Chilwell near Nottingham, Mechanical
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 :-
This invention relates to that class of velocipedes in which the driving wheels are.
actuated by a clutch mechanism through drums driven by straps connecting with

page_text: reciprocating pedal levers, the object being so to construct the driving mechanisın,
that an increase of speed can be obtained beyond the limit usual in this class of
machine.
In carrying out this invention, the lower end of each. prong of the fork is provided
with a sleeve projecting inwards, and in which is secured a fixed axle. Upon opposite
ends of this axle is mounted loosely a double drum, which extends over the sleeve,
and is provided with clutch.mechanism which enters-a recess formed in and acts upon
the hub of the wheel, also.mounted.loosely on the fixed axle.
In the accompanying drawings,-
Fig. 1 shews in sectional elevation a "double drum" constructed according to this
invention, and Fig. 2 is a cross section on the linea a of Fig. 1.
A is the one prong of the fork of a bicycle, B is the fixed axle on which the wheel
to be driven and the driving apparatus are mounted. This fixed axle is secured to.
the prongs of the bicycle by keys and screw nuts, or in any other convenient manner.
C is a short sleeve surrounding the fixed axle, and projecting inwards for the purpose
to be afterwards explained.
D and D are two drums of two diameters bolted together. The smaller drum D
running on the sleeve C, receives on its external periphery a driving strap E, and the
larger drum D' contains the coiled spring F, employed for the purpose of returning
the double drum D D' to its normal position after each stroke of the pedal. The outer
end of this spring F is secured to the drum D', and the inner end to the sleeve C,
which for this purpose is secured to the fixed axle in the manner before described.
The external periphery of the smaller drum D is formed with an increasing radius,
like a snail cam, and the strap E is attached by one end to its smallest radius, and
wrapped round one-and-a half times, or more or less, according to the diameter of the
smaller drum D employed; the other end of the strap E is attached to the pedal lever,
not shewn in the drawing.
These drums D D' may be cast in one piece; it is however preferable to make
them in two parts, bolting them together, as shown in the Figure. The smaller
drum D is then readily interchangeable for drums of less or greater diameter, thus
enabling the machine to be "geared up" to suit the wishes of the rider.
The drum D' carries two or more pawls d pivotted between the drum D' and a
collar formed on the boss. These pawls take into a ring of internal ratchet teeth, or
it may be a serrated or roughened surface, formed on an annular projection from the
hub or boss G of the wheel to be driven. The pawls, which are mounted in a
tangential position, are held up to interlock with the ratchet teeth, or roughened
surface, by means of springs d¹ carried by a loose friction ring d², mounted on the
fixed shaft at the underside of the drum D³, and lying within the recess which is
formed in the face of the boss of the driven wheel.
When the rider depresses the pedal lever, the strap E will be drawn off the drum D,
thereby rotating the drum D D', which through the pawls d of the clutch mechanism,
will communicate motion to the hub of the wheel G, and simultaneously wind up the
spring F. As the rider raises his foot, the energy of the spring F will return the
pedal lever to its normal position.
By the use of the above described novel construction of compound drum, we are
enabled to obtain, to a considerable extent, any desired increase of speed, by decreasing
the diameter of that part of the drum which receives the driving strap, while at the
same time maintaining or increasing the larger diameter necessary to contain an
efficient coiled spring and clutch mechanism.
Fig. 3 shows in sectional elevation a modified arrangement of the apparatus, in
which the drum D₁ is made in two parts, D' and 'D2, the part D' carrying the pawls
or other clutch gear, as in the first described arrangement, and the other part D'
carrying the coiled spring F. The drum P is bolted between the two parts, thus
serving to unite the two parts firmly together. By this arrangement, the spring F is
brought near to the prong of the fork, so that the sleeve C, to which 'the inner coil of
the spring F is secured, is shorter, and no cranking of the pedal lever is required to
bring it within reach of the rider; the apparatus is also rendered more compact.

page_text: It will be understood that when ball bearings are to be applied to the axle of the
bicycle, the axle having rotary motion, the sleeve carrying the friction ring of the
clutch mechanism will require to be held stationary by being locked to the inner face
of the fork, and will then serve also to carry the strap clutch and spring drums. It
may sometimes be desirable to economise the space between the driven wheel and
the prongs of the fork, and for this purpose we may construct the drum containing
the clutch mechanism and the pedal strap drum as before, placing the spring drum
above the axle, and mounting it upon a stud pin projecting from the inner side of the
fork, and connecting it by a cord or strap with the pedal strap drum. Or, we may
substitute for the flat spiral drum, a helical or india rubber spring secured to a pin
projecting from the fork, and connected by a cord or strap, as before, with the pedal
strap drum.
When applying our invention to tricycles, it will only be necessary to arrange the
driving and clutch mechanism constructed on the principles above described, so as to
act through the balance gear of such vehicles, or direct on the driving wheels,.
according to the construction of the machine to which the invention is to be applied.
It will be evident that we do not intend to confine ourselves to the particular form
of clutch shewn, as any other form of silent ratchet or intermittent clutch can be
employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In that class of velocipedes driven through clutch mechanism actuated by straps
from the pedals, which are returned to their normal position by springs, applying the
strap to a drum other than the spring drum or clutch drum, whereby a strap
drum may be employed of a diameter varying according to the speed required, as
set forth.
2. The arrangements of driving mechanism for velocipedes as set forth.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.