Improvements in Gearing for Cycles, and in Springs for the Seat.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 22nd Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gearing for Cycles, and in Springs for the Seat.
I, DOSSABHOI SHAPOOYE FRASER, of 20, Upper Bedford Place, in the County
of London, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
-
A device for the improved gearing of cycles which is carried out as follows.
The gearing chain from the large gearing wheel to which the pedals are
attached is carried to a small gearing wheel about half way between such large
gearing wheel and the small gearing wheel attached to the spindle of the rear
wheel. The intermediate small gearing wheel either forms a hub to a larger
gearing wheel or else is attached to the other end of the spindle of such larger
gearing wheel. From the second large gearing wheel another gear chain is
carried to the small gearing wheel on the spindle of the rear wheel. The middle
gearing wheels are attached to the fork within which the rear wheel of a bicycle
runs, which fork may be either hollow or solid or may have a slot cut through
it longitudinally to contain the middle gearing wheel. In describing my inven-
tion I have described it with reference to a bicycle, but the same invention is
equally applicable to every cycle.
The improvement in the spring for the seat consists in the seat being sup-
ported on a spiral spring which is contained in the tube or hollow perpendicular
bar on which the seat is supported.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Gearing for Cycles, and in Springs for the Seat.
I, DOSSABHOI SHAPOOYE FRASER, formerly of 20, Upper Bedford Place, in the
County of London, but now of 102/4, Girgaou Back Road, Bombay, India,
L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., (Edinburgh), L.F.P.S., (Glasgow), do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This Invention relates to certain improvements respectively in or applicable to
gearing for cycles, and in or applicable to the saddles or seats of such vehicles,
the object of the improvement relating to the gearing being to obtain a greatly
CD 037

page_text: increased speed with an expenditure of but a comparatively slightly increased
force, as compared with rear driven cycles the driving wheel of which is driven
direct from the crank or pedal shaft, and that of the improvement relating to
the saddles or seats being to take up the jolts, jars and vibrations imparted to
the cycle when travelling over uneven roadways or the like, and to render the
viding smooth, easy and comfortable to the cyclist, so much so that even a solid
rubber tyred cycle fitted with such improvement may be ridden with greater
ease and comfort than a pneumatic tyred cycle not fitted with such improvement.
On the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, represents a side elevation of a bicycle fitted with the aforesaid improve- 1
ments.
Fig. 2, represents, on an enlarged scale, a detached view of the improved
arrangement of gearing.
Fig. 3, represents the same in plan view. And
Fig. 4, represents a detached view of the improved saddle or seat support.
In carrying out the improvement relating to the gearing of cycles, I apply to
an axle a, carried by one of the back-stays b, of the cycle-frame, intermediate
of the driving chain-wheel c, on the crank or pedal axle c¹, and of the driven
chain wheel d, on the axle d, of the rear or driving road-wheel e, of the cycle, a
pair of connected chain wheels a, a, the one (a¹) of which is of a relatively
small diameter in relation to both the wheels c, a, and is driven by a chain
directly from the driving chain wheel, and the other (a) of which is of a
relatively larger diameter in relation to both the winels a', d, and receives its
motion from the connected wheel a¹, and imparts it, at an accelerated speed,
(in the ratio of the relative diameters of the wheels a, a,) by a chain a³, to the
driven chain wheel d, by which the cycle driving wheel e, is directly driven.
To support the spindle a, in the necessary adjustable manner in relation to
the spindles c, d, the cycle back-stay b, to which the spindle a, is applied is (as
represented) cut apart and fitted with, or is formed with, an open or bifurcated
frame b', each side of which is formed with a slot 68, through both of which slots
the spindle a, is passed, the spindle being fitted at each side with forwardly
and rearwardly projecting screwed rods b³, and set nuts b, by means of which
any desired adjustment of the spindle a, may be obtained and maintained.
In carrying out the improvement relating to the saddles or seats of cycles, I
mount the seat-pillar f, on a spiral spring g, arranged within the diagonal or
down tube h, of the cycle frame. The seat pillar works with an easy fit in the
top end of the tube h, and rests on the spring 7, which is supported at a lower
part of the tube h, in any convenient manner. In the upper part of the tube k,
there is formed a slot 7, and in the lower part of the seat pillar there are formed
a number of screw-holes f¹, into any one of which, as may be desired, a screw
pin i, is inserted through the slot, the screw head remaining engaged with the
slot. These means serve to adjust the height of the seat and to mount the seat-
pillar adjustably in relation to its spring support and also to prevent the seat
pillar from turning in and from being ejected from the tube h. As the spring 9,
is always under pressure, the screw i, is always in contact with the upper part
of the slot h², excepting when the cyclist occupies the seat, when the spring is
compressed as to lower the screw in the slot h³, and allow of the required
vibratory movements of the seat.
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. The application to cycles of the improved arrangement of gearing for com-
municating motion from the crank or pedal axle to the axle of the cycle road
driving wheel, as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, of
the accompanying drawings.
2. The application to the seats or saddles of cycles of a spring for supporting

page_text: the seat or saddle-pillar for the purpose mentioned, as hereinbefore described with
reference to Figs. 1, and 4, of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of November 1897.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London. W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.