Improvements in and relating to Crank Pedals for Cycles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Crank Pedals for Cycles.
I, RICHARD FRANCIS HAMILTON, of The New York Press Club, in the City and
State of New York, United States of America, now residing at 14, Kensington
Crescent, in the County of London, General Press Agent, 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 pedals for the cranks of bicycles, tricycles and like
machines and has for its object to provide a combined pedal and foot-grip, that
is to say a pedal having means applied to it for automatically clasping and firmly
gripping the boot or shoe of the rider (hereinafter called the foot) during each
downward stroke with sufficient pressure to prevent slipping thereof and for
holding same with just sufficient pressure to prevent "losing the pedal during
the upward stroke and for instantly releasing the foot when required. The auto-
matic gripping device according to my invention may be applied to each side or
face of the pedal or to one side only, the other side or face in such case being of
any convenient ordinary type, so that the pedal can be used at will as an ordinary
pedal or by reversing its position as a foot-grip pedal.
In carrying out my invention I provide as stated either on one or both sides of
the pedal a vertically movable tread piece which through suitable and simple
connections is adapted to draw together toward the centre of the pedal one toward
the other a pair of side foot-grip plates or clasps when pressure is applied and
then to hold the rider's foot, and when pressure is removed the said grip-plate or
plates is or are returned to normal position by spring action and the foot released.
In order to provide for a light grip, just sufficiently strong to prevent the rider
"losing" the pedal on the upward stroke I prefer to form an aperture groove or
recess in each foot-grip plate through which the swell of the foot (just above the
boot sole) will slightly project and thus when pressure is reduced, as it is in the
upward or idle part of the rotation of the crank, the foot is sufficiently gripped to
retain its position on the treadle. This, however, is optional, and not an essential
feature of my invention. It is sufficient to apply my gripping device to one
side of a pedal only the other side being an ordinary fixed foot piece and I will
now fully describe my invention in regard to such a treadle. In the accompanying
drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, Fig. 2 a plan and Fig. 3 a cross
section of my combined pedal and foot-grip for cycles. In the drawing both the
side grip-plates are adapted to be moved inwardly towards each other, though it
will be obvious that one may be fixed if desired and the other movable towards it.
A is the pedal axle or pin rotating in ball bearings and adapted to be fixed to the
ordinary crank at a; to the pedal are fixed a pair of hollow guides, preferably
cylindrical tubes, G G having through-slots g 9; within these work rods R R also
having through-slots r r corresponding to g g but the said slots have inclined
surfaces at their inner ends 17. To the outer ends of said rods are fixed the
foot grip-plates C C and these plates have preferably an opening or recess c c
for the purpose above referred to. Between the inner ends of the rods R are inter-

page_text: posed springs S S normally forcing said rods and plates outwardly. T is the
vertically movable tread-piece suitably formed and roughened. To its base are
fixed four downwardly projecting plates t t with inclined inner opposite surfaces
at t¹¹ and end-catches t2 t2. The plates t t pass through the two sets of slots g g
respectively in the guide tubes G G and side-grip rods R R, the inclined
surfaces then engaging the said inclined slot-surfaces 1 l so that when the
tread T is depressed the interaction of the inclined surfaces 1 t¹ serves to auto-
matically draw together one toward the other the side grip-plates C C, and so
clasp the foot, the springs S S being then compressed. The hooks prevent the
removal of the tread T unless and until removal is required for cleaning and so
forth and this is simply effected by pressing the side plates inwardly and with-
drawing the tread. When the pressure is removed the springs S S instantly
return the side grip-plates to outward normal position, and if but partly removed
the swell of the foot engaging as described the apertures or recesses c prevents
entire disengagement. The side grips C C may be slightly turned in as dotted
at c¹ to better grip the sole of the boot and they are of such forms as best fit the
foot and they are or may be adjustable as to spacing apart to fit various sizes of
feet by set screws or in any suitable manner. On the reverse side of the pedal is
illustrated an ordinary tread T¹ fixed to the pedal pin.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A combined crank pedal and foot-grip having a tread piece adapted to be
depressed when pressure is applied to it and then through wedges and sliding rods
to cause a spring return side plate or plates to grip the foot substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth."
.
2. A pedal for cycles consisting in the combination with the crank pedal pin
of a movable tread piece and side grip-plates with or without apertures or recesses
such as c, arranged on one or both faces of the pedal said movable tread and side
grip-plates being connected and arranged to operate at the times, for the purposes
and substantially in the manner herein described and illustrated in the drawing.
3. A pedal consisting in the combination with the crank pedal pin of side grip-
plates, having grooves or apertures to receive the swell of the foot, one or both
plates being capable of sliding endwise of the pedal, a movable tread and inter-
acting inclined surfaces between same and the side plates for operating the latter
and springs for returning the parts to normal position, all arranged and adapted
to operate substantially as and for the purposes above set forth.
4. In a crank pedal for cycles the combination of a clamping device such as
above referred to and claimed with an ordinary tread on the opposite face of the
pedal axle, substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. Combined crank pedals and foot grips for cycles, constructed substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings for the purposes set
forth
Dated the 6th day of December 1897.
For the Applicant,
J. C. CHAPMAN,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,