Improved Cycle Driving Mechanism.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1897 -Accepted, 8th Jan,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Cycle Driving Mechanism.
I, JOHN HENRY HOWE, of 71 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, in the Colony of
New Zealand, Cycle Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The principal object of this invention is to reduce the friction which occurs
when spur multiplying gear is employed in cycle driving mechanism.
In my invention one or more wheels in a train of gearing are provided with
balls which take the place of ordinary teeth, the balls being carried in cups or
sockets in correct pitch in the wheel and geared with by a wheel having teeth of
a suitable shape.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and
Fig. 2 a plan of a bicycle fitted with my invention.
Fig. 3 Is an enlarged sectional plan,
Fig. 4 A sectional elevation on 4-4 Fig. 3, and
Fig. 5 An enlarged end elevation of the driving gear.
Similar letters of reference are used to indicate the same parts throughout the
figures.
The spindle (a) of the driving wheel, which has ordinary cranks at each end is
carried in bearings (b) (61) fixed to the frame members of the machine is the usual
manner.
A spur wheel (c) fixed upon spindle (a) by a screwed sleeve (d) and a set pin (e)
gears with balls (f) which form teeth of a pinion (g) mounted in ball bearings (h)
upon a short spindle (2) secured to a lug (k) projecting from bearing (6¹) the ball
tooth pinion (g) is fixed to and partly formed by spur wheel (l) which engages
with a second ball toothed pinion (m) secured to the hub (n) of the driving wheel
of the machine which runs upon ball bearings (0) (0¹) on spindle (a).
The balls (f) forming teeth of pinion (g) are carried in cups or recesses formed
in the face of wheel (/) and in the face of a washer (7) which is passed upon an
extension or sleeve (r) of wheel (!) and held in position by a screwed washer (t).
The balls of pinion (m) are carried in cups formed in the face of the adjusting
cone (u) of bearing (¹) and in the face of a washer (v) passed upon an extension
or sleeve (w) of cone () and held in position by a screw nut (x). It is necessary
to employ the washer (c) as if the recesses were formed in the nut (r), it would be
impossible to get the balls into place.
The lug k has a slot (¹) whereby the position of spindle (2) may be changed
when alteration of gear is desired. The teeth of the spur wheels are formed of a
shape suitable for correctly gearing with the balls.
Having now particularly described my invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
a spur
1. In combination a spindle having cranks at each end and carrying
wheel gearing with a pinion having balls in the place of fixed teeth, said pinion

page_text: being fixed to a spur wheel gearing with another pinion having ball teeth fixed
upon the hub of the driving wheel of a cycle substantially as specified and
illustrated.
2. The combination in a train of gear wheels, employed in cycle driving gear
for communicating motion from the crank spindle to the driving wheel, of a
wheel having balls around its periphery said balls forming teeth of the wheel and
being carried in corresponding recesses formed in the two parts of which the
wheel is constructed substantially as and for the purposes herein described and
illustrated.
3. The combination in a train of wheels employed in driving gear for
communicating motion from the crank spindle to the driving wheel of a cycle, a
wheel having balls forming gear teeth said wheel being in two parts similarly
recessed to receive the balls, one of said parts being fixed upon a spindle
and the other being in form of washer fitted over the spindle and
held in position by a screw nut and set pin substantially as specified and
illustrated.
Da soon way of Deptembe
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Associate Agent.