Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892 ⚫
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ROBINSON BROWN, of 24 Guildford Street, Hendon, in the Borough of
Sunderland, in the County of Durham, School Officer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of double geared driving mechanism
for cycles, so arranged that an increased power is available for ascending hills, and
an increased speed for running on the level, while the said driving mechanism can
be thrown out of gear when descending.
I employ two chain wheels running loose upon the crank shaft axle, one large
and the other small. Two chain wheels are fixed on the driving wheel hub, and
the two loose chain wheels aforesaid are connected therewith by separate chains.
I place a sliding clutch on the crank shaft axle between the loose chain wheels;
when moved in one direction it engages with the large chain wheel and when in the
other direction with the small chain wheel and when in the centre, both wheels are
disconnected. The said clutch is operated by a suitable lever, and is held in any
one of the said three positions by a spring, or other suitable device.
When coming down hill the clutch may be placed in the central position, for
ascending hills it is connected with the small chain wheel, and for running on the
level or up moderate inclines with the large chain wheel.
Dated this 1st day of October 1891.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ROBINSON BROWN, of 24 Guildford Street, Hendon, in the Borough of
Sunderland, in the County of Durham, School Officer, 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 the improved construction of a double-geared driving
mechanism for cycles, so arranged that an increased power is available for ascending
hills, and an increased speed for running on the level, while the said driving
mechanism can be thrown out of gear when descending.
In the accompanying two sheets of drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved driving gear, as applied to the

page_text: chain wheels E E', the wheel E is of larger diameter than the wheel E¹, the pro-
portion between them being in any convenient ratio. Two chain-wheels are fixed
on the driving wheel hub, or axle, and the two loose wheels E E' are connected
therewith by separate chains. The fixed wheels may be of the same diameter, or
one may be larger than the other. In the latter case the small wheel is connected
to the wheel E and the large wheel to the wheel E'.
Adjacent to the parts D D₁ of the axle, are parts D' D' of increased diameter,
while the central part D' is of reduced size. Through the parts D' D' D' three
square grooves are cut parallel with the axis, the bottoms of the said grooves
being level with the periphery of the parts D' D', and notches or recesses E¹³,
corresponding with the said grooves, are formed in the ends of the hubs of the
chain wheels E E¹.
Each of the aforesaid grooves carries a piece F, of the same shape and about
the same length as the groove, and fitted to slide therein.
When these sliding pieces are advanced in one direction, they engage with the
notches E in the wheel E, and so cause it to be rotated by the axle, and when
advanced in the other direction, they in like manner engage with the wheel E',
but when in the central position, as shewn in Fig. 1, both the said wheels are
disconnected. The sliding pieces thus form a clutch and are operated and
controlled by the rider in the following manner.
A central notch F¹ is formed in the outer side of each of the pieces F, the
bottoms of the said notches being level with the periphery of the central part D³ of
the axle.
A ring H, surrounding the part D, fits freely in these notches, and has attached.
to it, by screws or other suitable means, an outer ring J. The ring H is,
as shewn in Fig. 2, made in two parts to enable it to be put into place;
KK are hardened steel ferrules fixed on the parts D2 and provided with grooves
for the balls L forming the bearings; M is a tube provided in its recessed ends
with grooves, and pieces N screwed therein and secured by locking rings P, for
the adjustment of the bearings in the usual way. The tube M is rigidly secured
to the frame of the machine by clips or other suitable devices, which may be
provided to hold it at the ends.
Two longitudinal slots M¹ M' are formed in the recessed central part M² of
the tube, and through these slots studs QQ, screwed into the ring J, project.
Surrounding the part M2 is a tube R, formed in halves as shewn in Fig. 2 and held
in a band or clip S, which has secured to it an arm T. A diagonal slot V is
formed in half of the tube S to receive the studs Q, such slot being shewn more
clearly in Fig. 5, which is a plan of the said ring. The action of the apparatus is
as follows.
The axle, with the sliding pieces F, rotates freely within the ball bearings,
but the rings H and J, by reason of the studs QQ projecting through the
slots M² M², are prevented from turning therewith, but the pieces F can turn freely
within the said rings. By moving the arm T, the clip S, with the tube R is caused
to partially rotate about the tube M and the diagonal slots V V cause the rings HJ,
and with them the pieces F to advance longitudinally and lock either of the
wheels E or E, according to the direction in which the arm T is moved. When
the said arm is in the central position, the pieces F will not project either way and
both wheels will be out of gear, as shewn in Fig. 1. The arm T is operated by
the rider through the medium of any suitable connections, and any convenient
device may be employed to lock or hold it in any one of the three required positions.
I do not confine myself to the use of the arm T, as any other adequate arrangement
may be provided for operating the tube R.
In Figs. 6 and 7, shewing my invention applied to a driving-wheel hub, the
axle d is tubular, formed with two collars d' d. These collars are surrounded by
a tube m affixed to them and carrying the hub flanges, W W. These parts may
be conveniently secured together by screws passing through the flanges W and
the tube m, and into the collars d'. It is advisable in addition, to braze the flanges

page_text: on to the tube m. ee are two chain wheels rotating loosely upon the tube d and
held in place by washers k¹ k¹ and the grooved ferrules k k for the ball bearings,
which may be held in the driving wheel fork in any convenient way. F F F are
sliding pieces held in apertures formed in the collars d' d. When advanced in one
direction they engage with notches e* in the hub of the wheel e and so cause the
axle to be rotated by this wheel, and when advanced in the other direction, they
in like manner engage with the wheel e', but when in the central position, as shewn
in Fig. 6, both the said wheels are disconnected.
Surrounding the axle d is a ring J, made in two parts, and each of the pieces F
has a notch cut in it to receive the said ring. Within the axle is a rod 2, which is
secured to the ring J by bolts 3, 3, or other convenient means.
Collars 4, 4, are provided on the end of the rod to receive the end of a lever, or
other convenient device, which will enable the said rod to be moved lengthways
in the axle by the rider and so operate the clutch. Any suitable device may
be
employed to lock or hold the rod 2 in any one of the three required positions.
Slots 5, 5, are formed in the tube d to permit of the movement of the bolts 3, 3,
when the rod 2 is operated.
In this application of the clutch to the driving wheel hub, the chain wheels on the
crank-shaft are necessarily keyed thereto, instead of being loose as in the previous
case.
When a cycle having my invention applied thereto is descending a hill, the clutch
may be placed in the central position, for ascending it is moved to gear the driving
wheel with the pair of chain-wheels which give increased power with a reduction
of speed, and for running on a level or up moderate inclines, with the chain wheels
giving less power with increased speed.
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. In a double-geared driving clutch for cycles, the combination of loose chain-
wheels E E' and sliding pieces F, connected and operated by a ring J, studs Q, and
diagonally slotted sleeve R, substantially as set forth.
2. In a double-geared driving clutch for cycles, the combination of loose chain-
wheels E E' and sliding pieces F, connected and operated by a ring J, studs Q,
diagonally slotted sleeve R, band S, and arm T operated by suitable mechanism,
substantially as set forth.
3. In a double-geared driving clutch for cycles, the combination of a hollow
axle d with collars dd, loose chain wheels e e', sliding pieces F connected and
operated by a ring J, a sliding rod 2 connected to the said ring and operated by
suitable mechanism, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 18th day of May 1892.
AMBROSE MYALL,
21, Cockspur Street, London, S.W., Agent for the Applicant.