Improvements in Motor Cycles and other Motor Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 4th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 26th May, 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Motor Cycles and other Motor Vehicles.
We, LOUIS CHAPELLE and AUGUSTE CHLAPELLE, of St. Ouen 'Aumône (Oise),
France, Locksmiths, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to motor cycles and other motor vehicles and has more
particularly for object to provide a motor bicycle which shall not be longer and
more cumbersome than an ordinary bicycle; which shall be capable of being
worked at will either by its motor or by the feet of the rider; which shall be
easily stopped and the speed gear of which shall be capable of being readily
changed so as to enable it to run normally at different speeds.
These improvements in motor cycles and other motor vehicles will be clearly
understood from the detailed description hereinafter given of a suitable example
of a motor bicycle driven by oil or spirit constructed in accordance with this
invention.
The frame of the bicycle is designed and constructed in such a manner as to
offer the greatest rigidity, and to obviate completely all vibration. The oil or
spirit motor is situated as low down as possible in order to lower the centre of
gravity of the whole and to render the running of the bicycle steady even at high
speeds without having to hold the steering handle; this advantage being due
to the great stability of this motor bicycle.
The motor comprises a ribbed cylinder with a head also ribbed, in which works
a piston, the rod of which actuates the crank of the motor shaft. This part of
the mechanism may be enclosed in a suitable casing. The motor shaft carries
at one end a pinion which drives the shaft that acts upon the distributing and
firing mechanisms of the motor.
The motor shaft also carries at its other end a pinion hereinafter called the
driving pinion which is constructed to gear with inner and outer rings of teeth
formed on a plate or disc hereinafter called the driving plate.
This driving plate is fixed on a hollow shaft that is carried in ball bearings
in a bracket. Through the hollow shaft extends an axle on which are fixed two
pedals. The pedal which is situated on the side of the driving plate is fixed to.
a disc that fits in a circular cavity formed in the outer side face of the driving
plate. This disc which is rigidly fixed to the pedal axle is adapted to be coupled
to the driving plate in a manner hereinafter described.
The driving plate is formed with a pulley face which is connected to a pulley
carried by the axle of the hind wheel through the medium of a driving belt
preferably composed of a strip of steel enclosed in a leather sheath. The pulley
face of the driving plate and the pulley on the hind wheel axle are provided with
rims or flanges for preventing the belt from slipping off.
The driving pinion of the motor is adapted to engage with one or the other of
the rings of teeth of the driving plate, that is to say, it gears directly with the
outer ring of teeth when the driving plate is raised sufficiently to bring these
teeth into engagement with the driving pinion. But when on the contrary,

page_text: the driving plate is depressed, the inner ring of teeth of the driving plate can
be brought into engagement with an intermediate pinion which is always in
gear with the driving pinion of the motor, and which is loose on a pin that
serves as its axle.
.
1
The distance between the inner and outer rings of teeth is such that it may
happen that there is neither contact between the driving pinion and the outer
ring of teeth, nor contact between the intermediate pinion and the inner ring
of teeth; this is the case when the driving platé moved into its position of
mean elevation. In this case there is no connection between the motor and the
driving plate so that the motor will not act upon the driving wheel' of the
bicycle.
The raising and the lowering of the driving plate are effected by shifting the
bracket by which the driving plate is carried as hereinbefore described. For
this purpose the said bracket is provided with two lugs which enable it to pivot
on a suitably situated pin. The said bracket is also formed with a lug to which
is attached a rod that extends up-through the interior of the front stay of the
frame of the bicycle. This rod is provided at, its upper end with a pin which
is engaged by the short arm of a lever that can be arrested in one or the other
of its end positions, or even in its middle position by means of notches formed
in the left hand side of the top member of the frame of the machine. The
arrangement is such that the rider when mounted on the bicycle can. by moving
the said lever forward or backward, cause the bracket to rise or fall at will,
which movement, as above described, has the result of shifting the driving plate
so as to cause either the low speed gear or the high speed gear to be thrown into
operation as desired; the motor may he placed entirely out of gear if required.
It has been above stated that the driving plate is formed on its outer face
with a circular cavity in which is a disc fixed to one, pedal and arranged to be
coupled to the driving plate by means which will now. be described. This
circular cavity formed in the driving plate is lined on its inner and outer circular
faces with a ring of hard material such as steel for the purpose of providing
surfaces that will withstand wear in the case where the driving plate is made
of aluminium in order to reduce the weight as much as possible.
;
A circular spring is fitted close to the outer surface of the circular cavity and is
intended to bear against the said surface when the rider presses upon the pedals
in order to start the motor bicycle. This spring has one end fixed on a pin fixed
to the disc; the other end of the spring is free and has jointed to it, a pawl or
finger.
A coiled spring interposed between the said pawl and the spring has a constant
tendency to move the said pawl back. The free end of this pawl or finger is
adapted to bind upon the hard lining of the inner surface of the circular cavity
aforesaid.
When the rider wishes to start, and for this purpose presses with his feet upon
the pedals, the disc fixed to one pedal begins to rotate and carries round with it
the circular spring which bears against the outer surface of the circular cavity
in the driving plate of the motor, whilst the finger or pawl hinds against the
inner surface of said cavity. By this means a driving connection is produced
between the pedal axle and the driving plate. The latter then drives the motor
through the medium of one of the rings of teeth and the driving pinion. The
motor then commences to work, and, when it has started, it drives the driving
plate on. The rider then ceasing to work the pedals, the pedal axle ceases .to
revolve, the circular spring bears no longer against the outer surface of the
circular cavity in the driving plate, and the pawl or finger is moved by its spring
away from the inner surface of the said cavity. The motor continues thus alone
to drive the driving plate and consequently also the hind driving wheel of the
motor bicycle, whilst the feet of the rider remain stationary on the pedals or on
any suitable footrest.
We shall now proceed to describe in what manner we produce the tension of

page_text: the driving belt for the purpose of driving the hind wheel. The hind axle is
mounted in bearings which are adapted to move in slide ways, and are con-
nected by rods which extend through the arms of the forked bottom stay of the
frame. These rods are connected to bell crank levers mounted on an axle that
carries an arm connected by a rod to a bell crank lever which is connected at
its other end by a rod to a lever that is pivoted on the front stay-of the frame.
The rider by operating the handle. of the last mentioned lever can move the
bearings of the hind wheel axle forwards or backwards at will. When the hind
wheel axle is thus moved backwards, the hind wheel pulley is also moved back,
and consequently the belt which connects that pulley with the pulley face on the
driving plate is tightened and the bicycle is then driven by the motor. If ou
the contrary the bearings are moved forward so as to render the belt quite slack,
the motor will cease to drive the bicycle. In such case another pulley which is
also carried by the hind wheel comes in contact with a fixed shoe that acts as a
brake on the said pulley and aids in stopping the bicycle which is no longer
being driven by the motor.
It will be understood that when the driving plate is maintained in the inter-
mediate position, so as not to be in connection with the motor, the rider can
operate the pedals and drive the hind wheel in the usual manner.
The bracket or part of the frame that supports the motor is constructed so as
to allow of mounting a more powerful motor if required. A fore-carriage might
be mounted on the front fork in which case the bicycle would assume the appear-
ance of a tricycle having two front wheels.
The various mechanical features of this motor bicycle, and in particular the
speed changing gear and the devices for regulating, che tension of the belt, may
be applied to tricycles, quadricycles, and motor vehicles generally.
As will have been understood from the foregoing, the starting of this motor
bicycle is effected in a manner similar to the starting of a bicycle that is not
provided with a motor, namely, the lever which operates the movable crank
bracket is placed in the middle notch, so that the motor is not coupled to the
driving plate which drives the hind wheel by means of a belt, and the rider
starts the bicycle by operating the pedals. When the motor is started the rider
couples the motor to the hindwheel of the bicycle.
Before mounting the motor bicycle, the operation of the carburetting device
of the motor may be conveniently tested by throwing the driving belt out of
engagement, coupling the motor with the high speed gear of the driving plate,
and then starting the motor by hand. The rider can then adjust the operation
of the carburetting device before starting.
Dated this fith day of Jul 1800
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
"
We, LOUIS CHAPELLE and AUGUSTE CHAPELLE, of St. Ouen l'Aumone (Oise),
France, Locksmiths, 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 motor cycles and other motor veliicles and has more
particularly for object to provide a motor bicycle which shall not be longer and
more cumbersome than an ordinary bicycle; which shall be capable of being

page_text: worked at will either by this motor or by the feel of the rider; which shall be
easily stopped; and the speed gear of which shall be capable of being readily
changed so as to enable it to run normally at different speeds.
These improvements in motor cycles and other motor vehicles will be clearly
understood from the detailed description hereinafter given by way of example.
of a suitable construction of a motor bicycle driven by oil or spirit and arranged
in accordance with this invention, with reference to the accompanying illustra-
tive drawings in which :-
:-
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the right hand side of the motor bicycle
333
Fig. 2 is a similar view with the speed changing gear plate removed; so as to,
show more clearly the mechanism for regulating the tension of the driving belt,
and the mechanism for enabling the movable crank bracket to be shifted to change
the speed.
Fig. 3 is a part. plan of the rear portion of the bicycle.
M..
1
Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are views on a larger scale illustrating various details of
the motor bicycle.
The frame of the bicycle is designed and constructed in such a manner as
to offer the greatest rigidity, and to obviate completely all vibration. The oil
or spirit motor a is situated as low down as possible in order to lower the centre
of gravity of the whole and to render the running of the bicycle steady even at
high speeds without having to hold the steering handle; this advantage being
due to the great stability of this motor-bicycle.
The motor a (shown separately in Fig. 4 in cross section) comprises a ribbed
cylinder b with a head also ribbed, in which works a piston the rod d of which
actuates the crank e of the motor shaft f. This part of the mechanism may be.
enclosed in a suitable casing 9. The motor shaft f carries at one end a pinion h
which drives the shaft that acts upon the distributing and firing mechanisms of
the motor.
The motor shaft f also carries at its other end a pinion i hereinafter called
the driving pinion which is constructed to gear with one or the other of inner
and outer rings of teeth and k respectively formed on a plate or disc / herein-
after called the driving plate.
This driving plate is fixed on a hollow shaft m that is carried in ball bear-
ings o in a bracket n. Through the hollow shaft m extends an axle p on which
are fixed two pedals q, q. The pedal which is situated nearest to the driving.
plate is fixed to a disc that fits in a circular cavity formed in the outer side
face of the driving plate. This disc which is rigidly fixed to the pedal axle ?
is adapted to be coupled to the driving plate in a manner hereinafter described.
The driving plate is formed with a pulley face which is connected to a
pulleys carried by the axle of the hind wheel, through the medium of a driving
belt perferably non-stretching and composed of a strip of steel enclosed in a
leather sheath. The pulley face of the driving plate and the pulleys on the
hind wheel axle are provided with rims or flanges for preventing the belt t from
slipping off.
The driving pinion i of the motor is adapted to engage with one or the other
of the rings of teeth (; or A) of the driving plate; that is to say, it gears directly
with the outer ring of teeth when the driving plate is raised sufficiently to
bring these teeth into engagement with the driving pinion i. But when on the
contrary, the driving plate is depressed, the inner ring of teeth ; of the driving
plate can be brought into engagement with an intermedinte pinion u which is
always in gear with the driving pinion of the motor, and which is loose on a
pin that serves as its axle.
The distance between the inner and outer rings of teeth j and is such that
it may happen that there is neither contact. between the driving pinion i and
the outer ring of teeth k, nor contact between the intermediate pinion u and the
inner ring of teeth j; this is the case when the driving plate 7 is moved into
its position of mean elevation. In this case there is no connection between the
=

page_text: motor and the driving, plate so that the motor will not, act upon the driving
wheel of the bicycle.
The raising and the lowering of the driving plate are effected by shifting
the bracket by which the driving plate is carried as herein before described.
For this purpose the said bracket n is provided with two lugs v which enable
it to pivot eccentrically on a suitably situated pin x. The said bracket n is also
formed with a lug to which is attached a rod z that extends up-through the
interior of the front stay w of the frame of the bicycle. This rod z is provided
at its upper end with a pin 1 which is engaged by a short arm 2 of a lever 3 that
can be held in one or the other of its end positions, or even in its middle position,
by means of notches formed' in the left hand side of the top member 4 of the
frame of the machine. The arrangement is such that rider when mounted on
the bicycle can, by moving the said lever 3 forward or backward cause the
bracket to rise or fall at will, which movement, as above described, has the
result of shifting the driving plate so as to cause either the low speed gear or
the high speed gear to be thrown into operation as desired; or the motor may
be placed entirely out of gear if required.
It has been above stated that the driving plate is formed on its outer face
with a circular cavity in which is a disc r fixed to one pedal (the right hand
pedal) and arranged to be coupled to the driving plate by means which will
now be described. This circular cavity formed in the driving plate is lined on
its outer and inner circular faces 5 and 6 with a ring of hard meterial such as
steel for the purpose of providing surfaces that will withstand wear in the case
where the driving plate is made of aluminium in order to reduce weight as
much as possible.
A circular spring 7 (Figs. 5 and 7) is fitted close to the outer surface 5 of the
circular cavity and is intended to bear against the said surface when the rider
presses upon the pedals in order to start the motor bicycle. This spring 7 has
one end fixed on a pin 8 fixed to the disc r; the other end of the spring is free,
and has jointed to it, a pawl or finger 9.
A coiled spring 10 interposed between the said pawl and the spring has a
constant tendency to draw the said pawl back. The free end of this pawl or
finger 9 is adapted to bind upon and grip the hard lining of the inner surface 6
of the circular cavity aforesaid, when the pedals are operated. This will be
understood from the following explanation.
When the rider wishes to start, and for this purpose presses with his feet upon
the pedals, the disc r fixed to one pedal begins to rotate and carries round with
it the circular spring 7 which bears against the outer surface 5 of the circular
cavity in the driving plate of the motor, whilst the finger or pawl 9 being drawn
by the spring 10 binds against the inner surface 6 of said cavity. By this means
a driving connection is produced between the pedal axle and the driving plate 7.
The latter then drives the motor through the medium of one of the rings of
teeth, and the driving pinion . The motor then commences to work, and,
when it has started, it drives the driving plate 1. On the rider then ceasing to
work the pedals, the pedal axle ceases to revolve while the plate continues to
rotate, under the action of the motor, in the direction shown by the arrow
Fig. 7; the spring 7 no longer bears against the surface 5, and in consequence
of the motion of the plate in the direction shown by the arrow Fig. 7, and the
angle assumed by the finger 9 with respect to its pivot, the finger exerts no
gripping action on the surface 6, but rubs over this surface against the tension
of the spring 10. The motor continues thus alone to drive the driving plate 7
and consequently also the hind driving wheel of the motor bicycle, whilst the
feet of the rider remain stationary on the pedals or on any suitable footrest.
We shall now proceed to describe in what manner we produce the tension
of the driving belt t for the purpose of driving the hind wheel. The hind wheel
axle (Fig. 3) is mounted in bearings 11 which are adapted to move in slide
ways 12, and are connected to rods 13 which extend through the arms of the

page_text: forked bottom stay 14 of the frame. These rods 13 are connected to bell crank
levers 15 mounted on an axle 16 that carried an arm 17 connected by à rod 18
to a bell crank lever 19 which is connected at its other end by a rod 20 to a lever 21
that is pivotted at 22 on the front stay w of the frame. The rider by opérating
the handle of the last mentioned lever 21 can move the bearings 11 of the hind
wheel axle forwards or backwards at will. When the hind wheel axle is thus
moved backwards, the hind wheel pulley s is also moved back, and consequently
the belt t; which connects the pulley with the pulley face on the driving plate /
is tightened, and the bicycle is then driven by the motor. If on the contrary
the bearings 11 are moved forward so as to render the belt quite slack, the motor
will cease to drive the bicycle. In such case another pulley 23 which is also
carried by the hind wheel comes in contact with a fixed shoe 24 that acts as a
brake on the said pulley and aids in stopping the bicycle which is no longer
being driven by the motor.
It will be understood that when the driving plate is maintained in the inter-
mediate or middle position, so as not to be in connection with the motor, the
rider can operate the pedals and drive the hind wheel in the usual manner by
his feet.
The bracket or part of the frame that supports the motor is constructed so
as to allow of mounting a more powerful motor if required. A fore-carriage
may be mounted on the front fork, in which case the bicycle would assume the
appearance of a tricycle having two front wheels.
The various mechanical features of this motor bicycle, and in particular the
speed changing gear and the devices for regulating the tension of the belt, may be
applied to tricycles, quadricycles, and motor vehicles generally.
As will have been understood from the foregoing, the starting of this motor
bicycle is effected in a manner similar to starting of a bicycle that is not provided
with a motor, namely, the lever 3 which operates the movable crank bracket n
is placed in the middle notch, so that the motor is not coupled to the driving
plate which drives the hind wheel by nieans of the belt t, and the rider starts
the bicycle by operating the pedals by his feet: When the motor is started the
rider couples the motor to the hindwheel of the bicycle.
Before mounting the motor bicycle, the operation of the carburetting device 25
of the motor may be conveniently tested by throwing the driving belt out of
engagement, coupling the motor with the high speed gear of the driving plate l,
and then starting the motor by hand. The rider can then adjust the operation
of the carburetting device before starting. This obviates having to adjust it on
the road.
The carburetting device 25, the electric accumulator 26, and the induction
coil 27 for producing ignition, may be of any suitable types.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim.is:-
-
1. In a motor cycle or other motor vehicle, a speed changing gear comprising
the combination of a driving pinion on the motor shaft, a driving pulley plate
connected to a pulley on the driving or hindwheel axle by means of a practically
non-stretching belt and carrying a small toothed wheel or ring and a large toothed
wheel or ring, and a change pinion gearing with the driving pinion, the gear
being set for the high and low speeds by shifting the pulley plate with its small
and large toothed wheels or rings into engagement with the change pinion or
driving pinion respectively, constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described and shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings.
2. In a motor cycle or other motor vehicle provided with a driving pulley
plate carrying small and large toothed wheels or rings as specified in the pre-
ceding claim, mounting the said plate in or upon a bearing or bracket capable
of being rotated eccentrically by means of rods and links and an operating

page_text: lever by the rider in the saddle, substantially as hereinbefore described and as
shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings, and for the purpose specified.
3. In a motor cycle or other motor vehicle, a spring clutch for coupling the
pedal axle to a driving plate of the kind specified in Claim 1, said clutch com-
prising a spring adapted to bear against the outer circular surface of a cavity
in the driving plate and a driving pawl or finger adapted to grip the inner
circular surface of said cavity for the purpose of enabling the driving plate to
be driven by means of the pedals when the motor is not working, and also of
enabling the pedal axle to remain stationary while the motor is driving the
driving plate, constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and as shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings.
4. In a motor cycle or other motor vehicle, mounting the axle of the belt-
driven hinder or driving wheel in bearings which can be shifted forwards or
backwards in guideways by means of rods, links and an operating lever, for the
purpose of enabling the tension of the driving belt to he regulated at will by
the rider in the saddle, substantially as described and as shown in the accom-
panying ilustrative drawings.
5. In a motor cycle or other motor vehicle, the combination of a belt-driven
hinder or driving wheel axle capable of being shifted in the manner referred
to in the preceding claim, a brake pulley carried by said axle, and a brake shoe
fixed on the vehicle, for the purpose of stopping the motor vehicle when the
driving belt ceases to drive by reason of it having been slackened by the shifting
of the said axle, constructed, arranged and operating substantially as described
and as shown in the accompanying illustrative drawings.
6. The improved motor bicycle constructed, arranged and operating substan-
tially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of Anvil 1000
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agents.