Improvements in Cycles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec.,
1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ADAM BILLING TAYLOR, of 139 Saint Mark's Road, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he
as follows:
There are at the present time cycles of three distinct types commonly in use,
namely (a) ordinary bicycles having a large front wheel fixed upon the crank axle
so that it makes the same number of revolutions as the cranks and pedals, (b) safety
bicycles which are driven by chain mechanism geared to make the number of
revolutions of the driving wheel greater than the number of revolutions of the
crank axle, and (e) front steering tricycles in which the hinder wheels are driven
by chain mechanism which is usually geared to make the number of revolutions of
the driving wheels greater than the number of revolutions of the crank axle..
In all these cases there are well recognised inconveniences which have frequently
The
been sought to be overcome, but hitherto with but very partial success.
ordinary bicycle is dangerous on account of the necessarily large diameter of the
driving wheel and the consequent height at which the centre of gravity of
the rider is above the ground; but the machine has the merit of great simplicity
and shortness of wheel base, and admits of the feet being used in steering giving
therefore great freedom to the hands. The safety bicycle obtains the safety, from
which its name is derived, at the sacrifice of simplicity and lightness, and the
wheels have to be a considerable distance apart in consequence of the position of
the driving mechanism, and as the feet can take no part in the steering one hand
at least must always be grasping the handle, unless in the case of a very expert
rider who may have attained skill to steer by the leaning of the body; and the
same inconveniences exist, in the main, in the case of chain geared tricycles as
described with reference to safety bicycles.
Now, the object of this invention is to construct a cycle in such manner as to
secure the advantage of driving through the medium of pedals carried by cranks
which are themselves on the axis of the driving wheel, and at the same time avoid
the disadvantages hitherto incidental to such an arrangement.
In a single safety bicycle or front steering tricycle, constructed according to this
invention, the front or steering wheel is loose upon its axle so that the one can turn
in relation to the other. The axle passes also through bearings in the fork and is
fitted with cranks in the manner of an ordinary bicycle; but the motion of the
axle is conveyed to the wheel through the medium of an epicyclic train either on
one or both sides as may be desired, but preferably (for the sake of simplicity
and lightness) on one side only. The epicyclic train consists, in its simplest form,
of a pair of bevel or mitre wheels face to face, one fixed or dead and the other
capable of turning on its axis, and of a bevel pinion or third mitre wheel between
them and gearing with both, such pinion or last mentioned wheel being capable of
turning on a stud or arm projecting from an axle whose axis coincides with the
common axis of the two first mentioned wheels. As the axle is rotated the arm
and pinion are carried round, and the one wheel being fixed the other is driven
round two revolutions for one revolution of the axle. The fixed or dead wheel is
according to this invention rigidly fastened to the inside of one prong of the fork,
and the opposite wheel is fixed to or forms part of the driving wheel hub, while
the pinion or central wheel is carried by an arm projecting from the crank axle.
The driving wheel is thus rotated twice for each revolution of the crank axle. The
epicyclic train may, however, be adapted to drive the driving wheel at any rate of
revolution, compared with that of the axle, by making the opposite wheels of the

page_text: train of different diameters and forming the pinion compound so that one part gears
with one of the wheels and the other part with the other wheel; and this arrange-
ment may be modified by using two pinions fixed on opposite ends of a short
transverse spindle capable of rotating. within bearing carried by the driving
axle.
The hub of the driving wheel is formed with a hollow or open boxing at its outer
face to receive the wheel gearing.
A cycle constructed according to this invention may have the wheels made as
small as may be desired to make the centre of gravity of the rider as low as may
be required, and while chain mechanism is dispensed with the driving wheel may
be geared up to any desired speed. The wheel base moreover may, in the case of
a bicycle, be as short as with an ordinary bicycle, and owing to the fact that the
driving mechanism is carried to turn simply around the axis of the driving wheel
the feet may be used in steering, in the case of either a bicycle or tricycle. Con-
siderable economy of weight is effected as compared with the ordinary tricycles
and safety bicycles.
In the case of a tandem bicycle, the hind wheel also may be driven through the
medium of an epicyclic train as described for the front wheel; and each of the
hind wheels of a tricycle may be driven by independent riders in the same
manner.
Dated this 2nd day of July 1891.
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cycles.
I, ADAM BILLING TAYLOR, of 139 Saint Mark's Road, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, 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:-
There are at the present time cycles of three distinct types commonly in use,
namely (a) ordinary bicycles having a large front wheel fixed upon the crank axle
so that it makes the same number of revolutions as the cranks and pedals, (b) safety
bicycles which are driven by chain mechanism geared to make the number of
revolutions of the driving wheel greater than the number of revolutions of the crank
axle, and (e) front steering tricycles in which the hinder wheels are driven by chain
mechanism which is usually geared to make the number of revolutions of the driving
wheels greater than the number of revolutions of the crank axle.
In all these cases there are well recognised inconveniences which have frequently
been sought to be overcome, but hitherto with but very partial success. The
ordinary bicycle is dangerous on account of the necessarily large diameter of the
driving wheel and the consequent height at which the centre of gravity of the rider
is above the ground; but the machine has the merit of great simplicity, and shortness
of wheel base, and admits of the feet being used in steering giving therefore great
freedom to the hands. The safety bicycle obtains the safety, from which its name
is derived, at the sacrifice of simplicity and lightness, and the wheels have to be
a considerable distance apart in consequence of the position of the driving mechanism,
and as the feet can take no part in the steering one hand at least must always be
grasping the handle, unless in the case of a very expert rider who may have attained
skill to steer by the leaning of the body; and the same inconveniences exist, in the
main, in the case of chain geared tricycles as described with reference to safety
bicycles.
Now, the object of this invention is to construct a cycle in such manner as to
secure the advantage (or some of the advantage) of driving through the medium of
pedals carried by cranks which, have a common axis with the driving wheel, and

page_text: ment.
at the same time avoid the disadvantages hitherto incidental to such an arrange-
According to this invention, the front or steering, "wheel of a safety bicycle, or
front steering tricycle, or if desired the hinder wheel of a safety bicycle, is loose
upon its axle so that the one can turn in relation to the other. The axle passes
also through bearings in the fork, so as to be capable of turning therein, and is fitted
with cranks in the manner of an ordinary bicycle; but the motion of the axle is
conveyed to the wheel through the medium of an epicyclic train either on one or
both sides as may be desired, but preferably (for the sake of simplicity and
lightness) on one side only. The epicyclic train consists, in its simplest form, of a
pair of bevil or mitre wheels face to face, having a common axis with the crank
axle, one being fixed or "dead" and the other capable of turning on its axis, and of
a bevil wheel or pinion, or third mitre wheel, between them and gearing with both,
such last mentioned wheel or pinion being capable of turning on a stud or arm
projecting from the crank axle. As the axle is rotated, the arm and wheel or pinion
therearound are carried round therewith, and the one wheel of the pair which are opposite
to one another being fixed the other is driven round two revolutions for one revolution
of the axle. The fixed or "dead" wheel is, according to this invention, rigidly fastened
to the inside of one prong of the fork, and the opposite wheel is fixed to or forms
part of the driving wheel hub, while the pinion or central wheel is carried, as above
described, by an arm projecting from the crank axle. The driving wheel is thus
rotated twice for each revolution of the crank axle. The epicyclic train may,
however, be adapted to drive the driving wheel at any rate of revolution, compared
with that of the axle, by making the opposite wheels of the train of different
diameters and forming the central wheel or pinion compound so that one part gears
with one of the wheels and the other part with the other wheel; and this arrange-
ment may be modified by using two wheels or pinions fixed, respectively, on opposite
ends of a short transverse spindle capable of rotating within a bearing carried by
the driving axle.
The hub of the driving wheel is formed with a hollow, or open boxing, at its
outer face to receive the wheel gearing.
A cycle constructed according to this invention may have the wheels made as
small as may be desired, to make the centre of gravity of the rider as low as may
be required, and while chain mechanism is dispensed with the driving wheel may be
geared up to any desired speed; but it will probably be found that a speed of
driving wheel twice that of the axle, which results from the use of a simple epicyclic
train, will meet most or all requirements. The wheel base moreover, may, in the
case of a bicycle, be as short as with an ordinary bicycle, and when the wheel which
is driven through the medium of the epicyc'ic train is the steering wheel, the feet
may be used in steering. Considerable economy of weight is effected as compared
with the ordinary tricycles and safety bicycles.
In the case of a tandem bicycle, both the steering and hind wheels may be driven
in the manner above described; and each of the wheels of a tricycle may be driven
in the same manner, by independent riders.
A convenient application of this invention is shewn by the drawing herewith,
which illustrates, in longitudinal section taken along the central axis of the
mechanism, an epicyclic train applied to a crank axle and driving wheel hub.
A A are the lower ends of the fork which carry bearings B B of the usual type.
C is the crank axle, and D D the usual cranks on the ends thereof. The outer
ends of the cranks are broken away, for convenience of illustration. The axle is
carried to be capable of turning in the bearings B B. An epicyclic train consisting
of the hevil wheels a bc, has the wheel a fixed to the bearing Bi, conveniently by being
screwed into a recess therein, the wheel bfixed to the driving wheel hub E, conveniently
by being screwed upon a portion of the hub, and the wheel c carried to be capable
of turning around a stud d which is itself fixed transversely within an enlargement e
of the axle C. The wheel c gears with both the wheels a and b.
The driving
wheel hub E and bevil wheel b, fixed rigidly together as described, are carried to

page_text: be capable of turning in relation to the axle C. For this purpose, ball bearings are
conveniently formed by means of balls interposed between prepared surfaces of the
enlargement e of the axle and of the hub E, and between prepared surfaces of the
outer end of the hub E and the inner end of a ferrule screwed upon the axle and
locked thereon by means of lock nuts i. The wheel c, being carried by the stud d
which revolves with the axle, and gearing with both the wheels a b, the wheel hub E
is of course driven two revolutions to each revolution of the axle. The end of the
hub E which carries the wheel is, preferably, formed as a boxing or cup F which
surrounds the wheel gearing forming the epicyclic train; and the outer end of this
boxing is closed in, to prevent access thereto of rain and dust, by a shield G, con-
veniently of sheet metal, formed with a rim g which enters as an easy fit within the
mouth of the boxing. The shield G is conveniently held in place by being gripped
between the back of the wheel a and inner face of the bearing B. When the
wheels a bare screwed, respectively, into the bearing B1 and on to the hub E, they
should be so screwed that the driving of the machine tends to tighten them up.
is preferred, in order to minimise the wear on the teeth of the wheels a b to make
the number of the teeth on the wheel e prime to the number of the teeth on either
of the wheels a b. This is conveniently effected by forming the wheel c with 15 teeth,
and the wheels a with 19 teeth each. Such a device for minimising wear is well
understood by mechanics.
It
A simple epicyclic train, such as that illustrated, which drives the driving wheel
hub two revolutions to one of the axle, will probably be found to meet all the
requirements of geared driving mechanism for cycles; but it will be obvious that a
compound epicyclic train may be used, as above described, in any case in which a
different rate of speed is desired in the driving wheel compared with that of the
axle.
The driving wheel may be geared with the driving axle through the medium of
two epicyclic trains, if desired, one at each end of the wheel hub, instead of driving
through an epicyclic train on one side only but I do not think that such an arrange-
ment will be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A cycle constructed with one or more wheels thereof fitted, or each fitted,
with an epicyclic train (simple or compound), or with two such trains, through the
medium of which it is rotated from a crank axle having a common axis with itself,
substantially as described.
2. A cycle constructed with one or more wheels thereof fitted, or each fitted,
with an epicyclic train (simple or compound) or with two such trains, through the
medium of which it is rotated from a crank axle having a common axis with itself,
the fixed or dead wheel of such train being fixed to a prong of the fork, substantially
as described.
3. In a cycle, the combination of a driving wheel having a hub capable of turning
on a crank axle, with an epicyclic train (simple or compound), said hub having one
end formed as a boxing or cup which surrounds the epicyclic train and being,
preferably, closed in at the front by a shield, substantially as described.
4. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting mechanism by
which a cycle wheel may be driven from a crank axle having a common axis with
itself, at a different speed of rotation to the axle, substantially as described and
shewn by the drawings herewith, whether the epicyclic train is simple, as shewn, or
compound.
Dated this 17th day of November 1891
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.