An Improved Two-speed Gearing for Cycles and like Vehicles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 15th May. 1900-Accepted. 16th June 1900
An Improved Two-speed Gearing for Cycles and like Vehicles.
I, JOHN MARTIN WILSON, of Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
in the County of York, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows;-
My invention relates to a two-speed gear for bicycles, tricycles, and the like
vehicles, the said gear to be interchangeable at will, either when the rider is
mounted or dismounted.
I employ two driving chains, one at each side of the machine, which gear with
two fixed chain wheels on the near or driving wheel hub.
The crank axle has two loose chain or sprocket wheels of different sizes, one
at each end, each of the said wheels having on its inner side a clutch, which
engages when required with a corresponding clutch on the axle.
The crank axle has also a central collar within a suitable recess in the crank
bracket, the said collar being operated by means of a pivotted lever so as to slide
the axle within its bearings, and thus put either of the chains into or out of gear.
The said lever is preferably connected by other suitable lever mechanism so as
to be operated from a handle near the steering bar of the machine, the said handle
having a spring lever and notched plate so as to retain it in any required position.
If desired the clutches may be so arranged that when the crank axle is in its
central position both the chains are out of gear, so allowing the pedals to remain
stationary.
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1
JOHN E. WALSH.
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.
An improved Two-speed Gearing for Cycles and like Vehicles.
I, JOHN MARTIN WILSON, of 18, Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
in the County of York, Builder, 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 a two-speed gear for bicycles, tricycles, and like
vehicles, the said gear to be interchangeable at will, either when the rider is
mounted or dismounted.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle with my improved gear applied.
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the bottom or crank bracket.
According to my invention I employ two driving chains A, A¹, one at each
side of the machine, which said chains gear respectively with two fixed chain
wheels on the rear or driving wheel hub B. The crank axle Chas two loose
chain or sprocket wheels D, DI of unequal diameters, one at each side of the
frame, each of the said wheels having a clutch E which engages when required
with a corresponding clutch F on the crank G (or axle C). The crank axle C
has a central collar H within the bracket K, this collar being operated by means
of a pivotted lever L (having a strap M or the like) so as to slide the said axle C
within its bearings and thus put either of the chains A, A¹ into or out of gear.
The lever L may be pivotted on a web N provided between the back stays P', and
works preferably in slots R in the bottom bracket K. The said lever L may be
operated by lever or band mechanism from any convenient part of the machine,
but is preferably operated from behind the steering head by means of the pivotted
hand-lever S (locked in any required position by spring lever and notched
plate 1), the connecting rod U, and the cranked lever V.
If desired the clutches E E, F F, may be so arranged that when the crank
axle C is in its central position a free-wheel action is obtained, both chains being
out of gear and the pedals remaining stationary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A two-speed gearing for cycles, in which a sliding spindle C,. having cen-
tral collar H and clutches F, F, may be operated by suitable lever or other mech-
anism so as to gear interchangeably with the sprocket wheels D, D¹ (having corre-
sponding clutches E E), substantially as, and for the purposes, shown and
described.
2. The combined two-speed and free-wheel gear for cycles, arranged and
operated substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of May 1900
JOHN E. WALSH.
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.