IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Marshall, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Marshall at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th May 1881.
EDWARD MARSHALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."
My Invention consists in the following method of constructing the anti-
friction ball bearings of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes. I employ one or
two series of balls or spheres secured in their places by a ring in holes in which
the balls are held at the required distance apart. On the axis is a loose collar
having one or two grooves nearly semi-circular in cross section, between which and
and another larger grooved collar the balls work. The said outer loose collar is
divided crosswise into two semi-tubular parts. The parts described are contained
in a circular metallic case provided with means of adjustment of the lower part of
the larger grooved collar. On the under side of the case is a screw pin with lock
nut, and by driving home more or less the said screw pin the lower part of the
larger grooved collar can be pressed more or less upwards and the bearing be
thereby adjusted. At opposite points on the sides of the case are small screws, the
ends of which enter recesses formed in the meeting edges of the two halves of the
larger grooved collar, and serve to guide the motion of the lower half when it is
raised or lowered for adjustment. The adjustment is effected by the screw pin
with lock nut without the detachment of any of the parts. In place of the said
screws internal vertical ribs or guides may be employed.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the application of gear wheels to velocipedes
for varying the rate of motion communicated by the crank shaft to the principal
or travelling wheel. On the crank shaft are two toothed wheels having, say twenty
and thirty teeth respectively, and on the side of the principal wheel and rotating
with it are two similar toothed wheels. A forked arm turning upon a centre
carries on its end pinions, one of which may by the action of a lever be made to

page_text: gear together the small toothed wheel on the crank shaft, and the large toothed
wheel on the principal wheel. By the contrary motion of the lever the other pinion
may be made to gear together the large toothed wheel of the crank shaft and the
small toothed. wheel of the principal wheel. When the lever is in an intermediate
position the crank shaft is ungeared from the principal wheel.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in dividing (preferably at the middle) the pedal
shaft and frame of tricycles and other velocipedes, and fitting the divided parts with
ends which can be readily engaged and fixed together by a screw cap or wedge or
equivalent fastening. By this arrangement the velocipede can readily be separated
into two parts for conveyance through narrow doorways, for storage, and for transit.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in making the hub into which the spokes of
velocipede wheels are fixed with a flange on the outer side, into which flange the
spokes are screwed or fitted. By this arrangement, when any spoke is broken, the
part left in the hole in the hub can be readily removed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Edward Marshall in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th November 1881.
EDWARD MARSHALL, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Mechanical
Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES."}
My Invention consists, first, in the following method of constructing the anti-
friction ball bearings of bicycles, tricycles, and other velocipedes. I employ one
or two series of balls or spheres secured in their places by a ring in holes in which
the balls are held at the required distance apart. On the axle is a loose collar
having one or two grooves nearly semi-circular in cross section, between which and
another larger grooved collar the balls work. The said outer loose collar is divided
crosswise into two semi-tubular parts. The parts described are contained in a
circular metallic case provided with means of adjustment of the lower part of the
larger grooved collar. On the under side of the case is a screw pin with lock nut,
and by driving home more or less the said screw pin the lower part of the larger
grooved collar can be pressed more or less upwards, and the bearing be thereby
adjusted. At opposite points on the sides of the case are small screws, the ends of
which enter recesses formed in the meeting edges of the two halves of the larger
grooved collar, and serve to guide the motion of the lower half when it is raised or
lowered for adjustment. The adjustment is effected by the screw pin with lock
nut, without the detachment of any of the parts. In place of the said screws
internal vertical ribs or guides may be employed.
My Invention consists, secondly, in the application of gear wheels to velocipedes
for varying the rate of motion communicated by the crank shaft to the principal
or travelling wheel. On the crank shaft are two toothed wheels having, say
twenty and thirty teeth respectively, and on the side of the principal wheel and
rotating with it are two similar toothed wheels. A forked arm turning upon a
centre carries on its ends pinions, one of which may by the action of a lever be
made to gear together the small toothed wheel on the crank shaft, and the large
toothed wheel on the principal wheel. By the contrary motion of the lever the
other pinion may be made to gear together the large toothed wheel of the crank
shaft and the small toothed wheel of the principal wheel. When the lever is in
an intermediate position the crank shaft is ungeared from the principal wheel.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in dividing (preferably at the middle) the pedal
shaft and frame of tricycles and other velocipedes, and fitting the divided parts
with ends which can be readily engaged and fixed together by a screw, cap, or
wedge or equivalent fastening. By this arrangement the velocipede can readily be
separated into two parts for conveyance through narrow doorways, for storage, and
for transit.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in making the hub into which the spokes of
velocipede wheels are fixed with a flange on the outer side, into which flange the
spokes are screwed or fitted. By this arrangement, when any spoke is broken, the
part left in the hole in the hub can be readily removed.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the
manner in which my Invention is to be performed :-
:-
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, Figure 2, in side elevation, and Figure 3
in section, an antifriction ball bearing, constructed according to my Invention ;
Figures 4 and 5 represent vertical sections of the ball bearing, taken in planes at
right angles to that in which the section of Figure 3 is taken. The section Figure 4
is taken on the line a, a; Figure 3, and the section Figure is taken on the
line b, b, Figure 3; Figure 6 represents the outer case separately, in which case the

page_text: several parts of the bearing are contained; Figure 7 represents the grooved loose
collar which is secured on the axle; Figure 8 represents the ring in which the balls
or spheres are held; Figure 9 represents the loose or adjustable outer divided
collar and Figure 10 represents a modification of the bearing as herein after
explained.
The saine letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1 to 10.
e is the loose grooved collar secured on the axle; d is the ring in which the balls
or spheres e are held at the required distance apart; f, f' is the loose or adjustable
outer collar divided crosswise into two semi tubular parts, as represented in
Figures 4 and 9. The said outer divided collar f, f, is grooved internally with
grooves similar to those in the inner loose collar c on the axle, in which grooves in
the inner and outer collars, the balls or spheres e, carried by the ring d, work as
seen in Figures 3 and 5 g is the outer case of the bearing having a circular form,
in which case g, the parts c, d, f, f are contained. The shape of the said outer
case g is best seen in the section Figure 6. It has a large opening hat one side,
through which opening the several parts of the bearing are placed in it. The
other side of the case g, is furnished with a smaller opening i through which the
axle passes;
k is the adjusting screw pin on the underside of the case g. The said
pink bears against the lower half f2 of the divided grooved collar f. f, and by
driving home more or less the said pin k, the lower half ƒ of the collar can be
pressed more or less upwards, and the bearing be thereby adjusted as will be
understood by an examination of Figure 4. The adjusting screw pink is fixed
after adjustment by the lock nut 1; m, m, are the side screws for guiding the
motion of the lower half ƒ of the divided collar when the said half f is raised or
lowered for adjustment. The said side screws m, m, also support the upper half f
of the divided collar. The said screws m, m, pass through the case g at opposite
points, and their taper ends take into recesses n, n, near the meeting edges of the
divided collar ff (see Figures 4 and 9). Or in place of the screw pins m, m,
guide pins or ribs 2, 2 fixed in the case g, as represented in Figure 10, may be
employed for holding or preventing the rotation of the upper halff, and for guiding
the lower half f³, of the outer collar f, f2 for adjustment.
Instead of using two series of balls or spheres, as represented, a single series or
more than two series may be employed. But when I use a single series of balls or
spheres, the guiding of the lower half of the divided collar and the supporting of
the upper half of the said collar of the bearing may be effected by pins or studs on
a ring like covering plate affixed to the open front of the outer case, the said pins
or studs engaging in cut away parts in the face of the said lower half of the divided
collar.
This modification of my Invention is illustrated in front elevation in Figure 10ª,
and the covering plate separately in edge view in Figure 10B; p is the ring like
plate affixed by the screws p², p², to the outer case g. On the inuer face of the said
plate pare the studs 7, 7, which take into the cut away parts 8, 8, in the face of the
lower halff, of the divided collar f, f*.
By constructing and combining the parts of the bearings in the manner described
and illustrated, the adjustment is effected without the detachment of any of the
parts from the outer case.
Figure 11 represents in side elevation, and Figure 12 in plan, a portion of a
tricycle or other velocipede containing my arrangement of gear wheels or mechanism
for varying the rate of motion communicated from the crank shaft to the principal
or travelling wheel. The said Figure 12 also represents ny arrangement for
dividing the velocipede into two parts for packing, transit, or other purpose, and
connecting the divided parts together for use.
I will first describe the gear mechanism :-
a is the principal or driving wheel, and b, the crank shaft; c is a portion of the
framing of the velocipede. On the crank shaft bare two toothed wheels d and e,
of different diameters. The said wheels c and d may contain twenty and thirty
teeth respectively, but I do not confine myself to these proportions. On the

page_text: principal or travelling wheel a are two similar toothed wheels f and g. The toothed
wheels e and f are situated in the same plane, while the toothed wheels d and y are
situated in the same plane, but in a different plane from the toothed wheels e, f,
(see the plan, Figure 12); h, i, are two similar pinions carried by the ends of the
forked arm k, the said arm turning on the centre and being provided with a
lever m for moving the said forked arm. By moving the lever m in the direction
of the arrow, Figure 11, the pinion h can be made to gear together the small
toothed wheel g on the principal wheel a and the large toothed wheel d on the
crank shaft b. By moving the said lever in the contrary direction to that indicated
by the arrow the pinion may be removed from the toothed wheels g and d and
the pinion i be made to gear together the large toothed wheelf on the principal
wheel a and the small toothed wheel e on the crank shaft b.
The
When the lever m is in an intermediate position, or in the position represented
in the Drawing, the crank shaft b is ungeared from the principal wheel a.
forked arm & carrying the pinions h, i, is fixed in any one of the three positions
described by means of the spring bolt p operated by the cranked lever on the
grasping of the main lever m, the bottom of the said spring bolt taking into one of
the three notches in the fixed bar q carried by the framing of the velocipede.
When the pinion h is in gear with the toothed wheels d, g, a quick speed is given
to the travelling wheel a, but when the pinion i is in gear with the other
wheels e, f, a reduced speed with increased power is given to the travelling wheel a,
the gearing mechanism being used in the last described position when the velocipede
is travelling up inclines or when increased power with diminished speed is
required.
I will describe the divided velocipede, represented in Figure 12, constructed
according to my Invention.
The framing c, c², is divided by preference at its middle. On the end of the
divided part 2 of the framing is a convex screw 8, and in the screwed end at s is a
socket of a shape proper to receive the plug t on the end of the other divided
part of the framing. After the plug t has been fitted in the socket at the
screwed end 8 of the part c² the screw cap u sliding on the part c is screwed
upon the screw 8 and the two parts of the framing are thus secured together
for use.
The pedal shaft b, 62, is also divided, and the divided parts are furnished with
appliances similar to those used on the divided frame c, c², that is to say, in the
end of the part 6 of the shaft is a socket w, and a screw cap slides on the said
end, and on the end of the other part 6 of the shaft is a plug y and screw z. By
fitting the plug y in the socket w and screwing the cap upon the screw z the two
parts of the divided pedal shaft are connected together for use. By unscrewing
the caps u and a the two parts of the divided velocipede may be separated for
conveying the velocipede through narrow doorways for transit or for other
purpose.
Although I have found in practice that the means described and represented for
connecting and disconnecting the divided frame and crank shaft of the velocipede
answers well, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as other equivalent methods of
connecting and disconnecting the parts of the divided velocipede may be
employed.
Figure 13 represents in side elevation and cross section the hub of a bicycle,
tricycle, or other velocipede wheel, constructed according to my Invention.
I make the disc like bub a with a flange b on its outer side, into which flange
the spokes of the wheel are screwed; one of these spokes is marked c.
The screwed spokes are secured in their places after screwing them in the flange b
by lock nuts at d inside the flange b.
By this arrangement any broken spokes may be readily removed and replaced by
fresh ones.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit

page_text: myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be
varied without departing from the nature of my Invention,
But I claim as my Invention,-
First. The improvements in antifriction ball bearings for bicycles, tricycles, and
other velocipedes, herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 10³, both
inclusive, of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, the screw pins m, m, or
the fixed pins or studs r, r, on the inner face of the covering plate p for the
purpose of supporting the upper half of the divided collar and for guiding the
lower half of the said divided collar during adjustment, or the fixed rods or
ribs p, p, for holding or preventing the rotation of the upper half and for
guiding the lower half of the divided collar during adjustment, and enclosing
bearings having divided collars of the kind represented in a circular or other shaped
dust proof case g, substantially as described and illustrated.
Secondly. The combination or arrangement, herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 11 and 12 of the accompanying Drawings, of the parts of
gear wheels or gear mechanism for varying the rate of motion communicated from
the crank shaft to the principal or travelling wheel of the tricycle or other
velocipede.
Thirdly. Dividing the frame of a tricycle or other velocipede for carrying one
person at or about its middle and dividing the crank shaft of the said velocipede
at its middle or other convenient part for the purpose of effecting the contraction
of the said velocipede, so as to enable it to pass through narrow openings, as well
as for convenience of storage and transit, substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in Figure 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
Lastly. The improvement in the construction of the hubs of wheels for bicycles,
tricycles, and other velocipedes, herein before described and illustrated in
Figure 13 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to say, making the disc like
hub with a flange on its outer side, into which flange the spokes are screwed,
and fixing the screwed ends of the spokes by means of lock nuts on the inner side
of the said flange, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Marshall, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
37, Temple Street,
Birmingham.
EDWARD MARSHALL. (L.S.)