Improvements in or relating to Cycles and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cycles and other Vehicles.
I, RUDOLF BRETTNER of 22, Newman Street, W. Diamond Setter, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in connection with cycles and other
vehicles, and is intended to provide a means by which power may be stored while
riding down hill and utilised afterwards for driving purposes either uphill or on
level ground.
In carrying out my invention I propose to store the power which would otherwise
be spent in braking the machine when riding down hill in a strong spring. This
spring consists of a steel band coiled and connected to a central pin at one end by
which it can be wound up. The other end of this spring is connected to a drum
which is free to turn on a spindle or pin and is provided with a toothed wheel at
one side and a ratchet wheel with which a pawl engages preventing the drum
turning until released. On the central spindle a second toothed wheel is carried
which can be caused to engage with the spindle or may be allowed to turn freely
upon it, a connection passing to the handle bar serving to throw this wheel in or
out of gear with the spindle. This wheel is connected by a train of wheels or by
a chain to the crank shaft so that it is continually driven while the machine is
moving. When thrown into gear with the spindle the spring is wound up storing
power and acting as a brake on the cycle. To utilise the power so stored a second
connection passing to the handle bar serves to release the drum which is connected
by a second train of wheels or chain to the crank shaft revolving it and driving
the cycle.
In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, reference is had to
the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle
fitted with my invention Fig. 2 shows the apparatus from the other side, Fig. 3
is a front view with part of the frame removed, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail
views.
The crank shaft A is provided with the toothed wheel B at one side fixed on
the shaft so as to turn with it. The train of wheels B' gears into this toothed
wheel reducing the speed of revolution and finally gearing into the wheel C which
is carried on the central pin or spindle D. This spindle D is supported by the
framework E shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in section in Fig. 4, this frame-
work being clamped or otherwise secured to the tubes of the cycle frame. The
wheel C is adapted to turn upon the central spindle but is also arranged to gear
with it by means of the small cross pin d taking into a transverse groove in the
face of the boss of the wheel C. The wheel is caused to engage with the pin d
by means of the spring c placed at the back. A small ratchet & pawl d¹ prevent
the spindle turning back. To disconnect the wheel the wedge F is employed of
link shape as shown Fig. 1 the extremity f being considerably thinner than the
Jower portion. In the position shown in the detail view Fig. 4 the thicker portion
of the wedge is in operation pressing the wheel C back and allowing it to revolve
freely on the spindle. The wedge is provided at its lower end with the
connections G consisting of rods and a crank lever, leading to the handle bar, a

page_text: handle at one side similar to that commonly employed with brakes serving to
operate the arrangement.
As shown clearly in Fig. 1 on operating the device the wedge is pulled up into
the dotted position pressing back the wheel C the reverse operation serving to
make the connection between the wheel and the spindle. Inside the drum H also
carried on the spindle D a strong coiled spring h shown dotted in Fig. 4 is fitted
connected at one end to the drum and at the other to the spindle. This drum is
provided with the toothed wheel H'at one side and the ratchet wheel J with which
the lever pawlj engages, preventing the drum revolving. A set of connections¹
similar to that employed for the wedge is fitted to the lever pawl, the handle
operating it being placed at the other side of the handle bar. This arrangement
allows the lever pawl to be raised from the ratchet wheel permitting the drum and
toothed wheel H₁ to revolve upon the spindle. A chain of wheels K similar to B'
connects the toothed wheel H' with a wheel L turning upon the crank shaft A.
This wheel is shown in detail in Fig. 5 and the boss is provided with a toothed
face the teeth being of ratchet form. A small cross pin a is fitted to the crank
shaft and is adapted to engage in the ratchet face of the wheel L a spring 12
allowing this wheel to give sideways and also pressing it into connection with the
cross pin. The ratchet face of the wheel allows the crank shaft to turn freely in
one direction relatively to the wheel but any motion in the other direction will
cause the teeth to engage with the cross pin. The action of the apparatus is as
follows.-
When the power is required to be stored in the spring the handle at one side is
operated so as to bring the thin end of the wedge into action allowing the toothed
wheel C to engage with the pin d. The central spindle D is thus revolved from
the crank shaft through the train of wheels winding up the spring. To give out
the power stored the handle at the other side is operated releasing the lever pawl j
and permitting the drum to revolve. This revolves the train of wheels K turning
the toothed wheel L in the direction in which it engages with the cross pin a.
The direction in which the wheel L turns is the one required for driving the
machine in a forward direction the crank shaft being turned in the same direction
as in driving by the pedals the driving being thus rendered much easier the cycle
even moving for a considerable distance without aid.
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 cycle the combination with a strong coiled spring, a drum enclosing the
spring and fitted to it, a spindle carrying the drum and secured to the said spring,
and bearings supporting the spindle, of a toothed wheel loosely fitted on the spindle
but adapted to engage with it, gearing from this wheel to the crank shaft, means
for throwing the wheel in and out of gear with the spindle, a toothed wheel on the
drum, ratchet arrangement securing it in position and releasing it when required,
and gearing connecting the drum wheel with the crank shaft substantially as
described and for the purposes specified.
(2) In a cycle the combination with a strong coiled spring, a spindle carrying
the said spring and a drum enclosing it, of a toothed wheel loosely fitted on the
spindle and adapted to engage with it, gearing connecting the wheel with the crank
shaft, a wedge adapted to move the wheel in and out of gear with the spindle,
connections passing from the wedge to the handle bar, a toothed wheel on the
drum, ratchet arrangement adapted to hold and release the drum, and gearing
connecting the drum wheel with the crank shaft, substantially as and for the
purposes specified.
(3) In a cycle the combination with a strong coiled spring, a drum enclosing the
said spring, a spindle carrying the spring, a ratchet device preventing the spindle
turning back and bearings for the spindle, of a toothed wheel loosely fitted on the
spindle, a groove in the face of the wheel, a cross pin in the spindle adapted to

page_text: engage in the groove, a spring adapted to move the wheels into gearing position,
a wedge and connections operating the said wheel, and connections from the drum
to the crank shaft substantially as and for the purposes specified.
(4) In a cycle the combination with a strong coiled spring, a drum and spindle
connected to the spring, bearings for the spindle and a ratchet preventing it turning
back, of a loose toothed wheel on the spindle adapted to gear with it, means by
which this wheel may be moved in or out of gear, a toothed wheel on the drum, a
ratchet on the toothed wheel, a lever pawl engaging with the ratchet, connections
passing from the said pawl to the handle of the cycle, gear wheels connecting the
drum wheel to a loose toothed wheel on the crank shaft, a ratchet face on the said
loose wheel a pin fixed to the crank shaft and adapted to gear with the ratchet
face, and a spring keeping the wheel in position substantially as described and for
the purposes specified.
(5) In a cycle the combination with a strong coiled spring, a drum and spindle
fitted to the said spring, supports or bearings for the spindle, and a ratchet device
preventing it turning back, of a toothed wheel loosely fitted on the spindle, a
groove in the face of the wheel, a pin on the spindle adapted to engage in this
groove, a spring pressing the wheel into gearing position, a wedge operating the
wheel, connections from this wedge to the handle bar of the machine, gearing
connecting the wheel on the spindle to the crank shaft, a toothed wheel on the
drum, a ratchet wheel and pawl preventing the drum turning, connections from the
pawl to the handle bar of the cycle, a loose wheel on the axle and a chain of
wheels connecting the drum wheel to this loose wheel, a ratchet face on the loose
wheel, a pin on the crank axle engaging with the ratchet face, and a spring
pressing the wheel into engaging position, substantially as described and shown in
the accompanying sheet of drawings, and for the purposes specified.
Dated thie 14th day of October 1896
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.