Year: 1886

page_text: I JAMES LEE of 37 Trafalgar Street Brighton in the county of Sussex, Outfitter
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to the driving gear of velocipedes and has for its object,
the transmission of motion to the driving wheel or wheels, at either of two speeds,
so that greater speed or power can be obtained at the will of the rider My
invention can be applied to all types of velocipedes but as it is more especially
adapted for safety bicycles, I will for the purpose of this application describe it'
as applied to such. I mount the driving wheel, which is preferably made of a
small diameter loosely on the, axle which is mounted in suitable bearings on the
fork ends. Fixed to one side of the hub of the wheel is a bevel wheel and mounted
loosely on a sleeve fixed to the fork and encircling the axle, but not in contact,
with it is another bevel wheel of equal size with the one fixed to the limb of the
wheel. Fixed to the axle between these two bevel wheels is an arm which carries.
a bevel pinion in gear with each of the wheels. On the sleeve fixed to the fork is
a sliding clutch which is free to move laterally on the sleeve but not circum-
ferentially. This clutch is provided with teeth, which engage with similar teeth.
on the loose bevel wheel, when the clutch is manipulated for the purpose a flat
spring fixed to the fork keeping them in gear. On the other side of the hub of the
wheel is another clutch mounted on the axle in a similar manner to the one on the
sleeve. This clutch is also provided with teeth, which engage with similar teeth
on the side of the hub of the wheel and are kept up thereto by a spiral spring
encircling the axle. These two clutches are connected together by suitable cords,
chains, or rods, passing from one to the other up the prongs of the fork and over
the handle bar, where a suitable lever is interposed to control them and so operate
the clutches as desired. It will thus be seen that motion may be imparted, either
direct to the wheel from the axle, or indirectly through, the epicyclic train the
former of which gives power, and the latter speed.
C
10.
J
Motion is communicated to, the axle by pedal levers pivotted on suitable
extensions, of the prongs of the fork in the front of the centre of the driving wheel,
through suitable coupling rods connected to, cranks fixed on the ends of the axle.
I prefer to make the fulcrums of the pedal levers in the shape of forks, so as to
form a double bearing and thus give increased stability to the levers.
IT.
ว

page_text: .
I JAMES LEE of 37 Trafalgar Street Brighton in the County of Sussex, Outfitter,
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 the driving gear of velocipedes and has for its object the
transmission of motion to the driving wheel or wheels, at either of two speeds, so
that greater speed or power can be obtained at the will of the rider. My invention
can be applied to all types of velocipedes but it is more specially adapted for safety
bicycles, & I will for the purpose of this application describe it as applied to such.
Making reference to the accompanying drawings, throughout the views of which
similar parts are marked with like letters of reference, Fig. 1. Sheet No. 1. is a side
elevation of a bicycle fitted with my two-speed gear, and Figs. 2. and 3 Sheet
No. 2. are a side elevation in section, and an eud elevation, respectively of my gear
on an enlarged scale. I mount the driving wheel A. which is preferably made of a
small diameter, loosely on an axle B which is mounted in suitable bearings C. C.
on the ends of fork D. Fixed to one side of the hub A¹ of the wheel A is a bevel-
wheel E, and mounted loosely on a sleeve F fixed to the fork D, and encircling the
axle B, but not in contact with it, is another bevel wheel E¹, of equal size with
the one fixed to the hub of the wheel. Fixed to the axle B between these two
bevel wheels are two or more arms B¹ B¹, which carry bevel pinions G. G. in gear
with the wheels E. and E¹. On the boss of the bevel wheel E¹ is pivotted
transversely a forked lever H, carrying a stud h which engages with a series of
holes or depressions a. a. etc, and is kept engaged therewith by a spring h. When
the forked lever H is engaged with the hub A¹ of the driving wheel the bevel
wheel E¹ is locked to the hub, and the whole train of wheels revolves as one piece
and the driving wheel receives a motion equal to that of the axle B; but if the
lever H is disengaged from the hub A¹ and prevented from revolving, the driving
wheel is speeded up owing to the motion gained by the pinion G revolving round
the fixed bevel wheel E¹. To engage and hold the lever H a hook J. is pivotted to
one prong of the fork D and is connected by the rod j. to any convenient operating
When this
mechanism mounted on the handle bar within easy reach of the rider.
rod J is depressed as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 Sheet No. 2 it will catch the
lever H as it revolves, and hold it and so prevent the bevel wheel E¹ from
revolving. Instead of using this mechanism I sometimes mount a sliding clutch
en the sleeve F, which is free to move laterally on the sleeve but not circum-
ferentially. This clutch is provided with teeth which engage with similar teeth
on the bevel wheel E', when the clutch is manipulated for the purpose, a flat spring
fixed to the fork keeping them in gear. On the other side of the hub A¹ is another
clutch mounted on the axle B in a similar manner to the one on the sleeve F. This
clutch is also provided with teeth which engage with similar teeth on the side of
the hub, A¹ and are kept up thereto by a spiral spring encircling the axle. These
two clutches are connected together by suitable cords, chains or rods, passing from
one to the other up the prongs of the fork D and over the handle bar where a
suitable lever is interposed to control them and so operate the clutches as desired.

page_text: Motion is communicated to the axle B, by pedal levers K. K. pivotted on
pins d. d. carried by forks D¹ D¹ on extensions of the prongs of the fork D. in front
of the centre of the driving wheel, through suitable coupling rods L. L. connected
to the cranks M. M. on the axle B and on the pedal levers K. K by suitable
pins m. m. and k. k. The free ends of the levers K. K carry pedals N. N. for the
feet of the rider.
By making the ends of the extensions of the prongs of the fork D which carry
the pins d. d. on which the levers K. K. are pivotted, of a forked shape, I get a
double support for the pins d. d. and thus give increased rigidity and stability to
the pedal levers.
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 :-
In a velocipede driven by pedal levers connected to the cranks of the driving
axle by coupling or connecting rods, the mechanism for imparting motion to the
driving wheel or wheels from the driving axle, at an equal or an increased ratio,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
ROBT. ED. PHILLIPS, M.I.M.E.,
Agent for the Applicant.