Year: 1898

page_text: I, MARTIAL BERGERON, of 25, Boulevard Henry IV, Paris, France, Physician,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention relates to certain new improvements in chainless bicycles
and it has particular reference to the frame of such bicycles adapted to be folded
or to be kept in rigid position at will.
The prime object of the invention is to provide a bicycle with simple but sub-
stantial propelling mechanism allowing to attain a high rate of speed during the
rolling.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new bicycle constructed to be
readily folded to allow of an easy transport, which is of the greatest importance for
military purposes and many others.
The invention essentially consists in improvements made in the bottom bracket,
the propelling mechanism, the drive-wheel hub, the folding arrangement and the
manner of securing the pedal-cranks in place.
First the bottom bracket of the improved bicycle comprises a cylindrical casing
closed on the right of the bicycle and open on the left and provided with suitable
lugs forming ball-bearings for the crank-shaft and for the movement transmission
shaft, passing through the right branch of the lower fork of drive-wheel; other
lugs provided on this bracket are intended to receive and secure the ordinary
tubes of the frame.
The propelling mechanism comprises a transmission shaft turning within the
right branch of the lower fork of drive-wheel; a bevel gear-wheel mounted on the
crank shaft within the bottom bracket and in the central part thereof and mesh-
ing with a toothed pinion secured to said transmission shaft within the bottom
bracket; another pinion secured to the opposite end of said transmission shaft
and housed in a funnel shaped socket secured to the fork branch: finally a toothed
pinion carried by the drive-wheel hub and meshing with the last-mentioned pinion
of the transmission shaft.
With my improved drive-wheel hub the ball-cups are merely screwed inside the
hub; the cup on the right is held in place by the pinion screwed on the drive-wheel
hub; within this hub are placed corresponding cones forming rolling surfaces and
made integral by a tubular sleeve inserted between the hub and the drive-axle.

page_text: The folding frame comprises; the fore part composed of the upper tube the
guiding fork, and the tube connecting said fork with a socket movably fitted on
the lower portion of a vertical brace forming the central pivot of the folding
frame; the back part is composed of the bottom bracket, the bottom fork and the
back fork of the drive-wheel and of a short strut arm extending from the back
fork to the central pivot, passing through a sleeve or socket carried by this strut
arm.
The central pivot is pivoted on the bottom bracket and the just-mentioned strut
arm; the head of the back fork is provided with a socket through which passes
the seat pillar, said seat pillar passing also through a flanged socket provided on
the extended upper frame-tube to lock the frame in rigid position; the seat pillar
being removed and withdrawn from these two sockets, the two parts of the frame
can be folded upon each other turning around the central pivot.
The pedal cranks are secured to the corresponding axle in the following way;
the diameter of the axle and that of the hole of the crank are made so that the
larger portion of the axle corresponds with the reduced portion of said hole, thus
forming a cavity in the other part into which is screwed a socket provided with a
thread of opposite direction.
Dated this 22nd of April 1898.
Improved Chainless Bicycle with Rigid or Folding Frame.
I, MARTIAL BERGERON, of 25, Boulevard Henri IV, Paris, France, Physician,
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 follow-
ing statement:-
This invention relates to a chainless safety bicycle in which the transmission
of the motion of the crank shaft to the driving wheel is effected through the
medium of toothed wheels whilst the frame of the bicycle may be either rigid or
folding.
The accompanying drawing illustrates by way of example one form of construc-
tion of the invention. In this drawing, Figure 1 is a partial view in horizontal
section of the safety bicycle showing the parts for transmitting the motion.
Figure 2 is a section through the coupling of the crank shaft bearing with the left
hand branch of the bottom rear fork of the bicycle. Figure 3 is a section through
the coupling of the same bearing with the right hand branch of the bottom fork,
and showing in elevation the side face of the said bearing. Figure 4 shows in
section the hind pinions. Figure 5 is a general broken view of the bicycle con-
structed so as to be capable of being folded. The description of the new safety
bicycle will comprise:-
1. The crank shaft bearing.
2. The motion transmitting gear and its accessories.
3. The rear hub.
4. The mode of folding.
1. The Crank Shaft Bearing.-This bearing comprises a drum a of cast steel
closed on one side of the bicycle and open at the other side. It is provided on
its right hand side with an annular coupling for the ball bearing box b of the axle c

page_text: of the cranks on that side. On its cylindrical face that is to say on the rear side
it is provided with an annular coupling d to which there is fixed the tube e that
forms the right hand branch of the bottom rear fork. This tube serves as a casing
for the motion shaft f. The above mentioned coupling contains a ball bearing
box g for said shaft. Two couplings which are provided on the drum and are
not shown on the drawing, serve for the other ordinary tubes of the frame. The
left side of the box is closed by a disc w which carries at its centre an annular
coupling w¹ for the ball bearing box h of the crank shaft; at the rear there is
arranged an annular coupling i for mounting the left hand branch of the bottom
rear fork.
2. The Transmitting Gear and its Accessories.-The transmitting gear comprises
the tube e which encloses the motion shaft. This tube is provided on the side of
the crank shaft bearing with a cylindrical casing k and on the side of the driving
wheel with a funnel-shaped casing in which there is fitted the rear ball bearing
box m of the shaft, with a double row of balls n and n¹. This tube is connected
to the frame by means of the axle o of the rear hub which terminates on the side
A bevel toothed
of the pinions in a collar p that embraces the end of the tube.
wheel g
is arranged inside the crank shaft box and is keyed on the crank shaft.
This wheel engages with a pinion r that is keyed on the forward end of the motion
shaft f. On the rear end of this shaft there is keyed a pinion s gearing with a
last pinion t mounted on the hub u of the driving wheel.
3. Rear Hub. In this hub the cups x and y of the ball bearing boxes are
screwed inside the body of the hub. The pinion t is screwed on the body of the
hub. It forms a lock nut for the right hand cup y of the balls of the hub bearing,
and this cup is provided with an outer lock nut b₁ that fixes the pinion on the hub.
The cones c and d of the ball bearing boxes of the hub are rigidly connected
together by means of a connecting tube e¹ which is situated inside the body of
the hub between the latter and its axle.
4. Mode of Folding of the Frame.-The folding frame consists of two parts:-
A forward part and a rear part. The forward part consists of the upper tube f¹
(Figure 5), of the steering tube g¹ with the front fork h', and of the tube i that
connects the tube gl to the lower part of a vertical rod j¹ which constitutes the
central pivot of the frame. This rod pivots on the box of the crank shaft bearing
which belongs to the rear part of the frame, as do likewise the rear forks k¹ and e j
The pivot j is arranged to pass in a socket which is fixed at the end of a strut
or stay m fixed at the upper part of the rear fork, and in a socket n2 that is
fixed to the upper tube f¹ which belongs as above stated to the forward part of the
frame. This last tube is prolonged for a greater extent rearwards than the
socket n, and it terminates in an open socket of which is formed with two straps pl
that can be tightened by means of a screw operated by a small hand lever and
in which passes the saddle supporting pin or pillar q¹. This pillar q¹ also passes
in a socket ¹ formed on the head of the rear fork on the rear part of the frame.
When this pillar is placed in to the two sockets o' and r¹, the frame is ready for
When the saddle and its supporting pillar are removed, the two movable.
parts of the frame are capable of being folded one upon the other by turning on
the central pivot.
use.
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 chainless safety bicycle characterised by motion transmitting toothed gear
consisting of a toothed wheel keyed, in the box of the crank shaft bearing, on the
axle of the cranks; by a motion shaft enclosed in one of the branches of the rear
bottom fork, and carrying two pinions one of which gears with the wheel keyed
upon the crank axle, and the other gears with a pinion screwed on the hub of the
driving wheel, the frame of the bicycle being either fixed on folding, and in which

page_text: latter case the frame is composed of two parts which are capable of being folded
one upon the other by turning on a centre pivot.
(2) In a chainless bicycle as specified in Claim 1, a crank shaft bearing box
characterized by a drum provided at one of its ends with a coupling carrying one
of the ball bearing boxes of the crank shaft, and at its other end with a disc fixed
thereto and which is provided with a coupling carrying the second ball bearing
box of the aforesaid axle, said disc carrying a coupling for the left hand tube of
the rear lower fork, and the sleeve carrying an annular coupling for the right
hand tube of the said fork, said latter tube enclosing the motion shaft, and said
coupling carrying one of the ball bearing boxes of the said motion shaft.
(3) In a chainless safety bicycle as specified in Claim 1, the transmission of
the motion characterized by a toothed bevel wheel keyed on the middle of the crank
shaft; by a motion shaft carrying two toothed pinions one of which gears with
the aforesaid wheel, and the other gears with a bevel pinion screwed on the body
of the hub of the rear wheel; by a tube enclosing the said motion shaft and con-
sisting of the right hand branch of the bottom hind fork; said tube carrying on
its forward end a cylindrical socket for connecting with the crank shaft bearing
box, and on its rear end a conical socket carrying the hind ball bearing box of
the motion shaft; the aforesaid tube being connected to the frame by the axle of
the driving wheel with the aid of a collar.
(4) In a chainless safety bicycle as specified in Claim 1, the hub of the rear
wheel, characterized by two ball bearing cups for rolling on the axle, screwed in
the interior of the hub, and two cones connected together by means of a tube
situated inside the hub, the right hand cup being held by the pinion that is
screwed on the hub, and this pinion being fixed on the said hub by means of a lock
nut.
(5) In a chainless safety bicycle as specified in Claim 1, the construction of the
frame in two parts in such a manner as to allow of folding these two parts one
upon the other, the forward part being constituted by the upper tube, the steer-
ing or handle-bar tube with the front fork, and the tube connecting the handle
bar tube with a vertical rod serving as a pivot, said rod pivotting on the upper part
of the crank shaft bearing box which belongs to the rear part, and passing in a
socket fixed to the end of a stay or strut connected to the upper part of the hind
fork, whilst the end of the upper tube carries a socket with straps in which passes
the saddle supporting pin or pillar for the purpose of rendering the bicycle ready
for riding, said pin or pillar also passing (for effecting this object) in a socket
belonging to the hind fork and situated immediately under the aforesaid socket
that terminates the upper tube, so that the bicycle can be folded when the saddle
together with its supporting pin or pillar has been removed.
(6) An improved chainless folding bicycle substantially as hereinabove described
and shown in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 23rd der of Januar
1000
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Associate Agent.