Improvements in or relating to Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 28th July, 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct,, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes
and other Vehicles.
I, ALBERT HÄNSEL, of Zeitz, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an arrangement which can be applied to velocipedes
or other vehicles whereby it is possible to store up power which has hitherto
been lost by the putting on of the brake and the speed of the bicycle in travelling
down hill, so that the power stored up may be used again when most required such
as when travelling up hill.
The new bicycle has the same appearance as the ordinary machines, with the
exception that the frame is furnished with intermediate rods or bars, which serve
as a support for a small dynanio, the form and construction of which are suitably
adapted to the purpose, whilst above the dynamo is an accumulator battery,
mounted in a suitable manner and detachable, the purpose of which is to store
the power generated by the dynamo, in order to restore it later on according
to requirements. The diagonal tube carries a rotary shaft, on one end of which
a chain wheel is mounted, whilst on the other end is a loosely mounted pulley,
which can be connected with the rotary shaft above mentioned by means of a
coupling lever, in such a manner that it will rotate therewith. The wheel is con-
nected by means of a chain with a wheel made of aluminium mounted on the
driving or hind wheel of the machine, whilst the pulley is connected with the
dynamo by means of a belt.
The machine may be set in motion in three ways:-
(1) On an even road, the feet may be employed in the usual way.
(2) In going down hill the dynamo may be used as a brake, by which the
accumulators will be charged, that is to say, will store the excess power.
(3) In going up hill, the power stored in the accumulators may be utilized and
the dynamo employed as a motor with the assistance of the legs.
In going down hill the loose pulley is coupled, by means of a controlling lever
with the wheel driven from the back wheel of the machine, in other words, with
the shaft, so that the rotary motion of the hind wheel is transmitted to the dynamo,
the power thus produced, being conveyed to the accumulators by a suitable
movement of the interruptor, the dynamo thus serving as a brake. By disen-
gaging the loose pulley and breaking the electric circuit, the dynamo can be
again put out of gear with the accumulators.
In going up hill, the dynamo and the accumulators are put into circuit in the
same manner, except that, in that case, the power is no longer accumulated but
taken from the accumulators and the dynamo serves as a motor. With slight
modifications the invention may be applied to a lady's bicycle. In this case, the
accumulator battery as well as the dynamo are under the direct influence of the
hind wheel of the bicycle acting on the wheel which transmits motion to the
dynamo the face of such wheel being of a concave or grooved form adapted
to that of the hind-wheel of the machine. The shaft driven by the grooved wheel

page_text: is mounted relatively on the back fork of the frame, carries at one end a pulley
and at the other end a second pulley, these two pulleys being loosely mounted on
the shaft and employed when the hind wheel of the machine is set in motion by
means of the dynamo. On the shaft of the dynamo two other pulleys are mounted
which run in connection with the two pulleys above mentioned.
Between the two pulleys mounted on the shaft of the grooved wheel is a move-
able coupling, the two faces of which are furnished with teeth. This coupling
is mounted on the shaft in such a manner that, when in its intermediate position
of rest, the coupling does not put either of the pulleys into engagement, this
being effected by means of a suitable hand lever.
In this case the power produced by the pedals and transmitted to the hind-
wheel of the machine and the grooved wheel in contact therewith, is effected by
means of toothed wheels.
The special arrangement of the driving mechanism, and the double connection]
of the pulleys, enable the speed of the machine, or of the dynamo, to be increased
or reduced.
Improvements in or relating to Driving Mechanism for Velocipedes
and other Vehicles.
I, ALBERT HÄNSEL, of Zeitz, Germany, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to bicycles, velocipedes or similar vehicles, but more
particularly to driving means therefor, the object being to provide a driving
mechanism which may be easily applied to such vehicles, and in its complete form
comprises an electric motor supported by the frame of the bicycle and mechanically
connected with the driving-wheel thereof, and a storage battery to be charged
from said motor as the bicycle runs down a descent, said storage battery being
intended to supply current or electro-motive force to said motor for actuating the
bicycle when hill-climbing, and suitable clutch and switch devices, to enable the
rider to readily cut in and out the required parts, as more fully and clearly
pointed out and claimed hereinafter.
In order that my invention be the more readily understood and carried into
practical effect I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings as
applied to an ordinary bicycle and to a lady's machine; in the drawings: in which
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a bicycle provided with my improvements;
Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the driving mechanism thereof;
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a lady's machine, constructed in accordance with
my invention, and
Fig. 4 is a broken plan view of same.
In the drawings like letters refer to like parts throughout all the figures.
The improved bicycle shown in Fig. 1 resembles the ordinary machines in
appearance, except that the frame of said bicycle is provided with intermediate
bars s to support a suitable electric motor D, specially constructed for the purpose.
The upper tube of the bicycle frame carries a storage battery B, removably

page_text: secured thereto in any suitable way; and serving to store the force produced by
the electric motor, and restore such force afterwards according to need.
The diagonal brace, tube S is provided with suitable bearings to receive a
journal a, one end of which carries a sprocket-wheel b, a belt-pulley being loosely
mounted on the other end of said journal and which may be readily thrown in
engagement with or keyed on said journal by suitably actuating the lever h of
clutch-device z, in order to rotate with the same. The sprocket wheel b is con-
nected by means of chain K with a suitably constructed wheel R¹ preferably made
of aluminium and keyed on the axle of drive-wheel R, and pulley d is connected
by means of a cord, a belt or the like K¹ with the electric motor shaft D (see Figs. 1
and 2).
The bicycle being thus constructed, the rider may actuate his machine either
in pedalling as usually when running over a level, or in employing the electric
motor as a brake, when running over an incline or descent, whereby the storage
battery will be charged, or cause said storage battery to supply current to the
electric motor when hill climbing in order to add the electrical force thus pro-
duced to that already due to the strain of the rider.
When it is desired to actuate the electric motor D and thereby produce electro
motive force to be stored for subsequent use, the rider has but to operate lever h
to throw pulley d in engagement with journal a, whereby the rotations imparted
to sprocket 6 by wheel R¹, will be transmitted to the motor shaft D, and the current
thus produced caused to pass into said storage battery by actuating a suitable
switch which may be arranged on the handle-bar of the bicycle, as indicated by
letter X in Fig. 1. Thus the electric motor will act as a brake and the force
which was hitherto lost by braking or back pedalling will be suitably transformed
and stored as described. The pulley d being again disengaged from journal «
(by actuating lever h) and the storage battery cut out by switch X, the electric
motor will again be inoperative.
In hill climbing the circuit of the electric motor and the battery will again
be closed and the electro-motive force supplied to said motor will act as a trans-
former. The battery B may also be employed to maintain an electric lamp Y
and a bell Z or the like as desired.
The embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings and
applied to a lady's machine, is slightly modified, in that the storage battery Bis
removably secured to a supplemental braces of the frame, the electric motor D
being supported on the lower fork of said frame, and the driving mechanism being
constructed and arranged without the usual sprocket-wheels and chain.
The driving-wheel R of the machine engages a suitably grooved wheel b
journalled in the lower fork of the frame, and the axle a of which carries a
pulley d near said wheel b and a second similar pulley a at the end thereof, said
pulleys d and being loosely mounted on said axles.
The motor shaft 1) carries two pulleys and secured thereto, the smaller t of
which is located in front and connected by belt m with pulley d, the larger
pulley being in front and connected with pulleya by belt n.
Between loose pulleys d and r and mounted on axle a I have provided a suitable
clutch device z adapted to key either pulley d or pulley on axle a by actuating
lever h, to impart motion to the electric motor, the intermediate position of said
clutch device corresponding to the rest of said motor.
As will be seen from the drawings, (Figs. 3 and 4) the movement of the pedals
will be transmitted to wheel b and therefore to the driving wheel R of the machine,
through the agency of gear-wheel r, secured to the crank-axle and meshing with
gear-wheel secured to axle a.
The peculiar arrangement of the driving mechanism and the double connection
of pulleys & with t and n with f, allow of increasing or decreasing the rate of
speed of the electric motor.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise construç-

page_text: tion and arrangement of the parts as shown in the accompanying drawings, so
long as the peculiar features of my invention be retained.
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. In a bicycle or like vehicle, the combination with the frame, of an electric
motor and a storage battery supported thereby, means for imparting motion to
said electric motor, and suitable devices for readily engaging and disengaging said
transmission means, substantially as described and set forth.
2. In a bicycle or like vehicles, the combination with the bicycle frame, of an
electric motor and a storage battery supported thereby, a journal rotatably
mounted on said frame and carrying a sprocket-wheel at one end, receiving the
movement from a suitable wheel secured on the drive-axle of the machine, and a
suitable pulley loosely mounted on the other end of said journal and connected
with the motor shaft of said electric motor, and means for readily engaging and
disengaging said pulley with said journal, substantially as described and set forth
and for the purpose specified.
3. In a bicycle or like vehicle, the combination with the bicycle frame, of an
electric motor and a storage battery suitably secured to said frame, and means for
directly actuating said electric motor by the movement of the driving-wheel of
the machine, substantially as described and set forth.
4. In a bicycle or like vehicle, the combination with the bicycle frame, of an
electric motor and a storage battery suitably secured to said frame, a journal
rotatably mounted on the lower fork of the frame and carrying a suitably grooved
wheel engaged by the driving-wheel of the machine, and means for transmitting
the movement of said wheel to said electric motor at any desired moment, sub-
stantially as described and set forth.
5. In a bicycle or like vehicle, the combination with the bicycle frame, of an
electric motor and a storage battery supported on said frame, a gear-wheel secured
on the pedal axle and meshing with a toothed pinion secured on a journal mounted
on the lower fork of the bicycle and carrying a suitably grooved wheel engaging
the driving-wheel of the machine, said journal furthermore carrying two loose
pulleys connected with two suitable pulleys of different diameters wedged on the
motor-shaft of the electric motor, and means for readily engaging and disen-
gaging said loose pulleys with said journal at any desired moment, substantially
as described and set forth and for the purpose specified.
Dated this zou day
1030.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent for Applicant, 33, Cannon Street, London.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
Agent for Applicant, 33, Cannon Street, London.