Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles, Horseless and other Vehicles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Jan,, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1898-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles, Horseless and other Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM RADFORD, Stoke Green, Coventry, Cycle Works Manager, and
WILLIAM SMITH, 17, The Butts, Coventry, in the County of Warwickshire,
Mechanical Engineer and Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
For chainless driving gear for cycles, horseless and other vehicles. This inven-
tion consists in constructing and arranging and working in the manner herein
after described. I will describe our invention as arranged on a bicycle, at the
crank shaft or the first driving shaft from the pedals there is an eccentric attached,
to such eccentric there is a connecting rod, this connecting rod has a slot or groove
longitudinally with the connecting rod, and about its longitudinal centre, the slot
or groove is placed or cut in at about the centre of the connecting rod between
its two connecting bearing ends, the one end of the connecting rod being an
eccentric strap end and the other an ordinary ball or other bearing connecting
rod end, in the centre slot or groove in the connecting rod at about its middle
between its two connecting ends there is placed a pin, screw, bolt, stud, boss or
ring, or any projection by which the connecting rod could oscillate and slide on
its middle or there abouts, such pin, screw etc. before mentioned could be fixed
to the bicycle or other frame etc. The ball or other connecting rod end connects
to a crank pin, stud, or bearing which is connected to a counter wheel such wheel
having roller teeth, this counter wheel gears into a hub wheel or so called
back shaft or spindle wheel, to which hub, shaft or spindle is attached the back
bicycle wheel, the counter wheel run on a pin or other fixed bearing which is
attached to the frame of bicycle. I will now describe the working of the before
mentioned parts as working on a bicycle, by placing a weight on the pedals and
causing the cranks and crank shaft to revolve the eccentric on the crank shaft,..
causes the connecting rod to be pulled or pushed backwards and forwards, the
centre pin etc. being placed in the slot or groove, at abouts its centre and the centre
pin etc. being fastened to the frame, the connecting rod slides and oscillates on
such pin, and by placing the fullest throw of the eccentric to the top of its shaft,
with its connecting rod end attached and the other end of the connecting rod being
placed on its crank pin or crank bearing on the roller toothed wheel at the bottom
or under side of its centre or axis pin, the connecting rod is then cross ways
across its centre or axis line of the crank shaft or eccentric shaft, and the roller
toothed wheel's centre or axis, the roller toothed wheel now gears into the
hub or shaft or spindle wheel, which is attached to the back bicycle wheel, it will
be seen by this arrangement that a back bicycle wheel can be made to rotate or
revolve in the right direction, as when the fullest throw of eccentric is at the top
of crank shaft and is pressed over in a forward direction the other end of
connecting rod is pulled forward from the under side of roller toothed wheel untill
such end goes upwards untill the front and back end of connecting rod is in a

page_text: lie on the centre of the crank axle and the roller toothed wheel axis, by continnu-
ing to press the fullest part of front eccentric downwards the other end of con-
necting rod goes upwards and also pushes backwards, thus causing the intermediate
counter roller toothed wheel to run backwards and so causes the hub or shaft or
spindle wheel to run forwards with the back bicycle wheel. The before mentioned
connecting rod could have eccentric's both ends, or ball or other bearing ends
at each end and the bicycle or other vehicles could have a large roller toothed wheel
on its crank shaft, gearing into an intermediate toothed wheel such intermediate
toothed wheel having in its side a crank pin or an eccentric on its side, to which
the before mentioned connecting rod could be connected and the other end of
connecting rod connected to a crank pin or eccentric connected to a disc or wheel
on the outer end of back bicycle wheel or shaft or spindle, when the same or
similar motion could again be caused to take place, the advantages of this con-
necting rod with centre slot or groove and pin etc. as before mentioned is that a
direct and continuous motion can be obtained with using only one connecting rod
as with the before mentioned connecting rod so arranged there is no dead centre
in any part of its motion, usually two connecting rods have to be in use to obtain
a motion to overcome dead centres.
WILLIAM RADFORD.
WILLIAM SMITH.
Chainless Driving Gear for Cycles, Horseless and other Vehicles.
We, WILLIAM RADFORD, of Stoke Green, Coventry, Cycle Works Manager, and
WILLIAM SMITI, of 17, The Butts, Coventry, in the County of Warwickshire,
Mechanical Engineer and Draughtsman, 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:-
The chainless driving gear for cycles, horseless and other vehicles. This inven-
tion consists in constructing and arranging and working in the manner herein
after described. We will describe our invention as arranged on a bicycle, at the
crank shaft or the first driving shaft from the pedals there is an eccentric attached,
to such eccentric there is a connecting rod, this connecting rod has a slot or groove
longitudinally with the connecting rod, and about its longitudinal centre, the slot
or groove is placed or cut in at about the centre of the connecting rod between
its two connecting bearing ends, the one end of the connecting rod being an
eccentric strap end and the other an ordinary ball or other bearing connecting
rod end, in the centre slot or groove in the connecting rod at about its middle
between its two connecting ends there is placed a pin, screw, bolt, stud, boss or
ring or any projection by which the connecting rod could oscillate and slide on
its middle or there abouts. Such pin, screw &c. before mentioned could be fixed
to the bicycle or other frame &c. The ball or other connecting rod end connects
to a crank pin, stud. or bearing which is connected to a counter wheel such wheel
having roller or other teeth This counter wheel gears into a hub wheel or so called
back shaft or spindle wheel to which hub shaft or spindle is attached the back
bicycle wheel. The counter wheel runs on a pin or other fixed bearing, which is
attached to the frame of bicycle. We will now describe the working of the before
mentioned parts, as working on a bicycle, by placing a weight on the pedals and
causing the cranks and crank shaft to revolve the eccentric on crank shaft,

page_text: causes the connecting rod to be pulled or pushed backwards and forwards, the
centre pin &c. being placed in the slot or groove, at about its centre and the centre
pin &c. being fastened to the frame the connecting rod slides and oscillates on such
pin, and by placing the fullest throw of the eccentric to the top of its shaft with its
connecting rod end attached, and the other end of connecting rod being placed on
its crank pin or crank bearing on the roller or other toothed wheel at the bottom
or underside of its centre or axis pin, the connecting rod is then crossways
across its centre or axis line, of the crank shaft or eccentric shaft, and the roller
or other toothed wheel's centre or axis. The roller toothed wheel now gears into the
hub or shaft or spindle wheel, which is attached to the back bicycle wheel. It will
be seen by this arrangement that a back bicycle wheel can be made to rotate or
revolve in the right direction as when the fullest throw of eccentric is at the top
of crank shaft and is pressed over in a forward direction the other end of
connecting rod is pulled forward from the underside of roller or other toothed
wheel, untill such end goes upwards untill the front and back end of connecting
rod is on a line on the centre of the crank axle, and the roller
and other toothed wheel axis, by continnuing to press the fullest part
of front eccentric downwards the other end of connecting rod goes
upwards and also pushes backwards thus causing the intermediate counter roller
or other toothed wheel to run backwards and so causes the hub or shaft wheel to
run forward with the back bicycle wheel. The before mentioned connecting rod
can be clearly seen by Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1, represents a connecting rod with ball or other bearing at each end.
F, is the driving axle, P, and G the driven axles, C pitch line of gear wheel,
D pitch line of intermediate gear wheel, E, crank pin on wheel D, for receiving
ball or other hearing end of connecting rod J,--K is a slot in connecting rod J.
L is a fixed pin on the frame or other projection &c., on which the connecting
rod J, slides and oscillates on. N is a crank pin on crank O, to receive other end of
connecting rod J with ball or other bearing. Figure 2, represents a connecting
rod with eccentric at one end, and ball or other bearing at other end, F, is the
driving axle, G and P, the driven axles, R is the eccentric strap at end of con-
necting rod J. S, is the eccentric. K is a slot in connecting rod J. L is a fixed
pin on the frame, or other projection, &c. for connecting rod J to oscillate or slide
on. 1) is the pitch line of a wheel with crank pin E on same for receiving ball
or other bearing end of connecting rod J. O, is the pitch line of wheel on axle P.
Figure 4 represents a connecting rod with eccentrics at each end, F is the driving
axle, C pitch line of wheel, D pitch line of wheel on driven axle G. U, is the
eccentric on axle G, T is the eccentric strap on end of connecting rod J. K is the
slot in connecting rod J. L is a fixed pin on the frame or other projection for con-
necting rod J to oscillate or slide on. R is the eccentric strap or end of connect-
ing rod J. S, is eccentric on driven axle P.
Figure 3, represents a connecting rod with eccentric at one end and ball or other
bearing at other end, F, represents driving axle. C, pitch line of wheel, D) pitch
line of wheel which has on it crank pin E, for receiving ball or other bearing end
of connecting rod J. G is the driven axle, K is a slot in connecting rod J, Ĺ is a
fixed pin on the frame or other projection for connecting rod J to oscillate or slide
on. R is the eccentric strap or end of connecting rod J. S is an eccentric on
driven axle P.
Connecting rod motions as represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 could be driven.
from axles P or G or any parts could be made vice versa to those shown.
The advantages of this connecting rod with centre slot or groove and fixed pin
&c. on the frame as before mentioned is that a direct and continuous motion can
be obtained with using only one connecting rod, as with the before mentioned
connecting rod so arranged there is no dead centre in any part of its motion,
usually two connecting rods have to be in use to obtain a motion to overcome dead
centres.

page_text: Having now particularly discribed and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is: —
1st. The improvements for making chainless driving gear for cycles, horseless
and other vehicles, consisting of either a fixed pin, serew, bolt, stud,
boss
or ring or any fixed projection for a connecting rod with groove
or slot in at about the middle of same to slide and oscillate on, such
motion and power being given to connecting rod from driving shaft F, to driven
shaft P, by the means of one wheel, one crank wheel, and one crank; or by one
wheel, one crak wheel and one eccentric, or by two wheels, and two eccentrics,
constructed substantially as herein described and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3
and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
2nd. The improvements for making chainless driving gear for cycles, horseless
and other vehicles, consisting of a connecting rod with eccentric ends at each end,
or a connecting rod with eccentric at one end and ball or other bearing at other
end, and a connecting rod with ball or other bearings at each end, any of such
connecting rods having a slot or groove in them, the same to receive either a fixed
pin, screw, bolt, stud, boss, or ring, or any fixed projection by which the con-
necting rods could slide and oscillate on there middles or thereabouts, such con-
necting rods giving the motion and power from driving shaft F, to driven shaft P,
by the means of one wheel, one crank wheel and one crank, or by the means of
one wheel, one crank wheel and one eccentric, or by the means of two wheels, and
two eccentric's so as to lever the connecting rod at either end past the dead centre
when at full stroke or there-abouts, constructed substantially as herein described
and illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 11th day of October 1898.
WILLIAM RADFORD.
WILLIAM SMITH.