Improvements in Velocipedes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
UUMI LEIE STEVIFICATION.
Improvements in Velocipedes.
1, EMERY EASTMAN HARDY, of No. 53 Crawford Street, Newark in the
County of Essex and State of New Jersey, United States of America, Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my present invention is to provide a driving gear for velocipedes
or bicycles provided with a fly or balance wheel, which may be operated by cranks
or pedals.
The invention therefore consists of various improvements in the driving gear and
the main frame provided with a fly or balance wheel.
The invention consists further of a brake device adapted to "brake" with the
rim of the fly wheel, whereby the wear and tear upon the rubber tires on the front
and rear wheels of the machine is greatly diminished.
The invention, which therefore consists in the improved bicycle and in the
arrangements and combinations of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and
finally embodied in the clanses of the claim, as will be seen from the drawings, is
applied to a bicycle of the "Safety" type.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which similar letters of reference are
employed,
Figure is a side elevation of a safety bicycle having my improved gear
mechanism, fly or balance wheel, brake device and a steering wheel locking
mechanism attached.
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the machine looking upwards.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of a socket for securing the front steering fork to
the main portion of the frame, provided with a locking mechanism operated from
one of the steering handles to lock or hold said fork and the front wheel of the
machine in certain positions.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on line a in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a side view of an adjustable bearing which I contemplate using on
the machine, and
Figure 6 is a vertical section taken on line y in said Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of part of the machine provided with a slightly
modified form of driving mechanism.
In the drawings, A, A' represent the front and rear wheels of the bicycle;
A², the fork or frame of the front wheel; B the steering post firmly secured to the
fork A'; B', the steering socket secured on the main frame of the reach C connected
with the rear wheel A'.
In Figure 1, c and e' are the driving cranks, provided on the free ends with the
pedals and c. Said cranks are connected to a shaft c' rotating in bearings in the
bifurcated frame C¹, (see Figure 2) and upon said shaft is arranged a fly or balance
wheel d and a gear d
As will be seen from Figures 1 and 2, an intermediate gear connects the front
driving gear d' with a rear gear d². Said gear is journalled on the shaft & rotating
in bearings in the one side of the frame C¹, said shaft being provided with a wheel d
connecting by means of a link or chain belt with a wheel d' to operate the rear
wheel A' of the bicycle.
Although said gear mechanism is shown on but one side of the machine, the gear
can be duplicated, or the several gears or wheels on one shaft can be cast integral,
as will be evident.
E is an upright saddle post provided in the upper end with a spring e bent at e',

page_text: substantially as shown in Figure 1, to which may be attached any form of seat, as
will be understood.
Instead of the gear mechanism, as shown in Figure 1, the wheel d' can communi-
cate its rotary motion by means of a belt with the wheel d³.
The crank shaft c' and the shaft d* can be arranged in adjustable hearings, shown
in detail in Figure 5. Said bearings consist of the blocks g and g' made to fit upon
one another in openings in the framework of the machine, being provided at their
opposite ends with the plates 9' and g³ secured together by means of screws g², said
plates being formed to embrace the upper and lower portions of the frame, as shown
in Figures 5 and 6, and set screws working through threaded holes in lugs 9*
against lugs or projections 97 on the plates whereby the bearings, and hence the
shaft and gear mechanism or the driving wheel can be readily adjusted.
The steering post B is provided on its upper end with handles b, b. To one of
said handles, as b, is pivoted in a suitable clip 62 a brake handle h, for operating
the brake H. Said brake is pivoted by means of a bell crank h' to the frame C
and a rod * connects said crank to a second crank h³ secured to the main frame
directly behind the steering socket B', while a rod / connects said crank with the
free end of the brake lever. When the brake lever his depressed against the
handle b, rod is depressed downwardly which operates the bell crank h³ to pull
the rod h³ upwards and cause the bell crank to force the shoe of the brake H
against the periphery of the fly or balance wheel d.
By this improved arrangement and construction, the brake is entirely taken from
the rubber tires of either the front or rear wheels of the machine, and hence they
will last much longer than in the machines in which the brake shoes are made to
work against the tires of the front or rear wheels.
As will be seen from Figures 3 and 4,
may provide the steering socket B' with
a locking device I for locking or holding the steering wheel at any desirable
angle.
The fork A terminates directly beneath the socket B' into the spindle a which
is formed directly above the steering post B, being however of a much smaller
diameter, as shown.
Said post and spindle a are inserted through perforations in the bottom and top
of the socket B₁ as shown in Figure 3, a spring a¹ being made to encircle the
spindle a upon which is arranged a perforated plate a² provided with rollers or
balls a forming an anti-friction bearing against the inner surface B³ of the
socket.
The locking device I consists essentially of a pin i working through a slot B* in
the socket B and adapted to be forced into one of the elongated holes or recesses a
in the spindle a coinciding with the slot in the socket. Said pin i is connected with
a crank pivoted to the socket and a rod connects said crank with a lever &³
pivoted to the steering handle 6. Compression spring on said lever and spring³
on the crank ¹ tend to normally force the pin i into one of the holes or recesses in
the spindle a.
A person desiring to steer the machine to one side, grasps both the lever and
the handle b', in one hand and by the operation throws the pin i out of its holding
engagement with the spindle a, and when the wheel A has been turned into the
desired direction, the pin will again be forced into one of said elongated holes in
the spindle until again operated by means of the lever on the handle b₁.
'
In this manner when the rider's hand rests lightly upon the handle, no matter in
what position the wheel A may have been turned, it is held in that position until
lever is depressed by the person riding the machine.
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. The combination, in a bicycle, with the wheels and the connecting frame, of a
driving mechanism consisting essentially of a pair of gear wheels meshing one with

page_text: the other, a sprocket wheel arranged on the same shaft with one of said gear wheels,
a second sprocket wheel, and a chain belt or its equivalent connecting said sprocket
wheels, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. In a bicycle, the combination with the whecis A and A', and the main frame,
of a balance or fly-wheel suspended in said frame, a gear ', an intermediate gear d
meshing with a gear d³, a wheel d on the same shaft with gear d³, a belt or link
chain connected with a wheel d on the axle of the wheel A', and a brake mechanism
adapted to be forced into engagement with the periphery of said suspended wheel,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
3. In a bicycle, the combination with the wheels A and A¹ and the main frame,
of a fly or balance wheel suspended in said frame, and a brake mechanism adapted
to be forced into engagement with said wheel, consisting of a brake, crank ',
rod 2, crank h³, rod, and brake handle h, being operated substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
4. The combination, with the steering post and handle bars, of a bearing socket B',
provided with a spring, and a bearing plate having roller or ball bearings therein,
as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination, with the steering post and handle bars, of a bearing
socket B', provided with a spring, and a bearing plate having roller or ball bearings
therein, and a locking mechanism, whereby the said steering post is locked in any
desirable position, as and for the purposes set forth.
6. The combination, with the steering post and handle bars, of a bearing socket B',
provided with a spring, and a bearing plate having roller or ball bearings therein,
and a locking mechanism, whereby the said steering post is locked in any desirable
position, said locking mechanism consisting essentially of a pin i with a rod and
à lever pivoted to one of the handle bars, all of said parts operating substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
7. In a bicycle, the combination with the wheels A and A' and the main frame,
of a balance or fly wheel suspended in said frame, gear d', intermediate gear
meshing with a gear, a wheel on the same shaft with gear ³, and a belt or
link chain connected with a wheel on the axle of the said wheel A', as and for
the purposes set forth.
8. In a bicycle, the combination with the wheels A and A', and the main frame,
of a balance or fly wheel suspended in said frame, gear d, intermediate gear &
meshing with a gear d², a wheel d' on the same shaft with gear d³, and a belt or
link chain connected with a wheel on the axle of the wheel A¹, and a brake
mechanism adapted to be forced into engagement with the periphery of the fly
wheel, as and for the purposes set forth.
9. In a bicycle, the combination with the wheels A and A', and the main frame,
a shaft in said frame, a fly or balance wheel and a wheel or gear d' on said shaft,
and pedals operating the same, and intermediately arranged gears or wheels for
communicating the rotary movement of the said fly wheel and wheel d¹ to the rear
wheel, as and for the purposes set forth.
10. In a bicycle, the combination with the wheels A and A', and the main frame,
a shaft in said frame, a fly or balance wheel and a wheel or gear d' on said shaft,
and pedals for operating the same, and intermediately arranged gears or wheels for
communicating the rotary movement of said fly wheel and wheel to the rear
wheel, said wheels, riz., the fly wheel, wheel d¹ and the intermediately arranged
wheels being arranged in adjustable bearings sliding in the frame, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
11. In a bicycle, the combination with a brake lever and the handle bar, of a
wheel d arranged in the main frame of the machine, in adjustable bearings, and
means for operating said wheel, for the purposes set forth.
12. The combination, with the steering post B forked at its lower end and
provided with a spindle a having a series of openings or holes around its periphery
and provided with handle bars b and b', of a socket B', and a locking device, all of
said parts operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 13. The combination, with the steering post B forked at its lower end and
provided with a spindle a having openings or holes and provided with handle bars b
and ', of a socket B', and a locking device, consisting essentially of a pin i, crank iª,
rod, lever, and springs and, as and for the purposes set forth.
14. In a bicycle, the combination with the main frame, of a steering frame pivoted
thereto, extending through a socket on said main frame, and means operated from
the steering handles engaging with a series of holes in the steering frame in said
socket to lock said frame in any desirable position, for the purposes set forth.
15. The combination, with the main frame, and a front steering and rear driving
wheel, of a crank shaft arranged between the wheels, a fly or balance wheel on said
shaft and intermediately arranged driving mechanism or wheels adjustably arranged
in bearings in said main frame, consisting of boxes adjustably arranged in openings
in said frame, sliding pieces at each end of said boxes, and adjusting screws to
operate said sliding boxes, all arranged substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
16. In a bicycle, the combination, with the main frame, of a steering frame
pivoted thereto, and a device operating with said steering frame to lock or
hold said frame at any desirable angle, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
AT I TT CA n
ioniנפה...
EMERY EASTMAN HARDY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.