Improvements in Adjustable Mechanical Connections suitable for Velocipede Crank Axles and their Attendant Parts.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 22nd Oct., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Adjustable Mechanical Connections suitable for
Velocipede Crank Axles and their Attendant Parts.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co., of 18, Buckingham
Street, Strand, London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion a communication to me from abroad by The Geo. L. Thompson Manufactur-
ing Co., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Illinois, one of the
United States of America, and domicated at Chicago, in the said State, and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in adjustable mechanical connections,
and refers more particularly to velocipede crank axles and their attendant parts.
The object of the invention is to provide a device of simple and economical
construction, which is extremely strong and durable and which embraces means
of adjustment between the uniting parts to enable the latter to be brought to a
rigid lock and to compensate for any working loose which may occur in use.
Incidentally, the construction permits convenient access to the locking parts,
and is simple and readily understood so that any person of ordinary skill can
readily unite, separate or adjust the parts.
The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particu-
larly pointed out in the appended claims, and will be readily understood by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
-
Figure 1 is a view in elevation with parts in axial section of a velocipede crank
axle embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, and
looking in the direction of the arrows.
Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in axial section of a velocipede
crank axle embodying my invention.
Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 44 of Figure 3, and
looking in the direction of the arrows.
Referring to said drawings, A designates a velocipede crank axle, desirably
provided at one end (the end remote from the sprocket) with an integral crank
arm A and with a bearing cone a threaded thereon so as to be capable of adjust-
ment, and at its opposite end with a detachable crank arm A².
The cone a is conveniently held locked in adjusted position by means of a check
nut a', both cone and check nut being operable while seated within the hanger,
conveniently by means of suitable spanners applied to spanner holes a² of the
In order to prevent
cone and to the faceted periphery a³ of the nut, respectively.
the rotation of the cone with the check nut during adjustment, a separating
washer a is shown as interposed between said parts.
Referring now to the parts constituting the novel connection whereby the
crank arm and sprocket wheel are detachably united with the axle, the end of
the latter is provided with a non-circular portion a³ (shown in Fig. 1 as rectangular
in cross-section), made tapering and adapted to receive the hub of the sprocket B,

page_text: which is provided with a correspondingly shaped aperture 6 adapted to fit
accurately upon said non-circular portion. The extreme end portion a6 of the
axle is reduced or made considerably smaller than the part a and is screw-
threaded to receive an adjusting sleeve C which is preferably made of approxi
mately the same length as the reduced part a6 and is externally threaded
throughout the greater part of its length to receive the crank arm A2.
The extreme inner end c of the sleeve is, however, externally unprovided with
threads and is made externally angular or provided with facets c¹ (in the present
instance of octagonal form) and adapted to fit the aperture of the sprocket hub,
which latter is constructed to overhang the non-circular portion of the axle
sufficiently to receive the angular portion of the sleeve.
The end of the crank arm which receives the end of the axle is provided with
an annular face a surrounding the threaded socket thereof, which is formed to
fit accurately against the end face of the sprocket to hold the same rigidly upon
the angular part of the axle, and in order to form a driving connection between
the sprocket and crank arm the latter is provided with a lug as at a point inter-
mediate of its length which is provided with a threaded socket a³ adapted to
receive a screw 6' inserted through a suitable aperture 62 in the web or spoke arm
of the sprocket.
Obviously the crank arm must always have a fixed relation to the opposite
arm A', while at the same time if the detachable arm is to act as a locking member
to hold the sprocket rigid upon the non-circular and tapering part of the axle
and to force it further upon said tapered portion in case of working loose, means
must be provided for varying or adjusting the relation between the end face of
the sprocket against which the crank arm acts and the sleeve, the exterior of
which is provided with the threads engaged by the crank arm.
The construction described embodies such means, since by removing the
sprocket and giving the sleeve, say an eighth, quarter or half turn, the sleeve
will be bodily moved endwise a corresponding eighth, quarter or half of the
thread pitch of the threads by which the sleeve and axle are united and thus
determine the angular position of the crank when it comes to a clamping lock, or,
what is equivalent to the same thing, will enable the crank to be brought to a
clamping lock against the sprocket at the same time that it registers with the
screw aperture of the latter and is in proper relation with the opposite crank
arm. Obviously the sleeve will be held immovable, or from rotation in adjusted
position, by engagement of its angular portion with the angular aperture of the
sprocket, so that the parts may be separated as often as necessary without losing
the adjustment, but at the same time the sleeve may be instantly adjusted in the
manner described to force the sprocket more firmly upon its seat.
As a preferred construction, the sprocket is provided with an inwardly project-
ing integral sleeve extension 63 arranged to telescope and fit accurately upon
the portion of the axle adjacent to the sprocket, and the bearing cone D at this
end is seated upon said integral sleeve extension.
Obviously the minor details of construction, and particularly the means whereby
the sprocket is held from rotation upon the axle, are immaterial in the broader
sense of the invention, so long as the construction be such as to admit tightening
by means of the crank arm and adjustment of the sleeve. For example, in
Figures 3 and 4 is shown a modification which is substantially a reversal of the
sleeve construction of the previous figures.
Referring to said Figures 3 and 4, A designates the crank axle, provided, as in
the previous instance, with an integral crank arm A¹ and with a bearing cone a
threaded thereon so as to be capable of adjustment and at its opposite end with a
detachable crank arm A³.
The axle is provided with a non-circular portion a³, in this instance made taper-
ing toward its outer end and adapted to receive the hub of the sprocket B, which
is provided with a correspondingly shaped aperture 6 adapted to fit accurately
upon said non-circular portion. The extreme end portion as of the axle is

page_text: reduced or made considerably smaller than the part a³ and is screw-threaded to
enter an adjusting sleeve C, which is preferably made of approximately the same
length as the reduced part as and is externally threaded throughout the greater
part of its length and seated within a correspondingly threaded socket a' formed
in the crank arm A³.
The end c of the sleeve next the angular part of the axle is, however, unprovided
with threads and is made externally angular or provided with facets (in the
present instance of octagonal form) and adapted to fit within a correspondingly
shaped washer or holding ring C₁, which, in turn, fits within an annular enlarge-
ment as of the crank arm socket a. The holding ring is, in turn, held from
rotation within its seat, desirably by being made polygonal at its periphery to
fit the correspondingly shaped annular enlargement. The construction and
operation of the remaining parts of the device are substantially the same as
previously described.
The adjustment of the adjusting sleeve is effected by removing the crank from the
axle, lifting out the holding ring and then rotating the adjusting sleeve the requisite
distance in the proper direction, after which the holding ring is replaced.
This construction obviously has the advantage of permitting the sleeve to be
adjusted without removing the sprocket, and also enables the latter to have
driving engagement with the axle throughout the full thickness or hub length
of the sprocket.
It will also be obvious that the essential elements which are combined to form
the adjustable lock described may be embodied in other mechanisms than that
shown herein. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the use of such combina-
tion in a velocipede crank alone, nor to the details shown and described herein,
except as made the subject of specific claims.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The combination to form a locking device, of a relatively fixed member pro-
vided with a threaded portion, an adjusting member having screw-threaded
engagement with said fixed member, a locking member having a screw-threaded
engagement with the adjusting member, and means for holding the adjusting
member in various positions of angular adjustment with relation to a given
radius, whereby the locking member may be brought into locked position with.
its parts in desired angular relation to the fixed member.
2. The combination, with a relatively fixed member and a second member
having screw-threaded connection with the fixed member and adapted to be
brought into locked position thereon, of an internally and externally threaded
adjusting sleeve interposed between and connecting the first two members,
whereby the two may be brought into locked position with their parts in desired
angular relation.
3. The combination with a shaft, a driving member mounted thereon, and
means for adjustably holding said driving member from longitudinal movement
upon the shaft embracing a locking member mounted to move longitudinally upon
the shaft and a sleeve interposed between the shaft and locking member and
having screw-threaded connection with both of said members.
4. The combination with a shaft, a driving member non-rotatably mounted
thereon and means for adjustably holding said driving member from longitudinal
movement upon the shaft embracing a locking member mounted to move longi-
tudinally upon the shaft and a sleeve interposed between the shaft and locking
member and having screw-threaded connection with both of said members.
5. The combination with a shaft provided with a tapering seat, a driving
member non-rotatably mounted upon said seat, and means for adjustably holding
said driving member from longitudinal movement upon the shaft embracing a
locking member mounted to move longitudinally upon the shaft and a sleeve

page_text: interposed between the shaft and locking member and having screw-threaded
connection with both of said members.
6. The combination, with a shaft, of a driving member non-rotatably mounted
thereon and means for adjustably holding said driving member from longi-
tudinal movement upon the shaft, embracing a locking member mounted to move
longitudinally upon the shaft and a sleeve interposed between the shaft and
locking member and having screw-threaded connection with both of said members
and means uniting said locking and driving members rigidly to form a
driving connection."
7. A velocipede crank axle provided near one end with a tapered angular seat
and a reduced and screw-threaded portion forming the extreme end of the axle,
a sprocket wheel provided with a hub aperture adapted to fit accurately upon
said seat and the walls of which overhang or project beyond the seat, an internally
and externally screw-threaded sleeve fitting upon the end of the axle and pro-
vided with an externally angular end portion adapted to fit the angular aperture
of the sprocket, a detachable crank arm provided with a socket threaded to receive
the sleeve and arranged to bear against the outer face of the sprocket to hold it
upon its seat, and means locking the crank arm and sprocket together to form
a driving connection.
8. A velocipede crank axle provided near one end with a tapered angular seat
and a reduced and screw-threaded portion forming the extreme end of the axle,
a sprocket wheel provided with a hub aperture adapted to fit accurately upon
said seat and the walls of which overhang or project beyond the seat, an internally
and externally screw-threaded sleeve fitting upon the end of the axle and pro-
vided with an externally angular end portion adapted to fit the angular aperture
of the sprocket, detachable
a
crank arm provided with a socket
threaded to receive the sleeve and arranged to bear against the outer
face of the sprocket to hold it upon its seat, means locking the crank arm and
sprocket together to form a driving connection, a bearing cone or equivalent
device mounted upon the sprocket, and a second bearing cone or equivalent
device adjustably mounted upon the end of the axle remote from the sprocket.
9. The combination with a crank axle having a screw-threaded end portion and
a tapered seat adjacent to the threaded portion, a sprocket wheel non-rotatably
mounted upon said seat, a crank arm provided with a socket to receive the threaded
end of the axle and arranged to hold the sprocket upon its seat, an adjusting
sleeve interposed between, and having screw-threaded connection with, the shaft
and crank arm, a locking ring for adjustably locking the adjusting sleeve
immovably within said crank arm socket, and means for locking the crank arm
and sprocket wheel together to form a driving connection.
Dated this 0th day of August 1898