Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 7th Sept.. 1888
I RICHARD GREEN of Ferndale Waterloo Road, Smethwick in the County of
Stafford, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to improve the construction of Velocipedes which are
worked by means of chains, bands or other similar methods of driving, enabling such
chains, bands, etc., to be more readily adjusted, as well as cheapening the cost of
making such machines.
In carrying out this invention I construct the frame of the velocipede with a bridge
to which is attached the axle of the machine by means of brackets in the usual way,
the bearings being fixed to the said brackets as usual. Instead however of the lug
which connects the backbone of the machine to the said bridge being fixed or brazed
to the same bridge in the usual manner, it is provided with a split joint with generally
two lugs, through which pass two pins which are employed to tighten the said lug on
to the bridge, the lug of course being fixed or brazed to the backbone as usual.
When therefore the lug is screwed up tightly, it renders the backbone as perfectly
rigid on the bridge, as though it is brazed on same. When the said pins are
slackened they allow the bridge to revolve round inside the lug. This movement
being cominunicated to the axle by means of the brackets which are secured to it and
to the bridge, causes the axle to move backward or forward as may be required
for adjusting or taking up the wear of chain, band, etc.
To facilitate the more ready and accurate adjustment of the said axle, we fix to the
bridge a circular wormed wheel, working, vertically in which, is a screw or worm
threaded pin with a milled or other conveniently shaped head for revolving same.
This screw pin works in the lug; the latter being stationary in consequence of being
brazed to the backbone. When therefore the said screw pin is made to revolve the
motion is communicated to the wormed wheel which is thus made to revolve, and this
being fixed to the bridge the latter also revolves inside the lug. This motion is
communicated to the brackets and thus to the axle, causing the axle to move further
D
01

page_text: from the driving or crank axle of the machine, and thus take up the wear of the
chain, band, etc. If the motion is reversed it is evident that the said axle is brought
nearer the driving or crank axle. The adjustment being thus obtained, the pins in
the lug are again tightened thus making the joint once more rigid, the rigidity being
further assisted by the wormed wheel and pin.
In consequence of the adjustment being obtained in the manner described, the
bottom driving or crank axle bracket is constructed much more simply than usual, no
adjustment being required in same. The bottom bracket may therefore consist of a
lug with hole through the centre thereof, for the backbone of machine to pass, and at
right angles with the first mentioned bole the lug is drilled throughout the whole
length. At each end a hardened bush is inserted for the ball bearings, and the bottom
axle on which the driving wheel and cranks are fixed, passes through the whole.
This arrangement allows the strain to be communicated along the backbone in a
straight line, thus preventing the possibility of the chain causing the backbone
to bend, or twist, as is the case where the old method of swing or adjusting bracket
is used.

page_text: I RICHARD GREEN, of Ferndale Waterloo Road, Smethwick in the county of
Stafford, Mechanician 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:-
i
The object of this invention is to improve the construction of Velocipedes which are
worked by means of chains, bands or other similar methods of driving, enabling such
I chains, bands, etc., to be more readily adjusted as well as cheapening the cost of
making such machines.
In carrying out this invention 1 construct the frame of the Velocipede with a
bridge to which is attached the axle of the machine by means of brackets in the usual
way, the bearings being fixed to the said brackets as usual. Instead however of the
lug which connects the backbone of the machine to the said bridge being fixed or
brazed to the same bridge in the usual manner, it is provided with a split joint with
generally two lugs, through which pass two pins which are employed to tighten the
said lug on to the bridge, the lug of course being fixed or brazed to the backbone as
usual. When therefore the lug is screwed up tightly it renders the backbone
as perfectly rigid on the bridge as though it is brazed on same. When the said pins
are slackened they allow the bridge to revolve round inside the lug. This movement
being communicated to the axle by means of the brackets which are secured to it and
to the bridge, causes the axle to move backward or forward as may be required for
adjusting or taking up the wear of chain, band, etc.
To facilitate the more ready and accurate adjustment of the said axle we fix to the
bridge a circular wormed wheel, working vertically in which, is a screw or worin
threaded pin with a milled or other conveniently shaped head for revolving same..
This screw works in the lug, the latter being stationary in consequence of being
brazed to the backbone. When therefore the said screw pin is made to revolve, the
motion is communicated to, the wormed wheel which is thus made to revolve, and this
being fixed to the bridge the latter also revolves inside the lug. This motion is
communicated to the brackets and thus to the axle, causing the axle to move further
from the driving or crank axle of the machine, and thus take up the wear of the
chain, band, etc. If the motion is reversed, it is evident that the said axle is brought
nearer the driving or crank axle. The adjustment being thus obtained, the pins in
the lug are again tightened, thus making the joint once more rigid, the rigidity being
further assisted by the wormed wheel and pin.
In consequence of the adjustment being obtained in the manner described, the
bottom driving or crank axle bracket is constructed much more simply than usual, no
adjustment being required in same. The bottom bracket may therefore consist of a
lug with hole through the centre thereof for the backbone of machine to pass, and at
right angles with the just mentioned hole the lug is drilled throughout the whole
length. At each end a hardened bush is inserted for the ball bearings, and the bottom
axle on which the driving wheel and cranks are fixed, passes through the whole.
This arrangement allows the strain to be communicated along the backbone in a
.

page_text: straight line, thus preventing the possibility of the chain causing the backbone to
bend, or twist, as is the case where the old method of swing or adjusting bracket is
used.
My invention will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings
in which Fig. 1 represents a side elevation in skeleton of a Tricycle constructed under
this invention, Fig. 2 a plan of same Fig. 3 an enlarged side view, Fig. 4 an enlarged
plan Fig. an enlarged back view Fig. 6 a side elevation of bottom bearing lug
Fig. 7 a sectional plan of same, Fig. 8 an enlarged sectional elevation of pin and
wormed wheel Fig. 9 a plan of same.
The backbone is shown at a, to which is brazed the split lug or joint b which is
provided with ears c through which pass the adjusting pins d. Inside this split joint
the bridge e is supported and when the split joint is tightened by means of the pins
on to the bridge the latter becomes perfectly rigid. When the pins are slackened
they allow the bridge to revolve round inside the split joint. To the bridge are
secured the bearing backets f which carry the axle g on which are fixed the top
driving wheel h, and the balance gear i. When the bridge revolves inside the split
joint the brackets communicate the motion to the axle which is thus moved nearer to,
or farther from, the bottom chain wheel as may be required for the adjustment of the
chain.
On the bridge is fixed a circular wormed wheel ; working in which is the pin k
which is screwed into a bracket which is brazed to the backbone. When therefore
the split joint is slackened and the pink is turned by means of the milled-head m, it
causes the wormed wheelj to revolve and the latter being secured to the bridge the
motion is communicated to it, which in turn communicates the motion through the
brackets to the axle g, thus accurately adjusting the axle to the length of the chain,
as well as assisting to secure the axle in position.
The axle being movable, it is evident that the bottom bracket which carries the
bottom chain wheel need not be adjustable, I therefore supersede the bottom bracket
as usually constructed, and in place of same construct a bottom bracket as shown in
the Figs. 6 & 7 where n is the bracket lug brazed on to tube frame, in each end of
which a hardened steel bush o is fixed. The bottom axle p passes through the bracket
lug, and to one end of this Bottom axle is fixed the bottom chain wheel.q, adjoining
which the steel hardened cone is fixed. At the other end of pin the adjusting cone s
is placed by which the wear of the balls is taken up. This bracket lug possesses the
great advantage of bringing up the strain to the centre of the tube frame. It also
reduces the strain of the pedals upon the frame the leverage of the usual bottom
bracket being absent, and it accordingly greatly increases the rigidity of 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 construction and use of the Wormed wheel; and the pin k working in the
bracket for automatically rotating the bridge and axle as described, for adjusting
the chain.
2. Automatically rotating or revolving the axle by means of a single mechanical
operation such as described in the foregoing specification, or other mechanical
arrangement producing the same result.
3. The construction and use of a fixed tubular bottom bearing bracket lug for
tricycles, brazed or otherwise fixed on to the frame of the machine as described in the
foregoing specification, or any modification thereof.
Dated this Third day of August 1888.