Improvements in or relating to Motor-driven Velocipedes and other Vehicles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1886
Complete Specification Left, 16th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
TROY LOIONAL DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Motor-driven Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY of 19 Hertford Street, Coventry in the
County of Warwick, Journalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:--
My invention relates to motor-driven velocipedes and other vehicles & consists
principally in the hereinafter described construction and arrangement of the
driving gear.
With certain motors at present in use such as the Pennington, no means are
provided for readily throwing the motor out of gear while the velocipede or
other vehicle is in motion and the motor when not actually driving acts as a
brake.
According to my invention I economise power by providing a disconnecting gear
as follows. The crank shaft of the motor is preferably mounted in a double ball
bearing embracing the middle portion thereof. The cranks are arranged at each
end of the shaft and, to economise lateral space, are jointed to the piston or
connecting rods by single ball bearings of small width, but large diameter. On
the crank shaft is mounted a wheel adapted to transmit motion to the driving
wheel or wheels of the velocipede or other vehicle by toothed or chain gearing or
otherwise I mount the said wheel directly or indirectly on the crank shaft in such
a manner that it may be readily connected thereto so as to revolve or remain
stationary therewith, or disconnected therefrom so as to revolve or remain
stationary independently thereof, as required.
According to one method, I mount the wheel loosely on the shaft & provide it
with one or more recesses or projections in or on the face thereof. On the shaft I
also mount, preferably between the wheel and the shaft bearing, a sleeve having at
the end nearer the wheel two flanges or one flange deeply grooved. A feather.
connection between the sleeve and shaft, allows the sleeve to move lengthwise on
the shaft but prevents it rotating or remaining stationary independently thereof.
The sleeve may be forced in the direction of the wheel by a spiral spring
encircling part of the said sleeve & bearing against the flange thereon at one end
and against a collar, flange or other suitable stop on the shaft at the other end.
The sleeve is provided with one or more projections or recesses on its flanged face
adapted to engage with the recesses or projections in or on the corresponding face
of the wheel. When the sleeve engages with the wheel, the wheel is connected to
the shaft; and when the sleeve is disengaged from the wheel, the wheel is dis-
connected from the shaft. The spring above described tends to cause the shaft to
engage with the wheel.
To move the sleeve along the shaft I prefer to employ one of two devices. One
device consists of a plate located parallel with and preferably above the shaft.
One end of the plate is turned down and may be forked to engage between the
flanges of, or in the groove in the single flange of the sleeve.
The plate is so mounted as to be capable of moving lengthwise and its movement
is confined to this direction by studs & slots or other suitable means. The plate is
provided with a stud on its upper or under surface & a slotted arm, radiating from
.

page_text: a rod engages with the said stud. The rod is adapted to be rotated on its axis by
the person or persons in control of the velocipede or other vehicle; it is preferably
mounted in such a way as to keep it up to its work and may pass through a slot in
the plate for this purpose. As the rod is twisted on its axis so the plate is moved
lengthwise, and, operating on the sleeve, the wheel is connected to or disconnected
from the shaft, according to the direction in which the rod is twisted. In the other
device the plate is dispensed with & the vertical rod is adapted to move in the
direction of its length. The rod is provided with an inclined portion or surface
adapted to lie between the flanges of, or in the groove in the single flange of the
sleeve and is mounted in suitable sockets or guides. As the rod is moved in the
direction of its length so the sleeve is moved along the shaft & the wheel is
connected to or disconnected from the shaft. according to the direction in which the
rod is moved.
According to another method of carrying out my invention, I mount the wheel
loosely on the circumference of a flange fixed to the shaft. On one face of the
wheel, preferably that nearer to the centre of the shaft, I mount a short rocking
radial lever on an axis parallel to the plane of the wheel. The inner end of the
lever carries a tooth or teeth adapted to enter a circular series of recesses in the
corresponding face of the flange. An arm projects from each end of the lever in
the direction in which the wheel is intended to rotate. These arms are preferably
curved concentrically with the shaft and are tapered off towards their free ends so
as to form inclined surfaces. Two or more of such levers are preferably arranged
equidistantly around the face of the wheel. To operate the levers I mount a
suitable block on a rod or otherwise so that it may move radially nearer to and
further from the shaft. When the block is nearer the shaft it engages with the
arms on the inner ends of the levers and forces and holds the teeth into the
recesses in the flange, thus connecting the wheel to the flange and shaft. When
the block is further from the shaft it engages with the arms on the outer ends of
the levers and withdraws and holds the teeth out of the recesses in the flange,
thus disconnecting the wheel from the flange & shaft. The levers may be made
to rack stiffly by means of springs binding their bearings, so that the said levers
will remain in any position to which they are brought by the block until moved
again thereby. The inclined snrfaces of the arms ensure gradual & smooth working
with the block, the operating surface of which may also be correspondingly
inclined. The block is preferably wide enough to bridge over the space between
one fever and the ends of the arms of the next lever; and the arms, levers & block
are preferably so designed that if an engaging tooth just misses catching one recess
it shall be directed inward long enough to catch the next before the block is
passed.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18 Hertford Street, Coventry, Patent Agent for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Motor-driven Velocipedes and other
Vehicles.
I, JOHN JAMES HENRY STURMEY of 19 Hertford Street, Coventry in the
County of Warwick, Journalist, 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 aud by the following statement :-
My invention relates to motor driven velocipedes and other motor driven vehicles

page_text: and consists principally in the hereinafter described construction and arrangement
of the driving gear.
With certain motors at present in use, such as the "Pennington," no means
are provided for readily throwing the motor out of gear while the velocipede or
other vehicle is in motion, and the motor, when not actually driving, acts as a brake.
According to my invention economise power by providing disconnecting gear
constructed and arranged to operate as hereinafter described.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will, in describing
the same, refer to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which :-
Figure I is a side view, showing one form of my disconnecting gear applied to a
rear driving safety bicycle. Figure II is a rear view of the said gear drawn to an
enlarged scale. Figure III is a plan of a plate and certain parts connected there-
with, whose purpose will be hereinafter described.
Figure IV is a rear view partly in section showing a modified construction of the
disconnecting gear.
Figure Vis a similar view showing a further modified construction of the
said gear, and Figure VI is a side elevation of certain parts used therewith.
Like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the drawings.
The crank shaft 2 of the motor is preferably mounted in a double ball bearing 18
embracing the middle portion of said shaft. The cranks 3 are arranged at each
end of the shaft, and to economise lateral space, are jointed to the piston or
connecting rods 4 by single ball bearings 19 of small width, but preferably of
large diameter. On the crank shaft 2 is mounted a wheel 5 adapted to transmit
motion to the driving wheel 17 of the velocipede by toothed or chain gearing or
otherwise. I mount the wheel 5 directly or indirectly on the crank shaft 2 in such
a manner that it may be readily connected thereto so as to revolve therewith, or
be disconnected therefrom so as to revolve or remain stationary independently
thereof, as required.
According to the construction shown in Figures I to IV I mount the wheel 5 on
the shaft 2 so that said wheel inay rotate or remain stationary independently of
such shaft, but so that it is prevented from moving laterally with respect thereto.
I form a series of recesses 20 in one face of the wheel 5. On the shaft I also
mount, preferably between the wheel 5 and bearing 18, a sleeve 21 having at the
end nearer the wheel a deeply grooved flange 22. A feather connection 23
(Fig. IV) between the sleeve 21 and shaft 2 allows the sleeve to move lengthwise
on the shaft but prevents its rotating or remaining stationary independently thereof.
The sleeve is forced towards the wheel by a spiral spring 24 encircling part of the
said sleeve and bearing against the flange thereon at one end and against a collar,
Hange or other suitable stop 25 on the shaft, at the other end. The sleeve is
provided on its flanged face with one or more projections 26 adapted to engage
with the recesses 20 in the corresponding face of the wheel. When the sleeve 21
engages with the wheel 5, the wheel is connected to the shaft 2; and when the sleeve
is disengaged from the wheel by a lateral movement of the sleeve, the wheel is
disconnected from the shaft. The spring 24 tends to cause the wheel to engage
with the shaft. Obviously the projections may be formed on the wheel and the
recesses in the sleeve, if desired.
To move the sleeve along the shaft I prefer to employ one of two devices.
One device, shown in Figures I to II1, consists of a plate 27 located parallel with
and preferably above the shaft 2. One end (28) of the plate is turned down and
may be forked to engage with the groove 29 in the flange 22 of the sleeve. The
said plate is mounted on a base 37 so as to be capable of moving in the direction
of its length, that is, transversely to the length of the velocipede, and its movement
is confined to this direction, by studs 30 fixed in the base 37 and slots 36 in the
plate 27, or by other suitable means. The plate is provided with a stud 32 on its
upper surface, and a slotted arm 33, radiating from a rod 10, engages with the said
stud 32. The rod 10 is adapted to be rotated on its axis by the person or persons
in control of the velocipede; it is preferably mounted in a bracket 35 (Fig. 1), and

page_text: inay pass through a slot 36 in the plate and enter a hole in the base 37. As the
rod 10 is rotated on its axis the plate 27 is moved lengthwise, and, by laterally
shifting the sleeve 21, causes the wheel 5 to be connected to or disconnected from
the shaft 2, according to the direction in which the rod is rotated.
In the other device shown in Figure IV, the plate 27 is dispensed with and the
vertical rod 10 is adapted to move in the direction of its length. The rod is
provided with a cranked or beat portion 38 adapted to engage with the groove 29
in the flange 22 of the sleeve and is mounted in suitable sockets or guides 36.
When the rod is lowered the sleeve 21 is permitted to move along the shaft to the
left, by the spring 24 and the wheel 5 is thereby connected to the shaft 2; when
the rod is raised the sleeve is moved to the right by the cranked part 38 of the rod
and is held there against the resistance of the spring and the wheel is disconnected
from the shaft.
According to the construction shown in Figures V and VI I mount the wheel 5
on the circumference of a flange 39 fixed to the shaft 2 so that said wheel may
rotate or remain stationary independently of such flange, but so that it is prevented
from moving laterally with respect thereto. On one face of the wheel, preferably
that nearer to the bearing 18, I mount a short rocking radial lever 40 on an axis
parallel to the plane of the wheel. The inner end of the lever carries a tooth or
teeth 26 adapted to enter a circular series of recesses 20 in the corresponding face
of the flange. The ends of the levers are provided with arms 41, 42 which project
in the direction in which the wheel is intended to rotate. These arms are
preferably curved concentrically with the shaft and are preferably constructed of
strips of spring steel or the like rivetted or otherwise suitably attached to the ends
of the levers. These spring arms are so set that their free ends always bear
against the face of the wheel 5 or flange 39 as the case may be and they thus form
inclined surfaces leading up to the upper surfaces of the ends of the levers. Two
or more of such levers are preferably arranged equidistantly around the face of the
wheel. To operate the levers I mount a suitable block 43 on a rod 10 or otherwise
so that it may move radially nearer to or further from the shaft 2. When the
block 43 is shifted inwardly towards the shaft 2 it engages with the arms 42 on
the inner ends of the levers and forces and holds the teeth 26 in the recesses 20 in
the flange 39, thus connecting the wheel 5 to the flange and shaft 2. When the
block is shifted outwardly away from the shaft 2 it engages with the arms 41 on
the outer ends of the levers and withdraws the said teeth and keeps them out
of the recesses 20, thus disconnecting the wheel from the flange and shaft. The
levers may be made to rock stiffly by any suitable means, such as springs 44 binding
their bearings, so that the said levers will remain in any position to which they are
brought by the block 43 until moved again thereby. The inclined surfaces of the
arms ensure gradual and smooth working with the block, the operating surface of
which may also be correspondingly inclined. The block is preferably wide
enough to bridge over the space between one lever and the ends of the arms
of the next lever, and the arms, levers and block are preferably so designed that
when an engaging tooth just misses engaging with one recess it shall be directed
inward long enough to engage with the next recess before the block is passed.
The levers may be mounted on the flange instead of on the wheel, in which case
the recesses are preferably formed in the wheel instead of in the flange.
In using a motor velocipede or other motor vehicle embodying this invention
it will generally be advisable to slacken speed when throwing the gear into or out
of action.
My invention may be applied to other motor-driven velocipedes and vehicles,
with such modifications as circumstances may require.
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 :-
A motor-driven velocipede or other motor-driven vehicle in which the propelling

page_text: power can be thrown into or out of action, at the will of the rider by the means
and in the manner substantially as described with reference to one or other of the
devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1896.
G. DOUGLAS LEECHMAN,
18 Hertford Street, Coventry, 75 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., and
49 Middle Abbey Street, Dublin, Patent Agent for the Applicant.