Improvements in Bicycles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Improvements in Bicycles.
I, WILLIAM C. DAILEY, of 2807 North Thirteenth Street, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A., Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to bicycles and more particularly to driving gear or pro-
pulsion mechanism therefor.
The principal objects of my present invention, are; first, to provide bicycle
driving gear or propulsion mechanism constructed and arranged for operation in
such manner that the pedal cranks may be rotated in complete circles or may be
reciprocated upwards and downwards in the arcs of circles according as it is desired
to drive the machine over level roads or over ascending grades or to afford a
change in the muscular movements of the rider or for any other purpose, and
second; to provide such gear or mechanism with means whereby the downward
stroke of one pedal causes the other pedal to retrace its path without the interven-
tion of springs, counter-weights and the like, which, of course, have to be overcome
in order to effect the downward stroke.
My invention consists of bicycle driving gear or propulsion mechanism
comprising, pedal cranks, a driving wheel, connections between the wheel and
each crank whereby the downward stroke of each of the latter rotates the wheel,
power transmission mechanism for causing the downward stroke of one crank to
effect a return motion of the other crank, means for throwing said power trans-
mission mechanism into and out of action, and devices for locking said connections
whereby the revolution of the pedal cranks rotates the wheel.
My invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter described and
claimed.
The nature, characteristic features and scope of my invention will be more fully
understood from the following description taken in connection with the accom-
panying drawings forming part hereof and in which is illustrated a plan view
parily in central section of propelling mechanism or driving gear embodying
features of my invention.
In the drawings 1, is a bearing, casing or journal box carried by the frame-
work 2, of a bicycle and in this connection it may be remarked that the type of
frame-work shown in the drawings is selected only for purposes of illustration and
that the particular type of frame-work employed is immaterial to my invention.
3, is a freely revoluble sleeve suitably supported against undue end play and
having a driving wheel 4, attached to or forming part of it. In the present
instance, the driving wheel 4, is a sprocket wheel adapted to drive one of the
traction wheels of the machine through the intervention of a sprocket chain, not
shown. As illustrated in the drawings, the sleeve 3, is made in two parts having
their ends correspondingly threaded and screwed together and held against
accidental detachment by means of a set screw 5, the object being to permit of the
introduction of the cups 6, balls 7, and gaskets 8, into the bearing, casing or
journal box 1, whereupon the two parts of the sleeve are inserted at opposite ends
of the bearing, casing or journal box 1, and screwed together, and the set screw 5,
is introduced through the aperture 9, and screwed to place, although it must be
borne in mind that my invention is not limited to this particular construction.
10, is a shaft supported against undue end-play and revolubly mounted within
the sleeve 3, as shown in the drawings by means of ball-bearings 11. 12, is a

page_text: pedal-crank formed integral with or keyed to one end of the shaft 10; as shown in
the drawings, it is keyed by means of a set screw 13. 14, is a bevel gear formed
integral with or attached as by means of a key 15, to the other end of the shaft 10.
In the drawings, I have illustrated the employment of a sector of the bevel
gear, because this is all of the gear that is necessary for accomplishing the results
desired for the reason that when the part 14, is performing its intended function,
the pedal cranks are being reciprocated in a comparatively small arc of a circle as
is hereinafter more fully set forth. 16, is a pedal crank mounted so as to turn
freely, as shown in the drawings on the shaft 10. 17, is a bevel gear attached to
or formed integral with the pedal crank 16. In the pressnt instance, the pedal
crank 16, is provided with a hub 18, and the bevel gear 17, is, for the reasons
above set forth in connection with the bevel wheel 14, in the form of a sector and
is keyed to the hub 18, by means of a pin 19. 20, is an idle bevel gear that may
be caused to engage and disengage the bevel toothed sectors 14 and 17, for
purposes to be hereinafter set forth. In the present instance, this result is
accomplished by journaling the bevel gear 20, to a stud or bracket 21, made to
suit the style of bicycle and adapted to be shifted in respect to the frame 2. As
shown, the stud 21, is provided with a strap 22, and binding screw 23, through the
intervention of which it may be shifted and clamped to place on the frame 2.
Interposed between each pedal crank 12 and 16, and the driving wheel 4, are
pawl-and-ratchet connections. As shown in the drawings, the crown ratchet
wheels 24 and 25, are applied to or formed integral with the respective ends of the
sleeve 3, and the pawls 26 and 27, are located in suitable apertures cut or otherwise
formed in the crank arms 12 and 16, and are held up into proper engagement with
the ratchet-wheels by means of springs 28. 29, are set screws inserted in the
apertures in the crank arms 12 and 16, and adapted to be screwed up so as to
engage the pawls and lock them to the teeth of the ratchet wheels and to be
screwed outward so as to afford the pawls a range of motion against the influence
of their springs for purposes to be hereinafter set forth.
The mode of operation of the above described driving gear or propulsina
mechanism is as follows:
To propel the machine by turning the pedal cranks in complete circles, the
idle bevel gear 20, is shifted clear of the beveled sectors 14 and 17, and
crank 16, and the cranks 16 and 12, are locked to the respective ratchet
wheels 24 and 25, by screwing up the set screws 29, which engage the pawls 26,
and thus prevent them from clearing the teeth of the ratchet wheels, it being
understood that for this purpose the cranks 12 and 16, are preferably disposed
180° apart or in other words, diametrically opposite each other. Under these
circumstances, the rider rotates the cranks 12 and 16, in complete circles and the
cranks being locked by the pawls 25, and set screws 29, to the sleeve 3, turn
the latter together with the driving wheel 4, in the same direction, thus effecting
the propulsion of the machine. To permit the cranks to be reciprocated in the
arc of a circle, the bevel gear 20, is brought, in the manner above described, into
engagement with the toothed sectors 17 and 14. The pedal cranks are turned
into alignment with each other as shown in the drawings and the set screws 29,
are screwed outward so as to release the pawls 24 and 25, and permit them to
move under the influence of their complemental springs. Under these circum-
stances, a downward stroke of the pedal crank 12, operating through the
intervention of pawl 27, and ratchet wheel 25, imparts a forward motion of
rotation to the sleeve 3, and driving wheel 4. This motion of the crank 12,
also imparts a similar motion to the shaft 10, and to the bevel toothed sector 14,
which causes the latter, acting through the intervention of the bevel wheel 20,
to turn the toothed sector 17, and crank arm 16, rearward or upward into position
for permitting of the subsequent depression of the crank 16, by the rider. During
this upward motion of the crank 16, the pawl 26, slides over the teeth of the
ratchet wheel 24, without engaging them. When the crank 16, is pushed forward
or downward by the rider, it imparts a forward notion of rotation by means of

page_text: the pawl-and-ratchet connections 24 and 26, to the sleeve 3, and driving wheel 4.
This motion of the crank 16, also causes the toothed sector 14, acting through
the intervention of the bevel gear 20, and toothed sector 17, to turn the shaft 10,
and crank 12, backward or upward into position for being subsequently depressed
by the foot of the rider. During the upward motion of the crank 12, the pawl 27,
slides over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 25, which for this purpose, are made
to resemble the teeth of a saw. From the foregoing description it is apparent
that the force applied to effect the downward stroke of one pedal crank also effects
the return stroke of the other pedal crank by simply lifting its weight and
without the intervention of springs.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates
that modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit
thereof, hence I do not limit myself to the precise construction and arrangement
of parts hereinabove set forth and illustrated in the drawings, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A bicycle driving or propulsion mechanism comprising, pedal cranks, a
driving wheel, connections between the wheel and each crank whereby the
reciprocation of each of the latter rotates the wheel, power transmission mechanism
for causing the downward stroke of one crank to effect a return motion of the
other, means for throwing said power transmission mechanism into and out of
action, and devices for connecting each crank to the wheel whereby the revolution
of the cranks rotates the wheel, substantially as described.
2. A bicycle driving gear or propulsion mechanisin comprising, a driving wheel,
a revoluble shaft provided with a pedal crank and a bevel gear, a pedal crank
loose on said shaft and provided with a bevel gear, an idle gear, pawl-and-ratchet
connections between each crank and wheel, means for locking and unlocking the
pawl-and-ratchet connections, and devices for throwing the gear wheels into and
out of action, substantially as described.
3. A bicycle driving gear or propulsion mechanisin comprising, a driving wheel,
pedal cranks for rotating the driving wheel through the intervention of pawls and
their complemental ratchet-wheels, means for locking said ratchet-wheels to the
pedal cranks whereby the complete revolution of the latter rotates the driving
wheel, and power transmission mechanism provided with means for throwing it
into and out of action and operating to cause the downward stroke of one crank
to effect a return motion of the other crank whereby the reciprocation of the
cranks rotates the driving wheel, substantially as described.
4. A bicycle driving gear or propulsion mechanism comprising, a revoluble
sleeve carrying a sprocket-wheel, a revoluble shaft provided with a pedal crank
and a bevel gear, a pedal crank loose on said shaft and provided with a bevel
gear, an idle gear, pawl-and-ratchet connections interposed between each of said
cranks and sleeve, means for locking said pawl-and-ratchet connections, and
devices for shifting the idle bevel gear, substantially as described.
Dated this 12th day of November 1894.
WILLIAM C. DAILEY.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.