IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas John Palmer, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham,
"
and Charles Ferdinand Dietrich, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston,
both in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas John Palmer and
Charles Ferdinand Dietrich at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 24th November 1880.
THOMAS JOHN PALMER, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham, and CHARLES
FERDINAND DIETRICH, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston, both in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES."
Our Invention relates to means or apparatus for increasing the speed of bicycles
and tricycles, and consists in the adaptation and application thereto of friction or
toothed gearing, arranged between the naves or bosses of the driving wheel, and
mounted in a stationary metal frame fixed to the fork of the vehicle, whereby an
increase of speed is communicated to wheels fixed to the naves or bosses of the
driving wheel.
The stationary frame fixed to the fork has on each side of it a hollow axle,
which together form bearings for the crank shaft, and are the axles for the naves
or bosses of the driving wheel.
In the said frame are the bearings for the shafts of two wheels, which are
arranged so as to gear with a central wheel of larger diameter fixed on the crank
shaft.
By working the cranks this central wheel is caused to turn the two wheels of
smaller diameter mounted in the stationary frame, and which consequently make
more revolutions than the said central wheel. The motion of these two smaller wheels,
is communicated to the wheels on their respective axes, which last mentioned
wheels gear with the wheels fixed on the naves or bosses of the driving wheel, and
turn them at the increased speed derived from the motion of the said two smaller
wheels.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas John Palmer and Charles Ferdinand Dietrich in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd May 1881.
THOMAS JOHN PALMER, of 10, Letterstone Road, Fulham, and CHARLES
FERDINAND DIETRICH, Engineer, of 85, Shrubland Road, Dalston, both in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BICYCLES AND TRICYCLES."
Our Invention relates to means or apparatus for increasing the speed of bicycles
and tricycles, and consists in the adaptation and application thereto of friction or
toothed gearing, arranged between the naves or bosses of the driving wheel, and
mounted in a stationary metal frame fixed to the fork of the vehicle, whereby an
increase of speed is communicated to wheels fixed to the naves or bosses of the
driving wheel.
The stationary frame fixed to the fork has on each side of it a hollow axle, which
axles together form bearings for the crank shaft, and are the axles for the naves or
bosses of the driving wheel. In the said frames are the bearings for the shafts of
two wheels, which are arranged so as to gear with a central wheel of larger
diameter, fixed on the crank shaft.
By working the cranks this central wheel is caused to turn the two wheels of
smaller diameter mounted in the stationary frame, and which consequently make
more revolutions than the said central wheel. The motion of these two smaller
wheels is communicated to the wheels on their respective axes, which last mentioned
wheels gear with the wheels fixed on the naves or bosses of the driving wheel, and
turn them at the increased speed derived from the motion of the said two smaller
wheels.
By means of the said increasing gear applied to the said stationary frame the
cranks may be worked at a lower speed in order to produce a given velocity of
motion of the driving wheel, and by constructing the said frame in two parts, one
sliding on or in the other, friction or toothed gear can be applied in the manner
hereinafter described, in order to decrease the speed of the driving wheel and
increase the power of the rider over his machine.
By this combined arrangement the speed of the driving wheel can be increased
or decreased as required by raising or lowering the sliding part of the said frame,
and thereby bringing either the lower or upper set of wheels into gear with the
wheels on the main driving shaft.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention we will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which are represented the parts of a bicycle above
Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, shewing in full size the gearing for
increasing the speed of the driving wheel as applied to a stationary frame fixed to
the fork of the vehicle; Fig. 2 is a similar view shewing the decreasing gear applied
to a frame in two parts, one sliding on or in the other; Fig. 3 is a transverse
vertical section of the frame in the line S, T, of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a horizontal
section (in the line N, O, of Fig. 1) of the frame with the shaft of the upper wheels ;
and Fig. 5 is a similar section in the line P, Q, of Fig. 2 of the frame in two parts,
with the main driving shaft. In these several Figures the same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts.

page_text: A is the metal frame with one hollow shaft A³ on each side, as shewn in Figures 1
and 5. On the shafts or ends A² are fastened by screw h the bosses C, C, for the
fork R, thereby keeping the frame A stationary. This frame A is either con-
structed simply as shewn in Fig. 1, or in two parts, as in Figures 3 and 5. In
these Figures A¹ is an inner frame having flanges, as shewn in Fig. 5, and capable
of sliding on or in the frame A as it is moved by means of the screw K working in
the frame A, with the collar g inserted in the frame A¹, which latter is fixed in its
required position by means of the nut f. The frame A has slots e, e, formed in it,
and the frame A¹ has also a slot e¹ on each side, in order to allow of the upward or
downward motion of the shafts E and E¹.
The hollow shafts A, A, form bearings for the shaft B, either plain, as shewn in
Fig. 5, or with steel rings inserted, as at a in Fig. 1. The naves D, D, of the
driving wheel turn either on a plain face, as shewn in Fig. 5, or on steel rings
driven over the shaft, as at b in Fig. 1. The driving shaft B has a long key groove i
on one end, as shewn in Fig. 5, by means of which the wheel or wheels F, F¹, are
keyed inside the frame. On the ends of the shaft B are fixed the cranks M, M.
On the naves D, D, the wheels I, I, are fastened, which are thereby caused to
turn with the naves. These wheels I are put into gear with either the wheels H, H,
or H¹, H', as required, which latter wheels are fixed on the shafts E and E¹ by
keys, as shewn at m in Fig. 1. These keys are secured by the shafts having on
both ends squares k, k, on which are fitted washers n, n, outside the squares k, k.
Screws are formed on the ends of the shafts, and the washers n, n, are secured
by means of nuts 1, 2, thereby keeping the keys m, m, in place.
The shafts E and E' are mounted in bearings d, d, of steel or other suitable
metal, which bearings are fixed in the frame A, as shewn in Figures 1 and 4, or in
the frames A¹, as shewn in Figures 2 and.3. The shaft E (or shaft E') is of larger
diameter in the middle, as shewn in Fig. 4, and has on this part of it a key groove C,
by means of which the wheel G, or wheels G¹, G¹, can be keyed thereon. The
bearings d, d, on one side of the frame are inserted from the outside, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 4. The wheel G, or wheels G¹, G¹, are put into or out of gear with
the wheels F and F', F¹, as required.
The whole mechanism is or may be arranged and constructed so as to be either
open or enclosed by a cover L, which may be made to revolve with the naves D, D,
by its being fixed thereto, as shewn in Fig. 1; or it may be stationary, as shewn
in Fig. 3, where it is fixed to the frame A, and the bosses of the naves D, D, revolve
in this cover.
By raising or lowering the sliding part or frame A¹ in the stationary frame A
either the wheels G and H, or G', G', and H¹, H', are brought into gear with the
wheels F and I, I, and as the wheels H, H, H¹, H', and I, I, are all of the same
diameter, it is evident that owing to different proportions between the diameters of
the wheels G and G¹, G', and the wheels F and F', F, a difference of speed between
the revolutions of the cranks and the naves is obtained.
The speed of the driving wheel may be in this manner increased or decreased as
required, and according to the relative proportions of the diameters and number of
teeth in the wheels G and F, or G', G₁, and F¹, F'.
From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that by adapting and
applying increasing or decreasing gear between the naves or bosses of the driving
wheel, the speed of the driving wheel can be increased or decreased as required,
thereby giving increased facilities in the use of bicycles and tricycles, and allowing
the driving wheel to be lower without losing the advantage of speed of the higher
vehicles, and also enabling the rider to exert more power over the cranks when
required.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we hereby declare that what we claim as of our Invention
is, the adaptation and application to bicycles and tricycles of friction or toothed
gearing between the naves or bosses of the driving wheel, for the purpose of

page_text: increasing the speed of such wheel in relation to that of the cranks, as herein before
described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas John Palmer and Charles Ferdinand
Dietrich, have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Twenty first day of
May, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
MITA
יד
DITED
Witness,
WILLIAM SPENCE,
8, Quality Court,
'
Chancery Lane.
тпо
CHARLES F. DIETRICH. (L.S.)