AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE DRIVING MECHANISM OF TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
Year: 1884

page_text: I STEPHEN MARTIN of 181 Birchfields Road in the County of Stafford Manager
of Works do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE DRIVING MECHANISM OF TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES
" to be as
follows:-
My Invention has reference to the driving mechanism of tricycles and other
velocipedes, and consists of the construction and arrangement hereinafter described
of the mechanism or arrangement of gearing for transferring the motion generated
from the pedal axis, to the chain wheel; and from thence to a pair of driving
wheels, in order that the force or motion so generated shall be equalized between
the two driving wheels, so that the driving power shall act with equal force upon
each wheel of the pair of wheels.
I will now proceed to describe my new or improved driving gear which is so
constructed and arranged that the driving wheels of the machine are capable of
moving at different speeds or changing their rates of motion automatically, upon
one or other of the wheels taking a greater or less radius, on the tricycle or
velocipede changing its course from a rectilinear to a curvilinear path.
I will describe my invention as applied to a tricycle in which the driving
mechanism is situated equally between the said driving wheels.
The motion generated from the pedals is transferred to a chain wheel fixed
rigidly to a central axis situated in an axial line with the driving wheels.
This axis has mounted upon its ends two hollow axles or sleeves carrying
respectively the driving wheels at the ends thereof, and attached to the inner ends
of the said hollow axles, bevil toothed wheels are keyed or fixed-these bevil wheels
are disposed on either side the chain wheel and gears on the one side with a bevil
toothed wheel fixed upon the end of a loose axis or spindle passing radially through
a boss formed with the central solid axis-At the other end of this loose axis is a
spur toothed wheel which engages with another toothed wheel on the end of a
second loose radial axis passing also through the central shaft but on the other side
of the chain wheel, and situated on the face of the last named spur wheel and
keyed upon its loose spindle is a second bevil wheel which engages with the bevil
toothed wheel on the hollow axis of the second driving wheel.

page_text: The frame of the machine is supported by the hollow axles which turn within
sockets of the frame.
The central driving gear described is driven by the feet of the driver acting upon
the pedals of the machine in the usual way, motion being transferred from the
pedal axis by an endless chain to the chain wheel. On rotary motion being com-
municated to the chain wheel the gearing on the central solid axis, and the bevil
wheels on the hollow axles being locked within the respective teeth of the wheels,
turn and rotate with the said chain wheel, and thereby imparting to the pair of
driving wheels an equal amount of force generated from pedal axis.
The resultant of the combined motion is to impart an equal amount of power to
the driving wheels of the machine, so long as the vehicle travels within a straight
path, but on the vehicle changing its course from a straight to a curvilinear one,
or as in the change of direction of motion on turning a corner, consequently the
outer wheel making a longer radius, its toothed wheel voluntarily dissociates itself
from the influence of the chain wheel and its gearing and at the same time the
intermediate bevil wheel simply runs over the face of the bevil wheel on the hollow
axis, that is to say, on the outside driving wheel making a longer radius, and
consequently taking an extended path, is thereby made to travel voluntarily faster
than the chain wheel and its gearing. On the track of the vehicle again changing
to a straight course the gearing becomes locked and the driving wheels more
together and the motive force equally between the pair of wheels.
When the machine is a side driver only one sleeve or hollow axis is required,
the bevil toothed wheel on one side being attached to the hub of the driving
wheel.
Dated this First day of January One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
STEPHEN MARTIN.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham,
Agent to Applicant.

page_text: "
I, STEPHEN MARTIN of 181 Birchfields Road, in the County of Stafford Manager
of Works do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE DRIVING MECHANISM OF TRICYCLES AND OTHER VELOCIPEDES and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has reference to the driving mechanism of tricycles and other
velocipedes, and consists of the construction and arrangement hereinafter described
of the mechanism or arrangement of gearing for transferring the motion generated
from the pedal axis, to the chain wheel; and from thence to a pair of driving
wheels, in order that the force or motion so generated, shall be equalized between
the two driving wheels, so that the driving power shall act with equal force upon
each wheel of the pair of wheels.
I will now proceed to describe my new or improved driving gear; which is so
constructed and arranged, that the driving wheels of the machine are capable of
moving at different speeds, or changing their rates of motion automatically, upon
one or other of the wheels taking a greater or less radius; on the tricycle or
velocipede changing its course from a rectilinear to a curvilinear path.
I will describe my invention as applied to a tricycle, in which the driving
mechanism is situated equally between the said driving wheels.
The motion generated from the pedals is transferred to a chain wheel fixed rigidly
to a central axis situated in an axial line with the driving wheels.
This axis has mounted upon its ends, two hollow axles or sleeves, carrying
respectively the driving wheels at the ends thereof; and attached to the inner ends
of the said hollow axles, bevil toothed wheels are keyed or fixed, these bevil
wheels are disposed on either side the chain wheel, and gears on the one side with
a bevil toothed wheel fixed upon the end of a loose axis or spindle, passing radially
through a boss formed with the central solid axis. At the other end of this loose
axis, is a spur toothed wheel which engages with another toothed wheel, on the end
of a second loose radial axis passing also through the central shaft, but on the other
side of the chain wheel; and situated on the face of the last named spur wheel,
and keyed upon its loose spindle, is a second bevil wheel which, engages with the
bevil toothed wheel on the hollow axis of the second driving wheel.
The frame of the machine is supported by the hollow axles, which turn within
sockets of the frame. .
The central driving gear described, is driven by the feet of the driver acting
upon the pedals of the machine in the usual way; motion being transferred from
the pedal axis by an endless chain to the chain wheel. On rotary motion being
communicated to the chain wheel, the gearing on the central solid axis, and the
bevil wheels on the hollow axles being locked within the respective teeth of the
wheels, turn and rotate with the said chain wheel, and thereby imparting to
the pair of driving wheels an equal amount of force generated from the pedal axis.
The resultant of the combined motion is to impart an equal amount of power to
the driving wheels of the machine, so long as the vehicle travels within a straight
path; but on the vehicle changing its course from a straight to a curvilinear one,
or as in the change of direction of motion on turning a corner; thereby compelling
the outer driving wheel to take a longer radius-The driving mechanism actuated
by the chain wheel only now drives this outer wheel whose path is of longer
radius, so. that this wheel travels with the same relative motion as the pedal axis,

page_text: while the driving wheel on the inner side is allowed to travel at its own rate, by
the gearing running upon the face of its driving pinion.
On the track of the vehicle again changing to a straight course, the gearing
becomes locked and the driving wheels move together and the motive force equally
distributed between the pair of wheels.
When the machine is a side driver, only one sleeve or hollow axis is required;
the bevil toothed wheel on one side being attached to the hub of the driving wheel.
Having now described the nature of my invention, I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which my invention
may be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation, driving mechanism for Tricycles and other
velocipedes constructed according to my invention-Figure 2 is a plan of the same
with some of the parts broken off. Figure 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section of
figure 1, and figure 4 is an end view on the dotted lines A B figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the Drawings.
a is a chain wheel affixed rigidly to a central axis b which is situated in an
axial line with the driving wheel and passes from side to side of the machine-
This solid axis b, has mounted and running upon two independent bollow axles or
sleeves C, d. and carrying respectively at the ends thereof the hubs of the driving
wheels e, f, and attached at the inner ends of the said hollow axles, bevil toothed
wheels or pinions d², c, are keyed or fixed-These bevil pinions c, d, are disposed
on either side the chain wheel a-The bevil pinion gears with the pinion d³
fixed upon the end of an axis or spindle d' which passes radially through and
works within a boss formed with the central solid axis b-At the other end of the
spindle d is a spur toothed wheel d³, which gears with a spur wheel c, having
combined with it a bevil pinion which runs loosely upon an axis c which also passes
through the central axis b-The bevil pinion c³ drives the bevil wheel c² which is
fixed upon the sleeve or hollow axis c, but on the other side of the chain wheel;
that is, situated upon the inner face of the spur wheel c', a second bevil wheel, c³
engages with the teeth of a bevil wheel c² on the hollow axis c of the driving
wheel -The frame of the machine is supported by hollow axles which turn
within sockets of the frame.
The central driving gear, described is driven by the feet of the driver of the
machine acting upon the pedals in the usual way; motion being transferred from
the pedal axis, by an endless chain or other gearing to the chain wheel a.
On rotary motion being communicated to the chain wheel a when the steering
wheel of the machine is straight, or when the machine is moving in a right line,
the chain wheel on the central solid axis with its gearing and the bevil gearing on
the hollow axles become locked within the respective teeth of the wheels, so
that the driving mechanism becomes self locking, instantly the machine takes to a
straight course, and the gearing, hollow axles, solid axle and chain wheel, all work
in a body or are carried forward at the same rate as the driving wheel; thereby
distributing to the pair of driving wheels, the force generated from the pedal axis-
The resultant of the combined motion is to impart an equal amount of power to
the driving wheels, of the machine so long as it travels within a straight path, but
on the vehicle changing its course, from a straight to a curvilinear one, as in the
change of direction of motion, on turning a corner; thereby compelling the outer
driving wheel to take a longer radius; the driving mechanism now only drives
this wheel whose path is of longer radius; that is, if the wheel fis compelled to
travel faster by reasons before described; the chain wheel a only communicates
motion through the gear mounted upon the spindles c, d-The gearing carried by
the said spindles either lock the respective bevil wheels c, d, or as in the present
case they drive the pinion c³, and run round the teeth on the face of the bevil
pinion d³, so that motion generated from the pedal axis and communicated to the
chain wheel a at the time when the hub or wheel fis taking an outer curvilinear
course, the bevil pinion c³, being carried forward by the spindle's motion, its teeth

page_text: drive the bevil wheels c², fixed upon the hollow axle or sleeve c of the hub ƒ—
The bevil pinion d' which drives the hub e and which is moving at a slower rate,
allows the pinion d³ to anticipate its motion, thus allowing the wheel to travel
voluntarily at its own rate, by becoming disassociated from the motion of pedal
axis or from the motion of the chain wheel; that is to say, the inside driving
wheel is allowed to travel voluntarily slower by receiving no effect from the driving
mechanisın.
On the track of the wheel again changing to a straight course, the gearing
carried around the axis with the chain wheel become interlocked with the bevil
wheels on the hollow sleeves, when the whole move together as one rigid body, and
so dividing its motion equally between the pair of driving wheels.
When the machine is a side driver, only one sleeve or hollow axle is required,
the bevil toothed wheel upon one or other of the sides being attached to the hub of
one of the driving wheels.
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
First The improvements in mechanism commonly called balance gear, for
driving Tricycles, and other Velocipedes herein before described, and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings; that is to say, driving mechanism in which the chain
wheel is fixed rigidly upon a central axis which carries spindles with bevil and
spur toothed wheels mounted and running thereon the bevil wheels of which engage
with the teeth of like bevil wheels carried by sleeves or hollow axis upon which
the hubs or driving wheels of the machine are mounted, the parts being arranged,
combined and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
described and illustrated.
Secondly Constructing and arranging driving mechanism for Tricycles and
other Velocipedes consisting essentially of a central axis, upon which sleeves or
hollow axis are mounted carrying the driving wheels of the machine; motion being
imparted to the said wheels, either collectively or individually depending upon the
course the machine may be following, by the arrangement of gearing as described
and illustrated.
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