Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 28th Apr., 1897-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
I, HERBERT JOHN WALTERS, of 11 Cardiff Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Tinman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
According to one part of this invention, the upper and lower portions of the side
plates of longitudinally-divided gear cases are stiffened, and the slots through
which the stays pass are covered, by longitudinally-sliding pieces each of which is
fitted to slide in a pair of guides, one of which is a rigid fixture to the upper
portion of the side plate, and the other of which is a rigid fixture to the lower
portion of the side plate. The sliding piece for the outer face of a case is shaped
to close over the portion of the stay which passes out through such face, and the
sliding piece for the inner face of the case is shaped to close over the portion of
the stay which passes in through such face, such latter sliding-piece, when it has
been pushed in along its guides, butting up against the bridge.
According to another part of this invention, the two halves or main portions of
a longitudinally-divided gear case are fixed at their forward ends direct to the stay,.
by means of a clip, one portion of which is formed with or carried by the upper
half or part of the case, and the other portion of which is formed with or carried
by the lower half or part of the case. This method of fixing the two halves or
main portions of the case at their forward ends, to the framing, facilitates the
making of the quadrant end of one of such halves or main portions of the case AS A
removable part, in the manner hereinafter described; and, as the clip can be made
of considerable length, great firmness of connection between the forward end of
the case and the stay may be obtained. Portions of the clip may be carried
forwards to pass, respectively, over and under the bottom bracket.
According to a further part of this invention, the forward quadrant end of one
of the halves or of the two main portions of a longitudinally-divided gear case,
preferably the forward end of the upper half or main portion, is made removable
from the rest of such half or portion of the case, for ready access to the chain.
This is conveniently effected by hinging the quadrant piece, forming the removable
end, to the end of the lower half or main portion of the case, and fixing the upper
edge of the quadrant piece to the rest of the upper half or main upper portion of
the case by means of a screw or in other manner which permits of its being readily
unfastened.
According to a still further part of this invention, the openings through the side
faces of the case, which are slotted to allow of the chain adjustment, are closed in
(except for a small portion thereof) by means of plates each of which is pivoted
within the case and is formed with an open-ended radial slot through which the
chain wheel hub, or other portion which revolves with the hind wheel, passes, and
with which it engages. The plates are turned on their pivot axis, as the chain is
tightened up, by the backward movement of the portions which pass through their
slots, and thus the portions of the openings through the sides of the case which
would otherwise be left uncovered, as the hind spindle is drawn back, are
automatically covered by the pivoted and slotted plates.
Dated this 27th day of Tul. 2000
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant,

page_text: Improvements in Gear Cases for Cycles.
I, HERBERT JOHN. WALTERS, of 11 Cardiff Street, Wolverhampton in the
County of Stafford, Tinman, 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:-
In order that the invention may be clearly understood, I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate all the improvements
included in the invention as applied (as is preferred) to a single gear case.
Figure 1 is a front elevation, Figure 2 a back elevation, and Figure 3 a plan, of
the gear case.
Figure 4 is a section taken on line xx of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the
arrow a; and,
The
Figure 5 is a detached view of one of the pivoted plates hereinafter described.
According to the first part of this invention, the upper and lower portions A
and B respectively, of the gear case are divided longitudinally, and the sides are
stiffened, and the openings through which the lower back stay on the corresponding
side of the machine passes are covered, by means of longitudinally-sliding plates b c
which are fitted to the front and back faces, respectively, of the case.
plate c is fitted to be capable of sliding within a pair of guides f g which are rigidly
fixed to the back faces of the parts A and B, respectively. The plate c is shaped,
as shewn, so as to close over the portion of the stay which passes out through the
opening at the back face of the case; and. when the plate has been pushed in
along its guides, the forward end of the plate butts against the bridge which is
fixed between the lower back stays of the cycle framing. The plate 6 is fitted so
as to be capable of sliding within a pair of guides de which are rigidly fixed to the
front faces of the parts A and B, respectively. The plate b is shaped, as shewn, so
as to close over the portion of the stay which passes out through the opening at the
front face of the case.
According to the second part of this invention, the longitudinally-divided upper
and lower portions A and B of the case are fixed at their forward ends direct to
the lower back stay of a cycle frame, by means of a clip 4, one portion of which
is fixed to the portion A of the case, and the other portion of which is fixed to the
portion B of the case. The clip is formed of sheet metal stiffened by means of
strips of metal a¹ which are soldered or brazed thereto, and the clip is held around
the stay by means of a pin 6 which is passed through ears formed out from the
ends of the strips a' and screwed into a nut fixed to one of the ears. The clip is
made of considerable length, and portions i and k are formed to fit partially around
the bottom bracket as shewn, thereby ensuring great firmness of connection between
the forward end of the case and the framing. This method of fixing the forward
end of the case to the framing facilitates the formation of the quadrant portion C of
the case, hereinafter described.
According to the third part of this invention, a quadrant-shaped portion C is
made separate from the remainder of the case, and is applied thereto in a manner
which enables it to be readily opened out from the remainder of the case for access
to the chain or driving chain wheel. This is conveniently effected by connecting
the lower end of the quadrant-piece C to the portion B of the case by means of a
hingel, and fixing the upper edge of the quadrant-piece to the portion A of the
case by means of a screw m, which passes through the metal of the portion C and
is screwed into a nut fixed to the portion A of the case; or the quadrant-piece may
be fixed in other convenient manner which permits of its being readily unfastened.
When it is desired to inspect the chain or chain wheel, the screw m is removed and
the portion C turned back on the hinge 1. The movable portion C is shewn as

page_text: forming the forward quadrant-end of the part B of the case, but such movable
portion may be formed as the forward quadrant-end of the part A of the case,
if desired.
These
According to the fourth part of this invention, the openings through the side
faces of the case, which are slotted to allow of the chain adjustment, are closed in
(except for a small portion thereof) by means of a pair of plates D, one of which
is pivoted to each side, respectively, of the case, upon a pin or rivet n.
plates are each formed with an open-ended slot o through which the spindle passes.
As the wheel is drawn backwards, or moved forwards, to adjust the tension of the
driving chain, the plates D are turned on their axes by the backward or forward
movement of the portions which pass through their slots, and thus portions of the
openings through the sides of the case which would otherwise be left uncovered as
the wheel is moved backwards or forwards, are automatically covered by portions
of the plates D.
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 longitudinally-divided cycle gear case provided with plates which are
capable of sliding endways in longitudinal guides fixed to the upper and lower
divisions, respectively, of the case, and act as stiffeners to the side plates of the
case and also as cover plates to the openings through which the lower back stay
passes into and out from the case, and which are shaped to close over the portions
of the stay which emerge from such openings, substantially as described.
2. A cycle gear case fitted with a plate which is capable of sliding in guides fixed
to its back face and of being slid over the opening through euch face through
which the lower back stay passes and of covering the emerging portion of such
stay, the forward end of the said plate coming, when the plate is closed, against the
bridge which is fixed between the two lower back stays, substantially as described.
3. A longitudinally-divided cycle gear case having the forward end thereof.
provided with a clip, one part of which is fixed to the back face of the upper
portion of the case, and the other part of which is fixed to the back face of the
lower portion of the case, and by means of which the forward end of the case may
be fixed to the stay, substantially as described.
4. A longitudinally-divided cycle gear case having the forward end thereof
provided with a clip, one part of which is fixed to the back face of the upper
portion of the case to pass over the stay, and the other part of which is fixed to the
back face of the lower portion of the case to pass underneath the stay, the said
parts of the clip being formed with extensions to pass partially around the bottom
bracket, substantially as described.
5. A longitudinally-divided cycle gear case having a quadrant-shaped part of
one of the longitudinally-divided portions formed separately from the remainder of
the case, and connected thereto in a manner which allows of it being opened out to
expose the chain gear, substantially as described.
6. A cycle gear case provided with plates which are pivoted to the rear ends of
the sides thereof, and are formed with slotted openings through which the axle
passes, the said plates being moved by the axle as it is itself moved to adjust the
chain tension, the closing of the slotted openings through the sides of the case for
the passage of the axle being thus automatic, substantially as described.
7. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting a novel
construction of gear case, substantially as described and shewn by the drawings
herewith.
A1005
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant,